The Long Walk Back Ethan moved quickly, putting as much distance as possible between himself and the outpost. The further he got, the more his heartbeat slowed, but the uneasy feeling in his chest didn’t fade. Something about those creatures was wrong. They weren’t just monsters. They felt different. Intelligent. Wrong. And the whisper he had heard? That chilled him more than anything. “You are not ready yet… but soon.” His hands clenched into fists as he walked. Who—or what—had spoken those words? And why had the creatures let him leave? What Was That Thing? Ethan mentally reviewed the fight.

  The creature had a humanoid shape but wasn’t human.

  Its skin was blackened, like burnt flesh.

  It moved unnaturally, shifting and adapting mid-fight.

  It had red, glowing eyes.

  It regenerated. And worst of all? It wasn’t alone. A cold shiver ran down his spine. This wasn’t like the Night fangs in the dungeon. This was something else. Something deliberate. And the Guild had no idea it existed. Ethan exhaled sharply they need to know.

  Reporting to the Guild By the time Ethan reached the Guild Hall, night had already fallen. The building was still alive with activity—adventurers drinking, laughing, sharing stories of their latest hunts. It felt… normal. Like there weren’t monsters lurking just miles away. Ethan pushed through the noise toward the reception desk, where Elias Thurman was reviewing reports. Elias barely glanced up. “You’re back early,” he muttered. Ethan slammed his hands on the counter. “I found something.” That got Elias’ attention. The older man set his papers aside and studied him carefully. “Go on.” The Truth About the Outpost Ethan took a deep breath. “There’s no one at the outpost,” he said. “No bodies. No blood. Just… gone.” Elias didn’t react—just listened. “But that’s not the worst part.” Ethan leaned in. “There were creatures there,” he said in a low voice. “Not beasts. Not dungeon monsters. Something else.” Elias’s expression finally shifted. “Describe them.” Ethan did—everything he could remember. The blackened skin. The red eyes. The unnatural movements. The way they regenerated. The way they learned. By the time he finished, Elias was silent. Then he slowly exhaled. “...Shit.”

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  Something the Guild Didn’t Expect Ethan frowned. “You recognize them.” Elias didn’t answer right away. But his silence spoke volumes. Finally, he sighed. “I don’t know what they are,” he admitted. “But I know this much—” His gaze hardened. “This isn’t the first report.” Ethan’s breath hitched. “There have been other sightings?” Elias nodded. “Mostly near Rift Zones. Disappearances. Signs of fights, but no bodies.” He folded his arms. “The Guild assumed it was high-level dungeon monsters breaking containment. But if you saw them that far from a Rift?” He shook his head. “This is worse than we thought.” Ethan’s stomach twisted. That meant—whatever these things were, they were spreading. And no one had stopped them yet. An Unsettling Choice Elias drummed his fingers against the desk. “We need more information,” he said finally. “But we can’t send just anyone.” Ethan narrowed his eyes. “…You want me to go back.” Elias met his gaze. “You survived,” he said. “That means something.” Ethan hesitated. Going back alone was a death sentence. But if he went with Gareth and the others… Maybe they could find answers. Maybe they could stop this. He exhaled. “Let me talk to my team.” Elias nodded. “Do it fast,” he said. “Because if these things are spreading? We’re already running out of time.”