238 - The Beast Beyond the Ridge

Subin's group spent the next morning in Redhaven, allowing the local Association to organize the recovery of the abandoned transport equipment. The eastern road was safer than it had been the previous day, but the enormous tracks beyond the plateau remained unexplained. Rather than leave the matter to speculation, Ara arranged for a local guide to accompany them to the edge of the unexplored hills.

Their guide, a lean middle-aged hunter named Bram, arrived carrying a short bow and a weathered pack. He had spent years tracking monsters around Red Valley and knew which paths could support a group of Awakeners without forcing them into narrow ravines.

“I won't pretend to know everything living in those hills,” Bram said as they set out. “But I've seen the damage left behind. Whatever made those tracks is large, and it doesn't seem interested in the settlements. Most of its signs are farther east, where the cliffs meet the highland forest.”

“Have you seen it directly?” Yerin asked.

“Once, from a distance. I saw movement among the trees, then heard something strike the ground hard enough to shake loose stones from the slope. I didn't stay to investigate.”

“That was sensible,” Ara said.

Bram gave her a grateful look. “It's nice to meet an Awakener who understands that running away can be a professional skill.”

Jae-hyun glanced at Subin. “You should learn that.”

“I know how to run,” Subin replied. “I just rarely need to.”

They followed the eastern road until it narrowed into a rocky trail. The terrain rose gradually, with patches of hardy grass growing between dark stones. Beyond the ridge, the landscape opened into a highland forest of twisted trees and broad-leaved shrubs. The air was cooler there, and the ground was covered in layers of fallen leaves that concealed smaller tracks.

Bram stopped near the forest's edge and pointed toward a broken tree.

“That's one of the places I found damage. The trunk wasn't cut or snapped by wind. Something hit it from the side.”

The tree was nearly a metre thick, yet its lower half had split apart. The wood was crushed inward, and the surrounding ground showed several deep impressions.

Subin crouched beside them. The marks were broad and irregular, with three prominent claw grooves extending from each impression. They did not resemble the tracks of the Ironback or the Cragwing.

“Four limbs,” Ara observed. “Heavy body, but the weight isn't distributed evenly. The front limbs seem stronger.”

Bram nodded. “That's what I thought.”

They continued through the forest, following the tracks where the ground remained soft enough to preserve them. The trail crossed a shallow stream and climbed a slope covered in loose stones. Near the top, they found the remains of a large animal. Its body had been torn apart, but there was little evidence of prolonged feeding.

Yerin examined the wounds. “It killed this quickly.”

“Or something else drove it away,” Liu Wei said.

Subin looked toward the trees. Several branches had been broken above head height, and the ground bore signs of a struggle. Whatever had killed the animal was strong enough to overpower it, but the scattered remains suggested that it had not stayed long.

A rustle sounded from the forest ahead.

Bram immediately stepped behind a tree. The others spread out, watching the undergrowth.

A creature emerged between the trunks.

It was roughly the size of a large bear, with a muscular body covered in brown-black fur and thick, overlapping plates along its shoulders and back. Its forelimbs ended in three long claws, while a heavy tail balanced its movements. A ridge of pale bone extended from its forehead to the back of its skull.

Ara's assessment display identified it.

Ridgeback Mauler — Level 287 — A-rank

The Mauler looked at the group, sniffed the air, and advanced without hesitation.

Jae-hyun drew his sword. “At least this one isn't flying.”

The creature charged.

Subin moved aside as it lunged, cutting across its shoulder. His blade opened a wound between the protective plates, but the Mauler barely slowed. It pivoted and swung a forelimb toward him, forcing him to retreat before the claws could reach his chest.

Yerin attacked from the opposite side. Her spear struck the creature's ribs, but the thick hide absorbed much of the force. The Mauler turned on her, driving her backward with a series of powerful swipes.

Liu Wei intercepted it with a cut to the hind leg. The creature roared and kicked backward, narrowly missing him.

“It's not as heavily armoured as the Ironback,” Ara called, “but the muscles beneath the hide are unusually dense. Aim for the joints or the underside.”

Subin watched the Mauler's movements. Unlike the Ironback, it did not rely on charging in a straight line. It changed direction quickly, using its forelimbs to strike and its tail to maintain balance. Its fighting style was closer to that of a bear, but its reach and speed made it considerably more dangerous.

