Chapter 39: Chalu’s Journey (15)

Chalu and his group continued their exploration deeper into the forest. The atmosphere was tense yet filled with a sense of anticipation. They knew the exercise was designed to test their skills and teamwork, but they were unsure what challenges lay ahead.

Lyro, walking beside Chalu, tried to lighten the mood. "So, Chalu, did you ever think about, you know, pranking people?"

Chalu looked at Lyro with confusion. "What?"

Bale quickly intervened. "Hey!" She put her hand over Lyro's mouth, then turned to Chalu and said, "He's just spouting nonsense."

Bale glared at Lyro, her eyes flashing with anger as if she wanted to strangle her if she pulled any more shenanigans. Bale muttered, "Don't talk about your prank stuff to Chalu, you idiot."

Lyro, intimidated by Bale's fierce look, nodded quickly. "Y-yes, ma'am."

Then as they ventured further, they heard rustling in the bushes ahead. The group tensed, readying themselves for whatever emerged.

Suddenly, a pack of wolf-like creatures, larger and more menacing than any ordinary wolves, appeared. Their eyes glowed with a predatory hunger as they snarled and advanced toward the group.

Bale quickly raised her staff, her training as a mage evident in her poised stance. "Here they come! Get ready!"

Lyro, wielding his staff, prepared a defensive spell. "I'll create a barrier to protect us!"

Raro, tapping into his magical knowledge, began conjuring offensive spells. "I'll support with ranged attacks!"

Chalu, relying on his agility and combat skills, prepared to engage the creatures directly. "Let's show them what we've got!"

The battle ensued, with each member of the group playing to their strengths. Bale, drawing on her heritage as a mage from the illustrious Lomius family, descendants of Belz Lomius, the mother of magic, cast powerful spells that decimated the enemies. Lyro's barrier shielded them from the creatures' attacks, while Raro's spells provided crucial support, weakening the enemies from a distance. Chalu took on the creatures head-on, his agility and combat skills making him a formidable opponent.

Despite the ferocity of the wolf-like creatures, the group's coordination and determination gradually turned the tide in their favor. One by one, the creatures fell, their menacing snarls fading into silence.

Lyro said, "These are easy peasy," as he summoned a fire arrow against the three wolves.

Bale looked at Chalu in shock, watching as he easily defeated the wolves despite being a knight. She thought, "Is he really a knight?"

Lyro, who saw Chalu dispatch the wolves with ease, couldn't help but say, "Dude, are you really a knight? You're hella strong!"

Chalu, trying to hide his true origins, said, "Um... due to the techniques I've honed, maybe... that's why I'm strong. Hahahaha," trying to laugh it off.

Raro, sensing Chalu's discomfort, added, "HAHAHA, well, Chalu has been a strong boy ever since he was a kid, so yep, it's genetics and techniques."

Bale said, "Hmm... That technique, teach me that later, okay?"

Chalu nodded, "Y-y-es."

Chalu thought, "One day, I'll teach this technique, Aura, to everyone. That's what Jesus wants me to do, to reunite and give hope and guidance to the world."

.....

[Outside the universe]

Watching the unfolding events, I couldn't help but feel a mixture of excitement and anticipation. The challenges Chalu and his friends faced were only the beginning.

As I observed the world of Eldan in my system, something in the forest caught my eye. I muttered, "What's that?"

A humanoid shadow-like monster emerged from the trees, its form shifting and indistinct. I gulped and thought, "No, don't tell me this is a mutation of a monster or something. Shit, shit, shit, what will happen to the expedition now?!"

As I watched the shadow-like monster, it morphed into a disturbing form—a humanoid with an octopus-like head. Its body was a creepy mix of human and octopus, with two human-like arms and an octopus face. It reminded me of Aurathos the Calamity, but Aurathos had four arms, while this creature only had two. 

"Shit," I muttered. "This expedition just got a lot more complicated."

....

Meanwhile

Inside Eldan

Roki Bilzton adjusted his glasses, observing his teammates with a mix of amusement and exasperation. Bax Wood, Gori, and Rika were like a trio of quarrelsome primates, constantly bickering about their strength and abilities.

