After leaving the territory of the Phalores, another hellish battle began.

The mercenaries were growing increasingly exhausted under the relentless onslaught of monsters.

Even Ghislain found himself tempted by the thought of abandoning everything and returning for a well-deserved rest.

‘As expected from the Forest of Beasts. But I can’t give up.’

The reason nobody touched this place was simple.

Nobody knew what lay within, and there was no reason to risk their lives without a clear purpose.

If he didn’t have a definite goal, Ghislain wouldn’t have ventured into such a dangerous forest either.

However, he knew exactly what was hidden within the Forest of Beasts, which is why he was willing to take the risk.

What was surprising, though, was how quiet the mercenaries were.

Though they looked ready to collapse from fatigue, their eyes still burned with life.

‘I guess I underestimated them.’

Marching was tough, no doubt about it. Normally, by this point, he would have brought up the topic of extra rewards to lift their spirits.

But after seeing the determination in their eyes, Ghislain realized it wasn’t necessary.

These men were truly doing their duty.

Only Manus, among the mercenaries, was visibly miserable, nervously pacing back and forth.

Every day was grueling, but they all gritted their teeth and endured.

Surprisingly, the longer the battle dragged on, the fewer the casualties became.

It had only been ten days, but the constant exposure to extreme combat had pushed most of them beyond their limits.

By the time two weeks had passed, Ghislain had hopeful news for everyone.

“We’re almost there. Not much farther now.”

Hearing those words, the mercenaries gathered their strength and pressed forward.

After some time, the group began to sense something unusual.

“What is it?”

“Shouldn’t we be getting attacked by now?”

“Isn’t it strange how quiet it’s gotten?”

The monsters, who used to attack at every turn, were becoming fewer and fewer.

While the relentless assaults had been draining, the sudden quiet made everyone uneasy.

Ghislain felt it too.

It seemed too lucky to be true, given how intense the battles had been so far.

It was puzzling that the monsters had suddenly stopped appearing.

‘It’s too quiet.’

The forest had always been silent, with not even the sound of insects.

But now, aside from the noise made by their own group, it was eerily still—almost suffocating.

Ghislain sent Gillian and Kaor out to scout the area, but they found nothing.

‘Is it luck? Or is there another reason? There’s no record of any particular danger in this part of the forest…’

After pondering for a while, Ghislain decided to seize the opportunity.

“Everyone, stop. Rest and recover your strength. Tomorrow, we’ll cut through to our destination and finish the job.”

The mercenaries, their faces bright with relief, immediately collapsed where they stood, eager for a well-earned rest.

They hadn’t had a proper break since entering the forest, and exhaustion washed over them like a wave.

Remarkably, no monsters came for them that night either.

“Ah, my back... I hurt even more after sleeping.”

“But at least I feel alive again.”

“We’re supposed to reach the destination today!”

With their energy restored and the end in sight, the group worked faster than ever.

Though the situation felt strange, no trouble arose despite the noise they made as they cut through the forest.

It wasn’t long before Ghislain compared the map he had drawn with their current location several times, then spoke to the group with a hopeful expression.

“We’re almost there. Just a little more and we’ll reach the destination.”

Upon hearing this, the mercenaries pressed on without pause, intent on clearing the path.

Slowly, expressions of relief began to spread across their faces.

They had traversed a grueling path that was only a short distance in reality but felt like an endless journey.

The thought that their suffering was about to end brought a natural sense of comfort.

But no one was happier or more eager than Ghislain.

‘We’re almost there.’

Everyone had called him crazy, but he had pushed forward with certainty and confidence.

Now, the fruits of his efforts were about to appear before his eyes, and it was hard not to feel a bit excited.

And then it happened.

Boom!

A deep vibration echoed from afar, as if the forest itself was shaking.

Everyone froze in place. The mercenaries, filled with tension, cautiously scanned their surroundings.

The once cheerful mood was quickly replaced by a growing sense of unease.

“Gillian, scout ahead. Everyone, prepare for battle.”

Nodding, Gillian rushed forward to scout while the mercenaries ceased their work and grabbed their weapons.

After days of fighting in the forest, they were accustomed to combat.

The question wasn’t whether they could fight—it was who their enemy was.

While they waited in tense silence, the oppressive atmosphere was broken by the sound of Gillian returning at full speed.

“Run! Get out of here, now!”

“What?”

At the same moment, the trees in the distance began to fall.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Something was tearing through the forest, heading straight for them.

As soon as it spotted the group, it let out a loud cry.

Kraaaaaaah!

Ghislain’s face hardened as he looked at the monster.

This was a creature that belonged in the deeper parts of the forest, not out here near the edges.

The mercenaries gasped at the sight.

“That’s... that can’t be real...”

“It wasn’t that there were no monsters. They were all avoiding that thing.”

They all stared in shock at the massive serpent in front of them.

It was a colossal snake, large enough to swallow a person whole.

