Storm of Shadows

Chapter 2

The moment the Hunters stepped through the fog, they found themselves in a beautiful forest. The sky above was clear, sunlight streamed through the towering trees, and lush greenery covered everything in sight, including the ground beneath their feet.

“Wow!”

Several Hunters couldn’t help but marvel at the scenery.

Most Level One domains they had visited were far less inviting. Some consisted of dark underground caves, while others were filled with winding mazes and treacherous paths that required them to proceed with caution.

But this forest was different. It felt as though they had stepped into another world, one so beautiful and peaceful that it was difficult to believe they were standing inside a domain.

One of the women suddenly rushed toward a patch of glowing plants.

“Glowing herbs! These could be worth a fortune!”

Excited, she began picking the herbs and stuffing them into her bag.

Seeing this, several other Hunters started searching the surrounding vegetation for similar plants.

Malcolm, the raid leader, however, remained cautious. He slowly surveyed the forest, his instincts warning him that there was more to this place than its beautiful scenery.

Clearing his throat, he addressed the group.

“Don’t let your guard down. We’re still inside a domain, and there could be monsters lurking anywhere. Keep your eyes open.”

While the others continued gathering resources, Alan stood to one side and reached into his bag. He pulled out a short blade and examined it.

The weapon looked cheap and rusty, its edge so dull that he wasn’t even sure how much damage it could inflict.

Unfortunately, it was all he had.

Alan sighed as he stared at the blade.

‘Hopefully, this will be enough to get me through today’s raid. If I can find a few valuable resources and sell them, I might finally have enough money to buy the healing potion for Mom.’

The thought of his mother’s condition weighed heavily on his mind. He couldn’t afford to waste this opportunity, no matter how dangerous things became.

Taking a deep breath, he steadied his nerves and looked toward the other Hunters.

Most of them had already spread out, eagerly collecting the glowing herbs scattered throughout the forest. Some were even discussing how much they might earn from selling their findings.

Then, without warning, a woman’s scream shattered the peaceful atmosphere.

“Ahhhh! My leg! Something bit me!”

Everyone turned toward the sound.

Alan’s eyes widened as he spotted the creature clinging to the woman’s leg. He recognized it immediately.

A Bloodbell Flower.

Despite their beautiful appearance, these giant carnivorous plants were anything but harmless. Their bell-shaped petals concealed rows of sharp teeth, while their long vines remained hidden beneath the soil, waiting to snare unsuspecting prey.

The woman had mistaken one for an ordinary flower and paid the price.

“Hold still!” Renard shouted.

He and Howard rushed forward, drawing their swords and slashing through the vine wrapped around her leg.

The severed vine recoiled before falling limp.

The woman stumbled backward, clutching her injured leg as tears streamed down her face. The creature’s teeth had pierced her shoes and torn into the flesh beneath, leaving several bloody bite marks.

Before anyone could help her, Alan noticed something moving behind Malcolm.

His eyes widened.

“Behind you!”

Malcolm reacted instantly. He spun around and swung his sword just as another Bloodbell Flower lunged toward his shoulder.

His blade sliced cleanly through its head, sending it tumbling to the ground before its teeth could reach him.

“Everyone, be careful!” Malcolm warned, raising his voice. “Don’t let those things bite you. Their bites are toxic!”

The Hunters immediately drew their weapons and formed a defensive line. The woman who had been bitten limped away from the flowers, whimpering as she struggled to keep her injured leg steady.

Then the ground began to move.

Vines emerged from beneath the grass, followed by one Bloodbell Flower after another. Their beautiful petals unfolded, revealing rows of sharp teeth as they surrounded the Hunters from several directions.

“So much for a peaceful little forest,” Howard muttered, tightening his grip on his sword.

Renard, on the other hand, showed no sign of fear.

“Let’s get rid of these things first! Their plant cores should fetch us a few bucks!”

With that, the Hunters charged into battle.

