From the howling wind, one can hear the legends of the wilderness; from the silence of time, one can trace the fleeting memories.
I am the warrior known as the Dark Knight. Three years ago, after the suppression of the Dark Knight Rebellion that swept across the Bourbon Empire, my comrades and I scattered across the Apennine Continent.
After a long and aimless drift, I arrived in the forest located in the northwest of the Sica Mountains—a legendary forest known as the Misty Forest.
My name is Li Vicadora Tenzang. Since participating in the rebellion, I have kept my ancient family name shrouded in mystery. For years, I have used the name Tenzang, which I adopted among the rebels.
Back then, every time I grew furious, leopard-like spots would appear on my face and body, earning me the moniker "Blood Leopard Tenzang." I became one of the most wanted fugitives in the empire, with the highest bounty on my head.
The Misty Forest is said to be one of the homelands of the Yinchellti Dragon. On this legendary continent, traces of mythical beasts and their ruins can be found everywhere. However, ever since we fought the imperial army's Breller Demon Dragon three years ago, we've come to understand the immense gap between mortal knights and divine beasts.
The Misty Forest spans dozens of kilometers, with undulating mountains veiled by a perpetual, smoke-like mist. At dawn, the forest comes alive with crisp birdsong, and its primal and fresh atmosphere made me fall in love with it at first sight.
In the depths of the Misty Forest, I built a small thatched hut and settled down. Years of wandering had made me forget the need for a place to call home. It was only after having a roof to shelter me from the wind and rain that I felt the weariness and exhaustion in my body and soul.
Deeper into the Misty Forest lie swamps and a mysterious aura. I've grown attached to the peace and tranquility I've just found, living joyfully and carefree near my little hut.
I began to enjoy a life free from worries, fear, and being hunted. Yet, when I started to love this life, I began to worry that one day I might lose it. Haven't you noticed? Whenever you cherish something deeply, there's always someone or something that comes to destroy it and take it away from you.
One morning, I was awakened by an earth-shattering roar. The terrifying sound came from the deeper parts of the Misty Forest, seemingly originating from a mountain called Mancharei.
Mancharei Mountain is an enormous colossus that reaches into the clouds. Its massive silhouette against the night sky often filled me with awe and dread. The mountain is covered with colossal ancient trees, and mist clings to its midsection throughout the year, never dissipating.
But today, the enormous mountain seemed unable to withstand the immense roar, sending out rumbling echoes throughout its entirety.
Unable to suppress my curiosity, I donned my armor, picked up my Snow Dragon Spear, strapped on the Tianzang Blood Demon Blade, and mounted my steed, heading toward the mountain.
As I approached the mountainside, I saw clouds of dust rising into the air accompanied by the sound of roaring. Towering trees toppled one after another not far ahead, leaving me utterly stunned and frozen in place.
While I hesitated, the trees in front of me were suddenly uprooted and hurled into the air. In the blink of an eye, a colossal beast appeared before me.
In a large clearing less than a hundred meters away from me, a towering beast over a hundred meters tall appeared. It had the head of a lion and the body of a lizard, with enormous wings spread out behind it. Its cavernous, glowing red eyes and blood-red maw, split all the way to its ears, were terrifying. Saber-like fangs protruded from its mouth, and thick, foul-smelling blood dripped from its black lips.
My mount let out a long, terrified whinny, throwing me off with one kick before collapsing on the ground, foaming at the mouth. I was filled with terror, staring blankly at the mountain-like beast before me, an overwhelming fear resurfacing in my heart—one I thought I had long forgotten.
This monster was at least dozens of times larger than the Breyl Demon Dragon of the Imperial Legion we had once fought. That dragon had, in the blink of an eye, torn dozens of our Dark Knights into unrecognizable corpses.
The beast noticed me standing in front of it, its massive eyes widening in a deadly glare. At that moment, something even more shocking happened. The entire sky suddenly darkened, and a black dragon appeared behind the beast. Its outstretched wings blocked out the sun, casting a shadow over everything. The dragon, as enormous as the beast itself, pounced on it with a single claw, pinning it to the ground with a deafening crash.
The beast's massive body collapsed right before me, shaking the earth. The impact sent me flying into the air, completely at the mercy of the overwhelming forces before me.
Ifell from the air and Ilanded deeper into the
forest. Another deafening roar echoed as the
massive black dragon and the beast rolled
through the sky above me.The gigantic trees
around me were uprooted like wild grass
swept by a hurricane. A massive branch
struck me, sending me flying like a speck of
dust once again. This time,llost
consciousness.
