Chapter 34 — The Hunter and the Glutton
Kai ventured into the forest alongside Drakara and Trinity. As they moved deeper beneath the shadow of towering trees, Drakara's voice rumbled from within her armored shell, low and resonant like stones grinding deep within a mountain.
"Whatever we must do to obtain that pendant," she said, "we will do it."
Kai nodded. "That's true. We must use every bit of our strength. But the problem is… we don't even know where it went."
They walked in silence for a while, the dense woods pressing in around them. After a long moment, Kai spoke again, his voice steady but thoughtful.
"If we want information about that pendant, we first need to find out who might know something about it. The best place to start would be the outer edge of the island — the fishing harbor. Where the fishermen keep their boats and store their catch. We should go there."
"Precisely," Trinity replied without hesitation. Her middle head faced forward, her left head scanned the trees, and her right head kept watch behind them. "But before that, I think we should make another stop. There is an old hunting cabin hidden somewhere in these woods. I've heard about it from travelers and hunters who passed through this island. If anyone has seen strange things or heard unusual rumors, it would be the people there."
Kai nodded slowly. "Yes, I've heard of it as well. Then let's go there first. They might know something useful… anything that could point us in the right direction."
Without wasting another moment, the group changed direction and followed a narrow, nearly forgotten trail that twisted like a wounded serpent through the forest. The deeper they went, the darker the woods became. The air grew heavy with the smell of damp earth and rotting leaves, while crooked branches stretched overhead like skeletal fingers trying to claw at the sky.
After some time, the trees began to thin just enough to reveal their destination.
The hunting cabin stood ahead of them, half-swallowed by the forest as if the land itself was trying to reclaim it. From the outside, it looked ancient and neglected. The wooden walls were warped and darkened by years of rain and decay, their surfaces streaked with black stains that resembled dried blood under the fading light. Moss clung to the lower beams, thick and damp, while thorny vines had crawled up the sides of the structure like creeping serpents. The roof sagged unevenly, its broken shingles hanging like loose scales ready to fall at the slightest touch. A narrow chimney leaned crookedly to one side, its stones cracked and split, as though something inside had once tried to force its way out. The door stood shut but slightly tilted on rusted hinges, leaving a thin gap through which darkness pooled like thick smoke.
Around the cabin, the ground was littered with scattered bones — some clearly from animals, others too fractured to easily identify. Rusted hunting traps lay half-buried in the mud, their jagged teeth frozen open as if still waiting for prey that would never come. No voices could be heard. No movement stirred. Even the wind seemed unwilling to pass too close to the place.
All of them stopped at the edge of the clearing, staring at the cabin in silence as its grim presence loomed before them.
"This is the place," Kai said quietly.
"Yes… this is it," Trinity replied, her voice low and cautious.
Behind them, Drakara drew in a slow, heavy breath. The sound echoed faintly inside her fully enclosed armor, and the plates along her chest and shoulders trembled with each inhale, producing a dull, hollow rattle that blended with the restless whispers of the forest.
Kai reached forward and pushed the door open. The rusted hinges groaned in protest, the sound long and sharp, like something waking from an uneasy sleep. Without hesitation, the three of them stepped inside.
The cabin's interior was dim and suffocating, lit only by a few weak lanterns hanging from crooked beams. Their yellow flames flickered violently, casting long, twisted shadows across the walls. The air smelled of damp wood, old smoke, and something faintly metallic — like rusted iron or dried blood. The wooden floor creaked beneath their weight, every step sounding louder than it should have in the heavy silence.
Inside, several rough tables were scattered unevenly across the room, their surfaces scarred with deep knife marks and burn stains. Broken hunting tools hung from the walls — rusted spears, bent hooks, and cracked bows that looked as though they had not been used in years. In one dark corner lay piles of animal hides, stiff and brittle, their fur matted and discolored. Above them, skulls of beasts — some familiar, others disturbingly unnatural — were nailed into the beams as grim trophies of forgotten hunts.
