The assassins pushed forward through the dimly lit crimson forest, darting from branch to branch with practiced ease.

“This isn’t good. At this rate, we’ll end up at the goblin camp,” muttered 72 under his breath, his voice strained.

“We don’t have a choice,” 69 shot back, his tone cold. “If we stop, even for a few minutes, we’ll be trampled to death!”

As they pressed on, the forest opened up to reveal the goblin camp below. From their vantage point atop a cliff, they could see the crude village, built within a massive crater that sloped upward to their current position on the hill.

But what they saw made both their eyes narrow in disbelief.

“There are only eight, maybe nine goblins left,” 72 said, his voice tinged with confusion. “What’s going on?”

He glanced at his partner, as if seeking an explanation.

“Could they have been wiped out already?” he ventured, unable to hide his shock.

69 remained silent, his sharp gaze scanning the camp like a predator searching for its prey. He swept his eyes over the scene multiple times, looking for any clues to explain the anomaly. His focus landed on something unusual—patches of footprints leading away from the camp. The sheer number of them suggested a large group had departed recently, leaving behind only this small contingent.

He nudged 72 and pointed to the tracks. “No. Look down there. These few were left behind while the rest went elsewhere.”

“Could they be heading toward the portal while these guys act as a distraction for the horde?” 72 speculated, his voice hushed.

“It’s possible,” 69 admitted, his eyes narrowing further. “Demons can leave a dungeon portal after a few hours in this world, but something about this doesn’t sit right. If that was their plan, why didn’t they just head there earlier?”

“Then...what do you think they’re doing?” 72 asked, his tone filled with unease.

“The soldier variant,” 69 said flatly.

72’s gaze hardened at the implication. “The Magi.”

“Exactly,” 69 confirmed. “When a Magi is born, its intelligence and cunning grow exponentially. If this one is leading them, then there’s a reason for their delay. They’re after something more important.”

“Where do you think they’re headed, then?” 72 pressed.

“We’ll find out when we follow their trail,” 69 replied, a slight smile creeping beneath his mask. Without waiting for further discussion, he launched himself toward the tracks.

“Wait—what about them?” 72 gestured toward the scattered goblins below.

“They don’t matter. Whether we kill them or not, they’re going to die anyway. We shouldn’t waste time.”

72 gave the sparse goblin camp one last glance before nodding grimly and following his partner, the two disappearing into the forest's shadows.

Ahead of the assassins, a group of thirty goblins marched in formation, their movements precise yet brisk. At the head of the group, the Magi walked alongside the goblin commander, their conversation veiled in low but urgent tones.

“Great Magi, would it not have been wiser to bring all our forces from the camp?” the commander asked, his tone unsure.

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The Magi's shifty, calculating gaze landed on the goblin, and he paused for a moment, as though carefully considering his response.

“So far, every time the melody beast horde has sounded, it has spread from what appears to be the forest’s center, its depths.”

The commander tilted his head, prompting the Magi to continue.

“The first time, it went to the east. Then the west, followed by the south. And now, it is pushing forward towards the north.”

“Wouldn’t that mean the melody is heading directly for our camp this time, since we based it there?” the goblin commander asked, scratching his green head with a sheepish grin.

“Indeed,” the Magi confirmed. “That is precisely why we are heading toward the depths of the forest while the horde moves toward the camp. We are maneuvering around them.”

The goblin commander rubbed his head harder, his grin faltering. “But, Great Magi, how does this explain why we didn’t bring everyone?”

The Magi sighed deeply, the lines on his face tightening in irritation. Once again, he lamented the intellectual limitations of his subordinates. For all his hopes that prolonged exposure to him might elevate their thinking, they always seemed to fall short of his expectations.

Steeling himself, the Magi frowned and replied, “If the horde does not find goblins in the camp, they will either return to their master or follow us. Neither outcome is favorable.”

The commander’s eyes widened slightly, but he remained silent as the Magi continued.

“That is why we need a distraction to keep them occupied, even if it means sacrificing some of our warriors. Without this, our mission is doomed to fail.”

The Magi stopped briefly, his voice growing solemn. “Battle and death are our purpose;Our holy mission. But without victory, both are meaningless. To evolve, to ascend, to always strive for more, that is the true nature of goblins.”

The commander furrowed his brow, struggling to reconcile this new perspective with his simplistic view of battle. He had always thought of combat as straightforward — throw everything you have at the enemy and hope to emerge victorious. But he couldn’t deny the logic of the Magi's words, no matter how foreign they felt.

He nodded silently, choosing to keep his thoughts to himself as the group pressed forward.

Inwardly, however, the magi prayed, ‘Hopefully, there aren’t many cursed beasts left near the relic holder.’

—--------

The one-eyed deer raced through the forest with remarkable speed, its hooves barely touching the ground as it cut a direct path through the dense woods. Despite the breakneck pace, the human boy on its back remained eerily steady, as if bound by some unseen force.

It ran with a single-minded purpose, heading deeper into the forest, its trajectory far more direct than that of the goblin group. Unlike them, the deer faced no significant obstacles; the forest seemed to part for it, allowing it to move unimpeded.

After mere minutes, it arrived at a cave set into the side of a jagged hill. Two cursed beasts stood guard at the entrance, their menacing forms shrouded in the dim crimson glow of the forest.

The one on the right resembled a tiger, but its body was split into two distinct halves—one black, the other white. Two heads extended from its shoulders, one of each color, and both were adorned with azure-blue scales that shimmered faintly.

The second cursed beast was more grotesque, resembling a massive lizard crouched on all fours. Its tail was its most striking feature, splitting open into a mouth lined with razor-sharp teeth. The beast’s black skin absorbed the crimson hue of the forest, giving it an ominous, shadowy appearance.

As the deer approached, its antlers emitted a low, guttural sound, like a distorted hum. The two guards turned their heads toward the intruder, their gazes locking onto the human boy draped across its back. Their eyes burned with a strange yearning, but neither dared to move. Fear rooted them in place, a fear that seemed almost palpable.

The one-eyed deer passed between them and entered the dark, foreboding cave. Its steps echoed against the stone walls as it ventured deeper into the dimly lit interior, guided by an otherworldly awareness.

When it reached a certain point, the deer lowered itself to all fours and unceremoniously slid the boy off its back. Manasei's unconscious body hit the rocky floor with a dull thud, but he remained utterly still.

The deer trembled where it stood, a low growl rumbling in its throat. It seemed to shrink in size as it bowed its head deeply, its singular red eye glowing faintly with an emotion that was unmistakably submission.

The crimson light ahead flickered, casting shadows that danced across the cave walls. The deer dared not raise its gaze. Every fiber of its being screamed for it to flee, to bolt out of the cave and never look back. But it knew that such an act would lead to certain death.

Above the deer, the source of the crimson glow shifted slightly, illuminating the darkness. The oppressive presence was overwhelming, suffocating, and yet the deer remained frozen in place, trembling as it awaited its master’s permission to leave.

After what felt like an eternity, a faint, almost imperceptible growl emanated from the depths of the cave. The sound carried a single command: Dismissal.

The deer’s body relaxed instantly, and it scurried out of the cave without so much as a backward glance. Whatever awaited within the darkness, it was no longer its concern. All it knew was that it had survived.