CHAPTER 10: CH 10: A GOOD HAUL - PART 3

Lucian tightened his grip on the crude gun as he crept toward the source of the noise. Each step was careful, measured, his ears straining against the howling wind.

The smell of iron reached him first—thick, sharp, unmistakable. Blood.

When he finally pushed through the undergrowth, the scene unfolded before him like some cruel painting.

A small group of humans lay sprawled on the ground, their bodies torn and broken, crimson pooling beneath them.

Two massive beasts prowled over them, each the size of a carriage, their fur matted with gore.

Their jagged teeth glistened as they snapped at the last survivor—a young man barely clinging to life, crawling feebly away as his blood left a red trail in the snow.

Lucian’s eyes narrowed.

’Humans. Out here.’

The survivor’s breaths were shallow, ragged, his limbs trembling as the beasts closed in. It would be over in seconds. Lucian could turn away, return to his clearing, and no one would know.

But before he could move, a sharp chime rang in his head.

[System Alert: First Mission Objective Unlocked]

[Objective: Save Berry Marksman.]

[Designation: Future companion of the world’s Hero.]

[Role: Early guide to the Hero in this world.]

Lucian froze.

"Hero?"

He muttered under his breath.

The system’s words lingered in the air like frost.

A future companion of the hero? Did that mean this dying man was important to the larger story of this world and his mission?

"System, do you mean the so-called hero is an outsider like me?"

Lucian whispered.

For a moment, the glowing screen flickered.

[Error. Sufficient data not available.]

Lucian’s jaw tightened. Useless. But the implication was clear enough.

If this Berry Marksman truly had ties to the so-called hero, then saving him could bring Lucian answers he desperately needed.

Answers about his debt, about why he was here, about how much of his fate was truly his own.

He exhaled slowly.

"So... if saving you brings me closer to understanding this world... then I don’t have much of a choice."

The beasts roared, lunging toward the crawling man.

Lucian raised his gun. A shot cracked through the air—not powerful enough to kill, but sharp enough to burst against the beast’s ear.

The creature recoiled with a guttural snarl, shaking its head violently. Its partner turned, eyes burning as it fixed on Lucian.

"Over here, you damn mutts."

Lucian growled.

He unleashed another shot, this one aimed low to kick up dirt and snow. The sound and burst of energy forced both beasts to turn fully toward him, their fury redirected.

Berry collapsed onto the ground, too weak to even lift his head.

Lucian summoned a thread of magic beneath his feet, the ground pulsing faintly. His boots skidded backward as he drew the creatures away, weaving between trees.

He could feel the heat of their breath chasing him, but each time they lunged, he darted aside, letting their momentum carry them into trunks and snowbanks.

Finally, when the timing felt right, he planted his palm on the earth and released a surge of mana.

The ground trembled, a small fissure splitting open just enough to trip the lead beast. It crashed into the snow with a heavy thud.

Lucian didn’t wait. He turned, sprinting back toward the bleeding man, muttering a curse under his breath.

With a wave of his hand, tendrils of mana wrapped around Berry’s limp form, lifting him off the ground as if invisible threads were pulling him along.

The beasts roared in the distance, scrambling back to their feet. Lucian didn’t look back.

He dragged Berry through the trees, every step burning with urgency, until finally the familiar boundary of his valley came into sight.

When they reached the clearing, Lucian dropped the man roughly onto the ground, his chest heaving. He wiped his brow with the back of his hand.

"There. You’re alive. For now."

Berry groaned faintly, but his eyes remained closed, his body pale from blood loss.

Lucian stared down at him. Part of him wanted to just leave the man here—let him bleed out, let nature finish its work.

But another part of him, the calculating one, saw the danger. A stranger waking in his valley, confused, possibly armed or hostile... that was a risk he couldn’t allow.

Lucian crouched and pulled a length of rope from his pack. In practiced motions, he bound Berry’s wrists and ankles tight, securing knots that would take effort to undo.

He dragged the man closer to one of the valley’s thicker trees and lashed him there for good measure.

"There. If you wake up stupid, you won’t get far."

Only then did Lucian turn his attention to the man’s wounds.

They were worse than he thought—deep slashes across his torso and legs, puncture wounds along his side. The smell of blood was strong, almost choking.

Lucian opened his small medical kit, laying out the supplies. Bandages, a dwindling bottle of antiseptic, a handful of stitched needles. He clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"Running low... damn it."

Still, he worked quickly, cleaning what he could, wrapping the worst of the wounds tight. Berry flinched once in his unconscious state, but didn’t stir.

By the time Lucian leaned back, his supplies had shrunk alarmingly. Only a few strips of bandage remained, and less than half a bottle of antiseptic.

He rubbed his temples, frustration gnawing at him.

"This won’t last. Not for him. Not for me."

His gaze drifted toward the protection plants by the furnace, their faint glow shimmering against the snow. A thought struck him, sharp and clear.

"If I can cultivate those... why not more?"

Medicinal plants. He had seeds, fragments, scraps from scavenging.

With enough mana and time, he could grow his own stock of herbs, salves, maybe even stronger cures. If he didn’t, both he and his... new burden... would run out of options.

Lucian stood, dusting snow from his knees. He cast one last glance at Berry’s bound form, slumped against the tree.

"You better be worth it, Marksman. If the system’s right, then you’re my only lead. If not... then I’ll make sure you don’t drag me down."

he muttered coldly.

The furnace hummed quietly, the valley still under its pale glow. Beyond the boundary, the distant roars of beasts echoed faintly, reminders that survival was fragile and fleeting.

Lucian turned away, already planning the next step.

"Medicinal plants. Tomorrow."