The further Yuuya ventured, the less the forest resembled anything human.
The trees grew grotesque, thick, twisted things with roots like skeletal hands clawing at the earth.
The canopy knitted itself so tightly overhead that even moonlight failed to pierce the darkness. The air was wet, heavy, alive with unseen threats.
Each step forward was a small act of defiance against the natural order of fear.
In the back of his mind, Regis's voice whispered again, as vividly as if he were standing beside him.
"Blood Root Forest isn't like the others.
The deeper you go, the more the forest itself tries to kill you."
A beat of silence.. and then a sharper, sterner warning:
"Even A-rank adventurers avoid the inner rings. Don't let your guard down."
Yuuya's grip on his sword tightened.
His free hand brushed the hilt unconsciously, seeking comfort in the familiar weight of it.
Leaves rustled somewhere up ahead… a whisper against the oppressive silence.
Somewhere in the depths of the trees, something watched him.
He couldn't see it, no sudden movement in the shadows, no glint of eyes, but he felt it. A pressure at the back of his neck, as if unseen eyes traced every step he took. His fingers twitched near the hilt of his sword, muscles coiled in readiness.
The trees whispered overhead.
Or perhaps it was the wind.
Or perhaps something else entirely.
Unbeknownst to him, a spirit, delicate and ethereal as morning mist, hovered between the trees—observing him silently, hidden from mortal sight. It tilted its head, curious, sensing the raw magic that clung to him like a second skin.
But Yuuya, unaware, kept moving, deeper still.
He barely made it three more steps before the ambush began.
A Venom-Tailed Panther, its black fur melting into the shadows, sprang silently from a low branch. The panther's claws gleamed like knives in the dim light, its venomous tail poised to strike with deadly precision.
Yuuya's heart skipped, and he barely had time to pivot. His blade sang as it swept through the air, a tight arc enhanced by wind magic… its ghostly hum cutting through the night.
The panther screeched, its flank sliced open with a deep, burning gash. It recoiled, retreating into the shadows as dark blood stained the ground beneath. Yuuya didn't chase it. He couldn't afford to waste energy.
The forest watched in silence. As if deciding whether he had earned the right to breathe.
The forest shifted. Moss rippled near a fallen log, and from the depths of the underbrush, a Moss Golem, stone and plant twisted together… lurched into view. Its massive fists swung toward Yuuya's head with the weight of boulders.
Yuuya barely managed to dive to the side, the ground beneath him cracking from the impact of the golem's swing. He was on his feet again in an instant, a low dash, his blade wreathed in fire. His sword carved deep into the golem's leg, the moss hissing and blackening under the flames.
But the golem barely faltered. It grabbed a slab of stone from the ground and hurled it toward him with a terrifying force.
Yuuya didn't hesitate. He raised his hand, summoning Earth Magic, and a wall of stone erupted between them. The rock slab smashed against it, sending tremors through the ground, but Yuuya was already moving again.
He couldn't stop now.
He's slower than the panther. He mentally assessed the situation. A few more hits in the right spot should do it.
The golem advanced, its massive body creaking with each step. It swung its other fist down, but Yuuya was already rolling beneath it. He sliced upward as he went, his blade catching a piece of the golem's stone armor. The cut barely left a scratch.
A pained growl rumbled from Yuuya's chest. The golem's strength was endless, but he wasn't out of options yet.
"Focus... you've fought worse."
He lunged forward once more, using Wind Magic to enhance his speed. This time, he aimed for the golem's chest, the exposed core glowing faintly beneath its stony exterior. The golem's hand shot out, but Yuuya sidestepped just in time, ducking under the strike.
His sword flashed down. He can't block this attack, he's too slow.
His blade sank into moss-covered stone; the jolt shuddered through his arms. The golem shuddered, a deep, resonating groan echoing from its chest. It staggered, and for the first time, it seemed to hesitate, its movements slower.
Yuuya grinned through the pain, but just as quickly, his momentum faltered. The golem's other hand shot out, catching him across the ribs. He felt the air leave his lungs, the crushing blow forcing him to his knees.
Blood. I can't stop now.
He staggered to his feet, fighting the rising wave of dizziness. His breath came in ragged gasps, his side burning from the injury.
Think!
The core, that's where he had to strike.
He pushed himself into a sprint, his body protesting, but his will pushing him forward. The golem swung again, but Yuuya ducked and rolled to the side, narrowly missing the fatal blow. He came up on the other side, where he could see the faint pulse of the golem's heart.
He dove forward, one last burst of speed. His blade flared with Fire Magic, searing bright.
Then… it struck. Straight through the golem's chest.
The creature let out a final, strained groan before it collapsed, crumbling into a heap of stone and moss.
Yuuya staggered back, his arms trembling with exhaustion. He breathed heavily, his vision blurring at the edges.
No time to breathe.
The mist in the forest parted once more, and shadows slinked low to the ground.
Great Saberfangs.
Five of them. Their yellow eyes gleamed, locked onto him like hungry predators, their jaws snapping with anticipation.
One howled, and the pack surged forward as one, a blur of claws and fangs.
Yuuya didn't have time to think. The beasts were faster than he was. They would tear him apart if he didn't act first.
