The moment Sakeer stepped into the village, a wave of desolation greeted him.
Carne Village wasn't large — its entire layout could be taken in at a glance. There were only about thirty houses in total.
A small portion of the ground was covered with gravel, giving those areas a relatively clean appearance. However, most of the village was overgrown with weeds. Judging by the varying heights of the grass, it seemed that someone occasionally attempted to maintain the area, though not consistently.
The houses were all modest, single-story structures. The more well-built homes were constructed from stone bricks, but even those had aged considerably — their once-sturdy walls now faded to a dull, ashen gray.
"Our village isn't much," the village chief said, his thick taupe beard quivering as he spoke. "But we have a few vacant houses. If you don't mind, you're welcome to stay in the one just ahead."
"Thank you, village chief," Sakeer replied, offering a polite nod as his gaze shifted toward the house the man had indicated.
"Hehe, it's nothing," the village chief chuckled warmly. "We haven't had a guest here in a long time."
As they conversed, Sakeer couldn't help but notice the curious faces peeking from behind doors and windows. Eyes followed him from every corner of the village — unsurprising for such a small community where any commotion would quickly draw attention.
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Sakeer stepped into the vacant house under the silent observation of the villagers.
Carne Village itself was rather unremarkable — plain and unassuming. There was little that genuinely caught Sakeer's interest.
If there was anything notable, it was the young girl named Enri.
She was given a seemingly ordinary magic item — the Goblin General's Horn — yet had somehow managed to summon an entire goblin army with it.
'Could she have an innate ability like Goblin Affinity?' Sakeer wondered.
However, for now, Enri seemed like nothing more than a typical village girl.
Creak...
The wooden door groaned on its hinges as Sakeer pushed it open.
The interior was sparse — just a wooden bed and a thin layer of dust coating the floor.
Cobwebs clung to the ceiling beams and corners of the room. The wooden planks along the base of the walls were darker in color, a clear sign of moisture damage.
Sakeer hadn't expected much from accommodations in a remote border village like this. His reason for stopping in Carne Village wasn't for comfort — it was purely strategic.
This village was the closest settlement to the Great Forest of Tob, and because it fell under the domain of the Wise King of the Forest Hamusuke, it was known for its relatively high level of security.
The journey from E-Rantel to Carne Village took roughly a day. Venturing into the forest and returning would take at least two more.
Although Sakeer had restocked his supplies, unexpected circumstances could easily arise — whether it was the need to retreat early or a situation where his provisions ran dangerously low.
In such cases, having a nearby resting point was essential.
For that purpose, Carne Village was ideal.
"I should've brought a 'Clean' magic scroll with me," Sakeer muttered, eyeing the dust on the floor and the cobwebs above. He shook his head in mild frustration.
Even after learning so much from the Rock team about adventurer preparations, it seemed there were still some things he'd overlooked.
With no better option, Sakeer took it upon himself to tidy up the room. After clearing a small clean area, he retrieved a ceramic jar roughly the size of a basketball from his toolbox and set it on the floor.
Next, he pulled out a slab of bacon, broke it into uneven chunks, and placed them in the jar. He then filled the jar with water from his waterskin.
"Heat up."
With a simple gesture, Sakeer pointed his finger at the ceramic jar.
In less than half a minute, the water began to bubble, steadily transforming into a simmering broth that filled the room with the rich aroma of meat.
"If nothing else, this spell sure is convenient for heating food," Sakeer remarked, a faint smile curling on his lips as he breathed in the savory scent.
In no time, the simple bacon soup was ready.
Sakeer grabbed a bowl, scooped himself a portion, and paired it with a piece of dry, black bread.
Despite being boiled, the bacon still carried a heavy saltiness. Yet, when paired with the tough, coarse bread, the flavor wasn't bad at all.
Bacon was a staple food for adventurers traveling through the wilderness — its strong salt content made it unsuitable for eating directly, but it worked well in broths or as a substitute for seasoning. For adventurers constantly on the move, it served as an important source of sodium replenishment.
As the savory scent of the soup drifted through the window, a faint commotion stirred outside.
Carne Village's primary source of income came from wheat cultivation and gathering medicinal herbs from the forest's edge.
Hunting? That was a far riskier endeavor for villagers who averaged only level 1 in strength.
Sakeer recalled that Carne Village did have a hunter — a man with the basic class of Guerrilla — but even he was only level 2 at best.
Glancing at his status screen, Sakeer took note of his progress:
[Genius Lv1 + Sword Master Lv6 = Comprehensive Level 7]
The experience he'd gained from defeating those two Eight Fingers members, combined with the goblins and small beasts he'd encountered along the way, had brought him another level up.
'Not too bad,' Sakeer mused.
At this pace, reaching the full level for his Sword Master class wouldn't take much longer. After that, his focus would shift to improving Genius.
Both Shalltear and the Nigredo's Sacrifice class were at level 10. While Sakeer wasn't sure if that was a prerequisite for the Priest class before advancing to Valkyrie, it seemed wise to aim for that benchmark to ensure consistency.
The Next Day — June 2
At the break of dawn, Sakeer finished packing and prepared to leave Carne Village.
Before departing, he made a point to visit the village chief, pressing five copper coins into the older man's hand as payment for the night's lodging.
The village chief initially refused, insisting it wasn't necessary, but Sakeer persisted.
'Better to stay on good terms with the locals,' Sakeer thought. 'I might need to return here someday.'
The air was thick with the damp scent of foliage, soil, and decay — the unmistakable fragrance of the jungle that spilled out from the Great Forest of Tob.
Each step Sakeer took crunched softly against the undergrowth — a blend of fallen leaves, branches, and moss.
Deeper into the jungle, the cries of birds and distant animal calls echoed through the trees.
With his iron sword in hand, Sakeer advanced along the forest's outer edge, heading eastward.
Among the three dominators of the forest, the most formidable — and by far the most dangerous — was the Wise King of the Forest, Hamusuke. Encountering that creature with Sakeer's current strength would leave him with little hope of escape.
'Don't let that cute anime appearance fool you,' Sakeer reminded himself. 'That's just from the Bone King's perspective. In reality, Hamusuke is a terrifying monster.'
The other two dominators, however, posed different risks.
Naga, The Demon Snake of the West, was highly intelligent and a formidable magic user, making it another encounter best avoided.
The remaining threat was a troll — powerful in its own right, but far less intelligent. Trolls relied primarily on brute force and possessed formidable regenerative abilities, but they lacked complex tactics or magical prowess.
In the unfortunate event of a confrontation, escaping from a troll was far more realistic than facing the Naga or Hamusuke.
Towering trees loomed overhead, their dense canopies filtering the sunlight into fragmented patches that danced along the forest floor.
(End of chapter)