Chapter 1 Ep1 The First Meeting

Dawn of the Ancient Beasts

The world of Dawn of the Ancient Beasts was born from the power of the eight elements, which had served as the foundation supporting the world since the very beginning.

Earth, Water, Wind, Fire, Ice, Aether, Light, and Darkness.

The eight elements existed together in balance, nurturing the land, the rivers, the winds, and every living being that came into existence.

No one knew how these elements came to be.

The only thing people knew was that if even one of the eight elements lost its balance, the entire world would face a great change.

And in a world sustained by the power of these eight elements...

The story of a new era was about to begin.

Chapter 1 — The First Meeting

The late-morning sunlight shone down upon the central square of Everdale, a small town nestled at the foot of the mountains. Shops, houses, and people going about their daily lives surrounded the area.

Near the Adventurers' Guild, a group of three people were waiting for someone.

A blonde-haired young woman with a bow strapped to her back occasionally looked down the street. Her green eyes scanned the road.

“He’s still not here? We’re supposed to start the mission to find the mayor’s son, remember?”

Lucia sighed softly before looking at the time.

Beside her, a young man wearing glasses was carefully checking several bottles of potions stored inside his bag.

“According to the agreed time, he should already be here.”

Gunther spoke in a calm voice.

“If he’s late on the very first day, we’ll have to adjust our travel plans slightly.”

“I hope he didn’t get lost.”

Lucia said with a small laugh.

Meanwhile, the petite girl standing a short distance away from them said nothing.

Rin had long white hair, cold blue eyes, and wore fitted armor that allowed her to move freely. A small staff rested in her hand.

She simply stared silently down the road.

“He’s here.”

Rin spoke.

The other two turned toward the direction she was looking.

A young man was walking toward them.

His hair was jet black, his face handsome, and he wore simple black clothing. He walked casually, as though he did not feel the slightest bit guilty about being late.

When he reached the three of them, he stopped.

“Sorry. Did I keep you waiting long?”

Lucia smiled.

“A little. But it’s fine. Just don’t let it happen a second time.”

Damian looked between the three of them.

“Fair enough. I thought I was so late that you guys had already formed a new team.”

Lucia let out a laugh.

Gunther also smiled faintly.

Rin simply stared at him.

Damian extended his hand slightly.

“Damian.”

He introduced himself simply.

“I use twin knives as my main weapons, and my element is Darkness.”

He paused for a moment before continuing with a smile.

“And no, I don’t shoot black beams or anything like that. I mostly use it for stealth and weakening enemies.”

Lucia nodded with interest.

“Sounds perfect for ambushes.”

“Exactly.”

Damian smiled faintly.

“I’m probably not the best person to stand there and take arrows for everyone.”

“Good. Because that isn’t your job.”

A calm voice interrupted.

Rin stepped forward slightly.

“Rin.”

She introduced herself briefly.

“Elven. Ice element.”

Rin raised her staff slightly.

“I create ice for defense and to withstand attacks.”

Damian looked at her small frame before smiling.

“You’re smaller than I expected.”

Lucia immediately turned toward him.

“You’re pretty brave, Damian.”

Rin showed no reaction.

“It’s fine.”

She replied calmly.

“I can take more punishment than my appearance suggests.”

Damian raised his hands in surrender.

“Okay, okay. I believe you.”

Gunther cleared his throat before introducing himself.

“Gunther. I’m the team leader.”

He touched the bag containing various bottles of potions.

“I use alchemy, and I have potions that enhance the abilities of our team members.”

“So basically, you’re the buffer?”

Damian asked.

“Correct.”

Gunther nodded.

“Besides that, I’ll be responsible for planning and supporting the team during missions.”

Damian nodded in understanding.

“A leader who doesn’t have to hold a sword himself, but tells everyone else where to swing theirs.”

Gunther let out a quiet laugh.

“Something like that.”

“Your glasses look nice too. You look like one of those studious kids.”

Damian smiled lightly.

“Thanks. You look like someone who never grew up.”

Gunther shot back.

Lucia stepped forward, trying to change the subject.

“And I’m Lucia!”

She smiled brightly.

“Wind element. I mainly use a bow. So if anything comes flying toward you guys—”

She touched the bow on her back.

“I’ll take care of it from the back.”

Damian looked at each of the three members in turn.

A tank who created ice.

A support who planned and strengthened the team.

And an archer who attacked from a distance.

He smiled.

“Looks like a pretty solid team.”

