The Primordial Asura

Everyone paused showing an expression of disbelief.

"…What the hell…" whispered Jaro, eyes wide.

The clearing was a mess. Torn foliage, broken trees, deep gouges in the earth. But more than that—limbs. Pieces of a massive creatures lay scattered across the clearing, oozing green blood. One clawed leg here, a shattered jaw there, half its tail dangling from a branch. It didn't look like a battle instead a massacre.

And in the center of it all… a kid.

Unconscious laying against a fallen tree. Bloodied. Broken sword still in his hand. Breathing, but barely.

Jone the leader stepped forward slowly, scanning the scene with experienced eyes. "This wasn't a team effort. There's no sign of multiple human auras. No footprints but his and the beast's."

Lara knelt beside Alex, checking his pulse. "He's stable. Wounded, but nothing fatal. Probably passed out from blood loss and exhaustion."

"Who fights a group of tier 1 beasts alone and wins?" said Jimmy in disbelief.

"A suicidal idiot," Jaro offered.

"Or…" jone's eyes narrowed, thoughtful, "…someone very dangerous."

They exchanged glances. Then he nodded. "We take him back to camp. When he wakes, we ask questions. The rest clear this place, pick anything of value"

Later That Night – Makeshift Tent Shelter

A low crackling fire danced in the center of the adventurers' camp. Alex stirred slightly, brow furrowing as his senses returned. His side ached like hell, but the pain was dulled. He felt something soft beneath him, a sleeping mat?. Clean bandages wrapped his ribs, and the stinging scent of herbal salve filled his nostrils.

Where…?

His eyes blinked open slowly.

Canvas roof. Low light. Warmth.

He sat up — too quickly.

"Ugh—" he grunted, hand to his side. His other hand immediately hovered near where his sword should have been—only to see it leaning just beside him although still broken, carefully cleaned and placed within reach.

Okay. Not a prisoner. That's a good start.

His mind scanned through the last moments. The beasts. The fight. The killing blow. Then darkness.

His eyes sharpened. Someone must've found me.

Just then—

The flap to the tent opened with a light rustle, and in stepped a girl, maybe around 15 years or a bit older. Chestnut hair tied in a rough bun, wearing leather armor that looked practical and well-used. A small pouch of herbs hung from her belt, and her hazel eyes widened slightly when she saw him awake.

"Oh—you're up!"

Alex narrowed his eyes slightly, cautious but not hostile. "…Yeah. Seems that way."

She walked closer and held up her hands like he was a startled animal. "Relax. We're not enemies. You were unconscious surrounded with monster guts all around you. We brought you back."

Alex glanced down at himself, then at the tent around him. "…Thanks. I guess."

She smiled, a bit relieved. "You're welcome. I'm Kiera, by the way. We're adventurers — small party passing through. Those beasts you killed? We were tracking it."

Alex blinked, then raised an eyebrow. "Really? Hope I didn't ruin your bounty."

She laughed. "You ruined nothing instead you helped us quite alot. Those beast wiped out two merchant caravans and a patrol. The fact that you took them down? Alone? At your age?That's… kind of unbelievable."

Alex winced as he adjusted his sitting position. "Trust me, I'm having trouble believing it too."

There was a pause — a quiet curiosity in her eyes.

"…You're not just some lost kid, are you?" she asked softly.

He gave a silly smile. "well actually I'm quite lost"

"Really? But why do I find that hard to believe?"

He met her gaze "well that's the truth, besides why do you think so?"

She tilted her head, smirking. "The way you're already calculating escape routes while pretending to rest."

Alex gave a dry chuckle, then leaned back with a sigh. "Fair."

She sat beside him and offered a waterskin. "Drink. You lost a lot of blood. And don't worry it's isn't poisoned,no one here's going to hurt you. But… we are very curious. When you're ready to talk, the others have questions."

Alex took the waterskin and drank slowly. Cool, clean. His mind remained alert, but he allowed himself a brief moment of comfort.

He wiped his mouth, then glanced sideways at her. "You said you were tracking it for three days?"

"Yup."

"And you didn't kill it because…?"

She shrugged. "Because we're not suicidal."

Alex snorted. "Wise."

Another pause.

"…You got a name?" she asked.

He hesitated but figuring that no one can know him he said. "Alex."

No surname?

"None"

"Yeah like I would believe that" she rolled her eyes inwardly.

"Well, Alex… glad you're not dead."

He leaned back, looking up at the ceiling of the tent. His muscles ached, his wounds throbbed, but his instincts were still sharp.

"Yeah glad am not too"

She left the tent to inform the rest of Alex awaken, Alex using this opportunity to sense his surroundings found six people three female and three male. Judging form their aura the strongest of them is at the peak core genesis stage the same as him. Which shouldn't be a problem but as his now injured he needs to tread carefully if things go south.

Finding no immediate threat to his life he relaxed a bit, although still on guard and alert.

Now the issues is with the questions,there are not going to believe he just ended uo their and he can't tell them his from the walkers family besides his dad had him wear contact lens to hide the color of his eyes them being black now.

"Maybe I should just tell them I was separated from my team and got lost?, or I went to the Forest to look for medicine for my dying old grandfather?..."

Shaking his head sighing" no one going to believe that,I guess I would just either play the fool or just say I somehow ended up her I think this should be a bit more believable".

