I'm standing at the passageway of the Shield Forest.

I was excited, and at the same time, I'm also anxious about what is in store for me once I enter this forest. ​​

This is my first-time doing adventure alone besides when I sneaked out to go to the Festival in the town.

"I should go now; I need to go back before sunset."

As I said that, I hurriedly step in the Shield Forest, where small monsters are located and the safest place to do training.

I quietly followed the trail that we used when I have my exam.

As expected, the forest was quiet as I remember it. I maximized all the senses that I have.

I don't want to happen the same mistakes that I did during my test when I put down my guard, and a dead wolf was about to devour me with its wide-open mouth that has sharp teeth.

"Ugh... when I remember that it still sends me shivers."

The path to the forest was full of bushes, leaves, and branches that has thorns in it, and can scratch you if you're not careful.

***

I've been here for a couple of hours, and no dead wolf can be seen.

"Well... those two said that dead wolf is hard to find, the reason is not many become one after absorbing dark mana."

Not long after, I encounter a splik.

I cursed to myself I don't want to spend energy fighting monsters that I wasn't supposed to hunt.

The only purpose is to get my hands on one dead wolf, and I'll be good to go.

But this encounter makes it impossible, and I need to use my energy.

"Fine... You'll be my practice match. Damn, splik!"

The monster was looking down in me and just scratching its ears by using its front paws.

'I know I'm in the body of a child, but I can't take it that even this monster is treating me like nothing!'

"You'll see who you're underestimating!"

I take the short sword that was on my belt hanging around my waist. It was the sword that I got after consulting the butler after having the deal with the Duke.

I tried to put-down my grey string-bag on the side softly but... thud! - the sound of my bag thrown with the things inside roughly touching the ground.

I take advantage of the splik who underestimates me. I plunged my whole-body and... swish! -the sound slashing made by my short sword was heard in the quiet forest.

I've cut down his sharp horn, and the splik was shocked and immediately put a distance.

The splik change its attitude and did its stance. It was ready to launch an attack when I hurriedly run to its side to escape the raging monster.

The monster was too angry, and it eventually changed its form into that of a muscular figure. It was so familiar to me that my face didn't change its expression.

"I need to finish this up fast or my energy will exhaust, and it will be hard if a dead wolf appears."

I grip the hilt and raised both my hands that are holding the short sword and pointed it at the chest of splik and -slash!

-kiiik!

The cry of the splik that was critically wounded can be heard in the entire forest, its black blood flow like a river and its body plopped sown in the dirty ground. I didn't want to attract any more attention from the same monster, so I stab hard, and the splik cry was long gone in a split of a second.

I breathe out a relieved sigh. The fight was quicker the second time around that I encounter the splik.

It was because I know its weakness by defeating it in the first try that I did.

Splik is easy to beat when their horn was taken out, and you are faster than them once you wounded a splik, it will be dead after a while.

I buried the splik so that the other monster won't go around this area and will wonder to find the spliks' corpse.

It was noon now and all I saw was a small-fry monster and the dead wolf is nowhere to be seen.

"This is making me tired... walking endlessly to find a monster that I don't even know if this forest still has."

I'm chewing the beef jerky that I brought for my late lunch in a desolate place near the lake. This is the deepest part that I've been in the Shield Forest.

Mr. Shiek said that it would be dangerous to go deeper into the Shield Forest as it is connected to the Trevor Forest.

Trevor Forest was the borderline of the beast-kin country, the Kingdom of Bahalkii so, it was prohibited to go deeper as the monsters would be more vicious and a small child like me would be put in danger if I wander around here but I have no choice as I need to find the dead wolf as soon as possible.

"I'll be careful... If I can't find it. That father and son would humiliate me further!"

I finished off my remaining lunch and put away the leftover beef jerky and bread in my bag.

I stood and stretch my body, and I went and got near the lake to refresh my face by dampening it when I heard a slithering sound.

I turn my head to look around and saw nothing.

"Just my imagination, I guess..." I get back to what I'm doing, and a different sound was replaced by the other. It was a noise made when you strode in a pile of dry leaves.

I turn my head to where the sound came from and the next thing, I heard was the sound of breaking branches from a rough hold.

The ringing sound lingers around the forest. I unconsciously tremble by the unexpected eerie sound.

I decided that I would leave the lake in a haste. It was the only thing that I could come up with when things that I don't know were happening in front of me, it was to flee the scene and run for my life.

My resolve was soon made my whole body feel relieved but my alertness to my surrounding was raised to a maximum.

"I can't lower my guard down!"

A few minutes and I was out, and the lake can't be seen. I started to search again the forest but what I found was different from what I expected.

"What is this...?"

I poke its side to see if it's alive... bruises were all over its thin body, and the face was covered with mud and the hair was tangled.

"Ugh..."

The sound made me jolt and I take a few steps back. It opens its eyes and mine occurred to be shocked.

It was a boy...

Laying down with tattered clothes and his body full of scratch with a metal collar that wraps around its neck and a chain in his left foot.

I belatedly asked a question.

"Who are you...?"