Morning sunlight spilled gently over the treetop roofs of the Dawn Tribe, painting the settlement in hues of amber and green. Smoke rose lazily from the cooking fires, carrying the scent of herbs and roasting roots. Arin — once the lost child from another world — now moved among the people like a small but familiar shadow.
Her woven tunic, though still a little oversized, had been dyed with crushed berries that gave it a faint rose tint. Around her neck hung a small charm of carved bone, a token from Kira that marked her as part of their family cluster.
Today, however, her hands trembled with both excitement and nerves.
It was her first day being assigned to a tribe task.
"Arin, this way," Jiru called, balancing a basket against his shoulder. "You'll be helping us gather blackvine roots by the south ridge. Don't wander off."
"I won't!" she said quickly, jogging after him. Raku followed in her shadow, his paws silent on the dirt.
They set out in a small group — Jiru, Kira, two young hunters named Maro and Elan, and Arin herself. The path wound between towering trunks wrapped in moss and dotted with tiny blue fungi. The air was cool and damp, heavy with the scent of earth.
Arin found herself glancing at the trees more often than usual. She could feel something — faint pulses, like distant heartbeats beneath the soil. Ever since the elders gave her a tribal name, the sensation had grown stronger.
It was almost as if the forest was whispering to her.
> [Passive Skill "Forest Sense" has evolved to Lv.2.]
[Range increased to 50 meters.]
She blinked. The glowing text appeared for only a moment before fading again. Her steps faltered.
"Arin?" Kira turned to her. "You okay?"
Arin hesitated, then smiled weakly. "Just… dizzy for a second."
Kira frowned, but didn't press. "Drink some water. You probably stood too fast this morning."
Arin nodded and took a sip from her skin flask. In truth, she wasn't dizzy at all — just overwhelmed. The forest had spoken louder than before, and deep inside, something responded to it.
As they reached the ridge, the others began digging with bone tools. Blackvine roots were long, fibrous, and used for medicine. Arin crouched beside Jiru, watching how he cut the vines cleanly before tugging the roots free.
"Like this," he said, handing her a knife. "Not too deep — they'll regrow faster if you leave part of the stalk."
"Okay!"
She tried mimicking his motions. Her first attempt was clumsy, the blade slipping, but she adjusted quickly. The rhythm soothed her — scrape, pull, twist, cut — until her small pile of roots grew steadily.
Maro whistled. "Fast learner, huh?"
Jiru smirked. "Told you. The kid picks up things like a squirrel steals nuts."
Arin giggled softly.
The morning passed in easy chatter until a deep rumble rolled through the ground. Birds took off from the treetops in a wave of startled wings.
Everyone froze.
"Elan?" Kira whispered. "Was that… thunder?"
Elan shook his head slowly. "No. That came from the valley."
Raku growled low, his fur bristling. Arin's heart began to race. Her Forest Sense flared without warning — and in her mind, she saw faint outlines of movement far beyond their position. Massive. Slow. Unfamiliar.
> [Warning: Unknown Beast Signature detected — Classification: Alpha Tier]
[Distance: 2.3 kilometers south.]
Her breath caught. Alpha Tier?
Jiru noticed her paling face. "What is it?"
She hesitated. Should she tell them? They didn't know about the system — and she didn't understand it fully herself.
"Something's… moving," she whispered instead. "Big. South side."
Maro laughed nervously. "You saw it?"
"No. I… felt it."
Her tone must have carried something serious, because even the laughter died.
Elan scanned the treeline. "We should return. Now."
Jiru nodded sharply. "Pack it up. Kira, take Arin and head first."
Raku stayed close as they retreated through the forest. Every now and then, the ground trembled faintly again. The beast wasn't chasing them — but it was moving, and the forest itself seemed uneasy.
By the time they reached the village, Toren and several hunters were already preparing weapons. Smoke from the watchfires curled in warning patterns — dark plumes rising straight instead of curling outward.
"It's heading for the southern river," one scout reported. "A stoneback! It came down from the mountains."
Arin's blood ran cold. She'd seen a glimpse of it in her system's interface once — a creature the size of a hut, armored with black scales like rock, and known for flattening entire groves when provoked.
The tribe wasn't panicking, but tension hummed through every movement.
