Reawakening with Limitless Mana-Chapter 65: Ambush-2

The forest where she planned to hunt lay beyond the capital’s boundaries.

Inside the carriage, cooled by a magic artifact, she sat comfortably, watching the dusty road stretch out ahead. The soft hum of the enchantment filled the silence, shielding her from the harsh sunlight beating down outside.

But Abel wasn’t as lucky.

He rode the horse, completely exposed to the sun. His chest rose and fell heavily with each breath, sweat soaking through his clothes, dripping down his brow, and stinging his eyes. The heat blurred his vision, yet he kept a firm grip on the reins—if only to stop himself from collapsing.

If they ever gave out awards for being pathetic, I’d be the most decorated man in the kingdom, he thought bitterly, clinging to humor just to keep his thoughts from slipping into despair.

"Just a little more, Your Highness. There’s shade ahead. Once we reach the trees, you’ll feel better," said a soft voice beside him.

It was one of the few who still called him Prince without scorn. That gentle voice, that simple kindness, was enough to pull Abel back from the edge. He gave a faint nod to Bennet, as if that small gesture was all the strength he had left.

The convoy crossed the invisible line that marked the end of the capital’s reach—into the untamed forest where no laws echoed and no guards usually patrolled.

"Stay sharp!" the Commander barked, his tone cutting clean through the quiet. "The last survey was two weeks ago. We can’t be sure what’s out here now."

The soldiers stiffened, hands tightening around weapons, eyes sweeping the dense woods with practiced caution.

But the truth was something else entirely.

The Commander’s warning was a lie—a careful performance. One meant to convince the Princess that this was a real hunt, not another of the King’s carefully staged outings. In reality, the forest had been purged just days ago. Elite troops were sent in secret to eliminate every threat that might’ve been hiding in the shadows.

The King couldn’t bear the idea of his daughter facing even the slightest risk.

...Even though just a couple of weeks ago, he had thrown his own son, Abel, into the wild. Alone. No guards, no guides, no safety net.

A full week.

No one knew exactly what the boy had gone through, only that he came back alive... barely.

The Commander, a man who himself had two children—one born weak, always at the edge of life—had never forgiven the King for that decision. He couldn’t understand it.

How could a father despise his own son... just because he wasn’t strong?

"Are we there yet?" The Princess’s voice rang from inside the carriage, laced with irritation.

Bennet gave a signal to the men and stepped forward. "You may come out now, Your Highness," he said with a bow, opening the door.

A moment later, the Princess stepped out.

Her golden-platinum hair gleamed beneath the faint rays of sunlight breaking through the canopy. Her boots touched the damp forest floor with silent grace, and her eyes—sharp, confident, untamed—swept across the trees around her.

She looked every bit the royal heir who had never once been allowed to taste real danger.

And Abel, still gripping the reins, looked at her with an unreadable gaze—somewhere between admiration... and quiet grief.

"Okay, now, detect a beast for me," Elowen commanded, slinging her quiver over her shoulder and drawing her bow with graceful ease. Her eyes were sharp, eager, burning with the hunger to prove herself.

Today, she wanted a clean hunt. A real one.

She had trained hard in the past year, learning to coat her body and arrows in mana. Her control was decent now, her aim precise. But there were still spells she hadn’t grasped, like <Detection>.

She glanced at the trees as if daring a beast to appear on its own.

Bennet, standing just a few steps behind, quietly sighed. Not out of frustration, but weariness. He raised his hand and gave a signal. At once, the surrounding soldiers shifted subtly, spreading out into a defensive formation. It was routine by now—shielding the Princess from anything that might jump out of the shadows.

She wouldn’t even notice it. That, too, was by design.

<Detection> wasn’t a spell to be taken lightly. It allowed the caster to scan the area for magical signatures—living creatures, hidden enchantments, residual energy—but it came with a cost.

Because the moment you sent your senses outward, you became visible as well.

To everything.

The moment you looked, you were seen.

Bennet’s mana burst out like a shockwave, sweeping through the air in every direction—and then,

"Ugh..." He staggered, clutching his chest as a heavy, terrifying aura rolled in like a storm.

"Commander?!" One of the nearby soldiers rushed to him, grabbing his arm to keep him steady.

Bennet’s pale face made their hearts sink. Slowly, he raised a trembling finger and pointed north.

"T-Take formation..." he whispered.

At once, the twelve soldiers snapped to position. Even the one supporting Bennet stepped forward, raising his spear with the others. A perfect circle formed—sharp eyes, steady hands, and a wall of blades aimed outward.

Abel, heart racing, ran to his sister and shoved her toward the carriage sitting quietly at the center.

"What are you—"

"Shh!" Abel hissed, his finger pressed to his lips. His glare was fierce. "I’ve never seen Sir Bennet like this."

His tone cut through her frustration like ice. She fell silent, eyes wide with worry.

Now surrounded by their guards, the two nobles huddled together in the circle of spears, protected but tense.

Then—

Scrunch.

The sound of a single branch snapping tore through the silence like thunder. Every spear turned as one.

From the brush stepped a figure, not walking, gliding.

Darkness clung to it like a cloak. Its body shifted like smoke, but its face... that face was real.

Red eyes. Too many. Gleaming, trembling with joy.

Sharp teeth stretched in a twisted grin.

Elowen froze, then doubled over.

"Ugh—!"

She vomited on the grass, trembling violently. Her body couldn’t take it. The presence was too much.

Abel caught her before she collapsed, eyes darting between her and the creature.

Even Bennet, the seasoned commander, was on one knee, gasping, sweating.

The monster stood tall, silent.

It’s foul, thick miasma crawled across the ground like oil.

"A d-demon..." A soldier whispered, and a chill ran down everyone’s spine.

-TBC

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A/N:- Thank you for choosing my work. Please leave a comment.