The forest was eerily silent.
Louis, Betty, and Locob stood amidst the corpses of the fallen beasts, their bodies aching from the intense battle. The thick scent of blood mixed with burnt fur and shattered earth.
Louis wiped sweat from his forehead, his mind racing. This wasn't normal. B-rank monsters weren't supposed to attack like this—not in coordinated waves, and definitely not without reason.
Betty glanced around, arrow still nocked. "You're both seeing this, right?"
Locob, still panting, nodded. "They… they were too organized. Almost like something was controlling them."
Louis crouched near one of the dead Mad Goremanes, examining its body. Its bone-plated arms were scorched from Locob's fire, its crimson eyes now dull and lifeless. But something felt off.
Then he saw it.
A black mark near its neck, barely visible under the thick fur.
Louis narrowed his eyes. He reached out and pulled back the fur, revealing a dark, pulsating vein, as if something unnatural had been flowing through the beast's body.
"What the hell…"
Betty walked over. "What is it?"
Louis pointed. "This. Look at this discoloration."
Betty frowned. "That's… not normal."
Locob stepped closer, his curiosity outweighing his exhaustion. "That looks like… corruption."
Louis looked at him. "Corruption?"
Locob hesitated. "I read about something similar before. Some ancient magic that could infect living creatures, making them more aggressive. But it was just a theory—something from old texts, nothing proven."
Betty crossed her arms. "Well, it looks real to me."
Louis felt a chill creep up his spine. If this was corruption, then the question was: Where was it coming from?
And more importantly…
How far had it spread?
---
Unnatural Silence
After burning the bodies of the fallen beasts—just in case—the trio continued deeper into the forest.
But something was wrong.
The air felt heavier. The usual rustling of leaves, the chirping of birds—gone. It was as if the entire forest was holding its breath.
Louis noticed the trees. Their bark looked… darker, almost sickly. Some had strange blackened veins, similar to what he had seen on the Goremane.
Locob stopped walking. "I think we should head back."
Louis considered it. They had completed their mission—the beasts were eliminated, and they had their proof of unnatural behavior. But…
Betty suddenly whispered, "We're being watched."
Louis froze.
Locob shuddered. "I—I don't see anything."
Betty didn't lower her bow. "Doesn't matter. I feel it."
Then—a whisper.
A faint, guttural sound drifted through the air, impossible to tell if it was words or just the wind.
Louis' heart pounded. "We're leaving. Now."
Betty and Locob didn't argue.
They turned back, moving quickly but cautiously.
The feeling of being watched didn't fade. If anything, it grew stronger.
But nothing attacked.
The whispers never returned.
By the time they reached the edge of the safe shield, the air felt normal again.
But none of them spoke.
Because they all knew one thing for certain.
Something was still out there.
And it was watching.
To be continued…