Chapter 28: Out of the shadows.

The snake hissed again, but this time, Zyra caught a flicker of what might have been proud in its posture. She settled on the steps for a moment, watching as Spice continued his futile attempt to devour the Shardhorn.

The vines rustles, the crystal antlers scratched against the old tiles. Wind rustled through leaves, lending a moment of peace to the moment. The jungle was filled with danger, but for now, there was a safety inside the den.

An idea popped into her mind. The presence of a mid-level mutated beast in the area meant less dangerous beasts around. The nearest dungeon was miles away from where she was. This apartment building, old as it was, would make a good home. There was ready lighting with the crystalline antlers, a water source close by, and enough space for farming.

If she fenced off the area somehow, it could become her own territory. The jungle was safer than the open areas of the Wild lands, as dangerous as it was. As long as she increased her strength, she would be as dangerous as a high-level beast soon.

Mind made up, Zyra rose to continue collecting the bodies of the Shardhorns she had left on the lower floors. But first, she sent Spice and his dinner into the beast realm.

She went up to the last floor, to get a look at the living space of the beast. Following the strong smell of musk, she located the chamber. It was the largest room on the floor. Veins crawled across the walls; their roots tangled in bones and husks of prey devoured.

She crouched low, scanning the room. Among the debris, energy stones glimmered faintly. Different colors, two were mid-grade. "Jackpot, jackpot!" She squealed. She scooped them up quickly, feeling their warmth seep into her palms.

[Ding!]

"No." She barked.

[Fine.]

She didn’t know if a machine could pout, but Beauty was pouting! To protect her stones, she didn’t put them in the beast domain, but glove compartment.

The energy stones were not the only good things in the room. Nestled in the vines were herbs. A flower with silver leaves and crimson veins. She recognized it immediately. It was a Mudleaf, prized for enhancing beast growth.

There was a red root as well, which was a Bloodroot, famed for helping half-life beasts regain vitality. Both herbs were rare and grew in the wild. ℯℯ𝑙.

[Ding! Nurturing herbs for the beasts detected. Initiating Reclamation protocols.]

The system moved fast, before she could explode with a rejection. Two herbs vanished quickly. It was a reminder that this system prioritized beasts over humans.

With a sigh, she examined the rest of the room. Other than antlers which had been shed for at least ten years, there was nothing else to find. She packed them away and moved swiftly to the lower floors to claim the deers she had left behind,

Zyra was swift with her blade, slicing through the remains, detaching antlers from heads. Everything went into the beast realm.

When she was completely done clearing all the floors, she happily marched out of the building and back into the fresh jungle air.

[Movement detected....Scanning.....]

"Movement? Where?" Her eyes darted around. She heard a crunch, the sound of a heavy boot stepping on a dry twig.

Zyra’s next words caught in her throat. She froze, her eyes darting wildly further around the clearing. Shadows detached themselves from the thick trees one by one. Before she could even take a step backward, she realized she was completely surrounded. Not by beasts, but humans.

Ten heavily armed men, wearing matching hunting gear and carrying brutal weapons, had surrounded her in a perfect circle.

One stepped forward, his eyes locking onto the antler in Zyra’s hand.

"Well, well, well," he sneered. "Look what the little girl found for us. That belongs to us because this is our hunting territory."

Another man pointed at the bag that she was holding. "Drop thr bag girlie."

Zyra immediately knew that these had to be rogues.... the kind of scum that took advantage of honest hunters, and today, she was their chosen prey. The fact that they were calling this abandoned flat their personal hunting ground was just a flimsy excuse. If they had known about it, they would have cleared it out ages ago. If not, they would have at least marked it.

Then, others would have known to stay away. or dare to venture inside at the cost of their own lives. It was more likely that they had tracked a heat signature or stumbled on the building after hearing all the noise the Shardhorns made during her slaughter.

If she had to guess, it was option two.

Zyra raised her chin, keeping her voice cold and steady. "The grounds were not marked by any guild or faction, and therefore it belongs to no one. Not the government, and definitely not you."

The man who had spoken first stepped closer, playfully twirling an extra-large wicked-looking hunting knife in his palm as if trying to scare her. His face was completely disproportionate.... his eyes too close together and his jaw lopsided....and even though he was the shortest man in the group, the others deferred to him. He was clearly the leader.

Following on his heels was his Half-Life beast.... a Bone Crasher that looked like a hound straight out of a nightmare. The creature was a massive, hulking dog, but what made it truly terrifying were its three separate heads, each one snapping its jaws and gnawing on thick fragments of bone with razor-sharp teeth.

The man let out a raspy chuckle. "Belongs to no one? Little girl, we spent days hiding in these dangerous bushes, risking our necks to figure out a way to take down the boss Shardhorn inside. We already lost five men to its antlers. So, imagine our surprise when a lone girl walks out alive, with traces of blood and a smile!

Zyra looked at them, her gaze sweeping over the ten men one by one. A cold realization washed over her. These men had been hiding in the shadows, watching her the entire time. They were too cowardly to face the mutated deer themselves, so they waited for her to do the dirty work just so they could swoop in and steal the prize.

Her system scanned for beasts, not humans. It was probably why she didn’t detect them.

Instead of trembling, Zyra let out a soft, mocking laugh. Her face remained stern, showing absolutely no signs of fear. "Then I will lay my own cards on the table. Back off. If I cleared this entire dungeon so quickly on my own, what makes you think that I won’t take you down just as easily?"