CHAPTER 18

Chapter 18: Into the Unknown

The golden eye had vanished.

Aya's heart pounded as she scanned the wastelands, but no matter how hard she searched, the terrifying presence from the night before was gone—as if it had never existed in the first place.

But she knew better.

Whatever that thing was, it hadn't disappeared.

It had moved.

---

The March Begins

Dawn painted the sky in hues of red and gold as the group prepared to leave the outpost.

Kazuki tightened the straps on his armor.

"Finally, we're done waiting."

Yuuma sighed.

"I still think this is a bad idea. We barely know what we're dealing with."

Sachiko smirked.

"That's why we're going, genius. To find out."

Ryo stood silently, gripping the hilt of his sword. He could still feel the lingering pain from last night's training, but his mind was sharper than ever. The Minister had been right—he had speed, but not control.

And if he wanted to survive what was coming, he needed to change that.

The Minister of the Interior stepped forward.

"We leave now. Stay sharp."

With that, they moved out—into the unknown.

---

Shadows in the Sand

Hours passed. The group advanced cautiously through the wastelands, eyes scanning every shadow.

The ground was uneven, filled with jagged rocks and deep crevices. It was the perfect place for an ambush.

Aya whispered,

"It's too quiet."

Ryo nodded.

"It's like something's watching us."

Then, as if answering his words—

A low growl echoed through the air.

The entire group froze.

Kazuki cursed.

"Damn it. We should've known."

From the darkness of the rocky landscape, black figures began to emerge.

At first, they looked like the same shadow creatures they had fought before—twisted bodies, glowing red eyes. But something was different.

They were bigger. Their bodies were more solid. And their eyes—

They weren't empty anymore.

They were filled with awareness.

Ryo's breath hitched.

"They've evolved."

The largest of the creatures stepped forward. It wasn't like the others—it stood upright like a human, its golden eyes glowing just like the one from last night.

It grinned.

And then—

It spoke.

"Found you."

---

The First Clash

Everything happened at once.

The creature lunged forward, faster than anything they had faced before. Kazuki barely had time to block before the impact sent him flying backward.

Yuuma raised his hands—ice erupted from the ground, forming a barrier. The shadow beast shattered it in a single strike.

"Shit—!" Yuuma barely dodged as claws slashed past his face.

Aya reacted instantly. She extended her hands, chanting under her breath. A wave of force exploded outward, knocking several creatures back.

Sachiko moved in, her sword flashing like lightning. She slashed through one of the beasts—only for its body to reform instantly.

Her eyes widened.

"They're regenerating?!"

The Minister, who had remained still until now, moved.

With a single step, he vanished from sight.

Then—slash.

The golden-eyed beast froze in place. A thin cut had appeared across its chest.

It looked down.

A second later—

Its entire body split in two.

The other creatures hesitated.

The Minister exhaled slowly.

"Regeneration means nothing—if you cut faster than they can heal."

But the battle wasn't over yet.

The remaining creatures roared—and charged.

Ryo clenched his fists. His heart pounded, but this time, he wasn't afraid.

He could feel it.

The flow of battle.

The right moment to strike.

He wasn't just moving fast anymore.

He was thinking fast.

And this time—

He wouldn't miss.

---

The True Enemy Reveals Itself

As the battle raged, deep within the wastelands, something watched.

A figure stood atop a distant cliff, cloaked in black, golden eyes gleaming with amusement.

"Not bad."

It turned away.

"But let's see how long they can last."

The figure raised a hand—

And from the shadows, something even worse began to emerge.

End of Chapter 18.