Silence reigned over the forest for a few moments.

The only sounds that remained were the rustling leaves overhead and the trio’s steady breathing after the brief fight. It was Lyra who finally broke the silence.

"Well, that was easier than I expected," she said with a satisfied smile as she slung her bow over her shoulder.

Rowan nodded in agreement while wiping the blood from his sword before sliding it back into its sheath.

"True," he said. "And for a team that has only just met, our coordination wasn’t bad either."

Lyra chuckled.

"I’ll take that as a compliment."

"It was."

Her smile widened slightly before she turned toward Raymond.

"What do you think?"

Raymond looked down at the boar’s corpse for a brief moment before answering.

"Our teamwork was good."

He paused, recalling the short battle.

"Rowan kept the monster occupied from the front while you restricted its movements with your arrows. That gave me enough openings to attack."

His gaze shifted between the two.

"The roles were clear. And because of that, none of us got in each other’s way."

Rowan gave a small nod.

"That was the idea."

Most adventurer parties failed not because they lacked strength, but because they lacked coordination. Three people attacking however they pleased often created more problems than advantages.

Fortunately, that wasn’t the case here.

Although it was their first battle together, each person had naturally settled into a role.

Rowan acted as the frontline. Lyra provided support from a distance.

And Raymond, the weakest one among them, looked for wherever an opening appeared.

It wasn’t perfect. But it worked.

Lyra stretched her arms before grinning.

"Well then, let’s hope every monster we

meet is that cooperative."

Raymond looked at the deep gouges carved into the ground by the boar’s charge and then at the broken arrowhead lying nearby.

"I wouldn’t count on it." He spoke.

"Hehe, true." Lyra said, chuckling.

******

After a few hours of fruitless searching, the sun finally disappeared beyond the horizon.

Darkness gradually spread across the forest, covering the towering trees in deep shadows while the temperature steadily dropped.

The cheerful chirping of birds was replaced by the distant cries of nocturnal creatures hidden somewhere among the woods.

Realizing that continuing the search at night would only increase the danger, the trio decided to set up camp.

Rowan quickly searched the surrounding area before finding a suitable clearing. After making sure there were no obvious signs of monster activity, he efficiently pitched a sturdy tent beneath a cluster of tall trees.

Meanwhile, Raymond gathered dry branches and fallen logs before arranging them into a small pile.

Soon, a warm campfire came to life.

Not far away, Lyra also didn’t remain idle.

Bow in hand, she silently circled the clearing, her sharp hazel eyes carefully scanning every bush, tree, and patch of tall grass.

Every small beast or harmless creature that wandered too close was immediately frightened away, ensuring nothing unexpected disturbed their camp. Only after confirming the area was safe did she return.

Crack...

The burning logs shifted as flames danced between them, casting a warm amber glow over the small campsite.

The fire crackled softly, sending tiny embers drifting into the cool night air before disappearing beneath the star-filled sky.

The flickering light painted the surrounding trees in shifting shadows, making the forest seem both peaceful and mysterious.

Raymond sat beside the fire, quietly feeding another piece of wood into the flames. The warmth eased the chill of the night, but it did little to lessen the caution in his mind.

Forests always change after sunset.

Creatures that hid during the day began to roam.

Predators became hunters. And adventurers... became prey if they weren’t careful.

Across from him, Rowan unrolled a simple map and studied it in the firelight.

"We’ve covered nearly this entire section today," he said, tracing a finger across the parchment. "But we haven’t found a single trace of Dark Beings."

Lyra sat down beside the fire with a tired sigh. "I’m not complaining," she admitted. "But it does feel strange. We were told they were appearing everywhere."

Raymond quietly stared at the dancing flames before speaking.

"It’s odd."

The fire reflected faintly in his eyes as he continued. "It’s as if they simply disappeared into thin air."

Neither Rowan nor Lyra answered immediately. They had spent the entire day searching the assigned area. There were no signs of Dark Beings, no traces of cultists, not even the remains of a recent battle.

It was as though the reports they had received belonged to a completely different forest.

Rowan folded the map before placing it beside his backpack.

"Well, it doesn’t really matter."

He looked toward the dark forest beyond the campfire. "We’re only responsible for this sector. If we don’t find anything here, there’s always a chance another team will discover something in theirs."

His tone remained calm and practical.

"There are over two hundred adventurers searching the border forest. Someone is bound to uncover a lead sooner or later."

Lyra nodded in agreement.

"Exactly. Worrying about something we can’t control won’t help us." She stretched her arms before letting out a long yawn.

"I don’t know about you two, but I’m exhausted."

Rowan stood up and picked up his sword.

"We should get some rest."

His gaze swept across the surrounding forest one last time.

"I’ll take the first watch."

Raymond nodded.

"I will take after you."

"I’ll take the last one," Lyra added as she crawled into the tent.

"Just don’t wake me too early."

Rowan surprisingly chuckled at her then spoke.

"No promises."

The campsite gradually fell quiet. The fire continued to crackle softly, its warm glow pushing back the darkness surrounding the clearing.

Rowan stood near the edge of the camp, his sword resting against his shoulder as he silently watched the forest.

Inside the tent, Lyra quickly drifted to sleep. Raymond remained seated by the fire for a few moments longer.

His eyes lingered on the dancing flames.

Something still felt wrong. He didn’t know why but it just felt like it.