The growl behind me deepened, vibrating through the ground like a coming quake. My shadow surged, and Sir Froggie burst forth. The six moved. They didn't hesitate. I pivoted back just as the first one reached me, a short sword aiming for my throat. It almost hit, but as I had stepped back, I raised my hammer, swinging wide in response, the air cracking as the Jawbone head slammed against his ribs. I felt the break through my grip. He screamed as I flung his body away. At the same time, Sir Froggie's charging in.
Another came at my left, twin daggers flashing. Nyx shot out of the underbrush, intercepting. Steel met steel, sparks flying, and she drove him backward, blade locking with his wrist. But a third figure stepped in, a woman with spiked gauntlets, lightning trailing from her knuckles.
She slammed her fists together. The air snapped. Thunder arced toward me. I raised my hammer, but the lightning hit me square in the chest. Pain ripped through my body, my back arched, and I hit the dirt hard.
Sir Froggie roared and threw a swordsman across the clearing, but the second Chatacabra caught a lightning bolt that was aimed at me and collapsed, twitching, steam rising off his back. One of the mages, green robes, copper staff, was chanting fast. Ice lanced forward, catching my frog across the flank. He stumbled, skidding sideways in the dirt.
I forced myself up, body still spasming. This was bad. Nyx parried a downward slash before the gauntlet woman closed in again. I staggered to my feet just as a flurry of arrows whistled through the trees. I spun, just enough to deflect two with the hammer's flat. The third dug into my thigh. Warm blood spilled down my boot.
I grabbed a flash pod from my inventory and smashed it on the ground as I made sure to cover my eyes. The flash blinded the archer and two more, long enough for Sir Froggie to crash into the ice mage, tongue lashing like a whip. The body flew into a tree with a crunch that didn't sound survivable.
But the air crackled again. I turned too slowly. A bolt of lightning screamed across the glade and hit my left shoulder. My whole arm went numb. My hammer slipped and dropped. I reached for it with my other hand, shoulder smoking, and I rolled just as a blade stabbed down where I had been a second earlier.
I grabbed the hammer and swung from the dirt. It connected with a leg. The attacker screamed as the bone shattered sideways. I didn't stop. I crawled to my knees and swung again, catching their temple on the second hit. Blood sprayed.
And as I looked up. The gauntlet woman was coming for me again. Behind her, the other mage raised his staff high and started a chant. "Froggie! Move!"
Sir Froggie barreled between us, shoulder-slamming her. She hit a tree, bark exploding around her. Her body bounced and stayed down. The mage's spell finished. I saw the glow. Ice-blue. Wide.
Nyx took the spell head-on, and she ended up flying back, slamming into a tree. The second Chatacabra staggered back to its feet. He charged the mage, only to catch another bolt to the chest. His legs gave out. "Nyx!" She vanished into shadow.
My main hand was limp. Another attacker came, a spear user this time. I faked low and swept his feet. He jumped. He didn't see Nyx behind him. She dropped down and cut him down his back, then vanished again. He screamed. Fell. I brought the hammer down on his back. Didn't stop until the noise stopped.
I couldn't breathe right. Blood was trickling from somewhere behind my ribs. My armor sizzled faintly. My vision blurred. "Come on," I growled, forcing my knees to lock. The archer reappeared, a new bolt notched, tip glowing. He fired. It hit me in the gut.
I dropped. One hand went to the wound, warmth pouring out. Nyx appeared mid-lunge, slicing through his bowstring, then moved to slice his neck. Then she vanished again. Only the mage was left. He stood there, robes smoking from one of Sir Froggie's last hits. One arm hung completely broken, bent the wrong way. The other was charred to the elbow, fingers twitching. His staff was gone.
He was laughing. A wet, rasping, breathless cackle. "You're gonna die out here," he wheezed. "You're gonna die. You think you won? Look at you…"
I was swaying. My knees wanted to quit. My breath came in wet gulps. I felt blood in my boot. My hammer's weight had never felt heavier. "You're dead already," he said, taking a staggering step forward, grin split wide under a ruined face. I said nothing. Didn't move. Just glared at him through bloodshot eyes as he laughed.
The blood still burned in my mouth as I staggered a step forward, boots slipping in the wet grass. Every nerve screamed, every muscle twitched. I pulled a potion for my storage, popped the cap with my teeth, and downed it in one swallow. Warmth bloomed instantly under my skin. The wound in my gut sealed with a slow pull, skin knitting like nothing had ever broken. My lungs cleared, vision sharpened. I moved to pull out the arrows.
I pulled a second vial and swallowed. My shoulder realigned with a pop. Cracked ribs slid back into place. The burn across my chest faded, soot flaking off as my armor cooled and flexed again. My hammer no longer felt like it weighed a thousand pounds. I stood straighter.
I cracked my neck. "No. Just you."
The mage, what was left of him, froze mid-laugh. His smile withered as I stepped through the bodies of his squad. His knees buckled. He took a shaking step back, arms dangling uselessly, blood still dripping from both.
