The Huntsman Of Death:A Gamer's POV As Side Character

The dense fog swirled around us like a living thing, an oppressive shroud that muffled sound and distorted vision.

Freya stomped her foot in frustration, her voice sharp and demanding.

"What the hell is going on? I can't even figure out where we're supposed to go!" she shouted, her tone grating as her wind abilities stirred the air, keeping the fog at bay but accomplishing little else.

I gritted my teeth, her recklessness only adding to the tension. "Stop wasting your mana like an idiot," I snapped, my voice cutting through her tantrum.

Freya froze, her sword slamming into the ground as she stared at me with wide eyes. Even Ashton and Talia turned to look at me, their shock evident.

"What… what did you just say?" Freya stammered, her arrogance giving way to disbelief. Before she could finish her thought, I took a step forward and disappeared into the fog.

I heard her gasp behind me. "Where did—"

Hiss!

The sharp sound of movement came from behind a nearby bush and a shadow figure jumped onto Freya startling her.

Without hesitation, I used shadow steps and reappeared near her.

Then I slashed the blade while slicing through the air as I cut down the serpent-like beast that had lunged at us. Its body crumpled to the ground, a grotesque mix of exposed bone and decayed flesh.

Turning back to Freya, I fixed her with a glare. "Three times," I said coldly.

"Huh?" she blinked.

"This is the third time you've nearly let a sneak attack get to you. Dumbhead," I added, my voice firm and unyielding.

Freya opened her mouth, her pride clearly wounded, but she swallowed whatever insult she was about to hurl at me. My expression must have made it clear I wasn't in the mood for games.

"Look around," I commanded.

The others followed my gaze, and Ashton let out a hiss of surprise. "What is that? Wait a minute…" His voice trailed off as we all noticed them—soft, glistening green lights scattered among the fog, slowly advancing toward us.

The lights grew brighter, revealing decayed creatures of wolves, large cats, and other beasts. Some had skin hanging in tatters, while others were missing limbs entirely. The stench of rot hit us like a physical blow.

"Are they… undead?" Talia asked quietly, her voice trembling as she raised her dagger, the blade shaking slightly in her hand.

I narrowed my eyes, my grip tightening on my sword. "Stay close," I ordered. "Freya, you're on mage duty. Use your wind abilities to clear the way and take them out from afar."

Freya's lips parted in protest, but something in my tone silenced her. She nodded stiffly, her hands glowing with the faint shimmer of magic.

The creatures began hissing, a chilling sound that sent a shiver down my spine. Suddenly, they broke into a run, their twisted forms lurching toward us with horrifying speed.

"Come closer!" Freya called, spreading her hands wide as she began conjuring wind spells. Balls of condensed air formed in her palms, spinning rapidly as she hurled them forward.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Each wind ball exploded on impact, ripping through the beasts like miniature storms. Flesh and bone flew in every direction, the air thick with the scent of decay. The fog stirred and dissipated momentarily, revealing more beasts emerging from the shadows.

I stepped forward, my blade cutting cleanly through the neck of a lunging wolf. Its headless body collapsed at my feet as I turned to intercept another. My movements were precise, each strike calculated to maximize efficiency. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

Ashton fought beside me, his swings wild but effective. His sword cleaved through a beast's torso, sending a spray of putrid blood into the air. He grunted as another creature lunged at him, raising his shield just in time to block its claws before driving his blade into its chest.

Talia moved with surprising agility, her shy demeanor replaced by sharp focus. Her daggers flashed in the dim light, finding soft spots in the beasts' decayed hides. She slipped under a pouncing creature, slicing its throat in one swift motion before retreating back into the group.

Freya continued her assault from a distance, her wind blasts creating havoc among the undead ranks. She laughed triumphantly as another explosion sent chunks of a beast flying. "That's how it's done!" she shouted, her pride flaring again.

Despite her arrogance, she was effective. The tide of beasts slowed, their numbers thinning under our combined efforts. But the fog seemed alive, twisting and churning as if plotting its next move.

I glanced at the others, my voice steady despite the chaos. "We're not out of this yet

The fog grew thicker and more blood-red as the beasts swarmed in. It felt like the air itself was alive, pressing down on us. We were surrounded, and the growls and snapping of the undead beasts made the situation feel hopeless.