A few figures sat quietly around the room, hunched over cups and bowls, their faces half-hidden beneath shadows and tattered cloaks. None of them spoke. Most barely looked up.
Near the far side of the cabin, Kai spotted an old man seated alone at a heavy wooden table. The man looked ancient — far older than Yuki, the ice demon fisherman. His back was slightly bent, and his long, gray beard spilled across his chest like tangled roots. Deep wrinkles carved harsh lines into his face, and his cloudy eyes seemed worn by countless years of hardship. Still, there was something sharp in his gaze, something that suggested he had seen far more than most living men.
He would know something, Kai thought.
He walked forward and took a seat across from the old man. Trinity and Drakara remained standing behind him, silent and watchful like guardians carved from stone.
"Hello," Kai began carefully. "We are looking for Yuki's pendant. Do you know anything about it?"
The old man lifted his gaze slowly, studying Kai for a long moment before speaking.
"Of course I do," he said in a rough but steady voice. "Yuki… he's a very good fisherman. Years ago, I sailed with him to hunt a sea creature that had been disturbing the fishing routes. A monstrous thing, it was. Nearly tore our vessel apart." He let out a quiet chuckle. "But we worked together and brought it down. He was a capable man… reliable. A rare thing these days."
Kai nodded slightly. "Even seeing him in his old age, I could tell that in his youth he must have been remarkable. So… do you know anything about his pendant?"
"Yes," the old man replied. "I know about it well. That pendant was special to him. Inside it… a small family photo. His wife, Hana." His expression softened faintly as he spoke. "Whenever he sailed into the black waters for days at a time, he would look at that photo. The sea out there is merciless… dark and hungry. But when you carry something that reminds you of the ones waiting for you… it makes the journey easier to bear."
Kai exhaled slowly. "That pendant is missing now. We need your help to find it."
"Help?" the old man repeated, raising an eyebrow. "What kind of help?"
He leaned back slightly, folding his arms.
"I don't have the pendant," he continued. "But I can tell you where you might find someone who knows more. At the far end of this forest — beyond the deepest stretch of trees — there is a docking ground where the fishermen keep their ships. Look carefully when you get there. You'll find another old man… one who watches over that entire place."
His voice dropped lower.
"Some say he is more than two thousand years old. I don't know if that's true… but I do know this — if anyone knows the fate of that pendant, it would be him."
The old man leaned forward slightly.
"Tell him my name if he refuses to speak — Grimwald. After hearing it, he will listen. He owes me more than he would ever admit."
Kai nodded slowly. "Thank you, Grimwald."
The old hunter waved a gnarled hand. "Find that pendant, boy. For Yuki. For his grandson. Some things are worth more than gold."
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Kai, Drakara, and Trinity stepped out of the hunting cabin and returned to the forest path. Without wasting time, they began moving toward their next destination — the far end of the forest, where the fishing harbor was said to lie.
The journey was long and unsettling. The deeper they traveled, the thicker the jungle became. Massive trees rose like ancient pillars, their trunks twisted and scarred, their bark dark as charred bone. Thick vines hung from the branches like coiled serpents, swaying gently in the faint wind. The ground beneath their feet was uneven and damp, covered with layers of rotting leaves that released a sour, earthy smell with every step.
Strange sounds echoed around them. In the distance, unseen creatures screeched and howled, their cries sharp and unnatural. Occasionally, something moved within the undergrowth — quick flashes of movement followed by silence. The air itself felt heavy, pressing against their lungs, as though the forest resented their presence.
As they walked, the forest slowly began to change. The dense wall of trees thinned, and the smell of wet soil was gradually replaced by the sharp scent of salt carried by the wind. The distant roar of waves crashing against rock reached their ears, growing louder with each step.
Soon, the jungle opened into a wide clearing, revealing the fishing harbor at the very edge of the island.
