I braided my long brown hair after a cold shower, got into my standard work attire that didn't compliment my curves, opened the door, and went and sat at my table. The early morning at the Iceheart Adventurers Guild was like any other day. The guild hall, which was also a tavern, opened as adventurers from different places in the province started to pour in. After new information came in, along with new commissions from people, the mission board, which always had pieces of paper attached to it, filled to the end with no space left on it. I manage all the commissions, grade the missions by their difficulty, and provide suitable information to the young adventurers. It may be tiring at most times, but truly... It feels like home. This place may look shabby at first, with all the creaky wooden floors and walls that have stains over stains, but it isn’t so simple. From a new high-end sword to information that was only known to a few, it was made available here. This was also one of its many branches, located at the centre of Riverdale City in Andor Province.

"What is it these days? I don’t see high-ranking quests anymore."

"Don’t speak like an amateur, Karg. Not every high-ranking mission will be put on notice for you. But if you want to do one that badly, why don’t we request it ourselves? I am sure some are lying around." Two men entered the hall and went straight to the mission board. They both were middle-aged men and also seasoned adventurers in the silver ranks. The first one was a little short and wore leather armour. It was made of one of the finest quality monster skins, and to top it off, he had a thick breastplate, other light steel armour, and a short sword. He had thick brows, a clean shave, and hair that was more black than the ones in their twenties.

"Umm… Before that, should we eat something?" He said, rubbing his inflated belly.

"You and your appetite. Didn’t you eat bear meat before coming here? How is it that your stomach is bigger than our pockets?" The second one said with a sigh. He was a bit slender and tall. Grey hairs and an unusually puffy beard that looked like individual spikes. Equipped with the same type of armour as the friend beside him, a long sword was attached to the side of his waist.

"Move on, Burton, and stop nagging me." He pushed him and went and sat at his usual place, and the second one followed right behind.

After a while, the empty place was bustling with people. Some wore heavy looks on their faces, while the others were cheerful, munching on the juicy meat and gulping down litres of fresh rum.

"More beer on this table, lady!"

"Here too!"

The only waitress in this all-day-busy tavern was a woman named Shea. "Coming!" She shouted and carried a tray filled with three big glasses of beer. She stuck a cloth in her waist and proceeded to carry multiple things in both her hands. She cleaned the empty tables while also taking orders from multiple customers.

"The bowl seems to be empty. Do you want more food? The prices are cheap today. Order all you want." Her business and social skills were something that always impressed me.

"Woah! It must be my lucky day, then. Bring it on, woman!" The customer cheered and went with the flow.

"More meat to tables five, six, and eight." She was so full of energy, just like this place needed. Shea was also my friend and started working here five years ago. It was also the time when I became the guild advisor.

I looked at the scene, which strangely made me smile internally. This is where I belonged. I was happy to get some time to myself when a man with a big beard entered the hall. He wore heavy iron armour that had the kingdom’s crest on it. A red dragon spreads its wings on top of a lush green forest. The scales on the dragon shone a metallic red and were etched with intricate designs. The outer circle surrounding it was a series of purple lilies, representing royalty and success. It showed how much care the artist took in designing and making it.

Every step he took made the floor creak. His thick black hair had lost its lustre. The scar on his left eye and the heavy bags under his eyes. He was a man in his late twenties, but his face was far from giving that feeling. In the past five years, he has visited the Iceheart Guild time after time. A gold-ranked adventurer and former military. In a hoarse voice, he spoke. "Did you find anything?" The same words, which I heard many times over. Nothing changed—not now, not a week ago, or five years ago on that sickening night.

"We couldn’t find any information through personal sources. And no one accepted the quest... again." I repeated the words that became my only reply at this point.

He had that tired expression of defeat on his face, and that didn't change, as if already expecting my answer. "I see," Saying that, he turned back to leave.

I looked at the mission board. Although it changed every day multiple times, a single piece of half-torn, aged paper remained the same. A woman in her early twenties with a refreshing, beautiful smile on her face. The mission reward mentioned was still clearly visible, but no one bothered to take a glance at it. My eyes followed his steady, heavy steps. A tinge of guilt always stayed in my heart. A feeling in the deepest corners appeared and disappeared at times like these.

