The wooden carriage creaked as it rolled along the dirt path. Inside, Kaito sat near the window, watching the world pass by. It was his first time leaving the Bloodcrest domain.
Children laughed and played in open fields. Families smiled together. Strange animals roamed—some with fur, others with feathers or scales. People wore colorful clothes, their skin shades and features different from what he'd seen back home.
He leaned his head against the glass, silent. A strange feeling stirred in his chest—some mix of excitement and nervousness.
The carriage came to a sudden stop.
"We're here," the old driver said, stepping down. "This is as far as I go."
Kaito looked out. Nothing but cold mountains, rocks, and wind.
"You'll walk from here. That's the order."
Kaito blinked. "What?"
The driver looked serious now.
"Your new mentor said—'If he can't even reach me, I don't need him.' His words, not mine. He won't accept weaklings, not even if they're heirs to powerful houses."
The driver crossed his arms.
"Thousands of talented youngsters have begged to train under him. Not one succeeded. He's never taken a single disciple. Even at his age, he stands alone… waiting for someone truly worthy."
Kaito stepped out. The wind slapped his face. He pulled his cloak tighter.
"I understand."
The driver gave a small nod. "Good luck, young master. From here on, it's your fight."
The Mountain Trail – Nightfall
Snow crunched under Kaito's boots as he climbed higher. The cold bit at his fingers and nose. Breath fogged the air.
By nightfall, he stopped near a rocky ridge and lit a small fire using a beginner flame spell. He pulled out his last meal—packed by Kiara with a smile. A dry sandwich and a few nuts.
He ate slowly, warming his hands by the fire. The rocky ground was hard. No mattress. No comfort. Just wind, stones, and silence.
He tried to sleep—but something wasn't right.
A strange presence.
Kaito's eyes shot open.
Something was watching him.
The air was too quiet. The leaves had stopped rustling. Even the wind felt like it held its breath.
A predator.
He remembered Selena's words:
"Never wander alone in mountain forests. There are beasts that live there—larger than tigers, stronger than men. They hide like shadows. Mountain lions."
The grass moved.
Then—
CRASH!
A massive beast leaped out—a mountain lion, twice the size of a normal one. Its yellow eyes glowed.
"Bulzenoir!"
A burst of pressurized water exploded from Kaito's hand, slamming the lion into a tree.
But more eyes appeared in the dark.
The pack.
"Bulzenoir! Bulzenoir!"
He cast again and again, driving them back. Goblins and slimes joined the attack—small, weak monsters, but dangerous in numbers.
His fire dimmed. His mana thinned.
By morning, the forest was littered with steaming, frozen bodies.
Kaito dropped to his knees. Exhausted. Hungry.
Learning to Survive
"No food left..."
He remembered stories of adventurers—how they hunted small animals and searched for berries, mushrooms, and herbs.
He tried to chase birds.
Too fast.
Too sharp-eyed.
"I need to observe them."
He hid behind trees, studied their patterns, waited for the perfect moment. Slowly… carefully…
A new skill appeared.
Stealth
Beginner → Intermediate → Advanced → Perfected
In just a few hours.
A prodigy.
Later, he found mountain boars grazing with their families.
Using stealth, he snuck up on one.
"Technique 14: Flowing Whip!"
A clean hit. The boar dropped.
"No mana. I need to conserve it."
He set up a spit roast. No salt. No spices. The meat smelled strong and earthy.
Bite.
"...Disgusting."
But he chewed it down.
Nutrition mattered more than taste.
The Second Night – True Fear
He continued up the path. The sky darkened again.
No birds caught.
No herbs found.
No dinner.
Stomach growling, he tried to sleep. But—
Bloodlust.
Stronger than the lion's.
Colder than the wind.
He sat up quickly.
A shadow stood among the trees.
At first glance, it looked human.
But…
Eyes: Blood red pupils, surrounded by black sclera.
Horns: Two sharp black horns curved back.
Height: As tall as an adult, maybe taller.
Smile: Calm. Too calm.
Kaito froze.
His body refused to move.
His breath caught.
"I feel cold just by looking at him…"
His instincts screamed—RUN.
"He's not a beast. He's a demon."
But something was wrong. This one didn't feel like an ordinary demon.
"He's far beyond that… Maybe even above an elite knight."
"Could he survive a few hits from Mother? Could he push back Father at full strength… even for a moment?"
Kaito's heart pounded.
His legs trembled.
This wasn't a challenge.
This was death.
He took a step back.
Would he make it to Morrgrim Hills?
Would he even live till morning?
To be continued…