The forest didn't give a warning.
No buildup.
No sound—
Until it was already too late.
A blur tore through the mist—
Fast.
Low.
Violent.
**THUD—SNAP**
The wolf slammed into one of the men.
Its jaws locked around his neck—
And crushed.
Bone snapped instantly.
Blood sprayed.
The man didn't even scream.
His body went limp before it hit the ground.
—
Silence—
For half a second.
Then the body dropped.
**THUD**
—
The boy's eyes widened.
"…What is—?!"
He stepped back instinctively.
Heart slamming against his chest.
—
The second man froze.
Completely.
Staring at the corpse.
At the wolf.
At the blood soaking into the ground.
His breathing broke instantly.
"…N-no—"
—
The wolf stood over the body.
Larger than a normal one.
Its fur darker.
Denser.
Eyes glowing faintly in the dim forest.
Its jaws dripped with fresh blood.
Slow.
Steady.
—
Then—
More movement.
Shadows shifted between the trees.
Low growls echoed.
Not one.
Not two.
Multiple.
—
Above them—
The orb pulsed faintly.
And the voice returned.
Calm.
Measured.
Like a lecturer.
"Adventurers…"
A pause.
"…with mana…"
"…can easily kill magical creatures."
A faint hum followed.
"Most above C-rank…"
"…four-star mages…"
"…four-star warriors…"
"…would have no trouble dealing with a D-rank beast."
Another pause.
Then—colder.
"But without mana…"
The words lingered.
"…let's see how well you perform."
The boy clenched his teeth.
"…Damn…"
—
The voice continued.
Clear.
Uncaring.
"This is your next stage."
A beat.
"Each team…"
"…will face D-rank magical beasts."
A faint pause.
"…corresponding to each member."
The meaning hit instantly.
The fox girl's ears flattened slightly.
"…Five."
Quiet.
Tense.
"…There's five of us."
—
Another wolf stepped out from the trees.
Then another.
Then another.
Eyes glowing.
Bodies low.
Surrounding.
Hunting.
—
Five.
—
The second man broke.
"…I—I can't—!"
He stumbled back—
Turning—
Trying to run—
But one of the wolves lunged instantly.
**CRASH**
It slammed him to the ground—
Jaws tearing into his side—
His scream ripped through the forest—
Cut short—
As another joined.
—
The boy's breath hitched.
"…This—!"
—
The fox girl dropped lower.
Ready.
Claws flexing.
Eyes sharp.
Tracking.
"…They're faster than normal."
—
Draven stood still.
Watching.
As the remaining wolves spread out.
Circling.
Patient.
Predatory.
Chains hanging loosely.
Blood still fresh on the ground.
The screams already fading.
—
One wolf stepped forward.
Closer than the others.
Its gaze locked onto Draven.
A low growl rumbled in its chest.
—
Draven's eyes stayed on the wolf.
Unblinking.
Unimpressed.
"…D-rank."
A faint pause.
"…Unlike this place…"
His gaze flicked briefly to the trees—
The mist—
The air itself.
"…these things are real."
—
The wolf growled.
Low.
Deep.
Muscles tightening—
Then—
It lunged.
Fast.
Violent.
Straight for his throat.
—
Draven didn't move.
Didn't step back.
Didn't dodge.
Because he couldn't.
His stance was restricted.
Legs barely able to spread.
Arms unable to rise past his stomach.
The chains binding him—
Still intact.
Still limiting.
—
But his eyes didn't change.
Because he wasn't thinking about moving.
He was thinking about killing.
—
The wolf closed the distance instantly—
Jaws opening wide—
Teeth flashing—
—
Then—
**CLINK—SNAP**
The chain connecting his arms to his legs went taut—
Then broke.
Clean.
Sharp.
Like it was nothing.
—
In that same instant—
Draven moved.
His hands shot forward—
Grabbing the wolf mid-lunge.
One hand clamped over its upper jaw—
The other under—
Stopping it just inches from his neck.