"You know…" He stopped as I tried to voice my thoughts. "You should stop now." The words, which felt heavier than his footsteps, came out of my mouth. "You should let her go. The chance of her being alive—"

He turned back with a stiff expression. Tightening his jaw, he looked straight into my eyes, narrowing his own. It made me shudder a little. "Inform me if you find any information on her." Each word was filled with resentment. He closed his eyes and opened them back, easing his expression and turning back again.

"You really shouldn’t continue being like this." My words fell on his dead ears as he continued his pace and left the guild hall. I wouldn’t want to involve myself in other people's business, strictly being professional. At the same time, I couldn’t help it. Not when it's him.

"Umm… Excuse me, miss, are you the advisor here?" As I was in my thoughts, a young man came to me. He was covered in full-plate armour, shining from top to bottom. Tightly knit leather boots and gloves. A long sword with a handle covered in colourful, extravagant gems. They were all brand new.

"Good morning. I am Autumn Maplewood, the guild advisor of the Iceheart Adventurers Guild, Andor Province. How may I help you?"

"We are here to take our guild licence exam." He said as I looked at the other two girls behind him. One held a thin, long, wooden bow bigger than her size. She wore common leather armour, which was barely noticeable. Her expression remained stern, and my gaze shifted to the other. She was a mage, holding a well-designed personal staff embedded with purple runestone. The designs on that would have cost a low-rank adventurer's earnings. She looked bored and fiddled with her long, loose hair. Other than that, she wore no armour of sorts, and even her clothing was light and revealing in parts. All of them were fairly young.

"Have you three registered already?"

"Yeah, we have completed that before. We have been preparing for the past few months now, you see. He spoke in a confident tone. I asked them to tell me their names and their roles, as I took out a book that had the list of examinees for this month. "We are a party of three. I’m Kaiden, a swordsman. She is Eveline, a mage, and her name is Lyra, an archer." I searched for their names in alphabetical order. It took a minute to find them.

"I found your applications, but I am sorry to tell you that currently there are no bronze rank missions, which are usually used for the test." Guild ranks were further classified into three types based on qualifications and achievements. Bronze, silver, and gold The same ranks were applied to the missions too.

"Really?" He asked for confirmation, and I shook my head in response. "That’s a bummer." He looked dejected, and his other two party members maintained their same expressions.

"Normally there would be many low-level missions, but recently there has been a group of adventurers that are only doing bronze-rank missions. Why don’t I inform you when they are available? Until then, I can suggest some training grounds for practice. I promise that it won’t be for too long." While the three of them were discussing their next course of action, I received a set of new missions, of which one was perfect for the evaluation of the three. "Ah, I think it's your lucky day." They all looked at me at the same time. "We've got a new bronze rank mission. It's a regular mission and can be used for your evaluation. So how about it? Are you willing?"

"What is it about?" The mage asked, trying to get a peek at the documents in my hand.

"Whatever it is, we are ready. Please tell us the contents." The swordsman came forward, eager for my explanation. And the other two, too, waited for that. It was nice to be young, I thought. I once wanted to become an adventurer myself, but with my abilities, I thought I would be more suitable for guild management than fighting monsters.

I read through the document once again. "There have been traces of monster corpses found near the Misty Grove. It wasn't uncommon, but that forest had been peaceful for many years. As it acts as a bridge separating both Snowspell and Riverdale City, many merchants use it as a trade route. So if there is any monster activity nearby, then it would be a problem for more than a few."

"Are we to sweep up that area and kill every monster we find?" The man named Kaiden asked, interjecting me. I don't know his skills, but he was confident in himself.

"It is not subjugation but more of an investigation mission. You need to find the source of the monsters, if any, and also investigate the surroundings for any oddities. If you find anything, you just need to report it to the guild. Nothing more." He looked disappointed as I finished explaining. Both the girls went and took a seat at one of the tables in the hall. 

"Don’t be too disheartened. Once you get your official guild licence, you will be able to participate in many difficult missions. For now, let's hope they are only rumours spread from mouth to mouth. And don't forget to be cautious, even if it is something simple. If your party can complete it successfully, there will be a small written test followed by an evaluation of your combat abilities by the guild's personal trainer. If you pass those too, you will be given your official licence." He nodded in understanding and went back to his friends.

