The journey through Darkwood Forest had been smooth after Kain's effortless defeat of the Shadow Wolves. The merchants now looked at him with a mixture of awe and gratitude. The caravan pressed forward, but Kain couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching them.
"Stay alert," he warned Gregor. "I sense something stronger nearby."
Gregor nodded, gripping his sword. "You think more wolves?"
Kain shook his head. "No… something different."
Moments later, a chilling howl echoed through the forest, followed by a sudden dark mist creeping toward them. From the shadows emerged a towering beast—a Nightmare Wraith, an entity of pure darkness and malice.
The merchants panicked, but Kain stepped forward, his eyes glowing with Divine Appraisal.
[Nightmare Wraith – Level 50]
[Threat Level: Deadly]
[Weakness: Divine Energy, Holy Magic]
Kain smirked. "Perfect test for my powers."
With a flick of his wrist, he summoned Divine Fire, its golden flames illuminating the darkened forest. The wraith screeched, recoiling from the holy energy.
Gregor gasped. "That's… that's impossible!"
Ignoring him, Kain charged forward, weaving through the wraith's ethereal claws with supernatural speed. With a single slash of his sword, imbued with Absolute Magic Mastery, he cleaved through the entity. The wraith howled one final time before disintegrating into nothingness.
The merchants stood frozen, eyes wide with disbelief. Gregor, still in shock, stepped forward. "Kid… you just took down a monster that could wipe out an entire town."
Kain shrugged. "Like I said, I'll be fine."
Silence hung in the air before the merchants burst into cheers. They had survived, all thanks to him.
As they continued their journey, Kain couldn't help but feel a growing excitement. If this world had powerful monsters like that, then his adventure was just getting started.
To be continued…