A sharp knock at the door cut through the quiet room, pulling all three of them out of their thoughts. Joanne stood first, brushing off her skirt as she walked toward the sound. She unlatched the wooden door, and there he was—a beast waiting right outside.“What is it?” Joanne asked, squinting at him. For a moment she hesitated. Something about this beast tugged at her memory. Her eyes narrowed, scanning him from head to toe. Where had she seen him before?Her brows furrowed as she tried to remember. And then it hit her.“Oh! You’re that annoying beast who scared me when I woke up, aren’t you?” she accused, pointing a finger at him.The beast chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. “Haha… so you still remember me.”Joanne glared. How could she forget? He had been the one who jumped out at her when she was barely awake, scaring her so badly that she fainted again. Just thinking about it made her blood boil.“What do you want from us?” she snapped, her voice sharp enough to cut through

The sound of something sharp cutting through the air echoed in the forest.Splat!Another deer collapsed to the ground, its glowing antlers dimming as life left its body. That made ten.Joanne dusted off her hands and shot a smug look at Willy, who had been tagging along since morning. The beast’s jaw hung slack, his wide eyes locked on the pile of deer that seemed impossible to catch in just a single day.“Ten already. Not bad, right?” Joanne smirked, brushing a loose strand of hair from her cheek.Willy blinked several times before muttering, “Is… is ten enough?” His voice cracked in disbelief as he turned to Jackson.Jackson raised an eyebrow. “You tell me. You’re the local.”“It’s more than enough,” Willy admitted, his voice barely above a whisper as he closed his gaping mouth.Joanne folded her arms, clearly enjoying the look on his face. “Can you at least act normal about it? You look like you just witnessed a miracle.”“You’re insufferable,” Willy grumbled, shooting her a glare

“Forgive my daughter for interrupting,” the village chief said, shifting his gaze toward Jackson, Joanne, and Smith. His voice was calm, but there was a weight behind every word. “The Golden Fang is a tiger that has lived alongside us for many years. But there has never been peace, because it always seeks to kill us, one by one.”The old beast let out a weary sigh. “In the past, this Beast Village was a thriving place, full of life and laughter. Families filled every corner, children ran through the fields, and the air smelled of harvest. But the Golden Fang never wanted peace. It slaughtered relentlessly. Slowly, our numbers dwindled until only a handful of us remained.”Joanne exchanged a glance with Jackson and Smith. None of them interrupted. The grief in the elder’s tone was enough to make their chests tighten.“Since then,” the elder continued, “our people have been forced to wander. We move from one hiding place to another, trying desperately to escape. But no matter where we g

Smith was suddenly disturbed by a scream echoing from somewhere unknown, yet sharp and clear as if it were right beside his ear. His body jolted awake, his eyes snapping open, heart thudding in confusion. He sat up quickly, trying to decide if the cries belonged to his dream or if reality itself was crumbling around him.For a few seconds, he sat frozen, his mind still heavy with sleep. His breathing was uneven, his chest rising and falling as he tried to chase away the fog of dreams.The faint glow at the window caught his attention. Something about it was wrong—it wasn’t the soft light of dawn, but the wild flicker of fire. Slowly, he stood from the bed and approached.His eyes widened in disbelief. Outside, flames roared like living beasts, devouring everything in sight. Houses collapsed into fiery rubble, villagers screamed in terror, their voices overlapping into a chaotic chorus. Smoke rose into the night sky, dark and suffocating.Beast villagers ran desperately in every direct

“Where is it? Could someone have taken it?” the village chief muttered, still unable to find the Sacred Porcupine Jewel. He had searched every corner of his house, overturning chests and shelves, but the object was nowhere in sight.“Wait…” His ears twitched, his eyes narrowing. “If the relic were truly still here, the Golden Fang could never have entered. But if he managed to set foot inside this place, then that means—” His words broke off. Horror flashed across his face. He rushed outside, heart pounding.The moment he stepped into the open, a loud commotion tore through the smoky night. His gaze snapped toward the sound. There, he spotted the Fierce One locked in a heated struggle with two female beasts, Jackson beside them. All three were pulling desperately at the very pendant he had been hunting for.The chief sprinted forward, trying to pry them apart. But their tug-of-war ended abruptly when the pendant slipped free, arcing through the air before landing right at Willy’s side