(Sam's POV)
From the shadows of the Duskwind Forest, I watched.
They were clumsy. Too loud. Too confident for their own good. The human adventurers were practically announcing their presence to everything within earshot. Honestly, it was almost painful to watch. I'd been quietly following them for a while now, slithering unseen through the undergrowth, using Stealth to remain undetected.
There were four of them. Not exactly seasoned hunters, by the look of it. But they were clearly up to something, and I was curious enough to follow.
'What are they even doing here?'
I flicked my tongue, tasting the air. The party was moving cautiously through the forest, led by a tall human with a sword strapped to his back. He seemed confident—too confident. Behind him, a girl with a bow looked like she was ready to run at the first sign of danger. The other two—a tank with a large shield and a mage who was twirling a small ball of fire in her hand—seemed more at ease.
Status Inspection quickly told me what I needed to know.
[Status Inspection Lv 2 activated.]
—----------------------------------------------
[Name]: Leon
[Race]: Human
[Class]: Warrior
[Level]: 13
[Rank]: F
[Skills]
– [Novice Sword Mastery Lv 3]
– [Battle Shout Lv 2]
– [Leadership Lv 1]
—----------------------------------------------
[Name]: Derrick
[Race]: Human
[Class]: Tank
[Level]: 9
[Rank]: Unranked
[Skills]
– [Shield Bash Lv 3]
– [Fortify Lv 2]
—----------------------------------------------
[Name]: Marie
[Race]: Human
[Class]: Mage
[Level]: 8
[Rank]: Unranked
[Skills]
– [Fireball Lv 2]
– [Wind Cutter Lv 2]
—----------------------------------------------
[Name]: Lina
[Race]: Human
[Class]: Archer
[Level]: 6
[Rank]: Unranked
[Skills]
– [Novice Bow Mastery Lv 2]
– [Rapid Shot Lv 1]
—----------------------------------------------
'Fascinating. The leader's F-Rank, but the rest are still unranked. What are they thinking?'
I kept my distance, staying hidden as I slithered through the underbrush. It wasn't that I was worried about them—they were clearly no threat to me at Level 15—but I wanted to see how humans fought. Adventurers were a new element I hadn't encountered yet, and it would be useful to learn their tactics.
(Lina's POV)
My heart wouldn't stop pounding. Each step felt heavier than the last, and the deeper we went into the forest, the worse it got. The sun had almost completely disappeared by now, leaving the forest bathed in shadows.
I kept looking over my shoulder, half-expecting something to jump out at us. But nothing happened.
"Relax, Lina," Leon whispered, casting a glance back at me. "You've got to trust your team. We're ready for this."
'Easy for him to say,' I thought, keeping my bow at the ready. I wasn't a coward, but there was something about this place that made me uneasy. And the fact that this was my first real hunt wasn't helping.
Marie, walking just ahead of me, flicked her wrist and summoned a small flame, lighting up the area around us. "Honestly, Lina, you're making this a bigger deal than it is. We've got this. Just stick to the plan."
"I know," I muttered, though my voice didn't sound convinced.
Derrick gave me another one of his comforting smiles from behind his massive shield. "We've trained for this. It's just like practice. Stay calm, and we'll be fine."
But it didn't feel like practice. This was real. One mistake, and we wouldn't be walking back to the guild.
(Sam's POV)
I slithered along behind them, keeping low to the ground. They were getting closer to something—I could sense it. The forest was tense, like a coiled spring ready to snap. I could feel the faint vibrations in the air, and the scent of a large creature was close. Too close.
I flicked my tongue again and tasted the beast's presence. A powerful one. If they weren't careful, this wasn't going to end well.
And yet… I was curious. What would these humans do? How would they handle a fight with a F-Rank beast?
'Guess I'll find out.'
I continued following them as they finally came to a stop near a small clearing. Leon held up his hand, signaling the group to halt.
"There," he whispered, pointing to the far edge of the clearing. "That's our target."
(Lina's POV)
My stomach dropped when I saw it.
At the far side of the clearing, a massive F-Rank beast stood among the trees. Its skin was rough, almost like stone, with sharp, jagged scales covering its body. Its eyes glowed faintly in the dim light, and its claws dug into the earth like they were ready to tear something apart.
This wasn't what I had expected. It was bigger—far bigger than the creatures we had trained against.
"Everyone stick to the plan," Leon whispered, his sword already drawn. "Derrick, you take the front. Marie, be ready to hit it with fire magic. Lina, hang back and cover us with arrows."
Derrick nodded, taking a step forward, his shield raised high. "Ready."
Marie's hands glowed as she prepared her magic. "This will be over quickly."
I drew my bow, trying to steady my shaking hands. My heartbeat thundered in my ears, but I forced myself to focus. This was what I had signed up for. I couldn't back down now.
"Alright, let's do this," Leon said, a grin spreading across his face.
(Sam's POV)
From the shadows, I watched as the adventurers got into formation. Their leader—Leon—seemed confident. Too confident. This beast wasn't like the low-level creatures I had fought before. I could feel the energy radiating off it.
It was close to the Level 22 cap for F-Rank monsters. They had no idea what they were dealing with.
'This is going to get messy.'
I coiled myself tighter in the underbrush, watching as they prepared to engage the beast. The excitement of the hunt was starting to stir in my blood, but I forced myself to wait. Patience was key.
'Let's see how this plays out first.'
(Lina's POV)
I could barely breathe as we stepped closer to the clearing. My hands felt clammy, and my bowstring trembled between my fingers. Derrick moved forward first, shield raised, and Marie followed behind him, her fire magic ready.
Leon signaled for us to spread out. "Derrick, engage. Marie, hit it with everything you've got. Lina, start firing from the back."
Derrick nodded and charged in, slamming his shield into the ground to brace himself for impact. The beast turned its head, noticing us for the first time. It let out a low, guttural growl, its eyes glowing with dangerous intent.
This was it. My first real battle.
I drew an arrow, pulled back the string, and fired.