Perspective: Alessio Leone
If someone asked Alessio to name the greatest obstacle faced by those who had searched for nearly a hundred years within the Gloomshade Forest — from adventuring parties to royal scouting units from the Kingdom of Thalgrande, all hunting for the kingdom's lost army — his answer would come without hesitation:
The sheer, monstrous scale of the Gloomshade Forest.
And it wasn't just its size — though it was vast enough to swallow entire regions. The real problem was its nature.
The forest was, in essence, a natural labyrinth.
The trees, all eerily similar, stood like repeating columns in an endless temple. Thick trunks, dark bark, interwoven canopies. Sunlight barely pierced the leaves, filtering down in faint, uneven rays that confused more than they illuminated.There were no wide clearings, no rivers visible in straight lines, no peaks or landmarks to guide one's path.
For any unsuspecting traveler, stepping into Gloomshade was the same as condemning oneself to an endless cycle of wandering. One could walk for days, weeks — even months — and never find a clear way out.
And that was no accident.
It was the very essence of the map, designed to drive most players away.
The lack of landmarks destroyed any attempt at orientation. Magical compasses failed, trails vanished with the night fog, and even footprints left on the ground were quickly devoured by vegetation.
Fortunately…
That kind of difficulty could hardly be considered a true obstacle for Alessio.
In fact, to him, it was almost an advantage.
Among the veterans of his past life, Alessio wasn't the only one bold enough to claim he knew the Gloomshade Forest like the back of his hand — but he was one of the few who could say it with absolute conviction.
And the reason was simple.
The Gloomshade Forest had been classified by players themselves as a hunting map for levels 10 to 20.Technically, it should've been one of the busiest areas in the early game.Yet because of its complexity and navigational hazards, it was also one of the least visited.
During the first three to six months after the server opened, while most players were still within that level range, guilds simply avoided Gloomshade. They preferred open fields, nearby caves, or areas easier to map.
And that was exactly what made the forest unique — a true playground for solo players.
Back then, Alessio spent countless nights within Gloomshade — hunting, exploring, testing the limits of the map.With every step, he carved the forest's geography into his mind like a silent cartographer who needed no paper or ink — only instinct.
So when, years later in his past life, he discovered that some random player had found a magical item within that same forest — that place he considered his domain, his home, his refuge — his fury was inevitable.
Alessio snapped.
The anger didn't come from jealousy alone, but from the insult of someone taking something from his backyard — something he believed he knew better than anyone else.
That memory still burned vividly in his mind.And it was that very fire that made his steps so steady now.
So when the old man, in his trembling voice, had mentioned that the Gloomkit herb grew "too close to the Great Horn"…
Alessio needed no further clues.
He knew exactly where to begin his search.
The journey deeper into the forest took nearly an hour.
Sixty minutes of pure silence.Not the empty, weightless kind — but the kind heavy with intention, where every step, every breath, and every glance carried more meaning than words ever could.
The thick canopies of Gloomshade filtered the sunlight into faint beams, casting trembling shadows on the uneven ground.The muffled sound of boots crushing dry leaves was the only sign of human presence — aside from the distant calls of unseen birds, whose voices echoed without bodies.
Alessio kept a steady rhythm, each step measured, each detour calculated to avoid treacherous roots or patches of muddy ground.Beside him, Sith moved just as naturally — her movements as economical as his. And that alone said a lot.
Even so, it was rare for two people to travel through such a hostile environment for so long without a single exchange of words or instructions.
And though Alessio was sure that Matteo, if he ever heard this story, would claim the silence came from Alessio being shy after receiving a compliment from Sith…
That wasn't quite the truth.
In his life, Alessio had nearly reached the age of thirty-six. And while he had never dominated the competitive scene of the Black Tower, he was still a wealthy man thanks to his in-game achievements.
Of course, he wasn't a virgin — though neither was he some seasoned flirt with dozens of conquests.
His experiences with women had been few and far between. He had never chased after it — always preferring to spend his energy on training, studying, or fighting.So he was sure he could handle a compliment — even one as direct as Sith's had been. It wasn't the first time he'd been in that kind of situation.
Which meant the silence had another cause entirely.
Sith was almost as introspective as he was.She spoke only when necessary, never explaining beyond what was needed.And surprisingly, both of them had mastered a kind of communication that required no voice at all — the art of understanding each other through the eyes.
All it took was a single glance from Alessio, and she already knew what to do.
When his eyes signaled wait, Sith would stop beside him, motionless and patient, until a larger beast passed by.When his eyes commanded attack, Sith would launch herself with precision at the smaller monsters lurking in the undergrowth.No long phrases. No detailed instructions. No plans explained. Just a shared reflection in their eyes — and perfect understanding.
For Alessio, that was new — and strange.It was as if every strategy in his mind could be translated through a single look, and Sith could read them all without hesitation.
So yes, their journey was silent — but it would be wrong to say they were truly quiet.The forest was filled with invisible dialogues, built from glances, subtle gestures, and instant responses.
And in the end, that wordless harmony was almost unsettling.
The tension finally broke when, after pushing through two rows of towering trunks that looked like the pillars of some forgotten cathedral, Alessio saw it.
The landmark.The reference point he'd been searching for.
The Great Horn.
A colossal formation of stone carved by nature itself, rising among the trees like the fossilized skeleton of an ancient beast.Curved and twisted, the horn seemed to tear through the sky, protruding above the canopy like a scar of stone against the dim horizon.Moss covered much of its surface, while long vines hung down like braided hair — woven by time itself.
Alessio stopped.His gaze narrowed, and his heartbeat quickened just enough to confirm his certainty.
He had reached his destination.