Ran sat by the fire, shoveling food into his mouth like a starved animal. Meat, bread, even boiled vegetables—he ate it all without chewing much.
His fingers trembled. Not from fear this time, but hunger. His stomach burned with need. It had been days since his last meal. He couldn't stop now.
Geld sat nearby, arms crossed, watching him with disgust.
"You eat like a pig."
Ran didn't reply. He kept eating.
Geld's glare hardened.
"You're a burden to my brother. And to this group."
The other mercenaries murmured in agreement. Most of them hadn't said a single word to Ran since he joined. Their stares were cold, some mocking, others full of irritation.
Kelt leaned against a crate and shrugged.
"Let him eat. He'll probably die on the next mission anyway."
He said.
Laughter followed. Ran ignored it.
He knew the truth. They all hated him. To them, he wasn't a teammate. He was a dead man walking.
'Let them think what they want. If I don't eat, I'll die. If I die, I'll never get strong.'
He tore another piece of bread and swallowed without tasting it.
The next morning,
Geld called the group together. It wasn't common for the whole squad to gather unless there was a job.
A man stood in front of them. Black robe, tattered at the edges. Green eyes gleamed under the hood. He looked thin, tall, and carried a long wooden staff wrapped in rope and runes.
His face was sharp, shadowed, and tired. Like someone who hadn't slept in days.
"I need help crossing the Lieor Forest. Something's wrong there."
Lieor Forest was known for being unnaturally peaceful. No wild beasts. No bandits. No cursed energy. It was a popular spot for low-tier adventurers and traveling merchants.
Geld raised an eyebrow.
"Lieor? That's one of the calmest places in Morphy."
A/N: Morphy is their world name.
"I've crossed it many times. Not anymore. I sensed something deep inside. Something unnatural."
The robed man said.
"What did you sense?"
Kelt asked, arms folded.
"I don't know. But it stopped me in my tracks. The energy—it pushed me back. Like it didn't want me near."
The man said.
Geld rubbed his chin, considering.
"Sounds like a load of crap."
The client didn't respond. Just stared at the fire, hands clenched.
Ran looked at him. The man didn't seem scared. He seemed numb. Something had shaken him.
Geld finally sighed.
"How much are you offering?"
The man reached into his cloak and pulled out a leather pouch. It jingled with coins. He dropped it into Geld's hands.
"Twenty gold."
The camp murmured. That was a lot. Too much for a forest guide job.
Kelt frowned.
"Twenty? Either you're an idiot or this job's cursed."
The client turned to leave without another word.
Geld grabbed his arm.
"We'll take it."
The man nodded and handed him five gold in advance. Geld told him to wait by the camp. The group would move out soon.
Ran tightened the straps on his boots. It was his first mission with them. He didn't speak much, but inside, he felt confident. He had hunted beasts before. In his better days, he'd even killed a lesser ogre.
With help, this would be easy.
They moved out by midday. twenty members in total. Kelt led the way. Geld stayed near the back.
Ran walked silently in the middle, eyes scanning the trees. The Lieor Forest was as expected—calm. The sun filtered through the tall trees in thin beams. Birds chirped. The wind whispered through leaves.
No danger.
No threat.
Just silence.
Too much silence.
"Nothing."
Kelt said.
He leaned on a tree, unimpressed.
"No beasts. No mana traces. Not even rabbit footprints."
Geld frowned.
"That's the problem. This forest usually has something. Even small creatures. But it's… dead quiet."
Ran's skin crawled. He'd noticed it too. Not even insects buzzed.
Still, they kept walking deeper.
Then it happened.
From the shadow of the trees, something stepped out.
The group froze.
A man.
Or what used to be one.
He was tall, gaunt, and twisted. His skin was pale gray, veins visible like black roots. His robes clung to his thin body like old parchment. His hair was black and greasy, hanging in long strands across his face.
His mouth twisted into a wide, crooked grin.
And his eyes—those red, bulging, twitching eyes—seemed to dance with insanity.
He raised his arms and laughed.
"Ahhh… finally. Finally, meat! How I've waited in this silence. This forest—it needed blood. Welcome to your coffin."
He said laughing like a maniac.
The sound of his voice twisted in the air like smoke. Half the group stepped back instinctively.
Ran couldn't breathe.
His knees buckled, and he collapsed.
This… thing. It's not human. Not anymore.
His instincts screamed. Every inch of his body told him to run.
The man took a step forward.
Ran's vision blurred. His hands trembled uncontrollably.
Move, he thought.
But he couldn't.
Not when that grotesque face leaned slightly to the side and locked eyes with him.
The man's neck twitched. His body jittered as if his bones couldn't sit still inside his skin.
"You. The small one. You're shaking. Delicious."
Kelt stepped forward, drawing his sword.
"Back off."
The grotesque man twitched again and laughed, more violently this time.
"Oh, brave little lambs. Do you know where you are? This is my garden now. And you… you are weeds."
A strange black mist began to leak from his sleeves.
Ran couldn't stop trembling. He didn't know what this man was, but his mana—no, it wasn't mana. It was something darker. Something wrong.
Geld raised his axe.
"Formation! This thing's not normal!"
He shouted.
The mercenaries moved fast, blades drawn, mages preparing spells. But their hands weren't steady.
Ran forced himself to stand. His legs barely obeyed.
Kelt glanced at him.
"You better not freeze out there."
He said
Ran didn't respond.
All he could think was—
'I'm going to die.'