Chapter 228: Three Lost Souls

Ignis shot ahead, her crimson wings slicing through the clouds, flames licking from the corners of her jaws. Below them, a small patrol of wyverns banked sharply, trying to escape the sudden appearance of two dragons.

"No running!" Ignis roared, diving after them.

Her mouth opened wide, and a torrent of fire erupted from her throat, streaming toward the scattering wyverns. The creatures twisted and dove, evading the blaze with desperate agility.

"Hahaha! This is fun!" Ignis laughed, her voice booming across the sky.

Adam flew behind her, his massive serpentine form undulating with each powerful wingbeat. His mental voice brushed against Ignis’s mind, dry and amused.

’You’re not going to hit anything aiming like that. Here, let me show you how it’s done.’

Dark energy gathered along Adam’s spine. It coalesced, denser and sharper than before, taking the shape of a slender, wicked spear that materialized just above his back, between his wing joints. The surface rippled with shadowy veins, humming with contained power.

’Shadow Lance.’

He willed it forward, and the spear shot through the air with a sound like tearing silk.

It struck the lead wyvern square in the flank. The creature screeched as the lance pierced its hide, then exploded—not outward, but inward—splitting into a dozen smaller shards that sought the other wyverns with unerring precision. One by one, they tumbled from the sky, crashing into the trees below.

Ignis’s flames flickered with indignation. "Hey! Don’t steal my prey, Adam!"

She dove after the fallen wyverns, flames already gathering in her jaws.

Isolde, seated behind Adam’s neck, watched the chaos unfold. Her pale eyes narrowed beneath her hood. Her voice was flat, dry, dripping with disbelief.

"Low profile..."

She shook her head slowly.

"...Do they even know what that means?"

Adam glanced back at her, his crimson eye catching the light. His mental voice was warm, amused.

’Probably not.’

Lilith’s crimson eyes narrowed, her senses extending outward like invisible threads. Her voice drifted through the mental link, calm but alert.

’Adam. There are living creatures nearby.’

Adam’s massive head tilted, his golden-flecked gaze sweeping the terrain. The landscape had shifted—rocky outcroppings jutting from the earth like jagged teeth, sparse vegetation clinging to the cracks.

’Hmm. Could be scouts. Or traders.’ His mental voice was thoughtful. ’Maybe they’re from Kaelthar.’

Ignis, still clutching her smoking wyvern corpse, perked up. "Ooh! People? Can we ask them for directions?"

Isolde’s hood shifted as she turned her head sharply toward Adam.

"Be careful. If they’re from Kaelthar, they might not be friendly."

Adam’s wings adjusted, angling them toward a rocky ridge where Lilith had sensed movement. His mental voice was calm, almost casual.

’Then we’ll be friendly first. If that doesn’t work...’ A pause. ’We’ll try another approach.’

Isolde’s eye twitched beneath her hood.

"That’s not reassuring."

Lilith’s lips curved into a serene smile. She shifted on Adam’s back, her silver-threaded gown catching the light.

"I’m sure Adam will handle it gracefully."

Adam’s mental voice was dry.

’Define gracefully.’

[Lesser Wyvern Defeated]

[+100 EXP | +80 EP]

[Crown of the Hollow Glutton: +1 Soul Acquired]

[Total Souls: 299 → 300]

They descended toward the rocky outcroppings below, Adam and Ignis landing with surprising gentleness on the uneven ground. The twin dragons shifted, scales rippling, forms shrinking, until Adam and Ignis stood once again in their humanoid shapes.

Adam stretched his arms above his head, rolling his shoulders. His crimson eyes swept the surrounding terrain, and he closed them briefly, reaching outward with his senses.

[Hunter’s Tri-Sense Activated.]

The world sharpened—heartbeats, scents, the faint vibration of footsteps on stone.

Adam’s eyes opened. His voice was quiet, thoughtful.

"Hmm... only a few people. Maybe someone lost?"

Isolde pulled her hood lower, her pale eyes scanning the rocks. Her voice was tight.

"Whatever it is, be careful."

Adam waved a dismissive hand, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "Relax. We’re always careful."

Ignis bounced beside him, nodding vigorously. "Yeah! We’re always careful!"

Isolde opened her mouth... then closed it. She let out a long, weary sigh, her shoulders sagging.

"...whatever."

She pulled her hood lower and fell into step behind them, her footsteps light on the rocky ground.

---------×--------

On the other side of the rocky terrain, a small group of three trudged through the sparse underbrush, their faces etched with exhaustion and frustration.

The smallest of them, a wiry man named Olnad, kicked a loose stone and let out a heavy sigh.

"Haah... how much longer are we going to keep searching for this stupid Plecotva flower? We’ve been at it all day."

