The forest was eerily quiet in the aftermath of the battle. The only sounds were the faint rustling of leaves in the wind and the distant calls of birds that had slowly returned now that the Forest Behemoth lay dead. Its massive, charred body was sprawled out near the edge of the woods, smoke still rising from the place where Ryuto's fiery punch had made contact.
Ryuto, Celeste, and Roland stood a short distance away, breathing heavily as they stared at the fallen creature. The fight had been brutal, far more intense than anything they had experienced before, and the adrenaline that had been pumping through their veins was only just starting to fade.
Ryuto's fists still tingled from the intense magic he had unleashed, the remnants of flames flickering faintly around his knuckles before dying out completely. He could feel the level-up notifications from the system in the back of his mind, the surge of power that came with it, but he wasn't paying much attention to it yet.
His heart was still pounding, and his mind was spinning with the memory of what had just happened. The way the magic had burst forth from him, so wild and uncontrollable, yet undeniably powerful, left him both exhilarated and terrified.
"Did that really just happen?" Roland gasped, leaning forward with his hands on his knees, still catching his breath. His usual cocky grin had returned, though it was weaker than usual. "We actually killed that thing."
Celeste sheathed her sword, her expression calm, but Ryuto could see the tension in her eyes. "Yes, we did. But not without some serious luck." She turned her gaze toward Ryuto, her eyes narrowing slightly. "That power you used, Ryuto. That wasn't normal. Where did it come from?"
Ryuto tensed. He knew this question was coming, but he wasn't sure how to answer it without revealing the full truth about the system and the smartphone. His mind raced, trying to come up with something plausible that wouldn't raise more suspicion.
"I… I don't know," Ryuto said, choosing his words carefully. "It just happened. I didn't plan it. One second, I was throwing spells, and the next… that."
Celeste studied him for a long moment, her sharp eyes piercing through him as though she was trying to read his thoughts. Ryuto did his best to keep his face neutral, hoping she wouldn't press the issue too hard.
Roland, still trying to shake off the fear from the fight, chimed in. "Whatever it was, it saved our asses. That thing was a freaking monster." He kicked a nearby rock, sending it skittering across the ground. "I thought we were dead for sure when it cornered us."
Celeste sighed, rubbing her temple. "We were lucky. If we hadn't worked together, that Behemoth would have killed us all."
Ryuto felt a flicker of guilt at her words. He knew they had all fought hard, but his sudden burst of magic had been more dangerous than he wanted to admit. He had almost lost control. What if the power inside him wasn't as easy to handle next time?
His thoughts were interrupted by a soft ding from his system. He mentally checked his smartphone, opening the stats screen, and saw the confirmation:
[You have leveled up: +2 Levels.]
[Magic Control increased by +10.]
[New skill unlocked: Enhanced Flame Manipulation.]
Ryuto clenched his fists, feeling the rush of power coursing through him. His magic control had increased significantly, and the new skill sounded promising, but the thought of using that kind of power again made him uneasy. The magic inside him was growing stronger, but it was also becoming more unpredictable.
"I leveled up," Ryuto muttered, though the usual excitement that came with it was muted. "Looks like I'm getting better at controlling the flames."
Celeste glanced at him again, her expression unreadable. "Good. You're going to need that control. This world is dangerous, Ryuto. We've been fortunate so far, but every fight could be our last if we're not careful."
Ryuto nodded, though he wasn't sure how to respond. He was grateful for the level-ups and the new skills, but something about the way Celeste was looking at him made him uneasy, like she was expecting more from him, or worse, that she was starting to suspect something about his sudden strength.
"Speaking of that," Roland interjected, "what do we do now? I mean, we just took down a freaking Behemoth. Shouldn't we report this? Maybe they'll name a town after us or something."
Celeste's stern expression softened slightly at Roland's enthusiasm. "We should definitely report this to Father and the other nobles. The fact that a creature like this made its way so close to the estate is… concerning. We need to find out if there are more out there or if something drove this one here."
Roland's excitement dimmed. "You think this was a fluke?"
"I don't know," Celeste replied, her gaze shifting back to the dead creature. "But it's worth investigating."
Ryuto stayed silent as Celeste and Roland discussed their next steps. His mind was elsewhere, still stuck on the fact that the power he had tapped into wasn't just some random surge of magic, it had felt personal, connected to something deeper inside him.
