Lisa was still brushing dirt off her clothes when Rylan finally reached her, panting lightly from the desperate sprint. His golden eyes softened in relief the moment he confirmed she was unharmed. She expected him to scold her, or at least demand an explanation, but instead he merely asked,
"Lisa… what happened here?"
She froze.
What happened here?
Should she say she blew up half of the forest with dynamite? Or that she murdered seven monkeys using hunting traps like a modern world maniac? Or that she nearly died because she tripped on a stupid tree root?
Before she could answer, the invisible system behind her giggled like an evil gremlin.
"Host, I can answer for you—she used bombs because she panicked, tripped, and cried!"
Lisa's face turned red in humiliation.
"You shut up!" she snapped in her mind.
Rylan blinked. "Uh… Lisa?"
"I—Nothing happened! Everything's fine!" she blurted out too fast.
Rylan narrowed his eyes, clearly unconvinced. But after a few seconds, he sighed deeply and shook his head with a helpless smile.
"Fine. If you don't wish to say, I won't force you. Let's go."
He stepped ahead. Lisa followed, feeling her heartbeat calm.
But fate, as always, loved chaos.
Just as Rylan turned, Lisa caught a flash of something—like a dark ripple—emerging from the ground. A black wisp, silent and fast, rushed straight at Rylan's back.
Her heart stopped.
"Rylan—!"
Without thinking, she threw herself at him, pushing his large beastman frame out of the wisp's path. Her body collided with his, and before she could react—
The black wisp shot straight into her chest.
A cold shock spread through her body like ice water. Lisa's eyes opened wide, breath fleeing her lungs. Rylan caught her as her knees buckled.
"Lisa!" he shouted, voice full of fear.
But she couldn't answer. Darkness swallowed her sight.
The last thing she felt was Rylan lifting her, holding her tightly against his chest.
Then the world slipped away.
Inside the Mind
Lisa opened her eyes and found herself standing in a vast dark void. Black mist curled around her feet like snakes. It was freezing, suffocating, oppressive.
A chill ran down her spine.
"Where… am I?"
A low growl rumbled behind her. Lisa spun around and nearly screamed.
A massive figure formed out of the darkness—a hulking beast of black fire and torn muscle, six mangled arms, one eye missing, the other burning with hatred.
The Ape King.
But not his body.
His soul.
"You—human…" the ape soul hissed, voice broken and bubbling like boiling tar. "You dared injure this king… You dare steal this king's life…?
I… shall take… your body."
He lunged at her, claws of shadow stretching toward her throat.
Lisa froze, terror locking her muscles.
Then—
A cheerful "ping!" sound echoed.
"Host, a foreign energy has entered your soul space! It wishes to devour you~ How cute."
"THIS IS NOT CUTE!" Lisa screamed.
The Ape King roared, "Your body shall be mine!"
He slammed his claws toward her—
But something slammed him back.
Silence.
Then the system materialized beside her—this time in a chibi form wearing sunglasses.
"Move aside, trash mob."
The Ape King snarled, "A mere tool dares defy—"
He didn't finish.
The system opened a glowing panel… and ate him.
Literally.
It sucked the ape's soul into a glowing cube. The Ape King screeched as he was dragged, kicking and clawing, into the tiny box.
"No! This king—! This king will not—!"
Click.
The cube shut.
"Congratulations, host!" the system chimed. "You have slain a peak Earth-Grade Ape King soul.
Reward: 5000 points."
Lisa's eye twitched.
"ONLY 5000?! I ALMOST GOT POSSESSED BY A MONKEY!"
The system shrugged.
"Host, he was already half-dead. Discount applies."
Lisa screamed and tried to throttle her system avatar.
It vanished with another cheerful ping.
The dark void faded.
Lisa gasped awake.
The first thing she felt was warmth—strong arms holding her securely—and the faint smell of earth and pine. Her head rested against Rylan's chest. He was kneeling in a dimly lit cave, cradling her like fragile treasure.
He pressed his forehead against hers, voice trembling.
"Thank the spirits… you're awake."
She blinked up at him. "Rylan…"
His arms tightened around her instantly, almost crushingly.
"You scared me," he whispered.
"I thought I lost you."
Before she could speak, he pulled her closer—hugging her tightly, his warmth surrounding her completely. His breath brushed her hair, his heartbeat pounding against her cheek.
And then—
He kissed her.
Not roughly. Not wildly.
Softly. Desperately. As if confirming she was real.
Lisa's brain short-circuited.
When he finally pulled back, his face turned red up to the ears. "S-sorry… I didn't— I mean— I thought— I'll stop—"
Lisa raised her hand slowly and covered his mouth.
"It's fine," she whispered, equally flushed.
Her hand trembled.
He had kissed her. Rylan kissed her.
Queen of the Beastmen? Fine. But kissing the hottest beast warrior alive after nearly dying? She would accept that reward.
Rylan looked at her with gentle, burning eyes.
"What happened to you? That black thing… what was it?"
Lisa inhaled softly.
"The Ape King's soul tried to take over my body."
Rylan's expression darkened instantly—rage burning like wildfire.
"I'll destroy his entire clan."
"No!" Lisa stopped him quickly.
"I want to hunt with you."
He turned, startled. "Lisa… you almost died. Again."
"I know," she said, voice steady. "But I don't want to hide behind you every time. If monsters are coming for me, I need to learn how to fight back. With you."
Rylan stared at her for a long moment, his emotions shifting—fear, admiration, frustration, pride.
Finally, a slow, helpless smile curved his lips.
"…You're unbelievable."
Lisa smirked. "You're welcome."
He rested his forehead against hers again, sighing softly. "Fine. If you wish to hunt… then I'll teach you. But know this—if anything threatens your life again…"
He pulled her into his arms, warm breath ghosting over her ear.
"I will tear the entire mountain apart."
Lisa's heart pounded wildly.
Her cheeks heated.
Her system giggled.
"Host, your man is scary. I approve."
Lisa elbowed the air where the system floated.
Rylan blinked in confusion.
"Who are you hitting?"
"No one!" she snapped.
The system whispered,
"Tsundere."
As the cave wind blew softly, the two sat side by side, shoulders brushing. Rylan watched her with a softness rare for a beastman warrior.
"Lisa… thank you," he murmured.
"For saving me."
She smiled without looking at him.
"…You saved me first."
Outside, the forest trembled from the aftermath of their war. But inside the cave, for a moment, they had peace.
Two souls—one human, one beastman—bound now by danger, desire, and an unspoken oath.
And the darkness that tried to consume her?
Lisa had consumed it instead.
And she wasn't done yet