They already ordered a meal for the three, and he joined them, putting his sword aside at the table. I could hear what they were talking about, as the whole space was not big and their table was close to where I was.

"We just need to complete this mission, and we will become official adventurers." The mage named Eveline cheered him up, patting him on the back of his armour. They must have felt it was a chore rather than a mission. But I was surprised by the whole group. They didn't show any sign of being nervous, and a young girl like her was already a mage. She held him by the hand, clinging to him. His face turned a little red, sweating a little. The archer named Lyra left first with an annoyed expression after checking the newly put posters on the mission board, and the other two followed, leaving two silver coins on the table, followed by another group of adventurers that didn't bother to finish their meal.

I closed the book containing their details, and a dwarf man in a cloak appeared beside me. I gave him a copy of the mission that the party accepted, and he disappeared after nodding his head.

---

The horse cart moved at a slow pace, and I kept on polishing my armour. No speck of dust or a stain was allowed on my watch. I also polished the hilt of the longsword I carried. Each gem must shine to the fullest.

"How long are you going to do that, Kai? Are we there yet?" Eveline asked me grumpily. She sat opposite me, followed by Lyra to my right.

"No, and stop asking. This is the hundredth time already." Lyra was already angry at her for being childish.

"Let her be Lyra. Eve must be anxious." I checked outside, looking at the familiar place. "We just entered Misty Grove, so we should reach the mission location in another hour."

"I was just asking because I was a little bored and anxious. You understand me better than anyone, Kai. It’s our first mission; you know that, right?" She came and sat beside me and put her hand in mine while showing a teasing smile.

"Ye-Yes? Yeah!"

"Why are you shouting, Kai?"

"A-Am I? I must be anxious." My hands must be sweaty. Will she think I am gross? Why is it so hot, anyway?

"See Lyra? Everyone is anxious except you." Lyra looked at both of us and went to sit opposite us, shrugging her shoulders.

"You don’t look anxious to me, with how cosy you are now." Ahhhh! Why do you have to spell it out loud, Lyra? What will Eveline think? I glanced at her side.

"Oh, you think so? Do we really look like a couple to others? Kai, what do you think?" She tightened her grip on my hand while facing me. Her bright, beautiful eyes dug into mine. Her rosy scent greeted my nose, and the bare nape of her neck was too hard to resist. The soft sensation near my chest made my soul almost slip out of my body. Too close! She was way too close! "Kai, why aren’t you saying anything? Don’t we look good as a couple?" Yes! Yes! Yes! I wanted to shout through my stomach. Her puppy-like eyes made my head spin. If a woman like her asks that, who in their right mind would say no?

"Whatever, I think we reached the place," Lyra said, putting an end to my wild thoughts. Already? This one long hour was the shortest one I ever experienced. Eveline let go of my hand, distancing herself. I calmed myself, wore the armour and sword, and got off the carriage. The little breeze kissed my sweating body, drying it out. I looked back at Eveline, who was coming out of the carriage. I regretted not using the situation before.

"Do you mind giving me a hand?" I held out my hand and helped her get down.

"Thanks, Kai." Her innocent yet shy smile went straight through my heart. I will. Once we completed this mission, I decided to ask her out. I was handsome, moderately wealthy, and her peer in the academy. I didn't see a reason for my rejection here. Considering that she too has feelings for me. Putting on a smile of confidence, I gave a silver coin to the coachman as he returned the way we came from. "Where should we start?" She looked into her surroundings. The entire area was filled with tall trees and blinding mist. Even the visible paths disappeared right before our eyes. We were not far from the entrance to the forest, but the mist here was already too dense. Someone finding a monster’s corpse here was already great, but searching for any further evidence would be like walking blindfolded. No one said anything, so as the leader of the group, I had to take the initiative here. This was my chance.

"I will search the surroundings." But it was Lyra who spoke first. "As a long-range dealer, I am better at reconnaissance than the two of you." She didn't give a reason for me to rebuke. The only thing was that she lacked the same real-life experience as both of us.

"Will you be alright alone?"

"I am quick on my feet. You worry about yourselves." She left saying that. I shouted behind her, telling her to meet us at this place in an hour.