The impact alone sent a shock through his arms—
But he didn't budge.
Didn't step back.
—
The wolf struggled instantly.
Violent.
Feral.
Claws tearing into the ground—
Trying to push forward—
To bite—
To rip—
—
Draven's grip tightened.
Fingers digging into bone.
"…Slow."
Flat.
Cold.
—
Then—
He pulled.
—
**CRACK**
The jaws snapped apart unnaturally—
The skull split—
Bone tearing—
Flesh ripping—
Blood bursting outward.
—
The body twitched once—
Then went limp.
Dead.
—
Draven let it drop.
The corpse hit the ground with a dull **thud**.
Blood dripping from his hands.
Chains hanging looser now—
One restriction gone.
—
Behind him—
The boy stared.
Frozen.
"…He… just…"
—
The fox girl's eyes narrowed slightly.
Not shocked—
But focused.
Calculating.
Because that wasn't normal.
Not even close.
—
The remaining wolves circled tighter now.
Growls deepening.
But something had changed.
Their movement slowed.
Instinct kicking in.
Because they could feel it now.
—
Predator.
—
Draven rolled his wrist slightly.
Chains clinking softly.
Then looked at the remaining wolves.
"…Four left."
—
A step forward.
Calm.
Unhurried.
"…Don't die."
Flat.
Directed at the others.
—
Because to him—
This wasn't danger.
—
It was—
**Cleanup.**
Draven didn't even look at the body at his feet.
His gaze shifted briefly—
To the remaining man.
"…Take the crystal."
Flat.
Like it was obvious.
—
The man flinched.
"…W-what—?"
—
Draven's eyes flicked to him.
Cold.
"…From the beast."
A faint pause.
"…Don't make me repeat it."
—
The man swallowed hard—
Then nodded quickly.
"…R-right—!"
He dropped to his knees beside the wolf's corpse.
Hands shaking as he pushed through blood and torn flesh—
Searching.
—
Because now—
He had something to do.
Something that might keep him alive.
—
Draven turned away.
Toward the remaining wolves.
—
They were already moving.
Growls deep.
Bodies low.
No more hesitation.
—
They charged.
All at once.
From different angles—
Trying to overwhelm.
—
Draven stepped forward.
No pause.
No fear.
—
The first wolf lunged—
Aimed for his side—
Draven shifted just slightly—
His hand shot out—
Grabbing its skull mid-motion—
And slammed it into the ground.
**CRASH**
The earth cracked beneath the impact.
The wolf's body went limp instantly.
—
The second came from behind—
Faster—
Jaws snapping toward his neck—
Draven twisted—
The chain around his arm whipped back—
Wrapping around its snout—
Then pulling—
Hard.
**SNAP**
Its neck broke cleanly.
The body dropped before it even hit the ground.
—
The third and fourth didn't stop.
They lunged together—
One high—
One low—
Coordinated.
Predatory.
—
Draven stepped into them.
Not away.
Into.
—
His knee drove upward—
**THUD**
Catching the first under the jaw—
Launching it slightly—
Before his hand caught it mid-air—
And crushed down.
**CRACK**
Bone gave way.
Blood sprayed.
—
The last wolf twisted mid-air—
Trying to redirect—
To bite—
To tear—
—
Draven's chain snapped forward again—
Catching its leg—
Pulling it off course—
Dragging it straight into him—
His hand closed around its throat—
And squeezed.
—
A moment.
A single moment of struggle—
Then—
**CRUSH**
The throat collapsed.
The body went still.
—
Silence returned.
Just like that.
Four bodies lay scattered across the forest floor.
Blood soaking into the dirt.
The mist hanging low—
Unchanged.
—
Draven stood in the center of it.
Unmoved.
Barely even breathing harder.
Chains hanging loosely from his arms.
One still binding.
The others—
Broken.
—
Behind him—
The boy stared.
Wide-eyed.
"…What… he…"
—
The fox girl didn't speak.
But her eyes stayed locked on him.
Sharp.
Careful.
