Hugh huff huff.
"The hell was that…? But— where's Sera!?"
"N-Noen..? Are you okay?" She asked in a worried tone, her voice stuttering as he stood in daze before turning his head.
"Don't worry about me," he said. "You are okay; that's what matters."
*punch!*
"At least care about yourself, idiot…! Hmph." She pouted, looking away in anger, leaving him stunned and confused.
*(Is it me, or is she acting different.)*
He thought, but his face looked still.
Looking at her in a calm, focused gaze, he just sighed.
"Okay..."
Before he moved closer and patted her head without thinking and said, "So should we start moving before it turns into another long night?"
Sera stuttered, her face covered under a shadow, slightly blushing while he kept patting her head with his strong, rough hands. She just nodded in response, and hence their journey began.
A while passed, walking through the forest which seemed endless, but it felt normal, like a repeating scenery they had witnessed before.
Noen looked unexhausted, while above, in the dazzling hot sun, his body refused to drop a single ounce of sweat.
But Sera, she was drenched, her breath heavy, following him like a shadow, leaning forward in exhaustion.
The forest was filled with a weird, humid, hot air where the trees rustled between the sounds of insects and birds chirping.
Noen glanced backward to look for Sera. He asked, "You want to take a break?"
"No. I can walk more…"
"But you don't look like you can—"
*Collapse!*
"Sera!"
Her body fell forward, grumbling in exhaustion, her face sweaty, huffing; glancing barely from her teary eyes.
For her, everything turned dark, spinning as her sense of surroundings vanished. Her touch searched for someone as he reached for her, holding her hand, shouting…
But she heard faint voices, echoes ringing in her ears, someone calling for her…
*splash!*
"Sera!"
Huff huff huff. She jolted upright, gasping with her jagged breath.
Eyes wide, staring at a riverbed where he sat, looking worriedly at her amber eyes, which glistened slightly, he asked, "Are you okay?"
"Yes," she nodded, looking down, her voice apologetic. "Sorry I made you worry," but he just patted her head, reassuring her with a serene voice, "it's alright; there isn't a hurry to reach a destination."
"So fix your mood and rest a little."
"Hm."
She nodded as he stood up, looking back at the river, narrowing his eyes.
"And stay here. I'll go scout and bring something to eat."
His fingers twisted with a crunch, his bones poking out as he clenched his fist.
"It seems we have some uninvited guests following us," he muttered.
Before he vanished in front of Sera's eyes, moving to a nearby tree at an incredible speed.
Landing on a thick branch, he stared with a cold, murderous look, holding a dagger he just carved out of his bone and blood.
The trees rustled in silence, the sound of something moving; his ears twitched, and like a wind touching his back, he moved swiftly, dodging the attack. His eyes glowed red, locking in the entity following them.
It was a monkey, an uncanny stretched smile showing its long flat teeth, its eyes huge like it would pop out any minute, covered under dark circles where its body was black, huge legs and fingers as if it could jump hundreds of meters on trees.
It ooked with a screeching sound. It had anger embedded in its eyes. The monkey jumped, attacking Noen, but he just jumped again, dodging every attack. He swirled his dagger in his fist.
And—
Without mercy, he pushed the dagger to the monkey's heart, pressing it wth his legs as he tore it open, but that wasn't the one.
*Rustle rustle.*
Giant shadows appeared, staring from the canopy leaves; light passed through the dense as a cold, weird silence filled the surroundings.
Preparing to hunt "a prey…"
Noen stood silently on a branch, sitting, planning his next move with a calm expression.
"1... 2... 50? No... there's more."
His breath slowed; he closed his eyes. The air thummed before a slow breeze flew past his back, making his ponytail flutter.
He left a long sigh.
Ekkkkhhhhhh.
Thousands of screaming sounds echoed as all of the monkeys jumped with their long-legged hands, their sound deafening.
But Noen moved with calm, a swift motion, and with a line of blade tracing from his eyes, he plunged and plowed through countless bodies. Blood splattered, but the attack didn't stop coming; his blade swiveled through skins, eyes, everything that came in his path.
But no one was able to close the distance except one. But Noen instantly grabbed its head with force, crushing it into a pulp with his bare hands. He counted.
"27."
*Crush!*
"28."
*Slam. Skhrch.*
"29."
It continued for minutes or long hours, but what was left to see was destruction and absolute domination.
At the end, he stood triumphant, eyes cold as splatters of blood stuck to his face, but his pupils glowed red with true bloodlust.
"78," he muttered in a heavy tone, wiping the blood from his face as his flesh stretched, grabbing the dagger in his hand, sticking it back like it was always a part of his body and not a blade.
"It's late; I should head back… wait," he pondered. "Am I forgetting something?"
But nothing came to his mind, though suddenly, a fog cleared in his mind as he shouted, remembering a task.
"I was here to find food... sigh..."
"I guess I can find fish in the river."
***
"You are late."
She said, looking at him as he walked with tons of fruit and fish tied to his hands.
"Sorry, just a few bugs wasted my time on my way."
"Bugs? Are you okay!?"
She moved closer to his face as he stepped back, muttering, "I'm okay, don't worry."
But she persisted, staring at him with puppy eyes.
"Sigh... I'm really okay," he said tiredly, and with a swift gesture he pulled her up in his arms.
Taking her to the campfire to stop her from asking, but Sera, her voice stuttered, unable to mutter up words, her eyes spiralling as she hit him with her soft feminine hands, yelling to put her down.
But he didn't listen, yet let her go, moving forward like a marching stone.
But unexpectedly, a stone came beneath his feet, making him unbalance, his eyes pinpricked, and before he could do anything, he fell down, shielding Sera with his arms.
Thud!*
A sound echoed as gravel got crushed under his back. He opened his eyes, asking, "Sera, are you okay?"
As she slowly opened her eyes, looking in front, she pressed her hands on his chest, trying to sit up, but she felt warmth.
Feeling his heartbeat.
She slowly slid her hands near his chest, her heart racing, and for a moment, for her, time went still. She closed the distance, moving closer.
Her heart fastening, breath heavy, she tucked her red lips…