The girl stood still amidst the carnage, the forest around her eerily silent except for the faint rustle of leaves. Broken bodies of goblins lay scattered across the ground—some split cleanly in two, others beheaded with precise strokes. The metallic tang of blood hung heavily in the air, mixing with the earthy scent of damp soil and crushed foliage. Even the faint breeze seemed to avoid disturbing the scene.
Her long brown hair, tied into a high ponytail, swayed gently as the wind brushed through the clearing. Strands occasionally touched her cheek, but her expression remained completely neutral, her brown-green eyes calm and calculating—too calm for someone standing in the aftermath of so much violence.
She wore a modernized martial uniform that spoke of discipline and precision. The fitted dark gray and black jacket clung to her frame, tightly tailored at the waist to allow unrestricted movement while maintaining a sleek, formal silhouette. Beneath it, the white inner chest panel contrasted sharply, emphasizing authority in her posture. A deep crimson sash circled her waist, securing a short sword sheath at her side. Her short, fitted combat bottoms prioritized mobility over modesty, completing a look both functional and formidable.
In her hand rested a katana. Its blade was soaked in blood, thick droplets sliding silently onto the forest floor.
Her gaze lifted slowly, settling on Junyeok and Yun. Her voice was calm, emotionless.
"Who are you?"
Her eyes scanned them, not with curiosity, but with a quiet measure of assessment.
Junyeok raised an eyebrow, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.
"Isn't it proper to introduce yourself first?" he said, voice casual, almost teasing.
The girl nodded once.
"Yes," she replied. "My name is Yunji Takamori. I am a swordsman from Japan."
Junyeok glanced at Yun with a small shrug. "I'm Junyeok. And she's Yun. Looks like you're on our team."
Yunji's eyes flickered briefly. "So that's how it is. Working as a team should be… acceptable. Just one thing."
Her tone sharpened. "Don't get in my way."
Yun blinked, then glanced at Junyeok in surprise. "Isn't she the one who scored third in the first exams…?"
"Yes," Junyeok confirmed.
"You already knew who she was?" Yun asked.
"No. Just had a hunch," Junyeok answered, a small smile on his face.
"Oh… I see," Yun murmured, trying to process the weight of the sword princess standing silently before her.
Junyeok thought briefly: Who doesn't know her? One of Japan's aces. Even in my past life, her name carried weight among every contractor elite.
He looked at her again. "Where's your ecoe? I can't see it. Is it also in your ecoe subspace?"
"Yes," Yunji replied simply, her calm tone unchanged.
Yun's eyes widened slightly. She did all of this by herself… no ecoe support. Active skills couldn't be used without it in the real world. Every precise strike, every kill—it was all pure technique and raw ability.
Junyeok let out a quiet sigh. Rich people… all of them have ecoe subspaces. He glanced at Nyxara hovering nearby. I'll get mine soon, he thought, forcing a faint, worried smile.
"So," Yun said, drawing a deep breath, "shall we go now? Survival should be our priority."
"I disagree," Junyeok said at the same time Yunji spoke.
"We should aim for first place," Yunji added, her tone matter-of-fact, eyes unwavering.
Junyeok exhaled slowly. "First place will help us long-term. But Yun's right—we'll be here for three days. Food, shelter, and positioning all matter too."
Yun's face brightened, a small glow of excitement in her eyes as she nodded.
"As long as it doesn't hinder our goal of first place," Yunji said firmly.
"Then let's move," Junyeok concluded, gesturing toward the forest.
They soon arrived at a small clearing beside a gently flowing river.
"This is perfect," Yun whispered, scanning the area.
Junyeok nodded. "Water source, open sightlines… but first—"
The bushes shivered.
Low, guttural growls reverberated through the trees.
Large boars stepped into view, bigger than usual, their red eyes glowing, long curved tusks gleaming in the faint light.
"We're surrounded," Nyxara warned, hovering closer.
"Tusk boars," Junyeok muttered calmly. "Second weakest monsters. Good warm-up."
He allowed a small grin. "And food… what a lucky day."
"I'll handle them," Yunji said, stepping forward, calm and composed.
Before Junyeok could react, she moved like a shadow.
The katana in her hand flashed—three swift, flawless arcs.
Three boars fell instantly, split and cut with surgical precision.
Junyeok narrowed his eyes. She's weaker than her peak… but still formidable.
One boar charged him directly. Junyeok didn't flinch—he stabbed once, standing firm. The monster collapsed, lifeless.
Yun chanted softly. A streak of light formed into an arrow, piercing another boar cleanly.
"That spell… terrifying once mastered," Junyeok murmured, impressed.
Yunji's gaze turned cold. "I expected more from the first-ranker. Was it just luck?"
Before he could answer, the ground trembled behind her.
A massive presence surged—a boar three times larger than the rest, fur white streaked with black, tusks long and sharp, eyes burning red-gold.
"Behind you—!" Yun shouted, too late.
Yunji instinctively raised her katana, blocking—but the impact threw her into a tree with a violent crash.
"White Demon Boar…" Junyeok muttered. "D-rank miniboss."
"That filthy creature… attacking from behind," Yunji spat, struggling to rise. Her legs trembled.
Yun dashed forward. "Activate skill—Blessing of the Angels!"
Light enveloped Yunji, slowly knitting her wounds together.
"Run," she said urgently. "You can't defeat it. Its hide is too hard."
Junyeok rubbed his face. "What a pain…"
"I'm not abandoning my first rank," he said firmly.
"You can't beat it alone!" Yunji insisted.
"Yun," Junyeok sighed, "please shut her mouth for me."
Yun blinked, then gently covered Yunji's mouth.
Junyeok faced the charging boar.
The first slash barely cut.
The second—still shallow.
