Chapter 24 — The Forest Road
Chapter 24 — The Forest Road
Aric left Highglade through the eastern gate shortly after sunrise.
The forest road was busy enough that he didn't have to worry about getting lost. Merchants, farmers, and a few travelers used it throughout the day, which was exactly why the Adventurer Guild wanted the Fang Wolves dealt with.
Aric walked at a steady pace, keeping his eyes on the road and the forest around him.
He wasn't in any hurry.
The first hour passed without incident.
Then he heard something moving through the bushes.
Aric stopped.
A moment later, a wolf stepped onto the road.
It was larger than an ordinary wolf, with dark brown fur and unusually long fangs.
A second appeared behind it.
Then a third.
Aric's hand moved to his sword.
The wolves spread out rather than attacking immediately.
They're testing me.
The System's voice came quietly.
[They are attempting to surround you. The one on your left is waiting for an opening.]
Aric shifted his stance.
"I noticed."
The first wolf suddenly lunged.
Aric stepped sideways.
Its claws passed within inches of his chest.
He turned with the movement and brought his sword down across its side.
The blade cut through fur and flesh, but the wolf didn't fall.
It spun around almost immediately.
The other two attacked together.
Aric raised his sword to block one while stepping backward from the second. The impact forced him to give ground, but he recovered quickly.
He kicked the closest wolf away and used Quickstep.
His body moved forward in a sudden burst.
The wolf barely had time to react before Aric's sword struck its neck.
It collapsed.
The other two hesitated.
Aric didn't give them time to regroup.
He rushed the nearest one and drove his sword into its shoulder. The wolf twisted violently, trying to bite his arm, but Aric pulled the sword free and stepped out of range.
The final wolf charged.
Aric waited until the last moment.
Then he moved.
His sword swept across the wolf's exposed side.
The creature stumbled.
Aric followed with another strike that ended the fight.
He stood still for a moment, listening to the forest.
Nothing else moved.
[Three targets eliminated.]
Aric wiped his sword against the grass.
"That should be enough."
He examined the wolves briefly before collecting the parts the guild had specified as proof.
The fight hadn't been difficult.
But Aric didn't become careless because of that.
The forest was different from a training ground.
There was no guarantee that the next opponent would be the same level as the previous one.
He continued deeper along the road.
By midday, he had moved well beyond the area where the three wolves had been found.
The forest became quieter.
Aric noticed that almost immediately.
He slowed down.
There were fewer birds.
The usual sounds of small animals had also disappeared.
The System spoke again.
[Something larger is nearby.]
Aric looked toward the trees.
"How large?"
[Large enough that I recommend not standing in its path.]
A deep growl answered before Aric could respond.
The bushes ahead shook.
A massive brown bear stepped out.
Aric stared at it.
The animal stood considerably taller than him when it rose onto its hind legs. Its claws were long, and the scars across its face suggested that it had survived several fights.
The bear roared.
Aric drew his sword.
"All right."
The bear charged.
Aric moved to the side.
The bear's paw struck the ground hard enough to throw dirt into the air.
Aric tried to counterattack, but the bear turned faster than expected.
Its second swing caught him across the side.
Aric was thrown several feet and rolled across the ground.
He stopped himself with one hand.
His side hurt.
But nothing seemed broken.
The bear charged again.
Aric waited.
This time he didn't try to attack immediately.
When the bear swung, Aric ducked underneath its paw and moved behind it.
His sword cut across the back of its leg.
The wound was shallow.
Far shallower than he wanted.
The bear roared and turned.
Aric barely avoided another strike.
Its hide is tougher than I expected.
[Your current sword lacks the penetration necessary to deal serious damage through its thicker muscles.]
Aric frowned.
Then I'll target the weak points.
He moved around the bear instead of confronting it directly.
The creature kept turning to face him, trying to trap him against the trees.
Aric used Quickstep to slip past another swing.
This time he attacked the rear leg again.
The blade went deeper.
The bear stumbled.
Aric immediately moved away.
The bear slammed both paws into the ground.
The impact shook the earth.
Aric lost his balance for a moment.
The bear rushed him.
He raised his sword.
The impact forced him backward.
His feet dug into the dirt as he struggled to hold his position.
Then he changed his angle.
Instead of resisting the bear's strength directly, Aric stepped aside and allowed the creature's momentum to carry it forward.
His sword drove into the exposed side of its neck.
The bear roared and twisted.
Aric pulled the blade free and retreated.
Blood stained the bear's fur.
It was badly wounded now, but still dangerous.
Aric breathed slowly.
He waited for the next charge.
The bear attacked.
Aric stepped aside.
Quickstep carried him out of the way.
As the bear passed, Aric struck behind its front leg, where the thick hide was less protective.
The bear stumbled.
Aric followed with a final slash across its neck.
The creature collapsed.
Aric stood over it for several seconds before lowering his sword.
That had been considerably harder than the wolves.
He checked himself.
His ribs hurt, and there was a bruise forming along his side, but he could move normally.
He sat against a tree for a few minutes and drank some water.
[That was closer than the previous encounter.]
Aric looked at the dead bear.
"Yeah."
He smiled faintly.
"Good thing I didn't listen to the part of myself that wanted to charge straight at it."
[You would have regretted that decision.]
"I know."
After resting, Aric gathered the useful materials he could carry and marked the location.
The bear wasn't part of his guild quest, but its remains could still be worth something.
By late afternoon, he decided to head back.
