The Strongest Porter

Magnus shifted uncomfortably against the cold cave wall, his body aching from the long day of running, fighting, and barely surviving. The fire crackled softly beside him, its warmth offering little comfort as exhaustion weighed down on him. He needed rest—badly. His eyelids grew heavier with each passing second, his breathing slowed as he drifted toward unconsciousness.

Then, something moved beside him.

A slow, deliberate shift of weight against the dirt floor.

Magnus's body tensed instantly, his instincts screaming at him to react. His muscles coiled, and before he could think, he pushed at whatever was next to him, his fingers brushing against rough, damp scales.

His eyes snapped open, his mana flaring as he jerked away from the figure beside him. His first thought was that some monster had snuck into his cave while he was resting—a predator waiting for the perfect moment to strike. He barely registered what it was before his instincts took over, summoning a mana dagger in his right hand.

Then he saw it.

A crocodile.

Not just any crocodile—this one was massive, nearly the size of a small horse, its dark green scales glistening under the firelight. Its golden eyes locked onto Magnus, unblinking, but something was off.

The crocodile was breathing heavily, its huge body trembling. Magnus then noticed the deep gashes running along its side, blood trickling from wounds that looked fresh. It wasn't attacking. It wasn't snarling or snapping its jaws at him. It was just… watching him.

And whimpering.

Magnus tightened his grip on his mana dagger, his heart still pounding in his chest. This thing was huge. If it decided to attack, he wasn't sure he could kill it fast enough before it tore him apart. His mind raced with options—should he kill it? Should he run? Could he even fight something this big without real weapons?

Then, as if sensing his hesitation, the crocodile let out a low, pained whine. Its eyes darted from Magnus's glowing dagger to his face, then back again, almost pleadingly.

Magnus exhaled sharply, forcing himself to think. If it wanted to kill him, it would have already tried. Instead, it was lying there, bleeding out, pressed against the side of the cave like it was seeking shelter.

"…You're hurt," Magnus muttered, lowering his mana dagger slightly but keeping it ready. "That's why you're here, huh?"

The crocodile let out another small whimper, shifting slightly as if trying to get comfortable. Its wounds were deep, and Magnus wasn't sure how much blood it had already lost.

His first instinct was to leave it alone. This was the Hell Forest—monsters fought, killed, and survived on their own. It wasn't his problem. But as he stared at the creature, watching its slow, labored breathing, he found himself hesitating.

It reminded him of something.

Ava.

She was just a kid when they lost their parents. Small, fragile, scared. He remembered the way she clung to him, looking up at him with those big, frightened eyes, waiting for him to do something—anything—to protect her.

Magnus sighed. "…Damn it."

He dismissed his mana dagger and moved closer, kneeling beside the wounded crocodile. The creature flinched slightly but didn't move away. It was too weak to fight him if it wanted to.

"Don't make me regret this," Magnus muttered. He reached into his inventory and pulled out one of the few healing potions he had left. It wasn't much, but it would help close the worst of the wounds.

The crocodile watched him carefully as he unstoppered the vial. Magnus hesitated for just a second before pouring the liquid over the deep gashes along its side.

The reaction was immediate. The crocodile's muscles tensed, and it let out a sharp hiss, its tail twitching violently. Magnus braced himself, half-expecting it to lash out, but it didn't. Instead, after a few seconds, its body relaxed slightly, its breathing evening out just a bit.

Magnus leaned back, watching as the potion worked its magic. The bleeding slowed, the worst of the gashes beginning to close. It wasn't perfect—healing potions were made for humans, not monsters—but it was enough to keep the creature from dying overnight.

The crocodile blinked at him, tilting its massive head slightly. Magnus could have sworn it looked… grateful.

He sighed, rubbing a hand through his hair. "You better not eat me in my sleep."

The crocodile made a low, rumbling sound—not quite a growl, but something else. Magnus wasn't sure what to make of it. He wasn't an expert on monster behavior, but if he had to guess… it was thanking him.

The next morning, Magnus stirred awake to the sound of something heavy shifting beside him. He groaned, rubbing the sleep from his eyes before realizing the crocodile was still there, watching him with an eerie stillness.

"Oh, you're still here…" Magnus mumbled. Then, he noticed something else—his stash of food was gone.

His eyes flicked to the crocodile, whose massive jaws hung slightly open, revealing bits of what was undoubtedly his breakfast.

"You ate my food, didn't you?" Magnus groaned. The crocodile simply blinked at him, unbothered. "Yeah, figures."

Sighing, Magnus stretched and stepped out of the cave, cracking his neck. "Alright, time for me to get moving. I need to find more food now, thanks to you."

The crocodile followed closely behind him, lumbering in silence.

Magnus sighed. "Alright, you should go do your own thing."

The crocodile kept following him.

Magnus groaned. "Seriously?" He turned, waving his arms. "Shoo! Go on, get!"

The crocodile let out a low, sad grumble, then turned and lumbered off, its heavy steps echoing through the forest.

Magnus shook his head and focused on gathering supplies. Using mana arrows and portals, he hunted a few small creatures, collecting meat to last him the day. He also scouted for berries, ensuring they weren't poisonous before taking some for later. His search led him to a deeper part of the forest, where he suddenly sensed movement above him.

Figures leapt between the branches with unnatural agility—monkey warriors.

Their crude armor and mismatched weapons clanked as they surrounded him, gripping jagged blades and spears. One let out a screech, signaling an attack. Magnus barely dodged a strike, flipping backward and summoning a mana arrow, firing it through an oncoming warrior's shoulder.

Another lunged, claws flashing. Magnus spun a portal beneath its feet, sending it tumbling into a tree. The battle grew chaotic, the warriors moving in packs, their agility making them difficult to track. Magnus's breath came faster as he parried another blade, his mana dagger flashing in the dim forest light.

Then, from behind, he felt a sharp sting—one of the smaller monkeys had slashed him across his back. He growled in frustration, trying to reach for a potion—then remembered he had none left.

Just as the monkey warriors sensed an advantage, the ground shook.

A loud, earth-rumbling crash came from the forest. The trees groaned, splitting apart as the crocodile returned, its massive jaws snapping down and swallowing five monkeys whole in one brutal bite.

The remaining warriors screeched in panic, their resolve shattering as they fled into the treetops, leaving Magnus standing breathless in the clearing.

Magnus wiped his brow, staring at the crocodile in stunned silence before breaking into a grin. "Okay… you're really strong."