Raze wiped the sweat off his brow, his knife slicing through the dense vines barring his path.
"Ugh, this forest is thicker than I imagined," he muttered under his breath, pausing to catch his breath. Every step seemed heavier, his muscles sore from days of trekking with barely any rest or nourishment. "At least I haven't run into any beasts yet. But finding a settlement near the village? That's going to be nearly impossible."
He recalled the stories from the hunters in his village. They had ventured deep into these woods, some returning with tales of towering trees and beasts of unimaginable strength, while others never came back at all. Stage 3 and Stage 4 beasts dominated the deeper areas, creatures far beyond the capabilities of most villagers to handle.
Most of his people were Stage 2, skilled enough to fend off lower-grade threats but not these monsters. Only a select few ever reached Stage 3, and even they leaned heavily toward production-oriented abilities rather than combat.
He clenched his fists, anger bubbling beneath his exhaustion. "West," he muttered to himself, looking toward the direction the dragon had flown. "That beast went west. Following its trail might be dangerous, but it's the only lead I have. If I'm going to avenge everyone, I need to get stronger... no matter what it takes."
The gruesome images of his crushed village flashed in his mind—his friends and family reduced to nothing but memories. Nightmares had plagued him during the few restless moments he dared to sleep, and now even the thought of closing his eyes brought fear of reliving those scenes.
The canopy above stretched endlessly, branches interwoven so tightly they blocked most of the sunlight. The cool, dim forest floor provided some respite from the journey's hardships, but it also heightened his unease. In the shadows, danger could lurk anywhere.
Glancing at his runes, he felt a pang of uncertainty.
"Beastbound," he whispered, the word echoing faintly in the silent forest. He had no idea what the aspect meant, and it only left him with more questions. His abilities, [Invisibility] and [Minor Regeneration], didn't seem directly tied to it.
The only clue lay in the lizard he had devoured, the small creature hatched from the egg amidst the carnage. That act—born of desperation and fury—had granted him the title Legendary Beast Killer, and with it, abilities that were unsettlingly potent.
"Invisibility and regeneration..." He trailed off, frowning. Those traits matched the creatures of the reptilian family, known for their cunning and survival abilities. But he couldn't shake the feeling that consuming that lizard had fundamentally altered something within him.
Questions swirled in his mind, unanswered and growing heavier with every step. The village's lack of research on runes and aspects left him with only guesswork to rely on.
Deep in thought, Raze's steps faltered as a sudden wave of dread washed over him. He froze. Instinctively, he activated [Invisibility] and held his breath, his body rigid.
From the bushes ahead, the undergrowth rustled and parted, revealing a massive boar.
Its size alone made his stomach churn—it was at least three times larger than any normal animal, its thick hide mottled with patches of jagged fur. Raze recognized it immediately. This was a Grade 2 beast, one he had seen only once when hunters triumphantly brought a corpse of its kind back to the village for a festival.
Leo had explained back then how the boar relied on its brute strength and earth manipulation abilities to crush its prey. Now, standing mere feet from one in the wild, Raze felt his blood run cold.
The boar snorted, its massive head swiveling as it searched the area. Its beady eyes scanned the forest floor, its hooves stomping heavily, leaving cracks in the soil. Raze stayed perfectly still, every muscle in his body screaming at him to flee.
Minutes dragged on like hours. Finally, the beast let out a low grunt, seemingly convinced there was no prey in sight. It turned and lumbered back into the shadows.
Raze collapsed to his knees, gasping for air as the adrenaline ebbed. His hands trembled uncontrollably.
"I wouldn't have stood a chance against that thing," he muttered, the reality of his helplessness hitting him hard. "If it weren't for [Invisibility]..."
The thought terrified him. He couldn't afford to be reckless, not when death loomed so close with every step he took.
Determined to avoid another encounter, he kept his invisibility active, thankful that it only drained a small fraction of his energy. Every sound in the forest seemed magnified—the crunch of his boots on leaves, the distant calls of unknown creatures.
As the canopy above began to darken, Raze glanced up.
"Night's falling," he whispered, fatigue weighing down his limbs. "I need to find shelter soon."
He pressed on, his senses heightened, every shadow a potential threat. Just as exhaustion threatened to overtake him, his foot slipped, and he stumbled into a muddy pit. The slick earth caked his clothes and skin, but he barely registered the discomfort.
Pushing forward, he finally found a small cave nestled in the rocky base of a hill. Relief washed over him.
"Good enough," he muttered, stepping inside cautiously. The air within was cool and damp, but it offered protection from the elements—and, hopefully, from wandering beasts.
Slumping into a corner, Raze leaned back against the wall. His body screamed for rest, yet he hesitated, his hand hovering over the dagger at his side.
Just in case, he kept his invisibility active. The faint shimmer of the ability cloaked him as his eyes grew heavy.