A long time passed...When l finally came to, I
had no idea how much time had gone by. My
mouth was filled with blood, and the difficulty
breathing triggered a series of violent
coughs. With each cough, fresh blood
spewed out, and my chest throbbed with
sharp pain. I knelt on the gjround for a long
while, trembling with fearr. After taking a few
deep breaths, I realized things weren't as bad
as I had imagined.
I removed my armor and found a bloody gash
below my left ribs. The wound wasn't deep,
but it seemed like my face or forehead had
been injured, as half of my face was soaked
in blood.
The surroundings were now silent. I had no
idea whether the black dragon had defeated
"Chthe beast orif thehad triumphed over
the black dragon.
I noticed that my Snow Dragon Spear was
nowhere to be found. However, I still had the
Blood Demon Blade strapped to my waist.
With great difficulty, I began my descent
down the mountain.
The area was littered with massive trees that#
had been uprooted and strewn haphazardly. I
climbed over the fallen trees and made my
way toward the clearing where I had first
encountered the beast. Just as | was about to
reach it, I suddenly felt a shadow loom over
me. The light around medimmed, and a
massive figure appeared behind me.
I rolled to my left, drew my blade, and swung it backward. As expected, a roar erupted from behind me. I turned to look and saw a beast similar to the towering one from before, though this one was much smaller, closer to my own size. It had tried to ambush me but ended up with one of its front claws slashed by my counterattack.
This beast seemed to be younger, lacking the massive wings of the larger one. Its blood-red eyes locked onto me with an unrelenting gaze.
I began to retreat slowly. The beast let out a low growl, "huff... growl," from its mouth. At that moment, a roar echoed from the forest not far behind me, a deep "huff... roar." The beast in front of me responded with the same sound, "huff... roar."
Now caught between enemies in front and behind, the situation was extremely dire.
With no other choice, I decided to seize the initiative. Summoning all the strength in my arms, I let out a fierce shout and lunged to the right of the beast in front of me. Rolling to the ground, I swung the Blood Demon Blade. Filled with a murderous aura, the blade immediately turned blood-red.
The beast leaped but missed its mark, leaving its neck fully exposed to my strike. The blade, infused with killing intent, struck true, landing squarely on the beast's neck.
The blade cut into the beast's scales, but before I could press my advantage, the beast bit down on the blade, its blood dripping onto the weapon from the corners of its mouth.
I quickly pulled the blade back, but the beast didn't retreat. Instead, it braced itself, its rugged, scaly body tensing like a mountain of muscle, surging toward me with unstoppable force.
I found myself completely exposed before its
gaping, blood-soaked jaws.
"Desperate fool," I cursed bitterly. Pointing the
tip of my blade directly at its chest, I gripped
the hilt tightly with both haands and twisted
the blade as l drove it in. At the same time, I
ducked my head to avoid its sharp teeth,
using the shoulder of my aarmor to brace
against its massive jaws#
With a sharp crack, I heard my right shoulder
go numb instantly. The beast let out a
deafening roar, swiping me aside with a
single claw.
Out of the corner of my eeye, I saw that the
Blood Demon Blade had completely shreddeed
the beast's chest cavity into a bloody mess.
The massive creature swayed twice before its
eyes glazed over,ollapsed heavily to
the ground.
It was only then that Inoticed what was
happening behind me. Another beast of the
same size was growling softly. Strangely, it
wasn't advancing toward me. Looking closer,
I saw a scene that utterly astonished me.
It turned out that the beast behind me wasn't
attacking me but was instead focused on a
small pup in front of it, no bigger than the
size of my hand.
The pup had black-and-white fur, its entire
coat bristling. Its tiny upper lip curled back,
revealing the smallest, most delicate
tiger-like fangs as it growleed defiantly,
holding its head h+ radiating
unrelenting fury.
The sight left me utterly shocked. Just then,
the beast let out anotheer roar, rising up on its
hind legs. It seemed as though the pup would
be torn to shreds in an instant. With my
strength spent and no ability to fight,the
shadow of death began to loom over me once
again.
We, the Dark Knights, calll ourselves warriors,
but in truth, we are knighits wielding hidden
magic. The magic we use requires an
equivalent exchange of our own body, blood,
and soul, thus it is labeled as evil magic. As a
result, we Dark Knights are never accepted by
so-called righteous knights, who regard us as
part of the forces of darkness
I, of course, am also proficient in this dark
magic. However,eachtime l use it, my natur
changes-I become bloodthirsty, filled with
hatred. For this reason, I rarely summon the
power of darkness. But now, I begin to call
upon it, casting the spell of Dark Frenzy.
