Chapter 6: The Scent of Hunger
The smell of blood reeked in the air, a pungent and sticky scent that clung to our clothes, our skin, every corner of the battlefield. The corpses of the chimera and its fragments littered the ground, limbs twisted at impossible angles, their mutated flesh still smoking under the waning light of day. The silence that followed the monster's death did not last. A distant rustling, the cracking of branches... something was approaching.
Jules was the first to break the stupor. His gaze scanned the darkness between the trees, his jaw clenched.
"We need to move."
His voice was hoarse, tense. He didn't need to explain why. We all knew. Blood and shredded flesh would inevitably attract other creatures. And in our current state, we couldn't afford another fight here.
I forced myself to stand, my body protesting vehemently. Around me, the others moved slowly, fatigue and pain hindering every motion. But we had no luxury to hesitate.
Before leaving, an impulse drove me to open the notification interface blinking in the corner of my vision.
You have defeated a [Chimera Xylorath (Evolved) – Level 12] !
You have obtained the Title [Tutorial Forerunner] !
Your class [Light Warrior] has reached level 2 !
Your class [Light Warrior] has reached level 3 !
A bitter smirk escaped me. It was ironic to receive these gains after a battle where we had barely escaped annihilation. But the rewards were there.