The acrid air fumed at our lungs as we moved through the undergrowth, dodging twisted roots and smoldering branches. The forest around us was alive with crackling sounds of flames, every step releasing a plume of ash that mingled with the thick smoke around us. We pressed forward, all three of us scanning the shadows for any sign of movement, our senses on high alert.
“How is it that we’ve not faced a single fight yet?” Solara sounded bewildered as she shot me a look. “The monsters keep running.”
“I don’t know, don’t ask me,” I shrugged. “Let’s just hope we encounter some other monster soon.” Otherwise, this session was going to be a waste of time.
Other than the dogs, we’d encountered Scorch Lizards. They were fearful monsters by nature, so they too fled when we approached. It was somewhat annoying. We’d yet to find anything worth fighting, though the distant echoes promised that might not be the case for too long.
“...Stay alert,” Nebula said as I gripped my sword tighter, glancing at the girls. Both of them were also ready to jump into battle. Nebula must have felt the monsters ahead, and my Demonic Sphere confirmed her fear—something was waiting for us just beyond the next rise.
We walked for a bit more and paused. A troop of burning-tail monkeys loomed ahead, their beady eyes glinting as they watched us. Seven of them hung off branches, snarling and screeching at one another. Each had a tail tipped with flames, flickering dangerously close to the dried-out branches above.
Not that a fire would do any additional damage to this forest-! My thoughts came to a halt, and I shouted, “Careful!” As the girls quickly took the defensive.
The monkeys had noticed us, and they were attacking already.
They held fallen nuts and fruits, hurling them from one hand to another. They quickly lit up with their tails and then hurled our way. Flaming projectiles soon rained down on us. It was no [Fireball] Spell, but given the physical damage behind it, it might have been stronger.
I swung my sword, the blade fiercely slicing through the fiery balls thrown at me. Sparks flew, but none hit me. Beside me, Nebula moved with grace, her claws glowing red as she slashed forward. Energy claws left her hands and shot forward, cutting through the fireballs and sending parts of them flying back toward the monkeys.
Solara had the most impact. With a swift beat of her wings, she batted the rest of the balls away, watching with sharp eyes as they exploded against the monkeys.
The monkeys screeched, clearly frustrated that their little trick hadn’t worked. But they didn’t look injured from the hurled back attack. That level of fire did little damage to them. They reared back, ready to hurl another volley, but I was quicker.
“I’ll take care of them,” I said, stepping forward. They weren’t very strong, the strongest was at [Level 22], I could handle it. Solara stopped me with a raised hand.
“No,” she replied, her tone firm. “Please, allow me.” Without waiting for my answer, she took to the air, wings spread wide. Her feathers seemed to sharpen, bones lengthening into sleek blades. In a single, fluid motion, she spun a full 360 degrees. My eyes shimmered in amazement.
Her wings slashed through the air, and the monkeys were torn to pieces, limbs and tails flying, torsos severed into parts. Blood and intensities flew all over the area, falling into burning trees and letting out a smell of cooked meat. The ashes of their bodies settled around her like a twisted snowfall.
Solara landed gracefully, folding her wings back with a slight nod.
I couldn’t help but admire the display. “Not bad,” I admitted, but then I shook my head with a sigh. “But hey, I need the EXP too. If you take all the kills, I’m not going to level up here.”
“Ah…” She blinked, catching herself, then nodded. “Right, of course. I’ll let you handle the next ones,” she said, giving me an awkward smile that she quickly dropped.
“Don’t forget me,” Nebula said. “What do we do with the monkeys, though? I hear their tailbones are good material for magic staff. I need one.”
“Ah, yes, of course,” I patted her on the back. “We’ll leave the monkeys, and the academy staff will collect them. Although I’m not sure how or when.”
“I was wondering, won’t the other monsters eat their bodies if the staff are late?” Solara asked, and Nebula sighed. Truthfully, I had no answer to that. In the game, the process was automatic. Monsters died, and the monsters vanished into sparkles of light. And at the end of the class, the academy somehow had all the hunt there.
This was not a game; how was Katheran going to collect all this? Were there others hiding around?
“I hope we don’t lose our precious hunt,” she said, a little worried. Most [Mages] her age already had a Wand or Staff, but she didn’t. I thought she did, but apparently that dagger I bought for her was going to be her only weapon…
I was certain her father would have gotten her a Staff if she asked, but she didn’t. They could be quite expensive. I’d have bought her one if I knew this before.
After half a minute, we moved on from the area, stepping over the charred remains of the monkeys as we ventured further into the forest. The smell of smoke grew thicker, mingling with the sharp tang of scorched wood and singed fur.
