《Echoes of Pain》


 CHAPTER 1: WHAT DOESNT KILL YOU MAKES YOU STRONGER

    It was a cold winter day. In the depths of Folre Forest a really young boy was hiding behind a tree. There was a really big hyena with a really long neck near him. The hyenas tail was short, blood and saliva mix dripping down from its beak-like mouth full of razor sharp teeth. The hyena was sniffing the air and ground, looking for something. But the little boy was strangely calm. That boys name was Vulren Ravanan. He was born in a Myrill village named Elred. He was so weak, that he was almost undetectable. The hyena was confused, it saw the boy not so long ago and now he was completely disappeared. The hyena left after sniffing the surroundings for a couple of minutes.


    After the creature left, Vulren started to walk towards a small hill in the middle of the Folre Foretst. This was the farthest place he could go. Normally, entering the Folre Forest is forbidden to anyone except adventurers because of the dangerous monsters living in the forest. But since he had almost no magic power, the creatures couldn¡¯t sense him. He climbed to the top of the biggest and oldest tree on the hill. He comes here and reads books almost everyday. Tomorrow, he would turn seven and have a Skill Test. Everyone gets a skill at birth but some skills may be useful while some aren¡¯t. Since he was really weak the people always treated him like a piece trash. As he thought about all the amazing skills he might receive, he couldn¡¯t help but grin, revealing his sharp, shark-like Myrill teeth. Couple of hours later he realized he could no longer even focus on the book. The sun had already started to set, and it was time to head home. He climbed back down from the tree and quickly checked the surroundings. After a long walk back to the Elred Village it was dark already. Their home was a beautiful, two-story wooden house near the village center. Right next to it was the blacksmith workshop where his mother, Elincia, worked. She was a respected blacksmith in the village and spent most of her day in the workshop. The house also had a basement and an attic. On the first floor were the kitchen, the living room, and the maid Nuala¡¯s room. On the second floor were his parents¡¯ bedroom, his sister Leena¡¯s room, and the bathroom. And finally, of course, the attic was Vulren¡¯s room. Since Vulren climbed trees in the Folre Forest every day, climbing the wall of the wooden house wasn¡¯t very difficult. He climbed up to his sister Leena¡¯s room and quietly knocked the window.


    Leena, with an excited look on her face, opened the window and let him in. She liked his brother. Despite him being the weakest in the village he was really smart, brave and kind. He always tells her stories about the monsters he sees in the forest. The stories were really fun and exciting but they always have common thing. Running and hiding. Although her older brother was very weak, Leena was very talented in magic. And Vulren always thought this world had a very strange balance. It¡¯s almost like someone took his magic from him and gave it to his sister. He was proud of Leena being strong but being treated like trash from everone in the village except her sister and Nuala wasn¡¯t exactly nice.


    After saying goodnight to Leena, he quietly made his way up to his room, careful not to wake his parents. His room was small and the ceiling was pretty low. The room had only one window but at least he had a room to himself. After changing his clothes , he lay down on his bed. He was hungry, but dinner had already been served, and if he went into the kitchen without permission, he¡¯d get into big trouble. But he was used to sleeping hungry. He was excited, but he knew he needed rest, so he cleared his mind and slowly drifted to sleep. Vulren woke up early in the morning, got ready, and headed downstairs. Nuala was preparing breakfast in the kitchen. He wanted to help, but she said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s almost done anyway.¡±. Nuala¡¯s cooking was amazing, and Vulren occasionally took cooking lessons from her. That way, if things didn¡¯t go as planned and he couldn¡¯t become an adventurer, he could open his own restaurant. Vulren preferred to eat in the kitchen with Nuala. Whenever he ate at the dining table in the living room, he could tell his family was visibly uncomfortable, which bothered him a lot as well. After the breakfast, he was ready to go. The Skill Test would be held at the village¡¯s magic school. His parents never sent him to the school because of his weakness. As he was about to leave, his father called out, ¡°You¡¯d better get a good skill. Maybe you¡¯ll finally be useful for something.¡± Vulren replied sarcastically, ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to get a good Skill that was assigned on my birth .¡± His father gave him a surprised but angry look but said nothing. Vulren didn¡¯t wanted to provoke him, but his father¡¯s reaction was worth it. He felt a spark of confidence now that he would soon receive his own Skill. Imagining how people¡¯s behaviours towards him might change once he had a powerful Skill, he chuckled to himself.


    Elred Village was not a small village; it had a population of nearly a thousand. But the school wasn¡¯t really far from the school. After passing through the marketplace, Vulren arrived at the school in no time. The Elred Magic School was certainly one of the biggest buildings in the village. Unlike the other buildings, this one was made of marble. With its decorative walls, the building looked truly magnificent. In the large garden at the center of the U-shaped school, about twenty children had gathered, waiting for the test to begin. Vulren quietly joined them, trying not to draw attention, but as usual, he couldn¡¯t escape a few disdainful looks.


    A few hours later, a tall man with long blond hair, who looked to be in his thirties and was dressed in robes, emerged from the school¡¯s main gate with his assistant and gathered the children in one place. ¡°Welcome, young seeds of Elred Village! Before we begin the test, I want to wish you all the best of luck. My name is Gorwin Trafiel, the head teacher here at this school,¡± he said, introducing himself. He looked like he didn¡¯t sleep for couple of days. He cleared his throat and started to talk again, ¡°First of all, let me talk about Skills and Skill Test. Everyone has gets a Skill after birth, most of the skills are unique but not really effective. Skills are divided into two types: Active Skills and Passive Skills. Active Skills are those that activate in exchange for mana or physical energy and are similar to magic. Passive Skills, on the other hand, are always active but do not consume mana or energy. But the effects of the Passive Skills are less effective compared to Active Skills. Each skill offers a reward at a certain cost. The quality and level of a skill are ranked from 8, the lowest, to 1, based on how high that cost is. After all, no matter how powerful your skill may be, if you can¡¯t pay the price, it¡¯s meaningless.¡±. A girl in the crowd asked Gorwin, ¡°So, does that mean an 8th-level Skill could potentially be stronger than a 1st-level Skill?¡± ¡°Oh yes, there¡¯s also a chance I might lay a golden egg every time I use the bathroom, but it never happens,¡± Gorwin replied in a mocking tone. Vulren heard some kids giggling in the crowd. But he wasn¡¯t laughing, the joke didn¡¯t even make any sense.


    ¡°Let¡¯s continue then!¡± Gorwin said. His assistant was holding a big black wooden box. He took the box from his assistant and placed it on the ground. ¡°The Test is easy, we have some enchanted elixir in this box. You are going to put your hands hands inside the elixir and close your eyes. The elixir strengthens the bond between you and your Skill temporarily so you can understand how your skill work. And we¡¯ll determine the level of your skill based on the reaction the elixir gives.¡± As Gorwin prepared the potion, his assistant stepped forward holding a sheet of paper. After Gorwin poured the glistering, purplish liquid into a large bowl, his assistant spoke, ¡°Step forward when I call your name.¡± Gorwin¡¯s assistant started reading names from the paper in hand. ¡°Elas Morzeiros.¡±, a boy with black hair stepped forward, and Gorwin said, ¡°First, dip your hands in the water and close your eyes.¡±. After the boy dipped his hands in the water and closed his eyes, Gorwin continued, ¡°Imagine something you lost a long time ago, something you¡¯ve been searching for.¡±


    The boy looked as though he was confused. After waiting for about a minute, the purplish water began to glow, and the confused expression on the boy¡¯s face vanished. The assistant took a glance at the water from his bag and said, ¡°Level 5.¡± A blue feather pen began to float out of the assistant¡¯s bag and started writing something on the paper the assistant had left on the table where the water had settled. The boy returned to the crowd with a grin on his face. The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    The assistant resumed reading from the paper in his hand. ¡°Zestari Genna. ¡°Level 6.¡± ¡°Beldroth Rotoris. ¡°Level 6.¡± ¡°Durothil Bryqen. ¡°Level 4.¡± As the assistant announced the skill levels, a floating quill scribbled notes onto a sheet of paper on the table. The list continued in this manner until it was Vulren¡¯s turn. So far, the highest skill level recorded was Level 3.


    When the assistant finally called his name, ¡°Vulren Ravanan,¡± Vulren stepped forward excitedly and plunged his hands into the liquid. He tried to follow Gorwin¡¯s instructions. At first, searching for something he didn¡¯t even know he had lost felt absurd. But then, suddenly, something clicked in his mind, like he had found it at last. What he sought was pain. Pain would give him strength.


    Before he could process the thought, the assistant announced, ¡°Level 8.¡± The crowd began to laugh. Vulren heard a girl mutter, ¡°Of course it is. Trash like him could only get a trash skill.¡± More laughter followed. Vulren returned to his place with his head hung low. Everyone was staring at him, mocking him. He thought bitterly, Maybe I really should open a restaurant.


    As the assistant called the next name, ¡°Kavrala Umethana,¡± Vulren¡¯s thoughts lingered on the shame that burned in his chest.


    Everyone turned to look at Kavrala. She was the village chief¡¯s daughter, with silky golden hair and elegant attire that made her look every bit as regal as her reputation suggested. Even among Myrills, Kavrala stood out for her beauty. Like the others, she approached the bowl with a calm and cold expression and dipped her hands into the liquid.


    The assistant smiled slightly and announced, ¡°Level 1.¡±


    Cheers and applause erupted from the crowd. ¡°Kavrala is amazing as always!¡± ¡°Exactly what we¡¯d expect from Kavrala!¡±


    Vulren couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang of envy. He knew he wasn¡¯t unattractive by Myrill standards¡ªquite the opposite. Yet, he didn¡¯t have a single friend. Why? The answer was painfully clear: he was too weak. Among the Myrills, beauty was a common trait, but strength was what truly mattered.


    Vulren¡¯s large build, impressive for his age, made him stand out Even more, which was why he sat at the very back, alone on the ground. The test had ended, but Vulren stayed where he was, lost in thought. Gaining strength through pain? It was a cruel skill. Tears welled up in his eyes. After all, he was only seven years old. He lowered his head to hide his face and tried to calm himself. After wiping his eyes on his sleeve, he began to stand, but a voice startled him.


    ¡°Why are you sitting on the ground?¡±


    Kavrala stood before him, her cold gaze fixed on him. Vulren quickly scrambled to his feet, standing straight. For a brief moment, a flicker of surprise crossed her otherwise expressionless face. ¡°Wow, you¡¯re quite tall,¡± she remarked. Caught off guard, Vulren stammered out something resembling a thank-you. Before he could say more, a voice called out in the distance, ¡°Kavrala, come here now!¡± Her parents had arrived to collect her.As Kavrala turned to leave, she waved at Vulren. Hesitantly, he waved back. The other children glared at him with jealousy and hatred. Knowing that staying any longer could lead to trouble, Vulren quickly set off for home. The entire walk back, he couldn¡¯t stop thinking about his skill. ¡°Just because it¡¯s Level 8 doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s weak. No matter how great the cost, as long as I can pay it, I can still be strong.¡±


    But even as he said the words, he didn¡¯t truly believe them. But he turned the handle and slowly pushed it open. The door wasn¡¯t locked. He stepped inside quietly and looked around. His mother was probably in her workshop, but today was his father¡¯s day off, meaning he was either in his office or at the village tavern.


    His father wasn¡¯t a bad person, but as someone with a prominent position in the village, he was undoubtedly embarrassed by his son¡¯s lack of strength. Vulren approached the door to his father¡¯s office and knocked.


    ¡°Come in,¡± came the reply.


    Vulren opened the door slowly. One wall of the room was lined with a massive bookshelf, its shelves packed with books of every size and subject. Across from the door was a large, curtain-framed window, and in front of it stood his father¡¯s elegant desk. Two armchairs faced eachother infront of the desk with a small table between them for guests. His father was seated at the desk, writing something on a piece of paper. When he saw Vulren, he finished a few more words, set his pen down, and gestured to the chair.


    ¡°Have a seat,¡± he said. Vulren sat down nervously. ¡°How did the test go?¡± his father asked. Vulren took a deep breath and replied, ¡°Not very well, to be honest.¡±


    His father sighed and removed his glasses, rubbing his eyes with two fingers. His expression was one of disappointment, as if his last shred of hope had just crumbled.


    ¡°I see,¡± he said. ¡°In that case, find yourself a job you can do. I know you like cooking. If you want to open a restaurant, I¡¯ll help you get started. But once it¡¯s open, you¡¯ll move out immediately. You can stay here untill you turn 12. Help Nuala with cooking and house chores when you stay here. She is going to have a child after couple of of months and she might need help.¡± Although Vulmon didn¡¯t love him that much, he was still his son. After a moment of silence, his father dismissed him with a simple, ¡°You may go.¡±


    Vulren left the office quietly and headed toward his room in the attic. He wanted to escape to the forest, but it was already afternoon, and reaching the hill in the forest would take hours. Instead, he grabbed a book from a pile in the corner of his room and lay on his bed.


    But his mind kept drifting he couldn¡¯t even concentrate to the book. Maybe I really should open a restaurant, he thought, trying to convince himself with the memory of how much he enjoyed cooking. Yet deep down, he still wanted to grow stronger. He had no magical power and a strong skill. Could he really accept this life? He reflected on his one glimmer of hope. The Myrills had incredibly hard and sharp teeth. But nobody knew their teeth had another property, as long as he knew, they could break magic down. Vulren had stumbled upon this truth by accident months ago.


    While exploring the forest, he had encountered a magical bird-like creature, as large as his head. The creature attacked immediately, pecking at him with relentless force. Vulren tried to escape, but the area was overgrown with roots, vines, and bushes, a place where beasts rarely ventured. Realizing he couldn¡¯t outrun it, he tripped over a root and fell. The bird lunged at him, and in desperation, Vulren grabbed the bird with both hands and bit down with all his strength. He was at least expecting to scare the monster. To his shock, the creature was crahsed instantly, as if his teeth had disrupted its skins magical protection.


    His mouth filled with feathers, blood, and organs, and the taste was unbearable. He spit it out and vomited violently, running to the nearest clean water source to rinse his mouth. But in that moment, he realized the power hidden in his teeth. Now he had a plan: open a restaurant, continue training his body, and test his teeth¡¯s ability to break magic down by biting magical creatures in the forest. Having his own place meant he could stay out as late as he wanted without answering to anyone. By the time the sun set, Vulren had made up his mind. Tomorrow morning, he would tell his father he wanted to open a restaurant. With that resolve, closed his eyes, and drifted into sleep.

 CHAPTER 2

    It was a cool spring morning. The snow hadn¡¯t completely melted yet, leaving muddy patches at the base of the trees. On a branch of one of the tallest trees, several meters above the ground, a boy was doing pull-ups. Despite being only 12 years old, he was much larger than his peers. To an outsider, he might have seemed incredibly strong compared to the kids who appeared tiny beside him. Yet, Vulren Ravanan, this boy, had never once managed to defeat even his younger sister, who was two years younger than him.


    Ever since Vulren discovered his skill, he would come to the forest every day with books he borrowed from the library and train around this big, ancient tree. His magical power and skill were quite weak, so he had nothing to rely on other than his muscles and mind. Vulren initially planned to learn how to properly use his teeth by fighting and biting the monsters in the forest. However, that plan didn¡¯t go as expected. To bite a monster, he first had to get close to them, but since monsters could bite back¡ªand far more effectively¡ªit was nearly impossible. He had a bit of luck a few times, managing to attack stealthily by exploiting his low magical power, but he couldn¡¯t inflict any lethal damage. Worst of all, biting monsters was utterly disgusting.


    Still, Vulren didn¡¯t give up on the potential of his teeth and continued to strengthen his jaw through training. He was certain that one day his teeth would prove invaluable. As the sun set, Vulren finished his training, swung himself onto the branch with one hand, grabbed the books stored in a hollow, and climbed down. He had already moved into his new home. And next week, he would finally open his own restaurant, just as his father had promised. He had worked hard for this moment, spending countless hours mastering everything from main courses to soups and desserts.


    Once he reached the ground, he put his shirt back on, grabbed his bag from under the tree, and started walking. Having spent most of his life in this forest, Vulren knew the safest routes. Since he was sweaty from training, he headed toward a beautiful, calm stream where he always bathed. He left his clothes on the riverbank and stepped into the icy water. His body was covered in cuts, bruises, and scars. After thoroughly cleaning himself, Vulren climbed out, got dressed, and dried his hair with a towel from his bag. He resumed his journey, silently and cautiously, keeping an eye out for monsters until he reached the village¡¯s fences.


    The village¡¯s fences were lined with crystals that detected magic. If someone tried to sneak in or out, the guards would be alerted immediately. As a child, Vulren had no trouble with the crystals, but as he grew older, his magical power began to increase slightly too. This led to more frequent encounters with monsters and issues with the crystals. Normally, one couldn¡¯t hide their magical power without enchanted items. However, using enchanted items required some magic, which Vulren lacked.


    Determined to find a way to suppress his magical power without using magic, Vulren spent months in the library researching ancient spells. He eventually came across one that intrigued him. It was described as being similar to squeezing a piece of fabric tightly to shrink it. This ancient spell was once used by dwarves who lived in mountain peaks to avoid attracting the attention of dragons. However, the technique fell into obscurity due to the rise of enchanted items and the extreme physical endurance it required.


    The book offered little information about the spell but advised: "Imagine trying to use all the muscles in your body to prevent the magic from spreading beyond your skin." Vulren was confused¡ªhe had no idea how muscles could hold magic. For two months, he meditated on the tallest branch of the tree, tensing his muscles for hours daily. But when no progress was made, he started looking for alternative methods. The book mentioned that the technique was very difficult and time-consuming, but Vulren didn¡¯t have the luxury of time. He was on the verge of losing his secrecy.


    Then an idea struck him. If it was too difficult to stop magic from spreading throughout his body, wouldn¡¯t it be easier to contain it in a smaller area? He decided to try suppressing the magic at its core before it could spread. To his surprise, this was much easier. After two months of failing to contain the magic across his entire body, this approach felt simple. Since his magical power was already very low, it leaked out from the core much more slowly compared to others. It was almost like compressing his core with his abdominal muscles. Compared to using all his muscles, it was relatively comfortable.


    After practicing this method for a while, Vulren was able to suppress his power even while moving quickly. This allowed him to easily slip through the weaker sections of the crystals on the village wall every morning. With a swift leap over the wall, he landed in the village¡¯s fields. Passing through the wheat and vegetable fields, he arrived at his small hut.


    The hut was in poor condition compared to his old home, but it was his own. It was far from the village center, but the restaurant he had planned with his father wasn¡¯t located centrally either. The place was small, more like a stand. Behind the single-room restaurant, there was a tiny kitchen equipped with a refrigerator powered, a stove, an oven, all powered by magic crystals. Pots, and other tools were hanging on the walls, along with cabinets filled with ingredients. Vulren would prepare meals here and serve them over the counter that separated the kitchen from the customer area. Customers could then sit at one of four tables to eat.


    Vulren was confident in his cooking skills, but he wasn¡¯t sure how much people would trust a 12-year-old as a chef. But he didn¡¯t need much money.


    After entering his hut, he placed his bag by the door and went to the kitchen to prepare dinner. Water flowed from the small metal pipe powered by a water crystal, filling a pot. Vulren lit the stove and cleaned the fish he had caught earlier in the forest stream. He chopped vegetables into the pot, covered it, and let the water boil. While waiting, he prepared the fish with oil and spices and placed it in the oven. The kitchen tools were of much lower quality compared to his old home, but he was still grateful to have a kitchen at all.


    After the fish was cooked, he took it out of the oven and drained the vegetables in the pot. Then he combined the fish and vegetables in the same pot. Taking the pot and a fork and spoon, he sat at the small, round wooden table in the kitchen and ate directly from the pot. As usual, it had been a tiring day. He went to the bedroom and grabbed a notebook from the mostly empty bookshelf. This notebook was The Folre Forest Guide he had recently started writing. He planned to fill it with detailed maps of certain areas of the forest, regions with high and low concentrations of monsters, water source locations, cave entrances, and various other useful information. After jotting down a few notes, he closed the notebook, returned it to the shelf, and lay down to sleep.


    When the sun was just beginning to rise, Vulren was already awake, preparing breakfast. In two days, he would open the restaurant. He had started getting to know the people in the area where he lived. One of them was an old woman who lived on a farm near his house. Nearly every morning before heading to the forest, he would stop by her place and help with small tasks. In return, the old woman taught him the recipes she knew.


    After changing and getting ready, he left his house and started walking toward the old woman''s farm. Upon arriving, he saw her milking the cows using magic. "Good morning, Ms. Malonne," said Vulren. Malonne turned her head toward him and said, "Good morning, kid. How''s it going?" She was a tough and stern woman. When they first met, Malonne had been quite grumpy, speaking curtly and often dismissing him. But as days went by, she warmed up to him. Because of her difficult nature, none of her neighbors except Vulren spoke with her. "Is there anything I can help with?" Vulren asked. Malonne pointed toward the chicken coop with her finger. Vulren left his bag by the fence and walked over to the coop. Being old, Malonne had trouble controlling her magic, often breaking delicate things like eggs. Vulren picked up the basket by the entrance and began filling it with eggs from inside the coop. Some of the chickens weren¡¯t happy about this, but Vulren didn¡¯t mind. He exited the coop with the basket full of eggs and brought it over to Malonne, setting it down beside her chair. "Anything else I can do?" he asked. Malonne replied, "You¡¯ve done plenty already, kid. You should take a break once in a while." She then took a few eggs from the basket and handed them to him. Vulren carefully placed the eggs in his bag, thanked her, and headed for the forest. That day, he planned to wander the forest and map out the area while observing and recording the traits of a few monsters in his notebook. After hopping over the fences, he quickly disappeared among the trees. The area he was heading toward was filled with monsters, so he needed to stay extra alert. As he moved through the trees, he heard a voice. Climbing into the dense branches of a tree, he began observing his surroundings. Two adults and three children, wearing the village emblem, were moving carefully through the forest. Vulren immediately recognized the golden-haired girl confidently leading the group. It was Kavrala Umethana, the village chief''s daughter and a Level 1 skill user. Normally, hunts were held on specific days of the month, and today wasn¡¯t one of those days. One of the adults pulled out a scroll marked with the village magic school¡¯s emblem. These two adults were from the school. Oddly, their magic-concealing cloaks were of low quality, leaking large amounts of energy into the surroundings. At this rate, it was only a matter of time before they encountered a monster, which Vulren suspected was exactly what they wanted. After watching for a while, Vulren decided not to take any risks and remained hidden, waiting for them to pass. Once the group moved away, he silently climbed down and disappeared in the bushes.


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.He continued on, gathering berries and mushrooms along the way, eventually reaching a part of the forest rarely visited. These areas were teeming with monsters. As he progressed, he carefully mapped the area while staying alert. After taking a break to eat the berries he had found, he began reviewing his notebook. Suddenly, from the bushes right next to him, a large, two-tailed black fox leapt out, locking eyes with him. The creature had jet-black fur, two bushy tails, razor-sharp teeth, and two pairs of silvery eyes, one under each ear. Vulren had read about this type of fox in books; it was called a Nightfoot. These foxes blended into the darkness and used dream magic to disorient their prey. It was an incredibly dangerous opponent, but escaping wasn¡¯t an option. Since the sun was still up and the monster didn''t seem fully grown yet, he had a small chance. Springing to his feet, Vulren tried to put some distance between himself and the fox. But it was too fast, lunging at him before he could retreat and sinking its teeth into his arm. Without the iron vambraces under his shirt, it could have easily shattered his arm. As its teeth began to pierce the metal and reach his flesh, Vulren punched the eye beneath the fox¡¯s ear with his free hand. It wasn¡¯t enough to cause serious damage, but it was enough to make the fox release him. Vulren stumbled back, creating some distance. He started to think for a plan. Nightfoots weren¡¯t particularly strong but relied on ambush tactics and illusions to catch their prey off guard. He thought of using his injured arm as bait and trying to snap the creature¡¯s neck or choke it. However, approaching such an agile enemy, especially one capable of basic-level magic, would be no small feat. He had a knife in his bag, but the bag was now far out of reach.


    The creature began summoning its illusions, creating several identical copies of itself around him. However, in daylight, the fakes were noticeably less convincing. While contemplating his next move, an idea struck him. Vulren sprinted toward one of the fake Nightfoots at full speed. He was certain that as soon as he attacked the fake, the real one would leap at him from behind.