"I'm stronger, I'm a mage!" Bax proclaimed loudly.

Gori countered, "Strength isn't about magic, I've taken down more goblins than you!"

Bax retorted, "What nonsense!"

Rika chimed in, "Let's settle this with a fight and see who's truly stronger!"

Roki rolled his eyes, feeling more like a babysitter than a teammate. But his attention was soon diverted by a sound.

"Guys, listen up," he interrupted their squabbling. "I heard something."

The trio fell silent, turning their attention to Roki with curiosity.

Roki spotted the Kwelers, orangutan-like creatures with razor-sharp claws. "There are five of them," he informed his team.

Bax seized the opportunity, grinning as he taunted Rika and Gori. "Perfect timing. Let's see who can rack up more kills!"

Gori shot back, "You don't even need to ask. It's obviously going to be me."

Rika smirked. "Oh, really? I beg to differ."

Bax gave Rika and Chalu a deadpan stare. "No, it's definitely going to be me."

Roki sighed, resigned to their ongoing rivalry. "What have I gotten myself into?"

.....

Meanwhile

Lory and Lucy, the two mages, along with Brando and Marlo, the knights, continued their journey through the forest.

"Seriously, when is this going to end?" she groaned.

Lucy, ever the optimist, tried to reassure her. "It will end soon. We just have to be patient."

Lory let out an exasperated sigh. "Ugh, I'm tired of this already!"

"If you're tired, you can sleep here," Brando lazily offered.

Lory scoffed, dismissing the idea. "Am I like you, plebeians?"

Brando, unaffected by her retort, simply yawned and called her "princess."

Brando's casual response to Lory's irritation only fueled her frustration. "Hey, are you mocking me?" she demanded, but Brando remained unfazed, prompting her to continue her blabbering mouth.

Ignoring Lory's escalating anger, Lucy stepped in, trying to diffuse the tension. "Now, calm down. Let's stay focused," she urged, attempting to redirect their attention.

Marlo's interruption broke the building tension as he pointed out a distant sound. "Did you hear that?" he asked, drawing the group's attention to the potential threat.

Brando, still in his sleepy state, responded with a lack of urgency. "What?" he mumbled, his focus elsewhere.

Marlo clarified, "It sounds like wolves."

Surprised by the revelation, Lucy sought clarification. "Wolves? Here?"

Lory confirmed the danger, prompting them to prepare for an imminent confrontation. "This..... yeah its ,wolves. Those monsters. We need to be ready," she stated firmly, her tone conveying the urgency of the situation.

Lucy, recognizing the need for action, agreed. "Let's do this," she affirmed, ready to face the challenge head-on.

Then Marlo's voice cut through the tension like a calm breeze amidst a storm. "We'll engage in close combat while you provide support from a distance with your magic."

Lory's retort was swift, her noble pride evident in her tone. "And since when did you become our leader, ordering me around like some common soldier? Plebeians?"

Marlo's sigh held a mixture of exasperation and understanding. He knew Lory's temperament all too well, shaped by her aristocratic upbringing. "I understand your pridefulness mindset, given your noble background, Lory. But consider this – my plan is meticulously crafted, smooth, and, most importantly, safe. Trust me."

Lucy, ever the peacemaker, interjected softly, her voice a soothing balm to the heated exchange. "Let's just follow their lead, Lory. For the sake of safety."

Lory reluctantly agreed, her pride barely contained. "Fine. But just so we're clear, I'm not following your orders out of submission. I'm doing this because I want to, not because you told me to."

Brando, always looking tired, couldn't help but tease. "Tsundere Princess," he said with a smirk, acting like he didn't care much, his eyes half-closed.

Lory's glare could have frozen lava. "What did you say?" she demanded, her tone sharp enough to cut through steel.

Brando's response was swift, a skill he had honed through years of dealing with a lady such as Lory. "Nothing," he replied innocently, though the mischievous glint in his eyes betrayed him.

.....

