The guild disappeared behind him.
Soon...
Even the road vanished.
Towering trees rose on every side, their branches weaving together until little sunlight reached the forest floor.
Blackstone Forest.
Kael slowed his pace.
His eyes swept across the surroundings.
Every broken branch.
Every disturbed patch of grass.
Every unfamiliar sound.
Nothing escaped his attention.
A few minutes later...
He crouched beside a fresh set of tracks.
Four paws.
Deep claw marks.
"...A wolf."
He studied them for a moment before standing.
The tracks were fresh.
Very fresh.
Kael continued deeper into the forest.
The deeper he went...
The quieter everything became.
Birdsong disappeared.
Only the rustling of leaves remained.
His hand rested lightly on the hilt of his sword.
Crunch.
A twig snapped somewhere behind him.
Kael spun.
Nothing.
Only towering trees.
He remained still for several seconds before continuing.
An hour later...
A metallic scent drifted through the air.
Blood.
Kael followed it cautiously.
A clearing soon appeared.
An Iron-ranked beast lay dead in the grass.
Its beast core had already been removed.
The wound across its neck was clean.
One strike.
One kill.
Kael crouched beside the corpse.
"...Another hunter."
He examined the body for another moment before standing.
The kill was recent.
Whoever had done it couldn't be too far away.
Kael left the clearing without lowering his guard.
The forest only grew denser.
Rustle.
A bush shook violently.
A lean grey wolf stepped out.
Its amber eyes locked onto Kael.
Another appeared from the left.
Then a third.
Three Iron Fang Wolves.
Their growls echoed through the trees.
Kael slowly drew his sword.
The wolves spread out.
Trying to surround him.
The first lunged.
Kael shifted a single step.
His sword flashed.
Slash!
The wolf collapsed before it could land.
The second attacked immediately.
Kael pivoted.
Another clean slash.
Blood sprayed across the forest floor.
The third wolf froze.
It looked at the two corpses...
Then turned and fled into the trees.
Kael didn't chase it.
He knelt beside the fallen wolves.
A few moments later...
Two Iron beast cores rested inside his pouch.
He wiped the blood from his blade before sliding it back into its sheath.
His eyes drifted deeper into Blackstone Forest.
The beasts near the edge...
Were too weak.
If he stayed here...
He would leave no stronger than when he arrived.
Kael tightened his grip on his sword.
"...Further in."
Without another thought...
He walked deeper into the forest.
The trees grew taller.
The air grew heavier.
Somewhere ahead...
Stronger beasts waited.
This time...
He wasn't running from danger.
He was walking straight toward it.
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