Herin hurried toward the village gate after learning that Kalin had gone to the Hanmar Forest alone. Panic filled her chest as she ran.
She knew the young master better than anyone. In the past, Kalin could barely take care of himself without someone assisting him.
Thirty minutes had already passed since he left, yet Herin still wanted to follow him. Countless thoughts raced through her mind. If something happened to Kalin, she would never be able to fulfill the promise she had made to his mother.
"Please step back, Lady Herin."
Simon suddenly blocked her path, standing firmly in front of the gate.
"What are you doing?" Herin demanded anxiously. "The young master went into the forest alone. It's dangerous! We have to bring him back."
Simon could clearly see the worry in her eyes, but he slowly shook his head.
"I'm afraid I can't allow that, Lady Herin."
In truth, Kalin had already anticipated this situation. He knew that once Herin discovered he had gone to the forest alone, she would follow him without hesitation. Because of that, he had given Simon strict orders to stop her.
"Are you trying to get the young master killed?" Herin argued, her voice trembling with frustration. "We can still catch up to him. There's still time!"
"I understand your concern, Lady Herin," Simon replied calmly. "But Sir Kalin gave a direct order. We are not allowed to let you leave the village—even if we have to use force."
"This is absurd! I won't just stand here while the young master risks his life—"
Before she could finish her words, Herin suddenly felt the strength leave her body.
Her vision blurred.
Her knees buckled.
Thud.
Herin collapsed onto the ground, unconscious.
Simon quickly stepped forward and caught her before she could fall completely.
"...Forgive me, Lady Herin," he murmured quietly.
-
On the other side of the forest, towering trees covered the entire area, their thick branches blocking most of the sunlight. Leaves drifted slowly through the air as a gentle breeze passed between the trunks.
More than thirty minutes had passed since Kalin left the village. He had now fully entered the Hanmar Forest.
Tall bushes surrounded him on every side, forcing him to stay on high alert. From where he stood, he could not tell what kind of creature might suddenly emerge from the undergrowth.
Slowly, Kalin drew his sword from its scabbard, gripping the hilt tightly. If a monster appeared, he would have to react instantly.
Anything could happen in this forest.
That was why he moved carefully, every step measured.
Gathering supplies for the village was his primary reason for entering the forest. However, since he was already here, he also intended to gather information about the witch's location. If he could discover where she was hiding, it would give them a significant advantage.
Along the way, Kalin spotted several fruit-bearing trees.
Bananas, oranges, and even wild apples hung from the branches.
Without hesitation, he collected as many as he could and placed them inside his bag.
Another thirty minutes passed before he suddenly heard something familiar.
The faint sound of flowing water.
Curious, Kalin followed the direction of the sound until he reached its source.
Before him stood a beautiful waterfall cascading down a rocky cliff, the clear water splashing into a small pool below. Sunlight filtered through the trees and reflected off the falling water, creating a shimmering mist in the air.
For a moment, Kalin simply stared in amazement.
It was the first time he had seen something like this in this world.
"What a beautiful sight..." he murmured.
A faint smile appeared on his face as another thought crossed his mind.
If there was fresh water here, there was a good chance fish lived in the pool as well.
Unfortunately, he had neither a fishing rod nor the knowledge to catch fish with his bare hands. Reluctantly, he decided he would return another time.
Still, Kalin didn't linger in the area.
If this was the only water source in the forest, there was a high possibility that dangerous monsters would eventually appear here.
Many creatures needed water to survive.
Avoiding unnecessary encounters was the smarter choice.
Two hours passed.
Despite his efforts, Kalin had only managed to gather fruit for the village.
Just by looking at the contents of his bag, he knew it wouldn't be enough. The villagers needed meat or vegetables to regain their strength.
But no matter how hard he searched, he couldn't find a single deer or rabbit.
Not even a trace.
Kalin sighed in disappointment.
"I should head back," he muttered quietly. "I'll return tomorrow."
He had also failed to gather any information about the witch. Finding her location would require venturing deeper into the forest, something he wasn't prepared to do yet.
Kalin stood up and turned toward the direction of Hanmar Village.
Just as he was about to leave—
Screeeek!
A sharp screech suddenly echoed from the bushes behind him.
Kalin froze.
His grip tightened around the hilt of his sword as he slowly turned toward the sound.
"Don't tell me..." he muttered under his breath, his voice tense.
"Did something track me here?"
He raised his thin, keen blade and pointed it toward the rustling bushes.
