Both of them fell silent. Northern cast a rigid glare into the forest, his eyes betraying a hint of emotion.
Something rose in his chest—strange feelings he couldn’t comprehend. A thousand questions raced through his mind in the span of a minute, questioning why these emotions stirred within him.
Unable to find a satisfactory answer, he kept his gaze locked on the target ahead, staring with fierce intensity.
Then he stood, stretching his arms. Roma glanced up as he spoke.
"It’s approaching, so I’ll intercept while you continue forward. Don’t worry about me—just keep moving."
She hesitated, looking down before speaking.
"Um. Wouldn’t it be better if I wait? So I don’t go too far?"
Northern’s eyes lost focus for a fleeting moment before he shook his head.
"No need. I can easily find you. Staying in one place might expose you to greater danger. You’re vulnerable either way, but at least you won’t have to stop if pursued. Besides, the beast of burden is quite durable."
He waved with a smile before lifting his leg off the beast, allowing himself to fall. His body twisted mid-air before landing gracefully on his feet. After a quick survey of his surroundings, he began walking casually into the woods.
Deep within the path he traveled, something dragged itself closer—an essence of brutality given physical form. Its body was an amalgamation of sinewy muscle and jagged scars, each groove across its flesh telling tales of battles fought and blood spilled.
The armor it wore testified to its brutal existence—patched together from corroded metal plates, remnants of shattered shields, and rusting chains that clattered like whispers of doom with each thunderous step.
Its head—or rather the void where one should be—lay encased in an unyielding, featureless helm.
Veins of darkness pulsed beneath the skin-like armor, feeding strength that seemed limitless. The creature wielded an enormous cleaver-like blade, a jagged slab of iron capable of cleaving through stone as easily as flesh, its surface gleaming with a lusterless, unholy light.
The creature dragged itself forward, emanating a low snarl that resembled an ancient tree slowly splintering.
[You have changed your name.]
Having glimpsed its form earlier, Northern had determined that Titan’s Reckoning would be the optimal strategy against this brutal monstrosity.
He halted after walking for a while, staring ahead.
The creature towered as tall as the nearby trees, pushing them aside, some snapping with mere brushes of its shoulders.
Northern’s eyes gleamed dangerously as the creature approached.
"A Catastrophic Maelstrom. Incredible."
Field monsters truly were another species entirely. Shin had often told him, in his younger days, that they were more challenging than Rift monsters, possessing limitless environmental features for adaptation—features rifts sometimes lacked.
The longer a monster persisted in the field, the more dangerous it became. Field monsters evolved in danger level more readily than their rift counterparts.
Consequently, field monsters of Hazardous or Disastrous level were rare sights. Some forests had been designated red zones, entry prohibited—at least for mundane humans and low-rank drifters.
Northern wasn’t certain if this was one such area.
The creature suddenly halted, drawing his attention. He dismissed his thoughts and focused on the beast fifteen meters ahead.
He summoned the [Lightning Chain]. A dull black chain wrapped around his right arm, while his left hand gripped a compact stiletto with a wickedly curved blade.
Northern fixed the creature with a dirty glare.
"We have some scores to settle."
The monster—this Catastrophic Maelstrom—remained motionless, studying him. Its void-like helm revealed nothing as its body heaved with slow, deliberate breaths. The jagged cleaver tilted slightly, catching fragments of dim light as it exhaled a guttural snarl that seemed to shake the very air.
Then, the beast moved.
Not with the sluggish drag of something mindless, but with terrifying swiftness. The distance vanished in an instant, and Northern barely twisted away as the cleaver descended, carving a trench into the earth. The sheer force split the ground in a jagged scar, debris erupting in a violent burst as the air shuddered.
Northern struck without hesitation. His arm flicked, and the [Lightning Chain] snapped forward like a hunting serpent.
Crackling arcs surged through the air as the chain coiled around the monster’s armored forearm. The electricity should have crippled it—should have seared through its flesh beneath the corroded metal—but the creature merely shuddered, acknowledging the pain yet choosing to ignore it.
Northern’s eyes narrowed.
’It’s resistant.’
A low growl escaped his lips. His muscles tensed, and then—
A sharp, concentrated burst of electricity discharged from the chain, far more aggressive this time. The creature convulsed but barely staggered, moving through the pain as its other arm swung in a backhanded strike that nearly caught Northern’s torso.
Northern bent backwards at the last instant, feeling the wind’s sheer force whip against his face. Before his feet fully planted themselves, he activated [Colossal Force].
Power surged through his veins, his body hardening, muscles coiling like steel cables. Strength beyond human limits burned within his limbs, distorting the very air around him.
He launched forward.
A crater formed beneath his feet as he sprang. His dagger, the [Fang of the Woodkeeper], reversed in his grip. He targeted a gap in the creature’s armor—where jagged plates failed to meet along its ribs.
The dagger plunged deep.
A soundless impact.
Then—
A screech. A terrible, bone-deep shriek shattered the forest’s stillness.
Northern’s instincts screamed for movement. He wrenched the dagger free as the creature exploded with force, its body flaring with dark essence. The backlash sent him skidding several meters, feet dragging through soil.
He examined the blade in his hand, its edge glowing faintly. [Hell’s Guard] had triggered.
’It works.’
Yet something felt ominously wrong about the creature.
Northern wiped blood from his cheek.
’Its soul essence seems... corrupted. Unusual.’
He couldn’t quite recall where he’d encountered something similar, at least not in this moment.
The monster lunged forward with a powerful roar that shook the entire forest, causing snow-laden trees to shed their burdens.
It raised its cleaver and hurled it forward.
The jagged slab of iron spun through the air like a massive guillotine. Northern barely ducked, feeling its searing force tear past. The moment his feet touched ground, the creature closed the distance in one monstrous leap.
It struck.
Northern barely blocked, his arms straining as he caught the impact with the wrapped Lightning Chain. Even Blessed with Colossal Force’s insurmountable strength, his bones and body creaked under the attack’s weight. His legs buckled—ribs screamed—body nearly caved—
He had to redirect it.
He twisted mid-impact, channeling the momentum rather than stopping it outright. The force dragged him across dirt, but that beat being split in half.
Then he countered.
His foot snapped upward, heel slamming into the monster’s helm.
His kick, amplified by [Titan’s Leap]’s leg strength—
Northern paused, shocked. Experience tales with .Côm
The impact made it stagger—not much, but enough. Were they equally matched in strength?
Northern hissed. No time to contemplate. He followed up in a blur, dagger flipping in his grip.
He buried it deep into the joint between shoulder and torso.
Another burst of burning energy. [Hell’s Guard] ignited again.
This time, the creature reeled back, a shriek of rage pouring from its void-like helm. Its massive hand lashed out—
Northern dodged. He seized the [Lightning Chain] still looped around its arm and pulled.
He snapped the chains backward with tremendous force. The monster flew helplessly toward him, turning nearby trees to splinters.
Northern struck in rapid succession, launching a devastating kick into the creature’s midsection. A thunderous shockwave resonated through the forest, sending trees reeling and clearing the area instantly.
The massive monster staggered, clearly wounded. Black blood spurted from its helm.
But it suddenly froze, then straightened. An ear-splitting shriek erupted from its helm, shattering the momentary silence.