Yaw-Yan often wonders what it looks like inside the forest on the back of Silao Grande.
Ever since he arrived in this world a year ago, he's always been fascinated by Silao Grande's mountainous size. Its length stretches hundreds of meters wide, and its towering height could easily rival some of the tallest mountains in Yaw-Yan's previous world.
Despite its intimidating presence, Silao Grande is known as one of the calmest and most tranquil beasts in the valley. The old chief said that this mountain-sized creature has been part of the valley for millennia.
Silao Grande has witnessed every life that has passed through the valley—whether it was a flourishing group of humans seeking to live and coexist with all life here, or a violent horde of beasts that nearly wiped out all traces of humanity.
Silao Grande was always silently there, just watching and observing, completely detached from everything that happened in its valley.
But there always comes a time when the people of the valley are reminded that the massive mountain stretching across the horizon is actually a living, breathing entity—one that could easily trample all creatures in its path whenever it shifts its slumbering place.
So it feels kind of weird now that Yaw-Yan has actually managed to climb its back and enter the lush forest that has grown over the years.
So far, the experience feels underwhelming. Yaw-Yan doesn't know what he was expecting when he ventured into the forest, but everything within the lush greenery of Silao Grande looks the same as the ground below. The trees, the vegetation, the terrain—it's all almost identical to the forests at the base.
If anything feels off, it's the unsettling silence that wraps around the entire forest.
There's none of the usual sounds beasts make when wandering nearby. Even the chirping of birds or the soft footsteps of small animals are gone, making the walk through the forest a bit eerie.
Luckily for his nerves, one small creature hasn't stopped making noise since they entered the dense forest, making the journey a little less creepy.
That same creature suddenly grabs Yaw-Yan and pulls him behind a large tree.
"There it is! They look so majestic!"
The trio look toward Amika, who is getting emotional as she catches a glimpse of the bloodsucking beast for the first time.
"Majestic" is the last word that would come to Yaw-Yan's mind when describing the creature in front of him.
Standing around six to seven feet tall, it had a large, bloated frame supported by ten skinny arms. Its head resembled that of a disfigured sloth, with a long, protruding fleshy tube extending from its elongated neck and connecting directly to the ground.
To be honest, the beast looked like it was in pain. Its grotesquely swollen body seemed ready to collapse under its own weight, and those thin, trembling arms were the only things keeping it from rolling onto its back and getting crushed.
"So... anyone know how we're going to defeat that thing? I didn't think it'd be this big," Suina asked, her expression twisted like she had bitten into something bitter and the taste refused to leave her tongue.
A much more appropriate reaction to something that hideous, compared to Amika's reaction, who was just being weird.
After all, this was the first beast the trio had encountered since stepping foot into the valley.
"I'll pummel it. With my hammer. You guys stay here and watch. ~Eyy!"
Amika didn't get the chance to move—Ayato yanked her back by the collar, stopping the smaller girl from charging recklessly toward the bloodsucking beast.
"Amika, we don't know what kind of beast that is or what it can do. So don't just run up to it."
"Ayato, it's a beast," Amika pointed at it firmly. "It's there, so we defeat it.
And this is the same kind of beast Yaw-Yan's tribe subjugates for its blood, remember?
They could slay it even without alignment to any god.
It shouldn't be a problem for us—we have blessings, remember?"
Ayato shook his head.
Amika wasn't wrong—they were far stronger than the average person in this valley.
But that didn't mean they were invincible.
Not against every beast that roamed this Manaland.
And especially not against one they knew absolutely nothing about.
"Yaw-Yan, bro, got any info we need to know about this guy?" Amika grumbled, frustrated at being held back from pummeling her first-ever beast. Still, she listened. There was a reason she stuck with her two friends—they always managed to keep her out of trouble.
Yaw-Yan nodded. "The elder said that while the beast is immobile due to its size, it possesses a powerful attack. It can spit acid strong enough to burn through Silao Grande's hide. And those arms? They're strong and fast—like whips."
The trio absorbed the info. Nothing too insane—except for the acid. That changed things. They needed to be extra careful with positioning and avoid close-range entanglements. One wrong move, and that spit would melt through them like paper.
Ayato looked at the group and nodded.
"Alright. Amika and I will confront it. Amika, don't just rush in—watch for the acid.
Suina, keep our backs safe while we engage it.
Yaw-Yan, stay alert. Even if this thing seems immobile, we don't know if it has long-range attacks or if there are variants that can move.
You said your tribe had a hard time defeating them because of their numbers, right? That means they might work together.
Keep an eye on the surroundings."
Amika, Suina, and Yaw-Yan all nodded at Ayato's plan.
Pretty solid tactics against a creature like this.
Amika and Suina slowly got up and began approaching the bloodsucker, their bodies engulfed in colored light—signs of their core weapons being summoned.
A white and silver war hammer, nearly taller than its wielder, materialized in Amika's hands. Her body pulsed with intense energy, and if Yaw-Yan squinted, he could swear he saw smoke rising from her small frame.
On Ayato's palms, two white-bluish daggers appeared—cold and deadly. Their very presence promised wounds that would not only cut deep but freeze over in an instant.
Yaw-Yan turned to Suina, meaning to ask more about Ayato and Amika's core weapons. But his words froze in his throat as a flicker of light caught his attention—coming from Suina's direction.
The tall girl crouched low, her body nearly hugging the ground. She leaned forward, eyes locked on her target through a scope.
Yep. She had a gun.
A sniper rifle, to be exact.
It was gaudy as hell—gold and red with blue gems all over it. If a gun could be fabulous, this was it.
Her core weapon was a sniper rifle.
God had blessed her with a long-range killing machine.
