The forest echoed with the sound of hurried footsteps.
Branches snapped beneath armored boots.
Leaves rustled overhead as four figures pushed relentlessly through the dense wilderness.
At the front—
the kobold scout, Zeph, darted effortlessly between the trees with practiced ease.
His nose twitched constantly.
Every few seconds, he paused just long enough to sniff the air before changing direction again.
Behind him—
the others were far less enthusiastic.
The archer brushed another low-hanging branch away from her face.
"...Zeph."
She sighed.
"Are you really sure we're going the right way?"
Without even looking back—
the kobold waved a dismissive hand.
"Just shut up."
"I've had enough of your questions already."
The archer frowned.
"...You're getting grumpier."
"I've been smelling blood for hours."
Zeph replied without missing a step.
"You'd be grumpy too."
A few meters behind them—
the knight let out an exaggerated groan.
"We've been moving since morning."
He rolled one shoulder, trying to ease the stiffness.
"When are we taking our next break?"
No one answered immediately.
The mage, Lindor, adjusted his glasses as he glided through the air beside them.
"We've already taken three."
The knight looked offended.
"They barely count."
"They were each less than five minutes."
Lindor didn't even glance at him.
"Correct."
"And we're still behind."
The knight sighed dramatically.
"I knew I should've become a city guard."
"They sit around all day."
Zeph snorted.
"Yeah."
"And they usually keep their mouths shut."
The archer burst into laughter.
The knight glared at both of them.
"I don't like any of you."
At the front—
the towering lizardman finally spoke.
His deep voice instantly silenced the banter.
"Report."
Zeph slowed to a stop.
His ears twitched again.
Then he crouched beside a patch of disturbed earth.
"...Fresh."
He rubbed two fingers across the loose soil.
Then lifted them to his nose.
His expression gradually hardened.
"The scent's stronger."
He pointed deeper into the forest.
"They definitely came this way."
Lindor descended lightly beside him.
"How long ago?"
Zeph closed his eyes.
Concentrating.
"...Not long."
"Several hours."
"Maybe less."
The knight's expression immediately turned serious.
"So we're actually catching up."
The kobold nodded slowly.
"...Maybe."
"But..."
He stared deeper into the forest.
"...Something's wrong."
The others immediately became alert.
The archer rested a hand on her bow.
"What is it?"
Zeph inhaled deeply once more.
Then frowned.
"...The blood."
"It isn't only human anymore."
Silence.
Lindor adjusted his glasses.
"...Magical beasts?"
The forest fell silent.
Only the distant cries of birds echoed beneath the towering canopy.
Zeph slowly lowered himself beside another patch of disturbed earth.
His nose twitched once.
Then again.
The scent was overwhelming now.
His ears flattened tightly against his head.
"...It's close."
The others immediately tensed.
Weapons shifted into waiting hands.
The knight rested his grip firmly on the hilt of his sword.
The archer quietly unslung her bow.
Lindor tightened his hold on his staff.
Without another word—
the towering lizardman stepped forward.
The group advanced cautiously.
One step at a time.
The smell of blood grew heavier with every passing moment.
Then—
they emerged into a small clearing.
Silence.
Everyone stopped.
Before them—
lay the enormous corpse of a magical beast.
A massive two-headed hound.
Its body stretched nearly eight meters in length.
One of its heads had been severed cleanly.
The once-majestic mane surrounding its neck had long since faded.
A single, perfectly clean wound pierced straight through its chest.
There were no signs of a prolonged struggle.
No shattered trees.
No torn earth.
No evidence of a desperate battle.
Just...
one fatal strike.
The knight stared in disbelief.
"...No way."
The archer slowly lowered her bow.
"That thing..."
"...that's a C-rank magical beast."
Lindor adjusted his glasses.
His expression gradually became solemn.
"It died instantly."
He walked closer.
Then knelt beside the corpse.
His fingers hovered just above the wound.
"...One thrust."
"No hesitation."
"No second attack."
The towering lizardman silently surveyed the surrounding clearing.
"There are almost no signs of battle."
Lindor nodded.
"Exactly."
"The beast barely moved after receiving the wound."
Zeph suddenly climbed onto the enormous corpse.
His nose worked rapidly.
Then his eyes widened.
"...Blood."
The others looked toward him.
He slowly pointed at the gaping wound in the beast's chest.
"The magic crystal..."
"...is gone."
Silence settled over the clearing.
The knight scratched the back of his head.
"...So what's the big deal?"
He gestured toward the corpse.
"They took the magic crystal."
"Isn't that what anyone would do?"
The archer nodded in agreement.
"Yeah."
"I don't really see the problem."
"Magic crystals are valuable."
"If I killed it, I'd take it too."
Lindor stepped beside the corpse once more.
His robes settled quietly around him as he crouched again.
"...Maybe."
He adjusted his glasses.
"But you're forgetting something."
His fingers swept across the beast's thick hide.
"The crystal isn't the only valuable part."
He looked up at the others.
"The hide."
"The fangs."
"The claws."
"The bones."
"The organs."
He tapped the beast's massive flank.
"A C-rank magical beast is worth a fortune."
"If profit was their goal..."
His gaze drifted across the enormous, untouched corpse.
"...they wouldn't have abandoned all of this."
Silence.
The archer's expression slowly turned thoughtful.
"...That's true."
Zeph remained standing atop the beast.
His nose twitched once more.
"Yeah."
"The blood trail keeps going."
"But whoever did this didn't even bother dragging the body."
"They just took the crystal..."
"...and left."
The towering lizardman folded his arms.
"...Which leaves us with two possibilities."
Everyone turned toward him.
"They either have another use for the magic crystal..."
He paused briefly.
"...or they value it far more than the beast itself."
The knight frowned.
"...What kind of person does that?"