Morning fog clung to the trees as the first-year teams entered Blackroot Forest.
Tall, twisted trunks stretched toward the sky.
Thick roots covered the ground like veins.
The deeper the students walked, the darker the forest became.
Sunlight barely reached the forest floor.
Lysander walked near the back of his team.
Taro moved ahead confidently, stretching his shoulders.
Lyra the elf scanned the trees quietly.
Bran carried his shield in front, acting as the group's front line.
Instructor Garrick's voice echoed earlier in Lysander's mind.
"Scout monster activity and return by sunset."
Simple mission.
At least on paper.
Taro looked over his shoulder.
"So what kind of monsters live here?"
Lyra answered calmly.
"Mostly low-rank beasts."
"Wolves. Goblins. Forest spiders."
Bran nodded.
"Nothing dangerous."
Lysander said nothing.
Because the system window still lingered faintly in his vision.
Future Event Detected
Location: Blackroot Forest
Fatality Probability: 78%
Primary Casualty: Taro Stormfang
He closed the window again.
Not yet.
The event hadn't started.
But the forest already felt wrong.
Too quiet.
A rustling sound echoed through the bushes ahead.
Bran raised his shield immediately.
"Contact."
Lyra already had an arrow drawn.
Taro grinned.
"Finally."
The bushes exploded open.
Three large wolves burst into the clearing.
Their bodies were covered in thorn-like spikes.
Red eyes glowing.
Thorn Wolves.
Low-rank pack monsters.
But still dangerous.
The first wolf lunged at Bran.
CLANG!
Its fangs slammed against the shield.
Bran held his ground.
"Now!"
Lyra released her arrow.
THUD.
The arrow pierced the wolf's shoulder.
Taro rushed forward instantly.
Wind mana burst around his fists.
"Got you!"
He punched the wolf across the jaw.
The monster slammed into a tree.
Lysander moved last.
His sword flashed once.
Lightning flickered faintly across the blade.
One clean strike.
The wolf collapsed instantly.
The remaining two wolves retreated quickly.
Disappearing into the forest.
Silence returned.
Taro stretched his arms.
"That was easy."
Bran nodded.
"Normal monster behavior."
Lyra frowned slightly though.
"…Something feels off."
Taro laughed.
"You say that about everything."
Lysander looked around the forest again.
She was right.
Even after the fight—
The forest remained silent.
Too silent.
They continued walking deeper.
Minutes passed.
Then something strange appeared on the path ahead.
A dead monster.
A goblin.
Its body was crushed completely.
Like something enormous stepped on it.
Bran frowned.
"That's weird."
Lyra crouched beside it.
"No weapon wounds."
"No magic burns."
She looked up slowly.
"…It was crushed."
Taro tilted his head.
"By what?"
No one answered.
The system appeared again.
Warning
Large Monster Activity Detected
Distance: Unknown
Lysander's eyes narrowed slightly.
It's coming.
But not yet.
The original story still had a few steps before disaster.
Suddenly a distant sound echoed through the forest.
CRACK.
Like a tree snapping in half.
Everyone froze.
Taro looked toward the sound.
"…That didn't sound small."
Another crack echoed.
Closer this time.
Bran raised his shield again.
"Stay alert."
Lyra climbed a nearby tree quickly.
She scanned the forest canopy.
Then she spoke quietly.
"…Other teams are moving."
"Fast."
Taro frowned.
"Running?"
Lyra's voice grew tense.
"Yes."
And then—
A distant roar echoed across Blackroot Forest.
Deep.
Massive.
Monstrous.
The kind of sound that made the ground vibrate.
The four students looked at each other.
Something big had entered the forest.
Something that shouldn't be there.
Lysander already knew what it was.
And the real nightmare…
Had just begun.