"Tomorrow," Jake continued, his voice deep and calm, "you will lead the troops to search for Ryu. I… will handle something else."
Akira took a long breath, his gaze sharpening. "You have a hidden plan, don't you, Commander?"
Jake stared at the campfire dancing before them. Its orange glow reflected in his eyes, as if a storm were hidden behind that calm expression.
"Yes," he finally answered. "I have a plan… to capture Velista, and at the same time, rescue Ryu."
Akira nodded slowly. "I hope it succeeds," he said coldly.
Jake lifted his gaze toward the dark northern forest. The wind blew hard, making the embers swirl like falling stars.
"Velista…" he murmured inwardly. "Will you take the bait tomorrow? We shall see."
---
The Next Morning
The sun had just risen on the eastern horizon, yet the atmosphere inside the grand castle hall felt heavy.
All the troops had gathered — their faces tense, the air thick with anxiety and determination.
At the front stood the six elite Monster Hunters: Akira, Sora, Zen, Haruto, Aurora, and Shimizu.
They stared at a glowing blue energy map projected into the air — Jake's creation from the previous night.
"Listen," Akira's voice broke the silence. "This is the map of the northern forest."
He pointed at the glowing lines forming the terrain.
"This map will guide us," Sora added. "Clues to find Velista's hiding place."
Akira circled several faintly flickering black dots. "These black energy points are traces of magic left behind. And without a doubt… they belong to Velista."
Zen crossed his arms, his face stiff. "The traces are broken in several places. That means we'll have to investigate possible hideouts — houses, caves, or hidden bunkers. Because honestly, what kind of lunatic would live in the middle of the forest except that crazy woman?"
Some soldiers let out bitter laughter.
Sora looked at them firmly. "Right. Our mission is simple — find where Ryu is being held."
"Any questions?" Aurora asked coldly, her voice like a steel whip.
A front-division soldier, Rikou, raised his hand. "What if the place is guarded by Velista… or her subordinate?"
Aurora glanced at him. "Good question. But tell me — where do you think Commander Jake is right now?"
They looked at one another. No one answered.
"Commander Jake has already headed to the northern forest," Aurora continued. "He will lure Velista out. That creates two possible situations: either Velista takes the bait and we face her subordinates… or her subordinates confront us while Velista walks straight into the Commander's trap."
She looked at each soldier one by one.
"No matter what happens, our objective remains the same: rescue Ryu. We need him alive to learn why he was kidnapped… and what Velista told him."
Haruto stepped forward. "Jake will use the Illusion Stage — a high-level spatial and psychological manipulation technique. We don't know how strong Velista truly is, nor how long the Commander can hold her. So we must move fast. Find the place. Rescue Ryu. Get out."
Evelyn lowered her head silently, her eyes trembling.
Ryu… hold on just a little longer. We're coming for you.
Everyone nodded in unison.
"Alright," Akira said at last. "Move out!"
Heavy footsteps echoed together, shaking the stone floor as the Monster Hunter troops advanced toward the northern forest.
---
Northern Forest
Atop a fog-covered hill, Jake stood in the center of a massive magic circle.
Orange flames soared high. Explosions of magical energy roared — not to attack.
This was a performance.
Illusory light formed an Ancient Portal Gate, cracked and pulsing as if containing something monstrous. An illusionary version of Jake appeared — exhausted, bleeding, repeatedly trying to open the gate.
Each failed attempt made the ground tremble, magical bursts echoing throughout the forest.
From afar, it looked as though Jake was attempting to awaken something catastrophic.
Then—
A woman's laughter echoed.
Velista's laughter.
But not the real Velista — it was a magical recording taken from Ryu's memory, broadcast in a distorted form, echoing like a ghost in the mist.
"HAHAHAHA—HAHA—HAHAHA…"
The sound sliced through the air, bouncing between trees.
Jake smiled faintly. "Let's see… how big your ego really is, Velista."
---
The Warehouse
Velista, who had been torturing a human inside the warehouse, suddenly stopped. The satisfied smile on her face tightened.
That laughter — her own laughter — echoed in the distance.
"Hm?" Velista looked up, narrowing her eyes.
She stepped outside quickly.
"My Queen, what is it?" her subordinate asked.
"You heard that too?" Velista's voice was low and cold.
"O-of course, My Queen. But… what was that sound—"
"My laughter, you fool! Do you think I'm deaf?!" she snapped.