"What should we do, Kai?" Eveline asked me, holding her hands behind her back. The fact that we were alone in the middle of nowhere bothered me the most. The silence spread.

"Umm…"

"I will look over that side, and you cover the opposite."

"Uh…? Okay, be careful on your way, Eve. It could be dangerous. Let’s meet here after an hour." She left after giving me a smile. How could I ever have dirty thoughts with a cute face like that? Don’t you dare, Kaiden! Don’t you dare! Nonetheless, I was left alone. I thought we were a team and would be in this together, but well, I should focus on doing my share of the job as well. I left the spot to search on the other side.

I walked on a road that was like the long tail of a snake. I knew Lyra acted alone on her wimps. She was the same even in the academy, but I at least thought Eveline would stay with me in this place. I regretted my inability to play the part of an alpha male when I got the chance. The trees were as never-ending as the path. They covered my left and right, front and back. I could always be the man after I rescued her from danger. She would then have no choice but to fall in love with me. I could almost imagine the moment when she would hold my hands with gratitude. Hehehe! It felt so humid here. I blew air into the armour in the gap around my neck. "I heard some people always keep it on them. How do they even take a bath?"

"What bath are you talking about?" The sudden, slow voice that came out of nowhere made me jump back to a distance and unsheathe my sword.

"Who’s there?" I looked around, only to find a girl with a cute face raising her hands in surrender.

"I never thought you would point your sword at me, Kai." Her smile alone could send many men to their graves.

"Why are you here, Eve? I thought you went in the other direction." I put the sword inside the sheath, as I asked.

"I thought I wouldn’t find anything midway, so I chose to come after one of you. Lyra would be too fast on her feet to catch up, so you were my obvious choice. So, what are you mumbling to yourself, Kai?"

"Nothing really."

"I definitely heard something about a bath just now, though."

"It’s so humid here. I was thinking of taking a bath to cool myself. Aren’t you feeling the heat?"

"No. I am fine." You probably are. That damn smile… so cute!

"So, did you find anything useful?" She asked.

"Nothing yet. Just more trees and this long road that won’t end with a walk." I said in a disappointed tone.

"The thick Mana in the atmosphere disrupts whenever I try to use the Mana sense. We should probably search for another hour and return if we don’t find anything. I think Lyra will be waiting for us by then." She would, but I would get to spend more time with you here. "Please protect me, okay?" Breathing a lung full of air, I took the lead.

"Stay close to me, Eve." With her walking beside me, we searched the area as we moved forward. It was more like she was the one who did the searching. I couldn’t concentrate a single bit on what was in front of me.

"Why are you looking at me, Kai? Is there something on my face? Don’t tell me it’s a bug." She hurriedly checked herself, dusting her clothes and hair.

"Y-You are just so beautiful; I couldn’t take my eyes off you." I kept a straight face as I said that. I tried to.

"Is that a compliment? I think it’s the first time you've said something about me." The distance between us was less than a pinky finger.

"I wanted to for a long time now, but I didn't have enough courage."

"So what gave you the courage now?" I couldn’t tell from her tone whether she was asking seriously or just being playful.

"Maybe there is a sense of loneliness in this place?" The words just came out before I could think. "I really wanted to say something to you, Eve." I came and stood before her, stopping her in her tracks. She had a flushed face. I couldn’t see myself, but I knew I was burning hot. It’s now or never. "Eveline, will you go out with me?" I couldn’t even gulp down my saliva with how dry my mouth was. She didn’t look me in the eye, and that gave me a boost in confidence. Her meek, cute personality was enough to make me take this leap of faith.

Turning her face to me, her deep eyes met mine. "It’s so sudden. I don’t know what to say." Her tender cheeks moved when she spoke. An angel. "I—" The words I wanted to hear were cut off as her gaze fell on something behind me. There were three men who sat in front of a broken-down carriage in the middle of nowhere. "We should probably check what it is about." Saying that she walked towards them in a hurry. What about me? Was I rejected without being rejected? I didn’t know what to feel as I followed right behind her. "What are you guys doing here?" She asked even before we reached them.

Hearing her voice, they looked towards us. "Oh, who might you be, young miss?" One of them asked. They all looked alike. In the early thirties, from the common clothes they wore to their shiny bald heads. How can they be so blinding? Asking that would be disrespectful, so I coughed a little to divert my gaze.