Gunther nodded.

“If everyone’s ready, we can get going.”

Damian turned toward the road stretching out of the town.

“Then let’s go.”

They were about to embark on their mission, unaware that this would become the starting point of a great change that would reshape the entire world.

Damian and the others began their journey from the town square of Everdale, heading west along a dirt path that stretched away from the town.

The path was covered in green moss, damp from the coolness of the forest. On both sides of the road, purple flowers bloomed, their tall stems rising above the ground. Their petals gently swayed in the breeze, like a natural wall guiding them deeper into the forest.

The farther they traveled from Everdale, the more the sounds of the town faded away.

Gunther walked at the front as the team leader. He carefully observed tracks on the ground, as well as broken branches and trampled grass. His face was filled with concentration as he constantly assessed their route.

Rin walked beside him.

The petite elf continued to wear the same cold expression. Although her movements appeared relaxed and unhurried, her senses remained alert at all times.

Lucia walked behind them. She occasionally raised her head toward the treetops, scanning the thick branches with her green eyes, watching for anything that might ambush them from above.

Damian walked not far from her.

One hand remained close to the twin knives at his waist while his eyes casually scanned their surroundings.

“Listen.”

Gunther’s voice came from ahead without him turning around.

“The deeper we go into the forest, the more humid the air will become, and our visibility will decrease.”

He paused for a moment before turning back toward Damian.

“Damian, since you’re skilled at stealth, I want you to watch our rear and flank us while staying within a distance I can still see. Don’t disappear for so long that we can’t find you. Understood?”

Damian shrugged.

“Roger that, boss.”

He paused briefly before continuing with a grin.

“But if I really disappear, don’t worry.”

Gunther frowned.

“Why?”

“I need to use the bathroom.”

Gunther looked slightly annoyed.

Lucia, walking nearby, let out a quiet laugh.

“You really are something…”

She glanced at Gunther, then lowered her voice as though she did not want him to hear.

“Don’t take Gunther too seriously. He’s just a little too obsessed with rules.”

Lucia glanced at Gunther walking ahead before whispering again.

“But he’s actually a kind person.”

She looked at Damian, curiosity filling her green eyes.

“By the way, you don’t seem very worried.”

“About what?”

“The mission.”

Lucia tilted her head.

“We know that two adventurers have already gone missing, right?”

Damian looked toward the path ahead before giving a faint smile.

“Worrying about it won’t bring them back.”

He spoke in a relaxed voice.

“We have to save the children and the mayor’s son first, don’t we?”

Lucia looked at him for a moment before gently nodding.

“That’s true…”

The four of them continued moving forward.

But as they approached the deeper parts of the forest, the atmosphere around them slowly began to change.

The pleasant scent of flowers carried by the wind gradually faded.

It was replaced by the damp, rotten smell of decaying leaves and wet soil.

The sunlight that had once passed through the gaps between the branches was increasingly blocked by the enormous canopy above them, leaving only faint rays of light filtering through here and there.

Darkness began to cover the path ahead.

For Damian, however, an environment like this did not make him uncomfortable in the slightest.

On the contrary, it was a place perfectly suited to his abilities.

Suddenly—

Rin stopped walking.

One hand rose, signaling everyone to stop and remain silent.

Lucia immediately froze.

Gunther turned toward her.

Damian stopped as well.

Rin lowered her head slightly, as if carefully listening to something in the distance.

“There’s something…”

Her voice was very quiet.

Her blue eyes narrowed.

“A rotten smell…”

She paused for a moment.

“And the sound of many small footsteps.”

Rin turned toward the bushes ahead.

“They’re moving ahead of us.”

Gunther’s expression immediately became serious.

He quickly opened his bag and pulled out a smoke bomb, preparing himself.

“Get ready.”

Everyone took their positions.

Gunther stared at the bushes that were trembling slightly.

“Looks like we’ve encountered the locals sooner than expected.”

“Damian! Don’t rush out!”

Gunther ordered sharply.

“Wait for my signal. We’ll use the smoke bomb to open a path, then you circle around to the right and block their escape route. Don’t let them scatter outside the encirclement. Understood?”

Damian nodded seriously.

The playful look that had been on his face disappeared, replaced by a calm and focused expression.

“Roger that, boss.”

He answered briefly before moving away silently, as though he had melted into the shadows of the forest.

[The battle begins.]

Fwoooom!

