We entered the forest.
The moment my foot crossed the invisible boundary, the air changed.
It became cooler, heavier, carrying the damp scent of soil, moss, and old leaves. Sunlight filtered through the thick canopy above, breaking into thin golden rays that danced on the ground. Every step we took made the dry leaves crunch softly beneath our boots.
This place felt… alive.
Father walked calmly ahead of me, his presence steady, confident—like nothing in this forest could ever threaten him.
After a few moments of silence, he spoke.
"Solaris," Father said, glancing down at me, "your mother told me you like reading books."
I nodded proudly.
"Yes, Father."
He gave a faint smile.
"Then let me ask you something." His eyes shifted to the copper badge hanging from my neck.
"First question—what do you think that badge can do? And how?"
I touched the badge instinctively. It felt cool against my fingers.
"Earlier, the receptionist lady explained it to us," I replied honestly.
"She said it can help me see my own status and others' too. But I never read about it in any book before… so I don't really know how to use it."
Father raised an eyebrow slightly.
"It surprises me that you've never heard of appraisal badges," he said. "But that's fine. I'll teach you."
He stepped closer and gently placed his hand over mine, guiding it to the badge.
"First," he said calmly, "touch the badge. Then, if you say Status On or Status Update, it will display your current status."
I swallowed and did exactly as he said.
The moment the words left my mouth—
A black, semi-transparent screen suddenly appeared in front of me.
I gasped.
It floated in the air like glass made of shadow, glowing faintly with silver letters.
---
[ STATUS WINDOW ]
Name: Solaris Void
Class: Swordsman
Rank: F Exp: 0 / 1000
Strength: Unknown / 10 Rank: F
Speed: Unknown / 10 Rank: F
Stamina: Unknown / 10 Rank: F
Mana: Unknown / 10 Rank: F
Attribute: Fire
Lead: Fire
Suggestion:
→ Gain 1000 EXP to advance from Rank F to F+
---
My breath caught in my throat.
"This… this is me?" I whispered.
Father nodded.
"Yes. That is your current status."
Before I could ask anything else, Father continued.
"And if you look at someone—or something—and say Appraisal, the badge will show you their status."
He stood in front of me.
I looked at him, heart pounding.
"A-Appraisal."
The screen shimmered… and changed.
---
[ APPRAISAL ]
Name: Alistair Void
Title: Sword King, ect.
Rank: A
Status: Invalid
Details: Invalid
Attributes: Wild
---
Father stepped back slightly.
"If you want to close it," he said, "just say Close. Understand?"
I nodded eagerly, eyes still glued to the floating screen.
"Yes, Father. I understand."
"It's easy."
The screen vanished instantly.
I looked up at him with shining eyes.
---
"Okay," Father said calmly, folding his arms, "now it's my second question."
"Do you know where we are right now?"
My eyes lit up instantly.
"Yes, Father! I know!" I said excitedly.
"We are now inside a 10-layer Monster Forest, located in the City of Voidcrest. And you are the current Lord of Voidcrest, aren't you, Father?"
Father stopped walking.
For a moment, he stared at me in silence—then a proud smile appeared on his face.
"As expected of my son," he said, letting out a satisfied breath.
"Yes, you're right. I am the Lord of Voidcrest."
He turned slightly, gesturing toward the endless trees around us.
"And this," he continued, "is the smallest monster forest in our city."
I blinked.
"This is… small?"
Father nodded.
"A 10-layer monster forest means the distance from the entrance to the center is ten kilometers. That makes the total diameter twenty kilometers."
I tried to imagine it in my head.
Twenty kilometers of monsters…
Father breathed out through his nose proudly.
"You truly have knowledge, my boy. Seems your mother was right."
He looked down at me with confidence.
"So tell me—how much do you know about monsters? I'm sure you've read quite a lot."
I opened my mouth to answer—
And then—
"FATHERRRR!!"
I screamed at the top of my lungs.
"There's a monster!! A monster!! A slime monster is coming toward us!! Father—RUN!!"
