Kael once again found himself on the familiar path he had taken the previous day. He was returning to the forest.
He felt that yesterday he had only scratched the surface. The forest was vast—far larger than he had imagined—and he knew it held many mysteries. He intended to uncover them, one step at a time.
He wasn't in any particular rush. Today, he planned to take his time.
As he approached the edge of the forest, he couldn't help but feel amazed by the sheer size of the trees.
"How can they grow this tall?" he muttered to himself. "Maybe it's because of the purity of the mana in the air."
He stepped inside.
The ground beneath his feet was soft, sinking slightly with every step. It felt strangely pleasant. Dew clung to the grass, shimmering as sunbeams bounced off it, scattering light in every direction.
The early morning sunlight warmed his skin. He lifted his golden eyes toward the canopy above, watching as the leaves rustled gently while the breeze brushed through them.
The scent of nearby flowers mixed with damp earth, filling his lungs with something crisp and refreshing. He wished he could experience this every day—but he doubted his parents would allow that. So for now, he had to make the most of it.
Faint sounds of forest creatures echoed nearby. Chirps, rustles, distant movements.
But something felt different today.
The forest seemed more alive than it had yesterday.
Kael continued walking, enjoying himself. He had left home earlier than before. Yesterday, he had returned when it was nearly dark, earning himself a scolding from his mother.
She hadn't been truly angry—but she had warned him.
If he came back late again today, he'd be in serious trouble.
Kael shuddered. He had no intention of being scolded again.
His plan was simple: train a little, then explore deeper than before. He knew it might not be safe—but curiosity outweighed caution.
As he approached the clearing, he felt his breath catch.
The place was overflowing with life. Plants of all kinds grew together, coexisting peacefully, as if bound by some unseen harmony.
He closed his eyes and focused.
Golden mana lines flowed through everything—trees, soil, air… even him. They moved in perfect balance, calm yet powerful.
Kael opened his eyes and continued forward.
The clearing came fully into view. Just like yesterday, the large rock stood quietly at its center, and the river flowed beside it, its gentle sound soothing his nerves.
As Kael walked toward the rock, he noticed movement.
Two small creatures stood near it.
They were covered in white fur, with long ears and glowing green eyes set on either side of their heads. They looked soft—almost harmless.
Kael froze, fascinated.
This was only the second magical creature he had encountered, aside from the strange crow he had seen the day before.
The creatures noticed him.
They jumped several meters away from the rock toward the forest, then stopped. Turning back, they stared at him.
Their noses twitched as they observed Kael, just as curious about him as he was about them.
Kael carefully took a step forward.
Instantly, they bolted into the forest and vanished among the trees.
"…Guess they don't like me," Kael muttered, a little disappointed.
He loved animals. Their fur had looked so fluffy—he had wanted to touch it.
"Well, it's okay," he said softly, sitting near the rock.
Then he changed his mind.
Standing up, he walked toward the riverbank.
That's when he noticed something strange.
A footprint.
It was right at the edge of the water—and by the shape of it, it looked human.
Kael let out a breath of relief.
"At least it's from a human and not some unknown monster," he said.
He removed his shoes and rolled up his pants to his knees.
The water was cold and refreshing, flowing at a steady pace. The river was mostly shallow, with the deepest part only reaching his knees.
"This is great," Kael said happily. "Now I can explore the other side."
"I'll train a bit first, then head deeper," he added, stepping out of the water and returning to the rock.
He sat down, mentally preparing himself. Training was difficult with such a small, weak body.
The branch he had used the previous day as a makeshift sword was still there.
He stood up, picked it up, and took a deep breath.
Kael moved a few steps aside and assumed a stance. He adjusted his grip and began swinging.
There was improvement.
Not perfect—but definitely better than yesterday.
After two minutes of continuous swings, his arms began to burn. They felt unbearably heavy, and soon he couldn't lift the stick anymore.
He placed it aside and collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily, sweat dripping down his face.
"Damn this body," he muttered, staring up at the sky.
"I can't even train for ten minutes…"
He clenched his fists.
"I hate being weak. But this won't be permanent. I'll get stronger—no matter what it takes."
Determination burned in his golden eyes.
When he checked the sky again, the sun was already high. Time had passed quickly.
"It's getting late," Kael said. "I'll go a bit deeper, then head back."
He crossed the river easily. He was tempted to swim—but that would definitely earn him another scolding.
On the other side, he continued deeper into the forest, walking slowly, admiring nature and listening to its sounds.
He spotted more of the small creatures hopping around freely. They looked happy—carefree.
After passing through several trees, Kael reached another clearing, smaller than the first.
He explored it briefly.
Then a chill ran through his entire body.
His instincts screamed.
Kael closed his eyes and felt a surge of powerful mana building nearby.
When he opened them, fear gripped his heart.
A massive white wolf stepped into the clearing.
Its fur was thick and pristine, and its icy blue eyes locked onto Kael—as if he were prey.
Kael's body went stiff. He wanted to run, but his legs refused to move. He fell backward onto the ground.
The wolf approached slowly, never taking its eyes off him.
"N-No… stay back!" Kael screamed.
"Am I going to die again…?" he thought in terror.
He shut his eyes tightly. He didn't want to see it.
Seconds passed.
Nothing happened.
Kael slowly opened his eyes.
The wolf was no longer looking at him.
It was staring up into a tree.
Kael followed its gaze—and saw the crow from yesterday.
The three-eyed crow perched calmly on a branch, all three crimson eyes fixed on the wolf.
The two creatures stared at each other, as if communicating silently.
The wolf no longer looked domineering. It hesitated.
After a few tense moments, the wolf looked away. It glanced at Kael one last time—then turned and disappeared into the forest.
Kael exhaled shakily.
He was alive.
He searched for the crow again—but it was gone.
Kael quickly stood up and hurried home. He didn't want to encounter any more creatures today.
If not for the crow, he would have been dead.
"…Turns out I'm not entirely alone," he whispered as he ran.