    As he neared the illusion, he spotted the real Nightfoot emerging from the bushes, preparing to strike. Just as Vulren appeared about to attack the fake, he abruptly stopped and turned. The creature pounced, but Vulren caught it mid-air by the neck with his uninjured arm. The Nightfoot thrashed violently, biting and scratching him with its claws. Despite the pain, Vulren held on and grabbed one of its hind legs with his free hand. Then, he bit down on the creature¡¯s leg with all his strength. The Nightfoot let out a guttural growl of pain, thrashing wildly, but Vulren only bit harder, his teeth sinking deeper. He was on the verge of severing the creature¡¯s leg when a deafening explosion echoed nearby. The shockwave forced him to release the Nightfoot, which limped away, whimpering. Vulren¡¯s clothes were in tatters, his body covered in cuts and bruises. His mouth and chin were smeared with a mixture of blood and dark fur. Ignoring the awful taste in his mouth, he turned toward the source of the explosion, curiosity eating away at him despite the danger. When he arrived at the scene, his eyes widened in disbelief. Hundreds of blood hyenas had surrounded a golden-haired girl. He knew blood hyenas moved in packs, but he had never seen so many gathered in one place. He immediately recognized the girl¡ªit was Kavrala, the village chief¡¯s daughter, from the hunting team he had seen earlier. The other members of the group were nowhere in sight.


    He wondered if this was some sort of test, but there was no one else around, and Kavrala¡¯s magic was rapidly fading. If no one came to save her in the next few minutes, the hyenas would tear her apart. Vulren hesitated, watching from a distance as her magic dimmed further, unable to take down the remaining hyenas.


    He didn¡¯t want to see her die, but there was nothing he could do. Hoping this was indeed some sort of trial, he stayed hidden, waiting for help to arrive. However, no one came. Kavrala looked ready to collapse from exhaustion.


    Realizing he could no longer stand by, Vulren tore off the sleeve of his ruined shirt and fashioned a crude mask to cover his face. Taking a deep breath, he steeled himself and plunged into the chaos.


    The blood hyenas were entirely focused on Kavrala. A few turned to snap at Vulren as he passed, but they paid him little mind. Dodging explosions of magic and weaving through the mass of snarling beasts, he made his way toward her.


    When he got close, a hyena clamped its jaws around his leg. Panic surged through him as he kicked frantically, forcing it to release him. More hyenas began to close in. Realizing he couldn¡¯t linger, Vulren took another deep breath, calmed his racing mind, and sprinted.


    Moments later, he was towering over Kavrala. Blood dripped from his chin, his clothes hung in shreds, and his body was riddled with wounds. Kavrala¡¯s eyes widened in shock as she froze, unable to process what she was seeing. Vulren picked her up onto his shoulder and charged toward a less crowded part of the pack. Kavrala remained limp in his grasp, as though she had fainted from shock. Vulren dodged teeth and claws as he ran, his body screaming in protest. When he finally reached the treeline, he glanced back and shivered at the sight of dozens of blood hyenas giving chase. There was a hidden cave nearby filled with a lot of magic crystals. If they reached it, the hyenas wouldn¡¯t be able to track Kavrala¡¯s magic power. His wounds forgotten in his desperation, Vulren sprinted at full speed. At last, he managed to leave the hyenas behind, slipping into the narrow entrance of the cave. Inside, he pushed through the tight spaces until he emerged into a large chamber filled with glowing blue-purple crystals. Gently, he set Kavrala down before his knees gave out, and he collapsed. Exhaustion and blood loss began to take their toll as his vision blurred. When Vulren woke, every inch of his body ached. Moving was agony. He dragged himself to a nearby crystal and leaned against it. Memories of what had happened came flooding back, and his eyes darted around, searching for Kavrala, but she was nowhere to be found. Unable to sense anything through the overwhelming magic emanating from the crystals, his heart sank. Without his bag, he couldn¡¯t stop his bleeding and would likely die. Then, he noticed a shadow moving behind the crystals on the far side of the chamber. His first thought was that the hyenas had found them, but then a bloodied, golden-haired girl emerged. Kavrala stared at him with curiosity, clearly not recognizing him. She stepped closer. ¡°Thank you for saving me,¡± she said cautiously. Vulren winced, speaking hurt too much. ¡°Don''t worry about it.¡± he managed to reply.


    Kavrala hesitated before asking, ¡°May I know your name?¡± ¡°Vulren. Vulren Ravanan,¡± he said. Her expression shifted to one of surprise. ¡°You¡¯re the tall boy from the skill test. I didn¡¯t recognize you with all the blood and... well, everything.¡± Vulren was too drained to respond. Thirst and hunger threatened to overwhelm him. Kavrala continued, ¡°If I can regain a bit of my magic, I should be able to heal you. Just hold on for half a day. I¡¯ll go gather supplies and come back.¡± Her words barely registered as his consciousness began to fade once more.


    When Vulren opened his eyes, he found Kavrala examining a brown mushroom with black stripes. He felt much better compared to before, stood up, and pointed at the mushroom. "Just so you know, that mushroom could kill you with a single bite," he said. Kavrala immediately dropped the mushroom and turned to Vulren. "I used a bit of healing magic on you while you were asleep. How are you feeling?" she asked. Vulren replied simply, "Good enough."


    He walked over to the pile of fruits and mushrooms Kavrala had gathered, sat down, and began sorting the edible ones. As he worked, he asked, "What were you even doing out there? Blood hyenas aren¡¯t exactly picnic companions." Kavrala, her tone slightly irritated, replied, "The school was taking its most talented students into the forest for training, but we got separated because of the hyenas."


    As Vulren ate some of the fruits and mushrooms with visible appetite, he asked again, "Any idea what happened to the others?" Kavrala''s expression was blank as she responded, "Maybe they¡¯re dead, but I doubt it."


    After gathering some strength, Vulren peeked outside the cave. Night had already fallen. "We can¡¯t go back at this hour. We¡¯ll have to spend the night here," he said. Kavrala hesitated before asking, "Are you sure it¡¯s safe? I¡¯m certain I heard strange noises coming from deeper in the cave." Vulren shrugged and replied, "Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s just a giant black widow¡¯s nest further in. Why do you think no other monsters come into this cave? But spiders don¡¯t usually come to this side. Still, keep one eye open while you sleep." Kavrala was clearly disgusted, and she hoped he was joking but she was much more exhausted to ask further questions.

 CHAPTER 3

    Kavrala tried to sleep while leaning against a crystal on the cold, hard floor of the cave. She had pushed her magic channels too far, using any more magic could cause permanent damage. And her only way to get out of this monster-infested forest was Vulren, who couldn¡¯t use magic and whose skill level was merely at 8. She still couldn¡¯t believe a boy this weak could roam the depths of the forest. What¡¯s more, he was only 12 years old. Kavrala watched Vulren as he slept peacefully for a while and couldn''t help but wonder, How can he sleep so soundly in a place like this? She barely got any rest during the night due to the unsettling noises coming from the depths of the cave. As the sun began to rise, Vulren got up from where he lay, still as a statue, and went to wake Kavrala. However, she opened her red, sleepless eyes as soon as she saw him moving and said in a tired voice, "Good morning." Vulren smirked sarcastically. "You look like you had a great night¡¯s sleep." Then, in a more serious tone, he continued, "Before we head back to the village, let me tell you a few things. First, don¡¯t mention me to anyone. Tell them you distracted or scared off the hyenas with your magic and escaped. You¡¯ve probably figured it out by now, but I¡¯m not supposed to be here." Kavrala nodded to show she understood. ¡°But how did you manage to leave the village? And judging by your knowledge of the forest, you¡¯ve been here before. How haven¡¯t you been caught?¡± Walking toward the cave entrance, Vulren simply replied, ¡°The perks of being weak.¡± Kavrala stood up and followed him. Since her magical energy hadn¡¯t fully recovered, she wasn¡¯t drawing too much attention, but Vulren still chose to move through the calmest parts of the forest. After a few hours of walking, Vulren stopped and turned to Kavrala. Pointing behind him with his thumb, he said, "Keep walking straight from here, and you¡¯ll reach the village walls." Expressionless, Kavrala asked, "What about you?". "I¡¯ll use another entrance," Vulren replied before heading toward the weak spot in the fence he always used. After walking for a while, he arrived at the fence, checked his surroundings, and jumped over. His leg, still aching from the hyena bite, didn¡¯t hinder his movement thanks to Kavrala¡¯s healing magic. He was, however, utterly exhausted. Crossing the fields, he finally reached his home and threw himself onto his bed. The past day had been so overwhelming it completely drained him. After resting for a while, he sat up and caught sight of the calendar on the wall. Tomorrow was the big day when the restaurant would open. Looking at the calendar, he thought, Wait a second¡­ Realization struck him like a lightning bolt. He hadn¡¯t marked the calendar because he was in the forest yesterday, which meant the calendar was a day behind. When Vulren realized what this meant, his eyes widened, and he jumped out of bed. Hastily washing his face and changing his clothes, he rushed to meet his father outside the restaurant. They were supposed to meet at noon and the sun was almost at its peak. Vulren had never felt such fear¡ªnot even when facing the hyenas. He bolted out the door and ran toward the village. The further he went, the fewer fields and gardens there were, and the more houses appeared. Entering the street where the restaurant was, he spotted his father waiting with a few friends. Not only had his father covered the restaurant¡¯s expenses, but he¡¯d also brought customers. Vulren¡¯s father, Vulmon, was a clever man. He knew his son¡¯s weakness wasn¡¯t his fault, yet when Vulren was born, he had such high expectations of him. When those expectations weren¡¯t met, Vulmon grew resentful toward his son for reasons even he couldn¡¯t explain. Though he was aware of the injustice he had shown Vulren, he still couldn¡¯t forgive him. Lately, however, he¡¯d noticed how hard his son was working. To make up for the unfairness, Vulmon wanted to help his son as much as he could. But no matter what he did, the guilt in his heart never faded. Unaware of his father¡¯s conflicting emotions, Vulren felt grateful for the support his father had shown. Out of breath, he ran to his father and said, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for being late, Dad.¡± His father replied, "It¡¯s fine, Vulren. We just got here, anyway." Turning around to his companions, Vulmon added, "These are my colleagues. They¡¯ve come to try your cooking. We¡¯ll be your first customers." Smiling, Vulren retrieved the restaurant key he kept hidden in his drawer and unlocked the door. While the guests waited at the counter, Vulren donned his apron near the kitchen entrance and approached them with a small notebook and pen. Politely, he said, "May I take your orders, please?" As they browsed the menu on the wall, Vulren¡¯s heart raced. One of his father¡¯s friends ordered lamb stew, and the others quickly followed with their requests. The last customer said, ¡°Impressive menu, kid. Let¡¯s see if you can cook as well as you write.¡± Vulren jotted down all the orders, took the necessary ingredients from the fridge, and began cooking. He diced vegetables, seasoned meat, and prepared dishes with great precision and speed. Soon, he served the meals to the guests chatting at the counter. The customers seemed impressed. Carrying their plates, cutlery, and meals to their tables, they were watched intently by a nervous Vulren. After taking the first bite, one of Vulmon¡¯s friends exclaimed, ¡°Your son¡¯s a culinary genius, Vulmon!¡± Hearing this, Vulren¡¯s anxiety melted away, replaced by pride. Encouraged, Vulmon himself tasted the food. It was incredible¡ªdespite learning from Nuala, this dish tasted unique, almost magical. Smiling to himself, Vulmon thought, Maybe this is Vulren¡¯s magic. When the customers finished their meals and approached the counter to pay, they showered Vulren with praise. It was the first time in his life he had received so many compliments. For the first time, Vulmon seemed proud of him. As everyone paid and left, Vulmon stepped forward last, placing a silver coin on the counter. ¡°Do you have change, Vulren?¡± he asked. Panicking, Vulren realized he didn¡¯t. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir. We¡¯re out of change right now, but don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s on the house,¡± he replied nervously. His father smiled and said, "Oh, there is nothing we can do then, keep the rest." before turning to join his friends waiting outside. Vulren was touched by this unexpected gesture, but the day wasn¡¯t over yet. He returned to the counter and waited for more customers. However, none arrived for the rest of the day. Despite the lack of business, Vulren was content. He had finally started to repair his relationship with his father . At sunset, he locked up the restaurant and headed home. Thinking about the recent days¡¯ events, he realized he had already arrived at his house. He wasn¡¯t hungry, having eaten at the restaurant, so he changed into more comfortable clothes and reached for his notebook in the bookshelf, only to realize it wasn¡¯t there. It dawned on him that the notebook had been in the bag he lost in the forest. All his effort and work were gone. Devastated, he threw himself onto his bed, he didn''t even wanted to think, he stared at the ceiling until he fell asleep. He woke to the sound of a neighbor¡¯s rooster crowing and looked out the window. The sun was just rising, and dark clouds were gathering. He wanted to reach the restaurant before the rain started, so Vulren got dressed and left the house. As he walked toward the restaurant, he was trying to come up with a new training method. Simple physical training was starting to feel far too easy. In his mind, he listed the areas he needed to improve on one by one. First, he wanted to enhance his ability to sense magic. Since the ability to sense magic wasn¡¯t proportional to magical strength, this was something he could work on without much difficulty. Being more aware of what was happening around him would definitely be a useful skill. Next, he needed to work on his reflexes. His fight with Nightfoot had shown him just how slow he was. Additionally, since he had to get close to his enemies to bite them, he only had two options: either dodge attacks or willingly take the hits. Since the second option was currently out of the question, he had no choice but to improve his reflexes. His stamina, on the other hand, was already at an excellent level thanks to years of running and climbing in the forest. When he arrived in front of the restaurant, he put these thoughts aside and decided to head to the library later to do some research. Entering the restaurant, he put on his apron and sat on a stool beside the counter, waiting for customers. Of course, he wasn¡¯t just sitting idly. Enhancing his ability to sense magic required meditation and focus, so Vulren concentrated on examining the magical sources around him. After mastering awareness of a small area, he would try to extend his senses further, but fully mastering even a tiny space was a monumental task. Soon, he noticed a magical presence approaching the restaurant entrance. A bald, middle-aged man walked in, and Vulren stood up, moving behind the counter to greet him. The man looked surprised as he glanced at the menu, then turned to Vulren and said, "You cook all of this yourself, young man?". "Yes, sir. If you have a special request, I¡¯ll do my best to accommodate it," Vulren replied. The man gave his order, still looking astonished, and Vulren quickly got to work. After preparing the dish, he placed it on the counter, and the man took it to one of the tables to eat. When the man finished his meal, he paid and remarked, "I¡¯m impressed that you can cook like this despite barely being able to use magic." with a mocking smirk on his face. Vulren wondered how magic and cooking were connected. Then, with a sly grin, he responded, "We don¡¯t need magic for everything, sir. For example, you can blind someone without using a blinding spell if you lean a little lower." He gestured with his eyes toward the man¡¯s bald head and the sunlight streaming in through the window. For a moment, the man stood there confused, and then his smile faded. Without saying a word, he left. Vulren knew the man probably wouldn¡¯t return, but holding back his sharp tongue had always been a struggle. He sat back on his stool, resuming his observation of his surroundings. For hours, no one came in. Toward noon, he sensed another presence approaching the restaurant. The door opened, and an elderly woman entered¡ªhis grumpy neighbor, Mrs. Malonne. Surprised to see her, Vulren maintained his composure and greeted her. ¡°Hello, Mrs. Malonne. How can I help you today?¡±. "I meant to visit your restaurant yesterday, but I totally forgot." she said as she approached the counter and examined the menu. Pointing to an item, she added, "I¡¯ll have this one, dear.". ¡°Coming right up,¡± Vulren said as he got to work. In no time, he prepared the dish perfectly and placed it on the counter. Mrs. Malonne didn¡¯t bother sitting at a table; she ate standing by the counter, muttering with a full mouth, ¡°As always, your food is delicious.¡± Vulren often tested new recipes on her, so she was familiar with his cooking. After finishing her meal, Mrs. Malonne spoke again while Vulren cleaned the plate. "A few hours ago, I saw a sweet girl hanging around your house." Vulren dropped the plate into the sink and rushed to the counter. "What did she look like? How old was she? What color was her hair? Long or short?" he asked hurriedly. ¡°She looked to be about your age and had long, beautiful golden hair. Calm down, son; you¡¯re only 12,¡± she replied. Vulren ignored her joke and started thinking. What was that foolish girl doing there? He had told her to pretend he didn¡¯t exist. Did she have to show up the very next day? His thoughts were interrupted by Mrs. Malonne¡¯s voice. "I told her you weren¡¯t home. She asked where you were, and I mentioned your restaurant. She thanked me and left. But judging by your reaction, she hasn¡¯t shown up here, has she?" The last thing Vulren wanted was to get involved with Kavrala. He had finally managed to isolate himself from the village and avoid attracting attention. Any connection with the village chief¡¯s popular daughter could ruin his peaceful life. The rest of the day passed in tense anticipation as Vulren kept an eye out. A few customers came by, but there was still no sign of Kavrala. As evening approached and he was about to close the restaurant, he felt a strong magical presence outside. His worst fear had come true, Kavrala was here. The door opened, and she walked in, approaching the counter with a blank expression. Vulren sighed and asked, ¡°What do you want?¡± "Nothing. I just wanted to check on your injuries," she replied. "I know that¡¯s not the only reason you¡¯re here. And yes, my injuries are fine. You¡¯re quite skilled in healing magic," Vulren answered. Kavrala averted her gaze, looking around the restaurant. After glancing at the menu, she spoke again. ¡°Actually, I wanted to ask if you could teach me about the forest. The teachers at school aren¡¯t very good at it. And it seems like you know the forest like the back of your hand!¡± Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, Vulren said, "No way." Kavrala, without changing the blank expression on her face, continued speaking: "I think this deal could be quite beneficial for you as well, Vulren. Since you can¡¯t use magic, I imagine you have trouble exploring certain parts of the forest. As for me, I struggle with the deeper parts of the forest because I don¡¯t know my way around. This way, we both benefit." What she said made sense to Vulren to some extent, but despite Kavrala¡¯s immense magical power, her lack of training and experience kept her from utilizing her full potential. She couldn¡¯t control her magic well enough to deal with the monsters she might attract in the forest. What she needed was experience. Moreover, Kavrala was the only child of the village chief and the likely heir. Building a good relationship with her could be very advantageous in the future. Even though he didn¡¯t like the idea, his curiosity about the unexplored parts of the forest was eating away at him. Finally giving in to his curiosity, he said, "If you agree to do everything I say, then fine." Kavrala smiled and asked, "So, when do we start?" Vulren, not trusting her to fully comply with his conditions, replied, "We¡¯ll start as soon as you get permission to enter the forest without a supervisor. Until then, work on your magic. I won¡¯t be able to handle the monsters you¡¯ll attract." Kavrala looked slightly disheartened but said, "I¡¯ve almost sorted out the permission issue. When I told them I drove off that blood hyenas, they allowed me to join the hunts. They said if I perform well during the hunts, I¡¯ll be allowed to go on solo trips for training." She averted her gaze and added quietly, "As for magic training... the instructors are terrible. I do everything they say, but I still feel like I can¡¯t reach the power lying dormant inside me." Vulren turned back to the sink and resumed washing the dishes. While cleaning the plates, he spoke again, "That was to be expected. Those old geezers couldn¡¯t even dream of reaching your potential. Since their own powers are so weak, they never needed to use them efficiently." He glanced at Kavrala, who was still avoiding his gaze, her face slightly redden. She looked like she wants to ask something. In the other hand the idea of the village¡¯s weakest person, someone who couldn¡¯t even use magic, dismissing the magical instructors as "weak old geezers" struck Kavrala as both strange and a bit funny. Vulren sighed again and said, "I¡¯ll give you a few books. Read them and practice the training exercises until you get permission for solo trips into the forest. If there¡¯s anything you don¡¯t understand, I¡¯m here." Kavrala seemed genuinely pleased. She turned to Vulren and thanked him before shifting her focus back to the menu. Pointing at it with her finger, she said, "I didn¡¯t know you could cook. When the old lady near your house told me you ran a restaurant, I was shocked. Can I have the second dish from the top?" Without saying a word, Vulren went to prepare the necessary ingredients. The order was mixed noodles with beef. He thinly sliced the meat and cooked it in a pan with some oil, spices, and sauce. And while he boiled the noodles in a pot of water, chopped some vegetables, and added them along with the spices, sauce, and beef to the bowl of noodles. After mixing everything well, he placed the bowl on the counter. Kavrala, having never cooked before thanks to the chef at her house, was taken aback by how amazing the food smelled. She took the bowl from the counter and sat at a table. Taking her first bite, she realized the meal was incredibly delicious. Even the chef¡¯s dishes at her home paled in comparison to this "simple" dish. Seeing the obvious satisfaction on Kavrala¡¯s face, Vulren couldn¡¯t help but smile faintly. While she ate, Vulren was preparing a massive steak for himself. After finishing his cooking, he sat across from Kavrala with his plate. When Kavrala saw the enormous steak in front of him, her eyes widened. "Are you really going to eat all of that?" she asked. The steak was easily over a kilogram. After all the physical training he had done, Vulren¡¯s muscle mass had increased significantly, along with his appetite. He could eat enough for three people in one sitting. Without responding, Vulren cut off a large piece of steak with his knife and, opening his mouth unnaturally wide, ate it in one bite. His jaw was pretty small at first but since he started to stretch his jaw after the trainings , his mouth significantly grew larger. She watched him as his teeth¡ªgleaming blue-white like steel¡ªcut through the meat. They were razor-sharp. Kavrala was slightly unnerved by the sight. Rather than a noble and elegant Myrill, Vulren resembled the blood hyenas of the forest more. After finishing her meal, Kavrala thanked him and pulled out a coin pouch. Vulren swallowed his bite of steak and said, "You don¡¯t need to pay. Consider it a thank-you for healing me." Kavrala frowned and firmly replied, "No." She looked kin of scary so Vulren didn¡¯t push the matter further. After finishing his steak in just a few bites, he took Kavrala¡¯s bowl and his plate to the sink and started washing them. Kavrala stayed seated at the table until he was done. Once they stepped outside and locked the door, Kavrala asked, "Where are you going now? There are still a few hours until sunset." If Vulren said he was heading back into the forest, she might insist on joining him, using his injury as an excuse. To avoid this risk, he replied, "I¡¯m going to do some training near my house.". "Don¡¯t push yourself too hard," Kavrala said, waving goodbye as she headed toward her home. Vulren, meanwhile, walked toward the forest, wondering why Kavrala was acting so strangely. Before moving into his new home, Vulren had heard things about Kavrala from his sister, Leena. His sister attended the same magic academy as Kavrala, and because both were considered exceptionally talented, they frequently crossed paths and Leena admired her deeply. But his relationship as siblings had worsened since Leena began attending the academy. In the past, Leena hadn¡¯t cared about Vulren¡¯s lack of magical power, but the school had ingrained in its students the belief that power was everything. As a result, she, like their parents, had started feeling ashamed of him. Vulren missed the times when his sister would eagerly listen to his stories about the creatures he encountered in the forest. Years ago, she had told him she no longer believed his "lies," and since then, he had stopped sharing his adventures. Their bond had only deteriorated further, leaving Vulren frustrated but he couldn''t do anything about it anyway. According to Leena, Kavrala was a cold and aloof person who only spoke to others when necessary and avoided forming close connections. These thoughts occupied Vulren''s mind as he neared his house. Unlocking the door with his key, he entered, grabbed the spare bag he kept in his wardrobe for emergencies, and left again, locking the door behind him. After a brisk walk, he reached the village walls. He checked his surroundings to ensure no one was nearby, then leapt over the wall with ease. Silently, he began rushing towards the spot where he had last left his bag, the place where he had fought the Nightfoot. With only a few hours until sunset, he knew he had to move quickly. Risking shortcuts, he made it to the location in a short time. Scanning for magical sources, he sensed nothing beyond a few birds perched on a tree. Relieved, he began searching the area. Time was running out as the sun neared the horizon. When he finally found his bag, it was in shreds. Quickly, he opened it to check its contents. All the food was gone, and broken eggs had spilled onto some books¡ªlibrary books he had borrowed. The old librarian would be furious, but Vulren was simply grateful to have found the books at all. Finally, when he located his notebook, he felt a weight lift off his shoulders. Though it was slightly damaged, it was intact. He transferred the notebook and books into the spare bag and left the area swiftly. Once he passed through the dangerous parts of the forest, his thoughts turned to how he could best utilize Kavrala''s power. His own weaknesses and limitations were clear to him, but there were also things he could do that Kavrala could not. Together, they might be able to achieve what neither could alone. This partnership could bring him closer to his dream of creating a detailed guide of the forest. As he approached the village walls, Vulren suddenly sensed two magic sources nearby. He quickly climbed a dense, leafy tree to observe his surroundings. From their armor, it was clear the two individuals were village guards. They were patrolling with lanterns powered by light crystals, a rare sight in this area. The guard with a mustache turned to his companion with a beard and spoke, "This new patrol route is ridiculous, mate. Monsters never come near this area. Wouldn¡¯t it make more sense to guard where they¡¯re more likely to appear?". The other guard, keeping his gaze ahead, replied, "Orders are orders, buddy. Heard there was a massive pack of blood hyenas spotted in the forest recently. Apparently, they even attacked a hunting party from the magic academy. One of the instructors is still missing, and the others barely made it out alive. They say even the chief¡¯s famous daughter almost died!" The guard with a mustache swept his lantern around and said, "Yeah, that blood hyena pack is worrying, but I still don¡¯t think they¡¯d come here." From his hiding spot, Vulren watched the guards move away. Once they were out of sight, he waited a little longer to ensure the area was safe before climbing down and approaching the wall. With a powerful leap, he cleared the wall easily. Checking his surroundings, he quietly walked through the fields back to his home. After taking a deep breath, he went to his room to inspect the damage to the books and notebook. Aside from a few books, most were in decent condition. Grabbing his quill, Vulren opened his notebook and began recording his recent observations about the forest. After changing his clothes, he lay down and drifted into sleep.


