Year 867. Across the war-torn Jotunheim world, the land lay scarred and lifeless. Ashes veiled the sky, casting a dull gray pall over a world where humanity had once thrived.
Now, remnants of that existence lingered like a haunting echo beneath a foreign sun. The demons of the Daemon world had invaded, leaving no soul unscathed. Only two humans survived: Taina Castro and Gabriel Castro, bound by love and the will to endure.
Taina, a healer, stood by Gabriel's side, her usually bright eyes dim with fatigue. The weight of her unborn child pressed against her, making each step harder than the last.
Her great stamina and magic power, once a source of strength, now felt like mere numbers in the face of the relentless threats around them. She was in her final month of pregnancy, and her body was too weak to flee any longer.
Gabriel had taken her to a secluded cave near the border of the Jotunheim world, a place he hoped would shield them from the eyes of their pursuers.
Kneeling beside her, his expression shadowed with worry, Gabriel took her hand. "Are you alright, Taina?" His voice was gentle.
Taina managed a weary smile, her hand pressing over his. "I'm fine… just exhausted and a bit hungry."
Gabriel nodded, his gaze steeling. "Rest here. I'm gonna hunt in the forest in front of the cave, but I won't be long." He paused, noting the flicker of concern in her eyes.
"Please, be careful," she whispered, the words heavy with all the fears she could not voice.
He leaned forward, his hand finding its way to her swollen belly, feeling the faint stir of life within. Meeting her gaze, he pulled her close, planting a tender kiss on her forehead. "It's alright, love. I'll be careful. Take care of our little one."
With a final, lingering look, he turned and left the cave, his figure soon swallowed by the shadows of the dense forest.
His sword was already in his grip, ready to strike. The forest teemed with life, but Gabriel moved with caution, his senses on high alert as he scanned the area for prey.
He activated his Predator skill, feeling his awareness sharpen, every rustle of leaves and whisper of wind amplified in his mind. After a short while, he spotted his target: a horned rabbit, small yet swift, its muscles tense with potential energy.
"Analyze," he murmured, invoking a system screen.
Rabbit
Level: 12
Class: Wild Rabbit
HP: 150
MP: 70
Strength: 40
Endurance: 45
Agility: 253
Luck: 43
Skills: Premonition Lv2 (Agility triples when sensing fear or killing intent)
Gabriel's jaw tightened as he weighed his options. The rabbit's Premonition skill would make it almost impossible to capture if he let it sense his approach.
He'd need to strike without hesitation, without the slightest flicker of killing intent.
In a single, fluid motion, he leaped from his hiding spot, his hand tightened and threw the sword. The blade cut through the air with a silent, deadly stab, striking the rabbit before it could even blink. Gabriel exhaled, the tension draining from his muscles as he approached the fallen creature.
A faint smile tugged at his lips as he retrieved his sword. "Not every swordsman throws his blade at a rabbit," he muttered to himself with a quiet laugh. Satisfied, he turned and made his way back toward the cave.
Yet, before he reached the cave's entrance, he stumbled upon an unsettling scene: two fierce wolves locked in a vicious struggle with a black serpent.
The serpent's scales gleamed like polished obsidian, its fangs dripping with venom that hissed upon contact with the forest floor.
Gabriel's eyes narrowed as he watched the battle, aware that such noise and conflict could draw the attention of any nearby demons.
"Analyze," he said.
Black Serpent
Race: Giant Cobra
Level: 77
Class: Venomous Predator
HP: 1250
MP: 798
Strength: 500
Endurance: 998
Agility: 1003
Luck: 89
Skills: Venomous Predator Lv7, Black Scales Lv5
"Damn," he muttered, gripping his sword tighter. "Those wolves don't stand a chance, I'll try to end the battle quickly and without using too much power, I must save energy, there may be enemies nearby"
Without hesitation, Gabriel activated his Predator skill, his body moving before his mind could weigh the risks. He drew his sword, summoning his Cutting Wind skill.
A gust sliced through the air, cleanly severing one of the wolves in half. The remaining wolf snarled at him, its instincts recognizing the deadly aura emanating from him. With a final growl, it fled into the shadows.
But the serpent remained, its gaze fixed on Gabriel with predatory focus. It lunged, venom dripping from its fangs as it snapped at him.
Gabriel dodged, but the serpent was faster than he had anticipated, its attack grazing his arm. Pain flared up, sharp and burning. He gritted his teeth, ignoring the searing sensation as he moved in for another strike.
"Cutting Wind!" he shouted, channeling his energy into the blade as he aimed for the serpent's head.
The serpent spat venom in a final act of defiance, but Gabriel dodged, his sword plunging into Its open mouth, piercing through the roof and silencing it at last.
"Blasted snake, not even good for eating" he muttered, clutching his wounded arm. "Those scales were tougher than any armor."
He stumbled back toward the cave, clutching the horned rabbit and part of the fallen wolf. When Taina saw him approach, her eyes widened, her gaze darting to the blood staining his arm.
"Gabriel!" she cried, rushing to him despite her own weakened state. Her hand reached out, trembling, as she took in the sight of his injury. "What happened to your arm?"
"It's just a scratch," he replied, attempting a reassuring smile. But the pain in his voice betrayed him.
Her fingers gently brushed over his wound, her eyes shining with concern. She raised her other hand, whispering the words of a spell. "Divine Healing."
A warm, soothing light enveloped his arm, the pain fading as the wound closed without a trace. Gabriel flexed his fingers, marveling at her power.
"Thank you," he murmured, his gaze softening. "Your healing is stronger every day."
Taina looked up at him, her face filled with a mix of pride and sadness. "We've been on the run for so long… I think I've healed you more times than I can count."
Gabriel laughed, but the sound held little humor. "And if it weren't for those blessings we received, I doubt we'd still be standing here." He touched her cheek, a somber look in his eyes. "But we'll keep going, Taina. For us… and for our child."
Distracted by their own quiet moments, Taina and Gabriel remained unaware of the demons nearby, hunting them.
The battle between the wolves and the serpent had already attracted attention before Gabriel delivered the final blow to the black serpent.
Much like Gabriel's enhanced senses from his Predator skill, demons possessed natural abilities that made them exceptional hunters. About five kilometers away, a demon troop had already set up camp in the forest.
FOREST: DEMONIC CAMP, 20 MINUTES BEFORE GABRIEL FACED THE BLACK SERPENT.
"Do you feel that? There are three sources of mana clashing four and a half kilometers to the east. Inform the captain, and let's investigate this—those two humans might be nearby." Demonic Mage Soldier said in a low tone.
15 MINUTES LATER. LOCATION WHERE GABRIEL FOUGHT THE SERPENT.
Name: Marky
Level: 384
Race: Demon
Job: Soldier Captain
Class: Archer
HP: 9981
MP: 12004
Strength: 2730
Endurance: 3000
Agility: 3450
Luck: 280
Skills: ???
Blessing: ???
"This is the place where the battle we sensed at the camp happened. Check the perimeter. Look for clues to see if those two humans were here!" Captain Marky said.
At the scene where Gabriel had fought the serpent, demonic soldiers scoured the area for any trace of the humans.
"Captain, I found a ferocious wolf with half its body near a tree that was cut in half. Next to the tree was a giant black serpent, its eyes cut, and a hole in its head." The Demonic Mage Soldier reported to the Captain.
"Everything points to a swordsman. Those humans were here!!! Soldiers, gather!!!" Said Captain Marky.
The moment Captain Marky gave the command, the demon soldiers swiftly assembled. They began to search the area, their eyes scanning every centimeter of the forest floor for any clue that could lead them to Gabriel and Taina. The hunt had begun.