Beast Evolution Forge

The sun was setting, and a cold breeze swept in. Vell and Wren were still out cold, but Yenna twitched, feeling the chill. Her eyes slowly opened, and as her memories flooded back, she attempted to jump to her feet, only to be met with pain that made her fall back down. Looking around, she realized she was outside the city, and beside her was the man who had inflicted a fatal wound upon her. 

Her mind was racing with questions: How is she alive? What happened to the section chief? Why are they outside the city? So many pieces were missing, but the current situation was more pressing. 

'He looks tired. What happened while I was out? Did he save me? But why?' 

She managed to crawl and lean against a tree. Her yellow eyes reflected the setting sun, and she looked at peace, but that was simply a mask. 

'Why did they betray me? I just don't understand...' 

This was a lie; she knew exactly why they had betrayed her. When she joined them, they welcomed her with open arms, treating her as an equal and sharing rewards fairly. But over time, she began to notice different sides to them, such as refusing to help civilians unless they paid or using other players as bait. This led her to question Jolly's orders, slowly making her an outcast in the team. She disliked their methods but could not leave; finding a team in the city was hard, and living there was expensive. 

'I know very well that they hated me, but... I didn't think they would throw me under the bus. No, it's my fault. I should have seen that coming. In this world, only the strong...' Her eyes trailed off to Vell mid-sentence. Right in front of her was someone who contradicted the very point she was about to make. 'Hahaha, he sure is dangerous for a tamer. I wonder how much he will grow if given the chance.' 

The sun finally vanished behind the horizon, and a strong stench immediately hit her nose. It was like rotten eggs, feces, and a conglomeration of disgusting odors, but that was not all; it carried another strange scent, one that felt like death was approaching. 

'Hold on, this is...' 

Her head snapped toward the smell as it intensified. 

'Oh no, why did you bring us into this cursed place?' 

This forest appeared normal, but once night fell, creatures that fed off fear and death emerged. These creatures were known to be rare; many players sought them, but only a few managed to hunt them successfully. 

'Dammit, they are coming, and I sense a lot of them. Normally, these would be nothing, but that is not the issue right now. I am too weak, and once those things inflict even the tiniest of wounds, they will dominate your mind.' 

They approached, taking their time, sensing her weakness. Yenna desperately tried to get on her feet, but she lacked the strength, and there was no weapon in sight to defend herself. 

"Shit, shit. Why? Is this a sign? Why are Niks appearing? Are they perhaps attracted to something?" 

She looked once more at Vell, who was still out cold. Her eyes lingered on him for a few seconds before she bit her lower lip and gripped the tree with all her might. She pulled herself to her feet, looking determined despite being out of breath already. 

"Dammit, I have no choice but to fight. I will die anyway, so I might as well go out fighting." 

She tried to take a step, but her body couldn't handle it, and she ended up back where she began. "Fuck." The Niks looked at her with joyful expressions. They weren't even moving anymore, just watching and admiring her struggle before they devoured her. 

"Kugh, come on, Yenna. You may be weak, but you are still a player. Get your ass off the ground." 

Once again, she began rising to her feet slowly, but even self-motivation didn't work. With nothing else to do, she simply gave up and lay there, breathing heavily. The Niks, seeing her giving up, finally resumed their approach. 

"So this is it, huh..." Memories of Vell began playing in her mind; their short-lived moments of happiness made her feel alive. "I am sorry; I didn't mean to betray you. The truth is, I am just as bad as them. Despite knowing what terrible things they've done, I did nothing and just watched. I am a terrible person who deserves to pay for my sins. I wish I could at least tell you this instead of just thinking it... hahaha..." 

One of the Niks leaped at her, and she closed her eyes, embracing her fate. But nothing happened. She waited and waited, but death did not claim her. Opening her eyes, she saw the Niks dead in front of her, and on top of them was Wren, facing the enemy with a calm expression on her face. 

"A hunter." 

That's the only thought that came to mind after seeing the look in Wren's eyes. Her runes glowed beautifully in the night, and her stance showed a predator ready to claim its prey. 

"Amazing. I knew she was strong, but this is beyond my expectations." Her attention shifted to Vell, hoping he was awake, but he was still sleeping. "Just what did he go through for him to still be out?" Looking back at Wren, she noticed that the Niks that had been killed were disappearing, leaving behind a small dark stone. 

"T-there it is, the super rare core... Should I take it and use it? They are known to boost mana conductivity, so that would mean my body could heal faster... No, stop being shameless. His beast defeated them, so that means it belongs to him. I just hope she can deal with that many." Her worries were for naught; though she could not see it, Wren was smiling. 

"Prrrrr."