Rolin suddenly heard a strange sentence.
A voice.
Close.
Too close.
"All of us are one… we are all one. There is no difference between anyone. Everyone is equal."
Then…
Nothing.
The sensation vanished.
The cold breath disappeared.
The pale white presence dissolved as if it had never existed.
Rolin remained standing for a long moment, chains tense around his arms, breathing slow and controlled.
But his mind refused to let go of that sentence.
No movement.
No sound.
Even the wind seemed unwilling to exist.
Everything felt… calm.
Too calm.
A terrifying kind of calm.
He exhaled slowly and sat back down, though his grip on the dagger never fully relaxed.
"Damn hallucinations…"
Yet deep inside—
he knew.
That had not been an illusion.
---
Morning
There was no sunrise.
No golden light piercing the branches.
No warmth.
But Rolin wasn't surprised.
Instead of sunlight…
a strange glow began to spread through the forest itself.
Thin luminous lines appeared along the enormous tree trunks, like veins of faint light flowing beneath the dark bark.
Blue-green.
Soft.
Beautiful…
in an unsettling way.
The forest had not awakened.
It had merely opened one eye.
Rolin stood slowly.
First he checked his surroundings.
Then he began packing.
The pot.
The blanket.
The tools.
The cold ashes.
Everything returned to the bottomless bag.
He left no trace.
Not even a footprint near the hollow tree.
Likath stretched lazily as his crimson flames flickered back to life.
"So…"
"Where are we going today?"
Rolin wrapped the chains tightly around his forearms.
"The opposite direction of the dragged corpse."
He paused.
"That thing…"
"I'd rather not learn what it looks like up close."
Likath grinned, exposing rows of small sharp teeth.
"Rare wisdom from you."
They began walking again.
Under the dim forest glow the world looked different.
Less terrifying.
But far more mysterious.
Dark grass covered the ground.
Tree trunks rose like pillars of an abandoned cathedral.
Cold air drifted quietly between them.
Rolin moved with steady caution.
Every step measured.
Every shadow observed.
Minutes passed.
Then—
he noticed something.
The ground ahead looked disturbed.
Grass bent.
Broken.
Not toward where the deer corpse had been dragged.
But toward the direction he was now walking.
Rolin stopped.
He crouched and touched the ground.
Fresh.
Something had passed through recently.
Something that walked on two legs.
Likath smiled slowly.
"Well…"
"Looks like we're not the only ones who chose this direction."
Rolin raised his head.
The faint forest light reflected in his eyes.
"Humans?"
Likath tilted his head.
"I hope so."
Rolin continued forward.
Every sense sharpened.
Every muscle ready.
Then—
it appeared.
A wolf.
Or something that resembled one.
Huge.
Larger than a full-grown horse.
Its fur was deep black, absorbing the faint forest glow.
Its teeth were long and dark like burned iron.
Its eyes…
glowed with a primitive red hunger.
Its claws gouged the ground just by standing still.
Rolin froze.
Cold sweat slid down his temple.
He whispered without moving his gaze.
"Likath… aren't you relatives?"
"Go talk to him."
Likath sounded deeply offended.
"That ugly creature is my relative?"
"Insult me again and I'll leave you here."
The wolf's eyes shifted.
Its body lowered.
Hunting stance.
Rolin sighed.
"Well…"
"Looks like he didn't like that idea."
The wolf moved.
Rolin didn't even see the leap.
Only a blur of black.
It arrived instantly—
and its jaws slammed onto Rolin's right arm.
CLANG.
The fangs struck the chain wrapped around his forearm.
Metal screeched.
The chain held.
But his arm didn't.
Pain exploded through the bone.
It felt like the teeth were still reaching his flesh through the metal.
He refused to scream.
With his left hand—
he drove Likath's crimson dagger straight into the wolf's eye.
The blade pierced deep.
The wolf howled.
It stumbled backward as thick black blood spilled down its face.
But it didn't retreat.
It only grew angrier.
Its breathing became heavier.
More violent.
Rolin grinned through the pain.
"My friend…"
"Now would be a great time to help."
Likath did not answer.
He vanished in a flash of crimson light.
At that exact moment—
Rolin lunged forward.