"I am Eveline, an adventurer—will be an adventurer—and he is the leader of our party, Kaiden. We came on a commission to investigate these parts."

"With how young you are, are you already skilled enough to roam the wilds? Kids these days are terrifying, I’d say." He laughed out loud.

"Who are you, and what are you doing here? I don’t think people travel around here normally." I asked, irritated. They were the reason my once-in-a-lifetime moment was messed up.

"Woah, slow down, tiger! This is a trade route, and we three brothers are legit traders."

I looked inside the carriage, and it was empty. "Why are traders travelling in an empty carriage? And why do you need a weapon like that?" I pointed to the dual axes they all carried.

"We were on the way home, kid. When suddenly a monster came out of nowhere and attacked our carriage. Let me complete, will you? You ask, why the weapons? To protect ourselves, of course."

"You can fight then?" They had deep scars and muscular arms and legs.

"To survive, we all need to, don't we, Miss?"

Eveline nodded with a smile and spoke. "Our commission was to search for the existence of monsters in the vicinity of the forest. We finally found something, Kai." She jumped in excitement.

But something was not right. "Wait, a second. A monster attacked your carriage but went without harming a single one of you?" No one had any signs of wounds or even minor scratches. "And which direction did it run to, if there was really one?"

"We thought that was strange, too. Isn’t that right, Brother Second, Brother Third?"

"Yeah, Brother First." The two in the back replied in unison. "I think it was because of the tremors. Do you feel that? Yeah, that one." I ignored the shaking ground until now. How did I miss it? "It ran in that direction after attacking our carriage." It was where we came from.

"We didn’t see a monster there, though." Eveline tried to confirm.

"Maybe it changed direction in the middle?" His brothers nodded in the back.

"That is, if what you are saying is true." I was still angry at them, but more than that, I was cautious. The story fits all too well to be true.

"If you don’t trust us, we could come with you until you find any traces of what we said to be true. How about it? We don’t have our carriage now, and our horses are tired too." Two horses were tied to a tree trunk. They stepped on the ground from time to time. They didn’t look tired to me. "If there really are monsters in Misty Grove, we have the right to know as people who travel through these roads." I was ready to turn them down, but...

"Kai, let them come. They know these parts better than us, anyway." Even you, Eveline?

"Listen to the young miss, kid. With us common folk, can we really harm you guys even if we tried to? Or are you afraid of us old guys?" The little smirk was shared on three of their faces.

"Me? Afraid? I was just asking to be sure. You can tag along if you want to, but don’t be a burden to us. We have a job to do here." I walked first, and Eveline walked closely behind me, followed by the three brothers.

"What about the horses?"

"I don’t think it will take long to find that monster. We will be back by night if it becomes too late."

The night. How would anyone know what's what in this gloomy forest? We walked in the direction we had come. Eveline chatted with them, with a few laughs thrown here and there, as I alone saw the road ahead of us. How had they already become so close? My proposal was in vain, and now I had to mingle with the people who were responsible for ruining my moment. What a shitty day! More than that, I couldn’t shake off the feeling that something wasn't right. I turned back, only to find Eveline’s smiling face. Bastards! I should have been the one who made her smile, not you. Whatever. Helpless and frustrated, I just thought of getting back to the guild after finishing the commission as early as possible.

We walked for some time, and the already dark forest became even darker. "We have been walking for long enough. I don’t think the monster went this way." I was impatient and asked.

"But there are no other paths except this one here. Trust us, we know better." They responded.

Yeah, yeah. How long have you been saying the same thing? "In a few more metres, we will reach the place where our group split up. We will meet our friend there." I said, staying alert.

"Oh, you were a group of three?" The one in the back asked. I don’t know whether he is the Third or the Second.

"Your names are really First, Second, and Third? Or is it something you call yourselves?" Eveline asked, curious. I was a little curious myself.

"My mother wasn’t all brains. She was a street thug, you see. So she just kept calling us in the order we were born, and eventually, those became our names. It was too late to change them when we grew up."

"You look like thugs yourselves. I can’t imagine your mother being one." I said, scoffing.

