"We're getting the hang of this," Daniel said, hefting his bag with a grin. "One more, and we can scout ahead."

  The group continued deeper into the forest, their spirits boosted by their progress.

  After another twenty minutes of cautious trekking, they encountered their third target: a large, bird-like creature with talons that gleamed like steel and feathers that shimmered in the faint sunlight.

  "Fuck! A flying beast, be careful," Noah warned. "That thing looks fast."

  The bird let out a piercing screech, its wings spreading wide as it prepared to attack. Without hesitation, it dove toward Leah, its talons aimed directly at her.

  Leah hurriedly rolled to the side, shooting an arrow while rolling on the ground targeting the bird. The projectile grazed the bird's wing, causing it to veer off course.

  "Keep it on the ground!" Victor shouted, charging forward with his shield raised. He slammed into the bird as it landed, throwing it off balance.

  Daniel hurled a knife, aiming for the creature's chest. The blade struck, but the bird retaliated with a sharp peck, forcing Daniel to hurry back.

  Noah took advantage of the distraction, circling behind the bird and slashing at its legs. His strike connected, but the bird let out a furious screech, spinning around to face him.

  "Emma, aim at the bird's feathers or leg!" Noah shouted.

  Emma hesitated for only a moment before firing an arrow. Her shot hit the target, and the bird stumbled, its movements becoming frantic and disjointed.

  Victor stepped in, delivering a crushing blow to the bird's side with his shield. The creature collapsed, its wings flapping weakly.

  "Finish it!" Victor yelled.

  Noah lunged forward, driving his longsword through the bird's chest. The creature let out a final, pitiful cry before falling still.

  The group stood there, catching their breath as the bird's azure-white mist rose and split among them. The surge of energy was exhilarating, their bodies feeling stronger and more capable than ever.

  "That's three," Noah said, sheathing his sword. "Leah's attack really made this one easier. If the bird was still in the sky, it would have been much harder for us."

  Victor nodded along, "True. And we are really fortunate to have you with us. A damage dealer is really necessary to deal some decent damage. And you are the only good damage dealer we have."

  "Hey! The fuck, I also deal decent damage," Daniel huffed and said.

  Victor chuckled and shook his head. "The only thing you are good at is distraction. Your weapon is too weak to deal fatal damage."

  Daniel's lips twitched as he turned his face away.

  "Anyways," Noah said, pointing at the carcass of the bird, "First, let's dismember it and then head deeper to scout. We will return tomorrow to hunt at the edge of the red zone."

  Noah crouched beside the bird's carcass, examining its shimmering feathers.

  "These feathers are something else," he said, running his fingers over one. "They're tougher than they look. We can use them for throwing weapons with minor improvements, maybe even lightweight armor."

  Daniel smirked, playing with one of his knives. "About time I got an upgrade. These knives aren't cutting it."

  Leah rolled her eyes but nodded. "I can see the potential for some decent gear. Let's pack up as much as we can carry."

  Noah and Daniel began methodically removing the feathers, placing them into a separate bag. Victor worked on extracting the talons, which were sharp and durable, ideal for crafting weapons. Meanwhile, Leah and Emma kept watch, their bows loaded with arrows.

  Emma hesitated, glancing at Noah. "D-Do you think it's safe to go deeper after this? What if we encounter something we can't handle?"

  Noah paused, giving her a reassuring look. "That's why we're just scouting after this. If it's too dangerous, we'll retreat. No risks, Emma. We're in this together."

  Her shoulders relaxed slightly, and she nodded. "O-Okay."

  After they finished dismembering the bird, their bags were nearly full. The feathers, talons, and a small portion of the bird's meat were carefully packed away, leaving behind the rest of the carcass.

  Noah stood up, adjusting his bag. "Let's move now. But stay sharp—things will only get tougher from here."

  The group continued further, venturing deeper into the forest. The atmosphere grew heavier, the sounds of wildlife fading into an eerie silence. The trees were thicker here, their roots snaking across the ground like veins.

  Victor raised his shield, his expression tense. "This place feels… different. Like something's around us."

  Leah nodded, her bow drawn. "I feel the same. The atmosphere is heavier."

  Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

  Noah held up a hand, signaling the group to stop. He crouched down, his keen eyes scanning the ground. "Something's nearby. Stay low and quiet."

  They advanced cautiously, their steps light. The forest seemed to hold its breath, and then they saw it—a massive, bear-like creature with thick, rocky scales covering its body.

  Its eyes glowed with a menacing red light, and its claws looked like they could tear through steel.

  "Holy shit," Daniel whispered. "That's an E-tier beast? It looks more like an elite boss."

  Noah's grip tightened on his sword. "This one's different. Stronger. We can't take it lightly, we need to ret—"

  Noah barely had time to finish his warning before the massive bear-like creature roared as it noticed the group, the sound reverberating through the forest. The beast's sheer size and presence sent chills down everyone's spine.

  "Formation!" Noah shouted, unsheathing his longsword. "Victor, shield up! Leah, Emma, keep your distance and fire at its weak points! Daniel, distract it when you can!"

  Victor braced himself, planting his feet as the bear charged. Its claws struck his shield with earth-shaking force, sending him skidding backward. "FUCK! This thing is stronger than all the previous bastards!" he yelled, gritting his teeth.

  Leah shot an arrow, aiming for the creature's joints. The arrow struck but barely penetrated its rocky hide. "It's too tough!" she shouted, already nocking another arrow.

  Daniel flung a knife, precisely aiming for the bear's glowing red eyes. The knife struck directly, causing the beast to let out a furious roar, but it only seemed to enrage it further. "That's not good," Daniel muttered, stepping back quickly.