"Oh, power of darkness, oh, spirits of shadow,
make me your vessel. Release the fear in my
heart and turn it into hatred for the world.Let
the flames of rage burn and let my
suppressed soul erupt once more in fury...
As the incantation softly escaped my lips, my
body began to transform. My shattered right
shoulder, which had been mangled by the
monster, started to regenerate. My eyes
turned blood-red, and an eerie, chilling aura
surrounded me. With a guttural roar, "Urgh..
ha!" I charged at the monster confronting the
young pup, wielding the Blood Demon Blade.
After a harrowing and inteense close combat, I
brutally dismembered the monster, leaving it
a gory mess. My entire body was soaked in
its foul, reeking blood.
However, having used the dark magic, I also
paid the price demanded by the dark spirits.
My vision turned completely black, and the
forest before me vanished in an instant. My
sight was gone, leaving nothing but darkness
before me.
In the darkness, I tightly gripped the Blood Demon Blade, waiting for the nightmare to end. The last time I used dark magic, the aftermath left me deranged for three days and nights. It happened while I was fleeing and was blocked by the Pananra Demon Serpent. At that moment, when dozens of us Dark Knights were on the brink of annihilation, I was forced to use the Beast Possession spell from the dark magic. When I woke up, the surroundings were filled with nothing but corpses.
Dark Knights are divided into dozens of ranks, and I am one of the rare Scorpius-ranked knights, specializing in berserk magic. I was also the leader of the Tianzang Knights, one of the thirteen rebellious knight orders.
The thirteen orders include the Wuchu Knights, the Greed Wolf Knights, the Hua Ji Knights, the Earth Void Knights, the Mars Knights, the Tai Fu Knights, the Seven Kill Knights, the Sky Cry Knights, the Sky Punishment Knights, the Sky Tiger Knights, the Tianzang Knights, the Earth Dragon Knights, and the Flame Tiger Knights.
Among them, the Wuchu, Greed Wolf, and Flame Tiger orders perished in a fierce battle against the Empire's Braelle Demon Dragon. The Greed Wolf Knight, a warrior of the Silver Wolf lineage and renowned as the most skilled fighter among the Dark Knights, lost his life in that battle. The mighty Flame Tiger, in order to protect his knights from being pursued by the Empire's Braelle Demon Dragon, stayed behind alone. With unparalleled strength, he single-handedly held off the dragon, creating rivers of blood yet standing firm. The Wuchu Knight, driven by a resolve to face death, singlehandedly halted the Empire's iron cavalry at dawn the next day, driving them back dozens of miles. His sacrifice struck fear into thousands of soldiers. Tragically, he was fatally injured by a sneak attack from the dragon.
The Empire, with its overwhelming strength and endurance, crushed our rebellion. The once-mighty Dark Knights, who sought to shake the Empire, were exterminated. The remaining remnants, consumed by grief and rage, scattered to the winds.
Knights like me, solitary and on the run, have nothing left to lose—or so I believed. The serene misty forest provided me with some solace, an illusion of peace that I yearned to embrace.
But this world has a way of stripping the most desperate of even the little they have, and often, what they need most. Now, I can only hope that my blindness is temporary.
The air around me grew colder, and I felt a small, trembling creature rubbing against my right foot. Slowly, I reached down, and a warm little tongue began licking my palm incessantly. It was the surviving pup from before.
Oh, in such a lonely world, there was still a life willing to share the cold night with me. I sat on the ground and gently cradled it in my arms.
When the chirping of birds woke me the next morning, I was ecstatic to discover that my vision had returned. I could see the entire forest—the leaves, the sunlight, and the little dog. From then on, I named him Alik.
Alik was incredibly beautiful, especially his
eyes, which could only be described as
handsome and captivating. Although he was
just a recently weaned puppy, I couldn't help
but adore him.
As I carried him across the ravine in the
Manchare Mountains, I was stunned by the
scene before me. Lying within the ravine were
the corpses of two colossal beasts. A
massive black dragon anid a giant monster I
had seen before were entangled together,
sprawled across the broad, deep chasm.
Their claws had torn opeen each other's
abdomen and chest, and the entire stream
flowing through the ravine had turned into a
river of blood, winding its way downward.
Alik raised his head, took one look at the
scene, and began to howI mournfully. Tears
streamed continuously from his eyes.
