Dae-hyun was slowly leaving the remains of his home behind. His hands tightly gripped the hilt of his sword, the memory of his father's last words still echoing in his ears. "Never forget. Your legacy is not just your strength, Dae-hyun. Your right is to master the beasts... to become their master." Those words haunted him, but there was no time for mourning now. He had to move forward, despite the fear tightening his throat. The village, destroyed, was now but a shadow of the past.
Though all traces of life had vanished, the forest was far from silent. Here, in the distance, the sounds were both familiar and foreign—the creaking of trees, the rustling of leaves under the steps of wild creatures. Sounds that reminded him of the danger lurking in every corner. The air was thick, saturated with moisture and something unknown, something dark.
Dae-hyun continued walking, steadying each step, trying to sense every movement around him. He was alone. Alone with the newly acquired power that made him vulnerable. The blood in his veins pulsed, feeling something unknown—some strength waiting to surface.
It wasn't long before he felt a change in the air. The forest grew quieter, the air denser. The distant sound of heavy steps, like those of something large, was coming toward him. Dae-hyun stopped and slowly turned toward the source of the noise. His heart beat faster. A beast. A large, powerful beast.
His hand instinctively moved to draw his sword, but he knew that wasn't enough. The beast approaching was no ordinary one. It wasn't something he could defeat with a simple strike.
It was too late to retreat. The beast emerged from the shadow of the trees, enormous, black, and terrifying. It was a wolf, but not a common one—its fur was dark as the night, its eyes glowing red like burning coals. Its teeth were long and sharp, and every movement it made was a blend of grace and deadly power.
Dae-hyun had no choice. Instinctively, he drew his sword and felt the vibrations in his hand. The beast howled, the air vibrating with the sound, and then it leaped toward him.
"Show yourself, Dae-hyun, are you worthy of your legacy?" it murmured as it raised its claws toward him.
The beast lunged, slamming its massive weight into the ground, and the trees around them cracked under its force. Dae-hyun jumped to the side, narrowly avoiding the strike, but the beast was quick. In the next moment, a massive paw slammed into the ground near his feet, causing the earth to explode with dust. There was no time to breathe.
"This is just the beginning," Dae-hyun thought, feeling the pulsating energy within him. He had to defeat this beast—not just for his safety but to understand his power.
He quickly turned and attacked, his sword cutting through the air, but the beast dodged, shifting to its side. Dae-hyun felt the ground crack beneath his feet as the beast charged at him again, this time managing to scratch his shoulder. The pain was sharp, but he didn't stop.
"Show yourself, show me your strength," Dae-hyun whispered as he gripped his sword tighter. The beast locked its deadly gaze on him.
"You'll feel it," Dae-hyun told himself. "You'll feel what I am now."
He moved forward, using the strength of his arms and the swift movement of his body. His mind sharpened with each movement of the beast, calculating what he could do better. The beast leaped toward him, but Dae-hyun made his first crucial decision—he shifted his position and struck suddenly, aiming at the beast's weaker spot, where he sensed its vulnerability.
In an instant, his sword sliced through its skin, leaving a trail of blood on the grass. The beast howled, but it didn't die. Its eyes closed, while fury flickered within them. Then, as if to mock him, it vanished into the woods.
"A brief victory," Dae-hyun thought, stepping back. But it was the first lesson he learned: in this new world, there was much more to face.
He continued forward, weary, but no longer afraid. He focused only on his strength, preparing himself for the challenges ahead. A far worse reality awaited him.
The forest was eerily quiet after the beast's departure. The oppressive silence hung in the air, as if nature itself were holding its breath. Dae-hyun stood still, his sword still gripped tightly in his hand, his body aching from the brief, violent encounter. The wound on his shoulder was painful, but he could feel the familiar, cold rush of adrenaline dulling the sensation. His heart, however, was racing. He had faced beasts before, but this one—this creature had been different. There was an intelligence behind its eyes, something more than just primal instinct.
"Where did it go?" Dae-hyun whispered under his breath, scanning the shadows between the trees. The wolf-like creature had vanished too quickly, retreating into the dark heart of the forest. It didn't make sense. Beasts like that didn't simply give up after a single attack. They hunted relentlessly, and this one had shown its power far too clearly.
Dae-hyun tightened his grip on the sword's hilt, determined not to let his guard down. His thoughts raced. His father had warned him—these beasts were more than just wild animals. They were part of the balance, part of something older than the land itself. And now, Dae-hyun had become entangled in that balance.
