The deeper they ventured into the Deep Oakwood Woods, the darker and more oppressive the atmosphere became. The towering trees closed in overhead, their gnarled branches forming a suffocating canopy. Kael's summoned eagle soared above while Malachi held tightly onto the two-headed wolf beneath him, the beast moving with surprising grace and speed through the uneven forest floor.
"Keep your eyes open," Kael said from above, his voice sharp. "Something's wrong with this part of the forest. The howl we heard wasn't normal."
Malachi nodded, gripping his crude bow nervously, his eyes scanning the darkened treetops. The forest seemed alive, watching them.
Suddenly, both heads of the two-headed wolf stiffened, their growls deepening as they fixated on something above. Malachi looked up just in time to see a shadow move.
CRASH!
A blur of green and white shot down from the canopy, aiming straight for Kael.
"Damn!" Kael shouted. His eagle screeched and twisted in midair, narrowly dodging the attack. The blur landed with a thunderous impact, dirt and splinters flying as it hit the ground.
Malachi caught sight of it: a monkey-like creature, but grotesquely mutated. Its wiry body was covered in dark green fur, but its arms were grossly overdeveloped, pulsating with glowing white veins that stood out starkly against its skin. Its blood-red eyes gleamed with predatory intelligence, and it let out a piercing shriek before smashing its fists into the ground.
"What is that thing?" Malachi asked, readying his bow.
Kael's eyes flashed silver as he activated his Ink's Eyes. "Forest Imp," he said grimly, his voice sharp. "Strength Vein Enhancement. White Level."
"What's a Vein Enhancement?" Malachi asked, not taking his eyes off the creature.
Kael's hand moved through the air, summoning his system prompt. He flicked it toward Malachi, whose system pinged.
---
[Forest Imp]
Vein Level: White
Enhancement Effect: Strength Vein — Boosts arm strength and destructive power significantly.
Description: A mutated forest creature with unnatural vein enhancements. Aggressive and territorial.
---
"Vein Enhancement?" Malachi repeated, studying the prompt as he kept his bow raised.
Kael didn't take his eyes off the imp. "Unlike us humans, who gain supernatural powers through Tattoos, beasts and monsters use something called Vein Patterns. Their veins mutate, giving them abilities similar to ours. That glowing white on its arms? That's its Vein Enhancement. It's boosting its strength."
The Forest Imp didn't wait for them to strategize. With another ear-splitting screech, it lunged at Kael, leaping high into the air. Its fists came crashing down with bone-shattering force, aiming for the eagle.
Kael's eagle twisted sharply, dodging just in time, but the impact split the ground where it landed. The two-headed wolf snarled and lunged forward to protect its master. Both heads snapped at the imp's legs, forcing it to back off with a low growl.
The imp retaliated, swinging one massive arm. Its glowing veins pulsed as the blow connected with the wolf's side, sending the beast sprawling. Malachi cried out as he was thrown from its back, tumbling onto the forest floor.
"Malachi, stay back!" Kael shouted as he directed his eagle into a dive. The massive bird screeched, its talons extended, raking across the imp's face.
The imp screeched in pain, its movements wild and erratic. Kael used the distraction to leap from his eagle, unsummoning it midair. Black ink coiled off the bird as it returned to his forearm. Landing gracefully, Kael brandished his clawed weapon, its sharp edges gleaming in the dim light.
"Your arrows won't do much against this thing," Kael barked. "Its muscles are too dense. Aim for the veins if you can!"
Malachi gritted his teeth, pulling back his bowstring. "I'll do what I can."
The imp roared, slamming its fists into the ground and sending shockwaves through the forest floor. The force unbalanced Kael, but he recovered quickly, his eyes narrowing as he dodged the follow-up strike.
The two-headed wolf was back on its feet, both heads snarling. With surprising coordination, the beast lunged at the imp, snapping at its arms and legs. The imp swung wildly, its glowing fists smashing into the wolf, but the beast was relentless, using its two heads to attack from multiple angles.
Kael darted in, his clawed weapon slashing across the imp's side. Dark blood sprayed the ground, but the creature seemed barely fazed.
"This thing's tougher than I thought," Kael muttered.
Malachi lined up another shot, his hands steady despite his racing heart. He aimed for the glowing veins on the imp's arms, releasing the arrow. It struck true, slicing along one of the veins.
The imp screamed in agony, stumbling back as its movements became more erratic.
"Nice shot!" Kael shouted.
The creature roared, slamming its fists into the ground again. This time, the shockwave sent both Kael and the wolf skidding back.
Kael gritted his teeth, his eyes locking onto the imp. "It's getting desperate."
Before he could act, a low, guttural growl echoed from deeper in the forest.
Kael froze, his eyes narrowing. "That… wasn't this thing."
Malachi's heart pounded as he looked around, the oppressive silence returning. The two-headed wolf whimpered, its heads snapping toward the treeline.
The Forest Imp, despite its injuries, let out a defiant screech, as if responding to the growl.
Kael's expression darkened. "Malachi, stay sharp. Something else is here."
The shadows of the forest seemed to thicken, and Malachi felt a chill crawl up his spine.
