“It’s horrific.”
The deeper Rita ventured into the forest, the more mutilated corpses she found.
Rita seethed with rage at the body parts scattered across the forest floor.
The beasts responsible deserved to be torn apart.
Gritting her teeth, she followed the scent of blood for a long time.
She arrived at a small tribal village.
Most of the huts were swept away, and the area was a sea of blood.
Body parts—whether human or animal—were so mangled they were unrecognizable, with organs strewn everywhere.
Despite the nauseating scene, Rita, hardened by experience, focused all her senses.
As she scanned the surroundings, her gaze stopped at one spot.
Far off, at the largest hut in the village’s heart, a pile of collapsed bodies formed a hill near the entrance, as if they had tried to flee.
Rita’s attention fixed on the black mana enveloping the area like a mist.
It’s here.
It’s definitely in there.
The moment she sensed its presence, her heart sank.
Suppressing her presence, Rita cautiously approached.
Stepping over the blood, she reached the hut’s entrance and held her breath, leaning against the doorframe.
In the eerie silence, a distinct crunching sound of something being chewed rang out.
It was still feeding.
Sweating coldly, Rita slowly tilted her head to peek inside.
In the dim interior, she saw a hunched figure.
A small, wrinkled gray body with an oversized head, a mane of white hair, and a long tail swaying below its hips.
Among the seven forms of beasts, it resembled the rare “kobold” variant.
This was proof it was a child of “Mamon.”
As expected, the familiar text appeared above its head.
[Origin: Mamon]
[Name: None]
[Rank: Sub-Adult: First-Class]
[Attribute: Fire]
Confirming its origin, Rita ground her teeth.
Is Mamon nearby too?
This confirmed the presence of a fragment.
Fragments that would endlessly spawn beasts had begun their activity.
Rita calmly organized her thoughts.
The water was already spilled; there was no undoing it.
Rather than despair, it was more rational to deal with the beast quickly and track down the fragment.
Sub-adult, first-class.
Beasts were divided into stages—Arche, Sub-Adult, and Adult—with abilities corresponding to their growth rank.
Arche and Sub-Adult were only one stage apart, but the power difference was immense.
A Sub-Adult beast could match a mid-to-high-tier mage.
The rank next to its stage was hard to gauge, but by human standards, it was dangerous.
If it becomes an adult, it’ll be a real headache.
But for a Sub-Adult, it looks a bit frail…
The beast appeared unusually gaunt, unlike the plump, well-fed ones Rita was used to.
Is it because it’s freshly born?
Then it might not be adept at wielding its power.
Her eyes gleaming, Rita quickly examined the beast’s body.
But the weak point, which should’ve been visible, wasn’t there.
Why can’t I see the weak point?
At Aide Hill, even Arches had visible ones.
Is it because I’m seeing its back?
As she pondered, the beast, having finished its meal, slowly stood.
From a slanted side view, its belly protruded unnaturally.
Rita’s face twisted in disgust at the thought of what was inside.
Blood dripped from its mouth as it let out an insolent burp.
It then worked its jaw, spitting out accumulated debris—bones, hair, and various body parts clattered to the ground.
Soon, its bloated body swayed side to side.
As if reshaping itself, the beast’s form alternated between plump and lean.
Its growing height and balancing body alarmed Rita.
No.
If it grows into an adult, it’ll be too much.
As beasts matured, they grew larger and stronger.
An adult could rival a high-tier mage, leaving Rita no time to observe further.
Its attribute is fire.
It’ll consume a lot of mana, but I’ll have to use high-level magic.
Stepping into view, Rita swiftly aimed her staff.
“Twisting vines, devouring tempest!”
A transparent stream of water shot from her staff like a snake.
Combined with wind-attribute magic, the stream spiraled and froze instantly.
The ice tendril, sharp and fierce, struck at the beast.
But sensing her, the growing beast twisted away, dodging.
Instead of its belly, the ice pierced its side, and the beast screeched, thrashing wildly.
In that moment, its wobbly legs suddenly elongated.
“Damn, it’s an adult…!”
The beast’s head now touched the ceiling, and updated text appeared above it.
[Origin: Mamon]
[Name: None]
[Rank: Adult: First-Class]
[Attribute: Fire]
Fortunately, it had only just reached this stage, and its movements remained unsteady and clumsy.
“Good, now I can see the weak point.”
Rita smirked.
On the beast’s belly, now facing her, a faint blue light glowed.
“Surging current.”
Four streams of water erupted from the surroundings, rushing toward the beast.
The torrential streams, armed with dragon-like force, melted its hide on contact.
Screaming under the lasso-like assault, the beast crawled like an animal, glaring at Rita.
Moments later, with a harsh breath, its long tail lashed out at her in multiple directions.
Rita calmly swung her staff, blue energy deflecting the incoming tail.
All she had to do was aim her staff at the tail’s trajectory.
