Kazuki's eyes narrowed as the massive dire wolf lunged at them, its sharp claws raking the air. With a flash of movement, he sidestepped, his newly acquired sword gleaming as he slashed across the beast's side. The wolf let out a yelp of pain but quickly recovered, its eyes filled with fury.
"Stay back!" Serena shouted, her sword at the ready, moving to intercept the beast. But before she could engage, Kazuki leaped forward again, his movements faster than she expected.
"Let's see what you've got," Kazuki muttered to himself, feeling the familiar rush of adrenaline.
The dire wolf charged again, its powerful jaws snapping dangerously close to Kazuki's face. But his reflexes kicked in, and with a burst of speed, he dodged the attack and countered with a downward strike. His sword cut deep into the creature's flank, sending it stumbling back, blood spilling onto the forest floor.
Serena moved to join the fight, but Leo held up a hand. "Wait," he said, his eyes wide as he watched Kazuki. "Look at him."
Kazuki was moving effortlessly, his every attack precise, as if he had been fighting monsters his whole life. But what shocked Leo the most was the sheer physical power Kazuki displayed. He wasn't using magic—he didn't need to. His speed and strength alone were overwhelming the dire wolf.
With a final leap, Kazuki brought his sword down in a sweeping arc, slashing through the creature's neck. The wolf crumpled to the ground with a final, pitiful whine, its body falling still.
Kazuki stood over the fallen beast, breathing heavily but unharmed. He wiped the sweat from his brow and turned to his companions, giving them a casual shrug. "Not bad for a warm-up."
Serena sheathed her sword, shaking her head in disbelief. "You…you took that thing down on your own."
Kazuki scratched the back of his head, trying to downplay his achievement. "It wasn't that tough. Just a bit faster than I expected."
Leo, however, looked like a kid who had just seen his favorite hero in action. "That was amazing! You didn't even use magic, and you still wiped the floor with it!"
Kazuki raised an eyebrow. "Magic? Why would I—"
Before he could finish, a loud rustling in the bushes nearby caught their attention. The group immediately tensed, expecting another attack, but what emerged from the underbrush was no monster.
It was a young girl—no more than fifteen—her clothes torn and dirty, her face streaked with tears. She stumbled toward them, her legs trembling with exhaustion.
"Please…help…" she gasped, before collapsing to the ground.
Serena rushed forward, kneeling beside the girl and checking her pulse. "She's alive, but she's in bad shape. We need to get her to safety."
Kazuki frowned, scanning the forest around them. "What's a kid doing out here, alone in the woods?"
"I don't know," Serena said, lifting the girl onto her back, "but we need to find out."
After a few tense hours of walking, the group finally reached a small clearing in the forest. Leo, using his magic, had created a protective barrier around them to ward off any potential threats, and Serena had tended to the girl's wounds. They set up a small camp, the fire crackling softly as night began to fall.
The girl stirred, her eyes slowly fluttering open. She looked around, confused at first, but when she saw Serena, she seemed to relax.
"Where…where am I?" she asked, her voice weak.
"You're safe now," Serena said gently, offering her a canteen of water. "We found you in the forest. Can you tell us what happened?"
The girl took a few small sips of water, her hands shaking. "I was…with my family. We were traveling to a nearby village when we were attacked. Monsters…they came out of nowhere." Her voice cracked as she recalled the event. "They—they killed everyone. I ran, but I got lost in the woods. I thought…I thought they were going to get me too."
Kazuki's expression darkened. "What kind of monsters?"
The girl shuddered. "Wolves. But not normal wolves. They were bigger, faster…more vicious. Just like the one you killed earlier."
"Dire wolves," Leo muttered, his brow furrowed. "They've been getting bolder lately, attacking travelers this close to the town."
Kazuki clenched his fists. He wasn't one to get angry easily, but hearing about innocent people being killed…something about it stirred an unfamiliar rage inside him. He couldn't just sit by and let that happen. Even if he didn't care about being a hero, he couldn't ignore the suffering around him.
"What's your name?" Serena asked the girl softly.
"Mina," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Well, Mina, you're safe with us now," Serena said, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "We'll get you to town, and then we'll deal with these wolves."
Mina looked at her with wide, grateful eyes. "Thank you…"
Kazuki remained silent, staring into the fire as his mind churned. This world was full of danger, far more than he had realized. But he had power—more power than he could have ever imagined. And with that power came responsibility, whether he liked it or not.
Serena noticed his brooding expression and sat down beside him. "What are you thinking?"
Kazuki sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I didn't come here to play hero, you know. But…if I have the strength to stop things like this from happening, shouldn't I use it?"
Serena smiled softly. "You don't have to take on the world, Kazuki. But protecting the people in front of you…that's a good enough reason to fight."
Kazuki glanced at her, surprised by her words. For someone who seemed so guarded, Serena had a quiet wisdom about her. Maybe there was more to her than he first thought.
"Thanks," he said, offering her a small smile.
Serena returned the smile, and for a brief moment, the tension between them eased. But as the fire crackled in the quiet night, Kazuki couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning. The deeper they ventured into this world, the more dangerous it became.
And somewhere out there, the seven deadly generals and the demon king were waiting.