The subordinate bowed, trembling. "M-my apologies…"
Velista stared toward the northern forest. Orange smoke rose in the distance.
"There seems to be an explosion…" she murmured flatly.
"Shall I check it for you?" he asked carefully.
Velista glanced sharply at him. "No. Guard Ryu. Don't let him escape. I'm not finished playing with him yet."
But the laughter echoed again—
"HAHAHAHAHAHA—"
Louder this time.
Velista froze. Her pupils shrank.
"That… is my voice," she whispered. "Who dares imitate me?"
"My Queen, could it be—"
"Silence!" Velista looked toward the sky. "That's not me. That's an impostor. Someone is challenging me."
The man swallowed nervously.
"So… should I—"
"No!" Velista stared at the orange glow. A psychotic smile curved her lips. "An impostor deserves a reward."
She stepped close to her subordinate, staring directly into his eyes.
"Guard Ryu. If he escapes…" she smiled cruelly, "I'll feed you to my monsters. And I will rip away the power I granted you."
Cold sweat streamed down the man's temple.
Velista turned — and ran into the mist, leaving behind the stench of blood and thick magic.
---
The Monster Hunter Troops
Meanwhile, in the lower northern forest—
"Look at this," Sora whispered, pointing to an unusual water flow on the ground. "There's an artificial channel… it flows north."
Zen examined the damp soil around a metal pipe partially buried beneath roots. "If I'm right, this pipe leads to a hidden place — a house, or an underground base. Velista is probably hiding there."
They all looked toward the forest's center, where orange smoke from Jake's illusion swirled like a storm.
Akira nodded firmly. "Perfect. Velista must have left her hideout unguarded. Her ego is too big to ignore a challenge."
"Move! Follow the pipe!" Zen ordered.
All troops ran, their footsteps merging with the wind, the ground trembling beneath a hundred synchronized strides.
---
Clash in the Heart of the Forest
Velista continued running, the fake laughter echoing around her.
Her face burned with fury. "How dare they… mock me!"
She teleported into the center of the orange mist — appearing directly inside Jake's illusion stage.
The air vibrated. Magical particles danced like shards of glass.
In slow motion, her eyes scanned the surroundings — the illusionary gate, a fake Ryu running while stepping on Velista's symbol, the echoing laughter.
Velista grinned. "You even made a fake Ryu just to provoke me?"
She stared at the orange glow.
"Do you think my subordinates are that weak?"
Jake stepped out from behind the smoke, blue light outlining his figure.
"Welcome, Velista," he said calmly. "You're late. The stage is already set."
Velista lifted her chin, narrowing her eyes. "What?"
Jake stepped forward, his blue aura intensifying. "I know you enjoy games. So I prepared a more interesting one. I just wanted to see… whether your ego is bigger than your power."
Velista let out a cold laugh. "So you want to play, Commander Jake?"
The air between them trembled — two magical energies colliding subtly, creating vibrations like the heartbeat of the earth.
---
Meanwhile — The Elite Squad
"Look! That's the house!" Sora shouted.
An old house stood in the middle of the trees, covered in moss and shadows.
But as they approached—
BOOM!
A thunderous explosion erupted. Dust scattered everywhere.
A man stood in front of the door — Velista's subordinate.
He looked at them with a cynical smile.
"Where are you all heading in such a hurry?"
Evelyn stepped forward, eyes blazing. "Where is Ryu, you bastard?!"
The man chuckled. "If you want to save your friend… you'll have to step over my corpse first."
Akira immediately drew his sword, blue aura vibrating around him. "Fine. I don't mind."
"Interesting…" the man muttered, lowering his head.
A dark purple aura exploded from his body like a lightning storm.
BOOOOOOM!
Wind pressure crushed the area. The ground cracked. The entire troop was blown backward.
"Damn it—what is he doing?!" a soldier shouted, struggling to stay upright.
Amid the dust and raging energy, purple light burst from the man's body—
His form expanded. Bones protruded. Skin tore apart into black-purple scales.
Within seconds, a twelve-meter-tall monster stood before them.
Its breath roared like a storm. Its eyes glowed blood red.
"H-he… turned into a monster!" someone screamed in terror.
Evelyn simply stared, her face cold and fearless.
Wind blew through her hair. Her blue eyes reflected the towering creature.
The monster let out a thunderous roar—
"RAAAAGHHHHHH!!!"
The sound shook the entire forest. Birds scattered into the sky. Trees swayed violently.
---
To Be Continued…