Arthfael: The Grinding Hero

Chapter 145. The Leontine Monster

The Mariglen monster, startled by Arthfael's anguished scream, scampered away into the thick underbrush with the Ilia fruit now digested in its stomach. Arthfael watched it disappear, his heart heavy with the weight of disappointment. He had come so close to obtaining the fruit that could save Valentina, only to see it devoured before his eyes.

Sitting down heavily on a moss-covered rock, Arthfael let out a long, weary sigh. The forest around him seemed to close in, the towering trees casting elongated shadows as the sun dipped lower in the sky. The wind rustled through the leaves, a melancholic whisper that matched the turmoil in his mind.

"What should I do?" he murmured softly to himself, his voice tinged with frustration and despair. He had ventured into the wilderness, hoping to find a solution to Valentina's worsening condition, and had ended up with nothing but heartache.

As Arthfael wrestled with his thoughts, the distant sound of footsteps reached his ears. His head snapped up