A week had passed since he first lost his way in that forest—seven days of wandering without direction or certainty. Every sunrise felt like a borrowed moment, his survival for the next day never guaranteed.
His body had grown gaunt, and his brown hair was a matted mess from neglect. Even his brown eyes seemed to darken, hollowing out from malnutrition.
Leaning against a tree had become his only solace. He would simply close his eyes and sleep whenever the hunger became unbearable. Occasionally, he tried to hunt using the dagger given to him by the adventurers he’d saved, but the inhabitants of the Nerthvale Forest were anything but welcoming. Most were apex predators, forcing him into a life-or-death struggle before he could even think of a meal.
Yet, Yujin lacked the strength to fight. He held nothing but a handful of steel—a blade that couldn't even guarantee his own safety.
"Will I stay in this forest until death finally claims me?" he muttered, despair seeping into his voice.
He had tried everything, and everything had failed. He was only lucky to have the System as his companion; without its guidance, he would have surely succumbed to the toxic fruits scattered throughout the woods. Hunting was his only path forward—the only way to grow stronger and level up.
He stared deep into the thicket. Can I actually survive this?
Better to try than to rot. He forced himself to stand, his limbs feeling like lead, but for the sake of food and strength, he stepped forward.
Step by step, he trudged through the oppressive silence. There was no sound but the whistling wind and the occasional, bone-chilling chirp of a bird. The lack of prey made his search difficult. He passed various exotic fruits, but the System’s warnings made it clear: eating them was synonymous with suicide.
[Warning! You have entered the Western territory of Nerthvale Forest—habitat of the magical Chimera.]
[Please prioritize your safety!]
The sudden notification made his heart leap. The sharp 'Ding' of the System was jarring in the silence.
Suddenly, the bushes nearby rustled. There was no wind. Something was there. Without warning, a four-legged beast of medium build lunged from the shadows.
Yujin, caught off guard, couldn't dodge in time. The creature’s serrated teeth sank into his left arm. An unimaginable surge of pain exploded through him. He reached for his fallen dagger, but the beast was intelligent—it clamped its jaws tighter and threw Yujin across the clearing, away from his weapon.
Ugh... He hit a tree with a sickening thud. "Heh... so you’re a smart one, aren’t you?"
Blood poured from his arm, but the adrenaline began to numb the pain. He realized there were far more painful fates than a flesh wound. As the beast charged again, Yujin rolled to the right, scrambling toward his blade. He felt the Aether in the air swirling behind him—the beast was channeling magic.
Just as his fingers closed around the hilt, a fireball streaked toward his face. In a fraction of a second, instinct took over. He ducked, and the projectile exploded directly behind him.
[Skill: 'Acceleration' has been activated!]
His body felt unnaturally light. Jumping felt effortless. Yujin lunged at the beast, feinting a direct strike before slipping to its left flank to swing his dagger.
But the creature was faster than he anticipated. It swerved, dodging his strike, and whipped its tail around, slamming Yujin into the dirt.
Without giving him a moment to breathe, it lunged for his throat. Yujin barely managed to bar its path with his dagger. Gritting his teeth against the pressure, he saw an opening. He intentionally let the beast bite his left arm again to pin it down, and with a roar of agony, he drove the dagger deep into the creature's eye.
The Chimera shrieked in pain. Yujin scrambled up, ripped the blade out, and leaped onto the monster's back. From this vantage point, he drove the steel through its skull and straight into its brain. The thrashing stopped instantly. The beast collapsed, and Yujin tumbled to the ground beside it, gasping for air.
[Congratulations! You have defeated a Tier III Magical Creature: Chimera!]
He lay there, staring up at the forest canopy. The leaves swayed gently, indifferent to his struggle. His vision began to blur and darken.
Ugh... I’m exhausted. Maybe a short nap won't hurt...
Slowly, his heavy eyelids closed, and the world faded into black.
The sound of heavy footsteps and the rhythmic swaying of a carriage slowly pulled him back to consciousness.