The Mauler lunged toward Jae-hyun, who blocked its first swipe and slipped beneath the second. His counterattack cut into the creature's front leg, forcing it to shift its weight.

Subin entered the opening.

His sword struck the same joint from the opposite angle. The Mauler's leg buckled, and the creature dropped its shoulder to avoid falling. Yerin thrust toward its exposed underside, drawing a deep wound before it could turn.

The Mauler roared and charged blindly through the trees.

A small trunk snapped beneath its weight. Bram ducked behind a boulder as the creature tore across the slope, then watched in amazement as the four Awakeners pursued it without losing formation.

The Mauler attempted to climb a rocky ledge, but its injured foreleg failed to support it. It slipped, landed heavily on its side, and struggled to regain its footing.

Subin reached it first.

The creature swung its claws toward him. He stepped outside their reach and cut through the damaged joint, disabling the limb completely. As the Mauler tried to rise, Liu Wei struck its hind leg, while Yerin's spear prevented it from turning toward the others.

Subin delivered a final thrust beneath the skull ridge.

The Mauler collapsed.

Bram approached cautiously after Ara confirmed that the creature was dead. He examined the body with the wary interest of someone who had spent years avoiding precisely this kind of encounter.

“That was the thing I saw in the forest,” he said. “I thought it was larger.”

“This one was alone,” Subin replied. “There may be larger creatures farther east.”

Bram looked at him. “You're planning to continue?”

“We came here to investigate the tracks. We haven't found their source yet.”

The guide shook his head but continued leading them. The group collected the Mauler's mana core and a few valuable plates from its shoulders before moving deeper into the forest.

By midday, the trees began to thin. The ground rose toward a series of rocky terraces overlooking a broad valley. Several narrow streams ran down the slopes, joining in a shallow basin before disappearing into a fissure between the cliffs.

Ara stopped near the edge of the ridge.

“Look at the ground.”

The tracks they had been following converged near the basin. Some were old, their edges softened by weather, while others had been made within the past day. Several deep impressions marked the muddy banks of the streams, and broken trees lay scattered along the lower slopes.

Bram stared at the basin. “I've never come this far east.”

Subin examined the largest set of tracks. They were much broader than those left by the Mauler, and each impression contained four deep claw marks. The creature had moved between the streams and the fissure repeatedly.

“It's living down there,” Yerin said.

“Or using the basin as a hunting ground,” Ara replied.

A distant impact echoed from below.

The ground beneath their feet trembled slightly. A flock of birds burst from the trees across the valley, scattering in every direction.

Subin drew his sword.

Something moved near the fissure.

At first, he saw only a dark shape between the rocks. Then the creature stepped into the open.

It was enormous, standing taller than the Mauler by several metres. Its body was covered in dark green scales, with thick plates along the spine and shoulders. Four powerful legs supported its weight, and its long tail dragged through the dirt behind it. Two curved horns rose above its broad skull, while a row of smaller spikes extended along its jaw.

The creature lowered its head and drank from the stream.

Ara's display struggled for a moment before revealing the result.

Stonehorn Behemoth — Level 341 — A-rank

Jae-hyun let out a low whistle. “That explains the tracks.”

The Behemoth raised its head.

Even from the ridge, they could see its eyes turn toward them. It did not roar or charge. Instead, it watched the group for several seconds before walking toward a cluster of boulders near the fissure.

Subin studied its movements. The creature showed no immediate aggression, and its attention seemed to be on the water and the surrounding terrain rather than the people on the ridge.

“Why isn't it attacking?” Liu Wei asked.

“Because we're not threatening it,” Ara said. “Or because it doesn't consider us worth attacking.”

“Let's avoid giving it a reason to change its mind,” Yerin replied.

They remained on the ridge and observed the Behemoth from a safe distance. The creature moved between the stream and the boulders, occasionally scraping its horns against the stone. It seemed to be removing mineral deposits or perhaps relieving an itch, though the group could not be certain.

A second impact sounded from the far side of the basin.

The Behemoth immediately lifted its head and turned toward the noise. Its posture changed, muscles tightening beneath its scales. It gave a low bellow that echoed across the valley.

Another creature emerged from behind the boulders.