    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.A week passed quickly, marked by his usual routine. Vulren hadn¡¯t heard anything from Kavrala, but he didn¡¯t particularly care. What mattered was that his customer base was steadily growing. However, running the restaurant consumed most of his time, leaving little room for training. So he decided to open the restaurant at noon, as most customers came for lunch or dinner anyway. Waking up before dawn as usual, Vulren changed clothes and headed to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. After finishing his enormous meal, he grabbed his bag and set out once again toward the forest.

 CHAPTER 4

    They had won this battle, but the war was far from finished. The demons would return, and so would the challenges of forging peace. But for now, they had the chance to continue their mission. And Zelphar wouldn¡¯t stop fighting until peace was more than just a distant dream.


    After the history class and the following math class ended, it was already time for lunch. Leena took out the lunch box that Nuala had prepared for her from her bag, and she and Saria went out to the garden. A few people were gathered under the large tree in the garden, eating. These were the most talented and strongest students of the school, and of course, at the center of the student group sat Kavrala, eating her meal. Upon seeing Kavrala, Leena straightened her clothes and approached the tree. Many of the students greeted her, and Leena smiled and nodded back at them. Saria didn¡¯t like eating among so many people, so she stood nervously beside Leena. Leena approached the blanket where Kavrala was sitting and sat down next to her. Saria¡¯s skill was also at level 2, so she didn¡¯t attract attention, but instead of sitting on the blanket, she sat by the tree, next to Leena. Kavrala looked a bit down that day, so while opening the lunch box Nuala had packed, Leena asked without taking her eyes off the box, ¡°You seem a bit off today. Is something wrong?¡± Kavrala, without looking away from her meal, replied with a blank face, ¡°I miss a meal I used to have. The other foods just seem tasteless now.¡± They quietly continued eating for a few minutes. After a while, Kavrala broke the silence, ¡°I heard a new restaurant opened a bit further from the town center. They say the food is really good, have you heard of it?¡± Leena, speaking with her mouth full, replied, ¡°I¡¯m not sure, do you know the name?¡± After swallowing her bite, Kavrala said, ¡°I think it was something like Rava¡¯s, but I can¡¯t remember exactly.¡± Upon hearing this, Leena almost choked on her food. After coughing a few times, she immediately began to speak, ¡°That¡¯s my brother¡¯s restaurant. If you want, we can go together. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll make the best meal for you.¡± Trying to act surprised, Kavrala responded, ¡°Great! How about after school today?¡± Leena smiled and said, ¡°That works for me.¡± They finished their meal just before the lunch break ended and set off toward their classrooms. When they reached the classroom door, Leena turned to Saria and asked, ¡°You¡¯re coming too, right?¡± As Saria walked into the classroom, she turned back and said, ¡°Of course! It¡¯d be foolish to turn down a chance to eat with Kavrala.¡± After another boring class, the school day ended, and Leena and Saria waited for Kavrala in front of the main entrance. After a while, Kavrala joined them, and they walked together while chatting about classes and magic, heading toward her brother¡¯s restaurant. Kavrala suddenly asked Leena, ¡°Doesn¡¯t your brother go to school?¡± Leena found it a bit strange that Kavrala brought up her brother, but shrugged and answered, ¡°My father doesn¡¯t send him to school because he¡¯s a weakling who can¡¯t even do a bit of magic.¡± Surprised by how Leena spoke about her brother, Kavrala asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you like your brother, Leena?¡± Leena rolled her eyes and replied, ¡°When I was younger, he used to tell me interesting stories that I liked, but after a few years, I realized how weak he is. The chances of the stories he told being true are zero. He probably just told me what he read in a book as if he saw it himself. Since then, I haven¡¯t really liked Vulren, but he¡¯s good at some things, like cooking.¡± Kavrala felt sorry for Vulren, who had been lied about by his sister. She was sure the things he¡¯d seen in the forest were real. After a short while, they reached the street where Vulren¡¯s restaurant was located. When they entered the restaurant, Vulren was washing dishes in the back, and a couple of customers were sitting at a table eating together. The two customers stopped eating and stared at Kavrala and Leena in surprise. After all, they were both well-known in the village, as Kavrala had won first place in the 16-and-under battle tournament at the annual magic festival, and Leena had come third. As they approached the counter to order, Vulren set the dishes in the sink and came to greet them. ¡°Welcome, may I take your orders?¡± he asked. While Saria and Kavrala were looking at the menu, Leena frowned and said, ¡°Couldn¡¯t you find a more disgusting building to open your restaurant? You¡¯re tarnishing our family¡¯s name!¡± When Leena finally stopped speaking, Kavrala quietly pointed to something on the menu without looking at Vulren and said, ¡°I¡¯ll have this.¡± Saria also ordered fried fish and salad. Leena turned to Kavrala and said, ¡°If you don¡¯t like this shabby place, we can leave right now.¡± Kavrala shook her head and replied flatly, ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Leena heard that Kavrala disliked even the best restaurants in the village sometimes, but she couldn¡¯t understand what she liked about this place. Finally, Leena gave in and placed her order, ¡°I¡¯ll have the chicken salad, cut the chicken into large pieces, and don¡¯t put parsley in it. Also, I want lemonade and pudding for dessert.¡± While they waited for the food, Leena and Saria chatted, while Kavrala listened with empty eyes. After a while, the food was ready, and Vulren brought the dishes to their table. The smell of the food was incredible. Without hesitation, Saria started eating, and after her first bite, a look of surprise appeared on her face. Kavrala also began eating, and inevitably, she started smiling. However, Leena stared at her food as if she were trying to make sure there wasn¡¯t poison in it. While Vulren was watching his sisters firends love the food he had prepared from behind the counter, he couldn¡¯t help but smile at the defated look on Leena¡¯s face. After a short while, Leena picked up her fork and began eating. The food was much better than she expected. The tenderness of the chicken and the refreshing taste of the vegetables were amazing. The food was delicious, but the sense of defeat Leena felt was dreadful. However, she didn¡¯t want to give up without trying the dessert. After finishing the meal almost without realizing it, Vulren returned with three plates in hand. One plate had a chocolate souffl¨¦, another had vanilla pudding, and the last one looked like a strange cake. As he handed the pudding to Leena, the souffl¨¦ to Saria, and the cake to Kavrala, he said, ¡°These are a gift from me.¡± Saria smiled and thanked him when she saw the dessert. Kavrala, with wide eyes, poked at her dessert with her spoon and then turned to Vulren, saying, ¡°What is this? It smells wonderful.¡± Vulren, with a smug smile, said, ¡°This is my new recipe; I call it cheesecake. As the name suggests, it¡¯s made from cheese.¡± While Kavrala looked very interested, Leena still refused to accept defeat and said, ¡°A cake made from cheese? That sounds horrible.¡± Everyone dug into their desserts, and Leena didn¡¯t wait long to try the pudding. The comforting vanilla flavor and perfect texture of the pudding completely defeated her. Without saying a word, she kept eating while watching Kavrala, who was smiling in a way Leena had never seen before. The usual blank expression on her face seemed to melt away, replaced with pieces of joy. But this only made Leena angrier. Every time she saw her brother¡¯s disgusting grin, she fumed with rage. Just as they were about to leave the table, Vulren turned to Leena and spoke, ¡°By the way, Leena, I didn''t had any chicken left, so I had to use Giant Swamp Frog. It¡¯s not a problem, right?¡± Saria and Kavrala started laughing silently. Leena was about to throw up everything she had eaten and her anger, but she didn¡¯t want to embarrass herself in front of Kavrala. Turning to her brother, she replied with a green face, ¡°Nice try, but even ten of you couldn¡¯t beat a frog.¡± And she left the restaurant without paying. Kavrala sighed, ¡°I¡¯m sorry on her behalf; I¡¯ll pay for her too.¡± At that moment, Saria was trying to pull out money from her bag. But Vulren raised his hand and said, ¡°Forget it; this one¡¯s on me.¡± Kavrala frowned, about to refuse, but Vulren cut her off, ¡°It¡¯s a gift for the beautiful young ladies of our village.¡± Kavrala immediately looked away, putting the money back into her bag and turning around, ¡°Only this time.¡± Saria giggled, ¡°4 points.¡± Vulren, already back to washing dishes, didn¡¯t take his eyes off the plates and said, ¡°4 out of 10, not bad actually.¡± Before leaving the restaurant, Saria said, ¡°It was actually out of 100. See you later, Vulren. I loved the food.¡± And she walked out through the door. Vulren started like this compliment thing. By evening, after finishing all his tasks, he closed the restaurant and set off for home. However, for Vulren, the day wasn¡¯t over yet; he had tons of training to do.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

 CHAPTER 5

    It was a hot June day. A Giant Wolf, almost as large as a full-grown bear, was devouring a four-horned deer it had hunted in the forest. A thick horn extended from the center of its forehead to the back of its head, and its filthy gray fur was smeared with blood in places. The wolf was oblivious to two young Myrills secretly watching it from a distance. One was perched on a tree, while the other hid behind the same tree.


    After giving a hand signal to the figure behind the tree, a silhouette silently leapt down with the grace of a cat, despite his large frame. Like a shadow, he crept closer to the Giant Wolf. The wolf continued eating, unaware of the toung man hiding in the bushes just a few meters behind it. The young man drew a hunting knife from his pocket, gripping it tightly. He picked up a stone and threw it toward the bushes on the wolf''s left. Distracted by the sound, the wolf turned to face the bushes, giving the young man a chance to charge out of hiding and attack from its blind spot.


    Before the wolf could react, the boy was already on its back, aiming a slash at its throat with his knife. He landed five swift stabs on its neck and the back of its head, barely piercing through the wolf¡¯s tough hide. Realizing his attacks weren''t enough, the boy quickly leapt off the wolf¡¯s back and put some distance between them. Enraged by the interruption, the wolf turned and growled at him. Knowing he stood no chance of outrunning the beast, the young man assumed a defensive stance and lowered his hood, revealing pitch-black hair and violet eyes.


    Vulren Ravanan carefully observed the wolf''s every move, preparing to escape. After growling briefly and measuring its opponent, the wolf lunged at Vulren. He narrowly avoided each of its attacks, patiently waiting for an opening. Gradually, he maneuvered the wolf closer to a massive tree. This was no ordinary tree; its roots sprawled mostly above ground, and the area around it was muddy from the liquid it exuded. Despite the slippery ground, the wolf continued its attacks, and Vulren kept evading. As time passed, the wolf''s attacks became more dangerous.


    When the wolf attempted to pounce, it momentarily lost balance on the slippery roots. Seizing the opportunity, Vulren grabbed its massive paw and bit its leg. Howling in pain, the wolf swung its other paw with enough force to tear Vulren apart. The paw missed his neck but grazed his chest, leaving a deep wound despite the glancing blow. Clutching his burning chest, Vulren began to run, with the injured wolf limping behind him.


    After a few minutes of pursuit, Vulren reached a clearing and found himself cornered in front of a massive rock. The wolf took advantage of the situation, cutting off his escape routes and cautiously closing the distance. Just as the wolf was about to leap, a smaller figure emerged from behind a tree, a bright flame dancing on her hand. Sensing the immense magical power behind it, the wolf panicked and tried to flee. But Vulren leapt onto its back again, putting it in a chokehold to stop it from escaping. In its panic, the wolf sank its teeth into Vulren¡¯s arm. Gritting his teeth in pain, Vulren used his extraordinary strength to further destabilize the wolf, toppling it to the ground.


    At that moment, the other youth¡ªKavrala, with her silky golden hair and beautiful face¡ªthrew her small but radiant fireball at the wolf and Vulren, creating a small explosion. Kavrala, now panicking, rushed to Vulren¡¯s side. As the dust cleared, she saw the wolf¡¯s charred corpse and Vulren beneath it. Frantic, she tried to free Vulren but couldn¡¯t move the massive wolf even slightly. First, she considered using an levitation spell, but since she was tired, she might accidentally crush Vulren. Exhausted from suppressing her magic and casting the spell, she slumped to the ground, guilt eating away at her. Every time they went hunting, Vulren ended up narrowly escaping death, usually because of her mistakes. This time, she had cast her fireball too late, catching Vulren in the explosion. Tears welled in her eyes until, suddenly, the wolf¡¯s body was lifted.


    Using both hands, Vulren shoved the wolf off and stood up, brushing off his clothes. Despite his burns and injuries, he was grinning. But when he saw Kavrala¡¯s tear-filled eyes, his smile faded. ¡°It was a joke. I was curious how would you rea-¡± he began, but his sentence was cut short as he noticed the fireball forming in Kavrala¡¯s hand, her face now furious. Despite his wounds, Vulren dashed behind a large rock with unexpected speed, just as the fireball exploded.


    When the sound of the explosion subsided, Vulren emerged from behind the rock, his tone mocking. ¡°You know, those spells would be more useful before the Giant Wolf tears my arm apart. And maybe aim them at the wolf, not me.¡± Kavrala, still annoyed, stood up. ¡°Fine, it was my fault. But you scared me, you idiot! I thought you were dead!¡± Vulren said nothing, sitting down cross-legged on the ground. Kavrala joined him silently and began casting a healing spell.


    As the unpleasant tingling and burning sensation of the healing magic worked on his wounds, Vulren stayed calm and waited. He could never get used to it, but dying from blood loss wasn¡¯t a great alternative. When the spell ended, Kavrala lay down on the grass to rest, and Vulren went to retrieve a bag he had hidden in a nearby tree hollow. He returned with two meal boxes, handing one to Kavrala before sitting under a tree with his own. Inside his box was vegetable rice with a large steak slathered in spicy sauce. Kavrala¡¯s box, on the other hand, contained honey-glazed chicken, as she disliked steak and spice.


    They ate in silence, Kavrala smiling as she opened her box. Vulren finished his meal quickly, while Kavrala was still halfway through hers. Reaching into his bag, Vulren pulled out another box with more steak and vegetables without the rice. Kavrala swallowed her food and teased, ¡°You really like steak, huh?¡± Without looking up, Vulren replied, ¡°Steak is a gift from the gods.¡± Kavrala chuckled quietly.


    After a brief silence, just as Vulren was about to take a bite, Kavrala smirked. ¡°I bet you a silver coin you can¡¯t eat that steak in one go.¡± Vulren grinned. ¡°Easiest silver I''ve ever got.¡± Normally, he ate carefully in front of her to avoid unsettling her, but this time, he grabbed the steak with his fork, opened his mouth wide, and swallowed it whole like a shark. Kavrala, now used to this odd sight, found it less horrifying and more amusing, bursting into laughter at Vulren¡¯s chipmunk-like cheeks. Struggling to suppress his own laughter, Vulren almost choked on that steak, he eventually swallowed the steak and caught the silver coin Kavrala tossed to him. Vulren was going to put it in his pocket, but realizedthat his pockets were burnt, so he decided to put it in the bag. Taking the hunting knife hanging on his belt, Vulren cut off the wolf''s horn and a few pieces of its hide and placed them in his bag.


    After gathering their belongings, they began their walk back to the village, Kavrala''s stealth cloak that she got from his dad and magic suppression lessons from Vulren helping them avoid detection. About five hours before sunset, they reached the edges of the forest. After parting ways with Kavala, Vulren walked for a while longer and arrived at his usual crossing point. Thanks to his greatly improved magic-sensing skill, he no longer needed to look around. In fact, his ability to sense magic was far superior to others, primarily because ordinary people¡¯s magic would mix with other sources they released into their surroundings. Not being able to cast magic had its minor advantages, after all.


    After a short walk among the fields, he arrived home. His restaurant had recently become quite popular, and with the money he earned, he was improving his small cabin and buying new equipment. Tired, Vulren headed to his room, changed his clothes, grabbed a book from the pile next to his bed, and lay down. Sundays were his only day off, so he wanted to enjoy it a little. Before tackling other tasks, he spent a few hours relaxing and reading.


    As the sun dipped lower, he rose from his bed and went to the small alchemy table he had set up in the corner of the living room, preparing to experiment with the horn he had taken from the Giant Wolf. He began grinding the horn into powder using a mortar made of hard stone placed on the corner of the table. Although the horn was as tough as rock, it couldn¡¯t withstand Vulren¡¯s forceful strikes for long. After transferring the gray powder into a glass jar, he gathered the other necessary ingredients.


    The potion he aimed to make was a powerful energy elixir, usually used to replenish and strengthen the energy of mounts like horses. However, humans avoided using it due to its side effects, which could lead to permanent damage¡ªor even death¡ªby overburdening the muscles. Vulren, whose muscles were more developed than most, believed he could withstand the potion¡¯s side effects. Moreover, he could alter some of the ingredients based on his experiments.


    Finally, after gathering the herbs, powders, and liquids he needed, Vulren began crafting the potion in various oddly shaped glass containers. He ground some herbs into powder and extracted the juice from others. As the strange liquid changed colors, Vulren shook, mixed, and heated it. After about an hour of following the recipe in the alchemy book, he had created a potion that looked identical to the one depicted in the book.


    Once he poured the potion into a glass vial, he stepped into the yard and did some stretching exercises. Then, he put on the vest he had made from black larva silk collected from a Titantula¡ªan enormous and deadly spider monster¡ªand wrapped the remaining silk fabric around his wrists, legs, arms, and neck. The black larva silk was highly flexible but also incredibly heavy.


    Taking a deep breath, Vulren began running on the road circling the fields. After only ten minutes of running, he was out of breath. He pulled the vial from his pocket, opened it, and downed the potion. The foul-tasting liquid immediately caused a tingling sensation and immense pressure in all his muscles, organs, and bones. It felt as though his muscles had come alive and were trying to burst out of his body. The pressure continued to build, and his breathing became increasingly labored.


    Soon, he felt a warm liquid trickling from his upper lip and dripping from his chin¡ªhis nose was bleeding. He thought what a stupid thing he had done, he had thought he was a little bit special. No, he wanted to believe he was special. Was this how it would end? As memories flashed before his eyes, Vulren focused on his breathing. After a few seconds, the muscles in his neck started to choke him, as though his body was trying to strangle him. If it lasted much longer, his heart would be next. The excruciating pressure his muscles exerted on his body was unbearable.


    Just as he was about to lose consciousness, Vulren felt his muscles begin to relax. His throat opened first, followed by his chest, and finally, the rest of his muscles returned to normal. When he opened his eyes, he found himself lying on the ground, drenched in sweat. Trembling, he stood up, still dizzy from what had happened. In a shaky voice, he muttered, ¡°Just as planned,¡± before collapsing and fainting.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    When he regained consciousness, the sun had already set. Vulren got up and walked home. His head throbbed, but oddly, he felt energized. ¡°I should probably reduce the potion¡¯s dose next time,¡± he thought as he threw himself onto the living room couch. Once the shock of the ordeal faded, he realized he was starving.


    He went to the pantry, grabbed a handful of eggs, meat, and vegetables, and headed to the kitchen. He was always a big eater, but he had never been this hungry before. He set 23 eggs, nearly a kilogram of meat, and a variety of vegetables on the counter. He ground the meat into mince, chopped the vegetables, and melted butter in a large pan on the stove. First, he added the meat, then the vegetables, and finally, he cracked and whisked all the eggs.


    After a short time, the egg dish was ready. Vulren reheated a pot of rice from the fridge and mixed it with the eggs. There was enough food to feed a large family comfortably, yet it still didn¡¯t seem like enough. Grabbing the largest spoon he could find, he began shoveling the egg and rice mixture into his mouth like a grave digger tossing dirt. The pot¡¯s contents dwindled, but Vulren¡¯s hunger did not.


    After finishing the entire pot, he drank two liters of water in one go. His stomach was bloated like a balloon, but at last, he felt full. Exhausted, he trudged to his room like an old man with one foot in the grave and collapsed onto his bed. He tried to sleep, but strangely, he wasn¡¯t the least bit tired.


    After lying in bed for an hour, Vulren couldn¡¯t take it anymore. He turned on the light crystal he had purchased with his savings, grabbed his notebook, and began writing down notes about the potion. After a while, he grew bored of sitting at home, but according to the moon¡¯s position, there were still a few hours before sunrise. He couldn¡¯t stand it anymore, though. It felt like bugs were crawling under his skin.


    He donned his Titantula silk vest and other fabric pieces once more and headed out for another run. Since he lived far from the village center, the surroundings were pitch dark, so he decided to run closer to the center. The potion¡¯s energy boost was overwhelming¡ªhe simply couldn¡¯t sit still. Despite the weight of the silk, he quickly reached the village center.


    The streets were empty except for the bar alley, making the village feel calm and beautiful. Yet Vulren couldn¡¯t forget the daily humiliations he endured here. No matter how hard he worked, someone always had something to say to him. Earlier today, he had barely managed to run for ten minutes with the silk, but now, even after twenty minutes, his body showed no signs of fatigue.


    Pain and near-death experiences aside, the potion was impressive. Vulren wandered aimlessly through the streets, eventually finding himself in the poor part of the village¡ªa place no one dared to visit. His parents, especially his father, had strictly warned him and Leena to stay away from here. Most of the village¡¯s crimes occurred in this area. Vulren had ventured here a few times out of curiosity but had never encountered any trouble. Initially, he didn¡¯t understand why, but he later came up with some theories. Despite the high crime rate, no one dared to perform major magic within the village. Only a few minor spells were cast so that the guards wouldn''t catch them. This meant that physical fights were more common than magic, and that was exactly Vulren''s area.


    Despite his young age, Vulren had a sturdy build, and when he hid his face, he looked no different than an adult. The houses were gradually turning into shanties, and the streets were narrowing. After a few minutes of walking, nothing remained of the beautiful and friendly village of Elred. Gangs, alcoholics, and drug addicts wandered the streets. As the silks felt that they grew heavy, Vulren took them off and stuffed them into his bag.


    Without the silks, he felt much lighter and more comfortable. He placed his hand on the hunting knife at his waist and thought, "If someone attacked me, could I kill them? I''ve killed plenty of monsters, but killing a human is different. I hope I don''t have to.".


    He proceeded carefully through the filthy and narrow streets, moving further away from the safer parts of the village where danger increased. Passing by damp and dilapidated houses, he heard the sounds of a fight coming from the distance. Just as he was about to turn around and walk away, he heard a woman''s scream, and he hesitated. After a few seconds of thinking, he decided to give in to his curiosity and go see what was happening.


    An old man holding a bottle was yelling at a young girl with short brown hair, along with two small children clinging to her. He was swinging the beer bottle around. As Vulren got closer, he began to hear the man''s words: "What do you mean you don''t have enough money? Am I giving you a place to stay for nothing, useless bitch?" The girl had a bloody nose, and the two children were crying. When the old man grabbed the girl''s hair and lifted her up, the children cried even harder.


    The girl replied, "Conall was sick. I had to get him medicine, or he would have died!"


    The man smashed the bottle against the wall and angrily said, "Your lies don''t fool me. Now you''ll see what it''s like to spend my money!" Vulren couldn''t stand watching as the man brought the broken bottle closer to the girl''s left eye, so he stepped out from his hiding spot. He stood silently next to the man, not really having a plan for what to do next. Should he tell him to stop or just attack? As he thought, things took a strange turn. The man, growing even angrier, yelled, "Who the fuck are you?"


    Vulren, flustered, pointed at the girl still being held by the man and said, "Excuse me, sir, but you shouldn''t be doing this." He immediately regretted the panicked words. The man laughed and said, "Mind your business, freak."


