The afternoon sun was high in the sky, casting long shadows over the village square. Alex sat on a wooden bench near the fountain, his eyes fixed on the flowing water that sprayed out of the heart of the barrier.

Despite its appearance, which looked normal, it was the heart of the barrier that protected this village.

“Still brooding?” Elyra’s voice broke through his thoughts. She appeared beside him, a piece of bread in one hand and a mischievous grin on her face.

Her hair was tied back in a loose braid, but stray strands framed her face, giving her an almost carefree appearance.

Alex smirked. “Just thinking.”

He had grown closer to her in the past two days he had been here, so their talking like this was now a normal thing.

“Dangerous habit,” she teased, plopping down beside him. “So, what’s the plan, oh great hero? Gonna slay some more demons and save the day?”

‘That name again,’ Alex sighed inwardly.

Elyra keeps calling him a hero because of his powers since he denied being a god.

“That depends,” Alex replied, leaning back. “Are there any more demons lurking around here?”

After Alex’s first night here, there have been constant breaches in the barrier. One or two demons would barge in every night, and Alex would fight them off.

“Not that I know of,” Elyra said, taking a bite of her bread. “But then again, they have been coming through the barrier these days, so who knows? This place might surprise us yet.”

Alex glanced at her, noting the way her heterochromatic eyes—one silver, the other a deep gold—sparkled with a mix of curiosity and caution. She was an enigma, just like the village.

Despite her playful demeanor, Alex could sense there was more to her than met the eye.

“What about you?” He asked. “What’s your story? You don’t exactly blend in with the rest of the villagers.”

Elyra’s grin faltered for a moment before returning full force. “Oh, you know, the usual. Born and raised here, grew up causing trouble, and now I’m the local badass. Pretty standard stuff.”

Alex raised an eyebrow. “That’s not much of a story.”

“Maybe I’m just keeping the good parts to myself,” she said with a wink. “Gotta keep some mystery alive, right?”

Before Alex could press further, a commotion near the edge of the square drew their attention. A group of villagers had gathered, their voices raised in alarm—something unnatural in this peaceful village.

Alex and Elyra exchanged a glance before rising to their feet and making their way over.

As they approached, Alex noticed a man sprawled on the ground, his face pale and his breathing labored. A young woman kneeling beside him, a cloth and some heard next to her as she tried to heal his wounds.

“What happened?” Alex asked, his tone sharp.

He had been here for a while, but the villagers were never always doing a fixed series of tasks—moving like NPCs doing their tasks, but today seemed different.

“He was out near the eastern woods,” one of the villagers explained. “Said something attacked him, but he barely made it back.”

Alex kneeled beside the injured man, his eyes narrowing as he inspected the wounds. They were deep, claw-like gashes, eerily similar to the ones inflicted by the demon last night.

“Did he say what attacked him?” Alex asked.

The young woman shook her head. “He was barely conscious when he got here. Just kept muttering about shadows.”

Alex glanced at the woman, frowning, wanting to know why this guy would go to that secluded part of the village—the eastern woods—in the first place, but he paused as his eyes caught Elyra’s expression.

Elyra’s playful demeanor vanished, replaced by a steely determination. “Shadows, huh? Sounds like we might have another demon on our hands.”

Thinking for a bit, Alex rose to his feet, his hand instinctively resting on the hilt of his sword. “Where are the eastern woods?” He asked, having only heard of the eastern woods but never been there.

He decided to take care of this demon and come back for an inquiry. He knew Elyra would move if he didn’t.

“Not far,” Elyra said. “I can take you there.”

Alex shook his head as he heard just what he had expected from her. “You’re staying here,” Alex said firmly. “You’re still recovering.”

Elyra crossed her arms, her expression defiant. “I’m not some damsel in distress, Alex. I can handle myself.”

Looking into her eyes, Alex could tell she would go whether he liked it or not, so he sighed, recognizing the futility of arguing with her. “Fine. But stay close and don’t do anything reckless.”

“No promises,” she said with a smirk.

Alex sighed again but said nothing.

The two of them set off toward the eastern woods, leaving the murmurs of the villagers behind. As they walked, Alex couldn’t shake the feeling that they were being watched. The air felt heavier, the shadows deeper, as if the forest itself were alive.

“You feel that?” Elyra asked, her voice low.

Alex nodded, his hand tightening around his sword. “Something’s not right.”

The trees loomed overhead, their branches intertwining to form a dense canopy. The sunlight barely penetrated the thick foliage, casting the woods in an eerie twilight. Every rustle of leaves and snap of twigs set Alex on edge, his senses on high alert.

“Over there,” Elyra whispered, pointing to a cluster of bushes. A faint trail of blood led deeper into the forest, the crimson droplets stark against the dark soil.

Elyra wasn’t someone with any elemental ability; she was just as strong as a six-star, star-formation realm knight, so knowing that only he could protect them, Alex moved cautiously, his eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of danger.

Elyra followed close behind, her usual bravado tempered by the tension in the air.

They came to a small clearing, where the trail of blood ended. In the center of the clearing stood a figure cloaked in shadow, its form shifting and indistinct. Two glowing red eyes locked onto them, and a low growl rumbled through the air.

“Well, that’s not ominous at all,” Elyra muttered, drawing a dagger from her belt.

“GRAAAAAA!!!” The creature lunged without warning, its movements unnaturally fast.

But Alex reacted instantly, his sword meeting the creature’s claws with a clash of steel.

The force of the impact sent him skidding back, but he quickly regained his footing.

“I’m here as well, you shit!” Elyra darted to the side, her dagger flashing as she aimed for the creature’s flank. Her strike landed, but the blade barely penetrated the creature’s shadowy form.

“Great,” she muttered. “It’s like fighting smoke.”

“Focus on keeping it distracted,” Alex ordered, his aura flaring as he activated his Rising Star sword technique. His blade glowed with ‘lesser aura’, cutting through the shadows with each strike.

“RAAAAAAAAAAA!!!” The creature howled, its form flickering as if it were struggling to maintain its shape.

“Great!” Elyra exclaimed, seizing the opportunity; her movements were precise as she coordinated her attacks with Alex.

Together, they forced the creature back, their combined efforts driving it toward the edge of the clearing. Alex’s blade pierced the creature’s head with one final, powerful strike.

“KIEAK!!!” It let out a deafening screech before disintegrating into a cloud of dark mist.

Alex lowered his sword, exhaling. “They’re now moving in the day as well. This isn’t a coincidence.”

He wasn’t using all his power—no, he didn’t even use his magic or thirteen-star power. But he didn’t need to. The demons that attacked were always around the one-star, star connection realm.

“No kidding,” Elyra said, wiping sweat from her brow. “Looks like you’ve got your work cut out for you, hero.”

Alex glanced at her, noting the determined set of her jaw despite the exhaustion in her eyes. “We’ll figure this out. But first, we need answers.”

Elyra nodded, her usual smirk replaced by a grim resolve. “Then let’s get back to the village. If anyone knows what’s going on, it’ll be the elders.”

As they made their way back, Alex knew that he would get some more answers today.

He was going to unveil some more mysteries about this unknown village.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep