Beware: Magical Beasts

The forest path stretches endlessly before them, dense trees swaying as a cool breeze rustles through the leaves. The sun dips lower, casting long shadows along the dirt trail. Gon stretches his arms behind his head, looking around curiously.

"It's getting kinda dark," he remarks, glancing up at the thickening canopy.

"No kidding," Leorio grumbles. "We've been walking for hours. My feet are killing me!"

Kurapika, always composed, strides forward without complaint. "It shouldn't be much longer now. If I remember correctly, the old lady said we would find a single house under a large tree. The couple that lives there are our navigators."

Raiyo, hands in his hoodie pocket, lazily walks beside them, his golden eyes half-lidded. He yawns. "Yeah, yeah. If they like us, they guide us. If not, we're screwed."

Leorio scoffs. "Great. More tests. Just what I wanted." he looks at a sign.

"Damn, another sign of magical beasts. Are we even gonna make it?"

"Ugh, I'm so tired," Raiyo complains.

"We'll leave you behind!" Gon exclaims.

As they press on, the trees begin to thin, revealing a quaint wooden cabin nestled under the massive limbs of an ancient tree. Smoke curls from the chimney, and a lantern flickers warmly by the door. It looks cozy—almost too cozy, considering the dangerous test they're undertaking.

"Finally, we're here." Leorio says."

Kurapika nods. "It's quiet. Is anyone else home?"

Gon speeds up, running ahead to knock on the door. Raiyo watches him go, then looks at the others.

The wooden door creaks as they push it open, revealing the dimly lit interior of the small cabin. A cold chill runs through the air, thick with tension.

Before them stands a towering beast—furry, orange, and bipedal, with a slim, elongated face and two long, curved horns that gleam under the cabin's flickering lantern light. Its powerful claws clutch a struggling young woman, her frantic eyes darting between the intruders and the monstrous creature holding her captive.

On the floor, a young man lies in a pool of blood, his chest rising and falling in ragged, painful breaths.

"It's a magical beast!" Kurapika shouts, his eyes narrowing as he pulls out his weapon, the wooden nunchaku twisting in his grip.

Leorio clenches his fists, stepping forward aggressively. 

Without warning, the beast lunges at them, its speed unnatural for something of its size.

The four scatter in different directions, narrowly avoiding its charge, but the creature doesn't release the woman.

Raiyo's eyes flash as he spots an opening—its grip is firm, but its balance is compromised. Without hesitation, he propels himself forward and delivers a devastating spinning kick to its head, sending the beast skidding across the floor.

It growls in frustration, but rather than retaliate, it bolts through the open door, still clutching the woman tightly in its grasp.

"Damn it! It's getting away! We have to save her!" Gon yells, already sprinting after it.

"Leorio, take care of the injured man!" Kurapika orders.

Leorio kneels beside the wounded man, quickly assessing his injuries. "Got it! Leave it to me!"

With that, Raiyo, Gon, and Kurapika dash into the forest, their feet pounding against the dirt path as they pursue the beast through the dense woods.

The darkness swallows them, the moonlight barely breaking through the thick canopy of leaves. The chase is on.

"It ran into the woods!" Raiyo calls out.

Kurapika's sharp gaze sweeps the surroundings. "Which way?"

Gon, relying on his instincts, glances around before pointing to the left. "There! It's heading that way!"

Without hesitation, they change direction, weaving through the trees with increasing speed.

Raiyo uses the terrain to his advantage, pushing off the trunks of trees, leaping higher and higher, gaining momentum.

His movements become a blur, and in seconds, he's taken the lead, his golden star-like eyes locking onto the beast through the thick shadows.

As Gon and Kurapika catch up.

Gon yells. "Kiriko, let her go!!"

The creature glances back, its lips curling into a mocking grin. "Catch me if you can!"

Gon's eyes widen in surprise. "Whoa! It can talk?!"

Raiyo exhales in mild exasperation. "Of course it can. The magical beast Kiriko—they're shapeshifters, highly intelligent, and can take any human form they want."

Kurapika, already aware of this information, still finds himself impressed by Raiyo's depth of knowledge. Every action Raiyo has taken so far—the calculated movements, the split-second decisions—cements his growing intrigue.

Gon, however, grins. "If they can talk, then that makes this easy!"

Without warning, Gon pushes off the ground with explosive force, soaring through the air. In his hand, seemingly out of nowhere, a wooden sword gleams under the moonlight.

"Hey, you stupid Kiriko!" Gon yells.

The beast turns its head, visibly angered, just in time for Gon to slam the wooden sword into its skull. The impact is enough to make the creature stumble, its grip loosening.

Raiyo watches as he hits it, a bit confused about where that sword even came from.

"Got her!" Kurapika shouts, catching the young woman as she drops from Kiriko's grasp.

Kurapika lands safely on the ground as he keeps the young woman in his arms.

"Are you feeling okay? Are you feeling any pain?" He asks

She gasps, clutching onto him. "My husband... is he alright?"

Kurapika doesn't answer immediately, his gaze flickering toward her arm. Tattoos.

The Kiriko growls, shaking off the hit, but rather than attack, it suddenly turns and dashes deeper into the forest.

"Hey, wait!" Gon yells, already preparing to chase after it.

But Raiyo isn't focused on retreating Kiriko anymore. He lands gracefully beside the woman, his sharp eyes darting between her and the others.

"Is she fine?" Raiyo asks.

Kurapika nods as he looks at her for a second.

At that moment, rustling sounds signal someone approaching. Leorio emerges from the path, slightly out of breath. "Are you guys okay?!"

"Yeah. Gon went after the Kiriko. How's the man doing?" Kurapika nods.

Leorio exhales, running a hand through his hair. "He's fine. No need to worry. His wounds weren't as serious as they seemed."

"I gave him some painkillers, and he's sound asleep in the cabin-"

In an instant, Raiyo appears in front of him. No one sees him move. One second, he's standing near the woman; the next, he's right before Leorio, his gaze sharp and calculating.

Leorio blinks. "Huh?"

Raiyo's hand moves in a blur. He tightens his fingers, channeling a nearly undetectable amount of aura, and strikes Leorio in the forehead.

Surprising, Kurapika, the woman, and Leorio.

In an instant, Leorio's form shimmers. Then, like ink dissolving in water, his figure distorts and transforms into another Kiriko.

The creature stares at Raiyo in stunned silence. "How did you know?!"

Raiyo tilts his head, eyes half-lidded in lazy amusement. "I've lived in the forest all my life. I know everything about every magical beast anyone could think of. It was easy to tell."

Kiriko's eyes flicker with something unreadable before it suddenly leaps into the trees, disappearing in a blur of motion. Raiyo doesn't relax, staying alert for any potential surprises.

Then, Kurapika speaks to the woman. "Now then... let me ask you one thing."

Raiyo turns his attention back to the woman.

Kurapika's eyes narrow, his expression unreadable. "Who exactly are you?"

For the briefest moment, the woman's expression shifts—concern flickering across her face. But then, she smiles.