The mission wasn't mandatory. Many were against exploring the village.
I would have been fine with it—if it benefited me. But it didn't.
While others strengthened their bonds, I found myself growing more isolated.
Something had to change.
This was a God-given opportunity.
First, there were chances for personal gain.
I knew nothing about the people who once lived here, but surviving in this world meant possessing some kind of ability.
My goal—extract the greatest benefit from these ruins.
Second, an even greater opportunity—to eliminate threats.
Some people needed to die.
Who and why didn't matter. A sacrifice was necessary.
Complacency had taken root, and that wasn't ideal. A wake-up call was overdue.
If I could remove one of the heavyweights, even better.
I glanced at Reid. He maintained his usual impassive look. But sensing my gaze, he gave a subtle nod.
Did he have a similar goal? He always unsettled me.
I'd think about that later.
For now, the plan.
Robert would engage the lion directly.
I would target its weak points with arrows.
Reid and Alex would harass it, preventing it from focusing on Robert.
I was fine with Robert leading—his strength justified it.
From the start, he had three skills. If my theory was correct, he had progressed the most.
More importantly, he had experience—two months of fighting in this world.
The others had adapted too. Fighting wasn't impossible.
Of course, the lion had likely grown stronger as well.
Without delay, we launched our surprise attack.
Despite its dazed state, the lion reacted instantly.
It retreated, assessing the number of attackers.
Smart. That was bad.
Robert swung his axe. I fired an arrow as the lion lost balance.
Without the poison, this would have been far riskier.
Seconds turned into minutes.
The lion weakened—poison, blood loss, and exhaustion taking their toll.
Just as it was about to collapse, it opened its mouth.
What now?
It stretched wide and—
"ROOOOARR!"
The sound rippled through the forest.
Birds scattered. The air itself vibrated.
The worst affected were our warriors—especially Robert. He staggered, blood trickling from his ears.
A skill. Definitely a skill.
The lion pounced, aiming to finish Robert with a single strike.
At the last moment, Reid shoved Robert aside.
Alex seized the opening, driving his spear into the lion's back.
Robert's hand was slashed—a serious wound.
Unrelated note—Reid's reaction speed was insane. I was stunned.
As the roar faded, silence hung in the air.
Then, as if in response—multiple roars echoed from the depths of the forest.
Our ears rang. Primal fear clawed at our chests.
This forest wasn't as quiet as it seemed.
It was dangerous. Too dangerous.
"We should move quickly before anything else comes," I said.
Reid suggested, "We should split up."
We agreed—time was critical.
Reid and Alex went one way.
Robert, injured, stayed with me.
We decided to start with the smaller buildings and work our way inward.
Time to explore.
We entered a ruined building.
The entrance was broken, allowing easy access.
Inside, space was minimal. A single large stone block, likely a primitive bed, sat against the wall.
Several shelves lined the room.
We searched them—finding only stone utensils, chipped and crumbling.
Dust flaked off them.
A primitive society.
We searched the remaining ruins—nothing valuable.
Yet my mind remained elsewhere.
That lion had used a skill.
We had assumed animals could, but seeing it firsthand was unsettling.
It made them far more dangerous.
Every beast now carried untapped potential.
Worse—they fought purely on instinct, honing their killing techniques over a lifetime.
They might even hold the advantage over us.
The thought terrified me.
Yet, it also thrilled me.
What other abilities existed in this world?
What more could I discover?
Snapping back to reality, I glanced at Robert.
His wound was bleeding—a deep gash.
An idea struck me.
I pulled a carefully hollowed bone from my bag. This was how we stored liquids now—sealed with wooden plugs.
I handed it to Robert.
"Apply this to your wound. It's made from Aracea leaves. On Earth, they help stop bleeding."
He hesitated.
"I found only a small amount, so use half. It's expensive now, you know," I added jokingly.
Robert smirked, then took the flask and applied the medicine.
"Thanks."
He was shaken. Near-death experiences tend to do that.
Ten minutes later, we reached the last two buildings.
So far, we had found nothing but stone tools and utensils. Everything else had disintegrated.
These were our final hope.
We split up.
Robert and I entered one.
A carved book adorned the gate.
We pushed. Instead of opening, the door collapsed inward.
No matter. We were in.
I trembled with excitement.
This was what people lived for.
To discover the unknown.
To gain power and beauty.
To explore the mysteries of the world.
And this moment—this could shape my future.
Of course, I was prepared for disappointment.
I couldn't let my hopes get too high.
Holding our breath, we stepped inside.