The group of five hunters could do nothing but accept their situation and return empty-handed. Their only hope had been the Fire Mushroom, but everything changed when a tremendously powerful expert suddenly appeared.
The Fire Mushroom, the very reason they had entered the perilous Forbidden Forest, was taken by this mysterious stranger.
But what shocked them even more was that the stranger actually began chasing them, leaving them completely confused.
The man's body radiated a blazing red aura, and the energy pouring from him was far greater than what he had displayed inside the cave.
Around him, balls of crimson fire began forming, dozens, then hundreds.
"I'll burn you all alive...!"
Faced with the wrath of such a powerful figure, Theodor and his group broke into a cold sweat. They had no idea why the man was suddenly so furious and attacking them.
"What... why are you attacking us? We don't have the Fire Mushroom!" shouted Trion, unable to think of any other reason behind the man's rage.
"Oh? You still don't realize your mistake!"
His power grew even more intense as his anger surged.
"Huff... That's enough, Uncle! Let's just go back. Hurting others won't solve anything—we've already got what we came for," said the young girl, trying to calm the man she called her uncle.
"Besides, we don't even know if what you heard is true or not. You said you left the lake immediately after hearing the news. Did you even ask them or hear their explanation?" she added.
The man fell silent after hearing his niece's words. She had a point—he had acted purely on emotion, storming off without asking the hunters for any clarification.
But he had been overwhelmed by fear when he thought something had happened to Clara. The moment he saw her unharmed, he dragged her along, determined to seek justice.
"Please, sir, calm yourself," pleaded Theodor.
"I'm sorry. We assumed the boy we found was one of your companions who had entered the Forbidden Forest," Theodor said, pointing to Aaron, who was still unconscious.
Theodor then explained everything from the beginning: how they found Aaron, the events that followed, and their original purpose for seeking the Fire Mushroom.
"Archon...? Bahaha! Do you think being an Archon is something to joke about? Even the most elite clans may not have a single Archon among them!"
The stranger burst into laughter, which contrasted with the fury he had shown moments earlier.
"Have you calmed down now, Uncle? Then let's go," said the girl.
"Sir, please forgive both me and my uncle," she added with a sincere smile.
The young woman was strikingly beautiful, with wavy chestnut hair like her uncle's. Her slender figure stood at around 165 cm tall, making her resemble the ideal woman many dreamed of.
Even though she wore a simple red dress, it only enhanced her charm and elegance. The dress, designed for a martial artist, allowed her to move freely in the forest and during combat.
As she pulled her uncle away, who still hadn't suppressed the energy flaring from his body, Aaron finally began to regain consciousness.
"Ugh..."
"Hmph, let's ask the boy for the truth, dear. If they're telling the truth, we'll leave immediately. But if they're lying again... they won't die an easy death!" said the man, giving Theodor's group a glimmer of hope that they might survive this madness.
Aaron slowly opened his eyes. His awareness returned little by little until he remembered the immense pain he had felt after consuming the Fire Mushroom Ziva had given him.
"Progress: (1450/2000) + ..."
"System upgraded"
"Level: 2"
...
"Progress: (1450/3000) + ..."
"System upgraded"
"Level: 3"
...
"Progress: (1450/4000)"
"Name: Aaron Deo"
"Age: 12"
"Status: Level 3"
"Power: Chaos"
"Body: Earth Grade"
"Passive Skill: Swallowing Hole"
"Active Skills: (Soul Drain), (Energy Sharing)"
"Avatar: Flame Gorilla Monster (King Grade)"
"Soul Energy: 15 (not including base soul energy)"
Item:
"Dimensional Ring (Gold Grade)"
'Whoa, Zenit System just leveled up twice? Looks like I only get lucky in the Arkais world,' thought Aaron, genuinely thrilled about the good fortune he'd never experienced back on Earth.
Leveling up meant Aaron would have to go through the same excruciating pain he had felt inside Ziva's cave—but this time, it happened twice over, due to consuming the Fire Mushroom, a rare and precious plant.
Even powerful beings like Ziva would gain significant power from it—so naturally, Aaron experienced massive growth. Thankfully, Ziva had given him that treasure, causing him to level up twice at once, though it had also rendered him unconscious for a long time.
Seeing him collapse, Theodor's group decided to help him, fearing his body would be devoured by wild beasts if left alone.
'Alright! I'm ready for more surprises, Zenit. Is there another gift for me this time?!' Aaron thought excitedly. Though he knew the Zenit System wouldn't answer him, he still had to read the messages himself.
But as Aaron looked past the virtual screen in front of him, he was completely stunned.
Imagine waking up and suddenly finding seven people standing in front of you—staring, smiling strangely, expressionless, or worse, grinning like predators—while you lie on the ground in an unfamiliar place. That's exactly what Aaron saw.
"Finally awake, young Archon!" said the grinning middle-aged man.
He called Aaron "Archon" because of Theodor's claim that Aaron was one of the stranger's companions.
'Archon? Who's he calling Archon? Why is he looking at me like that?' Aaron thought, overwhelmed by all the information flooding his mind at once.
"Do you know these people?" the man asked with an odd smile, pointing to Theodor and his group.
Paranoia creeping in, Aaron eyed him warily, quickly getting to his feet and preparing to run in any direction he could.
Keeping his distance and fully alert, Aaron asked:
"Who are you?" he said, stepping back slowly.
"You hear that, Clara? The boy doesn't even recognize me. I'm beginning to doubt he's an Archon at all—and this hunter's story is about to fall apart," the man scoffed.
'But it doesn't matter... I'll introduce myself first—then I'll end them all,' he thought darkly.