As soon as the villager mentioned the child, I immediately opened the sack.
Inside—
a small human baby stared up at me with tear-filled eyes.
The moment she saw me, her crying slowly stopped.
Tiny hands reached toward my face weakly.
Then—
she smiled.
A small one.
But enough to make something tighten inside my chest.
I carefully held her with one arm while keeping my sword ready in the other.
Then I turned sharply toward the villagers.
"Why didn't you report human abductions earlier?"
My voice rose without me realizing it.
"Do you think this is some kind of joke?!"
The villagers flinched.
One older man lowered his head nervously.
"It never happened before…"
"We thought they were only stealing livestock…"
I clicked my tongue angrily.
Looking at the tracks around the area, I could already tell this wasn't random.
There was likely a camp nearby.
Maybe even a nest deeper inside the Dark Swamp Forest.
But right now—
the baby mattered first.
I handed her carefully to one of the villagers.
The man looked startled by the sudden pressure in my gaze.
"If I return and find out she wasn't brought home safely…"
I slowly mounted Rusty.
"…I'll hunt every single one of you myself."
Silence fell instantly.
"I won't care who stands behind you."
"God's apostle or noble—it won't matter."
"So make sure she reaches home safely."
The villagers nodded repeatedly in fear.
I didn't know why I felt so angry over a child I had only just met.
But one thing was certain.
I wanted to protect her.
That feeling alone was enough.
Without wasting another moment, I followed the tracks leading toward the Dark Swamp Forest.
Beast Breathing remained active.
Sensory field expanded.
Every sound.
Every movement.
Every shift in the swamp air entered my awareness.
Eventually, I reached the outer edge of the swamp itself.
I left Rusty outside the deeper mud region without tying him.
There was no need.
Rusty was smart enough to survive on his own.
The swamp water reached nearly to my knees as I moved carefully through the wet terrain.
After several minutes—
I found it.
A lizardman camp.
Not large.
Maybe around ten members total.
Hidden beneath massive swamp trees and crude bark shelters.
I crouched silently behind thick roots while observing.
Several lizardmen carried cages filled with stolen chickens.
Others sharpened iron rods or repaired rough wooden fencing around the camp.
Only two among them carried actual swords and partial armor.
The rest relied mostly on brute force.
More importantly—
none of them sensed me.
A small smile formed on my face.
Good.
That meant I still had the advantage.
As evening slowly approached, four lizardmen eventually left the camp.
Judging by their direction—
they were likely heading toward where I killed the earlier group.
I immediately repositioned and followed silently through the swamp.
Three carried iron rods.
One carried a sword.
The moment they neared the forest edge, they spotted Rusty waiting near the trees.
All four instantly raised their weapons.
Too late.
I had already drawn my bow.
The arrow flew silently through the air—
and pierced directly through the back of one lizardman's skull.
The body collapsed instantly.
I discarded the bow immediately and grabbed my spear.
The remaining three spread out quickly.
Not charging recklessly.
A triangle formation.
Smarter than normal monsters.
Two attacked from the front while the swordsman stayed behind them waiting for an opening.
The iron rods swung toward my head and ribs simultaneously.
I didn't block.
I stepped backward smoothly.
At the same moment—
the swordsman lunged from behind them, aiming directly for my throat.
I twisted my spear and blocked using the axe blade attached near the shaft.
Metal scraped violently.
Then I countered instantly.
One lizardman aimed for my head.
The other aimed for my legs.
But Beast Breathing remained active.
My body moved faster than before.
Stronger.
Sharper.
I shoved the swordsman backward hard enough to break his footing.
Then—
Rusty moved.
Like a beast unleashed.
He charged directly from the side and slashed one lizardman across the back with his mutated claws.
Flesh tore open instantly.
The creature screamed as blood exploded outward, its body stumbling forward from the force of the attack.
Using that opening, I swung my spear upward in a clean diagonal arc.
The lizardman targeting my head split apart from shoulder to jaw.
No hesitation.
No wasted movement.
The injured rod user turned toward Rusty in panic.
I thrust my spear directly through his back and out through his chest.
Then slammed his body face-first into the swamp ground.
A sickening crack echoed.
Only the swordsman remained.
Unlike the others—
he didn't retreat.
He rushed me furiously instead.
Sword aimed straight for my neck.
I dodged sideways and planted my left foot firmly into the mud.
Then drove a brutal kick into his stomach with my right leg.
The impact forced blood from his mouth as he staggered backward several steps.
I smiled slightly.
The increase in strength from Beast Breathing was becoming clearer with every fight.
The lizardman roared and attacked again.
A horizontal slash.
Fast.
But predictable.
I lowered my grip slightly.
Twisted my body.
Focused dark aura into my arms—
And swung once.
A single slash.
The lizardman's upper body separated cleanly from the lower half.
Blood sprayed across the swamp water.
Silence returned once more.
Only this time—
I could still feel presences deeper inside the forest.
Watching.
Waiting.