They took two basic quests from the guild, extermination and scouting ones that didn’t require too much effort but would let them explore the outskirts of the behemoth’s territory. A breather, he figured, before they attempted something more dangerous. As they moved through the outskirts of the hunting grounds, Rhea crouched low, her ears twitching as she scanned the area. Her nose flared slightly. "Something’s been hunting here. Smell that?"

  Sael sniffed the air but only caught the faint scent of damp earth and leaves. "Not really."

  She pointed to the ground. "Look here—webbing, scattered in the brush. And there’s something else..." She stood and took a few steps forward, plucking a bright, iridescent feather from the dirt. "Rainbow fowl. If we follow these tracks, we’ll probably find both."

  They advanced carefully, Rhea leading the way. Soon enough, they spotted one of the birds perched in a tree, its vibrant plumage making it stand out even in the dense foliage. With a quick flick of her wrist, Rhea sent a dagger sailing through the air, striking true and sending the bird tumbling down. Sael retrieved it, plucking a few of the most radiant feathers for later use.

  As they pressed on, the air grew heavier, the scent of decay wafting toward them. Rhea wrinkled her nose. "Spider nest nearby."

  Sure enough, just beyond a small rise, thick webs draped between the trees, and within the tangled silk, remnants of past prey dangled, their forms barely recognizable. The skittering of legs echoed from deeper within.

  The spiders were a mix between terrifying and disgusting. The creatures were bloated, their hairy legs twitching unnaturally as they skittered toward them. Sael readied himself as the first spider lunged. Sael crushed one under his shield, grimacing at the wet crunch, while Rhea skewered another with a well-aimed thrust.

  Though the fight was quick, dispatching the creatures left them with a valuable prize—strong, glossy silk, which he carefully gathered. "This’ll come in handy," he murmured, stowing it away.

  “Ugh,” Rhea muttered, flicking spider ichor off her blade. “Why is it always spiders?”

  Sael smirked. “You tell me. You’re the one who wanted to take this quest.”

  “I thought it would be easy money, not a nightmare.” She shuddered, stepping away from the collapsed bodies. “Let’s get the proof we need and move on.”

  After collecting the required materials, they made their way deeper into the forest. A flock of rainbow-feathered birds fluttered overhead, their shimmering plumage catching the sunlight. Rhea took out her daggers, watching them for a moment before flicking her wrist. The blades sailed through the air, striking two of the birds cleanly and sending them tumbling to the ground.

  “Nice throw,” Sael commented as they gathered the fallen creatures.

  “I grew up hunting. It was part of life,” she said casually, tucking the birds into their bag. “Used to be good with a bow too, but daggers are easier to carry.”

  Sael glanced at her. “What was it like? Where you grew up?”

  Rhea’s expression darkened slightly, but she kept her gaze forward. “I was born in a warrior tribe. We lived far from the cities, out in the wildlands. My people were strong, proud… Beastfolk, mostly. We didn’t bother humans, and for a long time, they didn’t bother us.”

  She paused, taking a deep breath before continuing. “Then one day, they came in force. Slavers. Mercenaries. They burned our village to the ground, killed anyone who resisted. I was just a kid, but that didn’t matter to them. They took me as a slave.”

  Sael stayed quiet, letting her speak at her own pace.

  “I spent years in the mines, working until my hands bled, until I was strong enough to fight back. When I had the chance, I took it. Broke my chains, stole what I could, and ran. I didn’t stop running until I reached the outskirts.”

  She exhaled slowly, glancing at him. “That’s why I don’t trust humans easily. Most of them see people like me as animals.”

  Sael met her gaze. “I don’t.”

  Rhea studied him for a moment before a small smile tugged at the corner of her lips. “I know.”

  They continued walking, the silence between them comfortable. As they moved closer to the behemoth’s rumored hunting grounds, they noticed fewer signs of wildlife. The usual sounds of the forest—chirping birds, rustling leaves—had grown eerily still.

