"Hurry up... It's getting dark..." Michael said urgently, running ahead. Liam and James, each carrying a Kraken's heart, sprinted quickly behind him.
"What kind of monsters appear when it gets dark...?" Liam couldn't help but feel a bit curious. With Michael's power, why would they need to worry about monsters? Could they really be that strong?
"Just get inside, and you'll find out..." James said in a low voice nearby. Liam had no choice but to remain silent, suppressing the curiosity that was burning inside him.
"Get in quickly..." Michael opened the door and waited for the kids to enter first.
After entering the underground house through the small door, Liam tossed the Kraken's heart aside, stretched his tired back, and sighed.
"Come here..." James called Liam over with a serious expression. Liam quickly approached the door, following James' instructions, and looked through a small window.
After about a minute of staring, he rubbed his eyes, unsure if he was seeing things. Once he realized that what he saw was indeed real, he couldn't help but feel a little scared.
"What the hell is that...?"
Before his eyes was an image straight out of a horror movie: giant bats with multiple tails that resembled the tentacles of a Kraken. But he wasn't even sure if they were bats; their bodies were slimy, like creatures from the ocean.
"What are they?" Liam asked with an intrigued look as he watched the horrifying creatures flying in the sky.
"We'll talk about it over dinner," Michael said tiredly, carrying the Kraken's heart into the kitchen.
Liam nodded in agreement, not objecting since he was starving after working so hard that day.
"Go wait in the dining room... I don't think you'll be much help here..." James said, stroking his chin and giving Liam a scrutinizing look.
Liam could only scratch his head in response. Although James' words stung a bit, they were entirely true.
***
"This is amazing... I've never had anything this delicious..." Liam happily devoured bite after bite.
"Of course, it's food fit for noble families," the old man replied with a smile.
"So... Do I have to pay for this?..." Liam broke into a cold sweat as he realized this was the heart of the Kraken. He had nothing to offer except his body.
"Haha... No need for that... After all, it's the monster you hunted..." the old man said casually.
Hearing that, Liam could only scratch his head, thinking, "Honestly, I was more of a nuisance."
"BOOM... BOOM... Help..." Suddenly, the sound of a crash and distant screams echoed.
"What's going on..." Liam stood up in shock. But when he saw the calmness of the two in front of him, as if this was a daily occurrence, his mind filled with countless thoughts.
"Sit down..." James said, his face showing a hint of sadness.
"Are we not going to save them?..." Liam asked in surprise.
"It's not that we don't want to... It's just that we can't..." Michael sighed and added, "We can only save those we have the power to save... We're not saints."
"What if it's someone you know or a relative?" Liam asked with a frown.
"What if there are no relatives?" James sighed and added, "We've long severed ties with the people in the town."
Liam didn't know what to say. He reluctantly sat down, waiting for an explanation. This was the first time he had witnessed people dying around him and being left to their fate. The feeling inside him was unbearable.
Glancing at Liam, the old man couldn't help but think of his own children. With a sorrowful look, he said, "You'll get used to these feelings eventually. This is a world where the line between life and death is very thin. If you want to survive, you'll have to become stronger."
At that moment, the old man glanced at the floor with a pensive expression for a few minutes until the screams and cries for help finally faded away.
"About fifty years ago, this land was still quite peaceful. Until one day..."
***
"Hahaha... The heart of this F-rank whale will fetch a good price. It'll definitely be worth more than yours, Michael," laughed a young man, around 23 years old, with short blond hair.
"Who knows..." This time, it was the calm voice of another young man with tanned skin and jet-black hair, shoulder-length. He was holding the heart of a monster. Clearly, he was in a good mood. But suddenly, a chilling sensation crept over him. He immediately looked around, searching for the source of the fear that had gripped him. Sweat poured down his body.
"What's wrong with you... Michael?" the blond-haired youth asked worriedly when he saw his friend's actions.
Michael couldn't shake off his unease. He thought to himself, "Maybe I was mistaken..." and looked at his friend to explain the situation.
"I..." Before he could finish his sentence, something suddenly descended upon them. The force of the impact sent him flying nearby, with dust and debris scattering everywhere. He struggled to get up and looked towards his friend. As the dust began to clear, what appeared before him would haunt him for the rest of his life.
His friend had been caught by a creature resembling a bat, with slimy skin like oceanic creatures. It was feasting on his friend's head. Despite his friend's desperate resistance, the creature's tentacle-like tails wrapped tightly around him. Then, the screams stopped, accompanied by the sound of crushing bones and flesh, with blood splattering everywhere. His friend was swallowed whole by the creature.
Throughout it all, he could only stand there, frozen. His body trembled. Inside, he tried to command his body to move, but it refused to obey. Blood trickled from his mouth, as if he had bitten his lip to let the pain overpower his fear.
Once he snapped out of it, he noticed the surroundings. There were screams, cries for help, and other similar creatures. The town was being destroyed. It was a scene straight out of hell. Taking advantage of the creature's distraction, he quickly ran and jumped into the sea. Fortunately, Michael and his friend had been by the shore, so there was only one creature. Most of the others were already in the town.
***
"After that, our town had very few people left. We mostly took shelter underground. At night, no one dared to go outside. Sometimes, there would still be careless people, and the result is what you've just seen," Michael stroked his beard as he slowly recounted the story. Those were terrifying memories he preferred not to recall.
"Are those monsters really that powerful? Is the night this dangerous everywhere in the world?" Liam couldn't help but wonder.
"Don't underestimate those flying monsters... The weakest of them is at least a C-rank... Not to mention, they're very intelligent and attack in packs," Michael added.
"As for the safest places, there's the Smith and Carter families' territories. And lastly, Riverside Academy."
"Do those places have weapons or fortified castles for protection?" Liam frowned, deep in thought.
"That's part of it... But what truly keeps the monsters away are the strongest people in this world..." James finally spoke up.
"Exactly... As I said, they're very smart... It seems like they have a sense for danger..." Michael sighed.
Liam pinched the bridge of his nose, processing the overwhelming information. He had no idea how much more trouble this journey would bring him.
"Anyway, my advice is for you to go to Riverside Academy. It will definitely be good for you," Michael added. "Tomorrow, I'll train you. These are the basics that will help you survive. Though the academy is very selective in its admissions, if you try hard enough, who knows..." Then, he looked at James, as if there was some intention behind his previous words.