As the night faded away, the sun began to rise, painting the world in hues of gold and orange—a magnificent mystery unfolding like a puzzle waiting to be solved.
Rin and his friends sat on the deck, dark circles shadowing their eyes from a sleepless night. Sam stretched and yawned, breaking the silence, "I don't know about you all, but I'm exhausted and starving."
"First things first," Shina replied, glancing at the supplies. "We don't have any food. We need to find a safe place to stop the boat, fix the damages, and stock up."
The others nodded in agreement, the urgency of their situation kicking in. After a short while, they managed to dock the boat beside a thick stretch of forest. It loomed ahead, mysterious and enchanting, yet it felt like it hid secrets in its shadows. "Let's camp here until night falls and head out in the morning; it's safer that way," Daniel suggested, his voice steady. Again, the group nodded, grateful for the plan.
Rin took charge. "Alright, here's the deal: three of us will repair the boat while the rest of you search the forest for food and supplies." He bent down and picked up seven sticks from the ground, holding them up. "Whoever draws the shortest stick will work on the repairs."
With bated breath, they each drew their sticks. The three with the shortest—Yuri, Sam, and Alex—reluctantly accepted their fate as the boat repair crew. Meanwhile, the remaining four—Rin, Shina, Daniel, and Kito—prepared for their expedition into the woods. But Rin couldn't help but notice the worried looks on Shina, Daniel, and Kito's faces.
"Hey, what's with the long faces?" Rin teased, a grin breaking out. "We're about to explore an incredible dungeon! Think of the adventure!" Shina rolled her eyes. "We're not psycho like you, Rin. Exciting, sure, but it's a bit daunting with Mr Danger over here."
Rin chuckled, rallying the group with a determined glint in his eye. "Come on! Let's uncover the secrets of the forest!" With that, they plunged into the thicket, ready to face whatever lay ahead.
Rin and his team moved forward into the so-called dark forest. They were moving forward as fast as they could. A Meguneer, it was a common monster that could be seen in the forest, which, like human meat, had a human face smiling attached to the chest of this creature.
As they were breathing heavy from the run, suddenly something hit the back of Rin's head, and he fell unconscious.
RIN! Wake up.
Rin opened his saw he and the other were tied up high in a cross.
Rin scanned the landscape, her eyes locking onto a group of rugged individuals adorned with intricate tattoos, giving them a fierce, primal appearance reminiscent of an ancient clan. The air buzzed with a mix of curiosity and caution. Daniel leaned in closer, his voice low but charged with excitement. "Look at those tentacle-like formations on their backs. I recognise that! I've read about them—these are flesh-and-blood beings, worshippers of the so-called god of flesh and blood, Zerathis." His eyes sparkled with the thrill of discovery, as if the very legends he had studied had come to life before him.
The others are not surprised that Daniel was interested in them because Daniel likes this mystery god kind of stuff.
As they looked forward, a sense of dread washed over them. They were shocked by the sight before them — numerous humans in armour, their bodies lifeless and freshly killed. The gruesome scene sent chills down their spines, leaving them scared and uncertain of what to do next.
Kito spoke, "Why are their people in this place?"
Rin spoke, "It is strange after all, but first we need to find a way to escape in a few hours, and we will be in the same position."
Rin spoke, "Shina your the strongest among us. Can you break through the knot?"
Shina said, "I will try."
Everyone was trying to get through the knot.
Rin absorbed them and saw that they were killing anything and everything in their path. They did not eat the bodies but instead, settled everything at an altar, praying to an unknown god.
It seems like the leader of the tribe was walking forward to them, and the others followed him.
He saw Rin and the others and said, "I am Jinsakur, Oracle of the God of Flesh and Blood." Rin replied, "I don't care who you are or what creepy god you worship. Untie me, or I will kill you."
The Oracle spoke, "Be patient, child. We are sons and daughters of Zerathis; we are just sending the corrupted flesh and blood to him to cleanse it. If you are willing to join us, God may forgive your sins."
Daniel couldn't contain his excitement at the unexpected offer that had just come his way. Meanwhile, the other three exchanged puzzled glances, their eyebrows raised in disbelief. Daniel, unfazed, simply scoffed at their reaction, a grin spreading across his face.
Shina final abel to untie the rope and freed her friends. The Oracle didn't order his men to capture them; instead, they surrounded them.
Rin was analysing the situation and realised that the Oracle was the only one endowed with powers; the others were just normal humans. The Oracle smiled at Rin and said, "A smart kid has figured out that I am the only one blessed with the power of the gods." As he spoke, he waved his hand, and five Meguneer appeared at his disposal, showcasing his ability as a beast tamer. Although the Meguneer were not difficult to defeat, they were challenging to kill, as they were classified as Grade 3 creatures.
Rin took his black sword, which was lying the ground.
Rin and the others charged forward with no choice. The five Meguneer moved forward to each one of them, and the additional one went to fight Shina. Shina fought two Meguneer.
In the middle, the villagers also fought, but they were just normal humans, so handling them was not hard.
Rin blocked the monster's attack and struck it back. It didn't do much damage to defeat it, but it was enough to make it kneel.
Rin punched its face as everyone began to tire from the fight.
It took some time for Rin to recover and stand up, so he seized the opportunity to kill the Oracle. However, the villagers blocked his attack, which made Rin furious. Suddenly, the monster punched him, and he was unable to block it. He fell toward the altar and cut his hand in the process. As a single drop of his blood touched the altar's flesh, it reacted violently. Rain began to pour, and each villager was blasted away as the entire clan was wiped out. The Oracle remained smiling, with a creepy grin and an uncanny look.
Oracle shouted, "The God had come, come!, COME!!!!!."
He embraced his body in the blood and flesh as it joined with its body and became a more terrifying creature with a smile on its face.
It moved toward Rin quickly, and he was terrified. He ran, with the others following him. Shina stopped and said, "Mother of Flame and King of Desire, I call upon your blessings." As she spoke those words, a flame ignited and incinerated the monster's body.
They ran Kito asked, "what was that?."
Shina replied "that was my families signature move which can be used even if your grade 3 a common spell."
The monster was not dead but it slowed down.
As in front of them they saw a huge structure like a ancient temple, with no time to spare they went inside the temple.