Malcolm and the more experienced members of the team cut down the approaching flowers, while the others worked together to keep the vines from reaching their legs. Swords flashed through the air, severed vines fell across the grass, and the once-beautiful clearing quickly descended into chaos.

Alan, meanwhile, was having a much harder time.

A vine had wrapped itself around his feet, pulling him off balance as the Bloodbell Flower dragged him toward its gaping petals.

He immediately swung his blade at the vine.

Clang!

The rusty weapon struck the thick stem but barely scratched its surface.

“Damn it!”

He swung again, putting all his strength into the blow.

The blade scraped against the vine, doing little more than leaving a shallow cut.

The flower tightened its grip and dragged him closer.

Alan’s heart pounded as he struggled to free himself. He knew what would happen if those teeth reached him, and he wasn’t about to let himself become another victim.

With no better option, he dropped his useless attack and grabbed the vine with both hands. Ignoring the pain as its rough surface scraped against his palms, he pulled with all his strength, using the movement to drag the flower’s head away from him.

Then he raised his blade and began hammering it against the creature’s head.

Once.

Twice.

Again and again.

His arms soon began to ache, but he refused to stop. He struck until the petals collapsed and the creature’s movements gradually weakened.

Finally, the vine went limp.

Alan staggered backward, breathing heavily. His chest rose and fell as he struggled to catch his breath, and his hands trembled from the effort.

He had barely managed to kill one monster, and he was already exhausted.

Still, he couldn’t afford to waste what he had earned.

Crouching beside the dead flower, he used his blade to pry open its ruined head and retrieve the small green core inside.

A relieved smile briefly crossed his face.

At least he had something to show for his efforts.

However, when he looked around for another target, he discovered that the battle was already over.

The other Hunters had dealt with the remaining Bloodbell Flowers far more efficiently. Severed vines and collapsed petals littered the clearing, and several members of the team were already collecting the plant cores from their kills.

Alan stood still, holding the single green core he had managed to obtain.

For a moment, he felt completely out of place.

He could blame his rusty blade for making the fight more difficult, but deep down, he knew that wasn’t the whole problem.

The other Hunters were mostly D-Rank and C-Rank. Even the less experienced among them possessed greater strength and combat ability than he did.

Alan, on the other hand, was only an E-Rank Hunter who struggled to defeat even the weakest monsters inside a Level One domain.

He lowered his gaze to the green core resting in his palm.

Everyone else had collected several. Some had even begun discussing how much they could earn from selling them.

And he had only one.

With a quiet sigh, Alan placed the core inside his bag alongside the glowing herbs he had managed to gather.

It wasn’t much, but every little bit counted.

He couldn’t afford to return empty-handed. Not when his mother was still waiting for him to find a way to save her.

As they ventured deeper into the forest, the Hunters continued gathering whatever resources they could find. Glowing herbs grew beneath the trees, while a few mana crystals lay hidden under thick vegetation. Although none of these discoveries were particularly rare, they were still worth collecting.

After walking for some time, the group eventually arrived at a stream. Clear water flowed between smooth rocks, surrounded by colorful flowers and towering trees. A cool breeze swept through the area, carrying the fresh scent of grass and damp soil.

It was a beautiful place, almost too peaceful for a domain.

One of the Hunters glanced around before asking, “Do you think the boss of this domain is somewhere around here?”

The others immediately became more alert, scanning the surrounding trees and bushes for signs of danger.

“Our priority is to find the boss and clear the domain,” Malcolm reminded them. “Once we’ve dealt with it, the fog outside will disappear, and we’ll be able to leave.”

He had barely finished speaking when a thin line of blood suddenly appeared across his neck.

For a moment, Malcolm stood motionless, seemingly unaware of what had happened. Then blood began trickling down his throat.

His eyes widened.

Before anyone could react, he collapsed to the ground.

Dead.

Everyone froze in shock.