Chapter 10 The Hunt Part 3

The dark fog was still thin, not thick enough to carry the stench of the Monster Magic Darkness, but Ar took no chances. His fingers tightly gripped his long staff, a weapon that concealed a long sword. He was always on guard, especially in a place like this.

Behind him, Clau walked slowly, carrying a small backpack filled with game traps. It should be enough to catch a rabbit, a deer or a turkey. But along the way, none of them were in sight. There was no sign of life except for the faint tracks of the magical beast he had seen earlier, just before Kaelith's party had hunted one of the creatures.

Silence began to fall.

Their footsteps faded as the forest swallowed them deeper. The rustling of leaves that usually accompanied their footsteps was now gone, replaced by an eerie silence. Only the wind whispered softly, rustling the branches of the trees like the whisper of an unseen creature.

Ar paused for a moment, his eyes sweeping around. The trees around them were growing denser, their trunks curling like giant claws gripping the earth.

The atmosphere here was... different.

Something was lurking.

With a fluid movement, Ar drew the longsword from his black staff. A faint golden light shone from the blade, piercing the increasingly thick fog.

The air changed.

Cold. Suffocating.

A foul stench began to rise, stinging his nostrils like a warning of impending danger. Ar clenched his jaw, his fingers tightening on the hilt of his sword.

They were here.

The dark mist rolled around them, like a curtain slowly swallowing the light. Then, from behind the floating darkness, a pair of fiery red eyes appeared.

Followed by another.

Two. Three. Four. Five.

A total of five pairs of red eyes floating like embers in the darkness, stalking their prey with bloodlust.

Ar held his breath.

The figure slowly emerged from the mist, a four-legged monster with a body as thin as ice, as if its skin was attached directly to its bones. Its ribs protruded like sharp blades, and every movement made a terrible cracking sound. Thick saliva flowed from its snout, emitting a foul stench that pierced the nose. A low growl pierced the mist, vibrating the air like a sign of impending doom.

Necrohound.

A monster of magic darkness, Level 1 Harmless, a very misleading name.

Ar clenched his jaw. These deathhounds were no ordinary beasts. They were nightmares come true, products of the mysterious phenomenon of the Dark Mist that had contaminated the world. Not only did they attack indiscriminately, but they also spread destruction and deadly plagues. If their numbers continued to grow... this could turn into a major catastrophe.

Five of them.

Ar gripped his sword tightly, his left hand raised slightly, gesturing to Clau, who stood behind him.

"Clau, there are five of them. Can you handle them?"

From the corner of his eye, he saw the girl turn her head, a small smile on her face. Full of confidence.

"Brother, we're not poor, weak little kids anymore. I'll help you from here."

Despite the horrible situation, Ar couldn't stop the corners of his lips from lifting slightly. Clau... this little girl was always full of spirit, full of courage that made him both proud and afraid.

But his smile vanished as the first Necrohound charged.

Its movement was incredibly fast, like a flash of black shadow.

Ar's heart beat fast.

Clau moved too. Faster.

Her body jumped nimbly to the side, dodging the monster's sharp fangs in an instant. But the fight had just begun.

Ar watched Clau's every move, making sure his sister was safe.

The Necrohound's fangs were not only deadly, but also covered in poison. Thick saliva dripped from its snout, emitting a pungent stench. If Clau was hit, it could be the end.

But Ar couldn't concentrate on that any longer. He had to face three necrohounds at once.

He parried the first attack skillfully. The sound of metal against bone rang out as his sword blade struck the monster's claws. His body moved reflexively to avoid the bite that nearly struck him from the side.

In the corner of his vision, Clau fought two other necrohounds. The girl was making good use of her advantage.

Although his Lightning Essence was still at Junior Level 1, its effects were already quite remarkable. Thin electric currents surrounded his body, making his movements faster than the Necrohounds charging at him.

Then he moved.

In one swift motion, his body was almost flat on the ground. Clau dashed past the monster and-

His dagger plunged right under the necrohound's jaw.

Thick red blood spurted to the ground. The monster died instantly.

Clau stood up, panting slightly, but his eyes remained sharp and focused.

Ar couldn't watch him any longer. The three remaining necrohounds moved restlessly before him, their growls breaking the silence in the dark fog.

He didn't have Clau's speed.

But that didn't matter.

Taking a deep breath, Ar used his own power, the Astral Step.

A golden light surrounded his body.

In an instant, Ar disappeared.

Only an illusion of light remained.

One of the Necrohounds charged, its claws slashing at nothing but empty air.

Within seconds, Ar reappeared behind one of the monsters.

His blade was ready to finish them all.

Ar swung with deadly precision.

The blade sliced through flesh and bone with ease.

One necrohound's head was severed from its body with a sharp slash. Another was split in two, thick red blood spilling out and soaking the ground that had been stained by the presence of these disgusting monsters.

Ar's gaze, however, was fixed on the blade of his sword, which was now covered in rotting blood. A golden light enveloped the sword, warming it like the sun on a hot afternoon.

A faint hiss was heard.

A thin puff of smoke rose as the blood on it burned away in an instant.

Ar lifted his face again, his eyes tracing the mist that continued to thicken around them.

They had killed five necrohounds. But... the fog showed no signs of dissipating.

A sinking feeling crept into his mind.

"Are there more?"

The thought was almost spoken, but Clau's voice broke the silence.

"Brother, the fog of darkness continues to spread."

The girl stood beside him now, her expression full of alertness.

Ar nodded slightly. His gaze remained sharp, his ears catching something in the distance.

The clash of metal.

The faint but unmistakable sound of clashing, a battle in progress.

His gaze hardened.

"Kaelith and the group of Channeler hunters?"

If the fog hadn't lifted yet, they were most likely facing a Necrohound like himself and Clau.

That meant... they weren't done here yet.

Ar took a deep breath. They couldn't leave until the fog cleared.

And the thicker the fog got...

The more likely the Alpha Necrohound would appear.

If the leader of the monsters appeared, this fight would turn into hell.

Ar clenched his fingers on the hilt of his sword.

They couldn't take any more risks.

"We better get out of here," he finally said.

Clau didn't argue, just nodded obediently.

Without wasting any time, they started walking, through the increasingly dense fog.

The air around them was stifling, heavy on their chests. Every step they took was cautious, but visibility was almost zero. Even their own shadows were barely visible.

Ar stayed ahead, leading the way.

His eyes were sharp, his ears alert.

This darkness could hide anything, a surprise attack, danger lurking around every corner. He would not let his guard down.

"This fog is too dangerous," he thought.

The Kaelith warrior Channelers were probably still fighting. It would be best to leave this to them.

If the Alpha Necrohound really appeared...

They could not be here when it happened.

But uneasiness crept into his mind.

His footsteps remained calm, but his mind was spinning.

They were racing against time.

Not only for their own safety, but to prevent this fog from turning into a bigger disaster.