The mountain air was thinner than Kaito expected.

  By the time Crimson Blade reached the upper ridges, the forest had grown sparse, replaced by jagged stone and patches of blackened earth as if fire had once rained from the sky. The wind howled through narrow cliffs, carrying with it a faint scent of sulfur.

  Serena tightened her grip on her staff. “Do you feel that?”

  Renna nodded, green eyes scanning the horizon. “The mana density… it’s distorted.”

  Kaito crouched near a cluster of scorched rocks, brushing his fingers across the ground. The stone was warm.

  Not from the sun.

  From something else.

  They had followed Garrick’s orders—leave the orc suppression to the other parties and investigate the mountain. Crimson Blade was the only A-rank party trusted with something potentially worse.

  And the higher they climbed, the clearer it became.

  This wasn’t normal.

  A low rumble echoed from beyond the cliff face.

  All three froze.

  It wasn’t thunder.

  It was breathing.

  Slow.

  Heavy.

  Burning.

  Kaito signaled silently with his hand. Stay low.

  They moved carefully toward the edge of a rocky outcrop. The wind shifted—and then they saw it.

  At the heart of a vast crater lay a creature straight from a nightmare.

  A massive three-headed beast rested atop a bed of molten stone.

  The left head was leonine, its mane made of living flame. The center head resembled a dragon, scales glowing red like heated iron. The right head was serpentine, smoke curling from its fanged mouth.

  Its body was an unnatural fusion of muscle and inferno, each breath releasing waves of heat that warped the air itself. Lava veins pulsed beneath its skin. Its claws dug deep trenches into the scorched earth with every idle movement.

  Serena’s lips parted in a silent whisper.

  “Inferno… Chimera…”

  The name alone carried weight.

  An S-rank monster.

  A calamity-class being.

  Even A-rank Party with full of A rank adventurers avoided such creatures unless accompanied by elite squads or S rank party.

  The Chimera’s dragon head suddenly lifted, golden slit eyes narrowing.

  Kaito’s heart skipped.

  It sniffed the air.

  Renna slowly lowered herself until she was flat against the stone.

  Serena carefully suppressed her mana, extinguishing even the faintest magical aura.

  For several agonizing seconds, the only sound was the crackling of molten rock.

  Then the beast settled again.

  Kaito exhaled silently.

  He leaned closer to the others, voice barely a breath.

  “We leave. Now.”

  No argument.

  No hesitation.

  They retreated step by step, never turning their backs until the Chimera disappeared behind rock and smoke.

  Stolen novel; please report.

  Only once they descended far enough into the tree line did Renna finally release the breath she’d been holding.

  “That thing… it’s not just strong,” she muttered. “It’s disaster-level.”

  Serena nodded. “If it descends toward the town…”

  Kaito’s expression hardened. “It hasn’t moved from its nest. That’s good. But we need to inform Garrick immediately.”

  They quickened their pace back toward the forest battlefield.

  Reunion at Dusk

  The sounds of battle echoed long before they arrived.

  Clashing steel.

  Orc roars.

  War cries.

  By the time Crimson Blade reached the lower forest, the three supporting parties had formed a defensive perimeter near the lake.

  Silver Dawn Legion, an A-rank party clad in polished armor, held the front lines.

  Shadow Fang moved like ghosts between trees, cutting down stray orcs.

  Storm Breaker hammered the battlefield with blunt force, lightning and axes crushing enemies alike.

  Dozens of orc corpses littered the ground.

  Kaito stepped forward and joined the final push, his Spear piece through the orcs. Renna followed with a sweeping arc of flame, while Serena froze a group attempting to flank from the right.

  Within minutes, the remaining orcs were finished.

  The forest fell silent once more.

  Heavy breathing replaced battle cries.

  The leader of Silver Dawn Zane, a tall knight with silver-trimmed armor, approached.

  “You’re back,” he said. “Find anything?”

  Kaito glanced at Serena and Renna before answering.

  “Yes.”

  The single word carried enough weight to silence the nearby adventurers.

  “There’s an Inferno Chimera living at the mountain summit.”

  For a moment, no one reacted.

  Then—

  “…You’re joking,” someone muttered.

  Shadow Fang’s leader Ryven narrowed his eyes. “S-rank?”

  Serena nodded solemnly. “Confirmed visual.”

  Storm Breaker’s captain Jenne let out a low whistle. “That explains the mana disturbances.”