    He aimed the bottle back at the girl. But this time, Vulren didn''t say anything. He just grabbed the man''s arm tightly. Surprised, the man tried to pull away, saying, "Let go of me, you bastard." But Vulren kept squeezing harder. After a short while, the man screamed in pain and was forced to drop the girl and the broken bottle. Vulren, struggling to control his strength due to the potion, didn''t let go until he heard a loud cracking sound and a pained scream. He could have kept squeezing until the man''s arm snapped, but when the girl shouted, "That''s enough," he released him.


    The man writhed in pain, clutching his arm, while Vulren wanted to get to safety. He briefly said, "Follow me," before walking down the alley towards the center of the village. The girl asked, "Who are you, sir?" "Where are we going?" "If you''re asking for something in return, I have nothing to give." Vulren kept his answers short and focused on his surroundings. After a few minutes, they reached the safer parts of the village.


    A few streets ahead was a tavern, and he planned to get a room for them there. After making sure no one was around, they sat down on a nearby bench.


    While the girl tried to calm the crying children, Vulren spoke, "My name is Vulren, Vulren Ravanan. I saw you while I was walking, and I couldn''t just leave without helping." The girl wiped the blood from her nose and replied, "I''m glad to meet you. My name is Sylmare Cairis, and these are my little siblings, Conell and Lusha. Thank you so much for your help, sir, but I don''t want to get you into trouble."


    Vulren smiled. "Don''t worry, nothing will happen to me. Are you sure you''ll be okay? I don''t think that man will be happy about this." Sylmare petted the head of the little girl who was clinging to her and continued, "That damn bastard is my father. Or at least he''s supposed to be. He spends all the money on gambling or alcohol. And he says I have to work to pay off his gambling debts. I hate him, but I have no other place to go."


    Vulren felt sad for the girl. His life hadn''t been easy either, but at least he was free. He then turned to the little children and asked, "Are you hungry? I brought some extra food. Can you help me finish it?" Sylmare tried to refuse in a fluster, but the children''s growling stomachs were on Vulren''s side. He pulled out three food containers, kept one for himself, and gave the rest to Sylmare.


    Sylmare thanked him sincerely, then opened the container. She and the children stared at the food for a moment, amazed. When the children started eating eagerly, Vulren joined them. After tasting the food, Sylmare''s eyes widened in surprise. "This is amazing! Did your wife made this?" Vulren froze, surprised, and replied, "I think there''s been a misunderstanding. I''m only 13."


    Typically, a Myrill would get married around the age of 16 or 17, and Vulren still had a lot of time ahead of him. Hearing this, Sylmare choked a little on her food and then looked at him, "Wait, you''re a year younger than me?" Vulren shrugged and replied, "I guess so." He closed the empty food container and put it back in his bag. "Actually, I made the food. I run a small restaurant in the village center. I''ll give you the address on a piece of paper. You can come by anytime."


    Once the other containers were empty, Vulren packed them into his bag. After a short, "Follow me," he started walking again. After a while, they arrived at the tavern. It was a three-story wooden building, much like most of the houses in the village. They went inside, and while Vulren talked to the receptionist, Sylmare and the children sat on a chair, waiting.


    A few minutes later, Vulren returned with a key. "Room 8. You''ll stay here for a week. I''ll come by occasionally to check in. Here''s the address to my restaurant." He handed them a piece of paper and the key. Sylmare frowned and said, "I''m sorry, but I can''t accept this for free. It''s too much."


    Vulren, already tired from everything, didn''t want to argue with Sylmare''s stubbornness. To cut the conversation short, he said, "If I expand my restaurant, you could help me as a waitress. What do you think?" Sylmare smiled and responded, "Thank you for everything, Vulren." Her nose was still a bit red, but the bleeding had stopped. When Vulren saw her smiling, he couldn''t help but think how cute she actually looked.


    Without saying anything, he waved goodbye and left. As he stepped out of the inn, the day was beginning to brighten, and people were opening their shops. He decided to visit Mrs. Malonne after stopping by his home. The cool morning air greeted him as he walked toward his house.


    After some time, he arrived home, placed his bag by the door, and collapsed into the couch. He was mentally exhausted from not having slept the night before, but physically, he felt fine, almost as if his muscles hadn''t moved at all. "If this potion doesn''t keep me awake for a week, I might even start liking it," he thought, then wandered around his house, tidying up. He rarely had so much free time. He still needed to visit Ms. Malonne, train in the forest, and head to the restaurant.


    He tried to rest for about an hour, but as he couldn''t fall asleep, he got up and headed toward Ms. Malonne''s farm. After seeing a few fruit trees and animals walking around, he called out for her, but strangely, she was nowhere to be found. He thought maybe he was just worrying for nothing, but after calling her name, there was still no answer. He climbed over the fence and started looking around, but found nothing. When knocking on her door got no response, lastly he decided to check the barn.


    When he opened the heavy barn doors, he found Mrs. Malonne lying unconscious in the hay. He rushed to her, checked her pulse, and found that she was alive but unconscious. He quickly carried her through an open window and laid her on the couch. Having read a few medical books, he tried to diagnose her. She had a high fever, difficulty breathing, and redness and bruising around her joints. It could only mean one thing: poison.

 CHAPTER 6

    Vulren, as soon as he noticed that Ms. Malonne had been poisoned, began running toward his own house with all his speed. He reached his house much faster than usual, rushing inside and grabbing various herbs from the cabinet in the pantry, along with the ready-made potions in bottles. He carefully packed the bottles into his bag without breaking them and quickly ran back to Ms. Malonne¡¯s house. Panting, Vulren dashed to the kitchen and began frantically searching the cabinets. He was looking for a pot in which to boil the herbs, and when he couldn¡¯t find one at first, panic began to rise in him. But soon, he found the pot, hidden behind some larger saucepans. He emptied the liquids from the bottles and the herbs into the pot and lit the stove.


    While the herbs were boiling, he was flipping through his book, searching for the antidote¡¯s recipe. After flipping through the thick, leather-bound book for a while, he finally found the recipe, Keshish Antidote. The name of the medicine came from the poisonous Keshish mushroom, a rare mushroom with pink spots that grew in the deep swamps of the forest. Vulren wondered where Ms. Malonne had found such a rare mushroom that grows in the forest, but it wasn¡¯t the time to think about that. While the herbs boiled, he continued reading the recipe, and after a moment, he breathed a sigh of relief as he realized he had all the necessary ingredients. His relief was short-lived, however, as he reached the final ingredient: Stardew Flower.


    This flower had bright white petals that attracted herbivores with its powerful scent. It grows under a massive tree in a meadow, the home of a herd of Woolly Rhinos. It was common all over the forest years ago, but the flower had almost vanished due to its scent attracting herbivores. Now, however, it only grew under that massive tree in the meadow, a place the Woolly Rhinos seemed to avoid for some reason. Vulren knew that there was no way for him to pass through the rhinos and reach the tree, as the rhinos were extremely territorial. Moreover, because it grew in a meadow, he couldn¡¯t sneak past them either. So, if he couldn¡¯t find it in the herb shop in the village center, he would have to face a massive herd of rhinos. Given the spread of the poison, Vulren had roughly six hours before Ms. Malonne would die. If he didn¡¯t find the flower in that time, it would be too late. Without wasting any time, Vulren dashed out of the farm and started to ran towards the village center.


    He didn¡¯t know the exact location of the herb shop, so he hurriedly started searching the streets. After a while, he finally found it and rushed inside, panting. The old man, who had been reading his book, raised his eyes in surprise, and his face wrinkled slightly. Standing up, the old man asked, ¡°What do you want? I hope you¡¯ve got money, because if you don¡¯t, I won¡¯t even give you the moss between the floorboards.¡± Vulren ignored the man¡¯s words and quickly asked, ¡°Do you have Stardew Flower? I need it urgently for a patient.¡± Realizing the urgency of the situation, the old man went to the storage room in the back. After couple of minutes, which felt like several hours, the man returned empty-handed. ¡°Sorry, we¡¯re out of stock,¡± he said. For a moment, Vulren¡¯s heart stopped, ut then he thought of another option¡ª the doctor.


    The village had a small hospital, and although Vulren had never been there because he hated depending on others, but he had no choice now. He hesitated for a moment at the door of the two-story hospital but quickly snapped out of it and pushed the door open. Inside, he saw a young man a few years older than him sitting on a chair. Vulren approached him immediately and said, ¡°Are you the doctor? I need urgent help, my neighbor has been poisoned and is about to die.¡± The young man calmly looked at him and said, ¡°The doctor is not here right now, but I¡¯m his son. Maybe I can help.¡± Vulren didn¡¯t have time to wait for the doctor, so he cut straight to the point. ¡°I need Stardew Flower. Do you have any?¡± he asked. The young man thought for a moment before answering, ¡°Keshish poisoning? I never thought I¡¯d see it. Sorry, we don¡¯t have any. But if there¡¯s anything else I can help with, feel free to ask.¡± Hearing this, Vulren muttered under his breath, ¡°God fucking damn it.¡± He then turned to the man and asked, ¡°Do you want to help?¡± The young man replied, ¡°It would drive me crazy just sitting here while someone needs help.¡± Vulren said, ¡°Then follow me.¡± He left the hospital and waited for a few minutes outside before the young man finally came out with a bag. They walked at a pace Vulren knew he could handle, and without turning around, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± The young man replied, ¡°Zhoron Adjeon.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Vulren Ravanan, nice to meet you, doctor,¡± Vulren responded. Zhoron said, ¡°I know you. You¡¯re quite famous around here, though not in a good way.¡± Vulren replied, ¡°It¡¯s interesting that you¡¯re helping me even though you know who I am. What¡¯s even more interesting is that you haven¡¯t insulted me yet.¡±.


    They didn¡¯t talk much longer before they reached Mrs. Malonne¡¯s house. As they entered, Zhoron turned to Vulren and said, ¡°I won¡¯t insult you. After all, we¡¯re kind of alike. My father is the best doctor in the village, but sadly, his skills didn¡¯t pass on to me. My healing magic is weak, and my Skill is not that good either. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve always felt burdened by other people¡¯s expectations.¡± While Vulren was gathering his things, he turned to Zhoron and said, ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re sharing your sad story with me, but if we waste any more time, this woman¡¯s death will be added to mine.¡± ,¡°You¡¯re right, buddy. Now, how can I help?¡± Zhoron replied. Vulren threw his bag over his shoulder and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go find some Stardew Flowers. You, on the other hand, will look after the woman and not ask any questions about how I do things, and don¡¯t tell anyone about this. I¡¯ll be back in a few hours.¡± Zhoron started to say ¡°Wait, but it¡¯s impossib-,¡± but Vulren cut him off and ran out of the house again, heading back to his house.


    Thanks to the effect of the energy potion, he still wasn¡¯t sleepy, and he was thankful for that. When it came to rhinos, the first thought that crossed his mind was to ask Kavrala for help, but he quickly dismissed the idea because he didn¡¯t want to drag her into this dangerous situation. When he arrived at his home, he immediately went to his bedroom and pulled out a large chest from under his bed. Inside the chest were some shiny and beautiful pieces of armor and a short sword. These sword and armor pieces were high-quality items made by his mother. His mother had given him these items just before he left home, which felt strange to him because she had always been cold towards him. Thanking his mother, he started putting on some of the armor pieces. He only wore the essential ones, as wearing all of them would significantly reduce his flexibility and agility. Finally, after attaching the shiny and clean sword in its beautiful leather sheath to his belt, he set out for the forest.


    The armor was a bit heavy, but compared to the Titantula black silk, it felt light as a feather. After about an hour of moving through the forest, he saw the giant tree¡¯s leaves in the center of the meadow. Vulren, after getting a bit closer to observe the rhinos, climbed a tree. Initially, he planned to deal with the rhinos secretly by using the giant tree as a cover. However, when he saw that the rhinos weren¡¯t gathered in one place but had spread out across the meadow, he abandoned this plan. His brain working harder than ever, Vulren desperately tried to come up with a proper plan. The best idea that came to his mind was to calmly walk into the middle of the rhinos. If he suddenly started running, the rhinos could perceive him as a threat and charge at him. But if he remained calm, even if one of them caught him, it might not view him as a threat. After taking a deep breath, he descended from the tree and began walking cautiously.


    At first, the rhinos didn¡¯t seem to care about him, but as Vulren got closer, it was clear they started to feel uncomfortable. His path was relatively clear, except for a large, woolly rhino grazing just a few meters ahead. Vulren tried to pass by without startling the animal, but when the rhino stopped grazing and started looking at him, he froze. After waiting motionlessly for a while, when the rhino turned away, he continued on his way. The path was completely clear now, and it seemed he could reach the flowers easily. As Vulren locked his gaze on the pure white flowers ahead, the ground suddenly began to tremble. When he turned around to understand what was happening, he noticed a massive rhino charging straight at him, just one meter away.


    With no time to react, Vulren felt a sharp pain on his back and lost his breath. He was lifted off the ground and slammed headfirst into the dirt, and for a few seconds, the world went black. But when he felt the ground shake again, he reflexively jumped up and threw himself several meters to the side. He narrowly avoided the woolly rhino¡¯s enormous size, but blood started pouring from his mouth. The only thing he could think of was running, but when several rhinos surrounded him, that hope turned into a distant dream. When he got up and drew his sword, his legs were still trembling. If he made too much noise and gathered the other rhinos, it would be the end for him.


    The ground started shaking again, but this time, he was able to react to the rhino charging from behind and managed to dodge. As the rhino passed him, he swung his sword toward its thick fur. With a normal knife, he wouldn¡¯t have made a scratch, but with his mother¡¯s sword, he was able to make a shallow cut on the animal¡¯s skin. His goal was to scare the rhinos, but it seemed to have only angered them further. Enraged, the rhinos began charging at him all at once, but Vulren was waiting for this moment. As the rhinos rushed toward him, he calmly awaited the right moment. Just before they crushed him, Vulren jumped several meters into the air, watching the rhinos crash into each other below. He landed safely in an open area, but his legs were shaking more than ever. As his mind became foggy, he felt a warm liquid trickling down his forehead. He realized it was blood when he saw his vision turning red on the left side. He must have been injured when he fell headfirst to the ground. He raised his hand and wiped his left eye, and when he finally cleared the blood away and opened his left eye, he locked eyes with a rhino several meters away. He thought to himself, ¡°These stupid animals never stop.¡± and was about to jump toward the flowers, but his trembling legs wouldn¡¯t allow it. Realizing he couldn¡¯t escape, Vulren tried to grab the rhino¡¯s horn and redirect it, but the immense strength of the animal was too much for him, and he lost his balance, falling to the ground. As the massive animal that weighs almost three tons passed over his arm, Vulren felt his bones turn to dust under its weight. With the blood spurting from his arm, he screamed in pain, and another horn strike from the side sent him flying once again.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    When he landed, he started vomiting blood. Lying on his back in the grass, he couldn¡¯t help but think how beautiful the sky was. While he thought he was going to die there, the ground tremors suddenly stopped, and when he turned his head to the right, he saw dozens of rhinos staring at him motionless from a few meters away. Wondering why they weren¡¯t attacking, he turned his head to the left, and a pleasant scent filled his nose. It was the scent of Stardew Flowers. He was lying in the middle of a white flower garden, having reached the flowers, but he had no idea how to get out of there. Crawling to the massive tree, he took out the bandages from his pockets and the small metal box hanging from his belt. The metal box contained healing potions, but after all the damage he¡¯d taken, the box was bent, and the healing potions inside were broken. After getting rid of the broken glass pieces, he drank some of the potion directly from the box. He poured the remaining potion on his broken arm and gritted his teeth as he wrapped the bandages around it. He was in a lot of pain; he had been injured many times in his life, but this was the worst pain he¡¯d ever felt. He could barely breathe, and as his consciousness slowly faded, he watched the leaves of the old tree swaying in the wind.


    When he opened his eyes again, the sun was high in the sky. How long had he been asleep? He tried to get up immediately, but the incredible pain throughout his body caused him to collapse back to the ground. The rhinos were still watching him. Why weren¡¯t they getting any closer? To pass the time, he started collecting the white flowers from the ground, wrapping them in a piece of cloth and putting them in his pocket. He still had a few hours before Ms. Malonne died from poison, so after resting as much as he could, he decided to come up with an escape plan. Leaning against the tree again, he began planning his escape, but the sharp pain in his arm made it hard to think clearly. Thanks to the healing potions, the bleeding had stopped, but his broken bones still ached. After regaining some of his strength, he began wondering why the rhinos weren¡¯t getting any closer to the tree. He formed several theories in his mind, but most of them seemed quite irrational. The most plausible one was that the tree posed a serious threat to the rhinos. What about this tree would scare them enough to keep them from eating the Stardew Flowers? The tree was large, so maybe a predator lived in the top of it, but what could be dangerous enough to scare an entire herd of woolly rhinos?


    These thoughts began to stress Vulren more and more, but at least they helped him temporarily escape from the pain a little bit. After half an hour of restless thoughts, Vulren, unable to resist his curiosity, decided to climb the tree. Maybe he could find something up there that could help him escape. Vulren wasn¡¯t particularly good at fighting, but he was very strong when it came to lifting heavy objects, so carrying his own weight was child¡¯s play for him. Even with one arm, he easily started climbing the tree, and before long, he reached the upper parts. When he sat on a branch and started observing his surroundings, he noticed something at the point where the tree trunk split into branches¡ªa nest. After confirming there was no strong magical presence, he began climbing higher. When he finally reached the level of the nest, he found a massive nest with two huge, brown-spotted eggs and a pile of bones that seemed to belong to the rhinos. This sight made Vulren freeze, and his legs began shaking again. However, this time, it wasn¡¯t due to the numerous blows from the three-ton rhinos, but fear.


    Vulren recognized the eggs instantly. They belonged to a monster he had always wanted to fight when he was an adventurer, a Griffin. It didn¡¯t make sense; Griffins were usually rare creatures that guarded treasures. But in this nest, there were only two eggs and a pile of bones. Vulren immediately wanted to leave, but escaping from the rhinos with his injuries seemed impossible. He had only one option: to use the chaos the Griffin might create. No matter how risky it was, the only problem with this plan, which was the only option, was that it was unknown whether Griffin would return or not. Vulren, hiding as much as possible, waited for Griffin among the leaves. After waiting for about an hour, Vulren, whose hopes were fading, began to hear the sound of wings from afar. However, there was still no strong source of magic, and Griffins had incredibly large magical power. He should have been able to tell a Griffin was coming from hundreds of meters away, so he thought it was probably just an ordinary bird and continued to wait. Unable to endure waiting any longer, Vulren decided to step out of his hiding place and climb down.


    He got up from the densely-leaved branch he was sitting on and started to walk carefully toward the tree trunk. When he reached near Griffin''s nest, he instinctively tensed up again, but he wanted to climb down without wasting time. Just as he was about to leap to the branch below, the tree shook, and he almost fell. He looked down, wondering if one of the rhinos had crashed into the tree, but all he could see below were pure white flowers. He had a very bad feeling, and when he looked to the right, he realized what that feeling was.


    He was face to face with a living Griffin, with its pointy beak, razor-sharp claws, and magnificent wings. Vulren froze upon seeing the Griffin, and the Griffin was clearly observing him as well. Vulren had understood why he hadn¡¯t noticed the Griffin coming; the animal¡¯s magic core and magic channels had been completely shattered. Therefore, it wasn¡¯t emitting any magic, in a way, it was just like him. Reflexively, Vulren jumped to the other end of the branch, his eyes scanning the Griffin. The animal¡¯s entire body was covered with wounds, and in its eyes flowed a wisdom that no ordinary animal could possess. Griffins were among the most intelligent creatures in the monster realm; they could easily understand the intentions of humans and words, and a Griffin would not engage in unnecessary combat. Vulren knew he couldn¡¯t escape from this creature, nor could he fight it, so his only option was to beg for mercy from the Griffin. He immediately sat on the branch, crossed his legs, and began speaking while looking at the Griffin. "I do not intend to fight; I am simply trying to leave."


    The Griffin continued to watch him without reacting to his words. Vulren¡¯s fear was growing, and he took off his shirt to try and show the Griffin his wounded body. Then, bowing his head, he spoke again, ¡°We are alike, I cannot use magic either. Please, let me go.¡± This time, the Griffin¡¯s reaction changed. It had shifted from a stance ready to attack to a more relaxed one and took a few steps back. As the Griffin relaxed, Vulren noticed green cracks appearing on the animal¡¯s legs and under its wings. This was clearly the effect of Titantula venom, and the poison that had made significant progress would painfully kill the animal within a few weeks. Seeing this, a clever plan came to Vulren¡¯s mind. Without standing up, he put his shirt back on and pointed to the Griffin¡¯s leg, saying, ¡°You are poisoned; you will die in a few weeks if this continues.¡± The Griffin hissed, covering its legs with its wings, and adopted a tense stance again. However, Vulren kept his calm and continued speaking, ¡°Let¡¯s make a deal. If you protect me from those rhinos, I will return in a few days and heal you. You can trust me, I never break a promise.¡±


    The creature, with a suspicious look in its eyes, watched Vulren for a short while before opening its wings and jumping off the tree. Slowly descending from branch to branch, Vulren followed, his heart pounding. When the Griffin reached the ground, the animal calmly started walking towards the rhinos. Upon seeing this, the rhino herd immediately scattered. Walking behind the Griffin, heading towards the forest, Vulren had forgotten almost all of the pain in his body, overwhelmed by the shock of the situation. After a short walk, when they reached the trees, the Griffin took off without looking at Vulren and started flying in circles above the tree. Having safely reached the forest, Vulren grabbed the bag from its hiding place and began running toward Ms. Malonne¡¯s house.


    After running for a while in the forest, the village walls were visible, and as usual, the area was completely empty. After a strong leap, he started running through the fields. Before long, he had reached Ms. Malonne¡¯s house. When he entered through the unlocked door, he found Ms. Malonne, almost entirely purple, lying on the couch, with Zhoron performing a healing spell by her side. Zhoron froze for a moment, even though he was sweating, when he saw Vulren, covered in blood. ¡°Buddy are you okay? You''re covered in blood.¡± Zhoron said. Vulren, mockingly, took the flowers wrapped in cloth from his pocket and threw them in front of Zhoron, saying, ¡°I¡¯m fine, ¡®buddy,¡¯ I got a bit hungry on the way and ate some strawberries, it might have spilled on me.¡± Zhoron, with a confused expression on his face, said, ¡°Oh, I see, enjoy then.¡± Vulren couldn¡¯t tell if the man was joking or not, while Zhoron opened the cloth on the ground, and when he saw the flowers, his eyes widened. Zhoron, about to say something, suddenly stopped when he remembered what Vulren had said before leaving and quietly took the flowers, heading to the kitchen. A few minutes later, he returned with a bottle containing a muddy brown liquid. Although Zhoron looked like a total moron, Vulren was impressed by Zhoron¡¯s potion-making skills; the potion he made was nearly perfect.


    After giving the medicine to the woman, who was sleeping uneasily, he began to gather his belongings. ¡°She will wake up in about half a day, and then she will be completely healed within approximately three days,¡± he said as he stood up. Vulren, who stood up with him, walked over to Zhoron, shook his hand, and said, ¡°Thank you for today, doctor, and remember, this is a secret between us.¡± Without saying anything, the man nodded and left the farmhouse. Vulren then began waiting for Ms. Malonne to wake up while treating his own wounds. Hours after the sun had set, Malonne opened her eyes and started looking around. Seeing that she was in her own house, she felt a bit relieved, but she still felt very weak. The kitchen light was on, and she grabbed the armrest of the couch to stand up, heading toward the kitchen. When she entered, she saw Vulren cooking at the stove.


    Seeing Malonne, Vulren hastily dropped the ladle in his hand and ran to her. "You shouldn''t have gotten up, Ms. Malonne, you still need to rest.¡± he said, then grabbed her arm and helped her back to the couch. Malonne, with a confused expression on her face, turned to Vulren and spoke in a faint voice, ¡°What¡¯s going on here, kid? Tell me.¡± Vulren then explained how he had found her unconscious in the barn in the morning and that she had been poisoned by a mushroom. ¡°By luck, the doctor had exactly the medicine you needed,¡± he added, finishing the story. Then, returning to the kitchen, Vulren came back with plates in his hands and handed one to Malonne. After Malonne ate her meal, Vulren started washing the dishes. Just as he was about to leave the house, Malonne called to him, ¡°Thank you, kid, I owe you this one.¡± Without saying anything, Vulren left and returned to his home. A few days later, it was revealed that a bird had dropped a Keshish mushroom from deep in the forest onto Ms. Malonne¡¯s farm, and the chicken that ate the mushroom had its egg eaten by Ms. Malonne. She had recovered, and now it was time to fulfill the promise he had made to the Griffin.