It has been more thansix months since we
returned from the Manchare Mountains. AliK#
has grown to be over half the height of a man,
majestic and imposing. However, his
temperament has become unusually irritable
and exceptionally ferocious.
On the outskirts of the misty forest,where
human presence is rare, there is a trade
route. From time to time, caravans pass
through here. Occasionally, I visit these
routes to exchange goodIs and necessities
with the merchants.
One day, shortly after ear-ly spring had ended,
I anticipated that a largeer caravan might pass
by around noon. So, I patiently waited on a
hillside by the road. Alik lay quietly beside
me, now as strong and robust as a lion.
Around noon, as expected, a caravan appeared, winding its way along the road. Hundreds of mules and horses were laden with heavy goods, flanked by merchants and their escorts.
Just as I was about to approach, the sound of rapid hoofbeats came from behind the caravan. Alik stood up alertly.
"Corpse-faced raiders! The corpse-faced raiders are here!" someone in the caravan shouted in alarm.
The corpse-faced raiders were a small tribal group on the Apennine Continent, known for raiding caravans. They were notorious for their appetite for carrion, and their skeletal, corpse-like faces likely earned them the name.
The caravan of hundreds of mules and horses immediately fell into chaos. From the hillside, I could see that the raiding tribe behind them numbered at least several hundred.
After a brief period of panic, the caravan quickly reorganized itself into a formation. The mules and horses were carefully directed to move forward, while some of the escorts formed a line to try to block the pursuing raiders.
I couldn't help but smirk at the naivety of these merchants. The corpse-faced raiders were far beyond their ability to handle. I intended to help them, but not yet. If I acted too soon and scared off the raiders immediately, these merchants would think the raiders were nothing more than pushovers, and they wouldn't appreciate my intervention.
This is how the world works, and so are the people in it. If you try reasoning with them, they won't understand. If you show them the solution, they won't appreciate it. Only when they suffer deeply, with wounds that cut to the bone, will they finally learn to respect you when you solve their problems.
As expected, the caravan's guards were defeated and fled in disarray within minutes. Alik and I slowly stepped forward, blocking the trade route.
I was dressed in simple, dirt-gray clothes without armor, holding the Blood Demon Blade in one hand. One man, one dog, and one blade stood in the way of hundreds of mounted raiders.
The first twenty or so riders at the front of the raiding party showed no signs of slowing, charging straight at us. I swung my blade horizontally at the lead rider, toppling his mount. With a reverse slash, I struck again, and a fierce warrior of the corpse-faced tribe fell.
Behind me, Alik let out a sudden roar. Several galloping horses neighed in terror and threw their riders forward. Alik leaped into the air, his jaws wide open, striking down the unfortunate raiders.
By the time the raiders stopped their charge, nearly a hundred corpses lay around me. Behind me, Alik continued growling, a low and menacing sound.
The raiding party hesitated, and then Alik let out a long, thunderous howl, like the roar of a dragon or a tiger. A fierce wind swept through the area, and the raiders, hearing the terrifying sound, turned tail and fled, vanishing in an instant.
Even the mules and horses in the caravan behind me were thrown into chaos by Alik's roar, their cries blending into a cacophony of panic.
Slowly, a few well-dressed elders emerged from the caravan.
"I am Mi Dochikayan, a representative of the merchants' guild from Damascus, the imperial capital. These are my brothers," one of them said.
I introduced myself reluctantly. "I live in the Misty Forest. My name is Tianzang."
"The master of the Misty Forest, Tianzang. We don't know how to thank you enough," the elder said before turning to confer with his companions.
At that moment, a frail old woman shuffled out from the escort group. She gazed at Alik from a distance, her eyes filled with curiosity. This wasn't unusual—Alik's majestic appearance often drew awe and amazement from passing caravans.
Eventually, she approached me and asked, "Young man, how long has he been with you?"
Her question puzzled me. "More than six months."
"Oh, and how did you find him? Can you tell me?"
"I picked him up in the wilderness. But, ma'am, why are you asking?"
The old woman let out an "oh" and said, "Have you heard of the legend of the four sacred beasts that is passed down across the Apennine Continent?"
"Is it about the Azure Dragon, Vermilion Bird, White Tiger, and Black Tortoise?" I replied.
"Yes, but the legend also mentions a dragon beast that accompanies the Azure Dragon. It is said that the dragon beast's roar can drive even the fiercest of wild animals insane," the old woman continued.
"A dragon beast?" I recalled the events of the day I found Alik. "Could Alik be a dragon beast?"