Now that Yaw-Yan got a better look, Suina really did look like she came straight out of "Murica"—blonde hair, tall, blue eyes. This soft-spoken girl was basically the embodiment of the right to bear arms in this world.
"T-That's a nice gun, Suina," Yaw-Yan muttered.
She pulled back from the scope, blinking at him in confusion. But when she saw his gaze fixed on her weapon, realization clicked.
"Gun? You mean my core weapon?" she asked, then smiled warmly. "This baby's name is Amalee. She's my awesome partner. Isn't she beautiful?"
Her voice picked up speed with excitement. "Everyone says I have the most unique core weapon. I can do so much with her! Like, I can see super far through the scope, and with the stand, I just lie down and take the shot. But I can carry her too, rest her against my shoulder for support. You'd be surprised how much kick she has! Oh—and this here's the trigger. You gotta be careful with it, but don't worry, it has a safety. See this thingy on the side? You flick it down to keep things safe. And—oh!—you have to pull this lever every time you shoot. Some people think it's annoying but I think it's a skill issue. I'm used to it. I can shoot fast! And the sound it makes when I crank the lever? So satisfa—Ow!"
Suina was cut off mid-rant when a pebble gently bounced off her forehead.
Both she and Yaw-Yan turned toward the source and saw Ayato and Amika staring at them with exasperated looks.
"Watch our backs, guys," Ayato muttered, clearly annoyed.
Suina nodded sheepishly, rubbing her forehead while pouting. "Meanies…" she mumbled.
Ayato and Amika exchanged a nod, brandishing their weapons. Dropping into a fighting stance, they launched themselves toward the beast with a heavy kick off the ground.
The Bloodsucker Beast snapped its head toward the incoming blur. With a guttural screech, it whipped its monstrous arm to intercept them.
The collision boomed like thunder. A shockwave rippled through the battlefield, blasting debris and air in every direction.
Yaw-Yan had to duck, barely avoiding being swept off his feet by the sudden gust. Beside him, Suina's uniform flapped violently in the wind, but she remained rock steady—eye pressed to her scope, finger on the trigger.
Another screech echoed across the battlefield—but this one was laced with pain. The beast's arm had been annihilated in the exchange.
Amika was hurled back, but she twisted mid-air, landing feet-first on a massive tree trunk. Using it as a springboard, she launched herself right back at the beast, war hammer in hand, letting out a war cry that shook the air.
But the beast wasn't done. Losing its arm, it drew in a deep, ragged breath. A grotesque lump on the back of its neck began to swell ominously.
Amika, mid-leap, couldn't dodge.
The Bloodsucker gargled—and then the lump shrank rapidly. A jet of corrosive liquid shot from its throat straight toward her.
Fear flashed across Amika's face—but it vanished just as quickly.
The air turned frigid.
The acid began freezing mid-air.
With a face-splitting grin, Amika roared. She twisted her body and swung her hammer, shattering the frozen projectile into a thousand glimmering shards. The deadly pieces reversed course, slamming into the Bloodsucker's massive body like a blizzard of knives.
The beast howled in agony.
Amika landed and flashed Ayato a thumbs-up. He stood a few meters away, coated in frost. With a flick of his hand, Ayato summoned ten massive ice shards, then hurled them like missiles.
The frozen beast was pierced through and through—until it stood as a grotesque, unmoving sculpture of ice.
"Can I?!" Amika bounced on her feet, her eyes shining with excitement as she turned to Ayato.
He gave her a nod.
With a feral grin, Amika turned toward the frozen monster. Her stance dropped low, red energy swirling around her frame. Wisps of steam curled off her skin. She vanished in a blur—then reappeared in front of the beast.
Both hands gripped her war hammer.
She spun into the air, body glowing like a meteor.
CRACK!
Her hammer came down with earth-shaking force, slamming into the Bloodsucker's frozen skull. The impact rattled every tree in the vicinity—and shattered the beast into icy dust.
The bloodsucker didn't stand a chance.
Its body collapsed from the impact, the upper half of the beast reduced to paste, staining the ground beneath in a splash of gore and shattered ice.
Suina let out a sigh of relief, heart finally easing. Their first combat encounter went smoothly—and seeing Amika jumping around like a little kid who just received a present, Suina's lips curled into a genuine smile.
She knew her friend too well. Amika may have been good at hiding it, but the past few days, she'd been blaming herself for their predicament. The guilt had been eating away at her.
But now? Seeing her dance and grin like that?
Suina's worries melted like snow in spring.
"Yaw-Yan," she called, still watching Amika, "let's check if the blood sacks of Silao Grande survived the attack. Amika got a little too eager and kinda forgot we came here to gather blood."
No answer.
Confused, Suina turned to him—only to find the boy staring, eyes wide, jaw slack, awe written all over his face as he watched Ayato and Amika.
He looked like he was seeing something divine.
Yaw-Yan had never witnessed a real fight between powerful beasts and capable warriors. Not like this.
From start to finish, Amika and Ayato showed no fear. No hesitation. Their moves were fluid, devastating. Like dancers of death.
And despite the monstrous size of their enemy, Amika had stood her ground. No—she didn't just stand; she dominated.
This…
This was the difference.
Between them and his tribesmen.
Between them and him.
Yaw-Yan had always told himself to be content.
He lived years bound to a hospital bed in his previous life—trapped in a body that refused to move, a prisoner of his own flesh.
And when he woke up in this new world, he never asked for more.
But now—
Now, with everything he had learned, with the power he had just witnessed… with the thrill of battle still lingering in the air—
Yaw-Yan dug his fingers into the dirt, crushing it in his palm, trying to feel something—anything—to drown the numbness in his chest.
Because for the first time in both his lives…
Yaw-Yan desired power.
And more than that—
He craved freedom.
End of Chapter 8