kaito appear and running outside the bush

  Serena stepped forward beside him, her staff already in hand.

  “I am ready”

  Kaito nodded and lifted his hand slightly. “Let’s finish this quickly.”

  From the shadows between the trees, glowing yellow eyes appeared one by one.

  A low growl rippled through the forest.

  Kaito exhaled slowly.

  “Earth Spike.”

  The ground beneath the wolves trembled violently.

  Sharp stone spikes burst upward in an instant.

  Two wolves didn’t even have time to react before the spikes pierced straight through their bodies. The remaining wolves yelped and leapt backward, retreating just enough to avoid the next eruption.

  Serena stepped forward immediately, her staff glowing with icy light.

  “Ice Arrow!”

  Several shimmering arrows formed in the air and shot forward like streaks of frost.

  They struck the pack in rapid succession, exploding into shards of ice on impact. Three wolves collapsed instantly, their bodies skidding across the forest floor.

  The remaining wolves hesitated.

  That hesitation was fatal.

  Kaito’s body surged forward in a burst of blue light.

  “Aqua Dash!”

  Water magic propelled him across the ground at incredible speed. In a blink, he was already inside the pack.

  His spear flashed.

  One wolf fell.

  Then another.

  The last wolf barely had time to snarl before the spear pierced its chest.

  Silence returned to the forest.

  Serena lowered her staff and let out a breath. “That was smoother than usual.”

  Kaito smiled faintly and opened his Item Box. One by one, the wolf bodies disappeared into the invisible storage.

  He paused and counted.

  “…Eight.”

  Serena blinked. “We need two more.”

  Kaito nodded. “Let’s keep moving.”

  They walked deeper into the forest, the path growing quieter as the sun slowly climbed higher. The wind rustled through tall grass and leaves, carrying the faint scent of damp soil.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  Half an hour passed.

  Then—

  Clang!

  A sharp metallic sound echoed through the trees.

  Followed by a rough, guttural snarl.

  Serena’s eyes widened. “That’s fighting!”

  Kaito was already running.

  They dashed through the forest, branches snapping underfoot as the sounds grew louder.

  Clash.

  Snarl.

  A shout of effort.

  They burst through a line of trees and froze.

  Two hobgoblin corpses lay on the ground.

  Three more surrounded a lone girl.

  She had short yellow hair and wore light armor that was already stained with dirt and blood. Her sword moved quickly, but her breathing was ragged, her stance unstable.

  She was injured.

  And exhausted.

  One hobgoblin lunged.

  She blocked, but the force pushed her backward.

  Kaito didn’t hesitate.

  Serena raised her staff and shouted, “We will support you with magic!”

  The girl glanced back briefly and nodded.

  “Earth Bind!”

  Stone hands erupted from the ground and locked around the hobgoblins’ legs.

  “Wind Cutter!”

  Serena’s spell sliced through the air, striking the monsters and forcing them back with deep wounds across their bodies.

  The girl seized the opportunity.

  With a determined shout, she charged forward and cut one hobgoblin down in a clean arc.

  But the moment the body fell, her legs gave out.

  A hobgoblin slammed into her and sent her crashing to the ground.

  She landed hard, one knee pressed into the dirt, struggling to stand.

  Kaito shouted, “If you can’t move anymore, we’ll finish this!”

  She looked at him, eyes filled with stubborn determination.

  “It’s okay… defeat them.”

  Kaito raised his hand.

  “Fire Spear!”

  A blazing spear shot forward, piercing both hobgoblins through their shoulders and legs, pinning them in place.

  Serena stepped forward, eyes sharp.

  “Razor Wind Sweep!”

  A massive horizontal blade of compressed wind exploded across the ground.

  It tore through the hobgoblins in a single devastating line.

  Silence fell again.

  Only the wind remained.

  Kaito rushed to the girl and knelt beside her. “Are you okay?”

  She nodded slowly. “Yes… just tired. Thank you for helping me.”

  Serena smiled warmly. “I’m Serena, and this is Kaito.”

  The girl adjusted her grip on her sword and replied, “I am Renna… Renna Frostedge. Nice to meet you.”

  Serena’s smile brightened. “Nice to meet you too, Renna-san.”

  Kaito glanced at the sky. The sun was already dipping toward the horizon.

  “It’s almost evening. Let’s find a place to camp. You’re injured—we can’t reach town tonight.”

  Serena nodded and gently offered her hand. “Let’s rest first.”

  Renna hesitated briefly, then accepted the help.

  “…Thank you.”

  Kaito looked around. “There’s a river nearby. Follow me.”

  They found it a few minutes later.

  A long, narrow river stretched across the forest, reflecting the golden hues of sunset.

  Kaito smiled. “Perfect.”

  Serena clasped her hands happily. “What a beautiful place.”

  Kaito summoned their tent from the Item Box and began setting up camp while Serena gathered firewood. Soon, a warm campfire crackled softly in the growing dusk.

  Afterward, Serena and Renna went to bathe in the river while Kaito prepared dinner.

  When the two girls returned, Renna paused.

  Kaito and Serena were cooking together effortlessly—moving in sync, exchanging quiet smiles and short comments as if it were second nature.

  Renna sat quietly on a log and watched.

  “…They really enjoy this,” she murmured to herself.

  Soon, the scent of grilled boar meat and fish soup filled the air.

  They gathered around the fire.

  Renna took her first bite.

  Her eyes widened.

  “This is delicious.”

  Serena smiled proudly and glanced at Kaito. “Everything Kaito cooks is good.”

  Kaito nearly dropped his spoon. “What are you saying, Serena?”

  Renna smirked mischievously. “You two seem close. Are you a couple?”

  Both of them froze instantly.

  Then blushed at the exact same time and looked away.

  “No!” Serena said quickly. “We’re just travel companions.”

  “Yes! Exactly!” Kaito added.

  Renna laughed softly. “You two really enjoy every moment together.”

  Serena panicked slightly. “E–Eat before it gets cold!”

  They laughed together around the campfire, the tension fading into warmth and comfort.

  For the first time since meeting, Renna allowed herself to relax.

  The night deepened.

  The fire crackled softly.

  And under the quiet forest sky, three adventurers shared their first meal together.