Then Junyeok surged forward, using precise timing and momentum.
"What are you doing?!" Yunji shouted.
Steel met skull. The boar collapsed instantly.
Silence fell over the clearing.
"…How?" Yunji whispered.
Junyeok crouched slightly, observing the massive body of the fallen White Demon Boar. His chest rose and fell steadily, but his mind was already running through the mechanics of the kill.
People always think White Boars are nearly impossible to defeat because of their thick hide and lightning-fast charges, he thought, eyes narrowing. But it's not that complicated. The hide near the skull is softer compared to the rest of its body, and the attack pattern is simple—straight charges, predictable timing. If you time it right, you can use the momentum of your own movement plus the boar's charge to concentrate the pressure at the exact point you need.
He lifted his sword slightly, the tip still warm from the strike. The key is coordination: the angle, the momentum from running alongside it, the aerodynamic efficiency of the blade, and the timing of the stab. One wrong fraction of a second, and it's over. But when executed correctly, it's simple physics. Simple, yet precise.
Junyeok's lips curved into a faint, almost teasing smile. Isn't it funny that people make it sound impossible when it's really just applied physics?
Yun and Yunji looked at him with wide eyes, clearly struggling to process his calm breakdown.
"…Easy?" Nyxara muttered in disbelief, tilting her head.
Junyeok chuckled lightly, shaking his head. "It's only 'hard' if you overthink it. You focus on timing, pressure, and precision instead of brute force. The rest is just understanding the target."
Yunji blinked, her previous irritation softened slightly. Her cold eyes flickered toward him, though she still didn't lower her guard. "Hmph… I see. Even then, it's reckless. You could have been impaled."
Junyeok shrugged, unconcerned. "Calculated risk. I knew its charge and trajectory. I also knew I could handle it with this sword. You don't need to understand fully to survive—but understanding helps."
Yun, her face glowing with a mixture of admiration and excitement, whispered, "That… actually makes sense."
Nyxara tilted her head, clearly impressed despite herself.
Junyeok's gaze swept over the battlefield. The blood-soaked clearing, the fallen boars, and the lingering tension of the forest reminded him how high the stakes were. Then he turned to the team.
"Alright, let's set up camp before anything else shows up."
Yunji's expression softened for the first time since the fight. A small, almost imperceptible smile flickered across her face as she nodded.
Junyeok continued, "You two—Yun and Nyxara—set up the tents. I'll prepare the meat from the White Boar."
Junyeok raised an eyebrow. "And what about you?"
Yunji's lips pressed into a thin line. "I'll gather firewood and edible plants. Efficient use of time."
Junyeok moved to the carcass, kneeling to inspect it. The body was thick, blood still pooling around its hooves. He quickly skinned, portioned, and seasoned it with herbs and roots they had collected from the surrounding forest. The scent of cooking meat began to mingle with the metallic tang of blood in the air, giving the clearing an earthy, appetizing aroma.
Yunji watched silently, arms crossed, but there was a subtle shift—an almost imperceptible relaxation in her posture as the smell of food reached her. Nyxara, on the other hand, practically salivated, tearing into her portion as if she hadn't eaten in days.
Arcadia hovered nearby, delicate wings folding slightly, eating neatly like a proper lady, her voice soft and melodic. "Delicious."
Yun mirrored her style, savoring each bite with quiet appreciation.
"I didn't know you were such a great cook, Junyeok," Yun remarked, her eyes bright.
Yunji's voice cut through, flat yet strangely tender in its own way. "I would love to have you as my husband."
Junyeok froze, blinking. "…I can't tell if that's serious or not."
The three ate in a comfortable silence afterward, broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves or distant animal call.
Night fell. The forest grew darker, shadows stretching between the trees. Junyeok arranged guard shifts.
The forest settled into uneasy quiet. The campfire flickered, casting gentle shadows over the tent and surrounding clearing.
Junyeok had finished arranging the guard shifts.
"Alright," he said, standing, "I'll take the first watch. You two should rest until your shifts."
Yun and Yunji both nodded. Yun lowered herself gracefully onto her sleeping spot, keeping her posture proper even as she settled. Her hands folded neatly in her lap for a moment before she let herself lean back slightly, breathing in the faint scent of the forest and smoke from the fire. Yunji remained alert but relaxed, lying carefully in her own corner of the tent.
Junyeok stepped outside, letting the cool night air wash over him. The river beside the clearing reflected the pale moonlight, the gentle murmur of water masking the quiet sounds of the forest. He moved slowly, scanning the shadows for any signs of danger, tension coiling in his chest despite the calm night.
Time passed in quiet, measured moments. The night seemed endless, yet peaceful.
Eventually, Yun emerged from the tent, her soft steps barely making a sound. She clutched a light shawl around her shoulders and glanced toward Junyeok.
"Are you… comfortable out here?" she asked softly, her voice carrying a hint of concern but still quiet, almost shy.
"I'm fine," Junyeok said, glancing at her. "Just keeping watch."
Yun nodded, her eyes lingering on him briefly before looking away, cheeks faintly pink in the moonlight. She fidgeted with the edge of her shawl, a subtle, delicate gesture.
"I… hope you don't find it too lonely," she murmured, her tone gentle and hesitant, as if testing the water but still maintaining her composed demeanor.
Junyeok smiled faintly. "I've been alone plenty. Don't worry about me."
Yun's lips curved slightly, a soft, fleeting smile that seemed almost invisible in the dim light. Her hands tightened briefly in her lap before she eased them again, settling into the quiet, lady-like composure she always carried.
Before Yun could respond, a sudden rustle in the underbrush caught her attention. Her eyes widened slightly, instinct immediately sharpening.
A shadow darted from the trees.
"Junyeok!" she screamed.