The wind outside the cave whispered through the trees, carrying the faint scent of ash and damp soil.
Haneul sat cross-legged near the dying fire, his hands glowing faintly with mana. Around him, ten small lights floated in smooth circles the Gen 1 orbs, their soft blue hue flickering like quiet stars.
Beside them, five larger ones shimmered with elemental color red for flame, green for wind, blue for frost, white for lightning, brown for stone.
He exhaled slowly. "Alright… let's make more."
Eunha looked up from where she was mending a torn strap. "You already have enough of those things, don't you?"
"Not enough," he said quietly, eyes focused. "Control is good, but I need numbers."
She sighed but didn't argue. She had seen what those orbs could do and how quickly they dimmed when battle dragged on.
Mana gathered between his palms, thin as smoke at first. Then it thickened, glowing brighter until it condensed into light. One after another, the orbs formed smooth, round, faintly humming. Each one pulsed in rhythm with his heartbeat before joining the others in slow orbit.
Sweat rolled down his temple.
He wiped it with his sleeve but didn't stop.
Five… eight… ten.
When he finally lowered his hands, twenty Gen 1 orbs floated quietly around him, filling the cave with their pale glow. He rested for a moment, breathing heavy, before muttering, "Now for the Gen 2s."
Eunha frowned. "You're going to pass out."
"Not yet."
This time, his mana felt heavier, like molten air pressing against his skin. The orbs that formed were larger, their light more vibrant streaks of red, blue, white, brown, and green dancing through the cave like living embers. One by one, they joined the others until thirty lights circled him in total ten Gen 2s, twenty Gen 1s.
When it was done, he slumped back against the cave wall, chest rising and falling.
Eunha threw him a small grin. "You look half-dead."
"Feels like it," he muttered. But even through the exhaustion, a small smile tugged at his lips. "Worth it."
The next day, the fog had swallowed the forest again.
They moved through the undergrowth with quiet steps Eunha scouting ahead, Haneul behind her, the faint lights of his orbs cutting through the mist.
"Further east," she said softly. "There's movement near the ridge. Probably beasts."
"Perfect," Haneul murmured. "Let's test them."
It didn't take long.
The ground shook a heavy thump echoing through the trees. A moment later, two figures emerged from the fog, their hides dark and ridged, claws carving through the earth.
[Ironback Boar — Level 8]
[Ironback Boar — Level 9]
Eunha drew her dagger. "Two of them."
"Keep back," Haneul said, his tone calm but sharp.
He raised his hand. "Formation Delta."
The Gen 1s flared to life, spreading out like lanterns in motion. The Gen 2s pulsed brighter flame and wind moving first, lightning and stone following in sync.
The first boar charged.
"Impact."
The ground trembled as the earth orb struck, splitting soil in a burst of force. The boar stumbled just enough for the fire orb to smash into its flank. The blast lit the forest red.
[You have slain an Ironback Boar.]
[+420 EXP]
[EXP: 760 / 1500]
The second creature bellowed, charging straight through the smoke.
"Rotation."
The orbs spun around him, forming a tight spiral of light. The lightning orb launched forward, followed by wind — the combined burst tore through the creature's chest, dropping it mid-charge.
[You have slain an Ironback Boar.]
[+460 EXP]
[EXP: 1220 / 1500]
The forest fell silent again, save for the faint hiss of burning leaves.
Eunha approached slowly. "You're getting faster."
"Because I have to," Haneul said, breathing hard. "They're getting stronger."
He turned to the fallen boars. Their hides were thick, tougher than anything they'd fought before. He knelt, examining the charred flesh. "These ones used to hunt in herds," Eunha said quietly. "If two made it this far in…"
"…the rest aren't far behind," he finished.
They followed the trail back through the forest, mist curling around their feet. As the sun began to fade, Haneul spotted movement on the path ahead.
Someone was walking.
A tall figure, draped in a dark brown cloak, a massive pack strapped to his back. The man moved slowly, one deliberate step after another, the weight of his bag making the leather straps creak.
Eunha's hand went to her weapon. "Another survivor?"
"Maybe," Haneul said cautiously.
The man stopped a few meters away, then lifted his head. His face was half-shadowed beneath a hood, but his tone was calm, almost casual.
"Didn't expect to find anyone still breathing this deep in the forest," he said. "Most stay clear of the eastern ridge."
Eunha didn't lower her guard. "Who are you?"
"Just a trader," he replied, resting his heavy pack against a rock. "Been walking a long time. Thought I saw some light from afar." He nodded toward the faint glow of Haneul's orbs. "That interesting thing you have there care to let me know what they are".
Haneul shrugged it off
The man chuckled softly. "I know a lot of things. Comes with surviving too long."
He knelt, unbuckling his pack. Inside were pouches of dried meat, metal fragments, faintly glowing stones, and tools that looked both primitive and strangely refined.
"Trade?" the man asked simply. "Food, materials, maybe a little information depending on what you've got."
Eunha glanced at Haneul, whispering, "Do we trust him?"
He studied the man for a long moment. The stranger's eyes were calm, tired, but not deceitful. "We'll see," he said finally. "Let's hear what he's offering."
The trader smiled faintly. "Good answer."
As night fell, the three of them sat by a small fire at the edge of the forest. The trader spoke little, answering questions with half-smiles and long pauses.
But his words carried weight hints of other zones, of survivors forming camps, and of creatures far worse than what they'd seen.
And when he packed up again to leave, Haneul felt a strange unease settle in his chest.
"Do you think he's really a trader?" Eunha asked quietly.
Haneul watched the fading light of the man's lantern disappear into the mist.
"I think he's something else," he murmured. "But for now… it doesn't matter."
He turned to his orbs all thirty of them now spinning silently in the dark.
Their glow reflected in his eyes, soft yet steady.
"The world's changing," he said under his breath. "So I'll change with it."
The mist thickened, and the forest went quiet once more but somewhere in that silence, the faint echo of boots on wet earth carried on.
[Zone: 07]
[Remaining Survivors: 500]
The numbers continued to fall.
But Haneul's light now thirty strong burned brighter than ever.