The forest was calm—too calm.Etmoni moved carefully between the tall trees, crouching low as she collected glowing herbs. It was supposed to be a simple solo mission, an easy reward from the guild.
But then the ground trembled.The birds vanished.And a roar—deep, monstrous, and bone-shaking—ripped through the forest.
"W-What the hell!? There shouldn't be a monster of that level here!"
A giant beast, its body covered in black scales and molten cracks, burst from the shadows. Its eyes burned red like dying embers. Etmoni froze for a second, then turned and ran.
She leapt over roots, dodged trees, her bow bouncing on her shoulder as the beast crashed through the forest behind her. Her breathing grew ragged.A heavy tail struck the ground, sending dirt and splinters flying. The shockwave threw her off balance—she rolled down a slope, hitting the ground hard.
Blood trickled from her forehead.She winced, forcing herself up.Her legs trembled, but she kept running.
"There's… there's a cave nearby…"
The beast roared again, closing the distance. Etmoni stumbled toward the dark cave hidden behind a wall of vines.
But before she could reach it—The ground in front of the monster split open.
An invisible force dragged the creature downward; the soil swallowed its body until only its head was left above ground. It screamed and struggled, but then—
FWOOOM!A blazing fireball fell from above, striking dead center.
The explosion shook the trees. The air shimmered with heat. The ground turned black, molten, and silent.Only ashes remained.
Etmoni stood frozen, her eyes wide. The overwhelming heat faded, leaving only the quiet crackle of burning leaves. She slowly looked around.
"W-What just happened…?"
Her gaze landed on the nearby cave entrance, half-hidden by vines and moss. Something about it felt… strange, warm, and oddly safe.
Cautiously, she stepped closer.
Inside, faint light flickered from deep within—like someone was living there. Her heart pounded as she moved through the dark tunnel.
And then—
[System Notification: Hidden Quest Completed – "Unintended Hero"]Reward: Lightning Attribute (Dormant)
Far deeper inside the cave, Pramit stirred slightly in his sleep… snoring softly as if nothing had happened.
Etmoni stopped near the entrance, clutching her arm.
"Was that… him?" she whispered."No… that's impossible."
Still trembling, she glanced once more at the sleeping boy before sitting down near the wall.Her heartbeat slowly calmed.
"Whoever it was… saved my life."
The cave fell silent again, save for the faint sound of Pramit turning over in his sleep—completely unaware of what had just happened.
The smoke from the destroyed forest had barely faded when Etmoni cautiously stepped into the cave.The interior was massive, much larger than it appeared from outside. Crystals glowed softly along polished walls. Carved stone floors led into multiple rooms — a kitchen, a dining hall, even a few private chambers.
"This place… it's huge."
Her eyes scanned the cave, looking for anyone — the person who had just saved her life.Heat radiated faintly from the deeper chambers.
"Could it be… him?"
Quietly, she followed the warmth, stepping into a room slightly open at the end of the corridor.
Inside, a young man lay on a soft bed, completely covered in blankets. One arm flopped over the side; the other rested lazily across his forehead.His chest rose and fell in slow, even breaths.
Etmoni blinked.
"He's… sleeping?"
She tilted her head, frowning.
"Pretending to sleep, maybe… acting like he didn't just save me."
Her prideful hunter instincts flared.
"If he thinks I'll be impressed by this, he's mistaken."
She crossed her arms, then smirked mischievously.
"Let's see how he handles a little… encouragement."
She grabbed a small bucket of cold spring water from the corner.
"Wake up, lazy hero!"
Splash! 💦
Pramit twitched slightly, murmured something incoherent in his sleep… and rolled over.
Etmoni raised an eyebrow.
"Huh… still asleep?"
A laugh escaped her.
"No way. I thought he was pretending. Now I see… he's completely useless awake and asleep!"
Determined, she grabbed another bucket.
"Let's try this again!"
Before she could pour, she noticed something: his face, relaxed and innocent, almost like he hadn't just caused a forest explosion.Her anger softened, replaced by disbelief.
"Wait… he really didn't know he saved me?"
She sighed, muttering under her breath, hands on her hips.
"Lazy, infuriating… and somehow still my hero."
Pramit murmured in his sleep again:
"Five more minutes… maybe fish for breakfast…"
Etmoni groaned, shaking her head.
"Unbelievable. The guy saves lives in his sleep and dreams about food. Why am I even impressed…?"
The cave settled into silence. Outside, the forest still smoldered, but inside, a lazy boy slept on — unaware of the drama, unaware of the gratitude, unaware of the chaos he had just caused.