The wind stopped for a moment.
The world fell silent.
And within that silence—a faint whisper could be heard. A woman's voice, barely audible, like an echo from a forgotten past:
"…Sai… it's been a long time…"
Sai straightened abruptly. His eyes widened, his pupils trembling.
"…Rei…?"
Lightning split the sky, illuminating the ruins and his pale face for a brief second—before darkness swallowed everything again.
The voice vanished with the light.
Rain poured down once more.
The soldiers behind him called out, but their voices seemed muffled by the roaring storm.
"Sai! Move! Don't just stand there!"
Yet inside his mind, the echo remained.
That soft yet terrifying voice continued to slice through the thunder and rain:
"What you saw… is only the beginning of the awakening."
Sai stared at the dark sky pulsing with violet lightning—and for the first time since the great war two months ago, he truly felt fear.
They continued forward. The rain thickened, wrapping the world in a veil of darkness.
They did not realize—
From behind shattered ruins and trees consumed by shadow, glowing red eyes were watching.
Silence… then a slow breath, as if the night itself were holding something back.
Sai shivered. The hairs on his neck stood on end.
Something was wrong in the air—the scent of blood… and something else. A whisper of hunger.
"Sai, what exactly are we searching for in this investigation?" one of the Indosvara soldiers asked nervously.
Sai turned slowly. "We're searching for signs of monster activity. They've been absent for too long. And that—makes it suspicious."
The soldiers exchanged uneasy glances.
"Sai, are you insane?!" one shouted. "If monsters aren't appearing, isn't that good news?! Why are we looking for them? That's suicide!"
Shouts of fear echoed through the storm.
Sai looked at them, eyes sharp as cold steel.
"That is your duty. And listen carefully—it's far more terrifying to believe we're safe… only to be attacked without warning."
His words made the air feel heavier.
Then—
BLARRRR!!!
Purple lightning struck in the distance. A blinding flash illuminated the forest and ruins for a second—then darkness returned.
But within that darkness… something moved.
The ground trembled.
Stones crumbled from broken structures.
Then—a low roar rumbled through their chests.
From the shadows, a towering figure emerged—a colossal monster covered in metallic spikes, its eyes glowing blood-red. Each step cracked the earth beneath it.
"DAMN IT! RUN!!!"
Panic exploded. The Indosvara troops scattered like ants.
The monster slammed its fist into the ground—BOOOOM!—mud and blood spraying into the air.
Sai leapt aside, but one massive claw slashed across his waist.
Blood burst forth. He crashed into the wet earth, rolling.
"Arghhh… damn it…" he groaned, clutching the wound.
The monster stared at him, rows of sharp teeth gleaming like iron blades.
It smiled.
And spoke.
"You… are so weak."
Its voice was deep, echoing like thunder, vibrating through the air itself.
Sai froze. His eyes widened in disbelief.
"…It can… talk…?"
The monster glanced at a nearby horse.
"Hmm… your horses are rather cute."
With one hand—CRACK!—it snapped the animal's body in half. Blood splattered across Sai's face.
"Would you like to end up like this horse?"
Sai trembled. His breath caught in his throat.
The fear choking him was not just from its strength—
But from the hatred alive within its consciousness.
The monster crouched and grabbed Sai's body in its massive claw.
"Humans… you are all the same. Born to be erased."
Then—
KRAKKK!!!
Sai's bones shattered one by one. His scream tore through the night, piercing rain and thunder alike. His body crumpled in the creature's grip, blood dripping between its claws.
The monster laughed, picked up Sai's sword, and turned away—leaving him in the rain among corpses and suffocating silence.
---
Hours later, the rain began to ease.
At the Monster Hunter camp, the night was still heavy with fog and the scent of wet earth.
Jake stood in the training field, facing the gathered recruits. A large bonfire cast flickering light across their tense, exhausted faces.
"Everyone," Jake called out, "tonight we continue training. There will be three stages."
"First, maneuvering and evasion drills."
"Second, weak-point attack simulations."
"And third, magic potential training—for those who possess it."
Jake raised his hand. Magic shimmered in his palm. From the ground, artificial monsters formed—creatures made of pure magical energy. Agile. Glowing eyes. Soulless.
"Survive as long as you can. The one who lasts the longest earns the highest score."
He counted.
"One… two… three… BEGIN!"
The magical monsters lunged forward.
Controlled chaos erupted.
Jake observed carefully.
"That's Evelyn… perfect movement. Fast, clean, untouchable."
She danced between monsters like a shadow—graceful yet lethal.
"Leon… not strong, but intelligent. He uses the environment well."
Leon rolled and shielded himself with debris, fear on his face—but survival instincts sharp.
"And Ryu Celestia…" Jake narrowed his eyes. "Full of rage. Not just surviving—he retaliates."
Ryu struck back fiercely, breath heavy, fury blazing in his eyes.
"His resolve burns… but he's ruled by emotion. Dangerous in the long run."
Jake continued observing.
"Asta… analytical. Strikes from openings."
"Kael and Elias… exceptional teamwork."
"And over there… Ami. Fast as lightning. She reads attacks before they happen."
"Hana, Tajima, Hilda… clumsy, but fear saves them."
"And Yusuke… he fights with rhythm."
"The rest… are far from ready."
At that moment, an Indosvara soldier rushed in.
"Jake… sorry to interrupt."
"What is it?"
"Sai and the patrol haven't returned. It's been two hours. We can't detect their energy either."
Jake closed his eyes, searching for Sai's aura.
Nothing.
Only emptiness.
"…After this, I'll search for him myself," Jake said quietly.
"Let me come with you."
Jake nodded.
---
In the ruins of central Indosvara—
Beneath the dark sky, bodies lay scattered.
The rain had stopped, leaving pools of blood among cracked stone.
Sai—his body crushed, breath shallow—was still alive.
His eyes were half-open, blurred.
Footsteps echoed softly from the darkness.
A woman approached.
She wore a black cloak. Long black hair framed her face, soft bangs resting over her forehead. Her beauty was angelic—
But her eyes were not human.
She crouched before Sai and smiled.
"You're still alive?" she asked gently.
"P… please… help me…" Sai whispered weakly.
Her smile widened.
"Oh dear… it seems he only crushed your body and left you to die slowly. How cruel…"
She laughed softly—sweet, yet echoing like a demon's voice.
"W… who are you…?"
She touched her chin thoughtfully, gazing at him with cold, beautiful eyes.
"My name… is Velista."
Her smile was perfect—beautiful, lethal.
"But I'm not as kind as you think, darling."
She grabbed the hair of a wounded soldier nearby—and with calm cruelty, slit his throat before Sai's eyes.
Blood sprayed.
Sai froze.
Shock.
Breath halting.
"How pitiful you all are…" Velista whispered with a light laugh.
Suddenly, her gentle face changed.
Her smile faded into something cold. Her eyes hollow.
She grabbed Sai by the hair—
And smashed his head against the ground repeatedly, violently, until the wet earth was soaked red with blood.
"Hahahahahahaha…"
Velista's laughter echoed into the silent night.
Among blood, rain, and unmoving corpses—
It was as if the world itself bowed in horror before her.
To be continued…