I turned around and tried to sprint away with all my strength.
But before I could even take two steps—
Father grabbed me by the collar and lifted me up effortlessly.
My legs flailed in the air.
I was dangling like a little puppy caught by its owner.
Father stared at me with a completely disbelieving face.
"…Why," he asked slowly, "are you running away from slimes?"
I looked at him seriously, panic still written all over my face.
"I read in a book that slimes are the strongest monsters!" I said innocently.
"If you ever encounter one, you must run immediately! They can even warp reality itself!"
Father's expression didn't change.
"…And where did you find that book?"
"Mother gave it to me."
Silence.
A long, painful silence.
Father's eyes slowly closed.
Inside his mind—
That annoying comic-lover beautiful healer…!
All these years, she only gave him comics and fairy tale books!
I knew I couldn't rely on her—at least not when it comes to combat knowledge.
She really never changes, does she…?
He opened his eyes again and looked at me—still hanging from his hand, trembling in fear.
---
Father let out a slow breath and crouched slightly so his eyes met mine.
"Look, Solaris," he said calmly, his voice firm but gentle.
"Books are knowledge—but some books are only meant for entertainment."
He pointed toward the wobbling slime ahead.
"If you ever have doubts," he continued, "don't panic. Just appraise it."
I swallowed hard.
The slime squirmed forward, its translucent body bouncing softly against the grass.
I clenched my fists… then slowly raised my hand.
"Appraisal."
The world shifted.
A familiar black, see-through screen unfolded in the air before my eyes.
---
[ APPRAISAL ]
Name: Unknown
Species: Water Slime
Rank: Elite G
Exchange EXP: 0.1
Strength: 1 / 2 Rank: G+
Durability: 1 / 2 Rank: G+
Agility: 2 / 2 Rank: G+
Stamina: 2 / 3 Rank: Elite G
Speed: 4 / 5 Rank: Elite G
Mana: 1 / 2 Rank: G+
---
My eyes widened.
"L-Look, Father!" I shouted.
"It says G Rank! G for Great!!"
Father stared at the screen.
Then at me.
"…G is not 'Great,' boy," he said flatly.
"G is a rank even lower than F."
I froze.
"L-Lower… than F?"
"Yes," he replied. "Much lower."
He cracked his knuckles slightly.
"Alright. I'll show you."
Father raised one hand.
There was no chant.
No grand spell circle.
Just a simple motion.
The air around us twisted violently.
A powerful gust of wind exploded outward, spiraling like a blade storm. The grass flattened instantly. Leaves ripped from branches. The slime in front of us—and many more hidden nearby—were caught in the sudden current.
In the blink of an eye—
Slimes were lifted, smashed together, and hurled deep into the forest.
Some burst mid-air.
Others vanished between the trees.
Silence followed.
Then—
---
[ STATUS UPDATE ]
Your Party Killed: 16 Slimes
Reward: Invalid
EXP: Too small to be recorded
---
I stared at the floating text.
Then at Father.
My face lit up like a child seeing fireworks for the first time.
"Father… you are too cool!"
Father looked away slightly, his grip tightening on his sword hilt.
Please stay like that…
Please stay like that.
Please—stay an eight-year-old boy.
I was still clinging to him like a piggyback when I sense movements.
"Look, Father!" I whispered urgently.
"Some little goblins are there—behind that tree!"
Father's body stiffened.
His expression darkened.
Not again…
How did you even notice that?
You already can sense others presence…?
He exhaled slowly.
It's fine.
I've already adapted to his unnatural growth.
At this point… nothing should surprise me anymore.
---
But Then,,
Father suddenly get serious.
He slowly lowered me onto the soft grass.
The warmth of his hand left my shoulder.
For the first time since entering the forest—
I felt small.
Really small.
He stepped forward.
Each step was calm. Measured. Heavy.
"Look, Solaris," Father said without turning back.
"Look closely."
His voice had changed.
It wasn't the gentle voice that read me stories.