"Young man, you should know that my mount, Tamuka, was once the finest steed in Tertia. No animal dared approach it, and it could even fight wild beasts, having killed several wolves that had invaded our camp. But just now, because of that roar, it collapsed to the ground foaming at the mouth, and it's still trembling in fear," the old woman said, pointing at a tall and majestic black horse in the distance that was neighing nervously.
"Oh," I said, surprised, as I glanced around at the horses that were still panicking.
"Take good care of him," the old woman said. She gave Alik another careful look before turning and walking away.
The elders of the caravan decided to repay me. They helped construct a few bright, spacious houses not far from the trade route, just inside the Misty Forest. They also provided me with all the necessary supplies.
The name of the "Master of the Misty Forest" began to spread. From then on, every passing merchant would stop by for a rest, and some even stayed overnight before continuing their journey the next morning.
Dochikayan's caravan passed through the trade route from time to time, and each time, they brought a generous gift for me.
Over time, many people from other places heard about the beauty of the Misty Forest and began to visit my small, unconfirmed but widely accepted territory. I eventually hired two young helpers: a boy named Yanwu and a girl named Junning. Together, we converted the largest house into a roadside tavern and named it "The Misty Forest."
At first, visitors came with the caravans, but soon, people began arriving in groups of their own.
One day, a heartbroken knight from Blairman Castle arrived alone at the Misty Forest. He spent half a month drinking hard liquor in the tavern. Then, one evening, he took several bags of starflower seeds from his belongings and carefully scattered them around the house. At dusk, he departed, dragging the sunset and his solitary shadow behind him.
In early summer, the slopes surrounding the Misty Forest Tavern were covered with blue and white starflowers in full bloom. More people chose to spend their time resting at the tavern, enjoying the stunning beauty of the scene. Yet, this breathtaking sight was left behind by a sorrowful and lonely man. Whenever I thought of that quiet and reserved knight, I couldn't help but feel a tinge of sadness.
Thus, Alik and I spent a joyful summer in the Misty Forest.
Autumn arrived in the Misty Forest, painting the landscape in golden, red, and orange hues. The fallen leaves formed a thick carpet across the ground. In this season, as the setting sun cast its light upon the treetops, the air was filled with serenity, peace, and calm.
On one such beautiful autumn afternoon, a friend of mine visited the Misty Forest. She was a mage of the Helderic Order, someone I had met during an adventure long ago. She knew nothing of my past, but her powerful support magic during that adventure had left a deep impression on me.
At that time, I was surrounded by several towering Tata orcs over three meters tall in the forest, and she was being attacked by a mage guarding a gemstone mine. Amidst her fierce exchanges of fireballs and lightning with the enemy mage, she frequently cast spells like "Earth Shield" to strengthen my defenses, aiding me greatly.
Her name was Ninias Aina, a mage with silver hair.
When I saw her again, I was surprised to notice a faint blush on her face. After her long journey, she wore a simple red outfit with a black cloak draped over her shoulders. Despite her modest attire, it couldn't conceal the brilliance of her bright, expressive eyes.
After a brief rest, she changed into the attire of a mage. A silver circlet adorned her smooth forehead, inlaid with a crescent moonstone, and her entire outfit shifted to a mysterious black theme. The elegance and grace of her figure were almost disarmingly captivating.
When Aina saw me, she smiled, but I could sense the lively spirit of a mischievous girl in her heart, playfully calling out my name. Although it was just an afternoon, I could distinctly hear the morning songs of birds and feel the freshness of the forest at dawn. Could this, too, be a form of magic?
"Tenzang, this kind of life suits you. Back when we went to search for the Tata orcs' gemstone mine, I already knew you were someone who enjoyed a free and unrestrained lifestyle," Aina said.
"Aina, it's not just freedom that I seek. It's simply that I'm powerless for now. I'm waiting for the right opportunity," I replied.
"Tenzang, tell me more of your story," she asked.
"Aina, I don't have much of a story to tell. But tomorrow, I'll take you to the place where I found Alik. That mysterious forest might intrigue you even more."
The two of us sat on the steps under the eaves, gazing at the countless twinkling stars in the sky. What a peaceful night it was. In the tranquility of the Misty Forest, it felt as though a brilliant river of stars was flowing before us.
From the nearby tavern came the hoarse singing voice of a performer.
Hearing the song, I couldn't help but smile. When I turned my head, I noticed that Aina was also intently listening to the music, a smile gracing her face. She looked at me and smiled, then turned her gaze back to the vast starry sky.
It was at that moment that I realized just how beautiful and magnificent the starry sky appeared when viewed from the Misty Forest.