Chương 390: New Camp Found

(Around a Week later (Vale POV)) Vale and the others moved through the dense forest, the forest drake following several paces behind them with her young close at her side. She had apparently come to understand that Vale and his companions meant to protect her and her offspring, and despite being a Category Four beast herself, she seemed unusually interested in the arrangement. She was clearly an exception to the norm.

Her intelligence far exceeded that of most creatures within her category, perhaps even surpassing that of the majority of Category Five beasts. She watched the group constantly, studying their movements and listening to their conversations with an awareness that bordered on human. Whatever the reason, the drake had chosen to remain with them. Korin walked at the front as usual, his eyes scanning the trees for any sudden threat.

He was always the first line of defense, ready to confront anything foolish enough to approach the group. Vale followed behind him, his pace steady but uneven. His recent injury had nearly killed him, and although Eskar had managed to save his life, the damage had not simply vanished. Every few steps reminded him of how close he had come to death. Eskar himself walked a short distance ahead of Vale, looking as though the life had been drained from his body.

The technique he had used to save Vale had taken an enormous toll on him, leaving him exhausted enough that Nova had to support most of his weight. The blonde girl, however, seemed far too happy about carrying him. Behind Vale walked Nym. She seemed far more confident than before, a small smile resting upon her face as she watched Vale struggle through the forest. Shade remained wrapped around his wrist like a living bracelet.

The shadow had refused to leave his side since the incident, almost as though it believed abandoning him had been a failure as his guardian. After several more hours of walking, Korin suddenly stopped.

"I think we're getting close to a clearing," he said.

"I'll check first." Vale raised a thumb.

"All fine with me. I could use the rest."

"Just don't make it too long," Eskar muttered. He suddenly covered his mouth. Then he bolted toward the bushes. A moment later, the sound of vomiting echoed through the forest. Everyone stared at him in awkward silence.

"Goddammit," Eskar muttered after recovering enough to speak.

"Couldn't you have not gotten hurt, Vale? Using that technique caused whatever the hell this is, and I don't like it one bit." Vale rolled his eyes.

"Like I knew that thing would be that strong. I survived, didn't I? That's the good news." Eskar bent forward again, vomiting into the bushes. When he finally managed to stand, he wiped his mouth and glared at Vale.

"Even if you survived, we're not splitting up again. That was a stupid plan to begin with. We didn't even know the thing's category. If we had stayed together, Korin and I could have handled a Category Six. Maybe even something stronger." He paused.

"No. Remove the maybe. We could have handled something stronger if I went all out." Korin stared at him... then at Vale... then back at Eskar. His expression slowly became one of mild disbelief. Nym and Nova watched from a short distance away as the two continued bickering. Korin eventually sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Well, they're certainly lively considering their condition." This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. He turned toward one of the enormous trees. Then he began climbing. His body moved with startling speed. His hands dug into the thick bark as he pulled himself upward, his fingers sinking deep enough to find purchase without leaving even a splinter in his palms. His movements were almost animalistic, each motion powerful.

He climbed higher and higher until the forest floor became distant beneath him. Finally, he reached the top. Korin paused. The world opened before him. A gentle wind swept across his body, carrying the scent of leaves and distant water. Massive birds soared through the blue sky, their silhouettes gliding between the clouds. Beneath them stretched an ocean of emerald trees, seemingly without end. Korin breathed deeply, for a moment, he simply looked. Then he began searching.

His eyes swept across the forest until he finally found what they were looking for. A massive opening, and within that opening, an enormous lake.

"Well," Korin muttered, "that certainly looks good." He watched the clearing carefully. Countless herbivores gathered around the crystal-clear water, drinking peacefully. Yet there were no predators in sight. No movement concealed among the grass. No shadows lurking around the lake. It appeared safe. Korin nodded to himself. Then he stepped off the tree. His body dropped several dozen meters before he slammed one hand into the trunk. The impact stopped his descent almost instantly.

He swung around the tree and landed smoothly on the ground. A small smile appeared on his face when he saw Vale and Eskar still arguing. For some reason, the sight made him happy.

'This is nice.' He had never felt this comfortable before. Korin had never possessed many friends beyond Nym. He had always been afraid of hurting people, afraid that his power would eventually turn against those closest to him. His reputation as a Paragon killer had hardly made things easier. But now... it didn't matter. He had friends. People he could trust. People who trusted him. They felt almost like family.

'Are you happy for me... Dad?' His smile faded as the memory returned. Blood and silence... and the lifeless body of his father lying before him. The father he had killed. Korin's chest tightened. That memory had never truly left him. It followed him every day, buried somewhere deep within his mind, waiting for the smallest opening to resurface. But he could not allow it to decide the rest of his life. He had new friends now. And he wanted to become strong enough to protect them. Just as his father once had.

Korin smiled again. Then he cleared his throat.

"Hey, guys. Not to bother you, but I found a location. Let's head out." Vale looked over.

"Sure. Come on, you two. I think both of us want some proper rest after everything that happened." He glanced toward Eskar. Eskar gave a tired nod.

"Yeah. That sounds good." The group continued through the forest. Nearly half an hour passed before they finally reached the clearing. The sight waiting for them was beautiful. Emerald grass stretched across the open land, swaying gently beneath the wind. The enormous lake reflected the sky like polished glass, its surface so clear that the depths beneath it could almost be seen. Herds of herbivores gathered along the shoreline, drinking peacefully beneath the afternoon sun. Vale stared.

"So this is what you found..." The others were equally impressed. Even Nym stopped to admire the scenery. The animals, however, were less enthusiastic about their arrival. One by one, they raised their heads and stared at the newcomers. Then they began leaving. Vale frowned.

"Oh, come on. We aren't that scary, are we?" He turned toward Korin.

"Good job finding this place. It looks amazing." Korin smiled faintly. The others had already begun unloading their supplies from the Forest Drake.

"Let's set up camp as soon as we can," Nym said.

"Yeah," Nova added enthusiastically.

"I want a good meal and then some nice sleep." Eskar gave a tired smile. Then his gaze shifted toward Vale. His expression changed. His eye widened. Something was wrong. Behind Vale, the surface of the lake was moving. At first, Eskar thought it was simply a current. Then he noticed the shape beneath it. Something enormous.

"E-" He stopped himself. The water shifted again. A massive silhouette coiled beneath the surface, its body so enormous that the lake itself seemed too small to contain it. Eskar slowly raised one hand.

"Whatever happens... nobody move." The others froze. Vale turned, then he saw it. The lake began to rise. Water cascaded from something emerging at its center, forming a massive waterfall around an enormous head. Scales slowly broke through the surface, followed by a long, serpentine neck. The creature continued rising. Its body coiled beneath the lake like a living mountain. Then its head emerged completely. A serpent.

It was larger than the entire lake itself, its immense body disappearing beneath the water as though the lake were nothing more than a shallow puddle around it. The forest fell silent. Even the forest drake froze. Korin's expression hardened. Nym's smile vanished. Nova slowly lowered the supplies in her hands. Vale stared upward. Eskar's breathing became shallow. He already knew. There was no mistaking that presence.

"A Category Six..." he whispered. The serpent's enormous eyes opened. The entire clearing seemed to tremble beneath its gaze.

"At the very least."