Kai's and Ervin's facial expressions turned tense. They are currently inside the forbidden forest, where wild beasts of different levels roam. They are fortunate not to have encountered any beasts yet, but the likelihood of an encounter is high. Moreover, they've heard of water beasts, more powerful than the land-dwelling ones. What if a beast is drawn to the noise they made, waiting for the opportune moment to hunt its prey?
Ervin is on the brink of tears, wailing that "he was a good brother and a good teacher; because of Kai, he is dead."
Hearing this, Kai transitions from shock to anger. He picks up a small stone from the river and throws it directly at Ervin's head, yelling, "What did I do, moron?"
"Ouch! Do you want to kill me too, brother killer?" Ervin yells back.
Kai is so angry that his face turns red, ready to explode. However, they sense shadows in the water, emerging from deep down. Both of them raise their guard; Kai takes his dagger out of his waist, and Ervin picks up his spear, ready to attack whatever emerges from the water. Who knows, it might be the same beast that killed Dan, still hungry for more prey.
As the initially indistinct shadow evolved into a larger, humanoid form, disappointment settled over Kai and Ervin — it was merely Dan. Recognizing their friend, they lowered their weapons, relieved that the mysterious presence was not a threat.
With a gentle touch, Dan's head broke the water's surface, and he gracefully rose to his feet, moving towards them. Yet, what caught Kai and Ervin off guard was the sight of a sizable fish clamped within Dan's mouth. The fish, about the size of Dan's hand, teetered on the edge of life and death. Dan's teeth had penetrated the creature deeply, resembling the powerful grip of a bear, adding an unexpected twist to their encounter in the forbidden forest.
Ervin's eyes sparkled with delight, and drools of amazement escaped him. Kai, equally impressed, voiced his astonishment, "Dan, how did you do that? It was incredible! When did you pick up fishing? And, aren't you afraid of water beasts?"
Kai unleashed a barrage of questions, eager for answers. However, to his disappointment, Dan responded with a simple, "I just happened to learn fishing," wearing an annoyed expression on his face. The mystery behind Dan's newfound skill remained, leaving Kai with more questions than answers.
"Come on... then how are you not scared of water beasts? Tell me! Tell me! Tell me!"
Reluctantly, Dan responded, "It's just that I happened to know about this place, and there are no water beasts that pose a threat to us. That's all. No more questions and no more answers."
Ervin intervened, "Yes, yes, please stop annoying big bro Dan, Kai. Look at him... he even dived into the deep river and caught a fish for his little brothers to grill and eat"
Ervin's eyes maintained their sparkle, and drool persisted as he shared his admiration. However, the atmosphere shifted abruptly when Dan, mid-stride, halted and fixed Ervin with a dark expression. His tone turned serious as he declared, "For you!?... my ass, dream on. This is MY FISH."
With those words, Dan pivoted and walked away, heading towards the flickering flame where the fish would soon meet its fate. Although Dan's statement was likely meant in jest, it landed with an unexpected weight on Ervin's heart, leaving shattering his heart into tiny pieces.
As the gravity of Dan's words sank in for Ervin, the scene took a comedic turn for Kai. He couldn't contain his laughter, rolling in the river, thoroughly entertained by the unexpected turn of events.
Ervin, captivated by the enticing stories of water beasts and the exquisite tastes they offered at varying levels, couldn't resist the allure. Even as a clever youngster aware of the perils of fishing and the potential dangers lurking beneath the water's surface, his curiosity and taste buds proved too compelling to resist. Thus, he joined Kai on a fishing expedition, eager to experience the rumored delights firsthand.
However, the reality of fishing turned out to be more challenging than Ervin had envisioned. Faced with the elusive nature of their aquatic targets, he eventually abandoned the quest, opting instead to play in the water with Kai.
Ervin's knowledge of water beasts and their delectable flavors wasn't acquired through direct experience but rather through the tales shared by travelers visiting their village. Many travelers sought out the village to meet Ervin's father, the skilled blacksmith Tommy. As Tommy attended to his work, Ervin engaged with the customers, absorbing their narratives about the world beyond the village. These encounters became Ervin's portal into the realm of fish and their diverse tastes,
Some time later, Kai stopped laughing and looked at Ervin, who was still in shock. Kai walked up to him and patted his shoulder. The first word Ervin uttered was "fish."
Kai tried to hide his laughter, saying,
"It's okay, bro. We can catch a fish another time."
Kai knows how much Ervin wants to eat a fish; he always talks nonstop about fish. As his best friend, Kai understands this more than anyone. Even though he is curious about its taste based on Ervin's stories, his appetite isn't as great as Ervin's, that's all.
To Kai's surprise, he didn't see a heartbroken, disappointed Ervin but a determined one. He said to Kai,
"Just you watch, I'm gonna catch some fish!"
Suddenly, Kai hugged Ervin from behind so tightly that he couldn't move. Ervin struggled to break free but failed, and in frustration, he screamed out loud.
"What the hell are you doing, moron? Let go of me!"In a more somber tone, Kai responded,
"No can't do. If I let you go, you're definitely going to jump into the water just like Dan. But if you go, I'm sure you won't come back alive."
Ervin, now sensing the gravity of Kai's concern, continued to plead,
"Let me go, fool! I'm not going to jump into the water. Just let go of me first."
Kai, maintaining his grip, explained with a serious demeanor,
"No can't do. It's not you thinking at the moment, it's the fish thinking for you. Stay still for now. I will let you go after you think for yourself."
Ervin, amidst his confusion, agreed,
"Fine, fine. I won't jump into the river, I promise. Is that enough?"
Suddenly, Kai released his hold, maintaining his serious expression, and said,
"I trust you,"
before walking back to the camp, leaving Ervin standing there alone