CHAPTER 6: CHAPTER 6 - MORE FOOD FOR THE DRAGON?

The underbrush shifted with every step, quiet but steady, as more than six men moved through the forest, all in gray leathers and dull steel, eyes darting around like they expected the trees to spit something out at them.

The sun barely made it down here, only thin slices of it reaching the moss and roots. The deeper they went, the quieter it got, like the forest was holding its breath.

"I don’t like this," one muttered.

"The five border guards who knew the path never came back. It reeks of... an anomaly."

"Shut up," snapped the man at the front. A scar cut across his cheek, his tone sharp and flat. "We’re not scouts. We find the girl. Bring her back. That’s all."

"And if she’s dead?"

"Then we drag her corpse."

They pushed forward, climbing over roots, ducking under branches, until the trees started to space out. Ahead, a faint glow—a silver-blue shimmer slipping between trunks. Water.

"There," one whispered. "She could be by the shore."

"Move."

They broke into a jog, boots muffled by damp earth, breathing shallow. When the last trees gave way, they stopped.

The clearing was quiet, sunlight dripping through the canopy in broken pieces. A lake spread out in front of them, smooth as glass.

But it wasn’t the lake that froze them.

It was the thing standing in the middle of the clearing.

Wings folded behind him, dark like cloth spun from void. Scales midnight-dark, catching just a hint of light. A long tail lay curled beside him, claws sunk partway into the moss.

And beside him—

"Our target," one soldier whispered, his voice shaking.

Lyra. The bunny-eared girl. Standing right there, next to the beast. Not caged. Not tied. Just... there. Calm.

Her red eyes locked on them, wide, not with fear but something else.

And it hit them: whatever this creature was—a dragon, a chimera, whatever—she was with it. Which meant they were prey.

No one spoke. The silence was too heavy.

Then came a voice.

"You’re not from the forest."

Kael. His voice rolled out deep and smooth like it had been there long before the forest grew around it.

His golden eyes slid toward them, calm, curious, like a predator looking down at something small that crawled too close.

"Why are you here?" He asked. It wasn’t really a question. He already knew. He just wanted to hear them choke on the answer.

But none of them said a thing. Their throats felt locked, hearts hammering. Everything screamed at them to run, but fear rooted them still.

One swallowed, eyes flicking to the others. Then back to Lyra. Their mission. The City Lord’s words hammered in their heads.

"Bring her back. No matter what."

If they returned empty-handed, the city lord wasn’t going to spare them.

Kael’s gaze narrowed as he read their expression, getting the idea of their situation.

"Ah... I see." He stepped forward once. The ground shivered.

He didn’t explain what he meant or what he understood. He didn’t need to, as the fact that he was talking to them was already merciful enough.

"You have two choices," he said, voice low but heavy as stone. "Turn around. Go back to your city. Forget this path. Or..." His eyes glowed hot. "You get eaten."

That was it. The last mercy he was going to show them.

The humans, however, were locked in their spots. The weight of him pressed down so hard it made their stomachs twist. But could they turn back? No. They knew the City Lord. There was no return if they failed.

One forced out a smile, shaky and thin. "We... understand. We’ll leave."

Another joined in quick. "Forgive us. We didn’t know she was protected."

Step by step, they backed away.

[The human’s words are judged as a lie.]

Kael heard it. The judgment in his head. A grin stirred inside him. ’More food.’

The men, on the other hand, exchanged sharp glances as they turned, hands twitching toward their belts. Fingers slid into pouches, palming small canisters etched with faint runes.

Mana bombs.

It was illegal and costly but dangerous enough to erase even an A-rank beast. They were the only reason these silver-rank adventurers dared walk in here.

Lyra saw the mana bombs first and her ears shot up in alarm.

"Kael! They—those are mana bombs—!"

Too late. The men had already hurled the bombs. Four glowing orbs spun through the air, hum rising, light growing sharp—

Kael, however, didn’t move. Didn’t even blink. He just tilted his head, almost curious. To him, they crawled through the air like ants.

’Can I stop them without touching?’ The thought slid through his head, lazy, detached.

[Yes, you can.]

His instincts whispered back.

And the moment he heard those words, a glint passed through his eyes. He raised one claw—not to swat, not to strike, just to command.

The hum died to a murmur. The air thickened.

The bombs froze.

Four glowing spheres hung there, trembling, caught mid-flight like time itself had stopped. He felt them in his grip, not by touch, but through the mana itself bending to him.

"So fragile," he murmured, claws curling.

The orbs folded in on themselves. No explosion. No blast. They just... crumpled, dissolved into a wisp of harmless mana that faded away.

Silence smothered the clearing.

The soldiers stood pale, stiff, staring like their minds couldn’t even process what they’d seen.

Kael smiled. "Good. I was hoping I wouldn’t need to hunt today."

Then he moved. The ground shook with it.

The men didn’t move at all. Couldn’t. They knew then, clear as daylight, that they were finished.

Their last thoughts were bitter. ’We shouldn’t have accepted the City Lord’s request...’

But regret was useless now.

Kael’s jaw opened wide. And then there was nothing left to think.

........................

A while later.

The forest was quiet now.

Only the occasional clink of metal broke it. Kael spat out a twisted piece of armor. A half-melted sword hilt followed, then a buckle that rolled until it stopped by Lyra’s feet.

She stared down at it, then up at him.

Kael stood there in the clearing, claws sunk in moss darkened by more than just shadow. Wings shifted once, restless. His jaws worked, crunching something that looked vaguely like a helmet.

Crunch. Swallow.

And it was silent again.

Lyra shivered. Not from cold. From realization.

He hadn’t even tried.

The bombs, the men, all of it—he swept them aside like they were nothing. Not even effort. Not even an enemy.

And yet... when she had spoken to him before, it hadn’t felt like this. His voice was terrifying now, but earlier? He’d felt almost like a child, curious about everything.

She hugged her arms around herself. Her ears drooped. A question crawled through her: ’Why am I still alive?’

Suddenly, Kael turned toward her. His golden eyes softened, pupils less sharp, less beast.

"Let’s go," he said.

She blinked. "Go... where?"

He stretched, wings unfurling slow and easy like sails catching wind. "To the city. To tell the human leader not to send anyone here again."

Her jaw dropped. "You’re going... there? Just like that?"

He paused, nodded once. "Yes."

Then, another pause.

"Also... we’ll rescue your siblings on the way."

Her breath caught. "R-Really?! You’ll help me?!"

He shot her a sideways smirk. "Did I not say I would?"

Her whole face lit up. Ears standing tall, little tail twitching with excitement. Just Kael saying that he would help her was already enough to make her jump in excitement.

"You’re amazing!" She burst out.

Kael only shrugged, walking toward the lake’s edge. His wings stretched wider, this time with intent. The clearing darkened under their span.

But then—

"Um—Kael? Just a moment... if you don’t mind."