"Kai! Don’t be so mean," Eveline shouted at me from behind.

"Don’t be so hard on him, young miss. We get that a lot, and we don’t mind. For us, our appearance resembles toughness. The little things people say do not bother us."

"But still, he shouldn’t have said that. I apologise on his behalf." She bowed.

"Eve, you don’t have to."

"Then, will you do it?" Her eyes glared at me. Why, Eve? Why?

"I apologise to you, three brothers." I wasn't happy with how it all went. Why did she have to support them in front of me? I could only grind my teeth in return.

"As I said, never mind." The First brother humbly said.

"No, please. I was wrong to call you that."

"Young people these days never listen, do they? If you are so sorry, there is one thing you could do." Followed by his voice, I heard Eveline’s. When I looked, I saw one of them holding her hand forcefully with a gleam on his face.

"What are you doing?" I asked, raising my voice.

"Nothing, just accepting your kindness." Eveline let go of her staff and struggled to get away from his clutches, but her tiny, soft hands didn’t even budge an inch.

"What are you doing, young miss? My brother wants to show you a good time. Why don’t you both enjoy yourselves in those bushes over there? Third, take better care of her."

"Okay, brother First. Leave it to me. I will show her an ecstasy she won’t forget. Come here, miss; I am getting excited already." He licked his lips, smelling Eveline’s body up close. "What a nice, delicate scent you have there. I will paint it with mine in a moment."

"Leave me! Why are you doing this? Mister, tell him to let me go." They only smiled even more.

"What do you think you are doing?" My voice came out deep yet slow.

"What’s with those eyes? Don’t tell me you are trying to act cool in front of this girl. Are you lovers by chance?" He looked at both of us, alternating. "You are? Oh, oh… Things just got interesting, brothers." A smirk formed on their faces.

"Kai!" She screamed.

"I said, leave her, you son of a bitch!" My breathing became erratic. "I will forgive you for what you are doing now." Never.

"Forgive? You? Silly brat, who do you think you are? Can’t you understand what is going on here?" 

"Brother First. It turns me on even more when I think about violating her in front of her boyfriend. Hehehe!" Anger welled up inside me with every word that came out of that scum's mouth.

"Let me go! Kai!" A white Aura burst out of me, covering my legs and enhancing them. Ignoring the one in front, I plunged towards her. I tried to pull out my sword mid-attack, aiming to cut the neck of the one holding her.

"Don’t be in such a hurry." The voice was the only thing I heard before my body smashed to the ground on my stomach. What happened? I turned my head to look above, and his thick arm, which he used to clock me, was still extended into the air. He looked at me on the ground and turned his hand; a thin coat of green Aura covered it. Grinning even more, he plunged his fist towards my abdomen. I tried to roll to the side, but using his heavy left leg, he held mine in place. A white coat of Aura covered my body, and his fist struck my armour, leaving a visible dent. I gritted my teeth, and using both my Aura-covered palms, I tried to slam his head from both sides, which were close to me, but he grabbed them, twisting at the same time, and got up while forcing my body on the ground with his leg and squeezing both my arms together. A scream of agony escaped my throat, followed by another painful groan by one of the brothers.

"Kai!" In that slight moment when everyone's eyes were fixed on me, Eveline bit the man’s arm and threw an ice spell at the one on top of me. He let go of my arms and dodged the attack, distancing himself. Eveline ran to me, lifting me up as both my hands trembled in pain. "Don’t worry, I am here." This was my chance to be strong. Prove that I can protect her. What an idiot I am.

"That bitch! I will now beat you before I enjoy you. Come here, you little—" He spewed words of contempt.

"Calm down, Brother Third. Brother First will handle them." The second brother blocked his path. And the first brother walked to them and stood opposite me, unfazed.

"My arm. It’s bleeding!" The third one became even more agitated and glared at me with bloodshot eyes.

"Eve, are you alright?" I asked as I urged her to stand behind me.

"I should be the one asking that, but yeah." She said, giving a worried yet warm smile. I smiled back as I faced them. Now, with three to one, I needed a way to kill those bastards.

