The air on the Union's side was heavier—like smoke that refused to leave the lungs.
Even the light seemed different, caught in a haze of ash and sweat. Murmurs rippled as Wolf and Klion crossed the invisible border between the camps; heads turned, tools paused mid-motion. Some stared outright—others dropped their gaze as if afraid eye contact alone might curse them.
A few people even backed away, whispering.Wolf caught the faint edge of their words:
"why are they here…"
He said nothing, only noted the tremor in their voices. His boots pressed against packed soil, the sound dull but rhythmic, matching the calm weight in his steps.
They reached a wider clearing at the center, where a bonfire smoldered in a circle of stone. Around it, three figures argued—voices jagged, overlapping. One man, broad-shouldered with a streak of white through his hair, tried to speak over a woman whose tone carried razor edges.
But the man seated between them silenced both with a small gesture.
Even in tension, he carried composure like a second skin—hands folded, back straight, eyes like a man who'd been up all night and refused to show it.
When he noticed the visitors, he rose with practiced grace."...I am Arden, leader of the Union." His voice was deep, almost gentle, but it carried through the clearing easily.
Klion inclined his head slightly, offering a tired smile. "I am Klion, leader of Haven of the Forsaken. And this man beside me—" he gestured with his thumb, "—is my vice leader. Wolf."
Wolf only gave a short nod, expression unreadable. His eyes flickered between the three Union members, catching their micro-movements—the tightening jaw of the man on the left, the narrowed gaze of the woman, and Arden's subtle shift in stance.
"There must be a reason you're here," Arden said, motioning toward the fire. "Please, sit. My friends."
Klion walked forward and sat on a low log opposite him.
Wolf remained standing behind him to the left, arms crossed, eyes half-shadowed by the flickering firelight.
Arden gestured to the two who had been arguing. "This man," he said, pointing to the broad-shouldered one, "is Hyun-woo, leader of hunting team. And this woman is Maja, leader of exploration."
Maja gave a brief nod—her green eyes catching the light, her brown hair falling in soft, restless waves. She looked tired but composed, fingers drumming on her thigh like a ticking clock.
"I see, I see," Klion said with his usual gentle tone. "Nice to meet you all." He smiled faintly, though his eyes didn't warm.
Then his smile faded a little. "You know it, Arden. There was a very loud noise from your camp last night—and a strong smell. "He leaned forward slightly, his tone quiet but edged.
"Smell of blood."
The word blood made the air shift. Even the crackle of the fire seemed to dim.
"So," Klion went on, voice calm but rising by a hair, "I wish you could tell us what happened."
Arden's hands came together under his chin. He stared down at them for a moment before speaking, voice dropping low—almost too low.
"I'll tell you."
He inhaled sharply. "We found a monster field. We were able to stock food, farm experience, keep morale high for the first day here… but—"
His words fractured. His hands trembled slightly as he clasped them tighter.
"There was a man. He could control those monsters. He turned them on us—on my hunters."
The crack in his tone widened; his eyes glistened faintly in the firelight. "So we suffered heavy casualties. So many died screaming, and those who lived…"He looked away, voice breaking.
"They lost faith. They refuse to go near that place again."
For a heartbeat, silence pressed between them. Then, Arden's head snapped up, eyes burning with sudden intensity."So I have a request for you."
His voice rose—no longer calm, but desperate, loud enough that a few heads turned from nearby.
"Please find that culprit." His hands curled into fists on his knees.
"He must be among you! He must be in your group!"
His tone broke into near-pleading anger."Find that monster—and bring justice for the fallen!"
Klion's faint smile evaporated. He straightened slowly, his demeanor shifting like cold iron settling. When he spoke, his voice was soft—but his eyes sharpened to points.
"I don't understand what you mean," he said, tone dry. "Do you even have any evidence?"
Arden's reaction was instant. "Of course we do!" he snapped, his control faltering.
"The culprit said he did it because of the quest. He said he needed to complete it! So—" he jabbed a finger toward Klion, "—if you go through everyone's status window, you'll find him. His level will be far higher than the rest!"
The fire hissed as resin popped. Wolf's gaze lowered slightly, half-hidden under his fringe.
He's losing it, he thought. Standing quietly behind Klion, he noted the twitch in Arden's mouth, the micro-shifts in his jaw muscles.
He's desperate.
Wolf's own thoughts spun like blades.
I didn't gain even a single level or experience from that quest.
He flicked open his own faint screen—hidden from view—then tried something.
[ You're not able to examine target's status window. ]
A brief spark of surprise crossed his face.
Is He protected by something? Some kind of skills?
He tried again, slower this time—narrowing his focus.
But just as he was about to confirm, Arden suddenly turned his head and looked directly at him. Their eyes met for a fraction of a second.
Wolf froze, expression blank—but his heart quickened.
He knows.
Arden's stare lingered, just long enough to make it deliberate, before he turned back to Klion, voice steady again as if nothing happened.
Wolf dismissed the thought, silently, and redirected his attention.
What about the others?
He focused next on Hyun-woo—the hunter leader. A familiar flicker of energy ran through him as he activated his sight.