Its blood-red scales gleamed brilliantly in the sunlight, and its mouth was lined with fearsome teeth that looked capable of tearing through steel.

“Blood Python...”

One of the mercenaries whispered its name.

The Blood Python, a massive snake monster, was named for its scale color.

The Blood Python, with its crimson scales, was known as the most vicious and terrifying of all pythons.

Its fangs exuded potent venom, and its scales were as tough as steel, making most weapons ineffective.

“This one’s bigger than any python I’ve ever seen.”

The mercenaries were shaken by its overwhelming size.

Pythons were already classified as dangerous monsters due to their sheer size, but this Blood Python was far larger than any of the usual ones.

Even Ghislain hadn’t anticipated this.

The information from his past life had indicated that Blood Pythons resided far deeper in the forest.

‘Why now... of all times... this is bad timing.’

The destination wasn’t far from the forest's edge.

They had only taken so long because they had to clear the path and deal with the monsters claiming the area.

From the very beginning of his plan to clear this forest, Ghislain had confirmed multiple times that the monsters they couldn’t hunt yet were all supposed to live deep within the forest.

Yet here was a monster far beyond the expected threat level.

 

The Blood Python flicked its tongue, surveying the group with arrogant eyes.

It was as if it was already savoring its next meal.

The mercenaries were frozen, unable to move, their fear resembling that of a frog staring down a snake.

Seeing this, Ghislain shouted loudly.

“Snap out of it! If you just stand there, we’re all dead!”

At his command, the mercenaries regained their senses and quickly formed a battle formation.

They couldn’t afford to die standing still—they had to at least try attacking.

“Fire!”

At Ghislain’s command, the shield-bearing mercenaries stepped forward to block while the archers unleashed a volley of arrows.

Thwang! Thwang! Thwang!

Countless arrows flew, but the Blood Python’s red scales deflected them easily.

The snake slithered forward, shaking off the arrows as if they were nothing.

“Fall back!”

The mercenaries, maintaining their formation, began retreating slowly. But the Blood Python moved quickly, much faster than one would expect for a creature its size.

Kraaaaah!

In an instant, it surged forward, its jaws opening wide as it swallowed a mercenary whole.

“Aaaaaaah!”

The mercenary barely had time to scream before being consumed.

Gulp. Gulp.

The rest of the group could only watch in horror as the movement of something being digested traveled down the serpent’s massive body, eventually stopping midway.

Seeing someone devoured alive was beyond any horror they had previously experienced. The shock was indescribable.

The Blood Python, seemingly satisfied, narrowed its eyes and scanned the group again, as if deciding on its next target.

Despair filled the eyes of the mercenaries.

Up until now, they had managed to fight back against even the fiercest of monsters. Despite the challenges, with tactics and teamwork, they had always found a way to injure or defeat their enemies.

Even the Phalores, who seemed invincible in the darkness, had weaknesses they could exploit with the right conditions.

But this monster—its scales were so strong that arrows simply bounced off.

How could they possibly defeat something they couldn’t even scratch?

“Retreat! We need to pull back!”

Ghislain ordered the group to fall back, trying to widen the distance between them and the beast.

The Blood Python, however, didn’t immediately pursue. It seemed content to watch its prey run, as if it was testing whether they would try to escape or fight.

After consuming one mercenary, it wasn’t in a hurry, but its predatory gaze never left them. It wasn’t going to let them go, either.

“Sir, what do we do now?”

“We can’t just let that thing kill us all, right?”

The mercenaries, though terrified, turned to Ghislain for guidance.

But Ghislain, usually quick to give orders, remained silent, his face rigid as he stared down the Blood Python.

‘Why is he just standing there?’

‘Does he not have a plan?’

Their employer, who always took charge and led them into battle without hesitation, was now silent.

For the first time, the mercenaries began to feel the creeping sense of inevitable death.

Belinda approached Ghislain and whispered urgently.

“Sir, we have to run. We can’t defeat that thing with our current strength.”

“If I run now, what happens to the mercenaries?”

“Who cares if a few dozen or a hundred mercenaries die? My priority is your safety.”

Gillian, standing in front of Ghislain, spoke up quietly.

“Sir, please leave with Belinda. We’ll hold it off. It’s part of our contract to ensure the employer’s safety, so don’t worry about us.”

“Gillian…”

“I’m entrusting my daughter to you.”

Though he spoke in a low voice, Kaor overheard the conversation.

After contemplating for a moment, Kaor also addressed Ghislain.

“We should retreat. If you give the order, the rest of us will figure out how to escape. Some may die, but that’s the life of a mercenary. We’re paid to risk our lives, and that’s just how it goes.”

With Kaor’s agreement, Ghislain lowered his head, deep in thought.

Even if they ran, most would be caught and killed by the serpent.

A few might survive, but if they lost their way in the forest, they’d likely die wandering through the woods.

‘Success was so close... is this how it ends?’

Ghislain squeezed his eyes shut tightly.