Toren raised his spear. "Hunters, with me. Kira, keep the young ones back. Jiru — guard the camp perimeter."
Arin stepped forward without thinking. "Wait—what if it comes here?"
The elder gave her a calm look. "Then the forest will decide. But fear not, little Arin. Dawn always stands strong."
She wanted to protest — to tell him about the danger reading, the Alpha Tier tag, the numbers flashing in her head — but she bit her tongue. They wouldn't understand.
Instead, she grabbed her satchel and followed Kira to the defensive ring near the outer fires. Raku growled beside her, eyes fixed southward.
"Stay close to me," Kira said, nocking an arrow. "If anything breaks the line, run for the elders' platform, understood?"
Arin nodded. Her small hands tightened on the handle of a bone dagger Jiru had given her days ago.
Minutes stretched into an hour. The forest had gone utterly silent — no birds, no chirping insects, only the soft crackle of torches.
Then came the sound.
A deep, resonating thoom, as if the earth itself had taken a step.
Branches snapped. A cloud of leaves burst upward. And then it appeared — a Stoneback Lizard, its scales glimmering like obsidian under sunlight, massive claws tearing at roots as it emerged from the trees.
Even from a distance, the pressure of its aura made her knees buckle.
> [Alpha Beast — Stoneback Lizard (Lv.21)]
[Estimated Power: Fatal.]
Arin's vision blurred slightly, the world dimming at the edges. Raku moved in front of her, hackles raised, fangs bared.
The warriors shouted as Toren's group rushed to intercept, spears and slings flying. The Stoneback roared — a deep, grinding sound that shook the trees.
Arin clutched her head. The Forest Sense was screaming now, overwhelming. But in that flood of noise, she sensed something else — not anger, but pain.
The beast wasn't hunting. It was hurt.
Her eyes widened. "Wait—don't!" she shouted. "It's—!"
But her voice was swallowed by the chaos.
The battle had begun.
The world exploded into chaos.
The Stoneback's roar tore through the clearing like thunder. Spears shattered against its scales. Arrows clanged uselessly, bouncing away like pebbles against armor. Dust filled the air as trees splintered, roots tore, and the ground itself trembled beneath its weight.
Toren barked commands, voice steady amid the uproar. "Circle! Don't let it reach the dens!"
Warriors moved as one — a wall of courage against an impossible foe. But Arin saw the futility in their faces. The beast was too strong. Its hide glimmered like molten stone, each breath sending waves of heat across the field.
And under that, she still felt it — the pain.
Not fury. Not hunger. Just pain.
"Raku—" her voice cracked. The wolf-beast beside her snarled, eyes flicking toward the creature as if he too sensed it.
> [Warning: Detected energy resonance — Origin: Unknown]
[Beast distress linked to corrupted mana flow detected.]
The system's voice pulsed faintly in her head. Arin's heartbeat thundered. Corrupted mana?
Could that be what was driving it mad?
She stumbled forward before she could think. "Wait!" she shouted. "Stop fighting it—please, it's not—!"
Kira grabbed her arm instantly. "Are you insane?! You'll get killed!"
"It's in pain!"
"That's a monster!"
Arin wrenched free, eyes wide and desperate. "No—it's hurt! I can feel it!"
The others couldn't hear what she did. To them, it was madness — the child who talked to trees now running toward a beast that crushed stone beneath its claws.
But Arin couldn't stop. Her Forest Sense was roaring now, the pulse of the forest merging with the creature's own rhythm. She saw flashes behind her eyelids — shards of black stone embedded deep within the creature's flesh, glowing with sickly green light.
Her bare feet pounded against the ground as she ran through the haze.
Raku sprinted after her, a silver streak against the dust.
"Arin!" Kira's scream echoed, but she didn't turn back.
When the Stoneback's shadow loomed over her, time seemed to slow. The massive head swung toward her, eyes glowing with molten gold and agony.
For a heartbeat, it hesitated.
Arin raised her hands. "It's okay… I'm not going to hurt you."
The air vibrated — pressure so intense it felt like the world would crush her. Yet she stood still, trembling but unyielding.
Then the System flared.
> [Unique Skill unlocked: Verdant Resonance]
[You can channel natural energy through living connections.]
