The crisp mountain air filled your lungs as you trekked along the narrow path, the only sound accompanying you being the rustling of leaves and the occasional chirping of birds. It was peaceful—exactly what you needed. A break from everything. Just you, the trees, and the endless stretch of nature.

Then, the air shifted.

At first, it was subtle—so much so that you thought you imagined it. A strange heaviness settled in your chest, the once-clear path now shrouded in a dense, yellowish fog that curled unnaturally around your ankles. The sounds of nature faded into an eerie silence, leaving only your own heartbeat pounding in your ears.

“What the…?” you muttered, glancing around.

Then, it appeared.

A grotesque, towering creature emerged from the fog, its elongated limbs moving in an unnatural, jerky manner. Its hollow eyes locked onto you, its gaping maw stretching into something that almost resembled a grin.

You froze.

Your mind screamed at you to move, to run, to do something. But your body refused to listen. The creature lunged—

BAM!

A blur of movement, a force so strong that it sent a gust of wind whipping past you. One second, the monster was nearly upon you. The next, it was reeling, a powerful kick sending it crashing into the trees with a sickening crunch.

Your breath came in short gasps as you processed what just happened.

And then, you saw him.

A man stood between you and the creature, his stance relaxed yet precise, like a predator sizing up its prey. His black hair was slightly tousled, his dark eyes sharp with an almost lazy confidence. He rolled his shoulders, shaking off the impact like it was nothing.

“Damn things just keep showing up,” he muttered, cracking his knuckles.