Chapter 18: URGENT!

Lyrderu’s POV

It had already been nine days.

Nine days since Jin started his healing lessons at the Church of Gleaming Veil. Nine days of him waking before dawn, dragging himself back to the inn with heavy steps and slumped shoulders. Yet, not once did Lyr hear a complaint.

The lizardman leaned against a thick tree trunk, scanning the darkened forest that was Evernight Veil. His nostrils flared slightly—still no scent of monsters nearby, but the air was uneasy.

“He tries harder than most of my warriors,” Lyr muttered under his breath, half amused, half proud.

As a chieftain, he had led hunts and trained warriors since his youth. He’d seen countless males push themselves to grow stronger, faster. But Jin… this human was different. No claws, no fangs, no natural resilience of a beastkins—just willpower and grit from that tiny body of a softkins. That same stubbornness had brought him through the adventurer test. That same spark kept him going now.

And honestly? Lyr admired it.

The rustle of leaves pulled his focus. He crouched low, tail still, and peered through the dim mist. Two goblins—one larger than usual, and a second with strange discoloration on its skin—crept between twisted roots.

He didn’t wait.

Drawing the spear across his back, Lyr lunged forward. One swift slice tore through the larger goblin’s neck; the smaller one barely had time to squeal before his claws silenced it. The bodies slumped quietly onto the damp earth.

Too close. Goblins should never stray this near the forest’s edge. And worse… their eyes were too clear. Too focused. Not feral, not maddened—no, these ones were scouting.

Something was wrong.

He took a moment to bury the corpses beneath a layer of leaves, masking the scene. Then he continued deeper, moving with practiced ease among the roots and shadows. But his mind wandered back—back to Obsidian’s office, to the quiet warning shared behind a closed door.

“Those orcs Jin defeated the other day—something about that horde wasn't natural. If you spot anything unusual during your missions, report it back to me immediately.”

Now even the goblins and kobolds were shifting out of their territories. Treants, too, had moved unnaturally close to Willowshade. He had slain two of them on his way to the Veil, and they’d shown signs of corruption—blackened veins, cracked bark that oozed strange fluids.

It wasn’t just rumors anymore. They must either following order or running away from someone or something.

Could it be connected? Were these ripples somehow tied to the defeat of those orcs Jin fought during his test?

Lyr narrowed his eyes, then jumped himself into the darkness of the Veil. This was no mere monster migration. No natural shift. Something darker was stirring—and if he was right, they would need more than just two determined adventurers to face what was coming.

But first… Jin had to learn to Heal.

And despite everything, Lyr believed in him.

Jin’s POV

The soft echo of Serenya’s words still lingered in Jin’s head as he walked back from Gleaming Veil Church.

“Well done, Jin.”

The Glowshrooms along the road bathed the street in their gentle blue light. Late at night, quiet, peaceful—he couldn’t help but feel a strange déjà vu. It reminded him of his university days, walking home exhausted after finishing a long project. Probably around 9 or 10pm then, just like now.

Back then, those walks felt heavy and lonely. But tonight... was different. He didn’t feel alone. Maybe it was the satisfaction of learning his first spell. Maybe it was Serenya’s smile, her praise. Whatever it was, something inside him was lighter.

Back at the inn, he noticed Lyr’s bed was still empty.

“He’s probably still on his quest. I hope he doesn’t overdo it. Well, can’t wait to brag to him about the Healing spell when he gets back,” Jin mumbled to himself, exhaustion already pulling him toward sleep.

He drifted off with the image of the grateful hunter whose wounds had begun to heal still fresh in his mind.

The next morning, Jin woke with a feeling he hadn’t known since arriving in this world—peace. Light as a feather. The sun spilled across the room. For the first time, it felt like things were finally beginning to fall into place.

Until…

he glanced at Lyr’s bed. Still untouched.

That... wasn’t right. Even when Lyr took long missions, he always returned before dawn.

A chill crept into Jin’s chest.

Without even grabbing breakfast, he threw on his gear and bolted out the door.

