The ground trembled….
A low, dragging sound echoed from the forest as something massive forced its way through the trees, snapping branches and crushing undergrowth with terrifying ease. The beastmen froze, their instincts screamed.
Danger....
Then it emerged , a colossal serpent, its body thick as a tree trunk, covered in dark, jagged scales that reflected the faint light like hardened steel. Its eyes glowed a sickly yellow, cold and merciless, while its long tongue flickered in and out, tasting the air.
An A-rank creature...
The moment it revealed itself, the atmosphere shifted completely.
One of the beastmen stepped back, "…No… this thing again…"
Another gripped his weapon tightly, his voice tense, "It wiped out two patrols already…"
The serpent hissed loudly, its massive head rising high before crashing down toward them with monstrous speed,
"MOVE!" one of them shouted….
The beastmen scattered, barely avoiding the crushing impact. The ground cracked where the serpent struck, dust and debris flying into the air.
It was fast….
Too fast…..
Before they could reorganise, the serpent lunged again, its body coiling and striking like lightning. One of the beastmen raised his weapon to block, But the force sent him flying, crashing violently into a wooden fence, breaking it apart, "Damn it!" another shouted, charging forward.
His blade struck the serpent's scales Clang. It didn't even pierce.
The serpent turned instantly, its tail sweeping across the ground,
Boom…..!!!
Two beastmen were sent rolling across the dirt, their bodies skidding to a stop.
They were strong. But not strong enough.
From behind, Aragorn watched silently, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"…A-rank," he muttered
Jessy stepped beside him, her grip tightening on her sword, "We can't let it wipe them out."
Aragorn nodded once
"Let's move…."
The serpent reared back once more, preparing another strike,
But before it could attack,
A blur…..!!
Jessy appeared mid air, her body carried by a sharp burst of wind magic.
Her blade gleamed,
"Cut….."
She slashed downward, aiming directly at the serpent's eye.
The serpent reacted instantly, pulling its head back just in time, but the blade still grazed its face, leaving a shallow cut.
For the first time, It flinched. Its gaze snapped towards her.
Jessy landed lightly on the ground, her expression calm but focused,
"Got your attention," she murmured
The serpent hissed violently, enraged.
Then it charged,
Fast...
But—
"Bind…..!!!"
From beneath the ground, shadows erupted, wrapping around the serpent's massive body. They tightened like chains, halting its movement for a split second.
That was all Jessy needed. She surged forward again, her blade coated in wind energy, slicing across the serpent's neck.
A deeper cut this time. Dark blood splattered. The beast roared, thrashing violently. The shadows began to crack.
Aragorn clicked his tongue slightly,"…Strong..."
The serpent broke free, its massive body twisting as it lashed out wildly. Its tail slammed into the ground, sending shockwaves across the area.
Jessy was forced to retreat mid air, flipping back to avoid the strike,
"Aragorn!" she called out
"I see it "
Aragorn stepped forward
This time, his aura changed,
Darker....
He raised his hand slowly
The shadows around him deepened,
"Let's end this "
The serpent lunged again, targeting Jessy with full force, its jaws wide open. But before it could reach her Aragorn vanished,
Shadow Step....
He appeared directly above the serpent's head,"Too slow….."
He extended his hand downward
"Bind...."
This time, it was different.
The shadows didn't just rise, they exploded.
From all directions, thick, dense tendrils of darkness wrapped around the serpent's body, pinning it completely. Its movements slowed, then stopped entirely,
It struggled…..
Roared....
But it couldn't move...
Jessy didn't hesitate. She rose into the air once more, wind swirling violently around her blade,
"Then I'll finish it "
She descended like a falling star
Her sword glowed brighter, "Wind Sever "
Slash.....!!!
The blade cut clean through the serpent's neck.
For a brief moment,
Silence...
Then, the massive head separated from the body.
The serpent collapsed...
The ground shook as its lifeless body crashed heavily onto the earth.
Silence filled the battlefield.
The beastmen stared in disbelief.
One of them whispered, "…They… killed it…"
Another dropped to his knees slightly, "…An A-rank… just like that…"
Jessy landed softly, exhaling slowly Aragorn walked forward, his expression calm as ever,
"…That was decent."
Jessy glanced at him, slightly annoyed "Decent?"
He shrugged, "Could've been faster "
She narrowed her eyes, then smirked slightly, "…Next time, you handle it alone "
"Maybe I will "
Their casual exchange only deepened the shock of the onlookers.
To them this was not normal. These two were not ordinary travellers. The beastman who had spoken earlier stepped forward cautiously,
"…You two…"
He paused
"…Who are you?"
Aragorn looked at him briefly
Then simply said, "Just travellers..."
Jessy folded her arms slightly, saying nothing. The beastmen exchanged glances. They didn't believe it.
But they also didn't question further.
Not after what they had just witnessed.
The same beastman nodded slowly,
"…You've done us a great favour "
He stepped aside, gesturing towards the village,
"You may enter "
Aragorn glanced at Jessy
"…Looks like we're welcome now "
Jessy smiled faintly, "Finally….."
And together, they walked forward.
Behind them, the massive corpse of the serpent lay still a silent proof of their strength.
But far beyond the trees…
Unseen eyes had already witnessed everything....
Watching...
Waiting...…..