LEVEL EVERYTHING UP in my Eldritch Tribe - Chapter 373

Chapter 373: Runaway
The next night was filled with an electric energy, the kind that sparked in the air and hummed in the hearts of those determined to overcome their failures. The soldiers, armed with the strategy Lyerin had outlined and a renewed sense of purpose, ventured into the dense woods under the veil of darkness. For hours, they moved with calculated precision, their footsteps silent, their senses heightened, and their hearts beating in synchrony with the rhythm of the night.

When they returned to the tribe just before dawn, they carried no trophy, no physical evidence of victory, but their faces glowed with a kind of triumphant energy. The fatigue that clung to them from previous failures seemed to have been replaced by a vigorous confidence, a fire that hadn’t been there before. Their armor was battered, and scratches marked their faces and arms, but their spirits were unbroken—if anything, they seemed stronger.

Lyerin was waiting for them, leaning casually against the central post of the camp, his arms crossed and his golden eyes gleaming in the dim firelight. He watched them approach with mild curiosity, his expression unreadable as always. He didn’t speak right away, letting the soldiers settle around him, their breaths heavy from exertion but laced with exhilaration.

One of the soldiers, a younger man whose face was still streaked with dirt and sweat, stepped forward, practically bursting with excitement. “Chief Lyerin,” he said, his voice loud enough to draw the attention of the entire camp, “we found it! Just as you said, near the stream, hidden in an outcropping of rock surrounded by dense foliage. We followed its trail and cornered it!”

The other soldiers nodded enthusiastically, their voices rising in agreement. “It’s fast, stronger than we imagined,” another chimed in, his eyes wide with a mix of awe and adrenaline. “But we fought it, together. It’s nothing like anything we’ve faced before—its movements are so deliberate, so precise. We gave it our all, every ounce of strength, every tactic we knew.”

“And?” Lyerin asked, his voice calm, his gaze steady. He tilted his head slightly, his expression as if he were both amused and testing them. “You returned empty-handed, so I assume it didn’t end well?”

The first soldier flushed slightly but didn’t falter. “It ran away,” he admitted, his voice losing some of its volume. “But not because it overpowered us! No, we had it cornered—it fled because it knew it couldn’t win! We drove it away, Chief. It’s scared of us now. We’re sure of it!”

Another soldier, an older man with a deep gash across his shoulder, stepped forward and added, “This isn’t like before. We’ve learned its patterns, its weaknesses. We’re working together like a real unit now, and it’s paying off. Tonight, we didn’t lose—we made progress!”

The group erupted into murmurs of agreement, their enthusiasm palpable. Even those who had been the most despondent a few days prior now stood tall, their eyes shining with hope and determination.

Lyerin remained silent for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the group. His lips twitched, almost imperceptibly, as if suppressing a smirk. He straightened and began to speak, his tone measured but edged with something that could almost be called approval.

“So,” he said, “you cornered the beast, fought it, and forced it to retreat. And now you believe you’ve turned the tide.” He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. “Confidence is good, necessary even. But don’t let it blind you to reality. The beast ran, yes, but not out of fear. It’s testing you, just as much as you’re testing it. Do not underestimate it again, or you’ll find yourselves in a situation far worse than before.”

The soldiers exchanged glances, their enthusiasm dimming slightly but not disappearing altogether. One of them hesitated before speaking. “But… Chief, doesn’t this mean we’re close? That we’re stronger than it?”

Lyerin’s eyes narrowed slightly, and a faint smirk finally tugged at his lips. “Stronger? Perhaps. Smarter? That remains to be seen. You’ve made progress, yes, but the real challenge lies ahead. The beast knows you now. It’s studying you as much as you’ve studied it. Your next encounter won’t be the same. Be prepared for that.”

He pushed off the post and began to walk away, his back to the soldiers. But before disappearing into the shadows, he glanced over his shoulder and added, “Celebrate if you must. You’ve earned it, for now. But don’t let your guard down. This isn’t over—not by a long shot.”

