The first light of dawn crept over the horizon as Leon and Jarek stood at the western edge of Korrin Town. The path ahead was rough, winding through dense forests and jagged hills—the beginning of Black Hollow Hills.
The air was different here. Even before stepping into the region, Leon could feel it. Heavy. Silent. Watching.
Jarek rolled his shoulders. "Well, this looks inviting."
Leon ignored the comment and focused on his beasts.
Steel Fang Wolf walked at his side, ears perked and eyes scanning the surroundings. Its instincts were already on edge.
Phantom Stalker remained unseen, but Leon could feel its presence in the shadows, blending perfectly with the darkness of the trees.
Leon took a breath. "Stay sharp. We're being watched."
Jarek stiffened slightly. "You're sure?"
Leon didn't answer. He didn't need to.
The Hills were already alive with something unseen.
---
The Path Grows Darker
The first few hours were uneventful—too uneventful. The deeper they went, the quieter it became. No birds. No insects. Not even the rustling of wind through leaves.
Jarek muttered, "I don't like this. Not even a rabbit in sight."
Leon remained focused. Something had disturbed the natural balance.
Then—
A low growl echoed from up ahead.
Leon's hand instinctively moved to his beast taming sigil, ready to command his beasts. Jarek unsheathed his sword, eyes scanning the shadows.
From the darkness of the trees, red eyes appeared.
One pair. Then two. Then five.
The creatures stepped forward—twisted wolves, their fur black as night, their limbs elongated unnaturally. Their eyes burned with a sickly red glow, and their mouths were stretched too wide, revealing rows of jagged teeth.
Jarek muttered, "That ain't normal."
Leon analyzed them.
[Corrupted Nightfangs] – Mutated beasts twisted by an unknown force. Normally passive creatures, but once corrupted, they become aggressive and relentless.
Leon's expression darkened. He had never seen these in the original game.
That meant whatever was happening here wasn't scripted.
Something was changing Devia's world.
---
The First Battle in the Hills
One of the Corrupted Nightfangs lunged—fast, far faster than a normal wolf.
But Leon was faster.
"Steel Fang Wolf—counterattack!"
With a burst of speed, his beast met the Nightfang mid-air, fangs clashing against fangs. The corrupted beast let out a strangled snarl as the Steel Fang Wolf overpowered it, slamming it into the ground.
Leon didn't hesitate.
"Phantom Stalker—eliminate the weakest one."
The shadows rippled. A flicker of movement.
Then—one of the Corrupted Nightfangs collapsed, its throat slit before it even realized it was attacked.
Jarek whistled. "I'll never get used to that thing."
Leon didn't answer.
The remaining Nightfangs hesitated, their unnatural red eyes flickering. Then, as if controlled by an unseen force, they charged again—without hesitation.
Leon's expression hardened.
They weren't just acting on instinct. Something was commanding them.
---
An Unnatural Presence
The battle didn't last long.
Leon's beasts were stronger. More trained. Within minutes, the last of the Nightfangs lay dead.
But something was wrong.
Jarek wiped blood from his blade. "That was too easy. If these things have been causing all the disappearances, I'd expect more of a fight."
Leon crouched beside one of the fallen beasts. He examined its body closely—then paused.
Its flesh was wrong.
The wounds left by his beasts were not bleeding normally. Instead, dark veins pulsed beneath the skin, as if something had infected it.
Leon's fingers brushed over one of the veins. The flesh twitched.
Jarek took a step back. "…Yeah, that's not normal."
Leon's mind raced. In Devia, there were no records of beasts mutating like this naturally. Corruption usually required a source.
Which meant—
Something deeper in the Hills was spreading this.
Leon stood. "We keep moving."
Jarek hesitated, then nodded. "Right behind you."
---
Further Into the Unknown
As they ventured deeper into the Hills, the landscape changed.
The trees grew twisted, their branches reaching out like skeletal fingers. The ground was uneven, riddled with cracks that seemed unnatural.
And then they saw it.
Up ahead, carved into the bark of a dying tree, was a symbol—one that pulsed with a faint, eerie glow.
A twisted marking, just like the shopkeeper had described.
Leon's breath slowed. This was not something natural.
Jarek exhaled. "Tell me we're not touching that thing."
Leon didn't answer. His mind was already turning.
Something powerful was at work here.
And whatever it was…
It had been watching them since they arrived.
---