The night was quiet
but the forest was not. A dark moon hung in the sky, and the air felt cold enough to freeze breath. Bones and skulls were scattered across the ground, almost like the forest itself was built on the remains of something ancient. The trees stood tall and twisted, blocking the moonlight except for a few faint beams.
From inside the shadows, a man slowly walked out. His entire body was glowing with a soft golden aura, lighting up the skulls beneath his feet. His expression was calm, but his eyes carried a wild power.
Another figure walked out from the opposite side of the forest. His face was hidden by darkness, and his presence felt heavy. Neither spoke at first. They only stood there, facing the direction of the cave where screams had echoed earlier.
Finally, the golden-aura man spoke.His name was Raken.
Raken said, "The man we caught earlier… he knew too much about our nature. That's why I killed him."
The unnamed man shook his head slowly."You shouldn't have done that. If we kill here, people will notice. They'll start searching. They might find out about our existence."
Raken let out a short laugh."Do you think I'm that stupid? I buried him deep in that cave. People will think a tiger or some night beast got him. That's all."
The unknown man didn't answer. He only looked at Raken for a moment, then turned away.His voice was faint as he left.
"Just don't cause a mess."
He vanished into the forest, leaving Raken alone.
Raken tilted his head up, staring at the moon. His golden eyes reflected the light as he whispered to himself,"Even after killing him… I still feel something empty."
His aura surged. It grew brighter and thicker, swirling around his body like a storm. His bones cracked, his muscles expanded, and his shape began to change. In a few seconds, Raken had transformed into a massive werewolf with golden fur shining under the moon.
He bent his legs, and in one powerful jump, he vanished from the mountain.
Scene Shift — Castle of Foreverness
Inside the dark dimension, the castle stood tall and silent. Even though there was no sun, the air still felt warm like a strange sunlight was glowing from the walls themselves.
Oban walked through the long hallway that led toward the training field. His mind was still full of thoughts from the past months—Night Beast hunts, the end of the war, and the strange peace that came after.
He pushed open the training field door.
Klein was standing there, arms crossed, waiting.
Oban blinked."Klein? You're here?"
Klein smirked."Of course. I knew you'd come here tonight."
Oban rubbed the back of his head, a bit confused."Uh… something you wanted?"
Klein stepped forward."Well, yes. You're training with me tonight."
Oban paused."Training with you…?"
Klein nodded."Exactly. So get ready. This time, I'm not going easy on you."
Oban took a deep breath. Something told him tonight would be different.
And with that, the chapter ends.