Freya kept blasting away with her wind magic, but she suddenly froze. She turned to us, her face pale. "I felt something!" she shouted, her voice shaking.

"What is it?" Ashton yelled back, panic creeping into his tone.

Freya's eyes darted around as she spoke. "The fog—it's getting worse. The more beasts we kill, the thicker and bloodier it gets. It's like it's drawing them in!"

"What?" Ashton's voice cracked, and his grip on his sword tightened.

Talia looked between us, her wide eyes full of fear. She finally turned to me, as if I had the answers. I scratched my head, frustrated and unsure. "Damn it," I muttered. "This is bad. If this keeps up, we're dead."

I slumped my shoulders, my voice heavy with defeat. Ashton's face hardened as he looked at the fog and the horde of monsters closing in. He suddenly straightened and shouted, "No. It's not over."

Freya shot him a look, her expression half-confused, half-annoyed. "What are you talking about?"

But Ashton didn't respond. He stepped forward, pulling his sword free and walking toward the fog. The undead growled and began moving toward him.

"We might be weak," Ashton shouted, his voice steady and loud, "but we're not going to die here!"

The beasts lunged, but Ashton stood his ground, slamming his sword into the earth. "We're not going to lose today!" he shouted. "And as long as I'm here, I'll make sure you all get out alive!"

A warm light suddenly exploded from him, spreading in all directions.

[Domain of Justice!]Ashton roared, erupting with a strange power.

The light blasted outward, and the closest beasts screamed and dissolved into ash. The fog around us pulled back, leaving a clear, bright area where we could finally see.

Ashton's voice rang out again. "From now on, this light will protect us! And it will purify anything tainted!"

Another wave of light surged outward. Within a 30-meter radius, the area became as bright as day. The fog couldn't get in, like it was hitting an invisible wall.

The undead hesitated, unable to cross the barrier of light. Ashton looked back at us, his face serious. "Stay close to me. Inside this area, we're safe. Outside…" He didn't have to finish the sentence.

Freya, still catching her breath, muttered, "Not bad," though her prideful tone was weaker now.

Talia nodded, her hands shaking but her eyes steady.

I let out a deep breath, gripping my sword tighter. "Alright, Ashton," I said with a faint grin. "You've got a plan. Let's see if we can hold them off."

For the first time, we had a chance. But we all knew the fight wasn't over yet.

The light from Ashton's Domain of Justice gave us a brief moment of calm, but it didn't last. Outside the barrier, the beasts continued to circle, their glowing eyes fixed on us like predators sizing up their prey. The eerie growling and hissing cut through the silence, sending chills down my spine.

Freya crossed her arms, her pride still intact despite the situation. "Alright, hero," she said, smirking at Ashton. "Your light trick bought us some time, but what's the plan now? We can't stay here forever."

Ashton glanced back at her, his sword resting on his shoulder. "We're not staying here. We're fighting our way out."

Freya rolled her eyes. "Oh, brilliant. Just fight through an endless horde of undead. Why didn't I think of that?"

"Freya," I said, my voice low and steady. "Cut the sarcasm. This isn't the time."

She opened her mouth to retort but closed it when she saw my glare. The tension between us was thick, but we couldn't afford to waste energy arguing.

Talia stood close to Ashton, her daggers trembling slightly in her hands. "L-Lukas," she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper. "What if... what if there's no way out?"

I glanced at her, my expression neutral but firm. "There's always a way out. We just have to find it."

The growling grew louder, and I turned my attention back to the beasts. The fog outside Ashton's light was shifting, almost alive, and from it emerged more monsters.

They weren't just undead animals anymore. These things looked like nightmares brought to life. Wolves with half their skin missing, their exposed muscles glistening in the light. Birds with jagged, broken wings and empty eye sockets. Even what looked like a bear, its ribcage exposed, staggered forward on twisted legs.

Freya's confident smirk faltered as she took a step back. "What... what the hell are those things?"

"They're evolving," Ashton muttered, his knuckles white as he gripped his sword.

I stepped forward, placing myself between the group and the advancing monsters. "Stay close to the light," I said, my voice calm but commanding. "Don't let them pull you out of the barrier."