Vile Evil Hides Under The Veil Chapter 1: Eren Idril

“Aaaaaaargh…!”

Deep within the untamed wilds, far from the boundaries of civilization, a bone-chilling scream tore through the air.

“You stupid creature, just snap my neck and get it over with. Why are you gnawing on my severed arm? There’s barely any meat on it!”

Eren spat insults at his executioner as his life slowly ebbed away. He felt that the least this mindless beast could do was finish him off before starting its feast. However, Eren had been plagued by wretched luck his entire life, so this agonizing end wasn't exactly a surprise.

In his prime, Eren could have dispatched a D-Rank beast with ease. He had once been a student at a renowned academy, an institution famous for producing the kingdom’s finest hunters and adventurers. But those days were long gone.

Years of self-indulgence and a persistent fear of taking risks had stalled his growth, leaving him as nothing more than a lowly D-Rank berserker. By the time he recognized his failures, his joints had grown stiff and his hairline had retreated so far he was nearly bald. Now, weakened by the ravages of age, a pathetic D-Rank monster had become his grim reaper.

Eren never intended to visit this cursed place, but he had been left with no other options. An injury from a previous hunt had sidelined him, and with his coin purse nearly empty, he had no way to earn a living other than hunting beasts for the city markets. Facing eviction if he couldn't pay the upcoming monthly city tax, the old adventurer had been forced into the wild, only to end up in the jaws of a predator.

As he looked back on his wasted life, Eren noticed the wolf-like creature had finished with his hand. Having reduced it to splinters of bone, the beast turned its hungry gaze toward the rest of him. At this point, Eren prayed for a quick end. He tilted his head back, exposing his throat in hopes the beast would strike there first.

But the creature seemed to have a cruel mind of its own. Ignoring his neck, it lunged for the most sensitive part of his anatomy: his groin. Shock and terror flashed through Eren, followed by a wave of pure, unadulterated rage. It was one thing to be eaten, but this beast was intentionally tormenting him before the kill.

He struggled desperately to divert the monster's attention, but it was useless. It was as if the beast had discovered a rare elixir between his legs. Then, the unthinkable occurred. The monster bit down, tearing away Eren’s "little beast." As it chewed, Eren could have sworn the creature was mocking him.

The agony was unbearable. To keep from screaming, Eren grabbed the old gem necklace he wore and bit down on it with all his might. He had bought the piece of jewelry from a pawn shop during a drunken stupor—an impulsive purchase that had contributed to his current poverty. Once he had sobered up and realized his folly, he tried to return it, but the shop refused to take it back. He had been played for a fool, and all he could do was wear the worthless trinket. Now, it served as a makeshift gag to dull his pain.

The copper taste of blood filled Eren's mouth, and the earth around him was stained a deep crimson. As his vision began to blur, he welcomed the encroaching darkness, reaching out with his one remaining arm. In his final, fading moments, the adventurer cursed the beast. He fantasized about revenge, swearing that if he were ever given a second chance, he would hunt down every monster of its kind, crushing their vitals and hacking them to pieces before they could blink.

He lost himself in these vengeful dreams, imagining his return to the city, but his thoughts were cut short. The beast had spotted the glittering gem Eren was biting. Driven by a primal greed for the shiny object, it moved to snatch the necklace from his mouth. Understanding its intent, Eren decided on one last act of defiance.

He pulled the necklace free and swallowed it whole. He let out a ragged laugh, feeling a small spark of triumph over the creature. Infuriated, the beast growled and lunged at his throat with full force. Eren, now beyond fear, didn't flinch.

With his remaining hand, he drew a small dagger he had hidden in his boot. It was a basic tool meant for skinning hides, not a weapon of war, so he didn't expect it to save him. He simply wanted the beast to bleed for its meal. As the monster's teeth sank into his neck, Eren drove the blade upward. It pierced the beast’s eye, sank through the socket, and buried itself deep within the brain.

The desperate strike hit home. Against all odds, he had achieved a fatal blow. The beast collapsed instantly, pinning Eren beneath its heavy, lifeless carcass. Now, he was forced to spend his final breaths trapped under the weight of his killer.

Eren cursed the beast one last time before closing his eyes. He died an old, lonely man, destitute and humiliated, unable even to protect his dignity from a common predator. Yet, there was a small comfort in knowing he had avenged his "little brother" and kept the necklace out of the beast's paws.

What Eren didn't realize was that the necklace—including the large, centerpiece gem—had vanished the moment he swallowed it. Even if someone found his body, the jewelry would be gone, dissolved into nothingness. None of that changed the tragedy of his end. Though he had lived a life of excess, he had never been a truly wicked man.

He had always preferred to keep to himself, yet trouble seemed to have a knack for finding his door. In his final moments, he vowed that if by some miracle he survived, he would never be that passive man again. With his mind full of regrets and impossible dreams, Eren Idril took his final breath.

Or so he believed!