Kael's eyes darted toward the dense shadows where the earlier growl had come from, his unease growing. "We need to take this Forest Imp down now," he said, his tone sharp. "Whatever else is out there, I don't want to meet it while we're still tangled up here."
Malachi nodded, pulling back his bowstring. His arrows had little effect on the imp's dense muscles, but with Kael's earlier guidance, he focused on targeting its glowing veins.
"Two-Headed Wolf, go!" Kael commanded. His beast lunged, both heads snapping viciously at the imp. At the same time, Kael raised his forearm, black ink swirling from his tattoo as he summoned his eagle again. This time, the bird materialized larger and sharper, its aura almost palpable. Malachi felt the power radiating from the creature, even though he still couldn't see its white energy.
The eagle screeched and dove at the imp, talons gleaming like blades as it struck. The imp staggered, its movements slowing as the wolf clamped down on its leg.
Malachi saw his chance. He released an arrow, aiming straight for the pulsing veins on the imp's arm. The arrow struck true, slicing through the vein and sending a spray of dark blood across the forest floor. The imp screeched in agony, its glowing veins dimming.
Kael didn't let the opening go to waste. With precision, he summoned another tattoo—a dagger on his right ring finger. The ink peeled away and coalesced into a physical blade, which Kael hurled with deadly accuracy toward the imp's eyes.
But just as the dagger was about to land, a blur of movement interrupted the strike.
CLANG!
A metallic sound rang out as the dagger was deflected midair. Both Kael and Malachi froze, their eyes snapping to the source of the interference.
From the shadows emerged a new figure—a massive monkey-like being, standing upright at an imposing six feet tall. Its muscular build was almost human, and it carried a metal rod that gleamed faintly in the dappled light. On its head rested a simple crown of twisted metal.
The newcomer growled low at the injured imp, gesturing for it to retreat. The imp obeyed, limping back toward the shadows, still clutching its bleeding arm.
"What… is that?" Malachi whispered, dumbfounded. The creature's resemblance to Sun Wukong, a figure from his world's mythology, was uncanny.
Kael's frown deepened. His grip on his clawed weapon tightened as he asked, "What's a Beastman doing in the Deep Oakwood Woods, this close to a human settlement?"
"Beastman?" Malachi asked, confusion clear on his face.
Kael spared him a quick glance. "Beastmen aren't like regular monsters or beasts. They're intelligent beings, native to the Eastern Continent. Their empire dominates that region, far from here. They don't rely on Vein Patterns like regular beasts. Instead, they've mastered something called Blood Alignment—an evolution of Vein Enhancements. Instead of glowing veins, their power manifests as Blood Patterns on their hearts, granting them supernatural abilities."
Malachi's mind raced. The mention of an empire, Blood Patterns, and this strange creature standing before them drove home just how alien and vast this world was compared to Earth.
Kael activated his Ink's Eyes to scan the new arrival, but his system displayed only question marks. No name, no level, no abilities. Kael's jaw tightened. "No records… That means this thing's never been encountered before."
The Beastman's sharp eyes narrowed, its gaze locking onto Kael. Sensing the probing energy of the Ink's Eyes, it raised its rod and pointed it at him. In a guttural but broken human tongue, it spoke. "You… rude."
Kael immediately dispelled his Ink's Eyes, holding up his hands. "My apologies," he said cautiously. "We didn't mean offense."
Malachi, still gripping his bow, remained silent but alert.
Kael exhaled slowly, his tone steady. "We didn't come to fight. Your subordinate attacked first."
The Beastman tilted its head, scrutinizing them both. "You… in our land. My… people attacked… because you intrude."
The Beastman's gaze flicked to the retreating Forest Imp before turning back to Kael. "You… not belong. Leave."
Before Kael could respond, the Beastman let out a low whistle. From the surrounding trees, more Forest Imps emerged—at least ten of them, their glowing veins illuminating the dim forest. They surrounded Kael and Malachi, growling and snapping.
Even Kael's two-headed wolf whimpered slightly, its ears flattening against its head. The eagle circled above, screeching in defiance but hesitant to dive.
Sweat trickled down Malachi's brow as he tightened his grip on his bow. "We're a little outnumbered," he muttered.
Kael's face was calm, but his fingers twitched against his weapon. "Stay sharp."
Malachi took a deep breath and stepped forward. "Listen," he said, his voice steady. "We didn't come here to cause trouble. We're investigating the howls from the center of the forest."
The Beastman's eyes narrowed, and it tilted its head again. "Howls…?"
"Yes," Malachi said. "Something disturbed this forest. That's why we're here."
The Beastman was silent for a moment, its grip on its rod tightening. Then it spoke. "A monster… came to center. Drove us out. Our home… taken."
Kael and Malachi exchanged a glance, both realizing the weight of the situation.
"What kind of monster?" Kael asked, his tone serious.
The Beastman growled low, its voice colder. "Not your concern. Leave."
The Forest Imps snarled and closed in, their glowing veins pulsing ominously.
Malachi clenched his jaw. "Kael… I think we're not welcome here anymore."
Kael nodded, his expression grim. "Agreed. But whatever's at the center of this forest… it's worse than we thought."