Ray had been on numerous patrols to the nearby village before, either accompanied by the Knight Captain Kevin or going solo as per the Marquis's orders. But this time, something felt different. The Marquis hadn't explicitly expressed the desire for Ray to go, but he sensed the urgency in the reports. The forest monsters were behaving strangely, and such occurrences were rare, with the last outbreak happening a decade ago when Ray was just a child.
Ray coined the term "Outbreak" to describe the phenomenon where monsters lost their rationality and indiscriminately attacked everything in their path, including humans, creatures, and even trees. With this theory in mind, Ray prepared for his journey. He packed medicines to tend to injuries and equipped himself with his favorite sword enhanced with a potent poison. He believed in expecting the unexpected.
Mounted on his horse, Ray relished the sensation of the wind brushing against his face. As he rode, he admired the lush green forests and the earthy terrain his horse trotted upon. The recent duel with Kevin had served as a wake-up call, a stark reminder of his own weaknesses. If he couldn't overpower a single opponent, he realized he still had a long way to go before he could consider himself invincible.
Ray contemplated the implications of his limitations. If he couldn't defeat a single adversary, how would he fare in life-and-death situations? What if his family faced danger? What if he found himself outnumbered? It was a realization that compelled him to set new standards for his strength and weaknesses, redefining what it truly meant to be invincible and strong.
This newfound resolve would guide his life and shape his destiny. With these thoughts burning in his mind, Ray arrived at the village and headed straight for the village head's residence, ready to face the challenges that lay ahead.