[ You're not able to examine target's status window. ]
Another one? His brow twitched.
That's… strange. But still not too strange if...
His eyes slid toward Maja. Let's see if it's everyone—or just them.
He concentrated—and this time, the resistance vanished. Her status unfolded in front of his eyes like an obedient page.
As I thought.
He turned his gaze briefly toward Hyun-woo again, watching the man's posture. The hunter stood like a coiled spring, eyes darting between Wolf and Klion—calculating, wary, predatory.
You really are hiding something, Hyun-woo.
Wolf's thought tightened into a smirk that didn't reach his lips. He dismissed the screen and glanced up—only to meet Hyun-woo's eyes directly.
The man's stare was cold, hard, full of raw killing intent—a silent warning sharp enough to be felt.
Wolf met it without flinching.
The air between them thickened. Even the fire seemed to bend toward the tension.
Wolf's thoughts flickered cold and quick like a blade's reflection.
Is he stupid? Is he not going hide his intention at all? The hunter's stare was an open door—raw, blunt.
Or perhaps he hid it and I'm simply sensing through the lie. He turned his face away with deliberate indifference, forcing the twitch from his jaw.
Either way—let's get this done.
He let out a dry chuckle that was barely a sound in his throat and tilted his head toward Maja.
He focused, calling up the Analytic Sight again, fingers pressing the ghost‑screen at the edge of his mind.
The lines unfurled.
Name: Maja Kowalska
Gender: Female
Race: Human
Age: 41
Height: 178 cm
Class: ???
Title: Mother's Gaze, Watcher of the Little
Lv.: 2
Stats:
STR: ??? | SPD: 15 (+2) | AGI: 12 | STA: 21 | END: 19 | POW: ??? | LUCK: 12
Mental Stats:
INT: 15 (+2) | CHA: ??? | FORTITUDE: 20 (+3) | GOODNESS: 15 (+3)Alignment: ???
Active Skills: ???
Passive Skills: Light of Belonging
Wolf's mouth softened into something almost like amusement.
Oh?—Mother's Gaze? Is she really a mom?. He let himself laugh quietly, an odd little sound that didn't reach his eyes.
If I had to fight her I could— the thought paused, mortally practical.
But I don't need to?
A whisper of self‑awareness slid through him—an itch he'd come to know by name. He opened his own title window and let the cold verdict read him back.
Title: The Brutalist
Acquisition Requirement: Choose to continue sustained and unnecessary violence beyond what survival or victory required.
Effects:
+1 STR
+1 Evilness
Your strikes are more decisive in combat, as your body adapts to extreme aggression.
Repeated extreme aggression dulls your emotional response to harm and danger, making you colder in tense or lethal situations.
You may feel drawn to escalate conflicts unnecessarily, even when restraint would serve better.
He pressed his fingers together behind his back until the knuckles squeaked.
I hope it ends soon, he thought, more to himself than anyone. The conversation continued around them like creaking timber boards.
Klion's voice rose to cut the theatrical theatrics. "That can't even be called evidence," he said, blunt and steady. "So what? Anyone not level one is the culprit? What if they had other quests? What if they were hunting? And more importantly—" His tone slammed harder now, principle surfacing.
"You are asking me to contradict my own rules."
Arden bristled, hands tightening on his knees. "We have statements, witness accounts—" he began, the protest raw at the edges.
Klion raised a finger, the single sign of ceasefire. The air steadied, the clearing swallowing small sounds as everyone leaned in. "This conversation ends here," Klion declared. His smile—thin now—was gone. "It was nice to meet you." He stood and walked away with the slow confidence of someone who had closed a book he didn't want to read again.
Arden's mouth opened, words forming, pleading or protest—it didn't matter; Hyun‑woo lightly touched his shoulder and whispered, a small calming motion that kept the man from rising again. Maja watched Arden's face, her green eyes unreadable—concern, fatigue.
Hyun‑woo's posture changed. He stepped forward, the move deliberate, and called out:
"Hey, Wolf!" His voice carried like a thrown spear across the stone circle.
Klion pivoted, eyebrow up. Wolf's reply was a short blade of sound. "What do you want?" he asked without turning his head.
Maja's hand darted out, a soft attempt to keep the line from tipping toward open violence. "Don't—don't do this," she murmured, fingers resting on Hyun‑woo's upper arm.
Hyun‑woo brushed her hand away with a rough, apologetic motion, eyes steady.
"I'm not trying to fight. I promise. But—" He stepped forward and pointed, a human, readable gesture. "Even your leader, Klion, has a weapon. Where is your weapon?"
Wolf made a slow half‑turn, revealing only the left half of his mask. The movement was languid; his left eye caught the firelight and flashed. "Oh, about that…" he said, voice smooth.
"My spear broke. It's being repaired now." The words lay flat and plausible.
Hyun‑woo's jaw tightened; his voice sharpened. "That doesn't sound believable don't you think so? You, the vice‑leader goes missing all day and comes back with his spear broken? That's convenient."
The camp, sensing confrontation, shifted—voices flaring low like wind through a fragile reed bed.
