Joe stood frozen, his mind struggling to process what he had just witnessed. One moment, Rina had been standing in front of him, teasing him and demanding dinner after the quest. The next, she was gone, swallowed whole without even a scream. One of the few genuine friends he had ever known was ripped from him in the span of a heartbeat.

  The creature responsible ascended into the sky, its colossal body casting an inescapable shadow that blotted out the sun. It was the largest monster Joe had ever seen, and somehow it appeared even more massive as it descended.

  The hole it had torn open during its violent eruption sealed itself shut. Moments later, the creature crashed down in front of Joe, who remained paralyzed in shock. Its feet struck the earth with overwhelming force, producing a thunderous shockwave that sent Joe and the supply bag flying backward. His body slammed into a tree, the impact knocking the air from his lungs as pain exploded through him.

  The beast was even larger than the Twin Tailed Wolf. A massive spiked shell rested on its back, its entire body coated in thick grey scales befitting a reptile. Its enormous head resembled that of a turtle, but there was nothing slow or harmless about it. When it released a deafening roar that rippled through the forest, every creature within miles knew what had arrived.

  The Lord of the Woods had returned for another hunt.

  “I’ll kill you!” Lars roared as he forced himself to his feet, rage consuming him. His face flushed crimson as he charged forward, gripping his cracked shield and massive sword. The Lord of the Woods still faced Joe, its back turned toward him, and Lars seized the opportunity to attack from behind.

  “No, Lars! Don't do it!” Trey shouted, reaching out desperately.

  It was too late.

  The Lord of the Woods flicked its massive tail.

  The strike slammed into Lars’s chest with overwhelming force. His sword shattered. His shield exploded into fragments. His armor crumpled instantly. Blood sprayed from the tanker’s mouth as his chest collapsed inward, and his body was hurled through the air like a broken doll before smashing into a distant tree.

  The monster did not even pause. It was as if it had brushed aside an insect.

  Slowly, the Lord of the Woods turned, its deep green slitted eyes locking onto the two remaining party members. A red haired warrior stood frozen, and beside him a green haired healer trembled where she stood.

  “Olivia, go check on Lars,” Trey said, his hands clenched tightly around the hilt of his blade.

  “But what about y—”

  “I will be fine. Just go!”

  Trey blasted forward the moment she moved, intercepting the Lord of the Woods. Flames erupted around his sword in a blinding orange as he leapt into the air and brought his weapon down with a powerful slash.

  “Ember Family Swordsmanship: Third Form. Flame Breaker!”

  A torrent of fire exploded on impact, engulfing both Trey and the monster in thick smoke.

  Olivia sprinted toward Lars, her heart pounding.

  A second later, a violent shockwave burst outward. Trey was hurled from the smoke as the Lord of the Woods released a massive surge of mana. A brilliant blue aura erupted from its body, blasting away the smoke and flattening everything nearby.

  Trey skidded across the ground before coming to a stop twelve meters away. His teeth clenched as he stared at the creature, barely able to spot a few insignificant burn marks on its face.

  “Dammit! That was one of my strongest techniques, and it barely did anything!”

  “Trey!” Olivia cried out.

  He turned toward her, dread creeping into his chest.

  Her eyes were filled with tears. “It’s Lars. He's dead.”

  Trey’s pupils dilated. “No way. That was just a tail flick. His shield was damaged, sure, but dying from a single hit without a skill?” He cursed under his breath before shouting, “That mana less weakling. Go check on him and see if he is still breathing!”

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  “But you saw the impact. There is no way an Unawakened could—”

  “Just do it!”

  Olivia flinched and turned, sprinting toward Joe’s position.

  Ahead of them, the Lord of the Woods released another deafening roar. Its jaws opened wide, revealing rows of jagged white fangs. From deep within its throat, ten writhing green vines burst forth, lashing toward Trey at terrifying speed.

  Trey exhaled slowly and tightened his grip.

  [Bloodline Activation: Flames of Destruction]

  Deep crimson fire erupted from his body, engulfing him in a violent aura of flame. His eyes sharpened with resolve. In a single step, he crossed the distance between himself and the beast, leaving scorched earth in his wake. His blade flashed through the air, slicing each vine apart and igniting them instantly. Within moments, he was airborne, face to face with the monster.

  “Ember Family Swordsmanship: Eighth Form. Blazing Onslaught!”

  He swung downward.

  A massive arc of fire collided with the Lord of the Woods at point blank range, detonating with a deafening boom that sent violent tremors through the forest.

  The beast screeched and staggered backward, genuine pain finally evident. Trey landed heavily, his chest heaving as burn marks began creeping across his face and hands.

  Meanwhile, Olivia reached Joe.

  He lay unconscious, blood trickling down his forehead. Yet his chest rose and fell steadily.

  “Impossible…” she whispered as her hands trembled.

  She activated her healing skill immediately.

  As the light enveloped Joe, Olivia stared at his face, fear and confusion swirling in her chest.

  “Just who in the world are you, Joe…”

  Joe drifted within the cold and familiar dark void.

  His consciousness floated weightlessly as the darkness slithered toward him, curling around his form like living tendrils eager to devour him whole. The beacon of light that once kept the void at bay was gone. Extinguished. Without it, he was alone again in this desolate world.

  “Wake up!”

  A distant voice echoed through the darkness. Joe did not know where it came from, only that he wanted it to disappear. The void was comfortable. It shielded him from pain, from grief, from the cruelty of the world beyond.