The soldiers watched him go, their confidence tempered but not extinguished. They turned to each other, their faces a mix of determination and anticipation. The camp soon filled with the sound of laughter and cheers as they recounted the night’s events, their spirits lifted by their small but significant victory.

For the first time in weeks, they felt as though they were on the cusp of something great. They had faced the beast and lived to tell the tale, and now, they were ready to face it again.

The next night, under the dim glow of the tribe’s torches, the soldiers approached Lyerin with hesitant but determined steps. Their armor clinked softly, their expressions a mix of frustration and confusion. Lyerin was seated near a central fire, idly sharpening a curved dagger. His golden eyes flicked up lazily as they stopped before him.

One of the soldiers, the younger one who often took the lead in these conversations, stepped forward. “Chief Lyerin,” he began, his voice carrying an undertone of uncertainty, “the beast… it’s gone. We searched everywhere near the stream, followed every trail we could find, but… there’s nothing. No sign of it.”

The group nodded in agreement, their faces grim. Another soldier added, “It’s like it vanished into thin air. No tracks, no disturbances—nothing. We don’t know what to do now.”

Lyerin leaned back slightly, his dagger still in hand. He let the silence linger, the weight of it pressing down on the soldiers, before speaking. “Of course, it’s gone,” he said calmly, his voice carrying an edge of amusement. “What did you expect? That it would stay there, waiting for you to catch it?”

The younger soldier’s face flushed, but he didn’t back down. “If it’s gone, Chief, then where? Beasts like that don’t just disappear. There has to be a reason.”

Lyerin’s gaze swept over the group, his smirk widening slightly. He set the dagger down on the log beside him and stood, towering over the soldiers with an almost effortless presence. “You’re right,” he said, his tone shifting to something more instructive. “Beasts don’t vanish—they move. They adapt. And this one is no different. It’s hunting just as much as it’s being hunted.”

He began to pace slowly, his hands clasped behind his back. “Now, where could it be?” He tilted his head, as if pondering the question himself, though the gleam in his eyes suggested he already knew the answer. “Think about its behavior. It’s cunning, strategic. It knows you’re after it, so it won’t stay in the same place. It’s likely moved to a location that offers both safety and an advantage.”

One of the older soldiers hesitated before speaking. “You mean… it’s moved somewhere harder to reach? Somewhere it can ambush us?”

“Precisely,” Lyerin replied, his voice sharp and confident. “Look at the terrain surrounding the stream. What’s nearby? Dense woods? Rocky cliffs? Perhaps a cavern? Beasts like this are creatures of habit. If you understand its patterns, you’ll know where to look.”

The soldiers exchanged glances, murmuring among themselves. One of them finally asked, “But if it’s moved to a place like that, how do we prepare? How do we fight it on its own terms?”

Lyerin stopped pacing and turned to face them fully. “You don’t,” he said bluntly. “You don’t fight it on its terms. You force it to fight on yours. Anticipate its next move. Set a trap before it sets one for you.”

Another soldier, his brow furrowed in thought, spoke up. “So, you think it’s hiding in the caves near the cliffs to the north? That’s the only place nearby that fits your description.”

“It’s a strong possibility,” Lyerin admitted with a nod. “But be cautious. If it’s there, it’s because it believes it has the upper hand. And if you rush in unprepared, you’ll be playing right into its claws.”

The group nodded slowly, their expressions shifting from confusion to determination. They were beginning to see the wisdom in Lyerin’s words, even if his tone grated on them. The younger soldier straightened and said, “We’ll check the cliffs tomorrow night. This time, we’ll be ready.”

Lyerin smirked again, his golden eyes glinting in the firelight. “Good,” he said. “But remember—this isn’t just about brute force. Use your heads. Outthink it. And perhaps, this time, you’ll succeed.”

As the soldiers began to disperse, their spirits bolstered by the conversation, Lyerin watched them go with an enigmatic expression. He picked up his dagger again, resuming his work with a quiet focus. Under his breath, barely audible, he muttered, “Let’s see if you’ve learned anything, or if you’ll just entertain me once more.”