Warrior Training System-Chapter 274: Something massive

The second village they arrived at was mostly secure. The local warriors and mages had chosen to stay behind, helping the other villagers escape while also assisting newcomers fleeing from deeper regions. Cassian and his team lent their aid, fending off attacking beasts until the city guards arrived to establish a defensive post. Once the situation was stable, they moved on to their next destination—the final village on their list for the day—before heading back.

This last village was farther away, and they had been ordered to focus solely on rescuing the trapped villagers while avoiding combat with the beasts as much as possible. Unlike the previous settlements, no city guards would be coming to reinforce it.

However, they received information that a few higher-circle warriors had been sent to this village early in the morning and should still be there.

Cassian turned to his team, his voice steady but firm. "This is the last village, everyone. There are still people trapped, waiting for help. They're scared, injured, and they won't last long if we take our time."

He handed each of them a small bottle filled with a shimmering blue liquid. "Drink up. We need to be at our best. The sooner we get there, the more lives we save. Let's bring them home."

As ordered, they drank the potion quickly, and soon their tired expressions faded, replaced by renewed energy. The surging vitality spread through their bodies, rejuvenating them almost instantly.

So far, none of them had seen a single dead body in either village or along the way, which was a small relief. However, Cassian wasn't sure if their luck would hold. He had a sinking feeling he knew why there were no corpses—every fallen human had likely been devoured by the beasts, leaving behind nothing but bloodied remains.

"Halt!" Cassian said in a hushed tone, raising a hand to signal them to stop. Without hesitation, he made another series of hand gestures—orders to hide. Immediately, all six of them moved into the cover of a tall tree, blending into its foliage.

Noticing the slightly alarmed look on Cassian's face, Wanni leaned in and whispered, "What's happening?"

"Cast a stealth spell if you can. If not, stay completely still—don't even breathe." Cassian whispered, his voice tense with fear. "Something massive is heading our way..." The dread in his eyes was unmistakable, and the others could feel it radiating from his red domain, which instinctively flared around him. The unease was contagious, making the entire group tense up.

Wanni gave a quick nod, muttering an incantation under her breath while making a series of precise hand gestures. She pressed her palm against the rough bark of the tree, and for a brief moment, glowing blue symbols—fluid like flowing water—appeared before fading back into the wood.

"It's not exactly a stealth spell," she whispered, "but it'll mask our scent and muffle small sounds. As long as nothing comes within a few meters of the tree, we should be safe."

Cassian swallowed hard, his grip tightening on the tree branch. His voice was barely above a whisper as he muttered, "let's hope it won't." His unease was infectious, and everyone exchanged nervous glances, their fear growing in response to his reaction.

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Lumine, shifting uncomfortably, furrowed her brows. "What won't? I don't see anything..." she whispered, her voice filled with confusion.

Cassian immediately raised a finger to his lips, signaling for silence with a sharp "Shh!" He then pointed ahead, his expression tense. "Listen carefully."

Everyone held their breath, straining their ears in the direction Cassian indicated. For a few moments, the only sounds were the wind rustling through the trees and the steady flow of the river beside them.

Robert exhaled quietly. "I hear the river bit ahead there… nothing else." He paused, his expression shifting as a faint sound reached him. A second later, his eyes widened slightly. "No… wait. I hear something..."

A low, almost imperceptible rumbling. A sound that didn't belong to the wind, the water, or the usual sounds of the forest. It was distant but growing, like something massive shifting in the shadows.

Thud… thud…

A heavy, rhythmic pounding echoed through the forest, each impact sending tremors through the ground. The vibrations grew stronger with every step, shaking the trees and making leaves rustle. It was as if a battle between higher-circle warriors was raging somewhere nearby—but the pattern, the steady, deliberate rhythm, told them otherwise.

This wasn't the chaotic destruction of combat.

This was something massive walking.

Their breaths slowed, their bodies tense with silent fear. And then, through the gaps in the dense foliage, they saw it.

A towering, hulking figure of deep brown emerged from the distance, its sheer size dwarfing the trees around it. The moment their eyes landed on the colossal being, a chilling realization settled over them.

Cassian and the others, despite their training and power, felt insignificant.

Like tiny, fragile creatures staring up at a force far beyond them.

The creature stood like a mountain of muscle and fur, its deep brown coat matted with dried blood and filth. Towering over the treetops, it exuded a primal, almost unnatural aura—something beyond a mere beast. Its presence alone made the air feel heavy, like the forest itself was suffocating under its dominion.

Its maw, lined with jagged, unnaturally long fangs, dripped with fresh blood—not its own, but from the torn bodies of the unfortunate souls it had devoured. Thick, black claws curled around a limp, broken human form, the remains of another clutched in its other monstrous hand.

And then—crunch.

The sound of bones shattering, flesh tearing. The titan ape bit down, snapping the body in half like a twig. A sickening squelch followed as it chewed, its bloodstained teeth grinding through meat and bone alike.

Althea's breath hitched, her voice barely more than a whisper as she stared in horror. "W-What… what is that…?"

Her trembling hands gripped her weapon tighter, but the sheer terror in her eyes betrayed the false sense of readiness.

Cassian's gaze never left the monstrosity, his own face pale. His fingers curled around the hilt of his sword, but deep down, even he knew—this thing was beyond them.