Wolf's laugh spilled out, mocking and low.
"I went exploring before the others. The spear was made by me—stone head, not very durable. I went far. It got damaged in the dark. It should be repairing this morning."
His voice carried the small arrogance of someone whose lies were half‑truth. For a moment the tension might have snapped one way or another. Hyun‑woo leaned forward, eyes narrowed, looking for the angle. Maja stood rigid, watching, the worry tightening at the corners of her mouth.
"If you want to see it, I can show you," Wolf said smoothly, his voice calm, almost teasing.
He leaned slightly to the side, letting the morning light catch half of his face, keeping the other half in shadow. "It was made with stone as a spearhead—different from the others."
Wolf's expression didn't change, though his mind moved like clockwork, synapses spinning calculations and counters. He felt the eyes of the camp like a ring of nails.
If he already carries this much suspicion...but it's still manageable one.
He thought of the talisman in his pocket. He weighed credibility against danger and decided the simplest path served his purposes.
Hyung-woo's eyes narrowed, his jaw tightening as he glanced toward Maja for a brief reassurance before focusing back on Wolf. He raised his hand slowly, a measured motion that didn't threaten but demanded attention.
"Fine," he said, voice low and steady. " Then you'll need to show me the way. Lead me to your armory—or wherever you're having that spear repaired. Show me where the broken spear is, right now. If it's stone‑headed like you say, I'll let this drop."
The crowd around them hummed—some skeptical, some curious, others leaning forward like predators scenting blood. Arden's face had drained color then regained paler composure.
Maja's fingers clenched once at her side; Hyun‑woo's stance eased a fraction but remained taut as a drawn string.
Wolf moved with deliberate ease as he led Hyun-woo and Maja through the paths of the camp. Klion stayed close beside him, silent at first, his eyes flicking over the scattered tents and the early risers already at work.
Leaning slightly toward Wolf, his voice a quiet rasp, "You already planned even this?"
Wolf shrugged, shoulders loose, expression unreadable.
No words, no hint, just the slow, confident step of a man who controls the pace of everyone around him.
Klion's gaze sharpened.
This man… he's really the kind you don't want to be on their bad side, he thought grimly, adjusting his stance to stay beside Wolf without getting too close.
It took only a few moments before the group arrived at the small clearing where the crafting group worked, the early sun casting long, angled shadows over wooden benches and half-finished weapons scattered around. Wolf's eyes settled on the old man he had left in charge.
"Old man, where is my spear?" Wolf's voice cut through the morning quiet—calm, cold, but carrying a weight that demanded immediate attention.
"Oh! Oh! Oh, sir," the old man stammered, visibly startled, hands shaking slightly as he straightened. "Sir, it hasn't been long… the spear—it's still in—"
Wolf's hand shot out, cutting him off. "Just hand it to me."
The old man swallowed hard and didn't resist, extending the unfinished spear. It was a crude assemblage: a thick, uneven wooden stick roughly whittled at the end, with a jagged sharpened rock lashed to the tip with frayed strips of leather. Splinters poked through in places, the bindings still loose, and the wood itself had small cracks from prior use.
It was far from perfect, but the makeshift craftsmanship hinted at potential.
Wolf's eyes scanned it for a split second, noting the imperfections, the alignment of the rock, the uneven balance—then, without another word, he handed the spear to Hyun-woo.
Hyun-woo took it with deliberate caution, eyes narrowing as he gave it a brief inspection. The angle of the rock, the rough edges, the raw feel—it was unmistakably different from the polished spears his team typically used. His grip tightened slightly, a reluctant nod forming, and he handed it back.
"Okay… apologies for my rudeness," Hyun-woo muttered, voice low but edged with lingering tension.
Wolf waved a hand, dismissing it with an almost imperceptible shrug. "It's fine," he said smoothly, then added, voice sharper now, "Why haven't you considered that the culprit might just be one of your own people? You know, considering… everything."
Hyun-woo's eyes flicked briefly toward Maja, then back down, lips pressing into a thin line.
"That… is to be discussed with my leader," he said curtly, and without waiting for a response, turned sharply and strode away.
Maja stayed a moment longer, green eyes wary, brown waves brushing against her shoulders as she watched the exchange. Her fingers twitched, a mix of frustration and concern crossing her lean frame, but she said nothing, only following after Hyun-woo with a subtle shake of her head.
Once they disappeared from sight, Wolf exhaled slowly, tossing the unfinished spear back toward the old man.
"Just finish it," he ordered, voice calm but carrying a hint of command. Then, placing a hand gently on the old man's shoulder, he added, "Good job, my good man." The old man's eyes widened slightly at the rare praise, a small smile breaking through his earlier tension.
Klion, standing beside him, wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. Without a word, he shifted his weight, letting the tension of the moment drain as he silently decided it was time to leave the area.
Wolf straightened, taking a deep, steadying breath. His eyes scanned the open space before them, the early sun glinting off distant foliage, the air carrying the faint scent of earth and smoke from the campfires.
Now… let's go. Explore, shall we?