The harbor was vast and chaotic, yet strangely organized. Long wooden docks stretched far into the dark waters, their beams thick but weathered from years of punishment by storms and tides. Dozens of fishing boats were tied along the piers — some small and simple, others massive, reinforced with iron plating as if prepared to face creatures from the depths rather than ordinary fish. Tall wooden watchtowers stood around the harbor, their platforms lined with rusted bells and warning horns. Large fishing nets hung from hooks and poles, heavy with moisture and stained dark from years of use. Piles of barrels filled with salted fish were stacked along the edges of the docks, while crates overflowing with strange sea creatures lay scattered nearby — some still twitching faintly, their scales reflecting the dim light like shards of glass.
The sea itself looked unnatural. Its waters were dark — almost black — rolling in slow, heavy waves that struck the shore with a deep, hollow sound. Thick fog drifted across the surface, hiding whatever lay beneath. The entire harbor carried the feeling of a place built not only for survival… but for war against the ocean itself.
Workers moved through the area, their faces hardened by years of struggle. Some repaired nets, others hammered broken wood back into place. None of them laughed. None of them spoke loudly. The air was filled only with the sounds of tools striking wood and the distant cries of seabirds circling overhead.
Kai stepped forward and approached a group of fishermen.
"Where can I find the one who has been here the longest?" he asked.
The fishermen exchanged brief glances before silently raising their hands and pointing toward a massive structure at the far end of the harbor.
It was the largest building in the entire area — far bigger than the others, built from thick timber reinforced with dark iron bands. Its roof curved downward under its own weight, and long ropes and pulleys hung from its sides like tangled veins. Smoke drifted lazily from several crooked chimneys, and the windows were narrow and shadowed, giving the structure the appearance of a fortress rather than an office.
"That must be it," Kai murmured.
Without hesitation, the three of them walked toward the building. As they approached, the wooden doors loomed before them — tall, wide, and reinforced with iron plates scarred by deep claw marks.
Kai pushed the door open.
Inside, the room was enormous and cluttered beyond reason. Piles of papers covered nearly every surface, stacked into leaning towers that threatened to collapse at any moment. Scrolls, maps, and ledgers were scattered across long wooden tables. Shelves stretched along the walls from floor to ceiling, filled with countless documents — records of ships, cargo, sea routes, and losses. The smell of ink, salt, and old parchment filled the air, thick and overwhelming.
It was immediately clear that this place held the entire history of the harbor — every voyage, every catch, every disaster carefully recorded over countless years.
Behind a massive table at the far end of the room sat a figure unlike anything they had expected.
The creature was enormous. He was not human-sized — not even close. The being towered nearly twenty feet tall while sitting, his body spreading outward to an unnatural width that filled the space behind the table. His flesh was layered in thick folds, stacked upon each other like swollen waves of meat. His arms were massive and heavy, resting on the table like fallen tree trunks. Every small movement caused his body to tremble and shift, producing deep, wet sounds that echoed through the room.
Trinity's eyes narrowed. Her middle head spoke in a low whisper.
"He is a glutton-beast," she said quietly. "One of the devouring kind."
Her gaze remained fixed on the creature.
"They are known for endless hunger," she continued. "They can eat without limit — anything, anyone, it does not matter. Their bodies store everything they consume as fat. They do not die easily… not until every last bit of that stored flesh is burned away. That is why people call them immortal."
The massive creature remained seated behind the mountain of documents, his presence alone making the room feel smaller, heavier… as if the air itself struggled to move around him.
Then he spoke. His voice was deep and wet, like something rising from the bottom of a stagnant pool.
"Who dares enter my office without knocking?"
Kai stepped forward. "Grimwald sent us."
The glutton-beast's small eyes — buried deep within the folds of his face — blinked slowly.
"Grimwald," he rumbled. "That old hunter. He still lives?"
"He does," Kai said. "He said you owe him a debt."
The creature was silent for a long moment. His massive body shifted, the table groaning under the weight of his arms as he leaned forward.
"My name is Vorg," he said. "Sit. Tell me what you seek."
Kai sat.
Behind him, Trinity and Drakara stood like silent sentinels.
And the hunt for the pendant continued.