Before Ryan even turned to see who—or what—was surrounding him, he already knew.
Anyone who had ever attended school and learned about onomatopoeia would recognize that sound instantly.
A rising chorus of chattering, howling, and guttural screeches.
For Ryan, the answer was clear. A specific species—or perhaps a hybrid of multiple species—that mimicked the voices of primates and distorted them into something far more eerie. A fusion of Primate, Orangutan, and Simiorax…
"Primorax," Ryan whispered under his breath, completing his own narration.
He remained completely still, his expression calm despite the creeping unease clawing at his nerves.
'Stay calm. Breathe in. Breathe out.'
His mind sharpened. 'I'm no zoologist or monster specialist, but I did study some of these creatures in my Encyclopedic Classes.'
His fingers flexed slightly at his sides. 'Now… it depends on what type of Primorax this one is.'
A presence loomed in front of him.
Ryan's eyes locked onto the creature lowering itself just inches from his face.
It was… sky blue. Its dense fur rippled subtly, appearing both thick and delicate, shifting in waves as it moved. Each strand danced with the natural flow of its body, reacting to the air as though it were submerged underwater.
The creature's face was smooth—eerily smooth. Its mouth, though closed, protruded slightly forward, giving the impression that it was its primary weapon—designed to latch onto prey, to rip, to tear, to consume piece by piece.
Its claws were short, curved, and impossibly sharp. Dark as obsidian, their sleek, smooth edges suggested a perfect cutter—suited not for blunt brutality, but for slicing through flesh with surgical precision.
Ryan's pupils constricted slightly. 'Should I consider myself lucky?'
'This is one of the better types I could have encountered. A Drilvok.'
He ran through the information in his mind, recalling fragmented passages from old textbooks. 'Now, what did the book say again…?'
The Drilvok moved.
Its clawed hand reached forward, closing the gap between them—slowly, deliberately.
Ryan didn't flinch.
His face remained blank, his posture relaxed but not weak. He was still. Perfectly still. Yet, something in his presence told the creature he was not defenseless.
The Drilvok's claws grazed his skin.
Nothing.
No reaction. No tension. No fear.
Ryan's eyes, however, were locked onto the creature with a cold, unfathomable depth.
Something in them—something indescribable—made the Drilvok hesitate.
The creature trembled.
A flicker of hesitation. Of fear.
It stared deep into Ryan's eyes and recoiled. It was as if it had seen something staring back. Not just a person. Not a mere human. But something dark. Something hollow.
Something that wasn't there.
Its hand twitched, trembling against his skin before it slowly withdrew.
The Drilvok, still shaking, retracted its arm and pushed itself upward, using its tail to lift its weight.
A shift spread through the entire group.
The once-loud, chaotic chatter of the Primorax subsided. Laughter faded into hushed whispers. A row of monkeys parted, clearing a path for Ryan.
They were no longer laughing.
Only murmuring amongst themselves in their strange, indecipherable language.
A single, creaking sound broke the silence.
"Creak!?" Elain chipped, its synthetic voice breaking the tension.
"Human… what did you do?"
Ryan exhaled, his body relaxing slightly now that the moment had passed.
"...I don't even know," he admitted. "One moment I was calm, the next… I just blanked out."
He rubbed his temples as if trying to recall something. "But I think the right thing to do when a Drilvok approaches is to stay fearless and calm. Then they won't mistake you for prey."
His lips curled into a grin, his pride showing. "After all, they're intelligent creatures."
Elain remained silent for a moment before finally responding.
"...Creak??...."