Chapter 191: Drawing the Beast Away

Words : 1075 Updated : Sep 21st, 2025

Chapter 191: Drawing the Beast Away Behind him, Ethan heard one of the students whisper something, a quiet curse maybe, or just a breath they couldn’t keep inside. He didn’t turn. His voice stayed calm. "Don’t move." That was all he said. And no one did. Sera placed her back to the injured girl she was carrying and adjusted her feet, steadying her center of gravity, ready to block if anything broke through. Evelyn and Everly slipped away from the center and took opposite sides of the path ahead, not because they were planning to strike first, but because if anything else came from the sides, they’d be ready to intercept. Mei crouched down, her hand pressing against the forest floor, eyes narrowing as she listened through the earth, her other hand wrapped loosely around the handle of her blade. Ethan hadn’t moved yet. His sword was still sheathed at his side. He kept his eyes on the beast. And the beast looked right back at him. It wasn’t breathing hard. It wasn’t posturing or roaring. Its gaze stayed level, like it had already decided what it wanted and now it was just waiting for the right moment to act. Unlike the others, this one wasn’t scared. It wasn’t confused. It was focused. It had come here to hunt. And it had found them. The forest felt like it was holding its breath. Not just the trees and the wind, but the very air around them seemed to stand still. The usual background noises—branches creaking, leaves rustling, distant birds—had all disappeared, as if even nature understood this part didn’t belong. Ethan could feel the tension start to build behind him, not from fear, but from the weight of too many people trying to stay perfectly still at once. It wasn’t a silence they had chosen, and it was one they had no choice but to hold onto. The bronze beast took another step forward. Just one. But it was enough to make the ground shift under its weight. Its claws dug into the dirt like it was testing the feel of the land before charging. Still, Ethan didn’t draw. He didn’t need to provoke it. This wasn’t a fight he wanted to rush into, not here, not now, not with too many students behind him who could barely stand, let alone run if things went wrong. Instead, he slowly stepped forward. Not far. Just enough to place himself clearly between the beast and everyone else. His movements weren’t loud or threatening. They were steady and measured like someone who had seen enough to know when it was time to move and when it wasn’t. The beast didn’t lunge. Not yet. The beast didn’t charge. It didn’t growl either. It just watched, steady and quiet, like a predator that had already chosen its prey and didn’t see the need to rush. Its head tilted—not out of confusion, but with a focus that made Ethan’s shoulders tighten. Like it was trying to figure out whether this man standing in front of it was worth the effort... or something more dangerous. Ethan didn’t flinch. He shifted his stance slightly, making sure the creature could see him clearly. Then, without a word, he raised his left hand—not high, not dramatic—just enough to make his presence known. The motion wasn’t meant to threaten or signal. It was steady, calm, and sure. A kind of quiet message, not just to the beast, but to the people behind him. He was here. He wasn’t going to run. And neither should they. The creature’s shoulders rolled forward as it adjusted its weight, its claws pressing into the dirt like it was grounding itself, deciding how to respond. Ethan took a step to the side, smooth and deliberate, easing into the edge of the clearing. He didn’t break eye contact. He didn’t rush. The beast shifted with him. Its body angled to match his path, slow but focused, its gaze locked the entire time. That was enough. Ethan continued sideways, guiding the creature with nothing but his steps and presence, keeping his pace even, never turning his back, never blinking. Each step widened the space between the beast and the rest of the group, just enough that if things broke down, the fight wouldn’t drag the others into it. And still, the creature followed. Not because it was being tricked, but because it saw what it wanted in him. And that was exactly what Ethan needed. Sera’s eyes tracked the beast from behind. She was ready to cover him if something broke the rhythm. Evelyn and Everly stayed near the flanks, their movements barely more than shifts in weight. Mei gave a single nod once she felt the earth around them calm again. They were synced without needing to say it. And Ethan kept drawing the creature away. He wasn’t running. He wasn’t drawing his blade. He wasn’t fighting. Not yet. Right now, all that mattered was getting it far enough from the others that if it decided to charge, it wouldn’t hit anyone else. The beast followed him. Not fast. Not aggressive. But definitely locked on. After about twenty more steps, Ethan saw an opening in the trees. A bend in the path where the ground dropped into a mossy trench, maybe ten feet wide and thirty feet long, surrounded by ridges on three sides. Perfect. He adjusted the course slightly and moved toward it. The beast followed without hesitation. Behind them, the others slowly began to shift, easing backward through the trees, guiding the injured further away, keeping low and silent as they retreated with care. No one broke the silence. No one panicked. Even the students who didn’t understand what was happening could feel that this wasn’t the moment to make a mistake. The clearing came into full view, and Ethan stepped into it. He turned his back to the beast for just half a second, long enough to check the exit path behind him, then faced it again. He didn’t raise his sword. He just waited. And the bronze beast stepped in after him. Its claws scraped against the edge of the trench. Its tail swayed slightly behind it. Its eyes never left Ethan. The moment stretched. Then it snarled. Not loud. Not sharp. Just enough to send a pulse through the air. And it began to pace, slow and steady, like a predator preparing to test its target.

Chapter 191: Drawing the Beast Away

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