The moment the mist thickened, the entire forest changed.
It wasn't just fog.
It was heavy.
Oppressive.
Like the air itself had weight.
The wind died completely.
No leaves moved.
No sound of animals.
Not even the faintest rustle of life.
It felt as if the entire world had gone silent—
just to watch what was about to happen.
A cold pressure spread through the group.
Slowly.
Creeping into their lungs.
Making every breath harder than the last.
Anna stepped slightly closer to the others.
Her eyes scanning the fog nervously.
Her voice quieter than usual—but filled with concern.
„Anna: Karoschi… what are you talking about?"
Karoschi didn't respond immediately.
His body was tense.
Too tense.
His hands slightly shaking.
His eyes were locked into the mist as if he had already seen something the others hadn't.
His breathing grew faster.
Uneven.
Like he was trying to keep control—but failing.
„Karoschi: We're going to die…"
A small pause.
His voice dropped lower.
Almost like he didn't want to say it out loud.
„Karoschi: He's here."
Noah tried to steady himself.
He forced himself to breathe slowly.
In…
Out…
But it didn't work.
His chest felt tight.
His heartbeat was out of control.
Each pulse hitting harder than the last.
And then—
a voice.
It didn't come from one direction.
It came from everywhere.
Deep.
Cold.
And filled with something far worse than anger—
Enjoyment.
„Karag: Oh…"
A faint chuckle followed.
Low.
Almost quiet.
But it echoed unnaturally through the mist.
„Karag: If only you knew…"
A pause.
„Karag: How long I have been waiting for this moment."
The fog shifted.
Slowly.
Like something massive had just moved inside it.
And then—
Karag disappeared.
„Heinrich: What the—where did he go?!"
The mist began to move again.
But now—
it was different.
They could hear it.
Soft steps.
Behind them.
Then to the side.
Then somewhere in front.
It wasn't random.
It was controlled.
Something was circling them.
Studying them.
Waiting.
The silence stretched.
Unbearable.
Then—
without warning—
Karag burst out of the mist.
Fast.
Too fast.
Straight toward Johann.
Johann reacted purely on instinct.
Throwing himself to the side just in time.
„Johann: Damn it—!"
Karag landed where Johann had stood.
He laughed.
Loud.
Unstable.
Enjoying every second.
„Karag: Hahaha…"
He slowly straightened up.
„Karag: This…"
A pause.
„Karag: This is a kind of fun I haven't had in a long time."
Noah and Karoschi forced themselves to focus.
They tightened their grip on their swords.
Their breathing still heavy—
but controlled enough to fight.
Then—
without any warning—
Karag appeared from the side.
No sound.
No movement.
Just suddenly there.
His hand wrapped around Heinrich's throat.
„Anna: HEINRICH!"
He lifted him slightly off the ground.
His grip tightened slowly.
Deliberately.
He wasn't rushing.
He was enjoying it.
„Karag: I will cut you open…"
He leaned closer.
His voice dropped into something darker.
„Karag: And feed you your own organs."
Karoschi moved instantly.
Charging forward.
Trying to stab Karag from the side—
But Karag was already gone.
He threw Heinrich into a tree.
Hard enough to shake the entire trunk.
Noah attacked immediately.
Swinging his sword directly at Karag—
The blade cut through his head.
But—
nothing.
No resistance.
No reaction.
Like hitting empty air.
„Noah: What—?!"
Karag appeared behind him.
Before Noah could react—
Karag grabbed his arm.
CRACK.
The sound echoed through the forest.
„Noah: AHH—!!"
Pain exploded through his body.
His arm bent unnaturally.
Anna and Johann rushed in.
Attacking from both sides—
But their blades passed through Karag.
Again.
Like he wasn't even there.
Karag slowly turned toward them.
„Karag: Hah…"
A small pause.
„Karag: Pathetic."
He struck Anna.
Sending her crashing into a tree.
Then turned to Johann—
ripped the sword from his hand—
and stabbed it into his leg.
„Johann: SHIT—!!"
Karag turned back toward Noah.
His presence felt heavier now.
Darker.
„Karag: I told you…"
He grabbed Noah and slammed him into the ground.
Dust rising around them.
Then kicked him aside.
„Karag: Your friends will die…"
A pause.
„Karag: And you can't do anything about it."
Then—
he moved again.
Straight toward Karoschi.
Before Karoschi could react—
SLASH.
His right arm was cut off instantly.
Gas burst violently from the wound.
Spreading into the air.
Karoschi collapsed.
His body shaking from the pain.
„Karag: You're ruining this…"
A pause.
„Karag: I expected more."
Noah forced himself up again.
Barely standing.
His eyes moved toward Barry.
Barry stood still.
Completely motionless.
No reaction.
No emotion.
„Noah: Barry…! Come on… do something…"
Nothing.
Karag answered calmly.
„Karag: He won't."
A pause.
„Karag: His mind is gone."
„Karag: He's trapped inside himself."
The silence that followed felt suffocating.
„Heinrich: What are we supposed to do…?"
His voice was lower now.
Less confident.
„Heinrich: We can't even touch him…"
Karag looked at them.
Like they were already dead.
„Karag: You can't do anything."
A faint smile formed.
„Karag: I have already erased sixty-three percent of humanity."
A pause.
„Karag: There is nothing left for you."
Then—
Karoschi spoke.
„Karoschi: Noah… throw me your sword."
Noah didn't hesitate.
He threw it.
Karoschi caught it.
Immediately—
his arm began to regenerate.
Bone.
Flesh.
Gas.
Reforming.
He stood up again.
„Karoschi: Come here."
Karag moved.
Charging straight at him.
Karoschi pressed both swords together.
Grinding them hard.
Sparks flew.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Karag stopped right in front of him.
„Karag: What are you doing?"
Karoschi didn't stop.
„Karoschi: Getting rid of you… for now."
A single spark flew forward—
It touched Karag's gas body—
Silence.
Then—
BOOM.
The explosion tore through everything.
Karag's body detonated instantly.
Karoschi was thrown backward.
His body burning.
Damaged.
He hit the ground hard.
Silence.
Slowly—
the others began to move again.
Johann pulled the sword from his leg.
Breathing heavily.
Anna stood up.
Still in pain.
But focused.
Heinrich followed.
Shaken—but alive.
Karoschi's body began regenerating again.
Slow.
Painful.
But steady.
He stood up again.
And walked back to the group.
„Heinrich: Shit… your arm…"
„Johann: That looks disgusting…"
„Anna: Are you okay…?"
Noah looked around.
Still trying to catch his breath.
„Noah: …Is he gone?"
Karoschi nodded.
„Karoschi: For now."
Noah looked at Barry.
Barry blinked.
Slowly returning.
„Karoschi: He's coming back."
„Heinrich: How did you know that would work?"
Karoschi exhaled.
„Karoschi: I didn't…"
A small pause.
„Karoschi: It was just a guess."
The group rested only briefly.
Then moved on.
Meanwhile—
The Ashbringers arrived.
„Bandit: They were here."
Vigor stepped forward.
His expression calm.
Cold.
„Vigor: Good."
„Vigor: Continue the search."
„Bandit: We need more supplies from here on."
A short silence.
„Vigor: Then release the Golems."
„Bandit: Yes, Boss."
Vigor looked into the distance.
„Vigor: You won't escape."
And somewhere far ahead—
the hunt continued.