Damien’s thoughts churned as he recalled the figure who had taunted them from above the ditch just moments ago.
The sound of multiple footsteps earlier had already clued him in—there wasn’t just one person up there. But what truly nagged at him was their essence.
When he focused to sense their presence and essence, none of them seemed to possess any notable strength. Their magic essence was faint, almost negligible compared to his or Arielle’s.
It was suspicious. Were they concealing their true power, or were they genuinely weak?
The latter made some sense if they feared Damien and Arielle might retaliate once pulled out. But it still didn’t explain why Aquila had taken to the sky in the first place.
Aquila wouldn’t act out of fear—not against those weaker than itself. If anything, they would be dead the moment they made an attempt toward it.
“There’s only one way to find out,” Damien muttered.
The ditch was deep and spacious enough for him to summon the Griffin once more.
“Summon Aquila again.” Damien made a mental command to his system.
With a flicker of energy, Aquila reappeared at the bottom, its glowing eyes scanning the space warily. Arielle couldn’t hide her excitement.
“Finally!” she said with a wide grin. “I was starting to regret suggesting we walk.”
Damien gave her a side glance, smirking faintly. “And now you’ve learned your lesson.”
Aquila lowered itself, allowing them to climb on. Luton, the Stellar Slime, wobbled onto Damien’s shoulder before settling back atop his head like a gelatinous crown.
As Aquila leapt upward, its powerful wings cutting through the air, they soared toward the surface. But even as the Griffin cleared the edge of the ditch, it didn’t immediately land. Instead, it rose higher, as if reluctant to approach the ground.
From this vantage point, Damien’s sharp eyes scanned the area. It didn’t take him long to spot them: six men scattered across the terrain. They were spread far apart, the closest pair at least a hundred meters from each other.
What struck him wasn’t their placement—it was how seamlessly they blended into their surroundings.
Even with his keen sight, Damien realized he might not have noticed them without his earlier senses picking up on their presence. They lay flat against the ground, their camouflage nearly flawless.
Damien leaned slightly to get a better look. “Interesting,” he murmured.
“What is it?” Arielle asked, craning her neck to follow his gaze.
“We’re being watched,” Damien replied, his tone neutral.
Arielle’s eyes widened, but she quickly composed herself. “I’m guessing they’re not demons?”
“Not demons,” Damien confirmed. “Humans. Six of them.”
As Aquila descended slowly, one of the figures began to rise. The Griffin immediately halted its descent, letting out a low, guttural growl.
Damien narrowed his eyes. “So, you’re the one…”
Arielle tilted her head. “The one what?”
“The one who spooked Aquila earlier,” Damien explained. “Something about him set it off.”
Still, Damien didn’t alter his command. Aquila hesitated for another moment but eventually obeyed, touching down cautiously. The moment its claws met the ground, the man began walking toward them.
As the man approached, Damien studied him closely. He was lean but not frail, with sharp features and an easy confidence in his stride. His movements were deliberate, unthreatening, yet calculated.
“Welcome to the surface,” the man said with a small smile, stopping a few meters away. “Name’s Axiom.”
Damien stepped off Aquila, watching Axiom carefully. “Axiom, huh? You’ve been keeping an eye on us.”
“Something like that,” Axiom replied. “You don’t see people fall into ditches like that every day.”
Before Damien could respond, another man joined them. This one had a more rugged appearance, his shoulders broad and his hair slightly disheveled. Unlike Axiom, he didn’t carry the same calm demeanor.
As he moved closer, Aquila let out another guttural sound, this time more threatening. The man froze, raising both hands in a gesture of surrender.
“Easy there,” he said, his voice steady but cautious.
Axiom turned to him with a chuckle. “Relax, Jallen. You know how mana beasts are with you.”
Damien’s curiosity piqued. “What does he mean by that?”
Axiom grinned, clearly enjoying the attention. “Jallen here is a prodigy at beast taming. Mana beasts can sense it. They know to be wary of him.”
Damien’s gaze shifted to Jallen, who remained still, clearly not wanting to provoke Aquila further. “A beast tamer, huh? That’s rare.” Although this was the second tamer he’d encountered since he exited the forest, Damien knew tamers were rare.
“Rare and useful,” Jallen added, his tone hinting at pride. “But not always appreciated, as you can see.”
Damien folded his arms. “You’re good with beasts, but you didn’t bother helping us out of that ditch.”
Jallen gave a sheepish shrug. “Didn’t think you’d need it. And let’s be honest—you don’t look like the kind of guy who takes help kindly.”
“Fair point,” Damien admitted, though his tone remained guarded.
Arielle stepped forward, her arms crossed. “So, what are you two doing out here? This area isn’t exactly a tourist spot.”
Axiom and Jallen exchanged a glance.
“We could ask you the same thing,” Axiom said smoothly. “But since you asked first—let’s just say we’re… monitoring.”
“Monitoring what?” Damien pressed.
“Things,” Axiom replied vaguely, his smile never faltering.
“You guys responsible for the ditch?” Damien asked again.
Axiom shrugged. “Something like that.”
Damien’s eyes narrowed. He didn’t like the evasiveness, but before he could push further, Jallen spoke up.
“You’re not exactly locals either,” Jallen said. “And judging by the mess back there—” he gestured vaguely toward the area they’d just fought in—”you’ve been busy.”
“That’s none of your concern,” Damien replied bluntly.
Axiom chuckled. “Fair enough. We’ll keep out of your way, then. Good luck with… whatever it is you’re doing.”
Your journey continues on My Virtual Library Empire
With that, Axiom turned, motioning for Jallen to follow.
Damien watched them go, his instincts screaming that there was more to these two than they let on.
Arielle stepped closer. “Do you trust them?”
“No,” Damien said simply.
“Should we follow them?”
Damien shook his head. “Not yet. Let’s see where they’re heading towards first.”
Arielle nodded, her expression serious. “Agreed.”
As the two men disappeared into the distance, Damien turned back to Aquila. “We’ll keep moving. Stay alert.”
With that, they mounted the Griffin once more, ready to continue their hunting.