Every now and then, I’d catch a glimpse of something moving in the underbrush, but when I turned, it was gone. Just the forest playing tricks, perhaps...
We traveled further, the heat becoming more intense. At one point, abruptly, shadows passed over us, flickering against the orange sky. My skin tingled in alertness.
“Up!” I shouted, and we all looked up to see hawks, wings spread wide, circling above us with flames trailing from their feathers. They were bigger than I remembered from the game, but then again, they’d always seemed larger when they were about to attack.
“Watch out!” I shouted just as the first of the hawks dived, wings tucked in tight, claws extended. They let out a shrill cry, flapping their wings and flames shot out from them, carving fiery arcs through the air. I ducked, feeling the heat singe my hair. Nebula and Solara moved with me, each taking on a hawk of their own.
Four hawks in total. Not too hard, but their fire attacks were strong. The air around us seemed to ripple with heat as they circled back, preparing for another dive.
“Uh, should I just fly up and kill them?” Solara asked, dodging another arc of fire.
“Don’t. They’ll circle you and kill you. They’re not weak,” I said, my eyes flickering to the text hovering above their heads.
[Level 21]
[Level 21]
[Level 20]
[Level 23]
“He’s right. Let’s fight together,” Nebula said and was the first to retaliate, her hands glowing with a crimson light. She pushed her palms forward and sent a wave of bloody mist-like energy at the nearest hawk, slicing through its wing. It let out a shriek, plummeting to the ground in a flurry of feathers and flame.
Solara, meanwhile, used her wings to shield herself from the heat, then struck back, sending a gust of wind that fanned the flames away from her and straight into another hawk’s path. She engaged against it seriously, her wings letting out a fiery aura.
I swung my sword hard, feeling its weight steady in my hands. True Demon Sword Art’s 2nd Form struck as one of the hawks came too close. It burst into embers, scattering like ash in the wind. “That’s three down,” I muttered, casting a glance at the fourth hawk. It hovered above us, wary now, its eyes darting between us as if calculating its next move.
Nebula’s gaze was fixed on it, and when it dived, she was ready. Her palms flashed, and with a quick yank, blood ropes formed out of thin air, wrapping around the hawk, and snapped its neck. It slipped, slicing through its beak, sending it spiraling to the ground. The body crumpled into a heap of smoldering feathers.
“Ugh, how frustrating,” she said, pointing. “Their beaks are good material for daggers. I could have sold them…”
Is she really that poor? I wondered while noting the sturdiness of the blackened beaks. “It’s fine. The other three will make up for it.” They’d make decent weapons.
The three of us stood there, observing the area, unscathed and surrounded by the remains of our kills. “If these are the only things we’re going to face, we’ll need to be bolder,” I said, sheathing my sword. “Low-level stuff won’t get us anywhere. We need monsters that’ll make our efforts worthwhile.”
I was saying that not just for the monsters’ blood but for the materials. I could handle 3rd Ascension monsters with decent ease, and I supposed that Nebula was the same. Solara shouldn’t lose either. Hunting 2nd Ascension beasts was a waste of time.
“I agree,” Nebula nodded in understanding. Better materials meant better weapons and stronger potions, things that would be essential for the days to come. So we’d have to move deeper into the forest, into places where the fire burned hotter and the monsters were stronger.
Solara had no complaints. We started moving again, this time heading deeper. Behind us, there was a pulse of intent, something almost predatory. I kept my senses alert.
****
I hadn’t told the girls about Sir Likard trailing us. It was mainly because Nebula was a nervous girl when it came to her secret. Her nervousness would only grow if she knew that she was being suspected by the Holy Knight, and that’d have made her fighting sluggish, which in turn would be more suspicious to the man. No need to take that chance.
“And here’s the Fireheart Tree! This much should be enough, right?” Solara’s voice broke through the crackle of the burning forest. She crouched near the gnarled roots of a massive, fiery tree, its bark shimmering with embers that pulsed like a heartbeat. She looked back at me, a question in her eyes, holding up a handful of charred leaves.
“Yeah,” I nodded, surveying the haul. “That should do it. We won’t need more.” We’d already collected the other two herbs. The Fireheart Tree was one of the three herbs I needed, and it’d been a stroke of luck finding it so fast. I stashed the leaves in my pack, careful not to crush them.
When they were out of prying eyes, I deposited the herbs in my [Soul Storage].
“How did you manage to fit so much in that bag?” Nebula asked. She approached, glancing between us with a frown. “No, what’s this all about, to begin with? Are we really collecting herbs in the middle of a monster hunt? What for?”