The guild was far from its usual rowdy self. However, the moment Jin entered, the noise died. Conversations halted. Heads turned.

But there was no malice in their stares, just concern and a heavy silence.

Jin made straight for the reception desk, where Mina and another staffer were sorting through reports. Mina’s eyes widened as she spotted him.

“Did Sir Lyrderu come back yet?” she called out, her voice too sharp to be casual.

“He’s…not yet. So, what happened?” Jin shot back, half-speaking, half-yelling.

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

At that moment, Obsidian stepped out from his office. His arms were crossed, his expression firm.

“Calm down. Lyr is a tough lizard—he’ll be fine. Even if something happened, he knows how to survive. He’ll show up.”

But Jin wasn’t satisfied. His worry wouldn’t be soothed by words alone.

Seeing this, Obsidian gestured toward his office. “Come. Let’s talk.”

After the door closed, Jin took a seat, tense. Obsidian poured tea and slid a small plate of toast toward him.

“First, eat something. I doubt you’ve had breakfast.”

Jin stared for a second before nodding and taking a bite. “You’re right. Thanks. But please—what happened to Lyr?”

Obsidian leaned forward.

“As you’ve heard, there’s been odd activity near Evernight Veil. Beast movements out of pattern. We sent scouts. Lyr volunteered to check the deeper eastern edge. He left ten days ago.”

He opened a drawer and pulled out a folded parchment, stained faintly with dried blood.

“This was the last message we received from him. Came in late yesterday via an emergency runner.”

Jin took the parchment carefully. Three words, smeared but still legible:

Empire. Ostrya. Experiments.

Jin’s eyes narrowed.

Obsidian didn’t miss his reaction. “You know something.”

“I… might,” Jin replied, quietly.

Obsidian nodded once. “I won’t push. But if you’re thinking of heading out after him, I can assign some of my best adventurers. You don’t have to do this alone.”

Jin stood. “Thanks, but... I think I should go first. Alone. If Lyr’s out there, I owe it to him.”

Obsidian’s eyes met his for a long moment. Then he gave a slight smile.

“I’ve seen many cases like this before, people tended to panic when losing or missing a party member. But this isn’t that. You’re still focused. So go—but be prepared. I don’t want to send out another search party for someone else I respect. That’s an order.”

Jin exhaled and nodded. “Understood. I’ll gear up. And we will be back shortly.”

Later That Day – Evernight Veil

Jin moved swiftly; senses sharp. He’d picked up Lyr’s trail just beyond the outer edge of Evernight Veil—deep claw marks in the earth, scorch marks, and shattered trees told of a violent battle.

Then he saw it.

A massive Chimera’s corpse, grotesque and still smoking from magical burns. But nearby…

Blood. Dark red, soaking into leaves. And something else.

Jin’s breath caught.

Part of a scaled tail, severed.

His jaw clenched, fingers curling into fists.

“Damn it, Lyr…”

With every step, he followed the trail north, sometime it would lead him go deeper into the Veil, some toured around to the edges. The blood trail thinned, but Jin didn’t stop. Not when exhaustion began to drag at his limbs.

By dusk, after nearly a full day of tracking, he reached the very edge of the Veil.

There, half-buried in moss and tucked inside a tree, stood Lyr’s spear.

Jin knelt beside it. The ground bore faint signs of a skirmish—scorched bark, broken branches, shallow claw marks. But no body.

And the trail ended here.

“He was moved. Someone erased the trails…or tried to”

He closed his eyes, extending his senses. Then, faint… very faint… more blood.

Smaller drops, in a single direction.

He sprinted.

The moon was high when Jin saw it: a lonely wooden cabin tucked in a hollow. No lights. Quiet. But something felt… wrong.

Then with the combination of Farsight and Night Vision, he easily spotted them—three figures patrolling the perimeter. Though, something about them was off. They were tall, cloaked, but moved with an unnatural twitch to their gait.

Jin narrowed his eyes and whispered, “Appraisal—EX.”