He glanced down at his hands again, watching as the last remnants of fire flickered away. The question that had been nagging at him ever since the fight with the Behemoth resurfaced: How far can this power go?
Suddenly, a faint crackling sound came from the direction of the dead Behemoth, followed by the acrid smell of burning fur.
"What now?" Roland groaned, taking a cautious step back.
Celeste and Ryuto turned toward the source of the noise, only to see the Behemoth's massive body smoldering. Ryuto's punch had done more damage than they realized, the flames that had engulfed the creature's head were slowly spreading, and the thick fur was beginning to catch fire once again.
"We need to put that out before it causes more trouble," Celeste said, her voice clipped. "The last thing we need is a forest fire."
Ryuto, still wary of using his flames again, hesitated. "Should we…?"
"I'll handle it," Celeste said, cutting him off. She stepped forward, her sword glowing faintly as she waved her hand, summoning a small burst of water magic. The water hissed and steamed as it splashed over the smoldering fur, extinguishing the flames in moments.
Ryuto let out a breath of relief, though the uneasy feeling in his gut didn't go away.
"We should head back," Celeste said after a moment, sheathing her sword once again. "There's nothing more we can do here."
Ryuto and Roland nodded, and the three of them began making their way back toward the estate. The adrenaline from the battle had worn off, leaving them all feeling drained, but the weight of what had happened still lingered in the air.
As they walked, Ryuto found himself falling a few steps behind Celeste and Roland, lost in his thoughts. He couldn't help but wonder what was coming next. The system had given him power beyond what he had ever imagined, but it had also raised more questions than answers. What other abilities did he have hidden inside him? And more importantly, could he control them?
Celeste glanced back at him, her sharp eyes catching his as if she could sense his unease. "Ryuto, are you all right?"
He forced a smile, trying to shake off the heaviness that had settled over him. "Yeah, just tired. That was a close one."
Celeste nodded but didn't say anything else. Her expression told him she wasn't entirely convinced, but for now, she seemed willing to let it go.
As they reached the edge of the forest, the familiar sight of the Velclair estate came into view, the towering stone walls providing a sense of safety that had been missing in the chaos of the fight. But even as they crossed the threshold into the estate grounds, Ryuto couldn't shake the feeling that the battle with the Behemoth was just the beginning.
Something bigger was coming.
And Ryuto wasn't sure if he was ready for it.
The next morning, Ryuto trudged into class, still sore from the battle with the Forest Behemoth. His mind was racing with thoughts of the fight, the sudden burst of magic, and the questions that lingered about his power. Even though the day was supposed to be normal, something felt off. His hands still tingled from the fire he'd unleashed, and the thought of facing his classmates and acting like everything was fine made him feel uneasy.
As he slipped into his seat, Amelia, the girl who had unknowingly stolen his heart, bounced into the classroom with her usual energy. Her golden hair shimmered in the sunlight that streamed through the windows, and her eyes were wide with excitement. Ryuto tried not to stare, but it was hard to ignore how perfect she looked, as if nothing could bring her down.
Her presence had a way of brightening the entire room, but today, her excitement seemed to be on another level. She rushed to the front of the class and turned to face everyone, her face flushed with enthusiasm.
"Guess what?" Amelia chirped, her voice bright and full of excitement. "A hero came to our town this morning!"
The room buzzed with curiosity, students murmuring to each other. Ryuto sat up a little straighter, his tiredness forgotten. A hero?
"An S-class adventurer!" Amelia continued, unable to contain her excitement. "His name is Galeth Van Holland. He's here to investigate something in the forest. Isn't that amazing? A real hero in our town!"
Ryuto's heart skipped a beat at the name. Galeth Van Holland. S-class adventurers were legends in their own right, heroes who took on quests that most people could only dream of. The mere mention of one visiting their small town was enough to make even the most jaded of students perk up.
Amelia, clearly relishing the attention, leaned in closer to the class and started recounting the hero's past exploits. "He's taken down dragons, cleared entire dungeons, and even faced the Crimson King in a one-on-one duel! And now he's here, in our town, because of something in the forest! Can you believe it?"
Ryuto exchanged a quick glance with Roland, who sat beside him. Both of their faces were painted with shock and fear. The forest. The Behemoth.
Their thoughts instantly went back to yesterday's fight. The Forest Behemoth. Was Galeth in town because of that? And if so, how long would it take before he found the corpse of the creature they'd killed?
