Reborn into Beast Tamer Clan with Monsters-Only Affinity-Chapter 63: Hero to victim

Axelius suddenly woke up with a loud cough, choking on the water still trapped in his lungs. He was lying flat on his back, soaked and gasping for air. He turned to his side, trying to breathe properly as he coughed out mouthfuls of river water.

After catching his breath, he slowly pushed himself up and looked around, confused. The sound of the waterfall was gone. It seemed he had been swept far downstream, away from the place he fell.

His whole body ached, but he stood up, wobbling a little before finding his balance. He looked around again, noticing that staying in this open patch by the river wasn’t safe. Too exposed. Too quiet. So, he started walking into the forest, trying to stay alert even though everything felt heavy and sore.

Eventually, he leaned against a nearby tree, breathing hard, and then allowed himself to slide down into a sitting position. His clothes were still soaked, clinging to his body uncomfortably. He reached to squeeze the water out of his sleeves, but then paused, noticing something strange.

"...Oh right," he muttered, blinking. "I forgot. My clothes are high-tech." He gave a small chuckle as he realized the material had already dried itself. There was even a bit of warmth left over from the auto-drying feature.

After resting a few minutes, he stood up again, brushing dirt off his pants. He looked around with a serious expression, rubbing the back of his neck.

"How am I supposed to find Owen now?" he whispered to himself. "Where did that bird even go?"

Just then, a rustling sound came from the nearby bushes. Axelius’s body tensed immediately. He rushed behind the nearest tree and pressed his back to it, trying to keep his breathing low.

The bushes parted... and out popped Owen, completely unharmed.

Axelius stepped out with a sharp glare. "Where were you?!"

Owen bounced closer with a smug look on his slime-like face. "Oh, miss me already? You idiot, why’d you follow me?"

Axelius frowned and clenched his fists. "Isn’t it obvious?!"

Owen sighed heavily. "Yeah, yeah, I get it. But still, if you’re going to rescue me, don’t do it like that, okay? When I saw you fall off the waterfall, I got swallowed right after. I had to do everything I could to escape that stupid bird’s stomach. You don’t know what I went through in there."

Axelius blinked, and for a moment, his imagination went wild. Then, he burst out laughing, pointing at Owen. "Don’t tell me... you got out from its ass?! Geez, that’s gross!"

"Shut up!" Owen shouted, bouncing angrily. "I had to! Okay?! I’m the reason you’re still alive, remember? Tsk."

Axelius stopped laughing and gave him a more serious look. "Well then... thanks. Really. I owe you. But—why don’t you go wash yourself first?" He wrinkled his nose and made a disgusted face.

Owen looked offended. "I’m clean, you jerk!"

Axelius stepped back dramatically with a grin. "Relax, hahaha!"

Owen huffed and bounced a few times, then from inside his slime body, several fruits popped out and rolled onto the ground.

"Here," Owen said, sounding proud. "You wouldn’t wake up earlier, so I went and found food."

Axelius sat down cross-legged and picked up one of the apple-like fruits, inspecting it with doubt in his eyes.

"Is this clean?"

Owen’s eyes twitched with irritation. "It’s clean! I’m clean!"

Axelius just laughed again and took a big bite, juice dripping down his chin.

Owen bounced beside Axelius, looking around carefully with his small body, his round form quietly shifting as he scanned the thick forest around them. "I’ve been looking for a way back while you were still knocked out," he said.

"But this forest is too big, and the paths all look the same. I think... it’s better if we find a safe place to spend the night. Somewhere hidden. Maybe a cave or a hollow tree."

Axelius nodded as he leaned back a little, still chewing the last bite of fruit. "Yeah... that sounds good. But don’t worry. Seraphina and the others are not going to go looking for me."

Owen blinked. "What? Why not?"

Axelius smiled faintly and looked up at the trees, the sunlight leaking through the thick branches. "They’ll be waiting outside the forest. I told her... I should be back in two days. That’s what we agreed on."

Owen’s slime-like body twitched, his small eyes narrowing. "Wait... you’re saying they’re not going to come find you?"

Axelius shrugged, standing up and brushing dirt from his clothes. "I’m the one who told Seraphina not to bother. I said I’d find my way back on my own."

For a second, Owen just stared at him in disbelief. Then, without warning, he bounced forward and lightly smacked Axelius on the side of the head.

"What are you?! An idiot?! Do you really think you can survive in this place alone?! Monsters here are brutal! Creepy bugs, giant birds, mutated animals... And look at you! You’re just a kid with no mana! Me—I can at least hide, slip into tight spots, escape if something goes wrong. But you?"

Axelius rubbed the spot where Owen hit him and just laughed. "Relax, Owen. It’ll be fine." He looked around the forest again with a serious face, his eyes searching the shadows between the trees.

"Let’s just find a cave or something. Somewhere to rest before it gets dark."

Owen sighed heavily, bouncing in place with frustration. "I swear, you’re gonna be the death of me." Then, he slapped himself with one of his own slimey tendrils in defeat.

"Why do I have to be partnered with a lunatic? Of all people..."

Axelius rubbed his forehead and laughed. "Relax, Owen. I’ve survived worse."

They walked quietly through the forest, the sky slowly turning darker as evening approached. The trees rustled softly above them, and the strange chirping of unknown creatures echoed around, making every shadow feel deeper than it should.

Axelius didn’t say much, just kept walking beside Owen, his eyes scanning their surroundings.

"We need to move quietly," Owen finally said,

Axelius let out a short breath and replied with a bit of sarcasm, "You’re treating me like a kid, bro."

Owen turned to look at him, a small frown forming as he studied Axelius for a second. His messy hair, the scratches on his hands,

Realizing this, Owen sighed and shook his body slightly, like brushing off the thought.

"Argh, never mind," he mumbled, bouncing ahead.