Chapter 4 Out Of Luck

Chapter 4 Out Of Luck

"Ha! Get your hopes up? Bah! No matter the kind of talent you awaken, my love for you shall not waver, my son."

Northern muttered under his breath, "As if you have a choice."

"Come again, boy?"

"Nothing old man, just face your front and let's move in peace."

"I thought so... you better"

"Yea. Sure."

They continued in silence through the dense forest. After a while, Shin grew suspicious—

It's been a while since they entered the forest and yet they had not encountered a single monster.

In Ul'Tra-el's forests, monsters lurked in abundance. This could be blamed on rifts that are not challenged in time and therefore a 'shattering' occurs -- this causes monsters to pour out of the rifts and attack humans.

Some of the monsters have come to blend with the natural environment of Ul'Tra-el after escaping slaughter. Through three thousand years, they've come to be available in different regions through out the world.

Although less dangerous than those in rifts, accurate preparation was paramount before anyone could dare to hunt them. In fact, a drifter never hunted alone; the ferocious beasts could easily overpower a lone fighter.

Yet in fifteen years of hunting, with extensive knowledge of his quarry, Shin had always emerged victorious.

He was cautious and meticulous in his plans. He knew the folly of recklessness more than anyone. To face the forest's monsters unprepared meant almost certain death.

Initially, Shin refused to bring Northern on hunts, but his wife Eisha convinced him otherwise. To Shin's surprise, Northern proved an asset—intently observant, adept at strategizing based on monster weaknesses Shin targeted.

Unlike other kids, he wasn't reckless and wouldn't just wander off while his father was busy hunting. He would pay rapt attention.

He was also a tremendous help when it came to building a plan based on the knowledge of the monster that Shin wanted to hunt.

So over the years Shin was almost forgetting that Northern was just a kid too... well, on the outside at the very least.

And most especially the both of them had a very fantastic element guiding them through the way. Luck.

But now, something was amiss. At the very least, they should have spotted aerial creatures too quick and clever to kill.

"Something's wrong..." Shin muttered, surveying the eerily quiet forest.

"Too quiet... it's like the life in this forest has been driven away," he continued, his concern palpable.

Northern watched his father intently, sensing his unease.

"Shin, is everything alright?" he inquired cautiously. Gét latest novel chapters on nov(e)lbj/n(.)c/om

Shin struggled to recall something, his expression conflicted as he grappled with his thoughts.

His eyes widened in realization. He spurred their steed into a frenzied gallop.

"I forgot! The full moon was three days ago!"

Confusion flooded Northern. What danger lurked in the wake of the full moon? Though they never hunted those days, he never thought to ask why.

What could terrify even the unflappable Shin?

Of course, Northern knew better than to let curiosity get the best of him. He was as focused on getting out of this place as his father was.

"You have no say in this little boy."

The monstrous creature prowled, its lustrous black fur glinting in the muted forest light.

Gnashing teeth and throaty snarls betrayed its bloodthirst as it sized up the two humans, hate-filled eyes tracking their every movement.

Immediately he sighted an opening, as the beast moved to the other side. Shin shouted:

"Now boy, go!"

Northern hesitated, but his father roared, "Go!"

The monster struck as Northern spun on his heels.

But Shin spurled towards it, swinging out his sword. It slammed its bulk against Shin, who grunted as he strained to brace himself, boots carving furrows in the dirt.

Northern sprinted through the trees, heart hammering in his ears, his father's groan echoing behind.

Shin's muscles tensed as the creature powerfully pushed forward. Suddenly the beast retreated in a spring of motion, Shin seeing the quick opening swung his sword at the beast but before he could complete the arch –

The beast lunged at him with a bone-chilling roar, its heavy paw slashing with ragged claws. Shin, realizing he'd been ensnared, swiftly spun away, but the beast was too close for him to escape unscathed.

Though he managed to avoid serious injury, a shallow gash marred his arm thanks to his quick reflexes. As two tentacles darted forth like thrown darts, he ducked low, evading them before leaping back to gain distance.

The beast relentlessly pressed forward, its appendages closing in around Shin. One tentacle aimed for his midsection while its maw sought to crush his shoulder with razor-sharp teeth.

Twisting desperately, Shin narrowly evaded the worst, but not without a bloody wound to his side.

Without hesitation, the creature attacked again, its tentacles, fangs, and claws working in ruthless coordination. Despite the searing pain and blood loss, Shin relied on his experience to counter and evade, striking back whenever an opportunity arose.

Each clash of steel against thorny edges echoed through the forest as Shin and the beast engaged in a deadly dance. Despite the creature's swift and powerful tentacles, Shin matched its speed with his longsword, each strike bringing him closer to victory.

At first, Shin struggled to adapt to the beast's ferocity, but as the battle raged on, he grew more calculated, exploiting its patterns to his advantage. Sweat streamed down his face as he darted and parried, leaving shallow scars on the beast's black fur with each well-placed blow.

As tension filled the air, Shin seized a moment of bravery, striking a vulnerable spot beneath the creature's forelegs.

A guttural roar echoed through the clearing, signaling the beast's pain.

And reaching Northern who was currently running away with a paled face.

He suddenly stopped, realizing...

'What am I doing right now?'

He was running away, leaving Shin to deal with a hery dangerous beast on his own. Northern gritted his teeth as he realized how pathetic he had been.

He understood that he was a kid, it wasn't a bad thing that he ran... except that he wasn't a kid and compared to other kids, he had the mental fortitude to stay and fight with Shin. But he ran to save his own ass.

His fist trembled as he clenched tightly. Then slowly he turned around.

He looked at the distance he was running from.

"Well, here goes nothing..."

He sprawled into motion, running towards the direction he should be running away from. A dangerous spark appeared in his eyes as he straightened his face and moved his legs faster.

Back in the fray, the forest seemed to hold its breath as Shin and the beast clashed with relentless ferocity. Each strike of their weapons reverberated through the air, cracking the ground beneath them as if nature itself trembled at their confrontation.