The sound of clashing metal filled a corner of the forest as a burning shield walked along, manipulating a metal sphere the size of a tennis ball in his hand.

Darius glanced at the metal sphere in his hand, delving deeper into the woods as he tried to decipher the glowing runes on it. Yet, regardless of his attempts to analyze, he couldn't grasp anything that would help him understand how it functioned. While he observed that it reacted to his gestures, he refrained from attempting to interact with something whose stability he didn't comprehend. The good news was that Younes had promised to explain it to him later tonight, having noticed his curiosity earlier.

He could hardly believe that he had spent over a week here, filling his time with wandering through the forest, returning to sleep, and occasionally hunting when opportunities arose. The routine had become so familiar that he felt as if he had returned to his ordinary daily life, not in a world where he understood nothing.To the point that he even reclaimed a few old habits and hobbies, such as his fondness for collecting and storing. He had acquired a bag at Younes' house, filled with components that Younes didn't care about after hunting or anything he found interesting in the forest.Especially the "nasnas"; he found himself regularly engaging with them these days, to the point where he grew accustomed to their presence. Oddly, they weren't aggressive, unlike the first one he encountered. Whenever he approached them, their initial reaction was to flee, unless he got quite close to them, at which point they seemed to adopt a more aggressive stance.

Putting these thoughts aside, he continued his customary practice of surveying the natural landscapes. Yet, a sigh escaped him as he realized that all he perceived was a mixture of yellow and green, lacking distinct details.

He longed for his sight.

In his frustration, he caught himself humming various tunes in his mind while he strolled.

MOMENT BY MOMENT...

WHAT MIGHT CEASE THIS FRUSTRATION?

DO NOT REPRIMAND US IN OUR 

ESTRANGEMENT, O, PEOPLE!

DO NOT REPRIMAND US

IN OUR ESTRANGEMENT, O, HOW AWFUL THIS EXILE IS!

DO NOT MAKE UP LIES

AGAINST MY FOREIGN LOVER;

MY LOVE FOR HER IS TRUE!

I HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN THE BANDIR (A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT)

NOR THE CASBAH

I HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN THE SEASONS NOR THE HORSES, NOT EVEN A SINGLE HERD

I HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN

THE CLASSES NOR THE STUDENT COMPLEX

I HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN MY VILLAGE, O, LAND OF THE CASBAHS!

I HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN

THE TRIBES NOR THE WELCOMING WHEAT

I HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN MY LIFE THERE, O, FOLKS OF LOVE! (Nass El Ghiwane _fein ghadi byya akhoya *I recommend hearing it*)

From a distance, he suddenly spotted moving silhouettes. He paused, his vision might lack detail and clarity, but its range was longer, especially for detecting moving beings. This allowed him to spot them before they spotted him.

He wished...

Thankfully, they hadn't taken any action yet. Nevertheless, he chose to trail them discreetly. With closer scrutiny, the moving shapes revealed themselves to be a group of seven armed men.

"Hunters?" he mused.

Drawing nearer to listen in on their conversation, if any, he caught their exchange:

"I already warned you, Jeff, there's no point with that boy. He's a lost cause."

"Just hush. You'll see. I'll mold him into a formidable warrior, and someday he'll bring honor to the family."

"You've grown old, even your tales are becoming wild."

"Hmph, just wait and see."

The person at the front gestured for silence, 

"Come on, comrades, we still have plenty of hunting ahead. Save your energy instead of talking," he urged.

A fourth person interjected, "Remind me again, why do we hunt?"

The first person who spoke replied, "Are you with us, man? Can't you be present when we discuss?"

"You know, man, I'm overwhelmed by drowsiness. Right now, just tell me why we hunt."

"The expedition returns from the dungeons tomorrow, and Youssef will return with them. So, we prepare to welcome them," the first person explained.

"Oh, that child Youssef, look at him now, a mercenary of the dungeons. And here we are spending our lives hunting. Perhaps his achievements won't even match those of the old Younes."

Another person who had been silent from the start chimed in, "That's nothing, when I was young..."

"Damn , Josh, don't start again."

"Damn you all."

The metal sphere allowed him to grasp their words without physical contact, even though it didn't facilitate communication. He didn't know how to thank Yunus, even though he was attempting to learn the language, it would take a while, especially without a teacher.

Particularly for conversations like these, which reminded him of his current situation—the dungeons. He still couldn't fully comprehend the concept. Perhaps he wouldn't until he witnessed it firsthand.

He had caught snippets of Yunus's words, recalling them. From what he understood, they were reminiscent of what he used to consider entertainment in his world/time.

This sparks numerous thoughts.

The men paused and fell silent as the leader signaled to them. They dispersed in various directions. Amidst the arrangement, Darius recalled that this place was a hub for Nasnas. Whenever he visited, he encountered at least one, as was to be expected. After a brief focus, he identified an eighth creature nearby, or more accurately, a half-creature. Undoubtedly, it was the Nasnas.

The hunters silently surrounded him, closing in before he sensed them and adopted a defensive posture as they got too close. It might be the first time Darius witnessed such skilled hunters in this world. Their coordinated attack seemed impeccable from his perspective. Each member never lingered in the same spot for more than a minute, taking turns to strike and retreat, leaving no opening for the Nasnas to counter. In a brief interval, they managed to bring it down.

"Should we take it with us?"

"It's just a Nasnas. Tasty, but its meat won't sustain even a child. Eating it might be the better option."

"But do we have enough time for hunting?"

"It's still early; I doubt time is a concern."

"Opinions?"

The men exchanged glances, with the one who suggested the delay now eyeing the Nasnas meat hungrily. The decision appeared to be settled...

Gathered around a subdued fire, seven men relished the aroma and taste of the fresh meat. One remarked, "Isn't this Nasnas meat unusually juicy?"

The others nodded in agreement. Suddenly, another Nasnas emerged, revealing, "because the nasnas had been feeding on mastic."

The group quickly reached a consensus and decided to capture the clever Nasnas immediately and cook it alongside its companion as a reward for the information.

It was then that yet another Nasnās hiding in the same tree shouted: “If he had any presence of mind, he should have kept his thoughts to himself.” That Nasnās was also eaten. Finally, just when it seemed the situation couldn’t get any more ridiculous, a fourth Nasnās who was hiding in a hole within the ground called out: “I am much cleverer than those other Nasnās, so I will say nothing!” They let that Nasnās go. Just kidding! They brutally murdered and ate him as well.

...

Darius found himself at a loss whether to laugh at the situation or pity the being who had half a brain