  Rhea glanced around. “Something’s wrong.”

  Sael nodded. “Let’s be careful. We’ll scout a little more, then head back.”

  With that, they pressed forward, knowing that whatever was lurking in this territory was far beyond what they had faced before.

  The dense wilderness thinned slightly as Sael and Rhea moved carefully through the undergrowth, their movements slow and deliberate. The air had changed. It carried a strange, heavy energy, like the pulse of something unnatural. Rhea crouched low, her eyes scanning the tree line ahead.

  “There,” she whispered, tilting her chin forward.

  Through the gaps in the trees, they saw it.

  The Mana-Touched Behemoth stood like a fortress of flesh and armor, its form partially obscured by the dense foliage. Even from this distance, its sheer size was staggering—its hulking mass reaching nearly half the height of the surrounding trees. Its body was thick and powerful, shaped like an oversized bear, but its hide was a fusion of rugged brown fur and gleaming chitinous plates that ran in segmented armor along its spine. Massive, forward-facing horns extended from its skull, each ending in a razor-sharp point. The horns weren’t simply for show—they connected seamlessly into the plated ridges of its spine, reinforcing its bulk like a natural battering ram designed for destruction.

  Sael swallowed. “That thing’s built like a living siege weapon.”

  Dark red eyes gleamed beneath a heavy brow, their glow cutting through the shadows. Every slow breath it took sent a ripple of power through the air, and brown wisps of mana drifted lazily from its fur, rising and vanishing like smoke. The Behemoth shifted its weight, its thick muscles rolling beneath its armored hide. Even at rest, it radiated raw strength, each slight movement sending vibrations through the earth beneath them.

  Rhea kept her voice low. “I’ve seen a lot of beasts, but nothing like this.”

  They watched as it moved, its four legs carrying its massive frame forward with unsettling ease. Occasionally, it would pause to tear into a spider nest, crunching through webbing and chitin alike, or rip a chunk of bark from a tree, devouring anything within reach. When something strayed too close, it lowered its massive horns and charged with terrifying force, smashing through obstacles without hesitation—whether they were threats or merely potential meals. Despite its bulk, it was silent, deliberate, as if it had nothing to fear. The thick undergrowth barely resisted it—trees and brush parted around it, like the forest itself was wary of blocking its path.

  Sael exhaled slowly, keeping his breathing steady. “We’ll need a real plan to take that down.”

  Rhea nodded. “And better gear. Maybe traps.”

  Sael took a moment to think, his eyes narrowing as he watched the behemoth’s relentless movements. With something that massive, a direct fight seemed reckless. The suit might help, but he wasn’t sure how much damage it could actually do against that thick carapace. A different approach might be better.

  “The obvious answer is a pit trap,” he muttered, glancing at Rhea. “If we can get it to fall in, that’d at least slow it down—maybe even expose a weak point.”

  Rhea nodded, her tail flicking as she studied the terrain. “And what if it climbs out?”

  “Then we make sure it can’t.” His gaze drifted to the leftover spider silk in his inventory. “We could craft a ton of netting, reinforce it, and use it to restrict its movement. If it gets stuck long enough, we might actually stand a chance at bringing it down.”

  Rhea smirked. “I like the way you think. Let’s head back and figure out how to make it work.”They remained in place, observing its patterns for a while longer, ensuring they had a grasp on its movements. Then, satisfied with what they had gathered, they carefully withdrew, retracing their path without drawing attention to themselves.

  With the scouting complete and the spiders exterminated, they turned their steps back toward town. There were quests to turn in, supplies to gather, and strategies to form.

  Sael exhaled slowly, then shook his head. “I have another idea.”

  Rhea raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

  “If we can’t bring it down through brute force alone… what if we make it come down another way?” He clenched his fist. “I need to gather some explosive materials."

  Rhea grinned. “Now that sounds interesting.”