I shrugged, avoiding her gaze. “Just some rare ingredients. You know, useful stuff.” I hoped that’d be enough to deflect her curiosity. Solara caught on, nodding along.
“Yeah, we thought they might come in handy later. Nothing serious.” Solara kept her tone light, though she shot me a quick side glance.
Nebula narrowed her eyes but didn’t press the issue. “Fine… I guess it’s none of my business.” She turned back to the path ahead, and I exhaled, relieved.
If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
I wasn’t ready to explain the whole ritual to her. I wanted to explain these things to her someday, but… I honestly didn’t trust Nebula that much. It was because… no, there wasn’t any real reason. Especially since Lilian and Solara already knew.
I just had a bias of seeing her fight against Demons alongside some of the other main characters back in the game, so a part of me feared exposure. I knew it was not true as I knew her secret and never revealed it, and Nebula wasn’t the backstabbing type, but…
I guess I’ll tell her after this. I decided with a sigh. No matter what, she was my fiancé. She deserved to know.
We resumed our march, the forest closing in around us as we walked deeper into the smoldering maze of charred trees and ash. Smoke and ash stung our lungs, sticking to our skin like an unwelcome second layer as we continued deeper into the forest. Everything around us crackled with more flames, the sound of smoldering branches echoed through the forest, accompanied by the occasional snap of a twig.
We’d encountered more monsters. Mostly monkeys. It seemed to be their territory. I had yet to encounter a Level-Up, but Solara had. She was still 2nd Ascension, when Nebula and I stood at the 3rd. It seems it was incredibly hard to level up by only killing monsters below our ranks. We needed stronger monsters.
“I sense a larger-than-normal presence ahead,” Nebula said, and I nodded, sensing it too. My Demonic Sphere picked up a presence ahead that was far clearer than her vague words. There was something waiting for us, hidden just beyond the next bend. But before that, there were smaller mobs around the area as if to protect the larger beast.
We walked quietly, our steps measured.
We came to a stop, a little surprised by the monsters ahead. In hindsight, it was another burning-tail monkey, but this one had two tails. Both tails flickered with a more intense flame, casting light across the underbrush.
[Level 29]
It was still at 2nd Ascension. It wasn’t much stronger than the others, but it felt different. It watched us with a feral intelligence, and I felt a shift in the air. “This one’s an evolution of the others,” I said. “It’s not much tougher, but we should be careful.”
Nebula’s claws glowed faintly as she stepped forward, mirroring the monkey’s movements. “Let’s take it down quickly.”
Without another word, the monkey lunged, launching itself from a branch, flames whipping from its tails. I dodged, ducking low, and swung my sword. The blade connected, cutting through one of its tails.
It let out a screech, but it wasn’t ready to fall yet. Nebula darted in, her claws flashing as she slashed through its side. The monkey tried to fight back, but Nebula sliced again. Within moments, it crumpled to the ground, its fire snuffed out.
“Well, that’s taken care of,” I said, wiping the ash off my blade. “But I’m sensing that more of his kind are surrounding the area in a circle. It’s as if these guys are protecting something. Meaning there’s something stronger in this area.”
“Let’s head in, then?” Solara said, looking at me. I nodded. The three of us pushed further into the thicket, stepping through a dense patch of undergrowth and emerged on the other side. I stopped, raising a hand and taking in the sight before us.
A whole troop of two-tailed monkeys waited a bit further ahead, watching us with those same beady eyes. And behind them, a hulking figure loomed—a massive ape, the size of a small house, with three flaming tails arcing behind it. My heart skipped.
[Level 41]
A Boss Monster.
The Flame King Ape.
It had multiple body parts that could be turned into weapons, and its blood was also precious. It could be a good hunt. But, I watched it, it’s not weak.
It lay on its side, relaxed as it picked its ear. It didn’t seem threatened by us. Naturally so. It wasn’t going to be an easy fight for us. The beast’s gaze fixed on us, a low growl rumbling from its chest that sent a shiver across the heart of the forest. “...Looks like we’ve found something big,” I muttered, gripping my sword tighter.
Nebula’s eyes narrowed. “And it doesn’t look too happy to see us.”
The ape let out a bellowing roar that shook the ground, and in an instant, the monkeys charged, leaping from branches, flames flaring as they hurled projectiles our way.
I ducked, sidestepping as a flaming nut whizzed past my head. Nebula moved beside me, her claws extending as she slashed through the air, sending the fireballs back toward the monkeys. Solara took to the air, wings beating as she deflected the projectiles with a quick swipe, watching them explode against the trees.