Gunther threw the smoke bomb into the bushes ahead. Thick gray smoke quickly erupted, obscuring whatever was hiding within.

Hissing sounds and the movements of small creatures erupted from inside the smoke.

They were goblins.

“Now! Lucia, provide support! Rin, freeze the left side!”

Gunther shouted.

Thwack! Thwack!

Wind-infused arrows tore through the air and struck the figures attempting to leap out of the smoke with precise accuracy.

They were followed by the cracking sound of ice.

Rin raised her staff. The power of Ice spread rapidly across the ground before forming a wall of ice that blocked the enemies on the left.

Damian did not simply stand around and wait.

He used the darkness of the forest to his advantage, quietly releasing his dark power. His body gradually blended into the shadows of the trees until he was almost impossible to see.

He quickly and precisely circled around to the right, following Gunther’s orders.

Suddenly—

Two goblins attempting to circle around the side and attack the group from behind appeared.

But it was already too late.

Whoosh!

Damian’s twin knives sliced through the air with incredible speed.

He did not attack recklessly. Every movement was precise and decisive. Both goblins fell almost immediately, before they had a chance to warn the others.

Damian continued to follow the plan without hesitation.

Whenever Gunther ordered him to change position or warned him about a certain area, he moved swiftly to carry out his role.

When several goblins managed to break through the encirclement, Damian used dark magic to inflict a debuff on them.

Their movements slowed.

Their vision became blurred.

This gave Lucia and Rin an easier opportunity to finish them off.

Before long, the sounds of battle died down.

Only the light panting of the team members remained, along with the faint smell of smoke lingering in the air.

Gunther lowered the weapon in his hand and looked around at the area filled with fallen goblins.

“Good…”

He muttered while wiping away his sweat.

“Damian… I have to admit, you followed the plan much better than I expected.”

“Aw, big brother…”

Damian dragged out the words while making an innocent face.

“How could I not follow orders? When you gave them, your face looked… well…”

He paused before continuing.

“Like you were suffering terribly.”

He gestured dramatically.

“Like you were about to explode because you desperately needed to use the bathroom. I felt sorry for you, so I had to deal with the goblins quickly. That way, you could hurry up and take care of your little business. Feeling relieved now, boss?”

Gunther froze.

His previously stern expression turned bright red with anger.

“You…!!! Who said I needed to use the bathroom?! That was just my face when I was concentrating on making a plan!!!”

“Okay, okay. I understand.”

Rin secretly smiled, trying not to let anyone notice, though her shoulders trembled slightly.

Lucia struggled with all her might to suppress her laughter.

Gunther noticed and his face turned even redder.

Lucia put her bow away with a wide smile.

“That was amazing, Damian! You were like a shadow just now!”

Damian smiled at the corner of his mouth.

“Thank you. If the archer herself compliments me like that, I guess I’ll have to make sure I live up to the reputation.”

Rin simply nodded slightly, acknowledging his skill.

Then she pointed toward a trail of blood that continued deeper into the forest.

“Now that we’re done with these…”

Her blue eyes fixed upon the path ahead.

“Our real target is still ahead.”

After they had walked only a few steps—

BOOM!!!

The ground beneath their feet suddenly shook violently, causing Lucia to stumble backward slightly.

“What was that?!”

She quickly regained her balance and immediately grabbed her bow from her back.

Heavy footsteps echoed from the dense bushes ahead.

Thud… Thud… Thud…

Each step caused the ground to tremble.

Everyone stopped.

This was not the sound of goblins.

The footsteps were too heavy, too large, and far too powerful to belong to the creatures they had just fought.

ROOOAAARRR!!!

A roar echoed throughout the forest, sending flocks of birds perched in the treetops flying away.

The strong stench of a wild beast rushed out from the bushes ahead.

Rin tightened her grip on her staff, her blue eyes fixed upon the darkness behind the bushes.

“It’s coming…”

Gunther, who had been angry with Damian only moments ago, immediately changed his expression. His seriousness returned as quickly as his irritation had disappeared.

He quickly pulled out another bomb from his bag.

“Everyone, take your positions!”

His voice was loud and commanding.

“Something large is charging this way!”

Damian placed his hands on the handles of his twin knives before glancing at Gunther.

“You were still blushing a second ago.”

Gunther whipped his head around.

“You’re still joking at a time like this?!”

Damian smiled faintly before turning his attention back toward the bushes.

“I was just checking if you still had enough energy to yell at me.”

THUD!!!

The footsteps sounded again.