  Without wasting time, Sael began scanning his inventory and mentally listing the materials he’d need. They’d have to stop by the market for alchemical reagents—something volatile, something with enough force to shift the battlefield in their favor.

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  Sael started asking around the market, looking for any mention of creatures that exploded or produced volatile substances. Most merchants gave him strange looks, but eventually, a grizzled alchemist chuckled at his persistence.

  “If it’s explosive material you want, there’s a creature that might interest you,” the merchant said, stroking his beard. “Ever heard of a Boomspitter? Nasty little things, about the size of a wolf. They store a highly unstable gel in their throat pouches and spit it at threats. The stuff sticks and ignites on impact.”

  Sael’s eyes lit up. “And where would I find one?”

  “Deep in the marshlands east of here. Dangerous hunt, but if you can get close without setting them off, you might walk away with something useful.”

  Nodding, Sael thanked the merchant and turned his thoughts to the next problem—shrapnel. He needed something sharp, durable, and easy to pack around the explosive gel. Metal shards would be ideal, but they were expensive.

  Rhea, catching on to his plan, smirked. “You’re really making a bomb?”

  “If we’re fighting a behemoth, we need something big enough to matter.”

  She chuckled. “Then let’s find you the sharpest scraps we can.”

  Sael and Rhea quickly turned in their completed quests at the guild, receiving a small pouch of silvers for their efforts. The transactions were brief, but they left the guild a little richer and a step closer to their real objective—the marshlands to the east. Before heading out, Sael led Rhea through the marketplace, eyes set on gathering materials for a gift he had in mind.

  At a woodworker’s stall, they picked up several planks of reinforced hardwood, dense and sturdy enough for crafting. Nearby, a blacksmith offered them a deal on a few steel ingots—slightly imperfect pieces, but good enough for their purposes. Sael knew exactly what he wanted to make.

  Returning to a quiet corner, he got to work. With careful hands, he shaped the wood into a sleek, curved bow frame. He used the spider silk to create a string, stretching it taut for the right amount of tension. The rainbow feathers, light and durable, were fitted onto arrow shafts, their vibrant colors a stark contrast to the marshy adventure they were about to undertake. Finally, small steel tips were forged and attached, completing the set.

  System Message: Weapon Crafted—Feather Hunting Bow. A lightweight yet durable bow reinforced with strong silk and vibrant feathers. Effective for long-range combat and swift strikes.

  Sael turned to Rhea, presenting the bow with a small grin. "Figured you could use this."

  She took it, running her fingers along the smooth wood, inspecting the craft. “You made this?”

  He nodded. “Wanted to make sure you had something reliable.”

  Rhea gave him a rare, genuine smile before quickly shifting her expression back to something more neutral. “It’s good. Thanks. Reminds me of home.”

  With that handled, Sael hesitated before bringing up the next subject. “Are you alright with mining if we come across any metal?” he asked carefully. He knew her history—knew what mining meant for her.

  Rhea’s ears twitched, and she considered it for a moment before shrugging. “It’s different when I choose to do it. If we find anything worth digging up, we’ll mine it together.”

  Satisfied with the answer, they made one last purchase—two sturdy pickaxes—before heading out toward the marshlands.

  The air grew thick with humidity as they ventured east. The ground beneath their boots softened, the solid dirt path gradually giving way to damp, uneven terrain. Towering trees stretched overhead, their twisted roots sinking deep into the mud. The scent of stagnant water mixed with the sharp tang of moss and decay, creating an atmosphere that felt almost alive with movement.

  Pools of murky water reflected glimpses of the sky, but beneath the surface, strange ripples suggested unseen creatures lurking below. Thick reeds and low-hanging branches made visibility difficult, and each step had to be carefully placed to avoid sinking too deep into the mire. Occasional croaks and distant howls echoed through the trees, a reminder that they weren’t alone in the marsh.

  Rhea sniffed the air, her ears twitching. “There’s something close.”