  Murmurs spread through the camp.

  An S-rank monster was no small matter.

  Kaito raised his voice slightly.

  “It hasn’t moved from its nest. But if it does, this entire region will burn. We return to town at first light and report everything.”

  The sun was already dipping below the horizon.

  Orange light reflected off the lake’s surface.

  “We camp here,” Kaito decided. “We’re exhausted. Fighting at night increases risk.”

  No one disagreed.

  Tents were set near the waterline.

  Wounds were treated.

  Armor repaired.

  The tension of battle slowly gave way to weary relief.

  Kaito rolled his shoulders. “Serena, help me with dinner?”

  Her expression brightened slightly. “Of course.”

  Renna smirked. “I’ll gather firewood and stone then make a campfire.”

  Soon, Kaito and Serena stood by the lake’s edge.

  The water reflected twilight hues as Serena cast a small freezing spell, trapping several fish near the surface.

  Kaito waded in and collected them with practiced efficiency.

  Within half an hour, skewers of freshly cleaned fish roasted over controlled flame.

  The scent drifted through camp, drawing appreciative looks.

  Storm Breaker’s captain grinned. “Crimson Blade cooks too? That’s unfair.”

  Renna crossed her arms proudly. “We have standards.”

  They shared the grilled fish among all parties. Simple. Fresh. Perfectly seasoned.

  For the first time that day, laughter returned.

  After eating, Silver Dawn’s leader approached Kaito quietly.

  “If that Chimera descends…”

  “We’ll face it when it happens,” Kaito replied calmly. “But not blindly.”

  One by one, the three allied parties retreated to their tents.

  Exhaustion claimed them quickly.

  Crimson Blade remained awake.

  “I’ll take first watch,” Kaito said.

  Renna frowned. “You’ve been fighting too.”

  “I’m fine.”

  Serena look at him for a moment but didn’t argue.

  The night deepened.

  Crickets chirped.

  The lake shimmered under starlight.

  Kaito sat near the fire, watching and listening the wind and fish jumping in the lake.

  His thoughts drifted to the Chimera.

  And to something else.

  The orc movements had been too coordinated.

  Too purposeful.

  As if driven.

  By something.

  Dawn painted the sky pale gold.

  Kaito was still awake.

  Serena stirred first, noticing him.

  “Good Morning Kaito, You didn’t sleep…”

  He offered a small smile. “I’ll rest later.”

  Instead, he began preparing breakfast.

  Using leftover fish, wild vegetables gathered earlier, and spices from his item box, he created a fragrant spicy fish vegetable soup.

  Rice steamed gently over controlled flame.

  The aroma woke the others.

  Renna stretched, sniffing the air. “ Good Morning, Oh You already cooking kaito.”

  They ate together in relative peace.

  Morale improved.

  Plans were made to return to town and report the Chimera immediately.

  By mid-morning, the camp was dismantled.

  They began the journey back.

  At first, it felt normal.

  Forest sounds.

  Footsteps on leaves.

  Distant birds.

  Then—

  Silence.

  Too sudden.

  Too complete.

  A thick mist rolled between the trees, unnaturally fast.

  Kaito stopped walking.

  “Form up.”

  The ground trembled.

  Not lightly.

  Violently.

  Birds erupted from treetops in panic.

  Renna stepped forward, raising her hand.

  “Wind Storm!”

  A powerful gust exploded outward, tearing through the fog and scattering it in swirling currents.

  And then—

  Then everyone look at their back and shock.

  An Orc King stood at the center of the clearing.

  Larger than the Orc General.

  Wearing heavier armor.

  Holding a massive double-headed axe.

  Behind him—

  An army.

  More than sixty orcs.

  Warriors.

  Brutes.

  Shamans.

  Their formation was deliberate.

  Organized.

  The Orc King stepped forward.

  Red eyes burning.

  Then he roared.

  The sound shook the trees.

  Leaves fell in waves.

  The ground cracked beneath his feet.

  Kaito’s grip tightened on his sword.

  Silver Dawn readied shields.

  Shadow Fang vanished into flanking positions.

  Storm Breaker raised weapons.

  Serena’s magic staff began to glow.

  Renna’s blade ignited with flame.

  Kaito stepped ahead of them all.

  “Steady,” he said calmly.

  The mist curled around the battlefield once more.

  The Orc King raised his axe.

  The army surged forward.

  And the forest erupted into chaos.

  To be continued…