---

I looked above and gauged the height of the trees. Pretty tall. Using two adjacent trees, I jumped from one trunk to another, climbing to the top within seconds. I ran between the tall trees, crossing one after another. They pierced the sky, blocking the light from the sun. The heaviness in the air and the chilly atmosphere made me stay alert. I grew up in the forest along with my siblings. So I learned to climb trees when I was less than five years old. The forest was my territory. Something I was comfortable with. But even for me, the sense of danger was real. I thought this mission would be easier. But from the moment we entered Misty Grove, I have been having a feeling that I can't quite put my finger on. I didn't see any sort of monster sighting anywhere. That only made the uneasy feeling grow. My sight was better than an average human's. And I was confident in the skills I had honed through experience. Not battle, but survival. There was no distinct smell, no particularly noticeable sight, and no sound that was different from a common, eerie place like this. It had already been more than a few minutes since I separated from my group, but I couldn’t find anything other than more trees and an even denser mist. From what I've read, this forest was not dense enough for a complete monster habitat to grow out of nowhere. Unlike animals or humans, monsters absorb dense atmospheric mana and grow strong. They need that.

Before coming here, we should have asked someone who lives nearby. We didn't know how much truth was behind the rumours about some monster corpses being found here. The locals would know better if there was any truth to that. While I was thinking, a sudden tremor made me lose my balance. I took the support of a tree by my side and looked around. I thought to look for its source, but it would increase my distance from my group. For now, I have decided to go back. The pathways were intertwined, so it was better for me to run on the trees. I hoped they didn’t go far and remembered their way back. It’s easier to get lost in places like these. Maybe I shouldn't have left them. The bow and arrow made out of the finest wood were very light compared to a sword. So, I prefer them. They were a perfect match for my agility and thin figure. I jumped from one branch to another, using my swiftness. It has been a long time since I felt this freedom. I stopped as I felt another slight tremor and looked back in the direction I came from. I moved forward once again, increasing my pace little by little. Soon, when I had almost reached the place we were before, I heard a few voices of different people mixed with people I knew.

"Where is the other chick who was with you?"

"I don't know what you are talking about."

"Bastard wants to act tough, eh?"

"Brother, I like his sword. Let me have it, will you? It’s so shiny."

"Wait, Third. Brother First is having a conversation. We will all get what we want." Kaiden was arguing with three bald men who resembled each other from head to toe, with Eveline standing behind him. I didn’t know what was happening, but even in a dark forest like this, I could see their sparkling heads, which were polished to the brink.

They were gleaming with smiles. Kaiden and Eveline wore opposite faces. Kaiden's armour was dented, and his face was twisting in pain. That didn’t sit well with me. I wanted to approach but waited for a while to observe the situation. They didn't look powerful to me, but that doesn't mean they are to be taken lightly either. The three had axes tied to their hips. It was an unusual weapon. A weapon used with brute strength. The light leather armour covering them and the scars on their bodies, which didn't seem to be made from human weapons, suggested that they were experienced people—adventurers. The lowest of hypocritic scum. When we were at the guild hall earlier, I hadn't seen any other missions involving Misty Grove. So we should have been the only group surveying this area. Maybe the guild sent them here on a different mission, or they were just passing strangers. As for being merchants, those three didn't look like they came here to do any business. Were we followed?

Most of the adventurers were corrupted to their core. They involve themselves in illegal businesses and do something only for the sake of profit. Even our party was no different. I tightened my grip on the bow. Pulling out an arrow, I stretched the string of the bow to its utmost capacity. I used Aura to enhance my sense of sight. Their shiny heads, which begged to be shot down, were clearly within my range. I released the arrow, which was filled with my resentment. For you, mom. But before it could pierce the head of the man I aimed for, an axe sliced it in half, midway. I couldn’t believe it. He cut it right before it reached him. He never looked in my direction to know about my attack, but he could still intercept it. Powerful.

"We have a rat sneaking upon us, brother First." The other one informed him.

"Rats should stay buried in their holes but not climb the trees." He turned back and looked straight in my direction. That was the sign of my mistake. He turned to face Kai, and Eveline tightened his grip on the axe and threw it behind him without even looking in my direction. I couldn't react in time, and the axe cut through the branch I stood on, bursting it into pieces while also swinging me against the long tree trunk behind. Hitting my back against it, I crashed down with splitting pain.

