Entering the Forest Again

Victor shook his head with pity. "They could have lived far longer if their arrogance hadn't blinded them."

Daniel, on the other hand, looked surprised as he said, "That young man actually managed to kill a Soul Beast all on his own."

Noah shook his head. "That's useless. He's already heavily injured. Who knows how long he'll take to heal? And in that time, if he dies from Soul Poisoning…"

His words trailed off, but everyone understood their implications. Their hearts beat faster as they thought about what would have happened to them if they were injured.

"Anyways, let's go. We need to find beasts to hunt as well," Daniel quickly said before rushing forward.

Noah shook his head with a smile before following after him.

…

Soon, everyone reached the edge of the forest. Noah looked at his group for a bit before saying, "Now, we need to move forward carefully. We were lucky yesterday that we managed to come back alive."

The others nodded their heads firmly before slowly following him inside the forest.

Everyone quickly faded into the dense forest. The faint chirping of the birds and the rustling of the leaves filled their surroundings, but an eerie sense of danger hung in the air.

Sunlight barely pierced through the thick canopy above, casting weird shadows that played tricks on their eyes.

Noah tightened his grip on the hilt of his longsword, glancing at the others. "Stay in formation. Victor at the front, Leah in the back for support. Daniel and I will handle mid-range. Emma, stay protected and ready to assist if needed."

Victor nodded, raising his shield and leading the way cautiously. Leah grabbed her bow tightly and drew it to a comfortable point while scanning their surroundings.

Daniel had his throwing knives ready, sharply observing the area, while Emma stuck close to the center, her hands trembling slightly but holding her position.

After several minutes of careful trekking, a low growl broke the silence. Everyone froze, their eyes darting toward the sound.

"There," Leah whispered, pointing at a patch of dense undergrowth ahead. The leaves rustled, and a beast slowly emerged—a massive feline creature with sleek, black fur and glowing yellow eyes.

Its claws dug into the ground as it let out a guttural snarl, baring sharp fangs.

"Another E-tier beast," Noah muttered, gripping his longsword tightly. "Same formation as before. Don't let it separate us."

The beast crouched down, its muscles compressing like springs, ready to pounce.

Without warning, it lunged at Victor with incredible speed. He braced himself, raising his shield just in time to absorb the impact. The force of the blow pushed him back a few steps, but he withstood this attack much easier compared to the wolf.

"Now!" Victor yelled, shoving the beast back with his shield.

Leah released an arrow with precise aim. The projectile struck the beast's side, causing it to growl in pain, but it did not retreat.

Daniel seized the opportunity, hurling a knife that embedded itself in the beast's shoulder. "Take that, you oversized cat!"

The beast's glowing eyes locked onto Daniel, and it leaped toward him with a vicious growl.

Noah intercepted, slashing with his longsword. His blade grazed the creature's side, forcing it to redirect its attack and narrowly miss Daniel.

"Emma, aim for its legs!" Noah shouted as he positioned himself between the beast and the group.

Emma's hands trembled, but she quickly nocked an arrow and pulled back the string. She aimed at the beast's lower leg, releasing the arrow, which struck the beast a little above its leg. The creature roared in pain, stumbling slightly.

"Good shot!" Leah encouraged, releasing another arrow that hit the beast in the side.

Victor charged forward, using his shield to slam the creature's head before slashing with his sword. The beast staggered, and Noah saw his chance.

"Daniel, hit it again!" Noah yelled.

Daniel grinned, throwing another knife that pierced the beast's neck. Blood spurted from the wound, and the creature let out a guttural howl.

"NOW!" Noah roared, gripping his sword with both hands. He lunged forward, slashing at the beast's exposed neck. His blade hit deep, severing vital arteries. The beast let out a final whimper before collapsing to the ground.

The group stood there for a moment, panting heavily as the adrenaline coursed through their veins.

As the beast died, it released the familiar azure-white mist, forming an orb that split into five uneven parts and was absorbed by the group.

Noah felt the energy flow through his body, rejuvenating him and sharpening his senses. His grip on his sword tightened as he felt his strength and control improve further.

"That… wasn't as bad as yesterday," Leah said, her breathing heavy. "We're getting better."

"Yeah, but it still wasn't easy," Victor replied, inspecting his shield for any damage. "We can't afford to relax, or else even our equipment might break."

Daniel retrieved his knives from the beast's body, smirking. "Hey, we're alive, and we got stronger. That's what matters."

Emma knelt beside the beast, her hands shaking slightly as she touched its fur. "W-we're improving, but it's still so… intense."

Noah placed a hand on her shoulder, giving her a reassuring nod. "You did great, Emma. That shot to its leg gave us the opening we needed."

She nodded, a faint smile breaking through her nervous expression.

"Alright," Noah said, standing up. "Let's dismember this beast first and take all its valuable parts."

Noah unsheathed his longsword, ready to start the gruesome task. He glanced at the group, noting their varied reactions. Leah and Emma both had their faces scrunched up in clear disgust.

"Do we really have to… cut it up?" Leah asked, her voice filled with reluctance as she eyed the beast's lifeless body.

Emma took a step back, covering her nose. "I-I don't think I can handle this. The smell alone is enough to make me gag."

Victor shook his head with a wry smile. "Honestly, I don't know the first thing about dismembering a beast. It's not like I ever had to do this back on Earth."

Noah sighed, rubbing his temples. "Figures. Guess it's up to me and Daniel."

Daniel grinned, playing with one of his knives in his hand. "I've got the tools for the job, and I'm not a pussy. Let's get to work."

"HEY!" Leah and Emma both shot him a glare, which he conveniently ignored.