His left chain snapped outward.
It looped around the wolf's jaws.
He pulled hard.
The beast's mouth partially closed.
Rolin stepped closer—
and rammed the crimson dagger between the wolf's teeth, locking its jaw.
Then—
with the black dagger in his right hand—
he slashed across the wolf's chest.
A deep tearing wound.
Black flesh split.
Blood burst outward.
But the wolf did not fall.
Instead—
its massive claw swung.
Rolin wrapped the chain around his forearm to block.
CRASH.
The impact shook his entire body.
Pain exploded through his wrist.
Something inside it cracked.
But the wolf did worse.
It threw its entire body forward—
and slammed Rolin into the tree behind him.
"—AGH!"
His spine struck wood.
The air left his lungs.
His grip loosened.
The chain slipped free.
The wolf's jaw opened again.
With one claw—
it ripped the crimson dagger from its own mouth, tearing its gums apart.
Blood poured down its throat.
Yet it stood.
It stepped back.
One step.
Deadly calm.
Its body lowered again.
Preparing for the final strike.
Its single remaining eye locked onto Rolin.
Rolin stood unsteadily.
His chest burned.
His right arm trembled.
He raised the black dagger.
"Come on."
The wolf leapt.
But—
suddenly—
it froze mid-air.
Its body trembled violently.
Then—
its tail ignited.
Dark crimson flames devoured it instantly.
A howl of agony shattered the forest silence.
Behind the wolf—
stood Likath.
But he was no longer the small cub.
His body had grown slightly larger.
His flames burned darker.
Colder.
His voice carried a deeper tone.
"I'm not finished yet."
At once—
Rolin snapped both chains outward.
They wrapped around the wolf's hind legs.
He pulled with everything he had left.
The beast lost its balance.
It crashed onto its side.
The ground shook beneath its weight.
But it recovered instantly.
It spun.
And jumped.
Straight at Rolin.
Too close.
Too fast.
The jaws opened wide.
The red eye burned with murderous hunger.
And just before the fangs reached Rolin's face—
Likath turned into a streak of crimson fire.
And flew…
straight into the wolf's mouth.
He disappeared.
Rolin froze.
"LIKATH—!! YOU IDIOT!"
Fury exploded inside him.
Not fear.
Fury.
He wrapped both chains around his arms like metal gauntlets—
and charged.
Strike.
Punch.
Slash.
The black dagger tore through flesh again and again.
The chain-covered fists smashed ribs.
Black blood sprayed everywhere.
But the wolf fought like madness itself.
A claw ripped across Rolin's chest.
Another slashed his left arm.
Its teeth tore open the skin beneath his ribs.
Pain burned white.
But he did not stop.
Rolin roared.
His right chain lashed forward—
wrapping around the wolf's neck.
He yanked downward with brutal force.
The wolf's skull lowered.
In his trembling hand—
the crimson dagger returned.
He screamed from the depths of his lungs.
"GO TO HELL!"
The blade plunged into the wolf's skull.
Bone cracked.
The dagger pierced through.
Into the brain.
The wolf's body jerked—
once.
Then collapsed.
Dead.
Silence returned.
Rolin dropped to his knees.
His breathing ragged.
Blood poured from his wounds.
His eyes trembled.
"I'm sorry…"
"My friend… I couldn't protect you…"
His voice shook.
"Please… come back…"
"I won't complain anymore… I won't tell you to shut up… I promise…"
Silence.
Then—
a voice.
"You always keep your promises… don't you, idiot."
Rolin froze.
Slowly—
he raised his head.
And saw fire.
Dark crimson flames engulfed the wolf's corpse.
The flesh burned without smoke.
Bones melted.
And within the flames—
a shadow formed.
Something stepped out.
A wolf.
But smaller.
Sleek.
Its fur no longer black.
But deep crimson.
Like embers beneath ash.
Its eyes glowed with familiar intelligence.
The wolf grinned.
A grin only one creature could have.
Likath.
His flaming tail swayed slowly.
"Honestly?"
"That thing tasted terrible."
Rolin stared in disbelief.
Likath stepped closer, voice deeper now.
"I wasn't eaten…"
His crimson fangs gleamed.
"I was the one who ate."