 CHAPTER 7

    He was returning home with calm steps, thinking about the promise he had made to Griffin. Shortly after, he arrived home and threw himself onto his bed; his entire body ached. He had wrapped his broken arm and was examining the potion book in his bag. He began searching for the name "Titantula" in the antidotes section, but despite going through the entire section twice, he found nothing.


    Unable to find what he was looking for, he decided to conduct a more thorough research at the library the next morning. He closed the book and tried to sleep. His body was in pain, and he was mentally exhausted, but the cursed energy prevented him from sleeping.


    It wasn¡¯t too late yet, but since the library closed at sunset, it wasn¡¯t very likely that he could do much more about the antidote. So, he decided to visit Sylmare. He changed his torn clothes and wrapped fresh bandages around his arm. Before leaving the house, he prepared a few things to pack into food boxes.


    Cooking with one arm was quite difficult, and he wouldn¡¯t be able to open his restaurant for a while. After filling the rectangular food boxes, he left the house and headed toward the bar where Sylmare was staying.


    The village streets were filled with people¡ªdrunk people. But most were minding their own business and having fun. Doesn¡¯t everyone deserve to have fun sometimes? Speaking of fun, Vulren wondered what he himself enjoyed. Learning new things and wandering in the forest pleased him, but those couldn¡¯t exactly be called ¡°fun."


    He had been alone since childhood because he had no friends. Kids his age hung out at school, joking around and spending money their families gave them, while Vulren was getting brutally beaten by a herd of rhinos to save his neighbor¡¯s life and then begging a Griffin to spare his life.


    But Vulren was aware that the world wasn¡¯t fair¡ªsome had fun, while others suffered. Vulren thought, ¡°At least I like my job and living a peaceful life.¡± But then he remembered how many times he had faced death in the past few days and crossed out the "peaceful life" part. He didn¡¯t have time for fun anyway.


    After walking through the village streets for a while, he arrived at the tavern where he had left Sylmare. When he entered through the door, he saw men sitting at tables, drinking and eating. The place was quite crowded. Wondering if Sylmare had any trouble, Vulren climbed the stairs and knocked on the door of her room.


    The young girl, who opened the door cautiously, relaxed when she saw Vulren¡¯s face.


    ¡°Welcome, come in,¡± she said with a angry face. Vulren, unsure why she was angry, quietly entered. Two small children ran to greet him, and Vulren patted their heads before sitting on one of the chairs.


    Sylmare, sitting on the bed in the room, began asking questions in an irritated tone, ¡°I went to the address on the paper today, but it was closed. Is that really your restaurant? How are you running a restaurant at 13?¡±


    Vulren took out the food containers from his bag and placed them on the table. Then he rolled up the sleeve of his overly long robe and showed his bandaged hand. ¡°I broke my arm, so I had to close the restaurant for a while,¡± Vulren replied.


    The angry expression on the girl¡¯s face instantly turned to concern, and she came closer to examine his arm. When she saw Vulren¡¯s muscular, bandaged arm, she couldn¡¯t believe he was only 13 one more time. ¡°How did this happen? Are you okay? Is it permanent? Is it related to saving me?¡± she began bombarding him with questions.


    Not wanting to deal with these overwhelming questions, Vulren turned to her and calmly said, ¡°A three-ton rhino ran over me.¡± Thinking Vulren was joking, Sylmare got angry, but before she could say anything else, she opened the food containers on the table and distributed them to the children.


    Then she turned to Vulren and said, ¡°You need to be more careful. I still don¡¯t know you well, but I am sure there are many people who care about someone as good as you. If something happens to you, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be very upset.¡±


    Vulren, responding to the pretty mature girl for her age, said, ¡°Thank you for your concern, Sylmare, but I¡¯m really fine.¡± Sylmare¡¯s face had turned slightly red, but Vulren didn¡¯t notice because he was busy eating.


    Sylmare turned her face away and replied in a flustered tone, ¡°I¡¯m not worried about you! I just don¡¯t want the person who saved me and my siblings to die for a stupid reason, that¡¯s all!¡± Vulren thought to himself, ¡°Is it okay if it¡¯s not a stupid reason?.¡±


    The children were eating their food. Vulren, who had already finished his meal, broke the silence by asking, ¡°Any news from your father or the gang he owes money to, Sylmare?¡± At that moment, Sylmare, who was busy with her sister, answered without looking at Vulren, ¡°You can call me Syl for short. And no, there¡¯s still no news from them. Honestly, that¡¯s even more worrying.¡±


    After everyone finished eating, Vulren packed the food containers back into his bag and said, ¡°I¡¯m leaving now. Stay away from suspicious people and stick to the safer parts of the village. I¡¯ll try to help you find a job within the next week.¡± As he was leaving, he heard Syl call out from behind, ¡°Don¡¯t push yourself too hard, okay?¡±


    Walking back home through the streets, Vulren thought, ¡°Even my mother never worried about me this much. What a strange girl.¡± He decided to ask Kavrala for help in finding Syl a job. He hadn¡¯t told her about the Griffin yet and didn¡¯t plan to.


    After walking for a while, he finally reached his house. He went inside, hung his jacket on the hook by the entrance, and sat on the couch. His broken arm still hurt, but the pain had subsided compared to before. He picked up a book and started reading¡ªit was about Griffins.


    In history, there were a few very powerful wizards who had befriended Griffins, but their numbers were quite limited. These creatures, whose height could reach up to three meters, had the upper body of an eagle and the lower body of a lion. In ancient times, it was said that a lion and a tiger fell into a magical pool, merging to create the first Griffin¡ªthough this was just a legend.


    After finishing the Griffin section of the book about magical creatures, Vulren put the book down and went to the potion table in the corner of the living room. Using the recipes from the potion book, he brewed various potions. One of them was a mana potion, which restored the drinker¡¯s magical power.


    With the summer festival approaching, Kavrala was preparing for the tournament, and of course, Vulren was helping. To speed up Kavrala¡¯s training, he was preparing a lot of mana potions. With these potions, they could train intensively until the tournament.


    Last year¡¯s second place was a 15-year-old boy named Gorduin Wysawarin. Gorduin was an ambitious boy who had narrowly lost to Kavrala in almost every tournament. Unable to accept losing to someone two years younger, Gorduin was furious.


    Having suffered from Gorduin¡¯s arrogance since childhood, Vulren also hated him. That¡¯s why he wanted to make sure Gorduin didn¡¯t win his final under-16 tournament. Although Vulren couldn¡¯t perform magic himself, he had extensive knowledge about it from reading various magic books.


    After researching what was needed to develop magical power, he realized how much of the school¡¯s teachings were wrong. He didn¡¯t know if they were doing this to prevent any individual from gaining too much power.


    Hours of potion-making later, the sun began to rise, but Vulren still hadn¡¯t slept. He was starting to regret drinking the energy potion, worrying about what would happen when its effects wore off.


    After the sun rose, he got ready and left the house, heading toward Mrs. Malonne¡¯s house. After walking a bit on the dirt road, he reached her wooden house surrounded by fences. He jumped over the fence and knocked on the door.


    Mrs. Malonne opened the door and smiled when she saw Vulren. ¡°Good morning, kid. Welcome,¡± she said before stepping outside. Vulren replied, ¡°Good morning, Mrs. Malonne. How are you doing?¡± Mrs. Malonne, in an energetic tone, said, ¡°I was quite weak at first, but after a good night¡¯s sleep, I¡¯m almost fully recovered.¡±


    While helping Mrs. Malonne with her daily chores, Vulren tried to hide his broken arm. Thanks to his long-sleeved robe, he managed to do so easily and quickly finished the farm¡¯s daily tasks.


    After leaving the farm, he headed to the library with a few books he had brought from home. The village library was one of the most impressive structures in the village. Located quite close to the magic school, this stone tower-shaped building stood out compared to the other houses.


    When he entered, he saw the grumpy librarian sitting at the desk. Neither of them was happy to see the other. The librarian had stopped talking to Vulren years ago because every time he tried to provoke him, Vulren¡¯s annoying replies made it unbearable.


    After placing the books from his bag on the librarian¡¯s desk, Vulren climbed the stairs to the potions and medicine section. He spent almost the entire day skimming through nearly all the books there. His reading speed had increased significantly since he had been reading books since childhood.


    Despite examining all the books on medicines and antidotes, he panicked when he couldn¡¯t find an antidote for Titantula venom. If he couldn¡¯t find the recipe, he would have to experiment on his own, which was a big problem.


    He didn¡¯t have enough time, resources, or test subjects to experiment with the potion. Then he remembered the doctor¡¯s son, who was quite skilled at potion-making. But the sun was about to set, and it was too late to visit him.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    So, Vulren quickly returned home and nervously examined other antidote recipes. He hoped to derive something from them, but the significant differences between the recipes left him disappointed.


    With his arm injured, he couldn¡¯t train properly, which frustrated him. Unable to stand it any longer, Vulren put on his black training silks and began working out in his garden under a lamp.


    Even with his injured arm, there were still many areas he could improve. After hours of working on his legs and core, he went back inside. The sun wouldn¡¯t rise for hours, and he needed to find something to do. He started reading all the unread books


    on his shelf.


    He began jotting down things he thought might be helpful in his notebook. With the notebook open, he also noted down his encounter with the Griffin. While still writing, he saw the sunrise through the window and closed the notebook.


    As usual, after visiting his neighbor, he collected the eggs, refilled the animal feed, and helped with various other tasks. Once the work was done, he set off toward the hospital.


    Walking through the lively village streets in the morning, he could hear people whispering to each other as they glanced at him. Normally, he didn¡¯t like being out during the village¡¯s busiest hours, but after walking for a while, he finally reached the hospital.


    He pushed open the wooden door and stepped inside, where he saw an old man sitting in the chair Zhoron had occupied the last time. Like everyone else in the village, the old man wasn¡¯t happy to see Vulren. ¡°How can I help you?¡± he asked in an unwilling tone.


    When Vulren asked, ¡°Is Zhoron here?¡± the man¡¯s expression turned to surprise. ¡°What business do you have with Zhoron? If possible, I¡¯d prefer you not deal with my son,¡± he replied.


    ¡°I returned the potion book he lent me the other day, and I had a few questions about it,¡± Vulren said. Hearing the familiar voice from the lower floor of the hospital, Zhoron hurried downstairs.


    Seeing Vulren, Zhoron himself was surprised. ¡°How can I help you?¡± he asked. Vulren replied, ¡°I brought back the book you lent me, and I wanted to ask a few questions about it. If you¡¯re available, I¡¯d really appreciate it if we could meet at the library.¡±


    The old man began, ¡°There¡¯s no way¡ª¡± but Zhoron cut him off, saying, ¡°Of course! We can meet at noon.¡± Vulren said, ¡°Great!¡± and immediately left, heading back to the library.


    While continuing his research at the library, noon arrived. Sensing the familiar magical presence entering the library, Vulren went downstairs and brought the young man up to the floor where he had been conducting his research.


    They sat together at a table filled with books, and Zhoron was the one to break the silence. ¡°What¡¯s going on, my friend? Is something wrong?¡± he asked. Without looking up from the book, Vulren said, ¡°I need your help. You¡¯re the best potion-maker I know in the village. No one else can do this.¡±


    Leaning back and focusing on Vulren, Zhoron listened as he began to explain. ¡°Do you know how to make an antidote for Titantula venom?¡± he started. The young doctor, surprised by the question, replied, ¡°Normally, people exposed to Titantula venom die within seconds, so there¡¯s no known antidote. But why do you need something like that?¡±


    Vulren leaned forward and whispered, ¡°Can you keep a secret?¡± Excited, Zhoron nodded without saying a word. Vulren continued quietly, ¡°I found a young Inaric in the forest that was bitten by a Titantula. I want to help it.¡±


    Inarics were venom-resistant creatures, a mix between a turtle and a porcupine. They could grow up to one and a half meters tall and were known for their magic-resistant, spiky shells. They fed on various snakes and giant spiders.


    Zhoron whispered back, ¡°I knew it! You can enter the forest! But how?¡± Vulren explained that his magical energy was so weak that the detection crystals didn¡¯t notice him.


    ¡°I rarely go into the forest, and only to the safe areas,¡± he added. Zhoron, still shocked, said, ¡°I¡¯ll help you, my friend, but since this is the first time I¡¯ll be making a new potion, there¡¯s a chance I might fail.¡± Vulren replied, ¡°We don¡¯t have much time. We need to make this antidote quickly.¡±


    The two of them got to work immediately. Vulren shared the important details he had learned from his recent research, and Zhoron, impressed by Vulren¡¯s knowledge, shared some of his own insights.


    After an hour of discussion, Zhoron said, ¡°If I had some Titantula venom, it would be much easier to find the antidote. Anyway, I need to go now, or my father will get angry. Let¡¯s meet here again tomorrow afternoon at four.¡± He stood up from the chair.


    Finally, Vulren asked, ¡°If I bring you some Titantula venom, can you really make the antidote?¡± The young doctor froze for a moment. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious, my friend. There¡¯s no way you can get that venom,¡± he said. Vulren looked at him with aquestioning expression, and eventually, Zhoron said, ¡°If you can bring some, my chances of success will increase significantly. But I don¡¯t want you to die for it. I still don¡¯t know how you managed to find that flower. Are you like really powerful and hiding it from everyone?¡±


    Vulren smiled and replied, ¡°Ah, I wish that were the case, but unfortunately, it¡¯s not. I¡¯m more sneaky than powerful.¡± Zhoron went downstairs and left the library, and Vulren followed shortly after.


    He set off toward the Titantula nest filled with crystals in the forest. After about an hour, he reached the village walls, and after another hour of walking through the forest, he arrived at the entrance of the cave.


    The hidden cave entrance, covered in vines, radiated a high amount of magical energy. As he entered, he remembered the day he and Kavrala had stayed here. He had a plan to extract the venom: he would lure one of the spiders out and trap it outside.


    Using materials he found around and a rope from his bag, he set up a simple trap. The trap would tie up the spider¡¯s legs, immobilizing it for a while. After setting the trap, he ventured deeper into the cave through a narrow passage.


    As he progressed, the spiderwebs on the walls grew denser. He waited near the path leading to the spider nest for a lone spider to appear. After about an hour of waiting, a pitch-black spider with red markings emerged.


    The spider was about a meter tall, with eight enormous eyes scanning its surroundings. Vulren threw a stone at its head and immediately ran toward the exit. The spider chased him, and Vulren couldn¡¯t help but shudder at the sight of it. It was much faster than he had anticipated.


    As the spider gained on him, Vulren increased his speed. Normally, he couldn¡¯t run this fast for so long without an energy potion, so his regrets about drinking it vanished instantly.


    The trap was just ahead, but the spider was close behind. Seeing the narrow tunnel¡¯s exit, Vulren leaped forward with all his might. The spider jumped at him but missed its target by a hair¡¯s breadth as Vulren dodged at the last second.


    Still unable to stand, Vulren watched as the spider charged at him again, but this time, it got caught in the rope. Before it could understand what had happened, all eight of its legs became entangled, and it began thrashing wildly.


    Vulren stood up and approached the spider, which hissed and bared its sharp fangs, but it no longer frightened him. He pulled out his shiny hunting knife and stabbed it into a small, soft spot on the spider¡¯s head, killing it in one swift motion.


    After waiting for the spider¡¯s convulsions to stop, he began cutting out the venom sac from its neck. Having never dissected a Titantula before, it took him half an hour, but he finally managed to extract the sac.


    The venom was already starting to melt his gloves, so he quickly placed the sac into a glass jar. He exited the cave, washed up in a nearby river, and changed his clothes. Since there was still plenty of daylight left, he began gathering some medicinal herbs and mushrooms from the forest.


    After hours of wandering and collecting plants, the sun was nearly setting. Vulren, still thinking about the Griffin, made his way back to the village. An hour later, he reached the village walls and performed his usual jump over them.


    Soon after, he arrived home and placed the venom jar on a corner of his potion table. The energy potion had saved his life, but it also prevented him from sleeping. Days of sleeplessness had left Vulren mentally exhausted. He just wanted to sleep, not because he was tired. He lay down on his bed and tried to sleep for a few hours but failed.


    He sat back at his desk and began writing in his notebook. He had a lot of work to do. If Zhoron didn¡¯t have a place to experiment with the potion, Vulren planned to invite him to his house. So, he began tidying up and organizing his potion-making materials.


    After a night spent writing in his notebook, cleaning, and reading, morning came again. Following his usual routine of visiting his neighbor, he went to the forest to train.


    He spent a few hours training near the old tree he had frequented since childhood, then washed up in a river and began wandering the forest. After observing the behavior of a few monsters from a distance and taking notes, he returned to the village


    About an hour before the meeting time, he went to the library and sat at the table they had used last time, waiting. After reading for an hour, he sensed the magical presence entering the library.


    When Zhoron came up the stairs and sat across from him again, his face was filled with excitement. Vulren, making sure no one was around, took out the jar containing Titantula venom from his bag and placed it on the table.


    Zhoron¡¯s eyes widened as he saw the jar. ¡°You actually did it. I can¡¯t believe you, man. You¡¯re so mysterious,¡± he said. Vulren replied, ¡°And I prefer to remain mysterious, so try not to ask too many questions.¡±


    Zhoron examined the jar in his hand for a while, then asked, ¡°Do we have a place to work on the potion? We definitely can¡¯t use mine.¡± Vulren, expecting this question, said, ¡°I have a small table at my house. Let¡¯s go there. It¡¯s out of sight and comfortable.¡±


    After gathering the necessary books, they headed to Vulren¡¯s house. After walking for a while, they reached a small wooden house away from the village center. When they entered, Zhoron looked around.


    Vulren said, ¡°The potion table is over here,¡± directing him to the table in the corner of the living room. Zhoron examined the table and commented, ¡°Surprising. I expected something much simpler.¡±


    After hours of testing and brainstorming, they finally produced a bright green liquid. Zhoron, unable to take his eyes off the liquid, said, ¡°We did it. This must be the antidote. I need to write this down immediately.¡±


    Vulren handed Zhoron a piece of paper, saying, ¡°I already wrote down the recipe, don¡¯t worry.¡± After reading the paper, the young doctor thanked Vulren, said goodbye, and left the house.


    The sun had set again, and another sleepless night awaited Vulren. He spent the entire night producing enough antidote for the Griffin. Since the venom was so potent, making producing the antidote was quite challenging.


    Watching the sunrise with tired eyes, Vulren began preparing to leave the house again. During his visit, Mrs. Malonne said, ¡°You look very sleep-deprived, son. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re dealing with, but I¡¯m sure it¡¯s important. But your health is more important¡ªdon¡¯t forget that.¡±


    Vulren, who was gradually breaking down day by day, set off toward the rhino fields with a large jar of antidote in his bag. After a long journey, he saw the leaves of the tree where the Griffin was staying.


    This time, before entering the fields, he climbed a tree and shouted loudly, ¡°HEEEY, I¡¯M HERE!¡± All the rhinos turned toward him and were about to charge when they saw the majestic figure descending from the tree and scattered around.


    Seeing the Griffin, Vulren climbed down and approached the magical¡ªnot so magical now¡ªcreature. Holding out the jar filled with the green liquid, he said, ¡°The medicine is here. It tastes pretty bad, just a warning. You should be fully healed a few days after drinking this. I¡¯ll come back to check on you.¡± He opened the jar.


    The Griffin, who could easily detect lies in human speech, bent down and opened its sharp beak. Vulren poured the liquid into the creature¡¯s mouth, and it made a face.


    After the Griffin swallowed all the medicine, Vulren felt relieved and watched the creature fly back to its nest before heading home. On the way, he felt incredibly sleepy.


    ¡°Finally, I can sleep,¡± Vulren thought, but now he was worried about falling asleep in the middle of the forest. Fighting off sleep, he reached the village walls and immediately started running toward his house. Shortly after, he arrived home, quickly dropped his belongings, threw himself onto the bed, and fell into a deep sleep.

 CHAPTER 8

    As the sun rose, a young girl with long golden hair was just getting out of bed. After changing out of her pajamas, she left her large, fancy room and headed toward the dining room within her massive house. The servants in the hallways smiled and greeted her as she passed, and she responded in kind.


    She walked down the long corridor, descended the stairs, and entered the dining room. At the long table sat her family and other relatives, engaged in conversation. Her uncles were discussing village matters with her father, while her mother chatted with her aunts.


    When her mother noticed Kavrala entering the room, she stood up, hugged her, and asked, "Good morning, my baby. Did you sleep well?" Kavrala, annoyed by her mother still treating her like a child, replied in a monotone voice, "Yes, Mother." Her family was used to her emotionless behaviors; in fact, they would even worry if they ever saw her too lively.


    After quietly eating the breakfast the servants had prepared, she quickly left the house and set off for school. She always made sure to leave early, not because she loved school, but because she hated being at home.


    She was a little bit jealous of Vulren, the only person in the entire village she truly respected. He was completely free, doing whatever work he pleased and going wherever he wanted. No one interfered with him, and no one expected anything from him.


    Kavrala, on the other hand, spent her weeks waiting for the one day she could go to the forest. But this week, she had a big problem¡ªnot exactly her own, but still important. Vulren''s restaurant had been closed since the beginning of the week, and she hadn''t heard a word from him.


    If she knew his home address, she could have gone to ask, but Vulren had only told her the area where he lived. He likely kept his exact address secret to prevent Kavrala from showing up at his house. They both knew that being seen together could lead to serious trouble.


    Kavrala feared that Vulren might lose his freedom because of her, which would make him hate her. So, she could only talk to him at the restaurant, pretending she was just there for the food. But the restaurant had been closed for four days. What if something had happened to him?


    Sometimes he acted as if he were immortal, getting himself into big trouble, but somehow he always managed to escape by the skin of his teeth, as if he had planned everything in advance. Her family always told her to use the horse carriage to get to school, but she preferred walking.


    After a short walk, she arrived at school and entered through the massive gates. She had to greet dozens of people in the hallway before reaching her upstairs classroom. She listened to the chatter of people she didn''t care about, pretending to be deeply interested until she finally sat down at her desk.


    The subject was magic engineering, and she couldn''t help but smile as she imagined Vulren, with his large frame, sitting at one of these small desks, attentively listening to the lecture and taking notes. If Vulren were here, he would probably bombard the teacher with questions and put him in a tough spot.


    She imagined the old, bald professor she hated so much sweating under Vulren''s absurd questions. There was only a week left before school ended, and she was eagerly looking forward to the days when she could visit the forest more often.


    She would also have plenty of time to prepare for the summer festival happening in a month. She knew Vulren could easily win the capture the flag game at the festival. She wanted the whole village to see how awesome he actually was. But when she asked him to join the game, he gave her a very deep and intellectual response: ¡°Nah.¡±


    After a boring day at school, she quickly left, turning down everyone who invited her to hang out. She initially headed home but secretly turned down an alley at the last moment, changing her route. She always used this route to get to Vulren''s restaurant without attracting any attention.


    After walking silently for a while, she reached the restaurant, only to find it was still closed. She was starting to get seriously worried. Although there were few houses where Vulren lived, the area was too large. Finding him would take hours and draw too much attention.


    Disheartened, she returned home, studied for a few hours, and then decided to take a walk to clear her head. As she walked through the village streets, still crowded even at this hour, she turned onto a quieter street where most of the houses were empty due to their distance from the village center.


    While examining the small houses, she turned right at the next corner and saw a large man at the end of the street. His back was turned, so she couldn''t see who he was, but next to him was a short, brown-haired girl around her age. They were looking at the empty houses and chatting.


    Kavrala quickly hid behind a wall, trying to minimize her magical presence. She was sure it wasn''t Vulren, but she was overcome by her curiosity. After observing them for a while, she began to feel ashamed. "What am I doing? They''re probably a newlywed couple looking for a house, and here I am, spying on them," she scolded herself and decided to leave.


    Just as she was about to go, the man turned around. She immediately recognized his black hair and the small scar on his cheek. It was Vulren Ravanan himself. For a moment, Kavrala couldn''t believe her eyes, and a surge of anger welled up inside her. She rarely got angry, so even she was surprised by her reaction.


    In her anger, she forgot to control her magic power. Meanwhile, Vulren, who was trying to find a place for Syl to stay, felt a very familiar magical presence at the end of the street. It was Kavrala. When he turned around, he saw the princess walking toward him, visibly furious.