  Sael crouched low, scanning the area. Between the twisted roots and dense foliage, they caught sight of movement—a pack of marsh-dwelling hounds. Their dark, matted fur blended with the shadows, but their glowing yellow eyes gave them away. They moved cautiously, scavenging, hunting for anything they could catch.

  Before engaging, Sael and Rhea devised a plan. "I'll use my shadow magic to blind them one by one," Sael whispered. "That way, we can take them out without them realizing what's happening."

  Rhea nodded, gripping her bow. "Just don’t overdo it."

  Sael took a deep breath and reached for his mana. Darkness swirled at his fingertips before stretching outward, creeping toward the hounds. As his spell took hold, it let out a confused growl, staggering as it tried to make sense of its surroundings, it's eyes clouding with unnatural darkness.

  Rhea loosed her arrow. The projectile sailed through the air, striking true. The hound crumpled without a sound.

  One by one, they repeated the process. Sael blinded the creatures, and Rhea struck them down before they could alert the rest of the pack. Efficient, clean, and quiet. With the last of them down, the marsh fell silent again, save for the distant chirping of insects. By the time they had finished, his limbs felt sluggish, and his mana reserves were nearly depleted.

  Sael let out a slow breath, glancing at Rhea. “Not bad.”

  She twirled an arrow between her fingers, smirking. “Told you the bow was good.”

  With the fight over, Sael took a moment to collect himself before kneeling beside the fallen marsh hounds. Their thick, damp fur was coarse to the touch, but the pelts were salvageable. As he examined the bodies further, he noticed a peculiar sac located near their throats—likely the source of the explosive gel the merchant had mentioned. He carefully extracted the sacs, ensuring none of the volatile substance leaked. The gel within shimmered faintly, a dangerous but valuable resource.

  One by one, he stored the sacs alongside the pelts, making sure to keep them secure. With these materials, he was one step closer to crafting something far deadlier than simple arrows. The marshlands still held many dangers, but for now, they had the upper hand.

  With their gathered materials safely stored, Sael and Rhea pressed onward toward the eastern edge of the marshlands. The terrain gradually shifted from thick, swampy mud to firmer ground, where rocky outcroppings jutted from the earth. Small hills and uneven cliffs signaled their proximity to the cave systems rumored to house veins of iron and the occasional gemstone deposit.

  The entrance to a promising cave came into view, half-hidden behind a dense curtain of moss and vines. The air inside was cool and crisp, carrying the scent of wet stone and minerals. The dim glow of bioluminescent fungi clung to the walls, casting the same faint blue-green light that barely illuminated the tunnel ahead.

  Rhea moved cautiously, ears twitching at every distant drip of water. “We should expect resistance. Even small caves attract territorial creatures.”

  Sael nodded, gripping his weapons as they advanced deeper. The first signs of iron ore became visible along the walls—dull red-brown streaks running through the stone. But before they could begin mining, movement caught their attention. A trio of rock-crawlers, insect-like creatures with jagged stone-like shells, scuttled along the cave floor. Their clawed legs clacked against the stone, sensing the intruders in their territory.

  Rhea wasted no time, loosing an arrow that struck true, piercing the joint of one’s armored leg. It let out a high-pitched screech, reeling back. Sael lunged forward, his club finding a weak spot between the shell plates of another crawler, cutting deep and sending it writhing.

  The last creature attempted to flee, but Rhea’s second arrow ended its escape. With the immediate threat cleared, Sael exhaled and inspected the remains. The shells were tough—potentially useful for crafting—so he carved a few intact pieces before moving on.

  Further inside, they discovered a cluster of crystals embedded in the walls. The tunnel walls glimmered faintly in places, reflecting dim light off embedded crystal veins.. Some pulsed faintly with residual mana, indicating magical properties.

  “These could be valuable,” Sael remarked, running a hand over a deep blue crystal. “Might be worth taking a few.”

  Rhea handed him a pickaxe. “Then let’s get to work.”