Roland leaned closer to Ryuto, whispering under his breath, "You don't think...?"
Ryuto nodded slowly, his pulse quickening. "He's probably looking for the Behemoth."
"And if he finds it...?" Roland's eyes widened in alarm, his voice trembling slightly. "What if they find out it was us who killed it?"
Ryuto felt his stomach drop. That was the burning question he'd been trying to avoid. What if they found out? Heroes like Galeth weren't just adventurers; they had connections, influence, and resources. If he found out that a couple of kids had killed something like the Behemoth, it could cause a whole storm of trouble.
And worse, what if Galeth thought someone else had been involved? What if the town's attention shifted to them? Ryuto couldn't shake the feeling that revealing his newfound powers, especially so early, would invite more danger than he could handle.
Amelia kept going, completely unaware of the anxiety brewing between Ryuto and Roland. "Galeth is investigating some forest dweller that might be making a nest near our town. He's planning to head into the woods today to figure out what's going on."
The class broke into excited chatter, with some students daydreaming aloud about what it would be like to see a real hero in action. Ryuto, however, could barely focus. All he could think about was the possibility of Galeth discovering the Behemoth's corpse and what might happen next.
Roland shot him a nervous glance. "What are we gonna do?"
Ryuto shook his head, his mind racing. "I don't know. We'll have to play it cool. We can't exactly tell anyone we killed it."
"But what if Galeth figures it out? Or worse, what if he comes looking for whoever did it?"
Ryuto didn't have an answer. The questions burned in his mind, making it nearly impossible to focus as class began. The room seemed to blur around him as the teacher started the lesson, but all Ryuto could think about was Galeth, the Behemoth, and the growing danger that seemed to be closing in on them.
Meanwhile, in the Northern Woods, Galeth Van Holland strode through the underbrush, his sharp eyes scanning the forest for any signs of movement. He was tall and broad-shouldered, his silver armor gleaming despite the shadows cast by the trees. His reputation as an S-class adventurer was well-earned, and the stories of his bravery and power were known far and wide.
But this mission was different.
He had been sent to this small town because of rumors, whispers of a forest dweller making a nest too close to civilization. At first, he hadn't thought much of it. Forest creatures were common in these parts, and it wasn't unusual for monsters to wander near human settlements. But something about this particular case had piqued his interest. The reports were vague, and the townspeople had seemed more frightened than usual.
And now, as he followed a faint trail deeper into the woods, his instincts told him that something wasn't right.
His eyes narrowed as he knelt down, inspecting a set of massive footprints in the dirt. They were fresh, and they belonged to something big. Too big to be anything ordinary. A chill ran down his spine as he stood, his hand instinctively resting on the hilt of his sword.
Whatever had left these tracks had been here recently. Very recently.
Galeth continued through the forest, his movements silent and precise. The air grew colder as he approached a clearing, and the faint smell of burning reached his nose. His steps quickened as he pushed past a thick wall of trees, and then he saw it.
The Forest Behemoth.
Its massive body lay sprawled out in the clearing, its thick fur blackened and scorched in places. Smoke still rose from its wounds, the lingering remnants of a battle fought not long ago. The creature's chest had been punctured by what appeared to be a blade, an enchanted one, judging by the clean cut. And the damage to its head... Galeth's eyes flickered with recognition.
Magic. Powerful magic.
But what was even more surprising was the fact that the Behemoth was already dead. Galeth had been expecting a fierce battle, but instead, he found himself standing over the corpse of a monster that had already been slain.
His brow furrowed as he knelt beside the body, inspecting the wounds more closely. Whoever had killed this thing wasn't just strong, they were skilled. The use of magic and the precision of the blade strike told him that much.
But who?
The mystery deepened as Galeth rose to his feet, his mind racing. There were no reports of any S-class adventurers in the area aside from himself, and certainly no one with the kind of power it would take to bring down something like the Forest Behemoth.
His hand tightened around the hilt of his sword as he turned back toward the town. Whoever had done this was powerful, and they were close. Too close.
"I need to find out who did this," Galeth muttered to himself, his eyes narrowing. "The guild will want to know."
With that, he set off back toward the town, his thoughts already turning to the adventurers' guild. If someone this powerful was in the area, he needed answers, and soon.
As Galeth disappeared into the trees, the Behemoth's lifeless body lay still, a silent reminder of the battle that had taken place. But the real question lingered in the air: who had killed it, and why?
The mystery had only just begun.