"You guys ready?"
"Yeah, we've pretty much got everything we need."
Arthur inquired his recently assembled squad as they prepared for their journey to the Southern Forest by packing items into a large bag.
There were only a few ways leading away from the guild and everyone seemed to be preparing except for Horus, The Clad Demon, who stood patiently under a tree waiting for the rest of his squad. Then out of the blue, a short boy in cheap leather armor and wooden sword, appearing slightly younger than Horus approached him.
He had disheveled orange hair that partially covered his eyes. "Hey there!" he greeted Horus cheerfully. "Nice to meet you, looks like we'll be on the same team today!" Horus look puzzled, raised an eyebrow and questioned, "I'm sorry, do I know you?" The boy's smile faded awkwardly at this remark. He scratched his head and responded, "Didn't the others tell you?"
"Tell me what?"
During their conversation, Arthur unexpectedly showed up and warmly rested his hand on Horus's shoulder. "Oh, I forgot to mention... This young man is Damien, a newbie adventurer who will be joining us today." Arthur revealed that he was responsible for mentoring the new recruit due to his high potential. Despite the boy's youthfulness, it is important to note that in this world a warrior's age is not a barrier. Some adventurers even commence their journeys at the age of 12.
And again, Horus paid no mind. As long as he could complete the mission, he did not care at all.
Everyone had packed their belongings in the bag and Jenna waved her wooden staff to which a significant amount of Ryuk (mana) flowed into it. She then utilized a form of storage magic that caused all the items to vanish. Magic was prevalent in this world, with almost everyone having the ability to use it to some extent, but there were individuals who were more skilled than others, known as Mages.
With that, they began their journey to the Southern Forest. They proceeded at a leisurely pace as Arthur estimated it would likely take a full day to reach their destination, so they decided to take it slow. They spent hours wandering through a snowy landscape, passing frozen lakes and crossing precarious bridges over high peaks. The further they traveled the more lush greenery they encountered, and the snow gradually disappeared.
After walking continuously for about 20 hours, the group was clearly fatigued. The warmth of the sun had given way to the chill of the moon, and the darkness made it difficult to navigate, posing a potential danger. Consequently the squad collectively decided that it would be safer to establish a camp in the expansive cave they stumbled upon at the top of a rocky mountain.
Arthur enthusiastically announced, "Hey, everyone! Let's pitch our tents in this spot!" he declared while taking lead.
The cave was surprisingly convenient, spacious enough for residents but strangely empty.
At this point, they had already entered the forest and were exploring the western region, suggesting they were not to far from the south. Jenna used her magical staff to start a campfire, and while she and the rest of the team dined on steak they had brought, Horus remained outside the cave away from the chatter and laughter.
Isolated? Not necessarily sad, but also not entirely happy, feeling empty and fractured. This seemed to be a vivid depiction of his current state of mind, although it appeared unusual.
He rested against a boulder, his gaze fixed on the stunning view in front of him. The night sky appeared even more beautiful that evening from the peak. The stars twinkled like diamonds scattered across a velvet blanket, and the moon shone brightly, casting a soft glow over the world below. The air was crisp and cool, carrying the faint scent of blooming flowers on the breeze.
Inhaling the crisp air, he let out a profound sigh. His vacant gaze mirrored a shooting star descending with a sparkling burst of light in the sky. He lifted his right hand towards the skies, as if expressing a wish.
"I... promise to get stronger. Strong enough that I can save you."
For a brief moment, only lasting as long as Horus intended with his mention of someone his eyes briefly lit up. Perhaps it was a person close to him, but the mere mention of that person brought a spark back into his eyes, even if only for a fleeting moment.
Suddenly, his eyes shifted to the edge of the boulder he leaned on, suggesting that he sensed something concealed there. "I know you're there," he addressed the unidentified individual. Just then, Damien emerged with a hesitant smile. "Oh, you spotted me, did you? I apologize for watching, I simply didn't want to disturb you," he explained.
"It is fine." Horus replied, "You can do whatever."
Damien approached Horus, sitting juort distance from him, saying, "If that's the case, I hope it's okay with you." Horus responded with silence. To ease the awkwardness, Damien spoke up again, asking, "Are you not planning to sleep?" Horus shook his head, indicating no. "Why not?" Damien inquired. Horus calmly explained that he is used to not sleeping much so he didn't feel like sleeping at that moment. "Ah, I understand," Damien acknowledged.
The lifestyle of an adventurer is challenging, requiring physical fitness to adapt but Horus appeared to have taken it to an extreme level.
