The air changed before the creature fully appeared.
---
Heavy.
---
Not like pressure.
---
Like something unseen was pressing down on everything.
---
No one moved forward.
---
Not even the loudest ones from before.
---
They stood—
Watching.
---
Waiting.
---
Afraid.
---
Thalren stepped ahead.
---
Slow.
---
Unstopped.
---
The crowd parted slightly.
---
Not willingly.
---
Instinctively.
---
Then—
---
He saw it.
---
Massive.
---
Its body twisted unnaturally.
---
Dark scales layered across its form.
---
A tail long enough to crush stone with a single swing.
---
Its presence alone silenced the area.
---
Around it—
---
Hunters.
---
Not ordinary ones.
---
Their movements were sharp.
---
Coordinated.
---
Strong.
---
"…A-rank…" someone whispered behind.
---
They attacked together.
---
Blades struck.
---
Spears pierced.
---
Precise.
---
But—
---
It didn't fall.
---
The creature moved.
---
Fast.
---
Too fast for its size.
---
A single sweep of its tail—
---
The ground shattered.
---
Two hunters were thrown.
---
Another rushed in—
---
Too close.
---
A claw struck—
---
He was sent flying.
---
The formation broke.
---
Even then—
---
They didn't retreat.
---
They tried again.
---
Again—
---
And failed.
---
Among them—
---
A girl.
---
Around Thalren's age.
---
Her movements were clean.
---
Focused.
---
She didn't panic.
---
Didn't hesitate.
---
But even she—
---
Couldn't push it back.
---
The creature shifted.
---
Its head turned.
---
Locked onto her.
---
She froze.
---
Just for a moment.
---
Too long.
---
The tail rose.
---
High.
---
Enough to crush her completely.
---
Her breath caught.
---
Her body didn't move.
---
Then—
---
Impact.
---
But not on her.
---
A figure stood in front.
---
Thalren.
---
The strike hit him.
---
Hard.
---
The ground cracked beneath his feet.
---
He slid back.
---
Blood traced from his mouth.
---
But he didn't fall.
---
He stood again.
---
Slow.
---
Calm.
---
The creature watched him.
---
Not attacking.
---
Observing.
---
Thalren stepped forward.
---
No hesitation.
---
He moved.
---
Fast.
---
Closed the distance.
---
A strike—
---
Direct.
---
Clean.
---
It landed.
---
But—
---
Not enough.
---
The creature barely reacted.
---
Another strike—
---
Then another.
---
Faster.
---
Sharper.
---
Still—
---
Nothing decisive.
---
The creature moved again.
---
This time—
---
Faster.
---
The tail came from the side.
---
Too quick.
---
Too heavy.
---
It hit.
---
Direct.
---
Thalren's body was thrown.
---
Hard.
---
He crashed across the ground.
---
The impact echoed.
---
Silence followed.
---
Blood spread beneath him.
---
He didn't rise immediately.
---
The creature approached.
---
Slow.
---
Deliberate.
---
The girl's voice trembled behind—
---
"…Stop…"
---
"…Please…"
---
No one moved.
---
No one dared.
---
The creature stood over him.
---
Looking down.
---
Waiting.
---
Then—
---
Something changed.
---
It didn't strike.
---
It didn't move.
---
It just—
---
Watched.
---
Confusion spread through the crowd.
---
"…Why isn't it attacking…?"
---
"…What is it doing…?"
---
Thalren's body shifted slightly.
---
Barely.
---
The necklace.
---
It reacted.
---
A faint pulse.
---
Then—
---
Darkness.
---
Veins spread across his skin.
---
Black.
---
Thin.
---
Alive.
---
His eyes opened.
---
Not glowing.
---
But deeper.
---
Empty.
---
Heavy.
---
The air distorted.
---
For a moment—
---
Everything felt wrong.
---
Unnatural.
---
Like the sea itself had gone silent.
---
The creature stepped back.
---
Just one step.
---
Enough.
---
The pressure changed.
---
Then—
---
Gone.
---
The darkness vanished.
---
The veins faded.
---
His eyes returned.
---
Normal.
---
Thalren's body went still.
---
Unconscious.
---
The creature remained.
---
Watching.
---
Then—
---
It turned.
---
Slowly.
---
And left.
---
Just like that.
---
No final attack.
---
No reason given.
---
It disappeared into the distance.
---
Silence consumed the area.
---
No one spoke.
---
No one understood.
---
Then—
---
Footsteps.
---
Fast.
---
Kaizen.
---
He reached Thalren.
---
Kneeling beside him.
---
His eyes scanned quickly.
---
Blood.
---
Injuries.
---
Then—
---
He paused.
---
"…What…"
---
The wounds—
---
They were closing.
---
Slowly.
---
But visibly.
---
Kaizen's expression hardened slightly.
---
"…Tch…"
---
A pause.
---
"…You're not normal."
---
He lifted him.
---
Carefully.
---
Not rough.
---
"…Move."
---
The crowd stepped aside.
---
No one argued.
---
No one questioned.
---
They made way.
---
Because something had changed.
---
Not just the fight.
---
Not just the creature.
---
Something about the boy.
---
Something—
---
They couldn't explain.
---
And Kaizen—
---
For the first time—
---
Didn't walk away.
---
He carried him.
---
Forward.