Appraisal – Activated

Name: Unknown

Race: Humanoid Chimera

Level: 55

Affiliate: Varetheim Empire

Name: Unknown

Race: Humanoid Chimera

Level: 57

Affiliate: Varetheim Empire

Name: Unknown

Race: Humanoid Chimera

Level: 62

Affiliate: Ostrya Kingdom

“So…it’s indeed like that. Ostrya and Varetheim Empire are all involved. Did they create an alliance? Or was it just temporary?”

He narrowed his eyes. If they were cooperating, this wasn’t some rogue capture—it was organized. Planned. And Lyr probably captured because he found out about that.

“Hang in there, brother. I’m coming for you” – Jin murmured.

He waited and observed closely. After ten minutes, the Level 55 broke off from formation, wandering further toward the treelined.

Jin slipped forward like a ghost.

An arrow gleamed in the moonlight. Enhanced with Wind and Wood magic

Thrum.

It struck the creature’s thigh just as binding threads erupted around its torso, locking its limbs. The humanoid screeched—but only once—before Jin’s second arrow buried deep in its forehead. The body hit the dirt with a dull thud.

Two lefts.

Jin flanked wide, drawing a sigil midair. The Level 57 Chimera passed close to the corner of the cabin. Now.

“Glacial Lance.”

A massive icicle erupted from the circle, shooting straight through the beast’s side. It roared, staggering back.

“Explosion!”

The blast shattered its chest mid-snarl. But before the smoke cleared, the Level 62 had already leapt from the cabin’s rooftop—wielding a serrated black blade in each hand.

Jin barely dodged the twin strikes as they carved craters into the ground where he stood.

Fast.

The creature’s eyes were too human—cold, calculating. But its body twisted unnaturally, with sinewy joints that flexed like beasts.

Their weapons clashed—Jin’s dagger deflecting the chimera’s blade by a breath. Then it turned to smoke—no, not smoke—shadow.

The thing reappeared behind him.

Jin spun, slashing.

Sparks flew. Pain shot through his side—blood sprayed as the chimera’s claws raked him.

He gritted his teeth. “You want a real fight?”

His hand flared with light—four orbs at once.

“Glacial Lance. Blazing Shot!”

He blurred forward, phasing through one strike to deliver a spinning counter. His blade sang through the air, slicing the creature’s wrist open.

But it didn’t scream. It laughed.

They clashed again, this time Jin driving forward like a storm—each blow infused with fire, ice, or force. The chimera parried most, but its movements grew sluggish. Jin’s combo forced it back toward the cabin.

One final strike—

“Sword Slash!”

The attack cut clean across the creature’s chest—then back through its side in an X-arc, severing both its arms and torso in a fountain of black blood.

The Chimera staggered once, then fell. Twitching. Dead.

But before Jin could catch his breath—

CRACK.

The weakened cabin, battered from stray spells and shockwaves, collapsed in on itself.

“Lyr!”

Jin scrambled through the wreckage, casting bursts of wind to clear the debris. Charred beams and broken planks gave way to reveal—

A scaled arm, limp and buried beneath a support beam.

Jin’s heart dropped.

“Lyr! Hang on!”

He tore the wood off and knelt beside him. The lizardman was barely recognizable—face swollen, scales torn, armor shattered. Blood soaked everything.

Jin dropped to his knees. “Come on, don’t do this—!”

He Appraised Lyr

Status

Name

Lyrderu Numshi

Gender

Male

Race

Lizardman

Level

57

Status

Critical / Injured

HP

50/9525

MP

500/4375

He immediately activated Heal, over and over, magic pouring from his palm. He opened a potion and tilted it to Lyr’s lips, forcing him to swallow.

Through Jin’s eyes, a flickering HP bar began to stabilize—rising slowly.

10%.

24%.

48%.

Still, Lyr didn’t move.

“Wake up,” Jin whispered, desperation clawing at his throat. “You stubborn lizard…”

No response.

The only sounds were the crackling embers of the ruined cabin and the distant whisper of wind through trees.

Jin stayed there, shaking, hand still glowing.

Waiting.