I tried to get back on my feet, but the axe that was thrown returned like a boomerang, aiming right at my neck. I put my bow in front to defend, covered in a green coat of Aura, but the brute force was not something it sustained. It broke, pushing me a few steps back. I turned back in panic, only to find one of them right before me. With his rugged hands, he threw a straight punch to my gut, making me fall to my knees. I was dragged along as I heard the repeated screams of Kai and Eveline. I was the one who should have saved them, but I became the one who needed saving in the end.

---

I saw my staff lying on the ground, and Lyra was out cold. I was behind Kaiden as he unsheathed his sword, pointing it towards the three brothers. A thick coat of white-coloured Aura covered it. Yet the three were as carefree as ever, and the situation seemed bleak for us. "Sorry, Kai." I pushed him to the front, and he stumbled upon his own foot, thrusting his sword forward. The one in the front took it as an attack and rushed forward with his axe glowing green. He swung from below, aiming at the joint of his left shoulder. And the next thing, Kai's left arm separated from his body, rotating in mid-air, and fell to the ground along with Kaid with a thud. Blood flowed like a stream, seeping into the ground, and using this gap, I manipulated the mana in the atmosphere, making a rising block of ice wall from the ground. It separated me and the others, and in that moment of slight confusion, I ran to the right, towards my staff, picked it up, and hurried towards one of the paths in the opposite direction.

I ran without looking back. Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! All that clinging, and I got nothing out of it in the end. I was already tired, and my pace slowed down. I stopped completely when my body struck something in the front. “What is this now?” There was nothing in front of me, but when I reached out with my hand, I could feel something sturdy blocking my path. It was everywhere. A barrier? Out of nowhere? There was no one following me when I looked back. Lifting my staff up in the air, I conjured a sharp spike of thick ice. It floated there and roasted at an incredible speed. With a gesture, it fired onto the barrier, and a visible wave of impact spread across it. But it didn't budge.

“Little girl, where are you?” The sound of a man came not too far from here. Come on! I conjured multiple icicles, one after another, and rotated them at an incredible speed. They all pointed at a single point on the invisible barrier. With another small gesture, they were fired all at once, and a banging sound echoed in this silent forest. Waves of energy spread from the point of impact, but there was no other change.

“I will give you this shiny axe if you come out. Oh, here you are.” I faced him, gripping my staff tighter. He had one axe in his hand, smelling the top of it, with a creepy look pointing towards me. "Be my girlfriend, will you? Your plump thighs and supple breasts are all I ask for. I am more handsome than my brothers."

“You all look the same, you perverted bastards!” My back faced the barrier, and it still stood strong. I tried to pass Mana through my hand to pass the barrier, but it was to no avail. The man took steady steps, scratching near his groin with another hand. I leaned forward with my staff, and the purple rune stone on it shone bright. Two pillars of ice formed in mid-air and rushed towards him. And before he could—anyone could—react, the ground shook violently. He lost his balance, as did I. The attack missed him, and I fell on my back. Both happened at the same time. The tremor continued.

At this moment, I found myself on the other side of the barrier. But when I tried to feel the barrier, it was no more. "What the hell was that?!" He steadied himself as the tremor stopped. Taking this chance, I violently swung the staff, and the dense mist that covered the forest was pulled to our side, covering our surroundings in an even denser coat of whiteness. I couldn't see him, and neither could he. An axe flew towards me, settling into the ground between my legs. "Don't leave me now, little girl. I lost my mood to play." I got up and ran in the opposite direction. I only cleared the path in front of me while also blocking everywhere other than here with mist. But it didn't stop him. I could still hear his creepy laugh, which lost excitement. I looked for a way, but there were more trees and more fog, and when I thought all hope was lost, I saw a cave opening.

I rushed inside and blocked the entrance with a wall of thick ice. Gasping for air, the purple rune stone on the staff shone, lighting the inside of the cave. It was small, and at the other end, I saw a path and a faint light emanating from it. My eyes fell on a used lamp on the ground. Beside that, there was a pouch. When I checked its contents, it was all food. I smelled it. Still fresh. Glancing at the side of the entrance, I turned back and went even more inside. There were three paths in front of me. Spreading my Mana sense, I went into the third one, which had the least bit of Mana seeping from it.