Chapter 20 - Shadows on the Road

The sun was beginning to set on the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange and purple as the caravan continued along the dirt path. Leonhardt still felt the adrenaline coursing through his body after the battle with the bandits, but he knew he couldn't let his guard down. Though they had won that fight, their mission was far from over.

Evelyn walked beside him, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye.

—You're still thinking about what happened, aren't you?

Leonhardt nodded.

—Yes. My ability changed in the middle of the fight. I saw lines on the enemies' bodies, as if they were weak points.

Seraphina, who was walking behind them with her bow slung over her shoulder, raised an eyebrow.

—That's interesting. It could be a natural improvement of your gift… or it could mean something else.

Leonhardt frowned. He knew he still had much to learn about his abilities, but what concerned him the most was what he had felt during the fight. This new vision not only revealed the enemies' weak points but also allowed him to predict their movements with greater clarity. It was as if combat had slowed down in his mind, giving him an extra fraction of a second to react.

An Unexpected Warning

Randal, the leader of the merchants, approached them with a worried expression.

—Young ones, I don't want to sound alarmist, but I have a feeling those bandits weren't acting alone.

Evelyn looked at him intently.

—Why do you say that?

—Because they never attack in such organized groups. It's as if they were following orders from someone with more power.

Leonhardt exchanged a glance with Seraphina and Evelyn. The idea that the bandits were under the command of someone else wasn't far-fetched, and that meant they could be attacked again.

—If that's the case —Leonhardt said seriously—, we need to be ready for anything.

Danger Lurks

When night fell, they camped near a clearing. While some merchants lit campfires and organized provisions, Leonhardt and his group stood guard.

The silence of the forest was unsettling. Leonhardt activated his Stat Vision out of caution, and at that moment, he felt it—an ominous presence, different from anything he had sensed before.

—Something's coming! —he exclaimed, drawing his sword.

He barely had time to give the warning before a group of hooded figures emerged from the underbrush. Their movements were fluid and silent, and their eyes glowed with a red light. They weren't simple bandits.

—Dark mages… —Evelyn murmured, her expression tense.

One of the hooded figures raised a hand, and from his palm, a bolt of dark energy shot out, striking a nearby tree and shattering it into splinters.

Seraphina reacted instantly, firing an arrow that cut through the night like a lightning bolt. But before it could reach its target, a magical barrier deflected it effortlessly.

—This won't be easy… —Leonhardt muttered, adjusting his combat stance.

An Uneven Battle

The dark mages began casting spells relentlessly. Black fireballs and purple lightning streaked through the air, forcing Leonhardt and his companions to move quickly.

Leonhardt lunged at one of them, but his sword clashed against an invisible shield. That's when he saw it—his Eye of Destiny revealed something strange: a gap in the enemy's barrier, right at his right side.

With a swift turn, he adjusted his attack and pierced through the magical defense. His opponent let out a cry of pain before collapsing to his knees.

—This works! —he exclaimed.

But there was no time to celebrate. Another mage raised his hand, conjuring a circle of dark energy beneath Leonhardt's feet. Before he could react, he felt his body freeze in place.

Evelyn appeared in an instant, slicing through the air with her sword and dispelling the spell before it could do more harm.

—Don't get too confident.

Leonhardt gasped for breath.

—I know.

The battle raged on, and though they managed to defeat several of the dark mages, their enemies didn't seem worried. In fact, one of them smiled eerily before murmuring unintelligible words.

The ground began to tremble. Something was emerging from the earth.

The True Enemy

A massive wolf-like creature, cloaked in black flames, erupted with a deafening roar. Its eyes glowed with an infernal fire, and its very presence made the air thick and heavy.

—A Lupus Infernal… —Seraphina whispered, her eyes wide.

Leonhardt swallowed hard. He knew this enemy was nothing like the bandits or the dark mages. This was something entirely different.

The leader of the dark mages laughed from the shadows.

—Enjoy our creation.

And with those words, he and the others disappeared, leaving Leonhardt and his group at the mercy of the beast.

—Well… things just got interesting —Evelyn said, tightening her grip on her sword.

Leonhardt took a deep breath. No matter how strong the creature was, he couldn't let it reach the caravan.

With determination, he raised his weapon and took the first step toward the beast.

The real fight was just beginning.