“Keep the monkeys busy! I’ll take on the big guy!” I shouted, charging toward the ape.
“What?! Are you crazy?!” Nebula shouted, unsure if I had what it took to charge a Boss Monster on my own. I was about to prove to her that I did, but before I could get close, one of its massive hands came crashing down, sending a shockwave through the ground.
I stumbled, barely managing to dodge the blow.
The monkeys swarmed, each one a blur of teeth and claws. I swung my sword in a wide arc, using [True Demon Sword Art, First Form] cutting through two at once, but they kept coming, their tails blazing as they lashed out.
“You should be more careful,” Solara said as she landed beside me, wings spread wide as she shielded herself from the onslaught. In front of us, Nebula fought fiercely against the small monkeys, her blood magic swirling around her as she slashed and tore through the creatures.
“[Blood Magic: Crimson Claw]!!” Blood-red claws shot forward, slashing through the air and ripping into a charging monkey. The beast screeched and fell mid-leap, lifeless before it hit the ground.
Another monkey lunged, teeth bared, but Nebula raised her hand again, voice steady. “[Blood Magic: Blood Bind]!”
Mist-like tendrils snapped around the creature, wrapping tight as it thrashed. With a flick of her wrist, she slammed it to the ground, its skull cracking on impact. They kept coming. And she faced them all the same.
Nebula clasped her hands together, whispering, “[Blood Magic: Scarlet Cascade].” The effect of her chant rippled in the reflection of my eyes. Blood-red needles erupted from her fingers, a storm of crimson that shredded through the next wave of monkeys. Their bodies fell, riddled with holes, twitching as the last embers of their tails burned out.
Another larger monkey leaped from above, but she didn’t flinch.
“[Blood Magic: Blood Reaver]!” she shouted, her hands moving in a swift arc. Blades of blood spun around her like a crimson vortex, slicing through the beast the instant it touched the circle. Fur and bone scattered, vanishing into the smoky air.
The last of them hesitated, but there was no retreat. “Come here,” Nebula stood amidst the chaos, her magic pulsing around her like a living thing. She looked like a force of nature, making me almost whistle.
“She’s strong…” Solara muttered, surprised as she watched my fiance’s back. It was true, Nebula was fierce and powerful. She was doing amazing against the smaller monkeys, but I realized it wouldn’t last for long.
The ape was finally getting up. Its gaze was fixed on us.
With a sudden, earth-shaking lunge, the ape charged. “I’ll weaken it,” Solara said and lunged forward. She was fast, a blur against the wind, as she rushed toward the ape. And yet, when the ape’s massive red-furred hand moved, she was swatted to the side like a ragdoll.
She flew across the air, slamming into a tree with a sickening crunch. Her wing bent at an awkward angle, and she fell down, groaning.
“Argh! Goddammit…!” She grumbled, turning on the ground and failing to push herself up. I looked at her, holding her clutch her wings. She smiled at me awkwardly, “I, uh, need just a moment…” she managed, gritting her teeth.
I shook my head. She needs to choose her opponents better. But I barely had time to nod before the ape was on me, fists swinging. My sword cut through the wind in a shriek. My blade met it head-on, but when the metal met its thick hide, it cracked.
The blade splintered, shards falling to the ground, and I was left holding a useless hilt.
“Careful, Iskandaar!” Nebula shouted in fear from amid the two-tailed monkeys she was locked within. I just sighed. Guess I’ll make a new sword with the bone from his tails. I threw the remnants of the sword aside, clenching my fists as I called forth my fist art.
Qi surged through me, igniting every muscle. Then it exploded outward with my swing.
[True Demon Fist Art, Second Form: The Smoldering Strikes of the Serpent King]!
I gained it during the surge of Levels when I touched Level 30, and I hadn’t yet tested it out against a real opponent. The technique proved itself in real-time as my fists shot forward, the strike leaving a trail of dark flame that wrapped around the ape like a serpent’s coils.
The moment seemed to slow down as if to register the attack; the flames seared into its flesh, leaving smoldering marks that hissed and smoked. I huffed. Then my fists swung again.
[True Demon Fist Art, Second Form: The Smoldering Strikes of the Serpent King]!
[True Demon Fist Art, Second Form: The Smoldering Strikes of the Serpent King]!
[True Demon Fist Art, Second Form: The Smoldering Strikes of the Serpent King]!
….
I spammed the technique, practically floating above the ground for those few seconds as the ape roared, stumbling back, but it didn’t falter. It grew injured, but it’d take more than that to kill this bastard. Even with the burning curse of the Serpent King, it pushed forward relentlessly.