His eyes narrowed.
Waiting.
Ready to strike the moment the creature revealed itself.
Swish!
Kalin quickly stepped back two paces as a sudden sense of danger struck him.
His instincts were correct.
The creature hiding in the bushes suddenly lunged forward.
The bushes burst apart, leaves scattering through the air as the attacker revealed itself.
"A wolf?"
Kalin raised his sword and pointed it toward the aggressive beast while scanning the surrounding area.
In his mind, wolves rarely hunted alone. They usually traveled in packs.
"Where are the others?"
The creature before him had silver-white fur, though its body looked thin and frail, as if it had not eaten for days. Despite its weak appearance, its eyes burned with hunger.
Kalin frowned.
If the wolf had a pack nearby, they would have appeared already.
But there was nothing.
Just the two of them.
Still, running away from a wolf was foolish. Wolves possessed incredible speed, and Kalin knew he wasn't fast enough to escape.
Without hesitation, he steadied himself and faced the beast.
Unlike the undead creatures he had fought earlier, this wolf was alive—and far more dangerous.
Suddenly, the wolf dashed forward.
Its claws flashed toward Kalin's neck.
Swish!
The attack was swift and brutal, but Kalin reacted in time.
Clang!
The wolf's claws collided with his sword, producing a sharp metallic sound.
However, the beast's strength was greater than he expected.
Kalin was forced back a step, his arms trembling from the impact.
Before he could recover, the wolf attacked again.
Swish!
Argh!
Kalin groaned in pain as the wolf's claws grazed his arm.
If he hadn't twisted his body at the last second, the strike might have torn open his throat.
His sleeve ripped open as blood slowly seeped from the wound.
"It's not that deep... I can still fight," Kalin muttered to himself.
But the moment the wolf smelled his blood, its eyes grew even more ferocious.
After exchanging several blows, Kalin quickly realized something.
This was completely different from fighting the undead.
The undead creatures moved slowly and charged blindly.
This wolf was intelligent.
Fast.
It constantly changed its position, circling him like a predator studying its prey.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The wolf attacked repeatedly with frightening speed, forcing Kalin to retreat with every strike.
If this continued, it wouldn't take long before he made a mistake.
Swish!
Kalin suddenly swung his sword in a wide arc.
The wolf instinctively jumped backward, creating a gap between them.
That was exactly what Kalin wanted.
He hadn't swung his blade recklessly.
It was part of his plan.
With the wolf's speed, trying to match it directly was impossible.
So he needed a different strategy.
Without hesitation, Kalin turned and ran deeper into the forest.
Branches snapped beneath his feet as he sprinted between the trees.
But no matter how fast he ran, the wolf maintained a steady distance of five or six meters behind him.
"Damn..."
"It can't be helped. I'll pick them up later."
Kalin quickly dropped the bag filled with fruit.
Carrying it only slowed him down and made it harder to fight.
He continued running until something suddenly appeared ahead.
A narrow cave entrance hidden between two large rocks.
Kalin's eyes narrowed.
A plan immediately formed in his mind.
There!
A broad smile spread across Kalin's face. He could use the cave entrance to his advantage, launching a sneak attack. As he neared the narrow opening, he slid through just as the wolf lunged at him.
Thud!
Both Kalin and the wolf fit through the entrance, but the height was too low—if he stood upright, his head would have struck the ceiling.
Kalin had planned to strike the wolf once inside the cave. But something unexpected happened: the wolf's skull slammed into the low ceiling with a loud crack, echoing through the cave. The beast staggered, dazed, and collapsed to the ground.
Kalin knew this blow wasn't enough to finish it. Without hesitation, he seized the moment. He charged forward, thrusting his sword repeatedly into the wolf's head.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Three precise strikes later, the wolf stopped moving. Blood splattered across Kalin's face, but he couldn't suppress a grin. Every time his sword pierced the wolf, a strange thrill surged through him.
"Why am I enjoying this?" he muttered. At first, he assumed it was adrenaline. But after seeing the wolf's lifeless body, he realized it was more than that. "Could it be... because of the previous owner of this body?"
Perhaps this was how Kalin—well, the body's former occupant—had found satisfaction.
Still, there was no time to dwell. Monsters had a keen sense of smell, and the scent of blood could attract more predators.
Kalin dragged the wolf deeper into the cave to butcher it. Carrying the entire body outside would slow him down and make him vulnerable.
But as he stepped further inside, Kalin froze.
"What... exactly is this cave?"