Before dawn, Daisy rubbed her drowsy eyes and rose from bed.
This endless cycle of labor was exhausting, yet she had never once felt resentment in her heart—for Jason, she was willing to endure anything.
She had intended to wash up quietly, but when she passed by Jason's room, the door was half-open. The bed was neatly made… and empty.
"Jason? You're already up?"
Her voice was soft, but there was no reply.
Before long, she spotted a neatly folded letter on the long wooden table in the living room. Unfolding it, she saw handwriting she knew all too well:
Daisy, in the next few days, I'll be heading to Rock Plateau.
Wait for me at home—there's no need to worry.
When I return, I promise I'll give you a better life!
Through each written line, Daisy could almost see his resolute eyes staring back at her.
"He… is going to Rock Plateau alone…"
Even though the letter told her not to worry, her heart still tightened. She knew exactly why Jason had left—he must be aiming to hone his strength, to fight for entry into a higher academy during the year-end guild assessment, and to earn the right to venture into deeper dungeons.
The thought filled her with guilt—if only she had chosen a combat profession back then, she wouldn't have forced all the burden onto his shoulders.
The sky was still dark, with only a faint silver glimmer in the east.
Jason sat in a long-distance carriage heading toward the edge of the wilderness, his eyes closed in quiet rest.
Aside from the coachman, there were over a dozen other passengers—fully armed adventurers whose steady breathing carried the scent of steel and blood. Clearly, they were all level 10 or higher, most likely bound for the wilds to hunt magical beasts or gather rare materials.
This type of border carriage existed solely to transport people to the frontmost outpost of the city guard—fifty miles away.
Beyond that lay the boundless wilderness… and the domain of the beasts.
When the carriage arrived, the outpost's garrison was on patrol. They wore standard-issue armor, swords at their waists, guarding this small stronghold that could hold no more than a few dozen people.
This was the border between civilization and the wilds. Beyond this point, if one encountered a beast that attacked on sight, the only choices were to draw steel… or die.
Jason stepped off the carriage alongside a few "material hunters"—seasoned wilderness folk with cold, wary eyes. They barely exchanged a word with each other.
During the ride, one group of hunters had tried to invite him to travel together, but Jason had politely declined.
First, this trade was a mixed bag—murder and plunder were all too common in the lawless expanse, and he had no interest in tempting fate by teaming up.
Second, his goal lay at the coordinates on his treasure map, in the opposite direction of the hunters' route.
Traveling alone was dangerous, but compared to a dagger in the back, he'd rather face fangs from the front.
Leaving the outpost, he slung his novice longsword across his back and followed the glowing guide of the system's treasure map, stepping onto the path toward the heart of Rock Plateau.
By now, the sun had risen, casting the plains in full view.
The wilderness known as Rock Plateau sprawled before him like a slumbering shield of stone—bare rock jutted from the earth, fissures wound across the ground, and vast swaths of waist-high wild grass swayed in the wind.
Not far away, a herd of spiral-horned antelopes grazed lazily—gentle level 7 beasts. To the other side, a cluster of level 8 heavy-horned warhorses moved together in tight formation.
So long as they were not provoked, these creatures would not attack.
But fate never allows a hunter an entirely safe journey.
A low, gray shadow slinked into the edge of his vision—its steps were soundless, its eyes like cold blades, fixed intently on him.
Jason immediately activated [Appraisal], and data flared before his eyes:
Bloodthirsty Gray Fox (Aggressive-type Beast)
Level: 10
Strength: 15
Agility: 31
Spirit: 10
Endurance: 14
Skills:
[Bloodthirst] — Each successful attack restores 10% of its HP.
[Twin Fang Assault] — Launches two rapid consecutive strikes.
A typical high-agility beast—its strength and endurance were on the weaker side.
From the numbers alone, Jason's four attributes were all over twenty, giving him the clear advantage.
However, if it had been an ordinary level-10 apprentice—one whose four basic attributes hovered around ten points—encountering a predator like this would almost certainly mean death.
The Bloodthirsty Gray Fox's tail swayed ever so slightly—a silent signal that it could pounce at any moment.
Jason slowly drew his longsword, the steel catching the sunlight with a cold glint.
He had to take this threat out first.
If he were ambushed deeper in the plateau, he might not even reach the treasure's location before the wilderness claimed his life.