Having decided he got off the bed grimacing in pain as his wounds and muscle still trob in pain.

Compared to the abuse inflicted on me as a toddler this is nothing. Self motivating he slowly limbed out of the tent.

Stepping out he first caught sight of the girl Kiera sitting in a circle around a fire conversing with three other people.

The sounds of footsteps alerted jone and the rest as they turn their gaze to Alex as he walked limbly towards them.

"Guess the little brat finally decided to step out,I thought with your injuries we would have to wait a few days" a stocky man.

"Jaro is right"Jone said "you should have rested a bit more, although we desire answers it's not that urgent.

Alex gave them a half-smile. "Lying around makes me feel worse."

Jaro snorted. " your still a kid What are you, eighty?"

"Sometimes I feel like it," Alex muttered, easing himself down onto an empty log near the fire with a wince.

Kiera passed him a bowl of stew without a word. He blinked at it, then gave her a grateful nod. She only shrugged, but a slight smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

Jone leaned forward, eyes still calm but scrutinizing. "since you well enough to step out we've got some questions, kid. You up for it?"

Alex exhaled slowly. "Depends on the questions."

The group chuckled lightly. The atmosphere was tense, but not hostile. Not yet.

One of the other women, tall with short silver-dyed hair and a longbow slung across her back, tilted her head. "You're clearly not a rookie. That sword might be broken, but it speaks volumes of what it's been through though short lived, especially the gouges left by the beasts… you knew what you were doing. Who trained you?"

"…My master," Alex said casually. Which was technically true.

Jone's brow twitched. "A master? he must be quite the man."

You have no idea, Alex thought.

"So can you explain how and why you were in the middle of a Crater surrounded by mutilated beasts?"

"Was looking for a herb for my dying grandfather but was surrounded by these beasts not wanting to die for my old man sake I preserve and luckily survived" Alex said in a single breath without a change in expression.

There was a beat of silence.

The silver-haired archer blinked. "That was… oddly specific."

Jone narrowed his eyes, arms crossing. "A dying grandfather, huh?"

Alex shrugged. "He's always coughing. Could be dramatic flair. I didn't want to take chances."

That earned a reluctant snort from one of the others.

"Did you really think we are wearing diapers" jaro barked irritation leaked through his voice.

Unfased Alex shrugged" I was hoping"

"Still even though you won't say the reason at least tell us something thats a bit more believable" Jone said interesting jaro from continuing.

Smiling apologickly Alex nodded

"I got separated during a forest scouting trip," he added smoothly. "Panicked, ran deeper in. Dumb move. I found the beasts by accident. Or they found me."

"And instead of dying," Kiera said, eyes narrowed slightly, "you killed a peak tier 2 monsters. With mid and low tire 2's"

Alex shrugged, keeping his expression modest. "Wasn't really a choice. It was either that or get eaten."

"Still doesn't explain how you're alive," muttered the archer. "Those things took out caravans. Teams."

"Maybe I got lucky."

"Luck," Jaro scoffed. "Right."

"I'll admit," Jone said, steepling his fingers, "you've got instincts. Even now, your posture's ready to spring if we make the wrong move. That's not something a normal kid learns from getting lost in a forest."

Alex stirred the stew idly. "I never said I was normal."

They paused at that.

"Well," Jone finally said, "you're not wrong. Still… you've earned a bit of trust. You didn't hurt any of us. You didn't run. And you didn't ask for help either, which tells me you're not stupid."

Alex met his gaze. "Thanks. I think."

A quiet beat passed between them, firelight flickering in the stillness.

"So what now?" Alex asked. "You planning to sell me off to some noble house or interrogate me till I cry?"

Kiera laughed. "If we wanted to do that, we'd have tied you up and gagged you."

"Tempting," Jaro muttered. Kiera elbowed him.

Jone stood. "You can stay with us until we leave the forest. We were heading toward Dawnbreeze Town. It's a few days from here. If you're recovered enough by then, you can part ways there."

Alex nodded slowly. "That's… alright."

"You don't have to tell us more," Jone added. "But just know — if trouble follows you, we will cut you loose."

"Understood."

"Good. Get some more rest. We break camp at dawn."

The group dispersed slowly, leaving Alex and Kiera by the fire.

She studied him for a long moment. "Dying grandfather, huh?"

Alex smirked, sipping the stew. "Didn't think it would fly."

"Nope."

They sat in silence a while, the fire crackling between them. Then Kiera stood and gave him a small nod.

"Sleep well, Alex-with-no-last-name."

"You too, Kiera-with-too-many-questions."

She grinned and walked off.

Later That Night

The camp lay quiet. A soft breeze rustled the trees overhead. The dying embers glowed faintly in the pit, casting long shadows across the tents.

Alex lay on his mat, staring at the canvas ceiling.

He had bought himself time.

But Dawnbreeze Town… if it's close, maybe he could resupply, learn more about this region of the Central Plains.

And avoid attention.

Still, he couldn't shake the feeling — the way Jone watched him, calculating. The subtle shifts in how the others treated him. It's gives him a weird feeling he couldn't shake off.

"This weird feeling " sigh "I just hope its not a bad feeling

"And honestly….. I couldn't care less now i gotta sleep. He thought as he drifted into the dreamland.

Elsewhere — In the Depths of the Forest

A pair of glowing red eyes flickered open.