Even though the boy spoke a lot, Horus was unfazed by it. It seemed like the boy might be feeling lonely. "The sky looks stunning tonight," he commented as he stared at the sight. "It's almost unbelievable to think that I'm really here... living out my dream of being an adventurer." Damien revealed that his late mother, who had passed away in a war, had wished for him to become a hero and prevent others from experiencing similar hardships. Horus briefly looked at the boy with interest but chose not to inquire further or respond.
"What are your goals?" Damien inquired of Horus. It could be that Damien's lack of fear towards him made Horus feel more comfortable, or maybe he was simply in a good mood due to the breathtaking view. Regardless,Horus opened up a bit in response.
"My goal is simple... I need to get stronger, strong enough to save a certain someone who is incredibly important to me."
Damien's eyes lit up with curiosity as he hurried over to Horus and asked excitedly, "Who is that important person-" but before he could complete his sentence, they heard growling sounds approaching them.
Its menacing growls were deep, and its footsteps were large and sounded like they were crushing the ground beneath them.
They both quickly became attentive, Damien moved back in fright when a large, looming shadow approached them. "What is that?!" Damien exclaimed in a hushed voice. Suddenly a massive beast resembling a bear, with brown fur and razor-sharp teeth, emerged from nearby bushes and lunged towards them. With pure instincts, Horus and Damien managed to dodge before the creature could reach them.
The creature had drool coming from its wide-open mouth, its fiery eyes appearing to see through the darkness. Clearly hungry and focused on making them its next prey, this beast is called the Ravenger Bear. Renowned for its immense brute force capable of demolishing a tank with a few strikes if it desired, as well as its sharp claws that can slice through even the toughest metal.
If such a monster was ranked, it would be ranked atleast low tier two stars. Considering everything, how will these two manage to survive such a situation?
Damien seemed to be afraid internally, as he couldn't move his legs despite multiple attempts. He thought to himself, "Come on, useless body! I need to run!" However, no matter how hard he tried, he remained in the same place.
But he forgot. That there was another persln with him, The Clad Demon. Horus showed no fear at all, as his indifferent demeanor remained unchanged. He approached the beast slowly, causing the beast to feel somewhat intimidated as it was not accustomed to a mere human standing up to it in such a manner.
Despite this, the beast lunged towards Horus. Damien yelled a warning, "Look out!" and shut his eyes in anticipation of a disastrous outcome. He flinched at the loud thud that followed. When Damien cautiously opened his eyes again, he half-expected to find Horus lying lifeless on the ground. But much to his astonishment Horus had the creature by the throat, dangling in mid-air. The creature's sharp claws scraped against Horus's armor but failed to leave a single mark on the strange, unscathed armor.
Damien's eyes widened in astonishment and he was left speechless. "What kind of magical power is this?" the boy whispered. Horus effortlessly tossed the monster towards the large boulder he had been resting against, treating it as if it were a simple toy. The impact created a loud booming noise as the boulder rattled upon collision.
Chunks of a large rock broke apart into small stones, with some of them hitting the monster. Damien observed the scene, witnessing not just the defeat but the death of the monster with minimal effort. Blood gushed from every part of its body with it's throat twisted and mangled beyond repair.
Taking a long stare at the bloodied scene, he eventually broke free from the stun and immediately clasped his hand over his mouth, sensing a strong urge to vomit. "Are you okay?" Horus's voice reverberated in his ears and as Damien gazed up at the tall, commanding figure, he understood that Horus was no ordinary human. His heart started pounding and his eyes widened in realization that his body was reacting intensely.
"This guy just killed a rank 2 beast..." Thought Damien. "No. It was at his mercy."
The boy may appear to be experiencing fear, anxiety, or terror, but thais is wrong. In truth, he was filled with exhilration that he could not contain. Witnessing a monster being defeated made him feel thrilled beyond his wildest dreams."It all get's me so excited!" Damien displayed a sinister smile as the idea crossed his mind.
He grasped Horus' shoulder and begged, "Please! You must reveal the magic you just performed!" Horus then gazed at the boy with a blank expresson before calmly replying.
"What magic?"
Horus displays remarkable strength by easily defeating a rank 2 creature, a task that would be challenging for most. In fact, it would require at least 10 skilled rank 1 adventurers to achieve the same feat. What sets Horus apart is the mystery behind his extraordinary power. Perhaps he possesses a unique and immensely powerful magical ability that has not been witnessed before?
Find out on the next chapter!