Northern Emerald Country, Year 721, during May, in The Andorha dense forest.
This was the last late night of spring. The longest period of miasma in the eastern part of the mainland has just ended, causing hardly any living things to be willing to come out of their nests.
Due to the unusually quiet surroundings, even the slight movement in the depths of the dense forest appeared sudden and startling.
It was a lion digging in the mud.
The lion appeared to be underweight and smaller in size than typical lions, signifying that it may not have been fully matured.
Its posture was hunched, with its rear legs drawn from inwards, and its body appeared emaciated with numerous scratches and sores present on its flesh.
The wounds had become infected, leading to the accumulation of pus and blood, emanating a nauseating odor that cannot be easily described.
However, the beast displayed an unbothered demeanor, periodically utilizing its tail, encased in mud, to swat away the pesky mosquitoes and flies hovering nearby.
Its feeble front paws churned the mud, creating a sizeable hole.
Emitting a guttural sound from its being, the beast exuded eagerness and keen anticipation for the nourishment nestled beneath the earth's surface, for it had endured prolonged hunger.
Just at the moment when it was compelled to raise its tail towards the sky, its anterior paws delving into the saturated mire were abruptly met with an object.
Upon hearing a resonant metallic chime of "ding," its claws were stirred up and rapidly withdrew.
The lion mulls over pensively, "…."
The lion's thoughts were a jumble. That's not the sound meat would make!
What could have made that sound? It was not the sound of meat being torn apart, nor was it the sound of a bone being broken.
After careful deliberation, the lion finally gave in to its insatiable hunger and courageously resumes its original plan.
Post hastened moment, the object hidden beneath the bog is exposed.
To the lion's shock, it is a monstrosity in the guise of a human!
The rationale behind the nomenclature of this entity as a "monster" is attributed to its possession of two colossal heads which, notably, cannot be distinguished from front to back, resembling a rotund and ponderous fruit.
Moreover, its corporeal exterior, save for the hands folded atop its chest, is practically devoid of white markings and shrouded in a triple layer of ancient grime.
Conversely, one-half of its metallic armor, extending from the wrist to the base of its fingers, exhibits a decrepit and discolored appearance, enshrouded in dampened filth, so much so that it has lost its original coloration.
Remarkably, the anterior half of its finger, exposed and unblemished by any dirt or blood, presents an exceedingly pallid and sanitary demeanor.
As for the lions, they render no regard to the realism, freshness, or condition of their sustenance, devouring them at will.
With a leaping motion, the lion rushes towards the chest of the monster, ultimately taking on to seize a bite.
There emanated a faint tinkling sound of metal friction.
Suddenly, a pair of thin and frail hands twitched, with one pressing against its sharp teeth and the other quickly stroking its buttocks without uttering a single word.
A resounding loud slap ensued.
The lion stood there abashed, letting out a pitiful "Aww" as if it had suffered an immense humiliation: "..."
Before it could even launch a counterattack, the beast had already hurled it away by grabbing its tail.
It unleashed its sharp claws, rose, and attempted to pounce again, but the monster seized its throat and securely pinned it to the ground.
The monster gasped heavily, raised its unrestrained hand, and encircled it around its neck.
Following a rough sound of metal friction, the decrepit "head" was promptly lifted off by the monster without any semblance of civility.
It was then tossed onto the ground—it turned out to be a vintage first armor enveloped in dirt.
Upon removing the initial armor, the coarse edge caught hold of a slender rope that the eccentric individual had secured underneath his collar.
Attached to it was a dark, silver metallic sheet, and inscribed onto the delicate piece was the complete name of the particular individual – Kevin Fassbinder.
The rope that had been securing the heavy armor plates had long since been broken and with little exertion, Kevin divested himself of the cumbersome garments.
What remained was simply a set of undergarments and a utility belt fastened to his waist. On the ground lay a leather satchel and a short-handled knife.
In Kevin's left hand, a lion that he had captured earlier was struggling with great fervor.
Though not yet an adult, the strength of the animal should not be taken lightly. Its razor-sharp claws, akin to steel blades, had already caused several deep wounds on Kevin's arm, which was now dripping blood.
Wincing in pain, Kevin furrowed his brow and let loose a small "tsk" sigh.
Unclipping the knife, he reached for the lion's neck.
However, the sudden burst of desperation from the animal caused a surge of incredible force that made Kevin's hand numb.
He was forced to roll and slip away, evading the violent movements of the lion.
It probably understood that the gentleman standing before him was also a fierce expert.
The lion displayed no intention to persist in resistance and agilely seized the opportunity to flee, leaving behind the unsophisticated cub, Kevin, along with the dropped leather bag.
Kevin: "..."
Having recently emerged from the muck, a succession of confrontations were nearly centered on the instinct of survival.
His limbs kept up, although his reasoning remained sluggish. He was dazed for two moments before recollecting the contents of the leather bag.
Rolling his eyes, he rubbed the back of his dagger with his thumb, lifted his foot, and pursued the elusive lion.
The desperate lion emitted a sorrowful cry and frantically flailed its four limbs, yearning to ascend to the heavens.
Alas, such efforts proved futile...
After all, its hunger persisted for far too long, while innumerable venomous wounds still dapple its body.