He didn't want to stay in the forest after sunset without a reason.
The journey back was uneventful.
By the time Aric reached Highglade, the sun was already beginning to fall.
He returned to the Adventurer Guild and placed the required wolf proof on the counter.
The receptionist inspected it.
"Three Fang Wolves."
She looked up at him.
"Did you encounter anything else?"
"A bear."
Her eyebrows rose.
"A bear?"
"It attacked me while I was following the forest road."
"Are you injured?"
"Nothing serious."
She studied him for a moment before sighing.
"You really are determined to make your first day memorable."
Aric smiled.
"I'd rather not make a habit of it."
She counted the proof and handed him his payment.
Five silver coins.
Aric accepted them.
It wasn't a fortune, but it was honest money earned from his own work.
He put the coins away.
"I also wanted to ask something."
"Go ahead."
"Does the guild have a place where adventurers can stay?"
"We have a few rooms upstairs. They're basic, but they're cheaper than most inns."
"Can I rent one?"
"For how long?"
"Just one night for now."
She nodded.
"That can be arranged."
After paying for the room, Aric carried his belongings upstairs.
The room was small.
A bed.
A wooden table.
A chair.
A window overlooking part of the street.
Nothing impressive.
But it was enough.
Aric placed his things beside the bed and sat down.
He had expected to feel tired after the day's fights.
Instead, he felt restless.
The fight with the bear had reminded him of something.
His swordsmanship had improved considerably over the last three years, but relying on one weapon forever wasn't something he wanted to do.
He had trained with several weapons.
Sword.
Saber.
Bow.
Spear.
He hadn't mastered all of them, but he was familiar enough with each to understand their basic principles.
Aric stood.
"Let's see if there's somewhere to train."
The guild receptionist had mentioned a training yard earlier.
He headed downstairs and found it behind the main building.
Several adventurers were still training despite the late hour.
Aric watched them for a while.
Then he noticed a man practicing with a spear.
His movements were simple but efficient.
He stepped forward and swept the spear blad.
Pulled back.
Shifted his footing.
Swept again.
There was no flashy magic involved.
Just a practical spear technique designed to extend the weapon's reach while keeping the user's body balanced.
Aric watched carefully.
The man repeated the movement several times.
Then the System spoke.
[Skill detected: Spear Sweap.]
Aric's eyes narrowed slightly.
[Basic Spear Technique. a basic sweeping technique using the spear's shaft and blade to strike multiple nearby targets. Useful for controlling space, but not overpowering..]
A prompt appeared.
[Skill detected: Spear Sweep(Basic Spear Technique). Copy? Yes/No]
Aric smiled.
Yes.
The sensation was brief.
Something clicked into place in his mind.
He understood the stance.
The footwork.
The angle of the spear.
The proper moment to shift his weight.
[Spear Sweap copied.]
[Copy Slot 1/2 occupied.]
Aric looked down at his empty hands.
"That was easier than expected."
[You already understand the basic principles of spear combat. The copied skill has a foundation to build upon.]
Aric nodded.
He walked to the weapon rack and picked up a practice spear.
He repeated the movement.
The first swea was awkward.
The second was better.
By the fifth, his body had begun adapting to the technique.
It wasn't powerful enough to overwhelm a strong opponent.
It wasn't fast enough to guarantee a hit.
But it was useful.
Simple.
Reliable.
Exactly the kind of skill he wanted to keep developing.
Aric continued practicing until the training yard began to empty.
Eventually, he returned to his room.
He placed the spear back where he had found it and sat on the edge of the bed.
His first day as an adventurer had gone better than expected.
He had completed his first quest.
Earned five silver coins.
Gathered materials from a bear.
Found a cheap place to stay.
And copied a new skill.
Not a bad start.
The System opened his status window.
[[Status Window]
Name: Aric Frost
Age: 13
Race: Human
Class: None (Unawakened)
Titles:
The Survivor Beyond Death
Incarnation Bearer
Crown Points: 10 CP
Level: 15 (Exp: 910 / 2000)
HP: 280 / 280
MP: 95 / 95
Core Stats:
STR: 6 → 22
AGI: 6 → 24
END: 6 → 21
DEX: 7 → 19
INT: 8 → 16
WIS: 6 → 14
LUK: 3 → 6
Stat Points: 0
Skills:
Sword Slash (Lv.4)
Sword Thrust (Lv.4)
Quickstep (Lv.5)
Arcane Slash (Lv.4)
Spear Thrust (Lv.3)
Saber Flow (Lv.3)
Basic Archery (Lv.3)
Tenacity (Passive)
Spear Sweep (Lv.1 | Efficiency: 40%)
Copy Skill Slots: 1/2 Slots
Inventory:
Iron Sword (Refined)
Spear (Standard)
Training Saber
Hunting Bow
Minor Health Potions ×5
Minor Stamina Potions ×5
Field Supplies
Fang Wolf Quest Proof
Bear Materials
5 Silver Coins
Aric looked over the status for a few seconds.
His eyes settled on the newly acquired skill.
"Spear sweap."
[It isn't impressive yet.]
Aric smiled.
"I know."
[That wasn't criticism.]
"I know that too."
He lay back on the bed.
Tomorrow, he would decide what to do next.
For tonight, he had earned enough to pay for his room, a new skill to practice, and a little more experience with the world outside Frosthold.
For the first time since leaving home, Aric felt like he was actually beginning the life he had come here to experience.