[Proceed? (Y/N)]
Her answer came as instinct.
"Yes."
Light erupted around her — soft green and gold, flowing from her hands like threads of life itself. The forest responded; roots stirred beneath the soil, leaves quivered on high branches. Even the fires dimmed as if bowing to something older, gentler.
The aura wrapped around the beast's snout, then sank through the cracks of its stone scales.
The ground stilled. The Stoneback's breath hitched.
Then, like a great sigh, the tension broke.
The creature stopped thrashing. The violent shimmer of its eyes faded to a dim, tired glow. It sank onto its forelimbs, tail crushing trees behind it, but the rage was gone.
Everyone froze. Even Toren lowered his spear slowly, staring in disbelief.
"What… what did she just do?" Maro whispered.
Arin swayed, the light flickering around her body. The System blazed faintly in her sight — dozens of unread messages scrolling too fast to focus on.
Raku stood in front of her protectively, but the Stoneback no longer moved to strike. Its chest rose and fell heavily, massive claws digging into the soil.
She took a small step forward. "It's okay… you don't have to fight anymore."
The beast blinked once — slow, deliberate. Then, to everyone's astonishment, it turned away.
It lumbered back into the forest, dragging its tail behind, leaving a trail of upturned earth and shattered roots.
When silence finally settled, only the wind moved.
Toren broke it first, his voice deep but shaken. "Child… what power was that?"
Arin's lips parted, but no words came. The world tilted suddenly. Her vision darkened around the edges, and the forest seemed to blur.
Raku barked sharply as she stumbled backward.
> [System Alert: Energy output critical. Host fatigue — 89%.]
[Entering forced recovery.]
The last thing she heard before darkness took her was Kira shouting her name.
Arin awoke hours later, surrounded by the soft glow of firelight. Her head pounded. The smell of herbs and smoke filled the tent. She tried to sit up, but a hand pushed her back gently.
Kira's worried face appeared. "Don't move. You fainted for nearly half a day."
"Half…?" Her throat was dry.
"Yeah." Jiru's voice came from somewhere near the fire. "Scared everyone half to death. You walk into a battle, glow like a spirit, and then just drop."
Arin's cheeks flushed faintly. "I… didn't mean to…"
Kira frowned. "Whatever you did out there — the elders want to know. That Stoneback should've crushed us. Instead, it just… stopped."
Arin looked down at her hands. The faint green glow that lingered earlier was gone, replaced by small, pale scars near her wrists.
"I don't know how," she murmured honestly. "I just… wanted it to stop hurting."
The tent fell silent for a moment.
Raku, curled beside her, opened one eye and rumbled softly, pressing his nose against her shoulder.
Kira sighed, rubbing her forehead. "You're not normal, Arin. I think we all knew that already. But now… everyone will know."
Arin's stomach twisted. The idea of standing before the elders again made her palms sweat.
But deeper still, beneath her fear, a quiet realization pulsed.
She'd touched something ancient — something that connected her not just to the forest, but to the living world itself.
Her System flickered awake once more.
> [Verdant Resonance — Lv.1 Established]
[Affinity with natural life increased.]
[Main Quest Progress: 11%]
[Hidden Trait evolving...]
Arin swallowed hard. "What are you doing to me…?" she whispered.
The System, of course, gave no answer.
Outside, the forest hummed softly — alive, alert, and watching her now.
The dawn that followed Arin's awakening was silent — unnaturally so.
Not even the morning birds dared to sing.
Outside her tent, the tribe moved with quiet purpose. People whispered instead of talking, glancing toward her shelter with both awe and unease. Children who once waved when she passed now hid behind their mothers' skirts. Even the hunters paused mid-step when Raku padded out for water.
By the time Arin finally gathered the courage to step outside, the weight of their gazes pressed against her like a wall.
She clutched her satchel against her chest. "They're… afraid of me," she murmured.
Kira, walking beside her, sighed. "They're not afraid, Arin. Just… confused. No one's ever seen something like that before."
"Still feels the same," she whispered.
Kira stopped, crouching so their eyes met. "Listen. You saved us. That's what matters. The Stoneback would've crushed the village if you hadn't stepped in."
Arin looked down. "But I didn't mean to do anything. It just—happened."
"That's exactly why Toren wants to see you."
