Transmigrated as the Villainess Princess - Chapter 50

Chapter 50: The Wild (9)

The two exchanged notes on their findings before heading back to their bamboo hut. The sun was beginning to dip below the horizon, casting an orange glow over the forest.

As they walked, Ahcehera couldn’t shake the feeling that they were being watched. Her fingers hovered near her rifle, her gaze scanning the forest line for anything out of place.

Richard seemed to sense her tension. “Something wrong?” he asked quietly.

“Just a feeling,” she replied, her voice low. “Keep your guard up.”

The journey back was uneventful, but Ahcehera couldn’t ignore the nagging unease that followed her.

As Ahcehera and Richard neared their bamboo hut, the uneasy sensation in Ahcehera’s gut only grew stronger.

The forest seemed eerily silent, as though the usual rustle of leaves and chirping of insects had been swallowed by an oppressive stillness.

“Stay close,” she whispered to Richard, her hand tightening around her rifle.

The two moved cautiously, their steps soft on the forest floor. The protective cover of the hut was just barely visible through the trees when Ahcehera’s sensors began to ping.

“Something’s nearby,” she said, halting in her tracks.

Richard activated his own scanner, and his violet-red eyes narrowed. “Multiple signatures, surrounding us.”

A low growl echoed from the shadows, chilling and guttural. Then, pairs of glowing crimson eyes began to appear in the darkness, their owners slinking into view.

The creatures were like panthers but far more menacing. Their sleek, muscular bodies were covered in black fur that seemed to shimmer like oil under the dim light.

Their claws were elongated and curved like scythes, and their fangs gleamed unnaturally.

The beasts moved with a predatory grace, circling the pair, their movements synchronized as though driven by a singular, malevolent will.

“What are they?” Richard asked, his voice steady despite the tension in the air.

Ahcehera’s eyes darted to the creatures’ forms. A dark, swirling aura surrounded them, crackling faintly like static electricity.

“Hybrid beasts, corrupted by demonic energy,” she said grimly. “They’re not natural.”

One of the panther-like creatures lunged, faster than expected. Ahcehera reacted instantly, raising her rifle and firing a concentrated plasma shot.

The beast yelped as the blast hit its shoulder, sending it skidding backward, but it quickly recovered, its wounds sealing with unnatural speed.

“They can regenerate!” Richard warned, drawing his weapon, a dual-bladed sword that shimmered faintly with energy.

Ahcehera thought silently, where did that blade come from?

Another beast leaped toward him, but Richard sidestepped gracefully, his sword slicing through the creature’s side.

His moves are still very familiar to me…

The beast screeched, black ichor spilling from its wound. Unlike the first, this one did not regenerate as quickly.

“They’re weaker where the demonic energy is concentrated,” Ahcehera observed, noticing the dark aura thinning around the wounded beast.

“Understood,” Richard replied, adjusting his stance.

The remaining beasts growled, their movements becoming more erratic. It was clear they were testing the pair, probing for weaknesses.

Ahcehera quickly switched her rifle to a specialized mode, firing precision shots aimed at the beasts’ glowing eyes. Each shot hit its mark, disorienting the creatures temporarily.

Richard took advantage of the opening, dashing forward with inhuman speed.

His strikes were deliberate and precise, targeting the throbbing dark veins visible beneath the beasts’ fur. With each hit, the creatures faltered, their movements slowing.

But the pack wasn’t done yet. One of the larger panthers released a piercing roar, and the surrounding demonic energy thickened.

Ahcehera felt a weight pressing down on her chest, her movements slowing.

They must have cast a spell or something connected to magic. It’s a miracle that they can suppress two superhouse powers.

“They’re amplifying the energy,” she muttered through gritted teeth, activating the defensive field on her suit to counteract the pressure.

Richard’s mixed-colored eyes flashed with determination. “We need to end this quickly.”

“Agreed,” Ahcehera said, pulling a small orb from her belt. She tossed it into the center of the pack, where it emitted a blinding pulse of light.

The beasts howled in agony, their demonic energy disrupted by the concentrated burst of purification energy.

I can’t believe demonic power exists in this place.

Richard didn’t waste the opportunity. He leaped into the fray, his sword a blur as he struck the beasts’ weak points.

The remaining creatures fell within moments, their bodies dissolving into dark mist.

The oppressive atmosphere lifted, and the forest seemed to breathe again.

Ahcehera approached Richard, her rifle still ready. “Are you hurt?”

“No,” he replied, wiping ichor from his blade. “You?”

“I’m fine.” She glanced at the area where the beasts had fallen. “But this isn’t a good sign. If these things are here, it means something is tainting the ecosystem.”

Richard sheathed his sword, his expression grim. “And it’s only a matter of time before we face something worse.”

Ahcehera nodded, her mind already racing with plans to reinforce their defenses. “Let’s get back to the hut. We need to prepare for whatever’s coming next.”

The two walked in silence, their steps hurried and their senses heightened. The encounter with the corrupted beasts had changed everything.

Whatever peace they thought they had found on this strange land was fleeting at best.

–

The morning sunlight streamed through the dense canopy of trees, casting dappled patterns on the forest floor.

It’s morning again…

Despite the warmth of the light, an underlying chill seemed to permeate the air, a lingering sense of something unnatural.

How long will it take before we get back?

Ahcehera and Richard stood near the bamboo hut, discussing their next steps.

“We can’t risk another attack like yesterday,” Ahcehera said, her tone firm.

“The area might be crawling with those corrupted creatures. Strengthening the surveillance is our top priority.”

Richard nodded. “I’ll set up reinforced sensor grids and expand the perimeter coverage. The protective cover will need a manual check for any weak points.”

But how does a freshman know the principles of modification?

“Good. Meanwhile, I’ll scout deeper into the woods,” Ahcehera said, adjusting her gear. “I need to understand the source of this energy, or at least where it’s most concentrated.”

Richard hesitated. “You’re going alone?”

She nodded, slinging her rifle over her shoulder. “I’m faster and more efficient on my own. I’ll keep in contact through the comms.”

Richard’s jaw tightened, but he said nothing more, trusting her judgment. “Be careful.”

With a quick nod, Ahcehera set off, her boots crunching softly against the forest floor.