The usual scouting range for a scout is about three to five kilometers from the caravan, depending on the scout's abilities.
But Kiki was no ordinary scout. As a Catfolk, she was naturally agile, and with her innate ability, Spirit Wind, her speed was exceptional. This allowed her to cover a wider area in a shorter time.
For this reason, she proudly called herself an elite scout.
Before long, Kiki had covered eight kilometers. Along the way, she detected no threats—this stretch of road was safe to pass.
This made sense; they were still within Ocean City's protected zone. With the city's patrols in the area, few would dare cause trouble here.
So, Kiki pressed forward. She sprinted ahead, finally leaving the protection zone.
However, barely five kilometers out, she spotted danger.
A herd of foraging Tusked Boars.
Tusked Boars were a common magical beast on the continent, widely distributed. Once they reached adulthood, their rank was usually Brass, though on occasion, some individuals could reach Silver, depending on their size.
Among the boars ahead, there was one particularly massive beast.
"Meow, that big one must be at least Silver, right?!" Kiki muttered as she observed from the treetops.
This was clearly a large boar family, with at least twenty to thirty members. The biggest of them stood over two meters tall, its striped fur gleaming with a faint silver sheen—no doubt a Silver-ranked beast.
There were also seven or eight other large boars that had likely reached Brass, while the remaining ones were smaller and hadn't yet reached that level.
These boars weren't a direct threat to the caravan. The real problem was their signature attack—Boar Charge. While the caravan's guards could handle them, if a charging boar happened to crash into a wagon carrying valuable cargo, that would be a disaster.
Kiki decided to lure them away—just enough to keep them off the trade route.
Having made up her mind, she summoned a breeze of Spirit Wind, a green glow surrounding her. In a flash, she dashed right up to the largest boar and smacked its forehead with the sheath of her shortsword.
Thud!
The hit wasn't too heavy, but it was enough to anger the beast, triggering its rage state.
"Come on, you dumb pig! Chase me!" Kiki teased, making a playful face before darting away.
The enraged boar let out a furious squeal, immediately leading its herd in pursuit of Kiki.
She deliberately slowed her pace, keeping them on her tail, leading them several kilometers off the road before suddenly accelerating, leaving the boars behind. Circling back, she returned to the trade route.
With the boars no longer a concern, she resumed her scouting mission.
Brave Kiki, never afraid of challenges! Onward!
Kiki moved with light, agile steps, leaping swiftly between tree branches.
Then, a gust of wind blew past her. Her sensitive nose twitched, and she immediately frowned.
The scent of blood?
Something had happened up ahead.
Determined to investigate, Kiki slipped through the trees, climbed over a grassy hill, and finally found the source of the scent.
Her mouth fell open in shock.
On this side of the hill, the grass was lush and dotted with small white and yellow flowers—a peaceful, beautiful scene. But on the other side, the ground was soaked in blood, the earth darkened by gore.
Dozens of Great Horned Cattle lay disemboweled, their innards strewn across the field. Some were so mutilated they were barely recognizable, with limbs and flesh scattered in different directions. The overwhelming stench made Kiki's sharp senses burn, her eyes watering.
What in the world happened here?
Kiki dared not get too close. She observed from a distance.
These cattle were likely livestock from a local herder, as evidenced by the leather tags on their ears and bells around some of their necks.
Judging by the wounds, they had been attacked by a magical beast—and a vicious one at that.
The sheer size of the claw marks suggested a large creature.
And its mouth must have been enormous. One cow had its neck cleanly bitten through—just a small strip of flesh still connecting the head to the body.
But this didn't make sense.
Magical beasts hunted livestock, sure, but usually only to eat. They would kill one, take it away, and leave. They didn't engage in senseless slaughter.
Magical beasts knew how dangerous humans were. They wouldn't risk sticking around to eat and provoke retaliation.
Yet here, the entire herd had been massacred. A rough count showed at least thirty or forty dead cattle.
And while Great Horned Cattle were only Brass-ranked domesticated beasts, their sheer size meant they could stampede when threatened. A coordinated charge from a Brass-ranked herd could even deter a low-tier Silver-ranked magical beast.
But this? This was complete devastation.
Kiki's mind raced.
This could have been the work of a high-tier Silver-ranked beast gone berserk.
Or worse—a Gold-ranked monster!
A Gold-ranked beast... Even Captain Geoffrey was only Silver Nine-Star. Sure, Kiki had heard stories of how he once led a squad to slay a Gold-ranked magical beast—but that victory came at a steep cost.
Three teammates lost their lives in that battle. The previous scout had died in that very fight, allowing Kiki to take his place.
If this really was a Gold-ranked beast, they couldn't hope to win in a direct confrontation. Avoidance was the best option.
But decisions were for the captain to make. Kiki figured she should return and report.
She had a bad feeling about this.
Maybe she could convince the captain to take a detour. It would add distance to their journey, but at least it would lower their chances of encountering this terrifying slaughterer.
With that thought, Kiki turned to leave.
And then—
A foul wind surged behind her.
The fur on her tail bristled in alarm. Her pupils shrank.
Purely on instinct, she leapt into the air.
A huge claw slashed through the spot where she had just been standing, dirt and debris scattering.
She landed lightly on all fours but didn't hesitate—springing back once more, retreating dozens of meters before finally stopping.
Her chest heaved as she looked forward—fear filling her wide eyes.
A three-meter-tall monster stood before her.
It was covered in black, needle-like fur, standing upright like a man. A bloody X-shaped pattern marked its chest. Its head was that of a grotesquely large wolf, and its gaping maw stretched unnaturally wide, almost reaching its ears. Jagged fangs gleamed, saliva dripping and tinged with blood.
What… is this thing?!
A Werewolf?
No—Werewolves didn't look like this!
This wasn't a beastman. It was a monster, an upright nightmare, radiating pure bloodlust.
It had missed its strike, and for a moment, it seemed surprised—but then, its expression twisted into amusement.
Kiki's tail remained bristled, a deep chill creeping into her spine.
That look in its eyes…
It wasn't hunting to eat. It was hunting for fun.
The creature's grotesque grin stretched wider, almost splitting its head in half. The sheer malice of that smile made Kiki's skin crawl.
No way—no way I can win this!
Without a sound, she slowly stepped back.
The monster didn't move—but its eyes remained locked onto her.
Then—
It twitched.
Kiki bolted.
The moment she moved, so did the monster.
It lunged with a low snarl—but Kiki's speed saved her once more, the attack narrowly missing.
Twice denied, the beast grew enraged, dropping onto all fours to chase after her.
Kiki pushed her magic to the limit.
"Meow, I'm doomed!"
"I'm gonna die, meow!"
"Captain, save me, meow!"