When White Flame and Berin reached the bandit group, Lila had already killed all of them.
White Flame carefully examined the corpses.
Lila: You're too slow.Berin: You're in top form again.Lila: I've improved a lot.White Flame: Huh… almost all of them, one shot to the head. Your archery is as good as your speed.
Lila smirked proudly.
Lila: Of course. When it comes to pure archery, no one in the world is better than me.
White Flame kept a faint smile on his face and said nothing.
Lord Berin: Move the bodies off the road and let's continue.
After Getring and Escoth carefully dragged the corpses to the side of the path, the group moved on.
*****
In Sin, there are danger zones ranked from 1 to 5.Level 1 is the lowest, Level 5 the highest.
For White Flame's transfer, Lord Berin chose the Moon Forest, a Level-1 danger area.
As the team reached the entrance of the Moon Forest, Lila looked at Berin with slight concern.
Lila: Are there monsters here?Lord Berin: No. This is a Level-1 zone. I don't think we'll encounter any.Lila: Good. I was getting tired of monsters. I fought a few back in Sira.
Berin looked at her, surprised.
Lord Berin: You fought monsters? There shouldn't be many in Sira.Lila: I don't know… maybe it was just the area I was in.
Berin thought for a moment, then gave up.
Lord Berin: Anyway… no point overthinking it. And I don't like calling them monsters. If they hadn't drunk demon blood, they'd just be normal animals.
They fell silent and entered the Moon Forest.
*****
The trees darkened the path slightly, but the forest was still beautiful.
Lila: You can really feel it's Level 1. I don't sense any danger.Berin: Good. If you sense something, tell me. Your instincts are even sharper than mine.Lila: I don't like the word "even," but I'll take the compliment.
Berin smiled.
After walking a bit more, White Flame suddenly stopped and lifted his head.
At first Lila and Berin didn't understand, but then they felt it too.
While scanning the surroundings, Lila thought:
Lila (thought):I'm a bounty hunter assassin trained for years. How did he sense it before me…? Never mind. Focus on the problem.
Lila closed her eyes briefly, concentrated, then suddenly turned and fired an arrow toward the forest.
From deep within the woods, many creatures emerged—wolf-like, red in color, and much larger than normal wolves.
Lord Berin: Get ready. Lila, stay back and provide support. Soldiers, prepare for battle.Lila: What are these things? This place was supposed to be safe.Lord Berin: Even Level-1 areas can have weak monsters… but I don't think these are weak.
Berin quickly observed the wolves and spoke in a commanding tone.
Lord Berin: We'll think about that later. For now, focus on surviving.Lila, stay in the back with White Flame. Protect him and support us with arrows.
Everyone immediately followed his orders.
Berin and the two Elite Soldiers fought at the front with their swords, while Lila supported them from the rear beside White Flame.
Getring slashed one of the wolves across the back, but his blade failed to pierce its hide. The wolf counterattacked, and he barely dodged.
Getring: My lord, even with enhancement magic on my sword, I can't pierce their skin.Lord Berin (thought):Even an Elite Soldier can't cut through them easily… Even I'm barely managing.
Although Berin had not yet mastered the Light element, his swordsmanship and raw strength allowed him to kill the wolves with difficulty.
Lord Berin: Focus on defense for now. Don't get injured. We'll find a way.
Lila: How are we supposed to find a way before these things turn us into pincushions? They're fast and strong. Even my arrows barely pierce their hide.
White Flame looked at Lila and chuckled, wearing that same irritating smile.
White Flame: You can't fight them like this.Lila: Shut up! Can't you see we're trying not to die here?White Flame: These are Blood Wolves. Their skin is extremely tough, which makes them hard to fight.But unlike their backs and skulls, their bellies and throats are much softer. Anyone can pierce those.
Lila hesitated, then sighed.
Lila: You'd better be telling the truth… or my next arrow is going into you.
She drew her bow and shot an arrow into the throat of the wolf struggling with Escoth. The arrow pierced it easily.
Without hesitation, Lila shouted:
Lila: AIM FOR THEIR THROATS AND BELLIES!
Everyone followed her instructions. Berin and the soldiers now killed the wolves much more easily and shifted from defense to offense.
Lord Berin: How many down? How many left?Escoth: Eighteen dead. Ten more remaining.Lord Berin: Good. Then let's—
He stopped mid-sentence.
Berin, Lila, and the soldiers suddenly froze. A massive pressure washed over them.
Heavy footsteps echoed through the forest.
With the sound of a tree being crushed, something enormous appeared.
A Blood Wolf far larger and darker red than the others—ten times their size—stepped forward, and someone was riding on its back.
The figure wore a hood, hiding their face.
Mysterious Woman: You're still alive? I thought you'd be dead by now.
It was a woman's voice.
She looked around and noticed the wolves had mostly been killed by wounds to the throat and belly.
Mysterious Woman: So you found their weak points. I didn't expect that so quickly.If you figured it out this fast, it makes sense you're still alive.
Lord Berin: For a Level-1 forest, this many powerful wolves are unusual.You're from the Beast Tamers, aren't you?
Lila: Beast Tamers? Who are they?
Lord Berin: I'll explain later.
Berin stared at the hooded woman and shouted:
Berin: Say what you want!
The woman pointed at White Flame.
Mysterious Woman: I want that handsome man in chains.If I can't take him alive, I'll have to kill him… but I'd rather not.They say he's worth more alive. Dead, I only get four-fifths of the reward.
Lord Berin: What reward?
The woman showed White Flame's portrait—the one Berin had ordered drawn when he was searching for him.
Mysterious Woman: A message came from above in the Beast Tamer Guild.There's a bounty on this man called White Flame.I was lucky enough to learn your route and timing.
Lord Berin: A bounty… how much?
She smiled.
Mysterious Woman: Two thousand gold.
White Flame, who had been enjoying the situation, let out an involuntary whistle.
Lord Berin: What did you say?
Mysterious Woman: So… may I take him now?
Lord Berin: I'm sorry, but I won't hand him over.
The woman removed her hood. She had black hair and lips painted deep red.
With a smile of pure enjoyment, she spoke:
Zileyn: What a shame…My name is Zileyn.And it seems I'll have to kill all of you here.