"I—I can tell you who sent us," he gasped. "I can tell you everything. Please. It wasn't my idea—I didn't want to—"
I tilted my head. "Oh, don't worry." He froze. As I stepped closer. "Like I said… in death, you will serve." He barely had time to scream. My hammer came down in a sharp arc, cracking through the base of his skull with a wet crunch. His body slumped, twitching once. Blood pooled quietly in the grass.
I knelt slowly, the pain completely gone now, thanks to the potions. My breathing was still ragged, adrenaline leaving my hands trembling slightly. I nudged the mage's cloak aside with my boot. There had to be something that showed who these idiots belonged to. Carefully, I rolled the mage onto his side, blood making the fabric slippery. My fingers found a small pin beneath his robes, hidden carefully under the folds of cloth.
I yanked it free and stared at it. A twisted black serpent curled around an eye. I frowned. Who the fuck was this supposed to be? Something shady. I dropped the pin into my satchel and quickly moved to the others. Every single one of them had the same pin in the same hidden spot.
I stood up, flexing my hand to shake off the leftover tingling sensation from the lightning. I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself before I started the next part. I stepped back to the mage's body first. This was always tricky, especially after a fight this messy. I raised my hand over him, feeling the magic swirl under my fingertips, eager to break loose.
"Arise," I said firmly, voice echoing sharply through the trees. Black smoke curled up from his body, twisting and flickering. It rose, shaping slowly into a dark silhouette, featureless at first. Then two pale, glowing eyes snapped open in the shadowy face. For a second, the mage's shadow form stared at me blankly before it melted away into nothing again.
I cursed under my breath. Failed once. I raised my hand again, teeth gritted. "Arise." The shadow formed faster this time. Those same glowing eyes focusing directly on me. It paused. Then, slowly, it knelt, head bowed, respectful. Then I send it into my storage belt.
"One down, five to go," I muttered. Next was the woman with the lightning fists. My fists tightened unconsciously. I raised my hand above her body and forced my focus into a tight point. "Arise!"
Black smoke spilled out quickly, thicker this time, swirling into a shadowy human form. Her eyes snapped open, bright like twin stars, and she took shape immediately. She knelt quietly, I let out a breath. Good, her powers could definitely help later. I sent her to storage as well.
Next, the swordsman who'd tried to gut me at the start. I moved to his broken form. Blood still dripped from his chest, soaking the ground. My boots squelched slightly as I stepped closer. I ignored it and lifted my hand again.
"Arise."
The smoke came fast but faded even faster. Damn it. "Arise!" I repeated, louder this time. Angrier. The shadow rose, wavered, and finally held. It bowed silently as I sent it to storage as well. The archer was next. This one might be useful; it could work with Lili in the back. I steadied my breath and raised my hand.
"Arise."
It took three tries, my hand shaking by the last attempt, but he finally rose. He knelt, his shadow form shifting restlessly. That was four out of four. Good luck so far. The spear-user next. I stepped close, careful to avoid the deep crimson puddle pooling under him. "Arise." But his shadow refused to take shape, dissolving three times despite my efforts. I cursed bitterly, glaring at the empty spot.
Last was the ice mage, his body badly twisted from Sir Froggie's attack. This might be difficult. "Arise," I whispered, almost exhausted now. The smoke came and went, failing once, twice, and I felt frustration rising. I focused, took another deep breath. "Arise!"
Finally, his shadow rose, clean and strong, powerful magic radiating faintly off him. He knelt without hesitation. Five out of six. Not bad at all. I glanced at my new shadows kneeling patiently before me, each glowing set of eyes focused entirely on me, waiting for my orders. With a slight gesture, I sent them one by one into my shadow storage. They vanished quickly, smoothly, leaving me alone once more.
I stretched, feeling my muscles ache slightly as I moved. My heart finally began to slow back down to something approaching normal. I picked my hammer off the blood-stained ground and slung it carefully across my back. Five shadows. I shook my head. Right now wasn't the time. I still had to finish collecting supplies.
I stood there looking down at the mess I'd made, blood still soaking into the dirt around the bodies. My breath came slow and heavy as I took stock. "Come out," I said softly, clicking my tongue once. My shadow rippled quietly as Nyx stepped out first. She shook herself lightly, then stretched, arching her back like nothing had happened. Her glowing eyes glanced up at me with curiosity, calm and patient.
I needed more hands if we were going to keep gathering out here. Nyx was permanent, but I could have two more shadows out at once. For this kind of job, the lightning girl and the mage would be best. A quick mental tug, and they stepped smoothly from my shadow, forms solidifying into smoky outlines.
The mage stood straight-backed, quiet, and still as he waited for orders. Lightning girl looked twitchy and restless, fists clenched at her sides, like she was eager to hit something again. Hopefully not me this time.
I gestured toward the thickening brush deeper into the woods. "We're looking for Might Seeds, mushrooms, herbs, anything good for potions. You two help find them. Nyx, stay close and watch our backs."