He moved cautiously, his feet light on the forest floor, listening carefully for any sign of movement. His senses were heightened now, his connection to the world around him sharper than before. Every sound, every rustle in the wind, every shift in the atmosphere felt like a warning. He was no longer just a traveler passing through the woods—he was part of it now.
The air grew colder, and the trees seemed to grow closer together, forming a tighter canopy above him. The further he walked, the deeper into the unknown he ventured. The beasts were not the only threat in these lands. He had been warned about the cursed lands—the places where the wild had become something more, where the power of the beasts bled into the world of men.
The forest itself seemed to pulse with an unnatural energy, as if the very earth beneath his feet were alive, watching him, waiting for something. Dae-hyun paused, sensing a shift in the air, a subtle tremor that seemed to ripple through the ground.
Suddenly, a low growl echoed through the trees, followed by a bone-chilling screech. It came from ahead. Dae-hyun's muscles tensed. He instinctively moved into a defensive stance, his sword raised and ready.
Through the trees, he saw movement—a massive shadow darting between the trunks. His heart skipped a beat. This was no wolf. The creature that appeared before him was even larger, more monstrous. It was an enormous bear, but unlike any bear he had ever seen. Its fur was matted and slick with some dark, viscous substance, and its eyes gleamed with a malevolent red light. Its claws were like daggers, capable of rending stone apart, and its breath came in harsh, labored gasps, fogging the cold air.
This was a beast of nightmares, not meant for this world.
Dae-hyun felt his pulse quicken. The beast's growl rumbled through his chest, shaking the very earth beneath him. It moved forward slowly, circling him like a predator, its eyes never leaving his.
"Not again," Dae-hyun muttered under his breath. He had no time for hesitation, no time to second-guess himself. The time to act was now.
He moved first, dashing toward the beast with a battle cry. His sword gleamed in the low light as he swung it toward the creature's chest. The bear roared and swiped at him, its claws cutting through the air like knives. Dae-hyun barely managed to dodge, rolling to the side and coming up on his feet with a swift movement. The sheer force of the bear's swipe had sent a shudder through his body, but he didn't have time to think about it.
The bear lunged again, this time aiming for his throat. Dae-hyun sidestepped, but not quickly enough. One of the beast's claws scraped across his ribs, tearing through his armor and leaving a deep gash. The pain was sharp and immediate, but it only fueled his determination. He had to end this fight before it destroyed him.
Dae-hyun spun on his heel, using his momentum to slash upward with his sword. The blade met the bear's side with a sickening thud, cutting through its fur and flesh. The beast let out a deafening roar of pain, its massive body flailing in a violent frenzy. It staggered back, blood pouring from the wound, but its eyes were wild with rage, not fear.
The bear let out another screech and lunged forward again, faster this time, aiming for Dae-hyun's throat. The force of its charge sent him crashing backward into a nearby tree. His breath left him in a painful gasp as the impact rattled his spine. Dae-hyun barely had time to react before the bear was on top of him, its jaws snapping. He raised his sword to block the creature's bite, feeling the immense weight of the beast press down on him.
With a growl of frustration, Dae-hyun twisted his body, using his legs to push the creature away. He rolled to the side, barely avoiding the bear's next strike. Gritting his teeth, he scrambled to his feet and aimed a final strike at the beast's exposed throat.
The blade sank deep into its flesh. The bear let out one last guttural growl before collapsing to the ground, its body twitching as it died. Blood pooled around it, and the air was thick with the stench of death.
Dae-hyun stood over the creature's body, breathing heavily. His chest heaved with exhaustion, but his mind was sharp. He had faced many beasts in his time, but none like these. The power within him surged again, calling him to action.
Suddenly, a voice—low, guttural—spoke from the shadows.
"Impressive, human."
Dae-hyun turned toward the sound, his sword raised in a defensive posture. From the trees emerged another figure, this one cloaked in dark, tattered robes. A woman, or at least, it appeared to be. Her eyes glowed with an unnatural light, and her presence was both intimidating and strange.
"Who are you?" Dae-hyun demanded, his voice cold, his stance firm.
The woman stepped closer, a slow, deliberate movement, her smile both eerie and knowing. "I am the Keeper of Beasts," she said softly. "And you, Dae-hyun, are far more than you realize."
Her words hung in the air like a challenge, a promise. And Dae-hyun knew in that moment that his journey had only just begun.