    She sometimes got a little annoyed when he teased her, but this was different. As he tried to figure out why she was so angry, Kavrala was already within a meter of him. "What are you doing here? Who is this girl? Do you have any idea how worried I was when your restaurant was closed for five days? And here you are, spending your days hanging out with girls!" Kavrala shouted.


    Syl, still trying to understand what was happening, was interrupted by Vulren''s calm voice, ¡°Actually, it''s not plural¡ª" but Kavrala cut him off and continued yelling, "I can''t believe you. You close the restaurant out of nowhere and don''t even say a word to me. I thought you were different, but after all this time, you still treat me like a stranger!¡± Her eyes welled up with tears as she turned and walked away.


    Vulren finally grasped the seriousness of the situation and, setting aside his usual sarcasm, started following Kavrala. Before leaving Syl, he said, "Let''s stop here for today. We''ll continue later," and began calling out to Kavrala. As he chased after her, he thought, ¡°This is ridiculous. All I wanted was to grow stronger and travel the world, but here I am, dealing with this nonsense.¡±


    When he finally caught up to her, he grabbed her arm and said, "At least let me explain." She turned around, wiped her eyes, and said in an angry tone, "Isn''t it a bit late for that, you moron?" before pulling away and leaving. Frustrated, Vulren called after her, "I''ll open the restaurant starting tomorrow. Come by when you want to listen to me!" At least the street was empty, so they didn''t draw too much attention.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand girls at all. Like as if we were married, I got busted while cheating on her. Ridiculous!¡± he thought. He was planning to tell Kavrala why he hadn''t opened the restaurant on Sunday in the forest. What else could he do? He couldn''t just knock on the village chief''s door and say, "Hello, I''m the most disliked and weakest person in the village, and I''d like to talk to your daughter about something."


    If anyone found out they knew each other, they''d be in big trouble. But when you got down to it, Vulren had never even wanted to form close bonds with anyone. He was going to leave this village one day, and close relationships would only make that harder. Still, he felt bad about how he always treated Kavrala and decided to give her an honest explanation. Well, semi-honest, since he didn''t plan to mention Griffin.


    The word "stranger" kept echoing in his mind all night, but he had to get up early the next day, so he forced himself to sleep. He woke up tense, got ready, and left the house. He didn''t want to visit his neighbor today, so he headed straight for the forest. He wanted to see Griffin and also try a new training method he found.


    First, he went to the rhino meadow, climbed a tree, and whistled loudly, but there was no response from Griffin. When the rhinos started moving around, he had to leave. This training method was aimed at improving his reflexes. In a certain part of the forest lived a small species of monkey with long arms. These monkeys fed on hard-shelled fruits that grew on tall trees in their territory.


    When they sensed a threat, they would throw these fruits from the treetops to defend their territories. While not deadly, the fruits were quite painful. Vulren thought he could improve his reaction time and eyesight by dodging these fruits. The monkeys lived about an hour''s walk from the rhino meadow, but Vulren didn''t have much time, so he decided to run there.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    Half an hour later, when he entered the area with the tall trees where the monkeys lived, he couldn''t help but feel nervous. The first time he''d come here a few years ago, he hadn''t known about the monkeys, and his body had been covered in bruises from their fruit attacks. As he ventured further, the monkeys'' screeches grew louder, and soon he felt a sharp pain in his left shoulder, signaling that he''d reached his destination.


    He immediately stopped walking and began observing his surroundings. A few seconds later, the monkeys started attacking again, but this time he managed to see the fruit flying toward him from above. At the last second, he ducked, successfully avoiding the fruit. "Is this going to be easier than I thought?" he wondered, just as another fruit came flying. This time, he saw the fruit but wasn''t quick enough to dodge it. The fruit hit his back, leaving a painful bruise that would last about a week.


    As Vulren grew more accustomed to the speed of the fruits, he began dodging most of them. When he ventured closer to the monkeys'' nest, the number of fruits increased. He was so busy dodging that he had no time to think about anything else, constantly jumping around. After the effects of the energy potion wore off, he had slept for a full day, so he felt quite refreshed.


    After an hour of being viciously beaten by fruits, Vulren, utterly exhausted, decided to retreat. After escaping the monkeys, he headed to the small stream where he usually bathed. When he took off his clothes, he saw that his entire body was covered in bruises. Looking at his reflection in the water, he noticed his nose was also bruised¡ªa fruit had hit him right in the bullseye, likely breaking it.


    After bathing, he dried off with the towel he''d brought and changed into the spare clothes in his bag. He applied a band-aid to his nose and then returned to Griffin. He whistled again, and this time a massive figure emerged from the tree and glided down to the meadow. Vulren jumped down and approached the Griffin, who seemed annoyed by his frequent visits.


    "I came to check if the medicine is working. Depending on how it''s doing, I''ll prepare some more," he said. When Griffin didn''t react aggressively, Vulren cautiously moved closer to examine the cracks in the creature''s skin. "Would it be okay if I touched you? I need to check the condition of your skin," he said. Griffin responded with a displeased hiss. Not wanting to push his luck, Vulren quickly took a few steps back.


    "You need a bit more antidote. I''ll come back later," he said before leaving. "Maybe I should ask Griffin for a rhino sometime," he thought as he arrived home. It was already noon, and it was time to open the restaurant. He left his bag at home, grabbed the keys, and headed to the restaurant. As he entered the street where the restaurant was located, he was surprised to see two elderly men standing in front of the building.


    When he got closer, they noticed him and asked, "Where have you been these past few days?" Vulren replied, "I was sick, Mister. I couldn''t open the restaurant," before unlocking the door and stepping inside. After taking the two men''s orders, he got to work, relieved that his arm had fully healed. Customers kept asking why the restaurant had been closed, and he gave them all the same answer.


    He was initially happy that so many people were concerned about him, but his joy faded when he realized they were mostly worried about his food. After a busy day of cooking, closing time approached, and there was still no sign of Kavrala. Just as he was about to give up hope, he felt a familiar magical presence outside the restaurant. The golden-haired girl entered with an angry expression, walked up to the counter without a word, and ordered honey-glazed chicken.


    Vulren handed her the food and then prepared his own meal¡ªa massive fish¡ªbefore sitting across from her. Kavrala seemed much calmer now and a few minutes later she broke the awkward silence, ¡±I''m sorry about yesterday. I was just really worried when I couldn''t get in touch with you, and seeing you with that girl while I was going crazy made me lose my temper," she said.


    Vulren swallowed the bite in his mouth and said, "It''s okay. I guess I shouldn¡¯t have hidden my address from you. But remember, if we¡¯re seen together, we¡¯ll both be in trouble." He took another big bite from the fish in front of him. They continued eating in silence for a while before Vulren spoke again, "I owe you an explanation. Long story short, I was out for a walk at night and saw that girl in trouble. I saved her, and then I was helping her find a safe place to stay. That¡¯s it. Oh, and I broke my arm in the forest, so I couldn¡¯t open the restaurant.¡±


    His explanation was still lacking, but Kavrala was aware that he wasn¡¯t the type to share much about himself. So she didn¡¯t press him further. After finishing their meals, they stepped outside, and Vulren locked up the restaurant before they parted ways. Kavrala felt a bit relieved knowing Vulren didn¡¯t hate her. At least she could rest her head on the pillow without worry now.


    Vulren, on the other hand, hurried home. He needed to prepare more antidote for Griffin, and he was out of Titantula venom. He had to collect more venom before the sun set and the spiders became active. After quickly gathering the necessary supplies at home, he set off for the forest again. He carefully entered the cave, the corpse of the spider he had killed last time was gone. But that was normal since Titantulas were cannibals.


    He set up the same trap as before, using better materials this time, and slipped through the small crack in the cave''s wall. As he moved deeper into the narrow tunnel leading to the Titantula nest, the spiderwebs grew thicker. When he extended his magic senses to the end of the tunnel, he felt the disgusting presence of the gathered spiders. He waited for one to separate from the others, but none moved.


    Time was running out, and the spiders would soon wake up. They were much faster than he had anticipated, and last time he had barely escaped with the help of an energy potion. In this narrow tunnel, even the slightest stumble could be fatal. As he weighed all possible scenarios, he realized how unlikely it was for any of them to work in his favor. His courage wavered; a single scratch from these spiders would kill him instantly.


    As he retreated from the tunnel, he thought of Kavrala. Her earth magic could slow the spider down, and a binding rune could trap it. This was the most logical plan he could come up with. While thinking through the details, he headed home. After moving quickly through the forest, he reached the village walls, which now felt like the gateway to his home. He jumped over them as usual and made his way through the wheat and corn fields to his house.


    Once home, he took a deep breath and began writing a health report for the Griffin in his notebook, and adding a fictional one for the fictional Inaric, just in case. He decided to turn in early, knowing the next day would be long and exhausting. The next morning, he woke up feeling a bit anxious, gathered the supplies he always took to the forest, and left the house.


    They were supposed to meet near a rock not too deep in the forest. When he arrived, he saw Kavrala waiting for him. He greeted her and began explaining the plan for the day. "Today, we¡¯re hunting a Titantula. Here¡¯s the plan: I¡¯ll lure one out of the nest, and you¡¯ll slow it down with small earth spells so it doesn¡¯t catch me. I¡¯ll lead it into a binding rune we¡¯ll set up in the cave, and you¡¯ll activate the trap. That¡¯s how we¡¯ll catch it."


    As they walked toward the cave, Vulren explained what to do if the plan failed. When they reached the cave, which radiated a strong magic power, Kavrala remembered the first time she had met Vulren. She drew a few explosive magic runes at the cave¡¯s entrance and a larger binding rune in the open area filled with crystals inside.


    While drawing the runes, Vulren pointed out her mistakes and helped her correct them. It always amazed her how knowledgeable he was about magic, even though he couldn¡¯t cast spells or activate runes himself. After setting up the runes, it was Vulren¡¯s turn to lure the spider into the trap. Before entering through the narrow crack in the wall, Kavrala decided to ask him something.


    "Since school¡¯s ending this week, we can increase our training days until the summer festival if you¡¯re free." Vulren smiled and said, "Of course. I¡¯ve prepared a lot of mana potions for training. Just know, my training is tough¡ªno crying later." He then slipped through the crack. As he moved through the narrow tunnel, he cleared the spiderwebs so they wouldn¡¯t hinder him while running.


    The closer he got to the disgusting presence of the spiders, the more nervous he became. He waited at the same spot as last time for a spider to emerge. After about half an hour, he saw a black silhouette leaving the nest. This spider was much larger than the last one, which unnerved Vulren. It was as tall as him, cleaning its legs with its saliva. Gathering his courage, Vulren threw a stone at the spider¡¯s head and started running without looking back.


    He could feel the spider¡¯s heavy steps on the cave floor. This one was much faster, and it was only a matter of time before it caught up. Just as the spider closed the gap and prepared to jump at him, a few small stones hit its head at high speed, forcing it to slow down. Kavrala¡¯s earth spells were working¡ªthey didn¡¯t hurt the creature but slowed it down.


    Reaching the end of the tunnel, Vulren jumped forward with all his strength. Seeing him jump, the spider leaped too, but Kavrala activated the binding trap before it could catch Vulren. Yellow magical ropes instantly bound the spider¡¯s legs. The creature started to thrash wildly, straining against the ropes. It wouldn¡¯t be long before it broke free.


    Without hesitation, Vulren drew his hunting knife and jumped onto the spider¡¯s back. The spider tried to throw him off, slamming itself against the cave walls. If this continued, it would wake the others, endangering not only Vulren but Kavrala as well. Taking a deep breath, Vulren focused on the soft spot at the back of the spider¡¯s head. With a quick strike, he drove the knife into it.


    He forced the blade in a few more times until the creature collapsed, twitching. Kavrala, who had been watching in fear from the corner of the cave, approached cautiously. "Is it dead?" she asked. Covered in blood, Vulren simply nodded, not wanting to risk the spider¡¯s foul blood getting in his mouth. After Kavrala cleaned him up with a water spell, he began dismembering the creature.


    The sight made Kavrala sick, so she decided to wait outside. Half an hour later, Vulren returned with a jar containing a large green organ. He was covered in blood again and, with his arms spread wide, joked, "Where¡¯s my victory hug?" as he walked toward Kavrala. She started to run and scream mixed with laugh, and then she sprayed him with a water spell.


    After changing into spare clothes, Vulren handed her the lunchbox he had brought. As he ate, Vulren kept his eyes on his steak and asked, "Can I ask you for a favor?" Normally, Vulren never asked her for anything, so she was pleasantly surprised. "If it¡¯s something I can do, I¡¯m always ready to help," she replied.


    Vulren continued, "You know that girl I told you about? The one I saved from her father. Do you think you could find her a job, if possible?" Kavrala couldn¡¯t help but feel a spark of jealousy at how much Vulren seemed to care for this girl. Would he worry this much about her? After a few seconds of thought, she said, "I think my father¡¯s office is short on servants. I¡¯ll ask him and let you know."


    Vulren smiled and thanked her, then packed the empty lunch containers and the jar into his bag. They spent a few hours training near the giant tree where Vulren usually practiced before parting ways. Vulren was glad he had found a decent job for Syl and headed home in high spirits. He still had one more bottle of Titantula antidote to brew.

 CHAPTER 9

    It was a cool morning, with birds chirping and the sun shining. If you didn¡¯t count the horrible three hours of sleep he had managed to get, you could say it was a beautiful day. Vulren, getting out of bed half asleep and changing his clothes, headed to the kitchen for breakfast. The antidote he had prepared for Griffin had taken longer than expected, leaving him sleep-deprived. After a strong breakfast of mostly bacon and eggs, he grabbed his bag and headed out.


    He needed to deliver the medicine to the mystical creature. Without even checking his surroundings, he leaped over the wall with half-closed eyes. After washing his face and hands in the icy spring at the edge of the forest, he set off toward the rhino meadow. After a long walk, he could see the leaves of the tree where Griffin lived. He got as close as he could and let out a sharp whistle. Griffin, with its broad wings, gleaming feathers, and razor-sharp claws, glided down to Vulren. As he pulled the medicine from his bag, he stammered nervously,


    "Uhh, did you know I¡¯m actually a cook from the village I come from? Of course, you didn¡¯t, that was a stupid question. Anyway, if you ever want, I could cook one of those rhinos for you! I¡¯ve always wanted to taste one, but hunting even one is nearly impossible for me."


    Griffins couldn¡¯t fully understand human language, but they could get the meaning of it. When Griffin didn¡¯t react, Vulren didn¡¯t push further. After pouring the medicine from the jar into Griffin¡¯s mouth, he was packing up when he felt the ground shake. Turning around, he saw the rhinos running around, with Griffin flying above them. The creature dove down with incredible speed, its massive claws snatching one of the rhinos. The rhino struggled to break free, but its feet left the ground as Griffin lifted the three-ton herbivore into the air and bit into its neck with its beak. The rhino¡¯s moves soon stopped, and Griffin slowly descended, landing in front of him. Vulren, mesmerized by what he had just witnessed, was overjoyed to see that Griffin trusted him, at least a little.


    He began examining the massive pile of meat before him, then excitedly ran to his bag and pulled out a set of knives. He had planned to ask this question before leaving home and had brought the knives with him. He took out the largest skinning knife and started separating the animal¡¯s thick, woolly hide from the meat. Despite the animal¡¯s weight, Vulren¡¯s training paid off, and he managed to strip the hide without much trouble, piling it on the grass. Next, he moved on to the meat, using a sharper knife to carefully carve it into pieces. Except the harder meat, it wasn¡¯t too different from cows. After separating all the meat, he went into the forest to gather wood for a fire. When he returned, Griffin was eating the organs, which Vulren hadn¡¯t planned to use anyway. Did Griffin know that though? What else did it know? Lost in thought, Vulren piled the wood and lit a fire using a fire crystal he carried in his bag.


    Once the fire was big enough, he pulled out a massive iron pan and spices from his oversized bag. He let Griffin sniff the spices for approval, then began chopping the wild vegetables he had found while gathering wood. Once the oil in the pan was hot, he tossed in a huge steak cut from the rhino¡¯s back. The oil sizzled upon contact, and after cooking the meat for a while, he added spices and some herbs. While the meat bathed in the oil and spices, he roasted the wild vegetables on skewers over the fire. After checking the meat¡¯s tenderness with a knife, he took the pan off the fire and set it on the ground.


    Noticing Griffin¡¯s impatience, he didn¡¯t wait for the meat to cool and stabbed a hunting knife into the center of the steak. Using the knife as a fork, he carefully carried it over to Griffin, placed it in front of the creature, and stepped back. As soon as Vulren retreated, Griffin pounced on the meat, clearly pleased. But such a small portion would never satisfy the massive beast. Vulren had anticipated this and rolled up his sleeves, returning to the fire. He spent nearly until noon cooking different parts of the rhino for Griffin, finally satisfying the creature. Griffin, having also eaten the wild vegetables Vulren brought, left a generous portion of the rhino for him. Vulren¡¯s nearly torn bag couldn¡¯t hold all the meat packets, so he carried some in his hands.


    "I wish I could use one of those magical bags; that would be amazing," he thought.


    These magical bags were incredibly useful, allowing the user to carry more than usual, but they were difficult and expensive to get. Additionally, opening the bag required a small amount of magic, which Vulren couldn¡¯t use¡ªor could he? As he thought about magical bags, his mind turned to magic crystals. These crystals could store a certain amount of magic, and with the right runes, the magic could be released. Vulren¡¯s idea was to combine a magical bag with a magic crystal to create a bag even he could use. But since he couldn¡¯t perform magic, his knowledge of runes was purely theoretical, and he needed something to activate them. Normally, since everyone could use magic at least a little bit, no one needed a separate rune to draw magic from crystals to activate an other rune, meaning Vulren would have to invent a new rune.


    As he approached the village walls, he pushed these thoughts aside and prepared to jump. Carrying so much weight, he had to be extra careful. He took a few steps back for a running start, then carefully sprinted forward, making sure not to drop anything. As he reached the wall, he leaped with all his might, barely clearing it. He stumbled upon landing and, weighed down by the meat, fell on his butt. Brushing himself off, he continued on his way, carefully navigating through the fields to avoid being seen and finally reaching his home.


    He hurriedly stored the meat in his pantry¡¯s meat locker and changed his clothes. He had high hopes for the rhino meat, as it was far more nutritious than beef, though a bit less tender. But he could solve that by marinating it or with some other techniques. This meat was his secret treasure and had to remain hidden from everyone, even Kavrala. He was also eager to research what he could do with the rhino horn he had acquired. After finishing his preparations, he left the house and headed to the restaurant. Arriving at the door, he inserted the key, turned it, and stepped inside. After putting on his apron and preparing the kitchen, he began waiting for customers. Kavrala¡¯s occasional visits had made others curious about the restaurant, and they had started coming too.


    "I wonder if Kavrala recommends my restaurant to others at school," he thought.


    While preparing orders for his regular lunch customers, he always tried to strike up conversations, but no one seemed to care. He spent the rest of the day cooking until closing time, when the door opened. It was Kavrala, which was unusual since they had just seen each other that morning. With an overly serious expression, as if they didn¡¯t know each other, Vulren asked, "May I take your order, your excellency?"


    Kavrala, putting on her most noble expression, commanded, "Peasant, make me the most luxurious and high-quality chicken salad."


    Both struggled not to laugh as Vulren replied in an overly grateful tone, "I am deeply honored by your presence in this humble establishment, your majesty!"


    Kavrala couldn¡¯t hold back her laughter, and Vulren, happy to see her in good spirits, went to the kitchen to prepare the salad. Leaning on the counter, Kavrala said, "I asked my father if there were any openings in the servant staff. He said there¡¯s one spot."


    Vulren, thrilled, began, "That¡¯s great! Then I¡¯ll¡ª" but Kavrala cut him off, "But there¡¯s a condition. You have to join my capture the flag team at the summer festival." Vulren¡¯s face fell, and he tried to persuade her otherwise, but it was no use. Faced with her stubbornness, Vulren finally gave in. "Fine, I accept. I didn¡¯t want to die without slapping the whole village in the face anyway. But if I''m going to do this, I''ll make sure everyone has a bad day.¡± he said.


    For years, he had only been able to test his training against monsters, and frankly, he was starting to get bored. He wanted to test his strength against real people. After eating with Kavrala, he closed the restaurant and headed home. As he walked, he thought about how he could use his stealth to his advantage. When he got home, he grabbed a book from his pile and lay down on his bed. His mind was already full of so many things, and now the capture the flag had been added to the mix. The game was about a month away, and he wanted to spend that time training with Kavrala in the forest and working on the rune. But he couldn¡¯t forget about Griffin either¡ªthe poison had spread more than he had anticipated. If Griffin died, he¡¯d have to deal with two young Griffins roaming the forest. For now, he decided to push these thoughts aside and go to bed early.


    The days passed in a routine. Since Kavrala¡¯s school was out, they were meeting more often. On the days she didn¡¯t come, Vulren visited Griffin and continued his research on runes. He tested some runes on Kavrala and recorded the results in his notebook. Although he couldn¡¯t gather much information as an observer, he was making some progress. He even had a prototype made from a small belt pouch. However, it didn¡¯t always work, and when it did, it was hard to control. In short, he first created a simple magical bag from a belt pouch, then connected another rune to the bag¡¯s rune to draw magic from crystals. After a few intense weeks of working on this, the festival week finally arrived.


    The summer festival was a major event that almost the entire village participated in. Special stands were set up in the marketplace, and games were played. During the last three days of the week, competitions were held for both young people and adults. The first of these was a race around the village, where participants used flight spells to go as fast as possible while trying to slow each other down with spells. Vulren had no chance in this, but the second game was capture-the-flag. This event took place in a small forest outside the village, the only wooded area within the village walls.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    At each end of the forest, there was a flag¡ªone red and one blue. Two teams of ten people each had to protect their own flag while trying to capture the opposing team¡¯s flag. Kavrala was the leader of the blue team, and her rival, Gorduin, led the red team. This was the only competition Gorduin could beat Kavrala in, so he took it very seriously. The rules were simple: take the opponent¡¯s flag and bring it to your own flag¡¯s location. But first, your flag couldn¡¯t have been taken by the opponent. Any attack that wasn¡¯t seriously harmful was allowed, and those who become unable to continue were out of the game. Gorduin always won because he could distract Kavrala with multiple people, and his team was generally better than hers.


    For the first few days of the festival, Vulren would work at a food stand in the marketplace. He thanked his father for arranging this for him. Tomorrow was the first day of the festival, and he would be busy almost all day. He needed to leave early to check on Griffin, and he had already come up with an excuse. He didn¡¯t let the excitement keep him from sleeping and lay down, closing his eyes. He was happy to be able to participate in a summer festival for the first time in his life. He was happy¡ªin fact, when he thought about his life over the past few months, it was quite pleasant. A little too pleasant, which made him feel uneasy for some reason.


    When the sun rose, he opened his eyes excitedly and put on his nice clothes. His father¡¯s old shirt didn¡¯t fit him, so he had to wear something else. After getting ready, he headed out and made his way to the marketplace early. As he walked through the village, he noticed the other shop owners giving him dirty looks. When he finally found his stand, he started setting up. He placed his crystal-powered stove, arranged his knives and skewers, and neatly organized the ingredients under the table. After about forty minutes of work, everything was ready. He even hung a small menu in front of the stand. Soon, the marketplace began to fill up, and people of all ages were laughing and having fun. During the festival, all shop owners sold their products at low prices¡ªthe goal was advertising, not profit. The smell of Vulren¡¯s food attracted a small crowd to his stall. While he was pleased, he couldn¡¯t escape the jealous glances from his neighbors.


    Around noon, he noticed a large crowd forming at the end of the street. As the crowd moved closer, he saw the girl at its center. It was Kavrala, since she was the daughter of the village chief, she had to go around and make a good impression. She was chatting with the crowd, a fake smile on her face, as she visited the stands. When she passed Vulren¡¯s table, she suddenly stopped and turned to him. Without saying a word, she approached the food stand and asked for a skewer of chicken.


    Vulren quickly handed it to her, and when he saw her reaching for her pockets, he said, "This one¡¯s on me. Good luck in your competitions!" Kavrala was about to protest, but after glancing at the crowd, she gave in. She thanked him, took a bite of the chicken, and smiled. This time, it wasn¡¯t fake. Seeing that Kavrala genuinely liked the food, the crowd began ordering from Vulren one by one. The workload suddenly increased, and Vulren found himself in a hectic pace, trying to keep up with the flood of orders. But after a while, Kavrala and her entourage moved on, and things calmed down again.


