Chapter 204
A thick layer of snow covered the forest floor, muffling every step and sound. Trees loomed like silent watchers, their branches heavy with frost. Just ahead, a giant crater spread across the land, a deep wound in the ground, surrounded by towering walls built to shield the nearby base. It was cold, still, but something dangerous stirred in the woods.
Inside the walls, a squad of guards were on alert. Among them were Gare, Baret, and young Chris, no longer the unsure kid he had once been. Their eyes were sharp, their movements steady. Today wasn't just about survival—it was a coordinated hunt.
The forest echoed with a low growl. The monsters had come.
A pack of them burst through the treeline—twisted, hulking beasts with bone spikes along their backs and red, glowing eyes. Without hesitation, the three hunters charged forward together.
"Now!" Gare shouted.
He swung his sword low, slashing through the first creature's leg with practiced ease. His movements were efficient and sharp, his blade glowing faintly with a mana-infused edge. Years of experience shaped every step he took.
Baret dashed in from the side, his long sword spinning like a wheel. He had developed a new grip style, using both hands for control and spinning for power. With a roar, he cut down another monster, its thick hide no match for his well-timed strike.
Chris, once the most inexperienced of them, now moved with surprising speed. He didn't have their raw strength, but he had agility and sharp eyes. Sliding under a monster's claw, he drove his short blade straight into its gut. He flipped back before it fell, landing beside Gare.
"Keep to the formation!" Baret shouted.
"Got it!" Chris replied, breathing hard but focused.
The group moved as one—striking, pulling back, circling around. They didn't give the monsters time to regroup.
Gare broke through a smaller one's defense and knocked it down with a hard elbow, while Chris finished it off from behind. Baret held the right flank, facing two beasts at once. He blocked their strikes, ducked a tail swipe, then parried a claw and countered with a clean upward slice.