Amidst the chaos of the forest, a dark humanoid monster lurked in the shadows, its eyes glinting with a sinister hunger. It watched intently as a group of students, each displaying their unique abilities, battled against the weak wolf creatures.

Despite facing a weaker opponent compared to other students, these students understood the danger a wolf posed. After all, a weaker easy class wolf is still a wolf, and even they are weakest among the wolf class it's could inflict serious harm if underestimated.

One student, with black hair cropped in an army cut, unleashed a torrent of spells with a fierce determination. "Take this, you foul beasts!" he shouted, his magic slicing through another wolf with deadly precision.

Another student, her ponytail swaying with each movement, summoned flames with a flick of her wrist. "Fire Blaze!" she incanted, sending a wave of fire towards the pack of wolves, engulfing the pack of wolves. The intense heat singed their fur, forcing them to retreat.

The third student, sporting a mohawk and wielding his weapon with practiced skill, engaged the monsters in close combat, his strikes swift and decisive. "Take this!" he exclaimed, his blade cutting through the creatures' defenses with ease.

As the fourth student engaged with another wolf, her short black hair fluttered with each precise movement. With skillful strikes, she parried the creature's advances, her swordsmanship revealing the depth of her knightly training.

As the dark humanoid monster watched the students battling the creatures, it felt a deep, primal urge welling up inside. The idea of devouring them sparked a desperate desire within its twisted being. It hungered not just for their flesh, but for the knowledge and understanding it believed consuming them would bring about.

"If I... eat... them... perhaps... I... would... gain... knowledge..." the monster's fragmented thoughts echoed in the darkness, Each word echoed in its mind, filled with a deep hunger to consume and absorb the essence of its prey.

.....

Amidst the chaos of battle, the four students found themselves confronted by a bizarre creature It was like a mix of a monster and something strangely similar to them, the Eldoans.

The student with the mohawk hair, his gaze fixed on the creature, pondered aloud, "Is he a beastfolk?"

A sigh escaped the lips of the ponytailed student as she responded, "You knights are really something. Do you truly believe beastfolk could venture into these lands?"

The knight with short, black hair responded with an edge to her voice, "What did you say? Are you mocking us?"

In contrast, the student with black hair cropped in an army cut intervened, his tone measured as he addressed the ponytailed girl, "Sia, apologize to them. Knight or not, they are still our teammates."

Reluctantly, Sia, the girl with the ponytail, gave in, offering a somewhat begrudging apology. "Fine, I apologize. Is that okay with you, ma'am?"

The short-haired knight's expression hardened as she retorted, "That face of yours makes me want to punch it."

The knight with the mohawk hair interjected, his voice calm but firm, "Stop it, Jam. We have to focus on that monster. I think it's dangerous."

Jam, the short-haired knight, relented with a reluctant nod. "Okay, fine."

As tensions simmered among the students, the humanoid monster seized the opportunity, lunging toward them with a menacing intent, its monstrous form poised to strike.

As the humanoid monster swiftly snatched the mohawk-haired student away, the remaining trio could only watch in stunned silence, unable to comprehend the rapid turn of events.

The desperate cries for help from their comrade pierced the air, sending shivers down their spines. Before their eyes, the monstrous creature ruthlessly plucked out the student's heart, devouring it without hesitation.

Sia's voice trembled with disbelief as she questioned the grim reality unfolding before them, "Is this really happening, Aoel?"

Aoel, grappling with the shock of the situation, could only offer a shaky response, "I don't know... but it's true. That monster is so fast, and it... it ate our comrade's heart."

Jam's anguished cry echoed through the forest, her voice fraught with desperation, "No, no, no! Koe!"

Meanwhile, as the humanoid monster consumed the heart, a strange transformation occurred. With each bite, it seemed to absorb not only flesh but also memories and knowledge. As realization dawned upon the creature, Its jumbled and awkward speech smoothed out, becoming clear and understandable. It was like the creature was solving the puzzle of itself with every mouthful, gaining a better understanding of who or what it truly was.

"I understand now... The world, its history... Yes, this is it. The knowledge I seek!" The once-awkward creature now spoke with clarity, its newfound understanding evident in its demeanor.

 To be continue