I'm a Immortal Tavernkeeper, But My S-Rank Daughter Doesn't Know That!

The entrance to the cave was sinister, like the mouth of a hungry monster, devouring what little light remained of the day.

The fallen tree formed a natural arch, its roots twisted and exposed, like bony fingers trying to grasp anything that came near.

Around the opening, scattered bones and animal remains served as a morbid warning to those who would approach. The smell of decay and blood hung in the air, almost palpable, like a thick veil surrounding the entrance to the cave.

Victor tried to make as little noise as possible as he stepped into the darkness, which was oppressive inside the cave, a black cloak that seemed to swallow any trace of light.

He paused for a moment, letting his eyes adjust to the darkness while his other senses sharpened.

The silence in the cave was profound, broken only by the occasional sound of water droplets falling from somewhere ahead. The smell of death was strongest here, mingled with the metallic scent of blood soaked into every inch.

Victor had to find the Noctiluria and get out of there as soon as possible.

After a few more steps, he noticed that the tunnel was widening, forming a long passageway that was barely visible in the dim light coming through the opening. At the end of the tunnel, a pile of bones and animal remains formed a grotesque mound, and around it, the ground was covered in a dark, sticky substance.

Victor bent down to examine the place more closely, trying to ignore the sickening smell that made his stomach churn. Then, to his left, he saw a faint glow emanating from a small plant rooted between the stones and a wild boar bone. It was the Noctiluria, several of them. Its delicate leaves and glowing flowers radiated a soft, bluish light that contrasted with the total darkness around them.

Victor approached cautiously, and as he bent down to pluck the plant, he heard a faint sound coming from behind him. He turned quickly, sword in hand, but saw nothing. It was just a crack in the wooden walls of the tunnel. Then he sighed and grabbed the gloves attached to his belt to begin harvesting the herbs.

Two minutes earlier, Amanda had watched Victor disappear into the darkness of the cave and felt a knot form in her stomach. The thought of being left behind, powerless, disturbed her deeply. She wanted to be useful; she wanted to be at Victor’s side every moment, but he was right. If something went wrong, it would be better for her to be outside.

The sky was darkening fast, and the shadows of the trees formed frightening figures on the ground.

Amanda tried to push the dark thoughts away and concentrate on the task at hand. She had to look for any sign of danger, anything that might indicate that Victor was in trouble.

The forest was strangely quiet, which only added to her unease. She could hear her own breathing and the rapid beating of her heart. With each passing second, her fear grew. Amanda grabbed the small dagger she wore around her ankle, feeling a little safer with the weapon in her hand.

Suddenly, she felt the ground shake beneath her feet. She turned around slowly, trying to see what had happened. At first, she saw nothing, but then she noticed movement between the shadows of the trees. Amanda narrowed her eyes, trying to make out what was approaching. When the figure was finally illuminated by a few rays of sunlight, she held her breath in a mixture of horror and amazement.

An enormous bear was approaching the cave. It wasn’t brown like normal bears; it was gray and three times the size of any other bear. Its size was intimidating, and each heavy step echoed on the forest floor.

Amanda could see the animal’s eyes glowing in the darkness of the trees. This bear looked like something out of a nightmare, with sharp claws and teeth that could tear through anything in its path. It wasn’t an animal; it was a monster.

Despair gripped Amanda. Victor was in the cave and had no idea of the approaching danger, while the bear might smell him if he got too close. She knew she had to shoot, but fear paralyzed her. She looked around desperately, trying to find a solution. Her mind went in circles and she felt the fear pulsing through her veins.

Finally, she made a decision. Gripping the dagger tighter, she slowly rose from the bushes where she had been hiding and began to move towards the entrance of the cave. Her steps were careful, trying not to attract the attention of the bear to the east, but each step seemed to echo like thunder in her ears. She had to get to Victor before the bear did. She had to warn him.

Inside the cave, Victor concentrated on harvesting the Noctiluria. Finally, he used the blade of his sword to cut the plant with precision. The faint blue glow of the flowers was almost hypnotic, and for a moment, he allowed himself to appreciate the beauty of this rare plant. However, a subtle tremor on the ground brought him back to reality.

Then he heard a clearer sound, a loud breathing, as if a troll was nearby. Victor stopped, his heart pounding as he tried to understand the source of the sound. He grabbed his sword and started to leave the cave. When he finally reached the entrance, his eyes widened as he saw Amanda running towards him, and right behind her, the colossal figure of the bear emerged from the trees.

"Amanda!" Victor shouted, his voice full of urgency. "Run over here, quickly!"

Amanda was almost out of breath when she saw Victor, fear in her eyes.

Victor looked at the approaching creature, its claws tearing up the ground as it moved toward the monster’s mouth. It was a Nostra Bear. It was too dangerous to face this monster directly while protecting someone; it was a battle they probably wouldn’t win without taking damage.

When Amanda finally got close, he took her hand and threw it behind his back. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"Come on, we have to find a safe place!" They began to run through the forest together.

"When I saw he was close to the cave, I tried to distract him! I didn’t think he would see me!" Amanda explained the situation.

"Don’t talk too much while we’re running, or you’ll bite your tongue! Also, hold on tight!"

The uneven terrain made running difficult, and Victor’s leather boots sank into the damp ground.

The bear approached quickly, knocking down several trees. The sound of its menacing growl came closer and closer.

Victor looked around for some kind of shelter. He spotted a rock formation ahead, partially hidden by dense bushes. "Over there! Let’s hide over there!"

Victor and Amanda ran toward the rock formation, each step harder and more desperate than the last.

The monstrous bear would not give up the chase, its ferocious and terrifying growl echoing through the forest. Trees swayed and leaves fell with each onslaught of the beast, turning the natural landscape into wild chaos.

Amanda clung to Victor’s back, her heart beating so fast that it seemed to jump out of her chest. She knew the situation was critical and that any false move could be fatal.

Victor, for his part, tried to remain calm, concentrating on finding a haven while avoiding obstacles in the terrain.

As they approached the rock formation, Victor noticed a small opening between the rocks, almost hidden by a curtain of ferns and thick bushes. He headed for it without hesitation, pulling Amanda with him. The two of them squeezed through the narrow gap, feeling the rough stones scrape their clothes and skin.

The space inside the formation was narrow and dark, but it offered temporary protection from the giant bear. Amanda gasped, her body shaking with adrenaline and fear. Victor, sword still in hand, positioned himself at the entrance to the cave, ready to confront the creature if it followed them in.

"Victor, what do we do now?" Amanda asked, her voice a trembling whisper in the darkness.

"We have to think of something fast," Victor replied, trying to keep his voice steady. "This bear won’t give up that easily."

The sound of the bear’s heavy paws approached, and soon the creature’s huge head appeared in the doorway, its eyes blazing with predatory fury. Victor raised his sword to intimidate it, and the bear roared, a sound that echoed through the stones and made Amanda’s heart almost stop with fear. But the bear took off its head and began to circle, as if trying to make its way out of the area.

Trying to stay calm, Amanda looked around the cave for something that might help. Her eyes fell on some loose rocks on the floor.

"Maybe we can use these stones to block the entrance!" she suggested, her voice still shaking.

"No, that won’t work. Bears are patient, and this one won’t leave until he’s killed us. I’ll have to face it." Victor said.