He darted forward, blade flashing as he moved. The first saberfang lunged, but Yuuya was faster. He slashed low, cutting deep into its belly. The beast howled in pain, but Yuuya didn't hesitate. The second beast pounced from the side, and Yuuya spun in place, his foot slamming into its ribs midair. The blow sent it flying, its claws raking against the earth as it crashed into a tree.
But the others were closing in, their jaws snapping. One of them sank its teeth into his armguard, the force of the bite numbing his entire limb. He didn't stop.
With a wild stab backward, he felt his blade sink into the beast's flesh. He yanked it free, but the pain was already making his movements sluggish. His vision blurred as the exhaustion settled in, and the pressure from the venomous bite spread slowly up his arm.
A saberfang lunged again, claws hitting toward his exposed side.
Without thinking, he raised his sword two-handed, the blade flaring with heat. He met the attack head-on, and his blade cleaved through its forelimb in a spray of blood. The beast howled, stumbling back, but it wasn't done.
(I have to end this… quickly.) Yuuya panting a bit.
The last two saberfangs circled him warily, their yellow eyes scanning for an opening. Yuuya's grip tightened around his sword. He was slowing. The venom was spreading, his muscles were locking up, and his mana was running dangerously low. He needed to end this, or he wouldn't make it out.
"Fuh…." Yuuya let out his breath.
He took a steadying breath, focusing on the beasts' movements.
He dashed forward, using Wind Magic to propel him faster. In an instant, he blinked between them, taking a precise step between the two. His blade came down in a diagonal arc, cleaving one saberfang nearly in half.
The final beast whimpered, retreating into the undergrowth. Yuuya barely had time to process the victory before his body gave out. His legs buckled beneath him, and he fell to one knee.
Silence.
Yuuya could hardly move, the adrenaline from the fight draining from his body like a tidal wave. His wounds… shallow and deep alike, stung with a savage pain that threatened to overwhelm him.
Not yet.
He forced himself to stand, eyes half-lidded as he stumbled forward. One more step. One more push.
And then… Vines.
A sudden shift beneath him. Tangle Serpent.
The serpent's vines burst from the ground, wrapping around his ankles with unnatural strength. Yuuya's heart slammed into his ribs as he struggled, his feet trapped in the living chains.
No time.
The serpent's head appeared from the treetops, a long, slithering body that coiled downward. Its mouth opened, vines spilling from it like living whips.
Yuuya was on the verge of collapse. But he couldn't stop. Not here. Not now.
With a roar, he planted his sword into the earth and called upon Earth Magic. A shockwave of power erupted around him, tearing through the vines and sending the serpent reeling backward.
Without wasting another breath, he lunged forward, his sword flashing in the air. The blade drove deep into the serpent's mouth as it reared back, the creature spasming violently. The serpent's body convulsed and then fell still, the vines wilting away into dust.
Long minutes… or perhaps hours… later, Yuuya stumbled into a hollow where a great tree had fallen, creating a natural shelter.
He collapsed onto one knee, gasping, blood dripping freely from shallow cuts and deeper wounds.
His sword slipped from his hand, thunking dully into the ground.
Forcing his shaking hands to move, he pressed his palm against his worst injury… his side, where one of the Great Saberfang's claws had grazed.. He poured light magic into the wound, watching as the glow knit skin and sinew clumsily back together.
But not everything could be healed with magic. Like blood losses.
With grim efficiency, Yuuya ripped a piece of his already ruined cloth into makeshift bandages, tying them tightly around deeper wounds.
Each pull of fabric was agony.
Each breath hurt more than the last.
In the thick, oppressive silence, his thoughts grew louder.
He could almost see them… Regis, arms crossed, smirking at his own bad jokes.
Flora, that fiery look in her eyes when she scolded him for being reckless.
He squeezed his eyes shut.
"If you were here... you'd probably be yelling at me for being reckless again," he whispered, forcing a bitter smile.
"I still need you, you know... I'm not ready to do this alone..."
The whispered confession barely made it past his lips.
It cracked something inside him he didn't even know he'd been holding together.
Silence again.
Blood dripping from his wounds. His limbs were trembling from exhaustion.
(I can't stop.)
Each beast fell only after a vicious struggle, but Yuuya's arms grew heavier with every kill. His mana pool was dangerously low, the familiar edge of mana sickness starting to creep into his limbs.
And still, the forest demanded more.
(I still have to move forward.)
He dragged himself upright again, snatched up his sword, and pressed deeper into the nightmare.
After another hours of walk, encountering with few magic beast.
The forest began to change.
The oppressive air grew strangely light.
The earth beneath his boots grew firmer, less saturated with the stink of death.
Ahead, a thin mist curled lazily around crumbling stone.
And then he saw it.
Ruins.
Ancient pillars, worn smooth by rain and time, rose from the ground like the ribs of a forgotten god. Vines choked the walls.
The place pulsed faintly with mana… an old, slow heartbeat that resonated deep in Yuuya's bones.
It was almost... inviting.
He staggered closer, every instinct screaming caution. Yet something… curiosity, desperation, or hope overruled his fear.
A faint breeze stirred at his back, as if even the forest itself were urging him forward.
He tightened his grip on his sword and stepped over the broken threshold.
"If there's anything here that can help me... anything at all...
I have to find it."
Behind him, the Blood Root Forest fell utterly, unnaturally silent.
As if the entire world was holding its breath.
Waiting.
Watching.