Along the narrow forest path, Britney skipped forward lightly, every bit the image of an innocent and carefree young girl.
Adrian Vale followed a few steps behind her, his gaze unconsciously sweeping across the surroundings.
By now, the two of them had already moved far away from the peaceful village. The forest on both sides of the path grew increasingly dense, the trees taller and closer together, their shadows layering upon one another until the light itself seemed dimmer.
From deep within the woods came a faint, chilling sensation—an eerie stillness that made the back of one's neck prickle, as if something unseen was quietly observing from the darkness.
An old woman living alone in such a remote place…
And her family had no objections to letting a young girl like Britney come here by herself?
Adrian narrowed his eyes slightly.
That didn't make sense.
Unless—
This was part of some kind of scripted "event," like a triggered sequence in a game.
If that were the case, then everything became much more reasonable.
Just as that thought crossed his mind—
Adrian suddenly frowned.
His expression sharpened, and his gaze snapped toward the dense forest on both sides of the path.
There had been no sound. No movement.
Yet his instincts—honed through years of combat training—were sending a clear warning.
Something was wrong.
It felt as though a malicious presence was staring at him from within the trees, cold and hostile.
And in truth, his instincts were not mistaken.
At that very moment, the red velvet cloak draped over Britney's shoulders suddenly flickered with a faint crimson glow.
The light was not dazzling or harsh. Instead, it carried a gentle warmth, like the first rays of sunlight at dawn.
It lasted for only an instant.
Yet in that fleeting moment, the dim forest around them was briefly illuminated, as if a veil had been lifted.
The next second—
Something hidden within the forest was disturbed.
The underbrush rustled violently, branches shaking as if something had just bolted through them.
Rapid footsteps echoed through the trees, hurried and uneven, like a creature fleeing in panic.
Adrian's eyes turned cold.
Almost instinctively, his body reacted.
In one smooth motion, he drew the ornate knight's sword from his waist—the very weapon he had brought with him when he transmigrated, still unsharpened.
His arm tensed, muscles coiling with explosive force.
Then—
He hurled the sword forward with all his strength.
A sharp, piercing whistle tore through the air.
The sound of the blade cutting through space was harsh and violent, like a sudden gust ripping through silence.
Moments later—
A heavy impact resounded from within the forest.
Immediately after—
A shrill, agonized scream erupted.
The sound was filled with raw pain, something between a howl and a human-like groan, distorted and unsettling.
The creature let out a muffled grunt, clearly trying to suppress its agony.
But then—
To Adrian's surprise—
The rapid, retreating footsteps resumed.
It was still able to run.
Behind him, Britney had no idea what had just happened. She hadn't noticed the sinister presence, nor the brief glow of her cloak.
Instead, she had been startled by Adrian's sudden action.
Clutching her chest, which was still trembling slightly, she asked in a nervous voice,
"S-Sir Adrian… what just happened?"
"There was something hiding in the forest," Adrian replied calmly. "It looked like it was about to attack us."
As he spoke, he had already stepped off the path and into the woods.
The sword he carried was far from a decorative prop.
It was a high-end weapon forged using modern craftsmanship—worth a considerable sum.
If placed in a medieval world, it would undoubtedly be considered a top-tier weapon.
Even though the blade had not yet been sharpened—
With Adrian's current strength, which was already comparable to that of a human machine, the destructive force behind that throw was terrifying.
Within the forest, Adrian quickly located his weapon.
The sword had been driven deep into the trunk of a massive tree, the blade buried several inches into the wood.
And impaled upon it—
Was a severed arm.
The arm was thick and muscular, covered in coarse gray fur.
Dark, nearly black blood dripped slowly from the wound, carrying a foul, pungent odor that spread through the air.
Adrian's gaze lingered on the wound.
It was jagged.
Uneven.
Not cleanly cut.
He narrowed his eyes slightly.
"So it was pinned here… and then…"
"It tore off its own arm to escape."
A trace of caution surfaced in his expression.
Strong physical power.
Ruthless decisiveness.
A creature like that was dangerous.
The kind of enemy that—
If you never encountered it, fine.
But once you did—
You had to make sure it was completely eliminated.
Otherwise, it would become a lingering threat.
Adrian clicked his tongue softly.
"If only I had brought my bow."
If he had known he would transmigrate, he would have brought along his heavy bow as well.
With his level of archery skill—
That creature would never have escaped.
…
By this time, Britney had cautiously followed him into the forest.
The moment she saw the scene before her—
Her face instantly turned pale.
Adrian reached forward and pulled his sword free from the tree trunk.
The severed arm remained skewered on the blade.
He lifted it slightly and turned toward her.
"Britney, do you know what kind of creature this arm belongs to?"
For a young girl as innocent and sheltered as her—
Being confronted with a bloody severed limb at such close range was simply too much.
She let out a small cry, stumbling backward repeatedly.
Her head lowered instinctively, almost burying itself against her chest as she avoided looking at it.
"I-I'm sorry, Sir Adrian… I don't know…"
"B-But… my grandmother… she might know…"
Adrian nodded.
Noticing how frightened she was, he lowered the arm and moved it out of her sight.
After this incident, Britney had completely lost her earlier playful mood.
She no longer skipped along the path.
Instead, she quietly led the way forward.
The two of them continued along the forest trail.
After passing through a particularly dense stretch of woodland—
The light ahead suddenly brightened.
And then—
A small wooden house appeared.
It was surrounded by a modest garden, giving off a warm and peaceful atmosphere.
The scene felt almost out of place within the oppressive forest.
Adrian's expression shifted.
He stopped in his tracks.
Then slowly stepped back a couple of paces.
When he looked forward again—
There was nothing there.
Only the dense forest.
No house.
No garden.
"…A concealment technique?"
He narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Or… magic?"
He stood there, briefly lost in thought.
Meanwhile, Britney's mood had lifted slightly.
Her steps became lighter again as she called out brightly,
"Grandma, I'm here!"
The door of the cottage opened.
An elderly woman stepped out.
Her expression was gentle and kind—
But her complexion carried an unnatural flush, as if she were unwell.
She smiled warmly as she welcomed Britney.
But the moment her gaze fell upon Adrian—
Everything changed.
A sharp alarm rang in her mind.
Almost instinctively, she pulled Britney behind her.
She was injured.
Her magic had weakened.
Even the protective enchantments she had placed over the village had begun to fail.
The hunter who could assist her had yet to arrive.
At this moment—
She was at her weakest.
If an evil creature were to appear now—
She might not be able to resist.
And worse—
Her beloved granddaughter could die with her.
Her entire body tensed.
Her nerves stretched to their limit.
She was already prepared—
To fight to the death if necessary.
But then—
She saw him clearly.
Standing at the doorway—
Adrian Vale wore magnificent gold-engraved armor, a crimson cloak flowing behind him.
He looked noble.
Powerful.
Almost like someone out of legend.
The old woman froze for a brief moment.