The road to the northern forest was quiet.
Tall mountains stood in the distance, while thick trees covered the land ahead.
Ren and Arlen walked side by side along the dirt path leading away from the academy.
Neither of them spoke for several minutes.
Only the sound of wind moving through the trees filled the air.
Finally, Arlen broke the silence.
"So."
He glanced sideways at Ren.
"You're the famous Shadow King."
Ren kept walking.
"That's what people are calling me."
Arlen smirked.
"After what happened with the Storm Hunter, it's not surprising."
Ren didn't respond.
Arlen continued.
"I heard you created an army of shadow soldiers."
Ren's answer was simple.
"Yes."
Arlen looked forward again.
"Well."
A confident grin appeared on his face.
"I hope you're actually strong."
Ren asked calmly.
"Why?"
Arlen shrugged.
"Because if the rumors are exaggerated, this mission will be boring."
They continued walking.
Soon the forest began appearing ahead.
The trees grew taller.
Thicker.
The sunlight barely reached the ground beneath them.
The northern forest had always been known as a dangerous place.
Demons often gathered here before attacking nearby villages.
Arlen stopped walking.
"We're close."
Ren also stopped.
He could already feel it.
Dark energy filled the forest.
Faint but noticeable.
"The demons are inside."
Arlen drew the sword from his back.
The blade shone with a faint silver light.
"Good."
He stepped forward.
"Let's finish this quickly."
The two entered the forest.
The deeper they walked, the darker it became.
Broken trees and claw marks appeared everywhere.
Signs of violent activity.
Arlen crouched near the ground.
Fresh tracks.
"More than fifty."
He stood up again.
"Maybe sixty."
Ren looked deeper into the forest.
The shadows beneath the trees felt different here.
Stronger.
Alive.
Behind him, his own shadow stretched slowly across the ground.
Shade's voice whispered quietly from the darkness.
"Master."
"The forest is full of enemies."
Ren nodded slightly.
"I know."
A branch suddenly snapped somewhere ahead.
Both Ren and Arlen stopped instantly.
Arlen raised his sword.
"Something's coming."
Several pairs of glowing red eyes appeared between the trees.
Then more.
And more.
Within seconds—
Dozens of demons stepped out of the darkness.
Their bodies were twisted and muscular.
Claws like knives extended from their hands.
Their mouths were filled with sharp teeth.
Lyra had been right.
There were far more than fifty.
Arlen smiled.
"Perfect."
The demons growled loudly.
Then they charged.
The first demon lunged toward Arlen.
His sword moved instantly.
SLASH.
The creature's body split in half.
Black blood splattered across the forest floor.
Arlen stepped forward without hesitation.
Another demon attacked from the side.
His blade flashed again.
Another demon fell.
Ren watched quietly for a moment.
Arlen was fast.
Very fast.
His sword moved like lightning.
Three demons rushed him at once.
Within seconds—
All three were dead.
Arlen glanced back at Ren.
"You're just watching?"
Ren stepped forward.
The shadows beneath the forest floor began moving.
"Not anymore."
Several demons suddenly jumped toward him.
Ren raised his hand.
The shadows exploded upward.
Dark spikes burst from the ground.
Two demons were instantly impaled.
Another was dragged into the darkness.
More demons surrounded them.
The forest filled with growls and roars.
Arlen laughed.
"Now this is fun."
Ren's shadow spread across the ground beneath the trees.
The battlefield was forming again.
Demons attacked from every direction.
Arlen cut them down with precise sword strikes.
Ren's shadows swallowed others whole.
Within minutes—
More than twenty demons lay dead.
But the creatures kept coming.
Their numbers seemed endless.
Arlen wiped blood from his blade.
"Something's wrong."
Ren noticed it too.
The demons weren't acting like normal monsters.
They were too organized.
Too coordinated.
Almost like they were following orders.
Then suddenly—
The demons stopped attacking.
They stepped backward slowly.
Creating space.
Arlen frowned.
"That's strange."
A deep voice echoed through the forest.
"You humans are annoying."
Both Ren and Arlen turned toward the darkness.
Heavy footsteps approached from deeper within the trees.
The ground trembled slightly with each step.
Then the creature appeared.
It was enormous.
Nearly three meters tall.
Its skin was dark gray like stone.
Two massive horns curved from its head.
Its eyes burned with intelligence.
Arlen's smile disappeared.
"That…"
Ren's shadow moved slightly beneath his feet.
The creature spoke again.
"You killed my soldiers."
It stepped forward slowly.
A powerful aura spread across the forest.
Ren looked directly at the monster.
This was no ordinary demon.
And the mission had just become far more dangerous.