  Noah darted in, aiming for the beast's exposed flank. His longsword struck with all his strength, but the blade skidded off the creature's glowing hardened scales, leaving only a shallow cut. The beast turned its rage toward him, swiping with its massive claws.

  "Noah, watch out!" Emma screamed, firing an arrow that grazed the bear's shoulder, diverting its attention for a split second.

  The creature lashed out wildly, its glowing claws catching Victor's shield and sending him crashing into a tree. He spurted a mouthful of blood, slumping to the ground, his shield cracked.

  "Victor!!!" Leah shouted, her voice filled with panic. She fired another arrow, but the bear swung its massive paw, deflecting it in mid-air.

  Before she even had a chance to catch her breath, the bear broke a giant branch off a tree before shooting it toward Leah like a throwing spear.

  Leah's eyes widened in fear as she jumped back. The shockwave flung her back as she hit a tree, breaking a few of her bones as she slid down and fell unconscious.

  Daniel attempted to stab the beast's leg, but the creature kicked out, sending him tumbling across the ground. "AUGH!" he shouted as he skidded on the ground before silently lying still.

  Emma trembled as the bear charged toward her, its glowing eyes filled with rage. She released an arrow, but her trembling hands made her aim waver. The arrow missed entirely.

  The beast smashed the ground in front of Emma, sending her flying as she fell unconscious. But just then, Noah lunged forward, slamming his longsword into its side with all his strength.

  "Over here, you bastard!" Noah shouted, drawing its attention away from the unconscious Emma.

  The beast roared, its claws slashing at him. Noah barely dodged, the wind from its attack grazing his face. His breathing was ragged, and his muscles seemed to break down, but he refused to retreat.

  Noah staggered back, gripping his longsword tightly. His mind raced as he assessed the situation.

  The bear was unlike anything they had faced before—its sheer size and the rocky scales made it nearly impervious to regular attacks. The others lay unconscious, and he was alone.

  "I can't retreat now," Noah muttered, wiping blood from his brow. His eyes burned with resolve. 'I can't leave behind these guys even if we only met a few days ago. And there is nearly no chance for me to run from that bastard.'

  The bear roared again, charging forward with its massive glowing claws raised. Noah sidestepped at the last moment, narrowly avoiding the attack. He slashed at its exposed body, but the blade barely left a scratch on its rocky hide.

  "Fuck… this thing's armor is too tough." He glanced around, spotting Daniel's throwing knives scattered nearby. Without hesitation, he rolled toward them, scooping up three knives in one swift motion.

  The bear lunged at him again, but Noah hurled the knives in quick succession. One struck the beast's eye, making it roar in pain, while another embedded itself in a gap between its scales near the neck. The third knife bounced off its rocky armor.

  "Fuck, need to aim for the weak spots," Noah muttered, sprinting to Victor's side. The cracked shield lay beside his unconscious body. Noah grabbed it, positioning it defensively as the bear charged again.

  The beast's claws slammed into the shield with a deafening crack. Noah gritted his teeth as the force sent him skidding backward. The shield splintered further, barely holding together.

  "Just hold a little longer," Noah whispered to himself, his arms trembling under the strain.

  As the bear struck again, he used the shield to deflect the blow, angling it upward. The maneuver caused the bear's momentum to work against it, momentarily staggering the beast.

  Seizing the opening, Noah sprinted forward, slashing at the beast's injured eye. His longsword bit deep, and the bear howled in agony, thrashing wildly.

  The beast lashed out, hitting Noah's side with a glancing blow. He stumbled, blood dripping from the fresh wound, but his body refused to fall. "Stay focused," he told himself, his breathing rough.

  Spotting Leah's bow and arrows nearby, Noah darted toward them, narrowly dodging another swipe from the bear. He grabbed the bow and one remaining arrow, quickly aiming for the creature's exposed neck.

  "Come on, hold steady…" he whispered, his hands shaking from exhaustion. He released the arrow, and it struck precisely due to his enhanced body, embedding itself in the beast's neck where Daniel's knife had already created an opening.

  Blood gushed from the wound, and the bear let out a guttural roar, its movements growing slower.

  Noah didn't stop. He grabbed another of Daniel's knives and charged forward, leaping onto the bear's back. He plunged the knife into the gap in its scales, driving it deep into the creature's flesh. The beast thrashed violently, trying to shake him off, but Noah held on, his knuckles turning white with strain.

  With his free hand, he drew his longsword and aimed for the base of the bear's skull. "Fucking DIE!" he shouted, driving the blade down with every ounce of strength he had left. The sword pierced through, sinking deep into the creature's vital point.

  The bear let out a final, ear-splitting roar before collapsing to the ground with a massive thud. The forest fell silent, save for Noah's ragged breathing.

  Noah rolled off the beast, landing on his back. His entire body ached, and blood dripped from multiple heavy wounds. He stared up at the canopy of trees, his vision swimming. "It's… over," he muttered, a faint smile forming on his lips.

  The familiar azure-white mist rose from the bear's body, forming a massive orb. The energy split unevenly, with a large portion flowing into Noah and the remainder to his unconscious teammates.

  As the energy surged through him, Noah felt something stir on his chest.

  Noah gasped as the Soul Energy coursed through his entire body, a torrent of raw power searing its way into his very being.

  The azure-white mist enveloped him, its glow intensifying as his chest burned with an unbearable heat.

  His vision blurred, and he could feel the energy concentrating on the sigil etched into his skin, its light growing brighter with every passing moment.

  The sigil pulsed violently, with a rhythm that seemed to sync with the pounding of his heart. His mind flashed with images—flashes of memories, moments of his life back on Earth, each as mundane and forgettable as the last.