CHAPTER 32

The path ahead was rocky, and the cold morning air felt sharper as we left the village behind, our footsteps sinking softly into the forest floor. The further we walked, the more the shadows of the towering trees seemed to close in, creating an eerie silence that pressed on my thoughts. My mind kept circling back to what Alric had told me before we left—the five-year mission, the demons I would be hunting, and the overwhelming presence of the Abyssal Tyrant looming over it all.

Each step I took felt like I was walking toward something monumental, and yet, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was only the beginning. Alric was right: I wasn’t ready to face the Commander-Class demon. Not yet. But I would be. Every demon I fought, every challenge I overcame, would bring me closer to that day.

The sun had barely risen, casting weak rays of light through the thick canopy above us. Despite the tranquility of the forest, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease. The forest around us was vast and alive, the Aetheric Flow subtle but ever-present. I could sense the magic in the air, swirling beneath the surface, hidden in the shadows of the trees. It was both calming and unsettling, a reminder of how much more there was to this world than I could see.

Alric led the way, his movements quiet and deliberate, his eyes scanning the path ahead. He had been silent for a while now, lost in thought, and I found myself matching his pace, letting the silence settle between us.

We had been traveling for hours when Alric finally spoke, his voice low but carrying in the stillness. "You’re going to have to get used to this, Niv. Long journeys, far from civilization, with nothing but your thoughts to keep you company."

I glanced at him, but he kept his gaze forward, his steps steady. "It’s not the solitude I mind," I replied. "It’s the waiting."

Alric smiled faintly, though his eyes remained hard. "Patience is the greatest weapon you can have, especially when hunting demons. You can’t rush this. You need to let the world show you what it’s hiding."

I didn’t respond, but I knew he was right. I had spent so long honing my Analyze skill to detect changes in the Aetheric Flow, to sense disturbances in the environment, but I still struggled with the patience it required. The skill itself was useful, but it required more than just magic—it required focus, time, and, most frustratingly, patience.

The road ahead narrowed as we moved deeper into the forest, the trees growing taller and more oppressive. The air felt colder now, and I pulled my cloak tighter around me, trying to ignore the shiver that ran down my spine. There was no sound except for the occasional rustle of leaves and the soft crunch of dirt beneath our boots.

The Shade-Walker had left its mark on the village we had just left, and I couldn’t help but think about the people there. They were terrified, living in the shadow of a demon that they couldn’t see, couldn’t fight. The thought of them, huddled in their homes, afraid to even step outside, made my blood boil.

I was tired of feeling helpless. I wanted to fight.

Alric seemed to sense my frustration. "You can’t let anger guide you, Niv," he said, his tone calm but firm. "Demons feed off chaos and fear. If you rush in without thinking, you’ll be giving them exactly what they want."

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I clenched my fists, trying to rein in the anger that had been bubbling inside me since we started this journey. "I know that," I muttered, my voice tight. "But it’s hard not to think about... what they’ve done."

He nodded slowly, his expression softening. "I get it. Believe me, I do. But you need to be better than that. You need to be smarter than them. That’s why I’ve been teaching you to read the Aetheric Flow. Every demon leaves a trace behind, no matter how subtle. Learn to read it, and you’ll always know when one is near."

I exhaled slowly, forcing myself to relax. Alric had taught me a lot in the past few months, but this lesson was one of the hardest. I wasn’t a kid anymore, lashing out in anger, but sometimes it still felt like I was that boy, running from a demon that had ripped my family apart.

We continued on in silence for a few more hours, the forest thinning out as we approached the foothills of the Silver Mountains. The mountains loomed ahead of us, their jagged peaks barely visible through the morning mist. I had heard stories of these mountains—how they were said to be home to ancient spirits, long forgotten by the world, and how travelers who ventured too far into the peaks often never returned.

But I wasn’t here for legends. I was here for demons.

"The Shade-Walker won’t be the last demon you face," Alric said as we came to a stop near a rocky outcrop. "And it certainly won’t be the most dangerous. But it will teach you something important."

I raised an eyebrow. "What’s that?"

"How to hunt," he replied simply. "And how to survive."

He didn’t elaborate, but I knew what he meant. The Shade-Walker was a shadow demon, using darkness and stealth to its advantage. It would strike quickly, retreating into the shadows before anyone could react. But I wasn’t just anyone.

"I’m ready," I said, my voice steady.

Alric studied me for a moment, then nodded. "I believe you are. But don’t underestimate it. Shadow demons are tricky, and this one has already killed several people. It’s smart, and it knows how to use the environment to its advantage."

I unsheathed my sword, the metal glinting in the fading light. "I’ll be ready."

The sun was setting by the time we reached the village at the base of the mountains. It was small, even smaller than the last one, with only a few scattered homes and a single inn. The villagers watched us with suspicion, their eyes wide with fear. I could feel their terror, like a palpable weight in the air. They had been living under the threat of the Shade-Walker for too long.

Alric spoke to the village elder while I lingered near the edge of the clearing, watching the sun dip below the horizon. The Aetheric Flow was faint, but I could feel the disturbance growing stronger as the light faded. The demon would come tonight. I was certain of it.

"Niv," Alric called out, beckoning me over.

I approached, my hand still resting on the hilt of my sword.

"This is your fight," he said, his tone serious. "I’ll be nearby, but you need to do this alone. Trust your instincts. Rely on your Analyze skill. The demon won’t give you a second chance."

I nodded, my jaw set. I had trained for this. I was ready.

As night fell, I found myself standing alone in the center of the village, the darkness pressing in from all sides. The villagers had retreated into their homes, leaving me to face the Shade-Walker alone. The Aetheric Flow pulsed around me, a faint ripple in the fabric of reality, and I knew the demon was close.

I closed my eyes, focusing on the Flow, letting it guide me. The demon wouldn’t come straight at me—it would strike from the shadows, from the places I couldn’t see. But with my Analyze skill, I would know when it was coming. I would know where it would strike.

The village was deathly silent, the only sound the soft rustle of leaves in the wind. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, but I forced myself to remain calm. I couldn’t let fear take hold. Not now.

Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw it—a flicker of movement in the shadows. The Shade-Walker had arrived.