"Where am I?" he groaned, clutching his head. The hard floor of the carriage had done him no favors.
A carriage? Panic flared in his chest. Where are they taking me?
The door creaked open. Yujin’s hands trembled—after a week in the wild, this was his first contact with another human.
"Yo, look who’s back from the dead! What’s up, pal? Getting a fresh head, huh—"
"Who are you? Why am I here?!"
Yujin lunged, pinning his dagger against the throat of the old man who had just stepped in. The old man blinked, surprised by the boy's lethality, but he simply chuckled as if it were a minor inconvenience.
"Easy there, tiger. Lower the toothpick. We’re the ones who fished you out of the dirt next to that Chimera. You gave that overgrown cat one hell of a headache, didn't ya?."
Yujin hesitated, then slowly lowered the dagger. He searched the old man's eyes for malice but found only a tired kindness.
"I am Junpei, a merchant from the city of Lumeris."
"And where are we going?"
"To Lumeris, of course. What'cha expect huh?"
Junpei spoke with the confidence of a seasoned traveler, though to Yujin, his boasting sounded a bit tacky. Suddenly, Yujin’s legs gave out, the exhaustion finally catching up. He slumped onto a seat.
"How long was I out?"
"Well, around two days, i think."
"Two... days?"
Yujin was stunned. He only intended to rest for a moment. Junpei explained that his group had harvested the Chimera for parts, keeping them for Yujin. To them, stealing from a survivor was beneath their dignity.
"Ho-ho! So this is the young blood Junpei was yapping about?"
Junpei’s companions—men just as old as he was—were eager to meet the boy who had slain a Chimera alone. To them, Yujin was a true warrior.
"Damn, kid! Taking down a Chimera all by your lonesome? You’ve got some serious brass on that shit, I’ll give you that!"
"Right on!" Said one of them. "Most kids your age would’ve wet their pants and turned into monster snacks. But you? You’re a real scrapper! A natural-born fighter, haha!"
The atmosphere grew cozy as they learned Yujin wasn't part of any guild.
"Why not join the Lumeris Guild, kid?" one suggested.
The air went still. Yujin remembered the humiliation of being rejected in his old city.
"You're... suggesting me to join?"
"Why not? Listen to me, kiddo," Junpei said as he leaned against the train "Joining a Guild ain't just about the glory. Wandering around a place like Lumeris without an ID is a one-way ticket to trouble. You’re a tough nut, sure, but even the toughest nut needs a shell. Why not give the Lumeris Guild a shot? With your grit, they’d be fools to turn you away!"
Yujin fell silent, his doubts lingering. Junpei eventually nudged him to rest in the cabin. As Yujin walked away, his eyes met a girl standing apart from the group, seemingly disinterested in the old men's chatter.
Whatever. Not my business.
He lay down in the carriage, his body aching. But the cabin was too small, the air too stifling. Unable to sleep, he stepped out into the cool night air.
"Can't sleep either, I see."
It was the girl from before. She had orange hair tied in a ponytail and golden eyes that seemed to glow in the dark.
"Who are you?" Yujin asked.
"Heh, you think you can just get my name that easily? Look at your clothes. You look like a total commoner."
"My clothes are worn because I’ve been traveling, not because I’m poor."
"That’s exactly the point, idiot!"
She stepped closer, her hair swaying in the breeze. "Since you’re... interesting, I’ll tell you. I am Aurelia Von Ignivar."
"Yujin Baek. Nice to meet you. Now go to sleep. It’s cold out here."
Aurelia’s eyes narrowed. To her, Yujin’s concern sounded like a slight. "Are you looking down on me? I’m immune to the cold!"
"Not my business. Just go to sleep."
"You...!"
Yujin’s vision blurred again. He was done. He turned his back on her and headed inside.
"Sleep. You’ll be all alone out there if you don't," he muttered.
He collapsed onto the folding bed Junpei’s friend had lent him. For the first time in forever, he wasn't sleeping on dirt or roots.
I’m still alive, he thought as darkness finally claimed him. I actually made it.