  Living hurt.

  Here, he could rest.

  “Joe! Wake up!”

  The voice grew louder, reverberating through his consciousness. He tried to ignore it, to let the darkness swallow him completely.

  ‘Please… just let me sleep.’

  “If you do not wake up, you will die. Is that really what you want?”

  The word die stirred nothing. He was an Unchosen. A weakling in a world ruled by strength. Death felt kinder than continuing to exist like this.

  If he surrendered and let the darkness take him, everything would finally end.

  ‘At least then… I will be free.”

  “Are you really going to die like this?” the voice demanded. “What about your dreams? Do you not have anything to live for?”

  It was a woman’s voice. Distressed. Desperate.

  Something within Joe flickered.

  A faint, pale light sparked inside his consciousness, pushing the darkness back just a little.

  ‘I want to explore the world,’ he thought. ‘I want to experience new things. Meet new people. Build real connections. I want a life worth reading about. I do not want to die with regrets.’

  The light grew brighter, but it flickered violently, unstable and weak.

  ‘But I promised Rina we would see the stars together.’

  The glow dimmed.

  ‘I could not even keep that promise. I am too weak. If I cannot protect anyone or even keep my word, then what chance do I have of achieving any of that?’

  The darkness surged forward.

  ‘Maybe it really is better if I die.’

  “How long do you plan on sleeping like that, you asshole!”

  The voice exploded through the void, sharp and furious.

  Joe was surprised.

  ‘What…’

  “Trey is risking his life for you!” the voice screamed. “How long are you going to live like this, always hiding behind others!”

  “Shut up!” Joe roared back. “It is easy for you to say! You have mana! The gods gave you the power to protect yourself! Do not judge me!”

  “So what if you are weak!” the voice shot back. “Rina, Trey, and Lars all fought to protect your useless life! If it was not for Rina, that wolf would have killed you!”

  The words struck deep.

  “Maybe you do not have mana, but so what! All of us fought so that you could live! If you die here, without putting up a fight, you might as well spit on the sacrifices of everyone who protected you!”

  The darkness trembled.

  “Do not throw it away, Joe. Fight for the life we defended. Fight for everyone who helped you survive until now. For them, you have to live!”

  The void shattered.

  Blinding light consumed everything.

  Joe’s eyes snapped open.

  He gasped, lungs burning as reality crashed back into him. Green hair filled his vision as Olivia clung to him tightly, her face soaked with tears.

  “Thank God…” she sobbed. “I am so glad you're awake!”

  Joe froze. For the first time, someone held him like they genuinely feared losing him. Tears streamed down his face before he could stop them.

  “Get it together!” Olivia said, gripping his shoulders and forcing him to meet her eyes. “You have to get up. We need to escape before it is too late!”

  Joe nodded and staggered to his feet. Strangely, he felt no pain from his injuries. Whatever she had done, she had healed him completely.

  Except for one thing.

  A burning sensation throbbed on the right side of his face.

  “Ouch!” Joe hissed, clutching his cheek. “Did you slap me?”

  “Of course,” Olivia said without shame. “You would not wake up. I had no other choice.”

  “You could have killed me!”

  “If my slap could kill you, then you would not have survived crashing into a ree,” she snapped. “Your injuries were minor. None of them were life threatening. You are clearly not normal, Joe, but that does not matter right now.”

  She turned and shouted, “Trey! He is alive! We can retreat now!”

  Ahead of them, Trey stood before the Lord of the Woods. His arms and face were covered in burns, his breathing ragged. The monster itself bore a gruesome burn and a deep gash across its right eye, blood pouring freely as it heaved for breath.

  “So the trash survived after all,” Trey muttered with a grin. “Even garbage is hard to kill.”

  Flames flared violently around him as he charged.

  The Lord of the Woods lowered its head and lunged, jaws snapping shut.

  Fire erupted beneath Trey’s feet as he launched himself upward, flipping over the attack. While midair, he swung his blade, releasing another blazing arc that detonated against the creature’s back. The monster shrieked in agony.

  Trey landed and skidded back, stopping 8m in front of Joe and Olivia.

  “You need to leave,” he said between labored breaths. “I cannot hold this thing off much longer.”

  “No,” Olivia cried. “We will escape together!”

  “We can't,” Trey replied calmly. “You know how my Bloodline works. Even if I run, I will not live much longer. The flames are already consuming me.”

  He smiled weakly. “This is the end for me.”

  Tears streamed down Olivia’s face.

  “Hey, manaless bastard,” Trey called out. “Can I trust you with something?”

  Joe stiffened, then nodded firmly. “Yes.”

  “Good. Take Olivia and get out of here. You are not normal, even for an Unawakened. I knew something was off when you carried that bag without help. Dodging that wolf confirmed it.”

  He clenched his sword. “I do not know why you are so strong, but I trust your endurance. Run as fast as you can.”

  Joe swallowed. “You got it.”

  He hoisted Olivia over his shoulder despite her protests.

  “No! Trey! Do not leave me!”

  Trey laughed softly as mana surged around him once more.

  ‘Sorry, Olivia. Looks like I will not lead the Ember Family after all.’

  He tightened his grip. ‘I guess this is your win, Eris.’

  Joe turned and ran.

  Behind him, flames and roars clashed as Trey met the Lord of the Woods head on.

  Joe ran with only one thought burning in his mind.

  To survive.