“Gargh!” The ape growled as I breathed out, readying myself to meet its wide palm. But before I could do so, Nebula moved beside me, her claws flashing as they shot forward and tore into the ape’s side, but it swung a massive fist, knocking her back.
“[Blood Magic: Carmine Shield]!” She managed to shout in time, blocking the attack at the last second. She rolled to her feet, blood magic pulsing around her as she readied another attack. I could see the strain on her face. “We bit off more than we can chew…” She muttered although I disagreed.
I could take down a monster like that without much effort. The Star Affinity was holding me back, but not enough that it’d cost us any serious injuries. “Nebula, stay down for a moment,” I jumped back from the to talk to her. I couldn’t show her all my cards.
My full power would blow my cover – I’d fail to keep my Star Affinity intact – and that’d be bad. I’d have to defeat the ape with what I had. “Leave it to me,” I said and turned to the ape again. I moved in for another strike, my fists a blur of seemingly dark flames, but the ape was faster this time.
It caught me off guard, its massive hand swatting me aside. I crossed my arms, blocking the attack even though my bones screamed in pain. I could handle it. I hit the ground hard, pain lancing through my side, but I forced myself back up, ready to charge again.
“Enough of this!” Nebula’s shivering voice cut through the air. She was panicking hard. From how loud her voice was, it seemed she fully believed that I didn’t have the situation under control.
Oh no, I turned to see her standing higher, her aura darkening as a blurry aura seemed unfurled from her back. “Iskandaar, stay away…” she said.
Oh shit, not good. “Nebula, don’t!” I shouted, but it was too late. Solara getting swatted aside with her wings broken, and then me getting the same treatment soon after had her convinced that the situation was dire. She was going to use an unnecessary technique.
She clapped her hands together, blood magic swirling around her in a vortex. The air grew thick, and I felt the shift in power. She growled, “[Vampiric Magic: Crimson Vortex of the Bloody Bats]!”
Blood bubbled from her body. Black, leather wings grew from her back, tingling as they flapped, raising her to the air. An oppressive aura of extreme red fluttered around her as if she were standing at the center of a typhoon. She looked like a storm of red as if all the red in the world belonged to her. The Queen in Red. Her blue eyes also turned red, and then the vampire hissed. The blood energy exploded out of her, condensing instantly, taking the shape of a tide of dozens of bats that swarmed out her.
They shot forward, a living tide of crimson aura that crashed into the ape, pouring into its nostrils, ears, and mouth. It was gruesome. The large creature thrashed, its roars muffled by the onslaught. And then, with a sickening crunch, the bats exploded from within, the ape’s body rupturing in a spray of red mist.
The forest fell silent, the only sound the crackle of lingering flames. I staggered, feeling the rush of victory tempered by the exhaustion that weighed down every limb. A notification flashed in my vision.
[The Flame King Ape has been killed. Although you haven’t landed the last blow, your merit to his death is considerable. You've earned experience points.]
[You've leveled up!]
[The Heavenly Demon Skill Tree’s proficiency has reached 27.49%. You've been enlightened about a technique!]
[...You've processed and learned the third move of the True Demon Fist Art.]
[Additional knowledge about ‘fist martial arts’ in general comes with the technique to help you properly perform it. The knowledge is intricate.]
Finally. I’d leveled up and also gained the third form of the True Demon Fist Art. My arsenal had increased, and I had a feeling I’d need that soon. My heart thrummed in my chest, the end of my hair standing for what was to come. My blood felt hot.
Nebula dropped to her knees, her breaths coming in ragged gasps. Her transformation had come off. That [Skill] was definitely some kind of ultimate technique. She didn’t need to use it, she had underestimated me. I went to her, helping her up just as Solara limped over, her wing tucked against her side, almost healed.
Solara looked at Nebula with a mix of awe and confusion. “What… what was that Skill? That transformation…”
Nebula met her gaze, still catching her breath. “....” She couldn’t find the words to answer that. I looked at Solara, my gaze telling her to keep her mouth shut. Before any further conversation could flow, a voice cut through the silence, cold and dripping with contempt.
“Oh, silence isn’t the answer, for she’s not the only one curious about that.”
We turned, our necks stiff. My jaws clenched as the figure of Sir Likard, the Mountain, strode toward us with a grim expression. The fire crackled behind him, and the forest burned but his gaze burned brighter. His eyes were on Nebula, eyes sharp as blades.
“So, how does it feel to kill young, innocent students, you filthy vampire?” The accusation hung in the air, heavy and intense.
Nebula had brought her own demise out of panic. The Holy Knight had seen everything, and the worst outcome had happened. My mind was a whirlwind.