—
Because now—
It was clear.
This wasn't just strength.
This was something else.
Something far worse.
—
Draven glanced slightly over his shoulder.
"…Done?"
—
The man jolted—
Still crouched over the corpse.
Hands covered in blood—
Holding a small, glowing crystal.
"…Y-yeah—!"
—
Draven didn't turn fully.
Didn't need to.
His eyes flicked briefly to the crystal in the man's shaking hands.
Then—
To the other corpses scattered across the ground.
"…Then take the rest."
Flat.
Like it was obvious.
—
The man blinked.
"…A-all of them…?"
—
Draven's gaze didn't change.
"…Do you see anyone else doing it?"
A faint pause.
"…Or do you want to leave them behind?"
—
The man stiffened instantly.
"…N-no—!"
He scrambled to his feet—
Nearly slipping on the blood-soaked ground—
Then rushed to the next corpse.
Hands trembling as he dug through fur and flesh again.
Searching.
Finding.
Another crystal.
Smaller.
But glowing faintly the same way.
—
The man rushed back.
Breathing uneven.
Hands trembling as he held out the glowing crystals.
"…H-here—!"
—
Draven took them without a word.
No thanks.
No pause.
Just took them—
—
And as the others gathered closer—
He lifted his hand slightly—
Then casually—
Slipped them into his mouth.
Swallowed.
One after the other.
—
The boy blinked.
"…You just—"
—
But before he could finish—
The orb above pulsed.
And the voice returned.
Amused.
Louder this time.
"Well now…"
A soft chuckle echoed through the forest.
"It seems the team of the Demon King's son…"
A pause.
"…has already completed their task."
—
The air shifted.
Subtly.
Unpleasantly.
"That hardly seems fair…"
Another pause.
"…don't you think?"
—
The fox girl's ears flattened instantly.
"…Not good."
—
The voice continued.
Playful.
Mocking.
"So…"
A faint hum followed.
"Let's make things a bit more interesting."
—
The forest trembled.
Low.
Heavy.
"…A gift."
The word lingered.
"…fit for the son of a king."
—
Branches cracked.
Loud.
Violent.
The ground shook—
Once.
Twice.
—
Then—
They emerged.
—
Massive.
Towering over the wolves.
Three of them.
Iron-hide bears.
Their bodies thick with muscle.
Fur dark and dense like armor.
And beneath it—
Mana pulsed.
Heavy.
Oppressive.
—
C-rank.
Not one—
But three.
—
The boy's breath hitched instantly.
"…No way…"
His body tensed.
Fear gripping hard.
—
The fox girl's stance dropped lower.
But even she—
Felt it.
"…We can't fight those…"
Low.
Tight.
—
Because this—
Was different.
Entirely different.
—
The bears moved slowly.
Deliberately.
Each step heavy enough to shake the ground beneath them.
Eyes locked on their prey.
Closing in.
—
Draven didn't move.
Didn't react outwardly.
He just stood there.
Watching.
—
Then—
His eyes flicked down.
To the chains still wrapped around his body.
A faint pause.
*…Don't need these.*
—
His arms shifted slightly.
Then—
He pulled.
—
**CRACK**
The mana-reinforced chains snapped.
Not strained.
Not resisted.
Just—
Broken.
Clean.
Like they meant nothing.
—
His legs followed.
A slight shift—
Then another pull—
**SNAP**
The restraints gave way.
Falling loose.
Gone.
—
The fox girl's eyes widened slightly.
"…So…"
A small breath.
"…you could've broken free this whole time?"
—
The boy stared.
"…No… he let them chain him…?"
—
Draven didn't answer.
Didn't look at them.
He stepped forward instead.
Slow.
Calm.
Chains now hanging in broken pieces from his limbs.
—
His gaze lifted—
Meeting the three bears ahead.
Unflinching.
—
The air grew heavier.
Because now—
There was nothing holding him back.
—
The first bear let out a deep roar.
Shaking the trees.
Then charged.
—
Draven stepped forward to meet it.