“Let’s get going.”

The supervisor’s words brought back everyone that was staring at the monster to their senses. They went into formation once more and began to walk forward again.

Kairen could feel the monster’s gaze that was still on him, but he tried to ignore it. He felt like a huge flashlight was on him, it was truly uncomfortable.

“Hey.”

While he was stiffly moving forward, someone pulled his arm. Kairen jumped up and clutched his chest out of fear as that sudden approach startled him, who was only thinking of the monster.

“Jesus Christ!”

“Calm down, it’s me.”

Serria placed her index finger on her lips in a posture that meant to be quiet. That made Kairen realize that he had shouted that “Jesus Christ” so loud that everyone was looking at him now.

“Ahem!”

He coughed awkwardly and caressed his neck.

Serria placed her hand around Kairen’s shoulder and whispered.

“Is that monster really staring at you or is it just my imagination?”

“…I feel the same.”

Kairen secretly peeked at the monster. He made eye contact with a pair of red eyes that seemed like two small dots because of the distance. Chills ran down his back and he hurriedly averted his gaze.

“I also feel that way.”

Reyan also added his thoughts.

“Wasn’t the monster that we killed in our first mission also staring at you?”

“Yeah…”

“What? Do you have some kind of charm? Or monster-attracting talents?”

“What is that even supposed to mean?”

Serria and Kairen cast a spell to clean the road at the same time and Reyan stepped in front of them as fast as they finished their job.

“Believe me! They must have sensed something in you to stare at you like that.”

“Like what?”

Serria shrugged her shoulders at that.

“I don’t know.”

“Be careful guys, there may be monsters up ahead.”

Their supervisor once again warned them. They weren’t that far away from the top now. The road was becoming narrower. Strong winds were making it hard to walk and the snow was harder to melt with magic. The atmospheric pressure was getting lower and lower and making it difficult to breathe. They could now clearly feel the pressure that was being emanated from the monster. Ordinary people would find it hard to even stand up at this kind of place.

Mages, including Kairen, had a body almost the same as ordinary people so it was difficult for them to continue to walk in this kind of situation. As a result, more supportive magic was cast to help them continue to walk.

“We will continue just a little bit more. That area before us has a flat surface, we can use that to fight the monster. Be careful of any attacks.”

“Yes.”

GROWL

The monster growled and shook its body as the cadets got closer. It seemed like it had walked down the peak as there were huge footprints behind him leading to the top of the mountain. It would probably continue to move down till it reached a city or village on its way if the cadets didn’t come.

“Why isn’t it attacking?”

“He is just staring at us without moving.”

“Right!”

The team was now too close to the monster, but it didn’t react at all. It was also strange that the monster didn’t try to attack them on their way to this place. The monster just kept staring at them. The creature’s scary gaze was somehow weird.

‘Are it’s pupils…shaking?’

It felt like the monster’s eyes were shaking while looking at Kairen. Kairen quickly hid behind Reyan and Seriia after peeking at the monster.

“Prepare your attacks.”

Now they were standing in a flat area. It was probably created due to the monster’s heavy body passing this place. It felt like the place they were standing in was condensed snow and ice.

Everyone started preparing for an attack. It was then that the monster suddenly moved. It raised its body. The monster resembled a gigantic polar bear with snow-white fur and red eyes. From the pressure it was emanating, it seemed like it was between level 2 and level 1.

BOOM

The earth shook with every step it took and the snow and ice scattered in the air. The monster turned its body and started walking towards them.

“It is coming this way.”

“Prepare your shields. Knights, move to the front.”

They all went into a defensive formation with mages in the back and knights in front and layers of shields protecting them.

“Attack.”

The mages cast long-distance spells and knights sent aura slashes towards the monster. Even if it was a level 2 monster, it would get injured badly if these attacks hit its body.

However, the monster ignored all the attacks. Some of them his its body and left scars but the monster didn’t seem to care. It kept on walking towards them. The monster walked till it reached the shields and stopped right there.

“What the hell!”

“Prepare another attack…?”

“Huh?”

Suddenly, the monster’s body started to glow white.

“What is that?”

“Don’t be afraid.”

The white glow af the monster got shinier and shinier till it suddenly faded and vanished. When the light was gone, the monster was also not there.

“Wha…”

While everyone was standing there blankly, a cute noise came from below.

Gowak!

Everyone looked down at that voice. There, they could see a small polar bear baby with an extremely cute face and red eyes looking at them. It was so tiny and white that they wouldn’t have seen it if it wasn’t for the noise.

“….”

“….”

Gowak?

The baby tilted its head cutely as it made noises.

“Is that… the monster?”

“A magnifying ability?”

“Maybe the opposite…”

The monster raised its front paw and placed it on the shields. It started scratching it with its nails as if to ask the cadets to let it in.

“OMG! It’s too cute!”

One of the girls placed her hands on her mouth and said in a shaky voice.

“Don’t be fooled, it’s still a strong monster.”

“We should kill it.”

“I will see nightmares for weeks if I kill such a tiny thing!”

The baby monster pushed the shields with its paws, then hit them with its small head. Nothing happened despite its desperate struggles. It then raised its head and looked at the cadets.

It was looking at Kairen again with sad eyes. Like a kid that was banned from watching cartoons.

Goowa!

It placed its paws on the shield once more and raised its body and stood in its two feet with the head stuck to the shield. The baby bear stared at Kairen with sad and pleading eyes.

“….”

Kairen subconsciously took one step forward. He had a feeling that He had to get closer to the bear.

“What are you doing?”

Kairen shook off Reyan’s hand that was grabbing his arm and walked closer again. The Bear looked up at him excitedly and waved its tail.

“Stop it. It’s dangerous.”

“What is that fool doing?”

“Step back.”

Kairen ignored them all and walked forward until he was right behind the shields. He crouched down and looked at the bear closely.

Scratch scratch

The monster scratched the shield again. Kairen placed his finger on the shield right where the tiny head was.

Gwak

The monster looked at the finger and opened and closed its mouth, then closed its eyes. It lowered its body and curled up, like a cat that was preparing to sleep. It rubbed its head on the shield before lowering its head and closing its eyes.

Then, changes happened to the tiny body of the monster. Small cuts and scratches appeared in the body, they looked almost similar to cracks. A faint light shone and covered the baby bear before the monster… vanished.

“….”

“….”

The monster just disappeared, leaving nothing behind. Its pressure couldn’t be sensed anymore and it was nowhere to be seen.

“Huh?”

“What happened?”

Everyone looked puzzled. The cadets searched around to see if the monster has gotten smaller one more time, but it had truly vanished.

“Hey, Kairen?”

“What did you do to the monster?”

“Did you kill it?”

And in the end, everyone’s gaze turned to Kairen, who was still crouching down and staring at the empty spot where the monster was sitting moments ago.