With the morning sun rising, Ray and the others gathered their belongings, left the inn, and resumed their journey. Ann appeared disappointed that nothing had occurred during their stay, but Wilfred had fulfilled his promise by posting the A-class quest at the guild hall.
Although Ray was curious about what a shadow beast might look like, there was no guarantee that one was present in the town. More likely, it was just a high-tier magical beast causing disturbances.
The carriages and horses continued along the path until Wilfred spoke up.
"It seems like some Drop Bears are following us. I can't tell how many or what kind."
Drop Bears were magical beasts known for attacking in groups. Their defining features included pointed ears and razor-sharp claws, each about a foot in length. Though they were only the size of a large dog, they possessed the strength of a full-grown bear.
"How long have they been tracking us?" Delbert asked.
"Since we left the inn," Wilfred replied.
Bernardo lifted his axe in anticipation. "Looks like we'll have some fun after all."
"Let's hope there aren't any Drop Bear Kings among them," Wilfred added, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.
Ray recalled from his father's lessons that the Drop Bear King was a class above intermediate, making it an advanced-tier beast. The fact that Wilfred had sensed their presence before anyone else amazed Ray. Even with his enhanced senses, he hadn't noticed a thing—not without using his Dragon Eyes skill.
"Why didn't you inform us earlier?" Delbert asked, scanning the surrounding forest.
"I was concerned that the children might panic," Wilfred said, his gaze shifting toward Ray and Gary.
Wilfred turned to them. "Ray, Gary, arm yourselves and prepare for battle. We don't know their numbers, and we may not be able to protect you. You're about to become knights of Avrion—the most important thing is to stay alive."
Ray drew his sword in response, while Gary did the same, though Ray noticed his friend's hands trembling.
As they moved forward with heightened caution, Ray activated his Dragon Eyes skill. He spotted at least ten Drop Bears, but the dense forest made it difficult to get an accurate count. The creatures used the trees as cover, vanishing and reappearing with each movement.
Up ahead, a bridge spanned a small stream.
"That's the bridge just before the gate of Renny Town," Bernardo noted.
"They'll likely ambush us there," Delbert predicted.
As the group neared the bridge, the horses grew restless, refusing to move any farther.
"Something's spooking them!" Delbert shouted.
Ray focused his Dragon Eyes on the bridge and immediately understood why the horses were panicked. Underneath the structure lurked a Drop Bear, but not just any—it stood at least eight feet tall and was enveloped in a dark purple aura. Ray recognized that aura—it was the same as his father's. This wasn't just a Drop Bear King. It was a Shadow Beast.
The knights dismounted as their horses refused to advance. Each readied their weapons—Wilfred wielding his long, powerful greatsword, Delbert with his shield and longsword, and Bernardo gripping his massive axe.
Ray and Gary exited the carriage to stand alongside them. Ray knew he needed to warn Wilfred about the beast under the bridge, but before he could, the Drop Bears attacked.
The beasts lunged from the trees. One leaped at Ray, its massive claws poised to strike. Ray raised his sword just in time to block the blow but was forced back a few steps. The bears were stronger than the wolves he had fought in the Black Forest, but they were slower. Using this to his advantage, Ray dodged the next attack instead of blocking it, sidestepping and slicing the beast clean in half.
Glancing at the knights, he saw that each had already slain two of the creatures. Then his eyes darted to Gary—his friend had been wounded, blood dripping from a deep scratch on his shoulder. Before Ray could move to assist, another bear attacked. Gary, using his sword to trap the bear's claws, struck it with his free hand. The force sent the creature sprawling to the ground, and before it could recover, Gary drove his blade through its skull.
Gary panted, visibly shaken, black blood splattered across his hands.
A scream erupted from the carriage. Two Drop Bears had broken inside and were mauling the workers. Ray sprinted toward the scene, but before he could intervene, the three knights dashed past him and cleaved the beasts apart in a single motion.
A brief silence fell over the battlefield.
Ray started to lower his guard—until he remembered the Shadow Beast.
Everyone turned to the bridge. Standing atop it was the monstrous Drop Bear King. But this one was unlike any other. Black sludge foamed at its mouth, and its fur was streaked with glowing purple patches.
"A Shadow Beast," Bernardo gasped.
Wilfred took a step forward, his expression grim. "Everyone, prepare for battle!"