The three adventurers did not move for a long time.
The forest was silent… too silent. Even the wind seemed to hesitate, as if afraid to pass through the clearing where the man stood.
Finally, the warrior forced himself to take a step forward.
"We… we can't just leave," he whispered. "If he truly is what we think he is… we need to confirm it."
"Confirm it?!" the rogue hissed. "Did you not see that monster run for its life?!"
The mage swallowed hard, eyes locked on Jazz. "No… we must know. If he's dangerous… the kingdom needs to be warned."
They stepped into the clearing.
Crunch.
A single twig snapped beneath the warrior's boot.
Jazz turned.
Their hearts stopped.
Jazz blinked, surprised to see them closer now. Instinctively, he gave a small, awkward smile—the kind meant to be polite.
It was a mistake.
The moment his lips curved, the air itself seemed to collapse.
The adventurers felt it instantly—an overwhelming pressure crashing down on them like an invisible mountain. Their legs trembled, their breathing faltered, and a primal terror gripped their minds.
It felt like death was staring directly at them.
"S-stay calm…" the warrior muttered, though his voice shook uncontrollably.
Jazz raised a hand slightly, as if to greet them.
"Uh… hello?"
The mage flinched violently.
"He's casting something—!"
Panicking, the mage unleashed a detection spell.
Light burst forward—
—and immediately twisted, spiraling out of control before exploding harmlessly in the air above Jazz.
A loud BOOM echoed through the forest, shaking the trees.
Leaves rained down.
The adventurers stared in horror.
Jazz looked up at the smoke, then back at them.
"Ah… sorry about that," he said, scratching his cheek. "I didn't mean to… interrupt?"
The rogue's face turned pale.
"Y-you saw that, right…?"
The warrior nodded stiffly.
"He didn't even move… and the spell collapsed on its own…"
The mage whispered, trembling,
"That wasn't interference… that was absolute suppression…"
Behind Jazz, the ground suddenly shook.
Another monster—larger than the last—emerged from the forest, its roar shaking the very air.
The adventurers nearly collapsed.
"ANOTHER ONE?!"
Jazz turned slightly, startled.
"Oh—there's more of them?" he muttered.
Without thinking, he stepped back—his foot landing on a loose stone.
The stone rolled.
The ground shifted.
A chain reaction followed.
The monster stepped forward—only to slip, crash into a tree, and get tangled in thick vines before letting out a terrified shriek and fleeing in the opposite direction.
Silence.
Absolute silence.
The adventurers stared, their minds unable to process what they had just witnessed.
The rogue slowly stepped back.
"I… I'm done… I'm actually done…"
The warrior's sword slipped from his hand.
"Monsters… spells… everything… it's meaningless to him…"
The mage whispered, eyes wide with horror,
"This isn't a human… this is something else entirely…"
Jazz watched them, confused.
"Are… you guys okay?" he asked gently.
He smiled again.
The pressure returned—heavier this time.
The adventurers felt their vision blur, their bodies trembling uncontrollably. Fear dug deep into their bones, whispering one undeniable truth:
No matter where they ran… they would not escape him.
"RUN!" the rogue screamed.
That was all it took.
The three adventurers turned and fled, crashing through the forest just as the monsters had before them.
Jazz stood there, alone once again.
He scratched his head.
"…Did I say something wrong?"
He sighed, glancing at his small garden.
"…I just wanted to ask if they were hungry."
The sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the clearing.
Deep within the forest, both monsters and humans trembled as the same thought spread through their minds.
A being had appeared.
A being beyond reason.
A being beyond understanding.
And he only wanted…
a quiet life.