Moving as fast as I can while passing through the mountain range. I stopped at the edge of the cliff as I look at the vast forest in front of me. Catching up some of my breath after running nonstop to reach the place, I scanned the forest below with my mana.

Feeling three groups of signals in the forest. I looked at their direction and found one of the groups is in the middle of the forest and the other is running towards them along with a big signal that's following them from afar.

Noticing something weird from the big signal, I noticed that its signal appears and disappears as if my mana couldn't distinguish whether it was alive or dead.

Seeing that the small group encountered the big group, the big group suddenly started attacking. Watching the signal of the big group, I can't help but notice that their signal is the same as the big signal but barely changes from time to time.

Knowing that the small group was the group of those Aran Adventure Crew, and the big group had a weird signal reaction, I decided to help them only to see that one of the signals got separated from the small group and started changing.

'An enlightenment, huh.'

After seeing that it got enlightened, I noticed that the big signal was already behind the separated one and attacked sending it flying.

Opening a small hole of space beside me, I pull out a spear and take a throwing stance as I aim at the big signal. Controlling the mana inside my body, I strengthened myself to the limit and threw the spear making a small shockwave explode.

~~

-Anna Irtland-

Five days went by after I woke up from shock, we continued running and hiding as the Guardian kept chasing us.

While we were hiding in a cave, Giron told us that the Guardian had the strength of someone who reached the second level of Concept.

Just hearing those words made us feel despair. Someone who achieved the second stage of Concept are people who can single handedly destroy civilizations of a planet with ease, even destroy a whole planet if they are given enough time.

'Wait. If it really has the strength of a second level Concept, why is the Guardian taking so long to kill us?'

Finding that inconsistency in his information, I look toward him only to see the others staring at him after noticing the inconsistency.

"I know what you people are thinking. Even I'm doubting what I felt while we were running away but that strength can only come from beings that were able to reach second level. Even if that thing doesn't have any Concept, its strength is really at second level."

Seeing him hold his right arm bandaged up made me realize how dangerous the Guardian is. A warrior that was able to reach the first level of Concept, the only way for them to get injured is by encountering someone that reached the first level of Concept as well.

But, having two people that reached the first level of Concept, barely escape means that the being is something stronger.

"We have to leave the forest to escape. Staying in the forest wi-"

Stolen novel; please report.

Feeling a sudden danger, I turn around to see Giron dashing and raising his axe to block a giant blade thrust towards us.

Byron suddenly transforms into his half dragonian form and breathes fire without holding back.

"RUN!"

Dashing out of the cave, I look back to see the Guardian stepping away from the entrance while covered in fire. Seeing that Byron and Giron dashed out of the cave made me feel relief.

Turning to the Guardian as I run, I notice its movement feel like something is stopping it from moving as it chases us.

"Ruins at the right!"

Hearing Theia's voice, I change my direction to follow the others.

As we got closer and closer to the ruins, the forest once again made me experience the feeling that I had before the Guardian appeared.

Theia suddenly stopped in front of us without warning making all of us stop as well. Looking in front to see what it is for her to stop while being chased by the Guardian made me feel despair.

A group of people wearing black robes are standing in front of us while blocking the entrance to the ruins. Tentacles squirm out of their skin as the person in front of them looks at us with a wide smile.

"Seems like there are rats that were able to run away from that pesky Guardian~"

Hearing a voice that sounded like metals being grinded off against each other made me tremble and take a step back. Feeling the whole forest crying for me to run away made me realize that the man in front of us was more dangerous than the Guardian behind us.

"Who are you people?!"

"Now now, there's no need to ask questions… you people are going to die anyways."

As soon as he said those words, the other black robed people rushed towards us.

Deflecting the sword of one of the black robes from attacking me with a sword. I realized that their strength was not normal as my whole arm went numb just from one attack.

Without letting me rest, the black robe continued to attack. Blocking and blocking without getting any breather made my arm slowly lose its strength. Trying to look for help from the others, I noticed that they were having a hard time as well.

'I need to fight back. I need to cut them down to survive!'

Those thoughts ran through my mind while blocking the black robe's attacks. I swung my sword as I saw a small opening with everything that I had.

A feeling of something changing inside me washed over my body as I swung my sword and sliced through the black robe man.

Watching the enemy in front of me look at me with disbelief and shock, his body splits in half.

Feeling a sense of achievement, I was about to move my exhausted body to help the others only to see Byron turn his head towards me.

"ANNA, BEHIND YOU!"

Feeling a sudden danger behind me, I pulled up my sword to my body and turned around only to see a giant blade swinging towards me. Blocking it at the last second sent me flying towards the trees.

"ANNA!"

Hearing Theia's voice, my body started feeling pain rush through every part of my body.

"Block them."

Opening my eyes, I look at the Guardian slowly walking towards me as the others get surrounded by the black robes. Looking at the back, I noticed that the leader of the black robes was still smiling as if he was enjoying everything.

Watching as the Guardian raises its blade, despair slowly crept into my heart knowing that even my friends will die.

"Watch, experience, despair! Watch as your friend can't do anything! Experience your weakness as you can't do anything! Despair because you people will all di-"

As if something denied what he was about to say. Something pierced the Guardian's right shoulder and destroyed its whole shoulder along with the ground where the thing pierced it.

A deafening roar full of pain echoed as the Guardian stepped back as blood gushed out of its destroyed shoulder.

"Forgive me, Aravan."

Hearing a cold voice ring out behind the Guardian. I watch as something lands on the Guardian's shoulders and grabs the Guardian's head as it twists its head and pulls it off.

~~

-Resha-

Jumping down from Aravan's shoulder it collapses on the ground. I kneel beside it while placing its head beside its body.

Seeing tentacles wriggling growing out of its body before killing it, rage took over my mind only for it to be replaced with coldness as it cleared my mind.

A being that was supposed to guard and protect whatever is inside the ruins, a being that will never kill and instead help those that are in danger, that was what Aravan is. Seeing it being controlled along with its will still trying to escape made my rage turn colder.

"How dare you kill a beast that's slowly turning beautiful as chaos takes over it!?!"

Standing up, I glare at the worm that shouted with its filthy words.

"Uhk!"

"I'm someone that hunts every single one of you, worms."