    After working for a while longer, his ingredients were running low. While he was focused on cooking, a man passing by the stall deliberately kicked and broke one of the stand¡¯s legs. As the table began to tip over, Vulren caught it with one hand and prevented it from falling. The man smirked and said, "Oops, sorry, young man, my foot slipped," before walking away, laughing. Not wanting to start a fight on the first day of the festival, Vulren said nothing. Holding the broken table with one hand, he quickly repaired the leg with the other. Aside from that incident, the day passed without any major issues, and he was relieved.


    As he walked home that evening, his mind kept returning to the competition. He had been thinking about his plan for days and hadn¡¯t even told Kavrala¡ªhe wanted it to be a surprise. He also wanted to thoroughly inspect the area where the capture-the-flag game would take place before it started, but if he waited too long, preparations would begin, and he wouldn¡¯t be able to scout the area as he wanted. After completing his usual evening training, he ate dinner and went to bed. The next morning, he woke up early, had a hearty breakfast of a large meat-filled flatbread and pancakes, got dressed, and headed to the marketplace. He was leaving early tomorrow to visit Griffin, so he had brought a lot of ingredients today. After a much busier day than he had anticipated, his supplies ran out just before sunset. Enduring the bullying from the other stall owners, he closed up his stand. He bought a red shirt from the market and then headed home.


    The big day was getting closer, and Vulren¡¯s excitement was growing. Normally, he could stay calm in such situations, but this time was different¡ªit was the first time he was participating in such a large event. He couldn¡¯t afford to mess this up, and he didn¡¯t want to disappoint Kavrala either. After finishing his training in a nervous state, he returned home.


    Vulren always wanted to purchase a large water crystal and to build a shower in his house¡ªhe was tired of going to the forest every day to bathe in the stream. After reviewing his notebook for a few hours, he lay down on his bed and fell asleep. On the third day of the festival, he woke up much earlier than usual and headed to the grove where the competition would take place.


    There were signs that preparations had begun, but no one had arrived yet. He quickly scouted the area, sketching a map in his notebook and marking important spots. Finally, he drew the most suitable route for his plan and then left, heading back to the marketplace. As planned, he ran out of ingredients early and hurried to the forest. On the way, he stopped by his house to pick up the antidote and then set off toward Griffin. After about an hour of travel, he reached the meadow. He whistled from the top of a tree, but there was no response.


    After waiting for half an hour, he saw the massive creature flying in the sky and whistled again. The rhinos, which used to attack when they heard the whistle, now fled at the sound. Griffin landed with a powerful thud, shaking the ground, and lowered its head as Vulren approached with the antidote. Vulren poured the disgusting medicine into the creature¡¯s mouth and tried to chat with Griffin, but failed again. After feeding the Griffin with the rhino meat he had brought from home, Vulren returned to his house. Now, until the day of the capture-the-flag game, he had nothing to do except sell food at the marketplace.


    A few days passed, filled with growing excitement, and the fifth day of the festival arrived¡ªthe day of the first game, the village race. Like everyone else, Vulren took his seat in the spectator seats and began observing the competitors. There were thirty participants in total, including Kavrala, Gorduin and his sister Leena. Thanks to the observation crystals set up around the village, it was easy to follow the race. As soon as the race began, Kavrala and Gorduin shot ahead, leaving most of the competitors behind. The closest to them was Leena, she was only couple of meters behind Gorduin.


    Despite the four-year age gap between Gorduin and Leena, they were neck and neck, which visibly irritated Gorduin. As Kavrala pulled further ahead, Gorduin, now even more furious, began casting spells to slow Leena down. Seeing this, Vulren couldn¡¯t help but feel angry. Once Kavrala had built a significant lead, Gorduin and Leena began battling for second place. As they neared the finish line, everyone sped up, and Kavrala crossed the line first, landing gracefully. While the crowd cheered, Gorduin, who had nearly caught up to his sister, launched a final attack, hitting Leena just before the finish. Vulren held his breath as the dust settled, revealing Gorduin in second place and Leena in third. Vulren wished he could cheer up his sister like a proper older brother, but he knew it would probably only make her feel worse.


    After the fifth day ended, Vulren spent the entire day going over his plan one last time. On the morning of the sixth day, he woke up, washed his face, and after a hearty breakfast, began preparing to leave. He put on the red shirt he bought the other day, grabbed the prototype of his magic bag, and headed to the spot where Kavrala had told him to meet. He arrived at the gathering point in the grove, the designated meeting place for Kavrala¡¯s team, and was the first to arrive.


    While waiting for the others, he completed his warm-up exercises and then climbed a tree branch to clear his mind and calm his nerves. About an hour later, he sensed a familiar magical presence approaching¡ªit was the team captain. As a responsible leader, Kavrala had arrived at the meeting spot before the rest of the team, except for Vulren, of course. She sat on a rock, waiting for the others, when Vulren suddenly dropped down from the tree branch, startling her.


    Trying not to show her surprise, she asked, ¡°Oh you¡¯re early, can it be possible that super calm and smart Vulren Ravanan is nervous? Do you have a plan in mind?" Vulren, flipping through his notebook, replied, "I have a plan. Put on a flashy show and explosions as much as possible, and leave the rest to me." After explaining a few details about Kavrala¡¯s role in the plan, Kavrala spoke up, "I need to introduce you to the team and explain why I added you. I was planning to say something about the advantages of your stealth." Vulren interrupted, "Forget about the stealth. I have a better idea." Kavrala rolled her eyes and said sarcastically, "Of course you do."


    As they were talking, Vulren sensed a powerful magical presence approaching. He immediately jumped back onto the tree branch and hid among the leaves. Moments later, a girl emerged from the bushes. She had beautiful golden hair, slightly darker than Kavrala¡¯s. This was none other than Vulren¡¯s sister, Leena Ravanan, who had also decided to arrive early. About an hour later, nine young men and women had gathered under the tree where Vulren was hiding.


    Once everyone had arrived, one of the boys turned to Kavrala and asked, "Who¡¯s our final teammate, Miss Kavrala?" Before Kavrala could answer, a large figure dropped down from the tree. Everyone was stunned to see Vulren¡¯s face, but no one was more shocked than Leena. She immediately frowned and asked, "What¡¯s going on? What¡¯s he doing here?" As Kavrala began to explain nervously, Vulren cut in, "Miss Kavrala told me she¡¯s very confident about this year¡¯s game. She said she wanted to teach Gorduin a lesson by winning with the weakest member of the village on her team, so I couldn¡¯t refuse and agreed to join." Seeing the cold smile on her brother¡¯s face only made Leena angrier.


    She snapped, "We haven¡¯t even been able to win with normal teams so far. What makes you think we can win with nine people, Miss Kavrala?" Kavrala, her usual blank expression unchanged, replied, "Don¡¯t you trust me, Leena?" She left the question unanswered and decided not to escalate the situation further. Leena trusted Kavrala fully, but she had absolutely no trust in her brother. Andthis was their last chance to beat Gorduin in the capture the flag. With only half an hour left before the game began, everyone had taken their positions and was waiting for the starting signal. Vulren sat on the ground, meditating to clear his mind and calm his nerves. The moment was almost here.

 CHAPTER 10

    The time for the game had come. The announcer, holding a sound crystal, cleared his throat and began to speak, "Welcome, everyone, to the capture-the-flag game for under 16 years old, on the sixth day of our 108th Summer Festival! The rules are simple: take your opponent''s flag and bring it back to your own base! Everything is allowed except for lethal spells!"


    After the crowd applauded and cheered for a while, the announcer spoke again, "Now, let''s meet our teams! On the western side of the forest, we have the Red Team!" The cheers and applause interrupted him once more, and he waited for the crowd to quiet down before continuing, "First, let''s introduce their leader! A 15-year-old young man, one of the most talented individuals in the village and the best student of the Elred School of Magic¡ªGORDUIN WYSAWARIN!"


    The crowd erupted into loud applause. "By his side is another 15-year-old, a highly rare Buffer¡ªILPHAS DAECAN!" The announcer continued introducing the rest of the team amidst the crowd''s cheers, then moved on to the other team. "On the eastern side, we have the Blue Team! Their leader is one of the most well-known figures in the village, the youngest champion in the under-16 dueling tournaments, having won four consecutive titles! The chief''s daughter and heiress, a Level 1 Skill owner¡ªKAVRALAAA UMETHANAA!" he shouted, and the crowd''s cheers for her were incomparably louder than before.


    Vulren wasn''t used to such loud and crowded environments, so he was incredibly tense. The announcer continued excitedly, "Next up is the daughter and heiress of the guard captain, Vulmon Ravanan, and another Level 1 Skill owner¡ªLEENA RAVANAN!" Amidst the applause and whistles, he introduced the remaining nine members of the team. Then it was Vulren''s turn. The announcer paused for a moment before saying, "And the final member of the Blue Team... who is that?"


    The crowd fell silent. Vulren felt a bit embarrassed, but he had expected this. A man came over and whispered something in the announcer''s ear, and his eyes widened in shock. "I CAN''T BELIEVE IT. THIS... THIS IS VULMON RAVANAN''S SON, VULREN RAVANAN!" he shouted. The crowd, unable to believe what they were hearing, turned their eyes to Vulren. He managed to remain calm under the gaze of hundreds of people. But after a brief silence, the crowd burst into laughter, louder than any cheer before. Even the announcer was laughing, while Vulren felt like he was going to be sick.


    Too ashamed to look for his father in the crowd, he kept his eyes fixed on the tree in front of him and waited. The announcer, still laughing, continued, "Kavrala is practically mocking Gorduin by including Vulren on her team! Let me, ahahaha, let me continue the introductions! Vulren Ravanan! A Level 8 Skill owner! It''s said among the people that his lack of magical ability surpasses even Kavrala''s talent!" He burst into laughter again along with the crowd.


    When Vulren looked at Kavrala, who was at the front of their line, he noticed her face was bright red. She looked like she was about to cry, and seeing her even more embarrassed than himself made him feel a little better. The more they mocked him now, the harder they would regret it at the end of the game. The announcer caught his breath and continued, "Then let''s not wait any longer and start the game! You may begin when you hear the signal! Good luck to all the competitors, especially one who will need it a lot!"


    After a few seconds of silence, the explosion sounded, and Vulren sprinted toward his designated area at full speed. The remaining nine members split into three teams and scattered into the forest. The crystals hanging from the trees here and there made it difficult for most to sense the magic of others, at least for normal people. For Vulren, however, it wasn''t much of a problem. With enough concentration, he could pinpoint everyone''s location.


    As he moved silently through the trees, he sensed an obstacle in his path¡ªIlphas Daecan. Buffers of the village always came from the Daecan family. These mages didn''t cast spells; instead, they used magic to physically strengthen their bodies. In the village, Ilphas was practically Vulren''s only physical rival. Buffers didn''t emit much magical energy, so Ilphas, like Vulren, was alone. Vulren climbed onto a tree branch and continued his route from above. He had to make a decision: either sneak past him or fight. Ilphas was a significant threat; if left alone, he could steal the flag, which would ruin Vulren''s plan. After all, to win, he needed to retrieve the flag. In a one-on-one fight, he stood no chance against Ilphas, so he had to rely on stealth. As he pondered this, he continued jumping from tree to tree.


    Meanwhile, Kavrala was making her way toward the enemy''s flag through the center of the forest. Her three-person team included Leena and some guy named Goras. As they moved silently, Leena whispered, "What''s the plan, Lady Kavrala?" Kavrala replied, "It''s not too complicated. We''ll take down Gorduin''s team first. Then we''ll assist the other teams and use our numerical advantage." Leena wondered, "But what about the remaining one person?" However, she didn''t want to ask more questions as they entered dangerous territory.


    Clearly, Kavrala had a strong card up her sleeve, and her brother was nowhere to be seen. He must be hiding behind a rock or something, she thought. After walking silently for a while, they reached the open area at the center of the forest. On the other side stood Gorduin, with his long black hair, pale skin, and dead-fish-like eyes. When he saw Kavrala, a disgusting smile spread across his face. Seeing his expression made Kavrala''s stomach churn.


    Their hatred to each other dated back two years when Gorduin''s family had visited. Kavrala was only 11 at the time when Gorduin and his family proposed marriage after she finished school. Although Kavrala''s father didn''t particularly like the Wysawarin family, he left the decision to her. Among the Myrills, such marriage arrangements were common, especially among noble families. Gorduin was incredibly arrogant, taking pleasure in belittling the weak. Kavrala, who already disliked him, instantly rejected the proposal. He always thought "I can get whoever I want," and because of this Gorduin''s pride got deeply wounded. He had already lost to her in nearly every competition, and now she had rejected him. From that day on, Gorduin hated Kavrala, and she hated him in return. So, every time she saw his face, she was reminded of that day, and her mood soured.


    After slowly approaching each other, Gorduin began raining stone spells on Kavrala. Though the stones he hurled were fast, they were small and fragile, easily disintegrating against Kavrala''s fires. Kavrala protected her team with fire spells as she slowly walked toward Gorduin. Spell after spell was rendered ineffective by her flames. However, the weakness of these spells made Leena suspicious. Why was Gorduin still smiling despite all his spells being nullified? Kavrala''s team had entered the open area from the east, while Gorduin''s team had come from the west. Suddenly, three synchronized spell attacks came from the north, and Leena realized it was a trap. Kavrala countered the water spell with fire, creating a cloud of steam. Taking advantage of the limited visibility, Leena used her Magic Absorption Skill to absorb the remaining air and fire spells with both hands. When the steam cleared, Gorduin''s team had disappeared, and the ambush team from the north was preparing new spells.


    Kavrala said, "Goras, create a stone wall," and immediately, a massive wall rose from the ground, blocking the northern side. Kavrala planned to use the new spell Vulren had taught her¡ªa spell that compressed fire magic into a tiny, concentrated point, creating a small but intensely bright flame. As the spells collided with the stone wall, creating thunderous echoes, Kavrala completed her spell. She launched the bright white fireball, no larger than a walnut, into the sky above the wall. As soon as the fireball passed the wall, a blinding white light filled the area. When the light faded a few seconds later, Leena suddenly emerged from behind the wall and unleashed a barrage of wind spells toward the ambush team. Once the dust cloud from the spells dissipated, they saw that the ambush team had also fled. However, stopping that spell must have cost them a significant amount of mana, and thanks to the spells she had absorbed, Leena''s own mana reserves were still in good shape.


    Kavrala began moving westward, following Gorduin, while explosion sounds started coming from the south. Gorduin''s last team had tried to attack from the south, but one of their own teams was also positioned there, likely clashing with them. They re-entered the forest, heading west, carefully observing their surroundings as they advanced. Soon, loud explosion sounds came from the north of the clearing. They ran toward the source of the noise, but when they arrived, two of the three members of their northern team had already been eliminated. The ambush team and Gorduin''s team had set a trap for them. Thanks to Gorduin''s superior strategic mind, he never lost in this game, but Kavrala had complete faith in Vulren''s intelligence. The compass-shaped tracking crystals they had been given at the start of the game allowed them to monitor the area where their flag was located, and they checked the flag from time to time to ensure the it was still in place.


    They took the last remaining member of their northern team and continued westward. Kavrala''s goal was to create a large-scale all out battle to distract everyone''s attention for Vulren. The tracking devices also functioned as communication devices, so Kavrala pulled the crystal from her pocket and whispered, "Southern team, head west and meet up with us." Amidst the occasional clashes, she could hear the announcer''s excited voice, though he hadn''t mentioned Vulren yet. Another explosion sounded, this time much closer. When she heard the voice from the crystal saying, "We''re under attack," they immediately moved toward the source.


    The combined northern and southern enemy teams were ambushing Kavrala''s southern team. Gorduin was still nowhere to be seen, but Kavrala began preparing a massive spell to stir things up. With a blank expression, the fireball hovering above her hand grew larger and larger. When it reached the size of a small hut, she launched it toward the enemy''s position. The fire spell, which caused a massive explosion, caught the enemy off guard and eliminated two of them. Normally, it would be impossible for someone her age to cast such a powerful spell, but her Level 1 Passive Skill allowed her to have much larger magic channels and a core, enabling her to cast enormous spells in one go.


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    From a distance, Gorduin, watching the battle from between the trees, smiled and thought to himself, "Monster." Meanwhile, Vulren, perched in a tree, heard the loud explosion from the north and realized Kavrala was in combat. However, his focus was entirely on Ilphas. He noticed some suspiciously placed mushrooms around and began collecting a few. One of these mushrooms, called the Lillia mushroom, was purple and could easily knock out a person if its spores were inhaled. Carefully avoiding the spores, Vulren crushed the mushrooms and rubbed them onto a piece of cloth, which he then folded and placed in his pocket.


    As he did this, he sensed Ilphas suddenly changing direction, heading north. Vulren couldn''t let Ilphas sneak up on Kavrala; even she wouldn''t be able to defeat him at close range. He had to act quickly¡ªhis plan was ready, and all he needed to do was execute it. He would set an ambush from the top of a tree, distract Ilphas by throwing a stone into the bushes, and then attack. It was a classic hunting tactic, and frankly, it was the only one he knew.


    Vulren hid inside a large tree along Ilphas''s path and waited. A few minutes later, a bald, muscular man emerged from the trees a few meters away. Resembling a monk, the man was a few centimeters shorter than Vulren but far more muscular. If Vulren could ambush him from behind and lock him in a chokehold, he could cut off his breath and prevent him from using magic. But if he acted even a second too early or too late, Ilphas would notice him, and Vulren would be in serious trouble. Fortunately, timing was one of Vulren''s specialties.


    Ilphas was moving through the trees toward Kavrala, hoping to catch her off guard and eliminate the enemy team¡¯s strongest member. As he carefully advanced toward the explosion sounds from the north, he heard a noise from the bushes behind him and immediately turned around. No one was there. ¡°Must be a small ani-,¡± he thought, but suddenly, his breath was cut off. Panic set in as he felt thick, scar-covered arms wrapped around his neck. Unable to breathe, he couldn''t use magic, but his physical strength alone should have been enough to break free. However, it wasn''t. The arms around him felt like they were made of steel, not flesh.


    As his consciousness began to fade, he thrashed with all his might. After a few seconds of struggling, he finally managed to create enough space to take a breath, but just as he inhaled, his attacker shoved a cloth into his mouth. "Oh no," he thought, but it was too late¡ªhe had already breathed in the spores. His vision blurred, and within seconds, the world went dark.


    Vulren, his hands trembling, laid Ilphas''s unconscious body at the base of a tree with a vision crystal. The bald man had been stronger than he anticipated. During the struggle, Ilphas had headbutted him, and now his nose was bleeding. After wiping the blood away, Vulren continued toward the flag. Meanwhile, Kavrala''s team, having dealt with Gorduin''s teammates, had finally managed to regroup. The seven of them were now advancing toward the red flag together. Kavrala''s goal was to initiate a full-scale battle to draw everyone''s attention. They repelled occasional attacks from the enemy as they moved forward, but they were growing increasingly tired¡ªexactly what Gorduin had planned. However, there was one thing he hadn''t accounted for: Vulren.


    After repelling a few more attacks, one of their team members ran out of mana and had to withdraw. As they approached the flag, now only 100 meters away, the attacks intensified, and their numbers dwindled. Then, among the trees, Kavrala spotted a face¡ªGorduin. His disgusting smirk was still plastered across his face. With a signal from his hand, spells began raining down on them from all directions. Goras surrounded them with a stone shield, and Kavrala began preparing another massive spell. When the spell was complete, Goras dropped the shield, and Kavrala launched the enormous fireball toward Gorduin. Seeing the massive fireball again, Gorduin and his teammates were stunned but quickly rallied all their strength to counter the spell. A colossal explosion followed, and when the dust settled, applause echoed from the trees.


    Gorduin, clapping, said, "Incredible! Truly incredible! I honestly didn''t think you could pull off that spell again. You surprised me, princess!" Kavrala, feeling nauseated at receiving a compliment from Gorduin, replied, "I''ve got plenty more where that came from." Then, with a signal from Gorduin, a massive battle erupted. Spells flew everywhere, explosions rocked the area, and the announcer excitedly narrated the fight as everyone watched with bated breath.


    After a few minutes, only Leena and Kavrala remained standing, but both were exhausted, and four enemy team members were still facing them. Kavrala signaled Leena to retreat, and they ran toward the open area. Leena still didn''t understand Kavrala''s plan, but she followed her lead. When they reached the open area and stopped, Gorduin, still laughing, said, "That was a fantastic show, but this game is over. It''s just the two of you and that useless retard left."


    Kavrala smirked and replied, "Careful, or that retard might just show up holding a red flag." She might have disrupted Vulren''s plans a bit, but she needed to buy time. Gorduin''s smile vanished instantly, and he quickly pulled out his crystal. When he connected it to the tracking crystal monitoring their flag, he saw the red cloth tied to a stick and relaxed. His smirk returned as he said, "Nice try, but that''s not going to happen." and ordered another attack.


    Kavrala began preparing another massive spell while Leena absorbed and redirected incoming spells to protect her, but this would completely drain her mana. Kavrala launched an even larger fireball at Gorduin, who, once again impressed by her power, sacrificed three of his teammates to save himself. After the massive explosion, Leena and Kavrala collapsed to the ground, exhausted. As the dust settled, Gorduin emerged, laughing, and they felt a wave of despair.


    They were completely exhausted, and the only one left on their team was Vulren. Additionally, the two strongest members of the opposing team were still in the game. Kavrala, now eliminated, watched from the sidelines as Gorduin approached their flag. When the blue flag came into Gorduin''s view, his smirk widened even further. As he approached the flag, someone emerged from the trees behind it¡ªVulren Ravanan. Vulren stood shirtless in front of the flag, his muscular body covered in scars. Seeing this, Gorduin burst into laughter and said, "You''re going to protect the flag? And why are you naked?"


    Feeling as if she were spying on Vulren, Kavrala she looked away from the vision crystal but soon gave in to curiosity and started watching the game again. As Vulren struggled to open his belt pouch, he said, "I don''t need to protect the flag." This angered Gorduin, who snapped, "So you''ve realized you can''t stand against me, huh? Now get out of my way." Vulren smiled and replied, "It''s not that I give up We''ve already won the game."


    He then pulled a red flag from his pouch. Gorduin froze in shock and immediately reached for his crystal to check the flag. But the flag was still in place¡ªhow was this possible? Then, focusing carefully on the crystal, he noticed the buttons on the flag. It wasn''t a flag; it was a red shirt. When the referee signaled the end of the game, the crowd fell silent. Vulren walked toward the exit while Gorduin stood frozen, staring at the crystal. As Vulren emerged from the forest, he was met by his teammates and the crowd, all staring at him in shock.


    He approached Kavrala, and as he walked toward her shirtless, her heart began to race. Vulren reached out, took his bag from beside Kavrala, and put on a spare shirt. Though she hadn''t expected anything, Kavrala couldn''t help but feel a little disappointed. Just as they were about to leave, someone from the crowd shouted, "Play the game properly, you COWARD!" and threw an empty cup. Within seconds, the crowd began hurling insults and trash at Vulren. Vulren took it all as a compliment and smirked.


    Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Goras. "Now I understand why Miss Kavrala brought you onto the team. You did well, Vulren," Goras said before walking away. After receiving a small bit of praise from everyone on the team except his sister, Vulren was about to head home when he heard Gorduin shout, "Where''s Ilphas?" Vulren had left Ilphas next to one of the vision crystals so they could find him. As the referee searched through the tracking crystals, he spotted the bald man lying under a tree.


    When Ilphas''s unconscious body appeared on the massive crystal screen, Gorduin''s shock turned to rage. He turned to Vulren and yelled, "You must have cheated! There''s no other explanation! A piece of trash like you could never beat Ilphas!" The crowd joined in, and Vulren, placing a hand on Gorduin''s shoulder, said, "Maybe he just got a little sleepy, my friend," before walking away with a smirk. Gorduin''s face turned red with anger, and Kavrala, seeing him this furious for the first time, felt a surge of satisfaction.


    Exhausted, Vulren decided to skip watching the adults'' games and head home. It was still early afternoon, so after resting at home for a bit, he returned to his restaurant. Though he knew the festival would mean fewer customers, he didn''t want to stay home. When he arrived at the restaurant, he saw Kavrala waiting outside. After unlocking the door, they went inside together. Normally she was a quiet girl, but right now Kavrala couldn''t stop talking excitedly about the game. "You were amazing out there! You should have seen Gorduin''s face¡ªwell, I guess you did. But still, when you pulled that flag out of your little pouch, I was shocked! How did no one notice? Was that your plan all along? How did you manage to knock out Ilphas?"


