Chapter 3 – The Forest That Watches
Deep within the forest, the air was different.
Thicker. Heavier.As if something unseen was watching his every step.
The boy moved cautiously, avoiding thick roots and low-hanging branches. The noise of the city had long since vanished behind him. Here, only his own breathing and the faint rustling of leaves remained.
Then—the ground trembled.
He froze.
At first, he thought it was only the wind playing tricks on him… but then he felt it again. A deep, dull vibration. Something that did not belong to nature.
His heart began to race.
The next moment, a massive shadow shifted between the trees.
He stepped back as the forest opened into a clearing. The ground was scorched, the grass blackened as if burned by intense heat. The air itself felt hotter.
And then he saw it.
The dragon.
It wasn't as enormous as the ones from legends—but it was still terrifying. Its greenish-brown scales glinted dully in the light, wings moving slowly as it raised its head. Its yellow eyes ignited as they locked onto him.
His body stiffened.
This isn't an enemy…This is a disaster.
He could have run.He knew that.
But his legs refused to move.
The dragon released a deep sound—not a roar, but a warning. Instinctively, the boy stumbled backward and threw himself behind a tree as the dragon's massive claw slammed into the ground.
The earth cracked.
"Calm down… think…" he whispered, his voice shaking.
He had no sword.No armor.Only that ability… the one everyone had called useless.
And then he felt it again.
Stronger than ever before.
It didn't grant raw power.It didn't flood him with energy.
Instead… it perceived.
The dragon's movements.Its next step.The tension in its wings before they moved.
"Is this… it?" he breathed.
When the dragon attacked again, the boy didn't panic. He dove to the side a split second before the ground was struck once more. His heart nearly burst from his chest—but he was alive.
Still alive.
This wasn't victory.This wasn't even a fight.
This was survival.
After a moment, the dragon withdrew, as if it had lost interest. With a single powerful beat of its wings, the clearing fell silent once more.
The boy collapsed to his knees.
He gasped for air. His hands trembled.
But then—a smile appeared on his face.
"So… you're not useless after all," he murmured, clutching his chest.
This was the first time he had faced death—and the first time he had survived it.
The dragon still lived.He was still weak.
But the story had begun.
The ground trembled again as the dragon's massive body shifted. Magical pressure filled the air, trees creaking as they bent beneath its presence.
The boy understood now—this was no ordinary encounter.This was the moment where everything could end.
Or begin.
Though he still didn't fully understand his ability, he began using it instinctively. The power once mocked as "useless" responded to the dragon's overwhelming presence.
Fire.Water.Wind.Earth.Lightning.
The elements answered him.
He did not borrow them.
He shaped them.
When the dragon unleashed a sea of flames, the fire parted before him—as if obeying his will. In a single step, he closed the distance and struck with focused intent, breaking through the dragon's hardened scales.
The roar shook the entire forest.
When the dragon finally collapsed, silence returned.
In that moment, immense energy surged through his body. He understood instantly—he had reached his limit. No more restraints. No more barriers.
Complete control over every element.
The ability to create new magic from his own power.
He did not choose a heroic title.He did not celebrate.
He stood silently before the dragon's fallen body, a single thought echoing in his mind:
The kingdom cast me aside…
…and now, it was far too late to turn back.