Morning arrived in golden silence.
Light spilled through the silver-leafed canopy above like liquid honey, scattering soft beams across the forest floor in dancing patterns. Dew shimmered on leaves like tiny stars, each drop catching the early sunlight and throwing it back in rainbow sparkles. The world was quiet, almost too quiet. No screeching monsters. No angry roars. Just sweet birdsong and the faint rustle of waking wind through the branches.
Leon sat up slowly from where he'd rested beside the burned-out fire pit, his body protesting every movement.
His muscles ached in places he didn't know he had. Every breath reminded him that he was very much alive, and very lucky to be breathing at all. His ribs felt like they'd been used as a punching bag, and his arms were stiff from gripping his sword for so long.
"I really fought that thing..." he whispered, running a shaky hand through his white hair.
It all came flooding back like a vivid nightmare.
The lion with its burning mane.
The searing flames that had tried to cook him alive.
The bone-deep pain that had shot through his body with every hit.
For a moment there, during the worst of it, he had truly thought he was done for. Toast. Game Over. See you later, Leon Gray. But somehow, miraculously, he'd come out of it in one piece. Not through raw strength, but sheer stubborn grit, and maybe a little divine luck watching over him.
Still, the thought of how close he came to becoming monster food made him shiver.
'Let's not do that again anytime soon. Once is definitely enough.'
He reached into his coat and pulled out his phone with careful fingers.
The screen lit up instantly, still charged, still working perfectly despite everything he'd been through. He'd grown used to the DLC Shop and Inventory by now, but this time... there were two shiny new icons on the interface that definitely hadn't been there before.
'Achievements'
'Quests'
Leon raised a brow, blinking in surprise. "Huh. When did these show up?"
He hadn't noticed them during the battle. Too focused on not dying horribly. But now that he had a moment of peace and quiet, he tapped the Quests icon first with curious fingers.
Three entries appeared in a clean, scrollable list:
---
> [Quest: Save Another]
> Objective: Save the life of another living being
> Status: Completed
> [Quest: Survive the Hunt]
> Objective: Endure a battle against a superior predator
> Status: Completed
> [Quest: Find Civilization]
> Objective: Locate a functioning settlement
> Status: In Progress
---
Leon let out a low whistle of amazement.
"Didn't just complete that first one, I overachieved," he muttered, remembering the long and bloody fight that had stretched on for what felt like hours. "Guess the system's keeping tabs on everything I do."
'Wonder how quests are being generated.'
He backed out and tapped Achievements next with growing excitement.
Immediately, a golden screen unfurled with a triumphant chime that made him jump slightly, displaying two glowing rewards that made his eyes widen.
---
> [Achievement Unlocked: Tongue of Many]
> Reward: Passive Skill — Multilingual
> Description: Grants the ability to understand and speak all languages in Eldros automatically.
> [Achievement Unlocked: Predator Slayer]
> Reward 1: Trench Coat of the Ember-Forged
> Fire Resistance (Minor)
> Passive HP Regeneration (Minor)
> Improved Durability
> Cleans minor wounds over time
> Looks incredibly stylish
> Reward 2: +50 DLC Points
---
Leon's eyes widened. "Well... damn."
His current trench coat flickered softly in acknowledgment as the new one materialized beside him in a gentle burst of golden light that made the air shimmer.
It looked similar in design, long, flowing, high-collared, but darker and more impressive, with threads of ember-red woven into its lining like veins of cooled lava. The air around it carried a faint warmth, not hot, just... comforting. Like sitting next to a fireplace on a cold night.
"Trench Coat of the Ember-Forged," he whispered with reverence. "Now we're talking."
He slipped it on carefully, feeling the fabric mold perfectly to his body like it was made just for him. The faint burn marks on his side began to tingle pleasantly, as if being healed from the inside out by gentle magic.
'Oh yeah, this is way better than the old one.'
Then came the pop-up reminder at the top of his screen:
> [DLC Points: 80]
Only three healing potions remained in his stock after last night's desperate brawl. He wasted no time at all.
Ten new health potions were purchased instantly, dropping him to 70 Points, but restoring his safety net completely.
'Better safe than sorry. Can't be too careful in this world.'
Only then did he take a deep breath and glance around the peaceful clearing.
The clearing was calm and quiet. Isla was already awake, quietly kneeling near the cold remains of their fire. Her tail twitched now and then as she poked at the gray ash with a stick, but she didn't speak. She hadn't said a word since waking up.
Leon moved to his inventory and summoned more lion meat with a thought. With a grunt, he set it down on the ground, and the two of them silently resumed their roles, he built the makeshift grill again, she sparked the flame with her blue fire.
No words passed between them.
They ate in comfortable silence.
But the moment the fire crackled to life and the meat started to roast, filling the air with its rich smell, something important clicked in Leon's mind.
"...I forgot about water," he said, breaking the quiet at last.
Isla blinked in surprise, then looked down at the dry grass near her knees.
His throat was already parched and scratchy. He hadn't even noticed until now. The intensity of the battle, the aftermath, and his recovery had pushed everything else aside. They'd eaten a full meal and not taken a single sip of anything.
Leon rubbed his temples and shook his head.
He turned toward her fully, studying her fox-like features. "Where exactly are we?"
Isla hesitated for a long moment, her ears twitching slightly, then replied carefully, "The Dred Forest... part of the demi-human territory."
Leon raised a brow with interest. "Demi-human region?"
She nodded stiffly, not meeting his eyes. "It stretches north from here... Mostly independent territories. Forests, plains, scattered tribes... settlements."
She didn't offer more details, and her body language suggested she wasn't comfortable sharing too much information with a stranger.
"Right," he muttered, not wanting to push her. "Forest tribes. Makes sense."
She remained silent, hugging her knees tightly as the last bite of breakfast disappeared.
Leon stood slowly, brushing off ash and adjusting his new coat. The Ember-Forged fabric shimmered subtly in the morning sun like it was showing off.
He then looked down at his sword with a frown.
The blade was chipped in three places, its edge dulled and stained from the lion's mana-rich blood. He turned it over in his hands, examining the damage. 'You did good, buddy. But you need some serious work.'
He returned it to its sheath and sighed deeply.
Time to move.
Leon turned toward the smoldering fire, stepped over to it, and carefully stomped it out, scattering the coals and burying the embers with dirt. No point in starting a forest fire after surviving a monster attack.
Then, without a word, he took a step toward the east.
Isla hesitated for a moment, watching him.
Then rose quietly and followed like a shadow.
Side by side, they crossed the clearing where a monster had nearly taken both their lives just hours ago.
Step by step, they moved toward civilization.
Toward answers.
Toward whatever came next.
The forest opened before them like a road paved by fate itself.
And for the first time since arriving in Eldros...
Leon Gray wasn't lost.
He was walking the right way.
'Finally.'