This one was smaller, though still considerably larger than the Mauler. Its body was covered in pale grey scales, and its skull carried a single thick horn. It moved cautiously toward the stream, keeping several metres between itself and the larger Behemoth.

The Stonehorn charged.

Its sudden movement was astonishing for such a massive creature. It crossed the basin in a few strides, lowered its horns, and struck the smaller animal's shoulder. The impact sent the newcomer tumbling across the ground.

The smaller creature scrambled upright and fled toward the eastern slope. The Behemoth pursued it for several metres before stopping at the edge of its territory. It bellowed again, then returned to the stream.

The entire encounter lasted less than a minute.

Jae-hyun looked impressed. “That smaller creature was probably A-rank too.”

“Possibly,” Ara said. “But we didn't get a clear assessment.”

Subin kept his eyes on the Behemoth. Its strength was obvious, but so was its behaviour. It had defended its feeding area and driven away a rival. It had not pursued the fleeing creature beyond the basin, nor had it shown any interest in the group.

“It's territorial,” he said. “Not necessarily hostile to everything that moves.”

“It's still a Level 341 monster,” Yerin reminded him.

“I noticed.”

She gave him a look that suggested she knew exactly what he was thinking.

Subin had no intention of provoking the creature merely to test his strength. A fight against an opponent of that level would be worthwhile, but only if there were a reason to engage it. The Behemoth had shown no signs of attacking Redhaven or the trade road. Killing it without understanding its movements could create more problems than it solved.

Ara checked the map. “The basin is far enough from the old road that the Behemoth probably wasn't responsible for the caravan attacks. The Cragwing and Razorbacks explain those incidents better.”

“And the Mauler?” Liu Wei asked.

“It may have been hunting in the forest, but we have no evidence that it attacked the expeditions.”

Subin nodded. They had identified the source of the enormous tracks, and the creature's behaviour gave them no immediate reason to fight it.

They marked the basin on the map and recorded the Behemoth's location for the local Association. Bram was relieved when Subin announced that they would return rather than descend into the valley.

“I'm glad someone here understands the difference between a dangerous monster and a monster that needs killing,” the guide said.

Jae-hyun glanced at Subin. “He understands it. He just enjoys testing the difference.”

“I heard that,” Subin replied.

“Good.”

The return journey was quiet. They avoided the Mauler's territory and followed the western ridge until they reached the old road. By late afternoon, they were back in Redhaven.

Mara listened to their findings and studied the map Ara had marked. The Behemoth's location was well away from the trading route, and the reports of damaged wagons could be explained by the Cragwing and Razorbacks.

“Then we'll reopen the road with armed escorts and keep the eastern forest restricted,” Mara decided. “A patrol can observe the Behemoth from a distance. There is no reason to provoke it unless its behaviour changes.”

Bram accepted his payment and left for his home village. The group sold the Mauler's core and kept the Behemoth's location confidential until the Association could establish a proper observation plan. They had no desire to attract treasure hunters who might attempt to kill a creature they were not equipped to handle.

That evening, Subin trained in the courtyard behind the Association building. He practised a series of cuts against a wooden target, adjusting his footwork to account for the heavy blows he had redirected during the day's fight.

Yerin watched from the steps.

“You're thinking about fighting the Behemoth.”

“I'm thinking about how its horns move when it charges.”

“That's not an answer.”

“It is if you understand swords.”

She walked over and picked up a practice spear. “Then let's train. I'll attack like the Behemoth, and you can practise not getting trampled.”

Subin looked at the spear, then at her. “You don't have horns.”

“I'll try not to disappoint you.”

They trained until the courtyard lights came on, trading attacks and correcting each other's movements. Subin enjoyed the exercise more than he expected. Yerin was quick enough to punish careless footwork, and her spear forced him to maintain the distance and timing he would need against a much larger opponent.

When they finally stopped, she wiped the sweat from her forehead and smiled.

“You're getting better at defending.”

“I was already good at defending.”

“Of course.”

Subin sheathed his sword, unable to suppress a small smile.

Beyond Redhaven, the Stonehorn Behemoth remained in its basin, drinking from the streams and guarding its territory. The local Association would keep watch, and the trading road could return to use. For now, Subin had found a powerful creature that might one day offer a worthwhile challenge, but he had also learned something equally important.

Not every powerful opponent needed to be fought immediately.

Sometimes, understanding a creature was the first step toward defeating it.