Xia plunged her black greatsword into the ground, her thin lips parting slightly as purple magical runes gradually appeared, glowing around her body.
The Monster seemed terrified of something; it kept retreating step by step until its black figure vanished completely from sight.
Meanwhile, Xia’s incantation came to an end. With the final words spoken, the earth beneath her feet suddenly emitted a white light that pierced through the dense canopy above, illuminating a vast area of the forest.
“It should be safe for now.”
She exhaled deeply, then glanced over at Aurora and Saga, who had fainted from fright.
“Hey, what are you two doing here so late? Surely you’re not up to something sneaky?”
“We’re gathering herbs!” Aurora called out, blushing with embarrassment.
“Then where are the herbs?”
“They all spilled while running,” she said awkwardly, lifting the empty basket.
Not wanting to dwell on the awkward topic, Aurora quickly asked, “What about you? Why are you here at night? Could it be for the exams?”
“Exams?”
Xia scratched her nose, raising her voice a little with pride. “As the top student of our grade, I don’t need to worry about those. I can concoct potions with just a few wild herbs.”
“That’s really impressive.”
“So, what are you doing here then?” Aurora asked, growing more curious.
If it’s not for gathering herbs, then what? Could it be something bad?
“I…” Xia visibly avoided Aurora’s gaze, then replied halfheartedly, “It’s none of your business. Take her back quickly!”
Suspicious…
Xia was dressed very simply, with most of her upper body wrapped in plain bandages and cloth, while her lower limbs were covered with dirty strips of fabric.
Her figure was slender and graceful. Even tightly bound by bandages, the soft curves of her chest still stood out, and her exposed abdomen looked firm and toned, with faint outlines of abs visible.
This outfit seemed designed to allow easier movement of her massive sword, so it was likely she was here for battle.
“Aren’t you leaving? Once this light magic fades, that thing will definitely come back.”
“If it starts fighting again, I won’t look at you guys anymore.”
“You’re not planning to take on that Monster alone, are you?!” Aurora exclaimed.
“Come with us. That Monster’s terrifying; you definitely can’t beat it!”
“How can I not beat it? Not all Monsters are as freakish as your sister.”
“My sister is not a Monster!”
“If you’re determined to die, then I’m done with you!”
Saying this, Aurora scooped up the unconscious Saga and started to head back, then suddenly remembered something — she hadn’t seen Mo since earlier.
Panicked, she asked, “Did you see a short-haired girl just now? She’s with us!”
“A short-haired girl? Haven’t seen her.”
Aurora frowned deeply, lowered her gaze for a moment, then made up her mind, saying firmly, “I have to find her.”
Mo’s current whereabouts were unknown, wandering alone in this dark forest; if she ran into any Monster, it would be extremely dangerous.
“You’d better head back soon. I’ll help you find that girl,” Xia said abruptly.
She pointed at the unconscious Saga on Aurora’s back and continued, “Besides, taking someone unconscious to search is even more dangerous.”
“Maybe she’s already been eaten by that Monster, haha…”
“……”
Xia laughed twice, but upon meeting Aurora’s furious glare, she quickly coughed and wiped the smile away.
“She’s my friend. I can’t abandon her.”
Aurora clenched her fists tightly. Though her heart still trembled with fear—the memory of her neck being pierced by fangs, flesh torn by that Monster lingering painfully—even now, her heart raced nonstop. But this was the first friend she had made at the academy, and she couldn’t just leave her behind!
“Take me with you. I want to go together!” Aurora said firmly.
“I see you can’t even use magic properly. What use are you to me? And carrying this unconscious girl is just a burden.”
With that, Xia slung her greatsword over her shoulder, glanced back at Aurora coldly, and said, “Take her back quickly. Don’t cause me any more trouble.”
Leaving those words behind, she disappeared into the depths of the forest, swallowed by the darkness.
“Trouble…”
Blood oozed from Aurora’s clenched fists, her heart filled with frustration and helplessness.
She struggled just to gather her magic energy, let alone cast spells.
If only she had the strength to fight Monsters like Xia, she could rescue Mo.
Blood dripped from her fists, soaking into the earth beneath her feet.
Suddenly, the plants around her began to grow wildly. Even the towering trees beside her shot upward at a visible speed.
Aurora had never seen such a scene before; she could even hear the ‘creaking’ sounds the trees made, like the cracking of human bones as they stretched.
She was stunned by the sight, momentarily at a loss.
Fearing whatever dangerous creature had caused this, Aurora held Saga tightly in her arms, vigilantly watching her surroundings.
After a moment, the abnormal growth ceased, and the forest fell silent once more.
“What was that just now…”
‘Rustle, rustle…’
Strange noises echoed again, but this time they didn’t come from the trees. They emerged from the depths of the forest.
A pair of red eyes moved through the darkness, steadily approaching them.
A black claw reached toward the light circle, but as soon as it crossed the threshold, the charred skin was burned away.
The Monster quickly retracted its claw and began circling the light, its red eyes glaring hungrily at the two.
“That Monster… it didn’t leave?”
“It’s been waiting for that girl to leave.”
Though Aurora didn’t recognize the Monster’s species, she knew that a creature this cunning must be at least mid-level or higher.
‘Drip, drip…’
A drop of water fell on Aurora’s cheek, then she felt her hair slowly becoming damp.
Dark clouds finally began to drizzle, the rain steadily growing heavier.
“Of all times…”
Aurora stood beside the glowing orb, unwilling to move an inch. She could tell the Monster feared the light, but the orb wouldn’t last much longer.
As raindrops fell on the orb, the magical runes painted on its surface gradually dissolved, and the light it emitted dimmed little by little.
Sensing the opportunity, the Monster inched closer each time the glow weakened…
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