Nine days had passed since the war in Crimson Village. Now, Ren, Ryota, and Hayato were heading toward the capital of the kingdom. But to get there, they had to pass through a dangerous forest known for its magical beasts.
They knew it wouldn't be an easy journey. Hayato was especially cautious, expecting an attack at any time. Ren didn't know much about these creatures, and Ryota only had vague, fake memories about them. They set off once Hayato's injuries had healed slightly.
But to their surprise, the forest was… quiet. Too quiet. Although they could sense the presence of magical beasts, none came close.
Hayato frowned. "Why the heck aren't they attacking us? This has never happened before."
As they moved deeper into the forest, they spotted a huge, terrifying beast—the strongest one in the area. Hayato's voice trembled slightly. "Fighting that thing would be nearly impossible…"
But then something strange happened.
The powerful beast took a step back—its eyes wide with fear. And then… it ran.
From the beast's view, Ren's body was radiating an immense dark aura—not one, but two overwhelming auras. The sheer presence was enough to scare even the most dangerous creature in the forest.
Hayato was stunned. "That thing was completely berserk… and it ran away? That makes no sense."
Flashback – Inside the Cave
Hayato had warned them earlier, "To reach the capital, we'll need to cross many towns, villages, and dangerous forests. The first one is the Forest of Magical Beasts."
Ren asked, "What's a magical beast?"
"They're creatures with magic, mostly using basic elements," Hayato explained. "Some are weak, but others are insanely strong. They're real trouble."
Back to the Present
Ren looked around. "Hayato, didn't you say they'd be a huge problem? Why aren't they attacking?"
"I'm just as shocked as you," Hayato admitted. "I've never heard of magical beasts running away from humans."
Ryota narrowed his eyes. "It's suspicious. Something's off."
Suddenly, a scream echoed through the trees.
"A boy!" Ren shouted. "He might be in danger!"
"You're right," Ryota said quickly.
Hayato tried to stand, but winced. "I'll slow you down…"
Ren turned to Ryota. "Stay with him. I'll go ahead."
Using Atomic Control, Ren burst forward at incredible speed. When he reached the source of the scream, he saw a boy—around 18 years old—surrounded by magical beasts.
Ren didn't hesitate. He launched Aerowaves to protect the boy, forcing the beasts back. But when the creatures laid eyes on Ren, their anger turned into terror. One by one, they fled.
Ren approached the boy, checking his condition. "Looks like he's not hurt. But what's he doing here alone?"