Her stomach flipped. "Now?"
Kira nodded. "Don't worry. We'll go together."
The council hall stood beneath the Great Oak — a colossal tree older than the tribe itself. Its roots formed natural walls, and light filtered through its canopy like the glow of an ancient temple.
Elders sat in a circle at the center, their carved staves planted into the ground before them. Toren stood at their head, his expression calm but unreadable.
Arin's steps echoed softly as she entered, Raku following silently at her heel.
"Arin of the Dawn Tribe," Toren began. "Yesterday, before all witnesses, you halted the rampage of an Alpha beast. Tell us — how?"
The question hung in the air like a blade.
Arin fidgeted, unsure where to begin. She couldn't exactly tell them about the System; they wouldn't understand, and she wasn't even sure she understood it herself.
"I… don't really know," she said finally. "It was hurting. I could feel it — through the ground, through the trees. I just… wanted to help. And then… the light came."
The elders exchanged glances, murmuring quietly. One of them, an older woman with braids streaked in gray — Elder Sora — leaned forward. "You felt the beast's pain?"
"Yes." Arin hesitated. "Like… the forest was crying."
A few gasps escaped the council.
Toren's eyes narrowed slightly. "Do you understand what you're claiming, child?"
She shook her head.
"The forest's voice has not been heard since the Age of the First Flame," he said slowly. "Our oldest songs tell of those who could speak to the spirits of the land — Guides, they were called. But that gift was lost generations ago."
"Then… maybe it wasn't gone," Arin said softly. "Maybe it was just sleeping."
The words slipped out before she could stop them. Silence followed — heavy, uncertain, but tinged with something like wonder.
Elder Sora spoke again, gentler now. "Do you remember the feeling? Could you call it again?"
Arin bit her lip. "I don't think so. It hurt… inside. Like something was being pulled out."
Toren nodded once. "Then do not try again. Not until we understand what happened."
She nodded quickly, relief washing through her.
After a pause, Toren rose. "Whatever power you wield, it saved our people. For that, you are no longer merely a guest of Dawn. You are one of us — by the will of the forest itself."
He raised his spear, pointing its tip toward her. The tribe's warriors, gathered at the edges of the hall, struck their palms to their chests in salute.
"Arin of the Quiet Dawn," he said solemnly. "The spirits have accepted you. May your light not burn, but guide."
The ceremony ended as swiftly as it began. Arin bowed awkwardly, unsure what to say. When she turned, she caught glimpses of admiration and fear mixing in equal measure among the crowd.
Outside, Kira exhaled heavily. "You handled that better than I expected."
"I… don't know if I did," Arin muttered.
"Trust me," Jiru said from behind, grinning. "You looked like a tiny goddess out there."
She rolled her eyes. "I'm not a goddess."
"Could've fooled me."
Raku huffed, brushing past Jiru's leg and nearly knocking him off balance.
"Hey! Even your wolf thinks I'm right!"
Despite herself, Arin laughed. It was small and fleeting, but real — and it loosened the knot in her chest.
That night, as the tribe celebrated their survival with a quiet feast, Arin sat by the riverbank again. The water shimmered faintly under moonlight.
She stared at her reflection, tracing the faint glow still lingering at the edge of her fingertips.
It felt different now — like something had rooted itself deep within her, binding her to this land.
> [System Log Updated.]
[Skill: Verdant Resonance Lv.1 Active — Stable Connection Established.]
[New Quest Unlocked: "Root of the Blight."]
[Objective: Investigate the source of corrupted mana in the southern valley.]
Her breath hitched. The southern valley… that was where the Stoneback came from.
A shiver ran down her spine. "So it wasn't just hurt. Something made it that way."
Raku lifted his head beside her, golden eyes reflecting the moon.
Arin reached out and ran her hand along his fur. "Guess that means we'll have to go there someday, huh?"
He gave a low rumble — not agreement, not refusal. Just understanding.
She looked back toward the tribe — torches flickering, laughter drifting faintly through the night — and her heart tightened.
She was happy here. But the forest's call wouldn't let her rest. The pulse beneath the soil was changing again, deeper and darker.
Somewhere beyond the trees, something was waking up.
And Arin, the child from another world, could feel that its eyes were already turning toward her.