    She bombarded him with questions as Vulren put on his apron and headed to the kitchen. He briefly explained what had happened: while everyone was fighting, he had secretly swapped the flags. When Kavrala''s mind replayed the image of Vulren shirtless, holding the flag, her face turned a little bit red, and she quickly changed the subject, placing an order for the food. Since it was the first time in her life that she was this close to someone, she could sometimes act very shy. Vulren didn''t dwell on her sudden shift and started preparing the food. After eating together, they said their goodbyes.


    A few hours later, with no customers in sight, Vulren decided to close the restaurant and head home. But he changed his mind and went to visit Syl instead. Since Kavrala had helped her find a job, Syl''s situation had improved significantly. She had moved into a new home and was living comfortably. Syl''s house was close to the restaurant, so Vulren arrived at her door in about fifteen minutes. After ringing the doorbell, Syl cautiously opened the door. Seeing Vulren, she smiled and let him in. The children rushed to greet him, and after exchanging greetings, Vulren sat down on the couch.


    A few minutes later, Syl brought out a plate of fruit from the kitchen. As they ate, Syl said, "I watched your game¡ªyou were incredible! I thought you''d lost, but then you showed up. Didn''t you bring a spare change of clothes? Why did you go out there shirtless?" She laughed, and Vulren, realizing he hadn''t thought of it in the heat of the moment, felt a brief wave of embarrassment. The children excitedly praised him, saying, "You were amazing, Vulren! You destroyed that ugly faced guy!" Still grateful that he hadn''t had to fight Gorduin, Vulren thanked the children and pulled out a chocolate cake he had prepared at the restaurant. Syl said, "You didn''t have to go through all this trouble!" before fetching plates and forks from the kitchen. Vulren loved this place¡ªit felt like the family he never had. After chatting for a while, they said their goodbyes, and Vulren returned home.


    The next morning, Vulren woke up early and went to watch the final event of the festival: the duel tournament. He wanted to see some nice fights, but it didn''t go as he expected. Kavrala won all her matches quickly and easily, dominating the competition. Even Gorduin couldn''t last long against her, and Leena, who might have beaten Gorduin, had the misfortune of being matched against Kavrala. Kavrala took first place, Gorduin second, and Leena third. After the award ceremony, everyone dispersed, marking the end of this year''s festival. Vulren was already looking forward to next year''s. After congratulating Kavrala at the restaurant and making fun of some customers who accused him of cheating, Vulren closed up and went home, settling back into his routine.

 CHAPTER 11

    A few months spent working with runes, potions, and crystals had passed, and winter had arrived. Though he was busy, at least he was happy¡ªhe had his own life now. He helped Ms. Malonne on the farm, trained with Kavrala in the forest, visited Syl, brewed potions with Zhoron, and went hunting with Griffin. Though his life was far more exhausting than before, at least he wasn¡¯t alone anymore.


    Today, after closing his restaurant, he was heading to visit Syl as usual. After a short walk, he arrived in front of a small, single-story wooden house painted white. The door opened shortly after he rang the bell, and Syl¡¯s anxious expression relaxed when she saw Vulren. After greeting the children and sitting down on the couch, he asked, ¡°You look worried. Is something wrong?¡± Syl brushed it off, saying, ¡°No, no, nothing¡¯s wrong. It¡¯s just¡­ never mind.¡± Syl was a strong woman, and seeing her like this wasn¡¯t a good sign.


    Growing more suspicious, Vulren handed the children a picture book and headed to the kitchen, with Syl following and closing the door behind her. Vulren leaned against the counter, waiting for an explanation, and Syl continued, ¡°I don¡¯t want to cause trouble for you. It¡¯s just that my father died a few days ago, and the gang he owed money to is now demanding it from me. But that damned father of mine borrowed so much that there¡¯s no way I can pay it back!¡± The fact that the gang knew where Syl lived was a big problem. She could move again, but if they found her, they wouldn¡¯t be as friendly next time.


    After thinking for a few minutes, Vulren said, ¡°My house is outside the village and out of sight. You can stay there for a while. We¡¯ll figure things out after that. My father is the guard captain, so we can ask him for help too.¡± Syl objected, ¡°I don¡¯t want to cause you any more trouble, really. I¡¯ll find a way to get the money and handle it. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± Knowing this wouldn¡¯t work, Vulren said, ¡°If you¡¯re not thinking about yourself, think about Conell and Lusha.¡± Hitting her weak spot, Syl reluctantly agreed. After a few days of preparations, Vulren helped them move their belongings to his house.


    He rearranged the room he usually used as storage, adding a large bed and a wardrobe. Having others in his home, where he had always been alone, felt strange¡ªnot bad, but strange. Though he had to give up some of his freedom for a while, Syl and the children¡¯s safety was more important. He needed to resolve this issue within a few months. After showing Syl around the house, he went to the backyard to train. It was cold, but that wasn¡¯t much of an obstacle.


    Since his training options in the backyard were limited, he mostly did weight training. After all the painful training with the monkeys in the forest, he had improved significantly, and it was time to move on to more challenging exercises. After a few hours of training with the steel weights he had made from materials bought at the market, he went back inside. Seeing the kitchen light on, he went to check and found Syl cooking at the stove. The children were sitting at the table, waiting, so Vulren joined them and sat quietly. Cooking after a tiring workout was uncomfortable, so he thought adjusting to this new routine wouldn¡¯t be too hard.


    After finishing the massive plate of food in front of him, chatting a bit, and then heading to his room, he read through the notebook he had been working on for years before falling asleep. Vulren usually slept without a shirt, so after waking up, he would shower without putting anything on. When he sleepily stepped out of his room in the morning and ran into Syl in the hallway, he found himself in an awkward situation.


    Without saying a word, Syl turned around and went downstairs, while Vulren, unfazed, headed to the shower. Remembering he couldn¡¯t roam his own house freely anymore, he felt a little spark of sadness and started getting ready to go to the forest. Seeing Syl preparing breakfast lifted his spirits, though. Since he worked at a restaurant all day, cooking at home to feed his customer with the biggest appetite was exhausting. Sitting at the table with the children, he couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that they were like a married couple.


    Knowing things would get unnecessarily complicated if Kavrala found out, he decided to keep it a secret for now. A few hours later, when he arrived at Griffin¡¯s place, he started talking about random stuff. Griffin wasn¡¯t listening, but it still felt good to let it all out. Today, they were going to hunt a Giant Wolf. Vulren hadn¡¯t given up on the energy potions yet. This time, instead of luring the wolf into a trap, he planned to actually fight it. If things got bad, Griffin would save him anyway. Creeping through the bushes, he managed to get within a few meters of the wolf. He jumped on the wolf from behind, grabbing it by the horn and biting its shoulder. The wolf howled and snarled, thrashing against the trees to throw Vulren off.


    After a brief struggle, the wolf succeeded in throwing Vulren to the ground and pounced on him. As Vulren held onto the wolf¡¯s neck, trying to tear its throat out, his energy was fading fast. Just as he was about to give out, another massive creature descended from the sky and tore the wolf apart with a single swipe of its paw. Admiring Griffin¡¯s strength once again, Vulren took the wolf¡¯s horn and hide before heading back to the meadow. While Griffin feasted on the remains, Vulren wrote about the fight in his notebook. Though the notebook was quite thick, he was nearing the last pages and needed a new one.


    After returning home and preparing to go to the restaurant, he headed out again. The day passed uneventfully, and after closing the restaurant, he went home. Days went by in an ordinary fashion¡ªthough not ordinary for Vulren. The gang¡¯s silence worried him. But this silence ended a few weeks later when Vulren encountered a few suspicious men in front of his house. Approaching them, he politely asked, ¡°Is there a problem?¡± One of the men turned to him and rudely replied, ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s a problem, Mr. Freak. Your wife is refusing to pay her debt to us,¡± pointing at the house with his thumb.


    Keeping his composure, Vulren responded, ¡°May I see the debt papers, please?¡± One of the men pulled a parchment from his pocket and handed it to him. After reading it for a moment, Vulren smiled politely and said, ¡°I think there¡¯s been a mistake here. The person who signed this note isn¡¯t Sylmare; it¡¯s someone else. I suggest you collect your debt from them.¡± Annoyed by Vulren¡¯s demeanor, the man snapped, ¡°Listen here, Mr. Smartass, her father owed us money, but since the old fool died, we¡¯re collecting it from her.¡± Vulren examined the parchment again and said, ¡°There¡¯s no clause here stating that the debt transfers to her upon her father¡¯s death. Even if there were, it wouldn¡¯t be valid without her signature,¡± handing the parchment back. The men, growing increasingly angry, began to surround Vulren.


    There were three of them, and they didn¡¯t seem particularly strong. One of them pulled a knife from his belt and pointed it at Vulren, saying, ¡°You¡¯re making a big mistake, kid. Give us our money, and no one gets hurt.¡± Vulren raised his hands and said, ¡°Look, I don¡¯t know who you guys are, but what you¡¯re doing is illegal. And my father is the guard captain. I suggest you don¡¯t mess with us.¡± The men hesitated, but the one with the knife laughed and said, ¡°Sure, buddy, and I¡¯m Messie¡± (a dwarf god from fairy tales), stepping closer to Vulren. When there were only a few centimeters between them, the man threw a punch at Vulren. But Vulren leaned back slightly, dodging the punch¡ªafter all, there was almost a twenty-centimeter height difference between them. Frustrated, the man swung his knife, but Vulren grabbed his wrist and squeezed until the man dropped the knife.


    After releasing the man¡¯s hand, the guy with the knife ordered the other two to attack. The two gang members who attacked Vulren with clubs they pulled from their bags were no match for him, as they couldn''t use magic and were far weaker in comparison. Vulren disarmed both of them, throwing their clubs far away, and then heard the man with the knife say, "This should be far enough." When he turned around, he saw the man holding the knife conjure a small fireball in his hand, but Vulren wasn''t quick enough to react.


    The man hit Vulren directly with the fireball and laughed, saying, "That''s what happens when you mess with the Growlers Gang, hahaha." Vulren burst out of the small smoke cloud created by the fireball, grabbed the man by the neck, and hurled him at the other two. The man''s magic was much weaker compared to Kavrala''s, so it didn''t affect Vulren much. Seeing that Vulren wasn''t affected by the spell, the gang members shouted, "This isn''t over, you bastard!" as they started to run away. Vulren muttered to himself, ¡°What the fuck was that,¡± before heading inside. As soon as he opened the door, Syl rushed to him with tears in her eyes, checking to see if he was hurt. Seeing that Vulren was unharmed, she said, "Thank goodness you''re okay. I''m so, so sorry. We''ll leave right away, don''t worry."


    Then Vulren angrily said, "You''re not going anywhere. You''re staying here. I''ll handle this, don''t worry." Syl was sobbing uncontrollably, clinging to Vulren and crying her heart out. After calming her down a bit, Vulren went to prepare dinner himself. By the time the food was ready, Syl had calmed down, though her eyes were still red. They ate in silence, and afterward, Vulren went to the backyard to do his evening training. Syl sat on a bench in the garden, knitting something and watching Vulren.


    They chatted about various topics as Vulren finished his workout, then he went back inside and lay down on his bed. Vulren had read all kinds of books, but his least favorite by far were romance novels. The unrealistic events that never happened in real life kept repeating, offering nothing of value to the reader. When his mind wandered to the absurd scenarios in romance novels, he imagined Syl entering his room with a frightened face, asking, "Can I sleep here tonight?" But he quickly dismissed these embarrassingly clich¨¦ thoughts and focused on falling asleep.


    Vulren was furious with the gang for disrupting his peaceful life. If they showed themselves again, he could seriously injure them. When morning came, hoping nothing would happen, he got out of bed and went downstairs. Syl was preparing breakfast. With Vulren''s help, she had improved a lot in cooking, but she was still nowhere near his level. After a tense day for everyone, evening came, and there was still no word from the gang. Curiosity got the better of him, and after closing the restaurant, he decided to visit the unsafe parts of the village again.


    Trying not to draw attention, he entered a bar. Though he didn''t usually drink, he ordered a beer. Then, without raising his voice, he asked the old bartender cleaning glasses, "I keep hearing about the Growlers everywhere. Do you know anything about them? Just asking out of curiosity." Hearing the gang''s name, the bartender put down the glass he was cleaning and looked around. After a few seconds, he replied, "Look, buddy, I don''t know anything about that, okay? Don''t ask me any more questions." Vulren had expected this answer. Without saying a word, he reached into his pocket and placed a few silver coins on the counter.


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    The old man hesitated for a few seconds before taking the coins and putting them in his back pocket. "If you''re just asking out of curiosity, I guess it''s fine," he said. Then, he began to whisper, "That gang is a very dangerous group that has been haunting this area for several years. No one knows how many of them there are, but they say they have ears and eyes everywhere in the village. It''s best not to get involved with them. Not only are they extremely cruel, but there¡¯s also a rumor that they¡¯re working with the region¡¯s chief guard." Vulren was about to leave without even taking a sip of his beer when the old man quietly added, "This conversation never happened, okay?"


    Vulren nodded in agreement and then left the bar, heading home. Now that he had learned how dangerous this gang was, Vulren felt even more uneasy. To avoid worrying Syl too much, he quickly returned home. Syl, who greeted him at the door, seemed relieved to see him return safely. After a quiet dinner, Syl began reading some stories to the children, and Vulren retreated to his room. He planned to research the gang a bit more before bringing the matter up with his father.


    When morning came again, he prepared as usual and left the house. Even while with Griffin, he couldn¡¯t get the gang out of his mind. After hours of being on edge, he returned home and got ready to go to the restaurant. He left the house and headed toward his beloved restaurant. With the arrival of spring, almost all the snow had melted, leaving only muddy patches along the roads. As he turned onto the street where his restaurant was, he saw a large crowd gathered in front of it.


    Yes, the restaurant had become even more popular after the festival, but this crowd wasn¡¯t normal. Anxious and curious, he approached the restaurant and froze at the sight before him. Where his restaurant should have been, there was nothing but a pile of burnt wood and ashes. ¡°Wh-what?,¡± he thought as he stared at the charred remains. The fire had also damaged a few neighboring buildings. When his mind finally processed the shock, his legs gave out, and he collapsed on his knees. A storm of emotions raged inside him, but one feeling grew larger and overshadowed the rest: anger. Quietly, he muttered, "If you attack me, I might forgive you. If you attack my friends¡­ I might still forgive you. But if you dare touch my restaurant, my life, I will hurt you." Then, he pushed through the crowd and left.


    Syl was a brave woman, and if she found out about what had happened, she could become a serious hindrance. So, Vulren put on his calmest expression and returned home, using the excuse that he had forgotten a few things to gather the necessary supplies. Seeing Vulren hurriedly packing a few items, Syl approached him and asked, "Is something wrong?" Vulren, doing his best to suppress his anger, replied, "No, no, everything¡¯s fine. I¡¯m just going to visit a friend in the village. I need to pick up a few things. I¡¯ll be back late." Before Vulren left, Syl looked at him with worried eyes and said, "Take care of yourself, okay? Don¡¯t get into any dangerous situations." Vulren nodded silently and then left the house. He quickly did the opposite of what she said and made his way to the dangerous parts of the village.


    It didn¡¯t take long for him to reach the area with narrow streets, ugly, unplanned houses built haphazardly. Before starting his search for the Growlers Gang¡¯s base, he put on the light armor pieces and helmet he had packed in his bag. He threw a cloak over the armor and began scouting the narrow streets. He planned to search until sunset and then make his move once it was dark. First, he quickly scouted the entire area, marking the locations of people he suspected were gang members on his map. By connecting these locations, he narrowed down the search area. Then, he focused on the spots where gang members were most concentrated, further reducing the area. After questioning a few drunks using money, he roughly identified the gang¡¯s headquarters. Despite being such a large gang, they weren¡¯t even trying to hide. If Vulren could find their location in just a few hours, the guards could easily do the same. This supported the theory that the gang was collaborating with the guards.


    As it began to get dark, Vulren continued his search from the rooftops, looking for large concentrations of magical energy. Although his magical sensing abilities were quite advanced, the area he was examining was still quite large. After sitting on a rooftop for about forty minutes, scanning for magical sources, he noticed a cluster of powerful magical energies converging in one spot. Bingo. From the rooftop of a building, he observed a structure emitting a strong magical aura. Gangster-looking people were coming and going, and guards were posted at the entrance. Above the door was the emblem of a wolf skull, the same one he had seen on the jackets of the debt collectors. Confident in the location, he sat down to observe the guards and formulate a plan.


    The windows on the top floor had iron bars, so entering from there was out of the question. Since he couldn¡¯t use the main entrance either, his only option was to enter through a window on the second or third floor. Given that the lower floors had more gang members, he chose the third floor to sneak in. The building¡¯s security was surprisingly weak, likely due to the gang¡¯s overconfidence. Shortly after sunset, the streetlights would come on, but for a brief period, the area would be almost pitch black. According to his calculations, the lights would come on in about ten minutes, and it would take at least seven minutes for it to get dark enough. This meant he had roughly three minutes to get inside. Vulren spent those seven minutes focusing entirely on his target and regulating his breathing.


    As soon as it was dark enough, he leapt from the rooftop to the adjacent building, moving as quickly and quietly as possible from roof to roof toward the gang¡¯s building. When he reached the building next to the gang¡¯s base, he climbed down to the third-floor window using the neighboring building¡¯s windows for support and jumped towards one of the windows of the gang''s building. With only seconds left before the lights came back on, he pulled himself up, slid the unlocked window open, and slipped inside. He closed the window just as the lights came back on¡ªhe had made it by the skin of his teeth. He crouched and surveyed the room. It was some kind of storage area, filled with cardboard boxes and metal shelves stacked with more boxes. He quietly checked the door and found it locked. Picking the lock himself was too risky, so he hid among the boxes and waited.


    After a few minutes, he heard the storage room door open. A skinny man in a gang jacket entered, whistling and muttering to himself, "...joined to be gangsters, and now I¡¯m just a errand boy!" He began inspecting the numbers on the boxes with a flashlight. A few minutes later, he reached a small box on one of the metal shelves and said, "...aha, found you. Time to take this to the Boss..." As he set the flashlight down to grab the box, Vulren seized the opportunity. He emerged from behind the boxes and clamped onto the man¡¯s neck. The skinny man barely struggled before losing consciousness within seconds. Vulren "borrowed" the man¡¯s clothes, tied him up with a rope he found in the storage room, and slung him over his shoulder. He removed his helmet, put on the man¡¯s hat, grabbed the box and a large empty box, then he lit a fire crystal from his bag and threw it into the pile of boxes before leaving the room.


    After confirming no one was around, he placed the unconscious man in the large box and left it on a small balcony outside the storage room. Hoping it wouldn¡¯t attract too much attention, he moved on. He walked cautiously through the corridors, looking for the Boss¡¯s room. When he found the stairs leading up, he climbed to the next floor. The upper floor had more gang members than he had expected. As he passed them, he bent his knees to hide his height and counted the gang members. After passing exactly twelve gang members, he reached a long corridor¡ªthe building¡¯s layout was quite bizarre. At the end of the corridor was a dark brown door with two burly men standing guard. Vulren, still crouching to match the height of the man he had knocked out, approached the guards. One of them looked at Vulren and the box in his hands, then went inside the room. A moment later, he returned and simply said, "Go in." Surprised at how easy it was, Vulren calmly entered the room, and the guards closed the door behind him. The interior of the room was surprisingly luxurious compared to the old, ugly structure of the building.


    The room was decorated with beautiful carpets, comfortable chairs, and a high-quality wooden desk, behind which sat a large, bald man with a mustache. The first thing Vulren noticed was the scar on the man''s face. The man looked up from the paper in his hand and stared at Vulren, who spoke up, "I''ve brought your package, sir." The man said nothing, so Vulren placed the box on the desk. As the man gestured for him to leave and began opening the box, a massive explosion echoed from the floor below. It was likely caused by the explosives hidden in some of the boxes.


    The explosion startled the Boss, who stood up just as one of the two guards burst in, shouting, "There''s been an explosion on the lower floor, Boss! The flames are spreading fast¡ªwhat should we do?" The Boss, furious, yelled back, "Then go put it out, you idiots!" As the Boss stormed out of the room, he heard a voice say, "Blood for blood, tooth for tooth." He turned around angrily, only to find that the scrawny and short errand boy who had delivered the package was gone. In his place stood a large, armored man. The veins on the Boss''s head bulged as his face turned crimson. "Did you do this? You have no idea who you''re messing with, you fucking brat. Consider yourself dead," he snarled, calling for his guards. When no one answered, he grew even angrier. "You lucky fucker, you''ve earned the honor of being killed by me personally," he said, grabbing a shiny metal bat from the side of his desk. Vulren, already on guard, began moving cautiously toward the man.


    A few seconds later, the Boss lunged forward, swinging the heavy metal bat at Vulren. However, the baton''s weight made the swing slow, and Vulren easily dodged it. When it was Vulren''s turn to strike, he delivered a powerful low kick just above the man''s knee. The Boss crumpled in pain but used the bat to push himself back up. His mobility severely weakened, Vulren thought he could easily defeat him. But then the Boss raised his hand. He can¡¯t use spell int he village, right? Vulren wondered, just as the bookshelf behind him toppled over, crashing down on him. Caught off guard¡ªhe had forgotten that utility spells were allowed¡ªVulren quickly pushed the wooden bookshelf off himself, only to see the glint of the bat coming straight for his head.


    Thanks to his reflex training with the monkeys, he managed to react in time, blocking the strike with his armored arm. However, the heavy blow shattered some bones in his arm. Holding his injured arm with his other hand, Vulren created some distance between himself and the Boss. He then grabbed a few books from the floor and hurled them at the man, distracting him. As the books suddenly opened in the air, momentarily blocking the Boss''s vision, Vulren landed a brutal elbow strike to the man''s jaw. The Boss collapsed, unconscious, and Vulren picked up the metal baton before leaving the room.


    The baton was lighter than he had expected, making it easier to wield than it had been for the Boss. Vulren moved through the flaming corridors, chaos reigning around him. He targeted the gang members he encountered, breaking their legs or severely injuring them with the bat. The gang members, preoccupied with putting out the fire, didn''t notice Vulren that much, and their numbers decreased rapidly. After nearly two hours of chaos, Vulren leapt out of a window and escaped. He had managed to cripple nearly forty gang members, but he was badly battered in the process. His head, nose, lips, and eyebrows were bleeding, and he was covered in bruises, fractures, and cracks that throbbed with pain.


    After running nonstop for several minutes, he managed to put considerable distance between himself and the building, though some gang members were still pursuing him. Staggering, he finally reached a safe spot and used the bandages and potions he had packed in his bag. While the pain had subsided significantly, his body was still covered in wounds. There was no way he could return home in this state, so he decided to spend the night in a field near his house. He felt an incredible mix of excitement and satisfaction¡ªhis burnt restaurant no longer felt devastating that much. Revenge, it seemed, was a powerful and soothing thing.


    By morning, thanks to the dozens of potions he had used, his visible wounds had mostly healed. He could now return home and come up with a lie about getting into a street fight. When he knocked on the door, Syl opened it immediately, her face filled with immense worry. Seeing his injuries, her concern deepened, and tears began to well up in her eyes. Vulren quickly tried to calm her down, saying, "Relax, I''m fine. I got into a fight with a drunk guy while hanging out with a friend. It''s nothing serious." Tears streaming down her face, Syl said, "Don''t lie to me. I know how strong you are. A drunk guy couldn''t do this to you." Vulren, caught off guard by her persistence, improvised, "Honestly, I didn''t want to tell you this, but my friend is actually a martial arts master. I sometimes go to him for training, and we spar. I just didn''t want to worry you." Syl still looked skeptical but said nothing and walked away.


    After resting in his room for a while, Vulren''s thoughts turned to Kavrala. He wondered if she had seen the state of the restaurant and remembered what she had said during their last meeting. Her exams were approaching, and she wanted to surpass Gorduin in grades before he graduated. They had decided to cancel their meetings for a while, and during that time, she had hardly visited the restaurant. He didn''t know when her exams ended, but he needed a little more time. Eventually, he stopped thinking and let sleep take over.


    When he woke up the next morning, he tried to continue his usual routine, but Syl was clearly giving him the cold shoulder. He had no idea how to fix the situation, so he went to the site of the restaurant and began cleaning up the remains. After a week of work, he finally managed to clear the area and started drawing up plans for the new restaurant. As he walked home, a strange feeling crept over him¡ªa very bad feeling. When he saw the broken windows of his house, his heart stopped beating for a moment. The front door was smashed, and a note was pinned to it: "BLOOD FOR BLOOD, TOOTH FOR TOOTH."