Lucian and Tetsu soon arrived at the library. After a while of waiting, Galen returned to pick them up, dropping Tetsu off at the smithy before heading back home with Lucian.
After dinner and a bath, Lucian went to his room and took out the small gemstone, examining it closely. He turned it over in his fingers, trying to guess what kind of gem it could be. "What is this? Ruby? It looks like a ruby, but even Tetsu wasn't sure."
Despite his inspection, Lucian still couldn't identify the stone. He tucked it away in the same spot he had hidden the diary, then took out the diary to continue reading. "I haven't read this since I started focusing on training. Let's see what else it has to offer." He flipped to the next page and resumed.
"This was bound to happen. We got lost. And in a forest, no less. It was Yasolt's genius idea to take a shortcut to the next city, and now we've been stuck here for two days. Still, his optimism is killing me. We found a decent place to set up camp, so hopefully, tomorrow will be our last day out here."
Lucian thought to himself, 'Getting lost in a forest seems dangerous. Even in my world, being lost out here would be scary with all the wild animals, but in this world, where monsters and magical creatures are real, it's terrifying.'
He continued reading. "And now Yasolt and I are separated, for fuck's sake. We were ambushed by a pack of Moonlight wolves at midnight while I was on lookout. I'd worried about them from the start, they hunt at night when the moon is at its brightest. We both ran, but somehow we ended up in opposite directions. I'm hiding in a tree right now and can only hope Yasolt is okay."
'Moonlight wolves, huh?' Lucian wondered. 'I wonder what they look like.' He kept reading. "Today, I felt both extreme excitement and fear, more than I have in a long time. It started when I climbed down from the tree to search for Yasolt. I was careful not to make a sound, but as I moved through the forest, my concern grew. Then, I heard heavy footsteps from deep in the forest. The sound was so loud, it was like a tree was falling. As it came closer, I knew I couldn't outrun it. I drew my sword and prepared for the worst."
Lucian's curiosity was piqued. 'Footsteps like trees falling? Whatever it is, it must be huge and powerful.' Eagerly, he continued reading.
"As the steps got louder, the ground around me shook, and suddenly, a massive green lizard crashed through the thick forest. Trees around it shattered as it landed with a thundering sound. Its dull green skin blended with the forest, while the black scales on its back and head looked impenetrable." Lucian imagined this colossal creature, forming a vivid mental image of it.
"The lizard suddenly snapped its head, locking one eye onto me. It felt like it had come here just to hunt me down. Before I could react, it lunged toward me, mouth wide open. I had no choice but to dodge, but just then, I heard a scream from above. Yasolt came down from the sky, jamming his sword into the lizard's left eye. Yasolt had a wild grin on his face, like he wasn't afraid of it at all."
Lucian pictured the scene with excitement, wishing he could witness it firsthand.
"The lizard thrashed violently in pain, shaking Yasolt, who clung to his sword. The lizard's belly had no scales, just skin, so I seized the opportunity and charged in to attack. But as I did, Yasolt lost his grip and was flung right into me, sending us both tumbling to the ground." Lucian thought, 'Well, there goes a perfect opportunity.'
"As we got up, the lizard was screaming, its frantic thrashing only making its injured eye bleed more. We could've run, but the enraged lizard had other plans."
The scene shifted as if Lucian were there, seeing it unfold in the forest.
"Run! Now!" the writer yelled to Yasolt.
Yasolt looked back at his sword, still lodged in the creature's eye. "But my sword! What about that?"
"Forget it! Just run before it comes after us!" Before he could finish, the lizard turned its uninjured eye on them, screeching furiously as it charged.
"Shit," the writer muttered. "Here, take my sword. Hide, I have a plan." He handed the weapon to Yasolt, who hesitated but trusted him, then sprinted away while the writer kept the lizard's attention on himself.
'Its left eye is gone. I have to use that to my advantage,' he thought, readying himself as the lizard lunged again, mouth wide open. The writer leapt aside, moving toward the lizard's blind side. The creature thrashed, disoriented, and he dashed toward a nearby massive tree, his heart pounding as the lizard followed.
'It's now or never. Either I pull this off, or I'm dead.' He felt the mana within him, praying this time it would work. He focused, pouring all his energy into strengthening his body. With a burst of speed, he scaled the tree, the lizard right behind, clawing up in pursuit.
"YASOLT, NOW!" the writer shouted. Yasolt sprang from hiding, running toward the tree.
At the tree's peak, the writer's body felt like it was about to give out. He jumped off, and the lizard, following his movement, leapt after him, exposing its soft underbelly. Seizing the moment, Yasolt lunged forward, slicing into the lizard's belly. The creature screamed as its guts spilled out.
The writer, completely spent, felt his consciousness fading as he fell toward the ground. But Yasolt caught him mid-air, laying him gently on the grass as the fight ended.