Nyx let out a small, affirming chirp, ears swiveling as she immediately took watch. The mage shadow inclined his head slightly, silent as always, turning to the trees ahead. Lightning girl cracked her shadowy knuckles, eyes brightening slightly, then moved alongside me. At least she was enthusiastic.
The bodies... I left exactly as they were. Trying to hide or move them now wouldn't change anything. Even if someone stumbled across them, they'd have no clue what happened, no sign pointing straight back to me, at least. Besides, trying to freeze them or anything dumb like that would just make the scene more obvious and suspicious. I'd wasted enough time already.
I stepped away without another glance, shoulders tense as we slipped quietly through the trees. The forest around us returned slowly to its normal background noise. Birds chirped, branches creaked, and the occasional insect hummed past my ear. The sounds put me more at ease, oddly enough, this felt natural, ordinary. Normal stuff I could handle.
Lightning girl shadow moved ahead a bit, already searching. Every few moments, she paused, then crouched and pointed. Might Seeds, glowing a dull red, were hidden beneath dense vines. I knelt beside her, collecting each seed carefully.
"Keep looking," I whispered quietly, screwing the jar shut. She nodded silently, already ghosting off toward the next promising patch of foliage. The mage moved at my other side. I wondered briefly what he was thinking, if he thought at all. The shadow soldiers weren't exactly chatty, well, I guess it depended on the rank.
Nyx darted slightly ahead, pausing near a thick fallen log covered in patches of green moss. She chirped once, looking back at me expectantly. I crouched quickly beside her, checking beneath the log carefully. Blue mushrooms grew in clumps, soft caps barely visible. Good, basic stuff for healing potions.
"Nice spot," I said softly, and Nyx flicked her tail, obviously pleased. I plucked the mushrooms, shaking off loose dirt, and carefully stowed them. The mage made a quiet hissing sound, grabbing my attention. He stood further off, near a small rocky ridge. I hurried to his side. He pointed to a damp, shaded crevice in the rocks, partially hidden by tall grass. Within it, a faint amber glow.
Honey. I smiled to myself. Useful. "Good," I muttered, scooping up a few thick globs of golden honey. It was weird how the bag just magically made empty jars. As we moved on, Lightning girl paused abruptly, turning toward something deeper in the woods. Her posture stiffened slightly, eyes narrowing. Nyx noticed too, ears flicking forward sharply as she let out a low, warning growl.
I immediately froze, heart picking up speed again. Voices drifted faintly through the trees. Far enough off that I couldn't make out words, but close enough to know someone was looking for something or someone. I moved carefully, slipping behind a tree trunk for cover. Nyx ducked silently into my shadow. My two other shadows pressed close against nearby trees, fading into dark shapes. My pulse beat faster, a steady drum in my ears as we waited, still and silent.
A small group of figures stepped into view, four at first, then more, moving cautiously through the woods. I caught sight of black cloaks and glinting weapons. Definitely the same dark familia, hunting for their missing squad.
My grip tightened around my hammer. I forced a calming breath. The group lingered close, clearly searching for clues. I heard snippets of conversation now, voices rough, frustrated, arguing quietly among themselves.
"They couldn't have gone far," someone snapped impatiently. "Unless they got ambushed, this is why we don't let a bunch of level ones off on their own," another replied grimly. Minutes dragged on painfully slow until they eventually moved off, muttering darkly as they faded away into the distance. My shoulders relaxed slightly, but I knew we weren't safe yet. We needed to move quickly before another search party came looking.
Once I was sure they were gone, I gestured quickly to the mage and lightning girl. "Keep an eye out," I whispered. They nodded once, alertness doubled. Nyx hopped out of my shadow, her gaze scanning our surroundings intently. I turned quickly, moving swiftly through the trees now, shadows flanking close behind. There was no reason to push our luck any further.
We moved quicker now, branches snagging at my armor as we pushed through dense foliage. Eventually, we broke clear of the woods, the familiar city gates finally appearing ahead. My heart rate eased slightly. I slowed down to a more casual pace, dismissing lightning girl and the mage back into my storage before I got on the road. Nyx jumped gracefully back into my shadow, too, settling comfortably.
I adjusted my hammer, trying to appear calm and normal as I walked the familiar road back to the city. My satchel was satisfyingly full of herbs, mushrooms, seeds, and honey, enough to restock potions and keep us going for a while longer. I glanced briefly back toward the trees, thinking again about those serpent pins and dark cloaks. Whoever they were, they'd definitely come looking once they found their missing team. And I had no idea who they were yet.
But that was a problem for another day. Right now, I needed to rest and tell the Familia what happened, maybe. Plus, I had a new bowgun to start building for Lili. I passed through the gates quietly, nodding slightly to the guard who barely spared me a glance. Inside the bustling streets, normalcy returned quickly. It was almost surreal how easily violence faded behind ordinary life here.