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She saw three shining balls coming towards her at a quick pace. She was stunned when it came to light.

It is standing on its two feet with a black humanoid body. It has a pointed horn sitting on its forehead. The three balls she saw earlier were its eyes. Its mouth took up almost half of its face and is filled with sharp-looking teeth.

Based on the recorded documents, they can see into the future with their middle eye and into the past with their left eye. Aside from being much stronger than humans, they also have enhanced body and durability, making them a formidable opponent for normal folks.

"Cuegle!" she gasped, reluctant to accept the truth.

How come there is an S-Class monster near hiding in the forest? And it was only a few kilometers away from the town! She thought.

She didn't expect to meet this type of monster.

The monster in front of her suddenly vanished. She immediately turned around to search for it but she suddenly felt a sharp pain on her back. When she turned, the monster vanished again.

The first attack was quickly followed by another one on her arms, then, her cheeks, and legs.

It moves very fast giving her a hard time to avoid every attack it makes.

"Urg!"

She bit her lip as she fell on her knees on the last attack it made on her back before it showed itself in front of her.

The way its mouth curved upwards shows that the monster is having fun toying her.

She forced herself to stand regardless of losing too much blood from her wounds. She readied herself and whispered, "Teneat per obumbratio!"

The shadows from the trees surrounding them move and attach to the shadow of cuegle. It shrieked as it tried to move but to no avail. Confusion filled the monster as it looked for ways to free itself. It even tried to reach her using its hand-less sharp arms.

Then suddenly, it broke free. Hatred was visible from its eyes as it glared at her. The monster quickly rushed towards her.

She gasped.

"Umbrarum ensem!" she muttered as a sword made of shadow appeared on her hand. She shielded herself from the monster's continuous attacks. Every hit it makes forces her to take a step back, showing that the monster is stronger.

"Everberabunt obumbratio!"

The shadows then started to move again in a whip-like manner and hit the creature. Roars and pants can be heard from the both of them as they keep on striking each other. The beast then sped up even more, making it harder for the woman to defend.

This is not me! I'm too weak! she thought. I'm getting pushed by this monster!

With that thought, she roared and a powerful force was unleashed.

PraeaClara

The two kids were stunned upon sensing a very powerful dark aura coming from the forest a few kilometers from the town. Shirley suddenly barged inside the guildmaster's office.

"Kids, we need to go!" she said frantically but the children didn't even move. "It's dangerous, we need to move!"

She tried to catch them but they swiftly evaded her, making her gawked in disbelief.

"She's in danger!" Jess then said as she held onto Sly's hand.

The latter just nod and whispered, "Magicae circulus ad transitum ostendere viam!" Suddenly, a huge magic circle appeared beside them.

His POV

I halted when I felt a very powerful energy coming from afar.

"Why?"

I looked at the old guy then shook my head. "Nothing."

"Mang Rado, magkano ito?" tanong ng isang bumibili na ngayon ay inaasikaso na ng matanda.

I'm amazed, and at the same time scared of how strong it was despite the distance between our locations.

"Please be careful." I whispered.

3rd Person's POV

In an instant, the two kids appeared in the middle of the forest where the fight was taking place. Upon arriving, they stopped unconsciously when they saw what's happening and were both stupefied.

A woman surrounded by a dark force is fighting with a cuegle. Both of them are fierce, giving their all in their brawl.

The monster thrust its pointed arm like a sword towards her chest when she swiftly blocked it with her shadow sword. She then counterattacked by giving it a kick towards its head which it parried with another thrust from its other arm.

She quickly jumped backwards to escape from it and at the same time give a little space in between them. However, the beast charged without letting her catch her breath for even a minute.

"Mom!" the little boy shouted worriedly as he tried to shield her from the creature only to be shoved by it and even gave him a huge slash on his shoulder.

Upon seeing this, the woman lost her composure and abruptly attacked it, not minding its huge pointed arms. Each attack she makes is very inconsistent, making the cuegle unable to foresee her next move.

She continuously strikes it. Stabbing her sword, kicking, and punching in a very disorderly sequence until the cuegle drops to the ground, lifeless.

Once she confirms that the beast is no longer a threat, she immediately runs towards the kids and checks the condition of the boy. She took a very deep breath and smiled.

"You worried me!" she hugged the kids tightly when she saw that the boy's life was not in danger.

After a few minutes, she calmed herself and gave them a glare. The kids suddenly shivered upon seeing it, awaiting what's going to happen next.

"What the heck are you doing here? Didn't I tell you to behave?"

Sly and Jess just look at the ground as they let her nag at them.

"I've been telling you guys that this is very dangerous and yet..."

When she suddenly stopped talking, the kids raised their heads and saw her crying. Worries are evident in her eyes as she tries to calm herself one more time.

The children were stunned, not knowing what to do.

"Sorry."

Upon saying that one word, they began to cry.

Her POV

I used teleportation magic to return to PraeaClara together with the two naughty children.

Shirley was shocked when she saw me carrying the sleeping kids.

"Master! Bigla silang nawala. Akala ko..." Biglang sabi nito habang umiiyak.

I shook my head as I laid them on the couch.

"Don't worry, these two are capable of protecting themselves." I said, then sat on my office chair. "I've already told them to behave and to stay here, but then," I sighed then shrugged. "Kids."

I started to check the documents on my table when I remembered. "Shirley." Then I tossed her the scroll where I placed the carcass of the cuegle.

Her eyes widened upon checking it then rushed out to make a report.