Beside him, a large, broad-shouldered man named Heiji wiped sweat from his brow. His voice was gruff, impatient.

"I told you, let’s just fake it. Grab a similar looking flower, and the problem’s solved."

Dugel, the third member—average in build but sharp-eyed—spun on Heiji, his voice rising with irritation.

"Are you an idiot? Have you already forgotten how close we came to dying the last time one of your ’brilliant’ ideas backfired?" He jabbed a finger toward Heiji’s chest. "Now we’re stuck hunting this damn flower because of your stupidity."

Heiji’s face reddened. "I didn’t expect the person we made that promise to would be so terrifying! How was I supposed to know?"

Olnad held up both hands, stepping between them. His voice was tired, placating.

"Alright, alright. Enough arguing. Instead of bickering, let’s just keep searching until we find it. We can’t afford to die over a flower."

Dugel muttered something under his breath but turned away, scanning the rocky ground once more. Heiji crossed his arms, his jaw tight.

The three of them continued forward, their eyes scanning the crevices and shadows for any sign of the rare bloom.

Olnad let out a dry, humorless laugh, kicking at a loose stone. "At least we’re still breathing. Some of the others? They got cut down the moment they were caught trying to double-cross them."

Dugel’s jaw tightened. His voice was flat, bitter. "That’s the same thing. We’re their slaves now. What’s the point of living like this?"

Olnad shrugged, his expression turning thoughtful, almost philosophical.

"Heh. We used to sell slaves ourselves, remember? Maybe this is just... karma."

Dugel’s head snapped toward him, his eyes blazing. "Don’t joke about that, Olnad."

Olnad held up his hands, his voice light but with an edge underneath. "Who’s joking? Maybe I’ll turn over a new leaf. After we get away from those crazy bastards, of course."

Dugel stared at him for a moment, then looked away without a word. He resumed scanning the rocky ground for the flower, his shoulders hunched.

Heiji, still searching, grunted. "But we’re lucky. No monsters have come near us."

Dugel shot him a sideways glance. "Don’t say that out loud, you idiot. You’ll—"

"Both of you, quiet." Olnad held up a hand, his head tilting. His voice dropped to a whisper. "Hey... do you hear that?"

Heiji scratched his head, his brow furrowing. "Hear what? I don’t hear anything."

Dugel’s face went pale. His voice was barely a breath.

"Footsteps..."

Heavy. Rhythmic. Getting closer.

The ground trembled.

From behind a cluster of jagged rocks, a massive shape emerged.

It was a boar but like no boar any of them had ever seen. Its body was the size of a wagon, covered in bristled, iron-grey hide that looked thick enough to turn a blade. A row of curved tusks jutted from its jaws, each one as long as a man’s forearm, gleaming wetly in the pale light. Its eyes were small, black, and fixed on them with the cold, patient hunger of a predator that had already decided they were prey.

Olnad’s voice cracked.

"...What the hell is that?"

Dugel’s voice came out tight, trembling.

"Th-That’s an Ironhide Tuskmaw... a B-rank monster. They’re notorious for rampaging through farmlands... destroying everything in their path..."

Olnad’s face went pale. "Damn it. We need to fall back. Now."

But the boar was already moving.

It charged—fast, faster than something its size had any right to be. Its tusks gouged the earth, sending up sprays of rock and dust. The ground shook with each thunderous step.

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" Dugel scrambled backward, tripping over a root. "I don’t want to die yet! Heiji, do something, damn it! Don’t just stand there!"

Heiji’s voice cracked, his large frame frozen. "What do you want me to do?! That thing’s bigger than me!"

"Useless shitt..." Dugel’s voice dropped to a defeated whisper. "We’re going to die..."

Olnad’s mind raced. His internal voice was cold, sharp, calculating.

’Damn it. And I was just thinking about turning over a new leaf. Those two are useless. I should just run, use them as bait.’

He took a breath, preparing to bolt.

Then the world turned white.

A pillar of flame descended from the sky, striking the Ironhide Tuskmaw square in the back. The beast didn’t even have time to squeal. Its massive body crumpled, smoke and sparks rising from its scorched hide. The smell of burnt hair and cooked meat filled the air.

The three men stared.

Standing atop the smoldering corpse, silhouetted against the morning light, was a girl.

Her hair was the color of fire—vivid red, cascading over her shoulders in wild, untamed waves. Her eyes, golden and fierce, swept over them with a mixture of amusement and curiosity. Flames still licked at her fingertips, dying down slowly as she surveyed her kill.

She smiled.

It was not a gentle smile. It was the smile of a predator who had just found something entertaining.

Olnad’s mouth fell open. His voice came out in a reverent whisper.

"A... a goddess..."