It wasn't the proud voice that praised my memory.
It was cold.
Sharp.
Unforgiving.
"This moment," he continued, "might change your life."
He paused.
"…or it might change your path."
The air shifted.
A shimmering green aura erupted from Father's body like mist catching sunlight. Mana surged outward, bending the grass, rattling the leaves. The pressure alone made my chest tighten.
Father disappeared.
No—
He moved.
So fast that the world couldn't follow.
One blink.
That's all it took.
He was behind the goblins.
They didn't even have time to scream.
A sharp metallic whisper cut through the air.
SHHHHNNNNG—
Father unsheathed his sword.
Green mana coated the blade, stretching several inches beyond the steel like a living edge. The sword moved once—clean, horizontal.
The forest screamed.
Three goblins were sliced cleanly through their middles.
Not cut.
Separated.
Their bodies slid apart a heartbeat later, blood erupting outward like a burst dam. The shockwave split a massive tree behind them in half, the trunk cracking violently before collapsing.
Goblin children shrieked.
High-pitched.
Broken.
Desperate.
Their cries ended abruptly as their bodies hit the ground—lifeless, twitching.
Blood sprayed everywhere.
It painted Father's face.
Soaked his clothes.
Dripped from his blade.
The smell hit me next.
Iron.
Warm flesh.
Death.
The remaining goblins tried to run.
They never stood a chance.
Father vanished again.
He reappeared behind one of them and grabbed it by the head—one hand gripping so tightly that the goblin's skull cracked audibly.
The creature flailed wildly, punching Father's arm with desperate strength.
Useless.
Father twisted.
RIP.
The goblin's arm tore off.
Blood gushed like a fountain.
"KAKAKKAAA—!!"
The scream was wet. Gargling. Horrified.
Father held the goblin up at eye level.
Its legs kicked uselessly.
Its blood soaked into the dirt below.
Father's face was expressionless.
Empty.
With blood dripping down his chin, he spoke.
"This," he said calmly, "is real life."
His eyes flicked toward me.
"It's not like the books you read."
He tightened his grip.
"If you want to protect your loved ones—"
The goblin choked.
"If you want to live—"
CRACK.
The goblin's neck snapped.
"You have to kill."
The corpse dropped to the ground with a dull thud.
Father turned fully toward me now.
"You have to kill monsters."
His gaze sharpened.
"And do you know who the most terrifying monster is?"
He walked closer.
Each step echoed in my ears.
"…Humans."
My breath caught.
"You may have to kill humans one day."
He stopped right in front of me.
Blood dripped from his sword tip, soaking into the grass between us.
"Tell me, Solaris."
His voice lowered.
"Do you still want this path?"
"Do you still want to be an adventurer?"
My body trembled.
Violently.
My hands shook.
My chest burned.
I closed my eyes.
Darkness swallowed everything.
Inside Father's mind—
Good…
He's scared.
Like a normal child.
Then doubt crept in.
No… no.
I went too far.
He's only eight.
Father's sword lowered slightly.
His voice softened.
"…Damn it."
He knelt down and gently patted my head, careful not to stain me with blood.
"It's okay," he said quietly.
"It's okay."
His hand was warm.
"As long as I'm here, you don't have to worry."
He smiled faintly.
"Father will protect you."
My lips parted.
A whisper escaped.
"…I want to do it too."
Father didn't hear.
"What was that, my dear?"
I opened my eyes.
They weren't gentle cyan blue anymore.
They were yellow.
Vertical pupils.
Like a predator's.
Yellow lightning crackled across my body, crawling over my skin, snapping through the air. The grass beneath my feet burned black.
Mana surged violently.
Uncontrolled.
Hungry.
Saliva dripped from my mouth.
My heartbeat roared in my ears.
I looked at Father.
Not like a child.
Not like a son.
Like something awakened.
"FATHER—"
My voice was distorted. Wild.
"I.. WANT TO DO IT TOO!!"
---
Alistair was lecturing about monsters, While he was standing in front of a devil.
---