Witnessing the massacre in front of him, Shye was petrified as Alan's mangled corpse and lifeless eyes made his heart tremble.
Being killed by a monstrous beast looked way more painful and brutal.
"AAAAHHHH!!"
A few seconds after Alan's death, another scream reverberated across the forest, snapping Shye out of his negative thoughts and prompting him to once again look at the savage proceedings a few hundred meters from his location.
This time, the scream came from the lone priestess of the group.
The only reason why the platinum-ruby adventurer party managed to contain the Winged Boarger earlier was due to Alan's lightning spells which forced the creature to prioritize dodging over attacking.
Now that Alan was gone, the entire party easily crumbled as not a single one of them posed a threat to the weird creature.
Recognizing that the once cocky yet vibrant party was on the brink of being annihilated, Shye's mind raced with the decision of whether to assist the troubled adventurers or prioritize his own survival.
'H-Hmmph...These bastards weren't kind to me so why should I help them?' he thought, gnashing his teeth as he forced himself to leave the scene with a heavy heart.
He was nothing but a rookie unregistered adventurer while these guys were already platinum to ruby-tier veterans.
Moreover, not only was the help he could provide limited, but he would probably be in trouble himself should he choose to help them, hence, he was torn.
Still, he decided to prioritize his own little life. The adventurers were already veterans and they should've prepared extensively.
He had no obligation to help them at all.
However, his heart vehemently protested; he wanted to aid them, even if it meant putting his own life in jeopardy.
"ARGHH! TO HELL WITH IT! WHY CAN'T I JUST MIND MY OWN BUSINESS?!" Shye exclaimed in frustration as he unsheathed both greatswords—one imbued with the power of water, the other crackling with lightning.
Fortunately, his brain now works fast, enabling him to swiftly exploit his backward momentum for an escape, promptly sprinting away from the ferocious creature as he landed on the ground and quickly putting significant distance between them.
Realizing what Shye's plan was, the winged creature roared in anger.
It then started its mad chase, occasionally flapping its wings to easily close the distance.
As for Shye, who was supposed to be chilling on the safe path but was now being hounded by a f*cking flying tiger pig, he gnashed his teeth so hard that it started producing weird noises.
He made a solemn promise to himself never to offer assistance without thorough analysis in the future—ever again.
Luckily, Shye wasn't completely overpowered in terms of strength. Thus, despite being sent flying back and spitting out blood after each clash, he managed to cover a significant distance.
Hopefully, the dastardly thing would stop chasing him.
As if the heavens heard his plea, the Winged Boarger stopped chasing him a short while later, seemingly afraid to enter the area he ran off to.
Given that Shye couldn't afford to retrace his steps, he remained oblivious to the fate of the creature pursuing him, leaving him clueless about the area he was currently in.
If only he had noticed the Winged Boarger's moment of hesitation, he might have deduced that the area he had entered was far more perilous than where he had been before.
Fortunately, humans had their own sharp instincts when it came to sensing danger, albeit not as sharp as a monstrous creature's.
Hence, upon recognizing the misty surroundings he had entered, Shye raised his vigilance, proceeding with caution and silence to avoid drawing the attention of any other perilous creatures.
As he walked through the shrubbery, it was inevitable for Shye to step on a few twigs, prompting it to produce a sharp snapping sound that reverberated in the silent forest.
By this time, Shye's heart was pounding out of his chest in anxiousness.
Somehow, he felt that someone, or rather—something, was watching him from somewhere. Waiting patiently as he walked deeper and deeper into the mist's embrace.