Compared to the fragments and beasts she’d faced before, this one’s attacks were pitiful.
Its amateurish behavior made Rita click her tongue.
Still, its survival instincts were intact, as it persistently protected its belly.
“Piercing droplets.”
The frozen air shattered, creating countless ice shards.
The floating shards chased the beast relentlessly at Rita’s gesture.
Even as it was wounded all over, the beast curled to shield its belly.
Frowning, Rita condensed more mana at her staff’s tip.
“Surging frost.”
Sharp ice spikes shot up from the ground, piercing the beast’s body.
The reverse icicles continued to rise and stab as Rita kept her staff aimed.
Skewered, the beast trembled helplessly.
Rita felt a thrill at its immobilized state.
A beast that had devoured humans and dominated the land was now being humiliated in such a pathetic state.
Rita sneered at the dying creature.
Overwhelmed by her mana, it was powerless.
I can kill these things.
Rita let out a cold laugh and reached out—or tried to.
A sudden groan made her turn her head.
At the torn door stood a white-haired man, teetering precariously.
“Kuyan tribe?”
Judging by his unique hair color, eyes, and tattered clothes, he seemed to be one of the local tribespeople.
Rita’s eyes trembled at the sight of a survivor.
At that moment, a gap opened.
The beast, bound by the icy spikes, began to struggle for freedom.
Breaking free from the pressure, it leapt with all its might, crashing through the dirt wall to escape.
Panicked, Rita reached out.
“Rushing wind!”
At the same time, the tribal man, who had approached unnoticed, grabbed her arm.
The disrupted spell misfired, and the wind arrow pierced empty air.
The beast, twisting its body, let out a mocking screech and fled into the deep forest.
“Damn it!”
Rita tried to summon a flying creature, but the man grabbed her arm again, pulling her back.
Her eyes sharpened at his persistent interference.
“What are you doing?! Because of you…!”
With a shove, the man stumbled like a paper doll and fell on his rear.
Terrified by her shout, he looked at her with fearful eyes.
Fuming, Rita glared at the empty sky, then back at him.
“You…!”
Looking closely, the man was striking.
What she thought was white hair was closer to silver.
His eyes, hidden by the mystical silver hair, gleamed like amethysts, and his face was remarkably handsome.
His unusually refined appearance was odd, but it made sense if he was the chief’s child.
He appeared to be in his late teens.
The man—no, boy—trembled with fear in his eyes.
Rita kept demanding why he did it, but no answer came.
Seeing the blood-soaked rags and his vacant eyes, she calmed her anger.
Of course.
His entire tribe was slaughtered before his eyes.
How could he be sane? He must be terrified.
I was like that at first, too.
Rita approached and extended her hand.
The boy, trembling expressionlessly, stared at her outstretched hand.
As their gazes lingered, his trembling subsided.
Rita, tilting her head at his lack of response, suddenly widened her eyes.
“Wait.”
He seemed familiar.
Especially that silver hair—it was rare.
Where have I seen it?
Then, she recalled a figure.
The Saint’s Shadow…!
The Saint of the Rihanes Temple, Mikael, had a loyal shadow.
A silver-haired warrior who stormed beast lairs barehanded, tearing them apart with raw strength.
A beast-like figure who followed only the Saint, a monster of slaughter.
People called him the Saint’s Shadow.
The priests found his power unsettling and shunned him.
Even the subjugation soldiers dismissed him, ignorant of his origins.
Rita had heard he died honorably protecting the Saint in the final fragment battle.
She glanced at his neck.
A black tattoo, coiled like a snake, matched the Shadow’s perfectly.
I only saw it in passing, but that unique mark stuck with me.
But his condition is strange.
Why…
Rita’s gaze dropped unconsciously.
She stared at his flat chest.
She had always thought the Shadow was a woman.
Though always cloaked and with a face hidden by long hair, she couldn’t be sure.
It’s surprising he’s from the Kuyan tribe, but everyone said he was a woman.
Was I wrong?
Information about the Shadow was scarce.
He rarely spoke and never conversed with anyone but the Saint.
The priests weren’t loose-lipped either.
The paladins, who talked the most, all assumed the Shadow was female.
So Rita had thought the same and never paid much attention.
Killing one more beast took priority over others’ gossip.
“Are you the only survivor?”
Rita helped him up and asked politely.
The boy tilted his head for a while before nodding with a silly smile.
Smiling?
In this situation?
Is he mentally broken from the shock?
“What’s your name?”
He only blinked, no answer.
It seemed he’d forgotten even his name.
Rita sighed and rubbed her forehead.
“This is tricky. I need to deal with that thing first.”
With the area a blood-soaked graveyard of corpses, she couldn’t leave a half-mad person here.
After deep thought, Rita extended her hand again.
“If you want to live, follow me quietly.”
Despite her forceful tone, the boy smiled innocently.
No… you missed the opportunity to murder an idiot that deserves to die but will certainly be useful in the future!!!