  They began mining, striking the rock with steady rhythm. Iron ore broke free in heavy chunks, while the gemstones required more careful extraction to avoid damaging them. The process was laborious but rewarding, and soon they had gathered a respectable haul.

  They mined as they moved, chipping away at iron deposits and prying loose a few raw gemstones embedded in the walls. The cave gradually widened into a larger chamber, its floor uneven and dotted with stalagmites. The distant sound of shifting stone made them pause. Something else lurked in the depths of the cave. But what caught Sael’s eye wasn’t the minerals—it was a sword.

  In the center of the chamber, a blade stood planted in the ground. Its light blue metal spiraled in and out of itself, an elegant yet unnatural design. The dark green handle looked untouched by time, its grip firm and well-crafted. The moment he stepped forward, the ground trembled.

  From the far side of the chamber, stone moved. What had seemed like a natural part of the cave wall unfurled into a massive rock crawler, its segmented body covered in jagged plates, its thick legs grinding against the stone as it turned its many-eyed gaze toward them.

  Sael tightened his grip on his club. “Looks like we’ll have to fight for it.”

  Rhea smirked, drawing an arrow. “Wouldn’t be fun otherwise.”

  Seeing the sheer size of the rock crawler, Sael knew his club wouldn’t do much against its armored hide. “We’ll need the suit,” he called out. “Buy me some time!”

  Rhea didn’t hesitate. She dashed forward, her movements flickering as her Mirage Vest left behind brief, shifting shadows. Claws flashing, she struck at the crawler’s thick legs, drawing its attention while her illusions made it harder to pin her down. The beast hissed, slamming its heavy limbs against the cave floor in an attempt to crush her, but she was too fast.

  Meanwhile, Sael pulled the suit from his inventory. The metal segments expanded and clicked into place around him as he climbed inside. A low hum filled his ears as the system synchronized with his movements, power flowing through the suit’s core. The moment the setup was complete, he braced himself, raising the arm cannon.

  “Move!” he shouted.

  Rhea leaped back just as he fired. A blast of raw energy tore into the rock crawler’s armored body, sending shards of chitin flying. The creature shuddered but kept coming. Sael didn’t stop. Shot after shot, he hammered it with the suit’s firepower, punching holes straight through its thick carapace. The cavern echoed with the sound of cracking shell and searing impacts until, at last, the crawler let out a final, ragged screech and collapsed in a heap.

  Sael lowered the cannon. Even with the suit’s power, that had taken quite a few shots.

  Rhea whistled, looking at the massive, broken form of the crawler. “That thing’s ridiculous. No wonder you don’t use it all the time.”

  “Yeah,” Sael agreed, checking the mana crystal. Its glow had dimmed, showing it was about half drained. “We should keep it for emergencies.”

  Before they left, he collected a large amount of rock crawler armor segments, storing them in his inventory. With the sheer amount of material, he had an idea. Sitting down, he began crafting grenades, using the thick crawler shell to form durable casings and filling them with explosive gel from the marsh hounds. The result—hard chitin shell grenades packed with deadly shrapnel.

  Chitin grenade crafted: 6x

  Even after making several, he still had a significant amount of leftover shell. But for now, his attention turned to the real prize—the sword.

  Stepping forward, he wrapped his fingers around the hilt and pulled. The light blue blade slid free from the ground with ease, its spiraling metal gleaming under the dim cave light. A system notification appeared in his vision:

  System Message: Acquired "Celestine Fang" — A holy magic-infused mithril sword. Lighter than steel, sharper than most enchanted blades. Purifies corruption and sears unnatural entities.

  Sael couldn’t help but grin. This was a massive upgrade from his crude club. He gave it a few experimental swings, marveling at the balance and craftsmanship.

  “Finally,” he muttered.

  Rhea smirked. “Happy with your new toy?”

  “Definitely.”

  With their spoils gathered and their mission complete, they made their way out of the cave, eager to return to town and finish making the preparations for their encounter with the Mana-Touched Behemoth.