When morning came, I woke up to the faint sound of birds echoing through the trees. My back hurt from sleeping against the trunk, and my body still felt sore from yesterday's fights. I let out a long sigh and stood up, rolling my shoulders. The forest air was damp and cold, clinging to my clothes.
"Alright," I muttered, brushing off some leaves. "Time to get moving again."
I packed up what little I had and started walking, using the same path that led me deeper into the forest. The light through the branches made everything shimmer faintly, almost peaceful if you ignored the smell of blood and the faint traces of monster tracks scattered across the dirt.
I opened the window again with a thought, just to check my progress.
Name: Scott Broustlin
Level: 3
Class: Unawakened
Strength: 10
Agility: 11
Endurance: 9
Mana: 8
Perception: 10
Skills: Basic Swordsmanship [Beginner], Mana Sense [Passive]
The numbers looked small, but I could feel the difference with every step. My movements were sharper, my reflexes faster. Even the weight of my sword didn't feel as heavy anymore. I smirked a little. "Guess I'm getting used to this."
Not long after, I came across another clearing. The ground was torn up with claw marks, and a few broken arrows were scattered around. Something had been fighting here. I crouched down, touching one of the splintered shafts. Still fresh.
Before I could move, I heard a low growl behind me.
I turned quickly, raising my shield just in time to block the impact of a wolf leaping at me. The force still sent me stumbling backward, my feet digging into the dirt. Its eyes were blood-red, saliva dripping from its fangs.
"Great," I muttered.
The wolf lunged again, faster this time. I sidestepped, slashing across its side, but it barely flinched. It was stronger than the goblins, quicker too. I blocked another swipe with my shield, the impact making my arm go numb. My breathing grew heavier, but I pushed forward, driving my sword toward its throat.
The blade grazed it, not deep enough to kill. The beast snarled, snapping its jaws at me, and I barely managed to shove it away with my shield. Sweat rolled down my temple as I steadied my stance.
"Come on, think," I muttered under my breath.
Then I noticed it—the faint ripple in the air around the wolf. My mana sense kicked in, a faint pulse of energy tracing the creature's movement. I focused on that rhythm, waiting for the next lunge.
When it came, I ducked under and drove my sword upward with both hands. The steel tore through its jaw and straight into the skull. The wolf twitched, then went limp. I let out a shaky breath, pulling the sword free as its blood stained the ground.
For a moment, I just stood there, listening to the forest again. Everything was quiet.
"Not bad," I said, trying to catch my breath. "But I'm still too slow."
I dragged the corpse aside and cut into it, retrieving the mana core. The glow was faint, weaker than I expected. Maybe the beast had burned too much mana fighting me. Still, I absorbed what I could. The familiar heat spread through my chest, but this time, it didn't hurt as much. My body was adapting.
After resting a bit, I decided to keep moving. I needed to make use of this pace before I lost my edge.
The deeper I went, the darker the forest became. The air grew thicker, colder. A few times I thought I saw shadows moving between the trees, but when I looked again, there was nothing. Probably just my nerves.
After about an hour, I stumbled upon a small stream. I crouched down, splashing cold water on my face and washing the blood off my hands. The reflection staring back at me looked nothing like the spoiled noble I'd once been. My eyes were sharper, my hair messier, and my face had that look of someone who'd seen too much too fast.
I sighed and sat down, staring at the sword lying across my knees. It was chipped in a few places, the edge dulled from fighting. My shield wasn't in much better shape either.
"I'll need better gear soon," I said quietly.
Then I remembered something—the small chest I'd found at the back of the tunnel when I'd first explored it. I hadn't opened it yet, too busy fighting goblins and trying not to die. Maybe there was something useful in there.
But the thought of going back down that tunnel made my chest tighten. The way those goblins moved… they weren't normal. They had some sort of order. There had to be something controlling them.
Still, I couldn't avoid it forever.
I clenched my fists, closing the window again. "Not yet," I muttered. "I'll get stronger first. Then I'll go back."
The rest of the day was spent training—simple drills at first, then heavier swings, shield bashes, and footwork. Every movement burned, but I forced myself through it, sweat dripping down my back. I needed control. I couldn't afford to keep fighting like some amateur.
When the sun started to set again, I leaned against a tree, breathing heavily. My arms felt like lead, but my stance was steady now. I could feel it—the difference in how I moved, how I reacted.
Before resting, I opened the window again to check.
Name: Scott Broustlin
Level: 4
Strength: 11
Agility: 12
Endurance: 10
Mana: 8
Perception: 10
Skills: Basic Swordsmanship [Beginner], Mana Sense [Passive], Shield Bash [Basic]
A small smile tugged at my lips. "Finally."
I shut the window and laid back, letting the wind cool my face. For once, I didn't feel completely helpless. Just tired. Exhausted, even. But that was fine.
Tomorrow, I'd hunt again.
And soon enough, I'd be ready to face whatever waited in that cave.