“So this is an adventurer’s license…What is this even made of?”

“Not too sure…I don’t exactly know myself.”

“W-Well…Whatever it is…Will this really allow us to leave the kingdom…?”

“Yeah! I have one too…here!”

Jake happily said as he showed her his own adventurer’s license. Marie looked at it for a moment, before looking at her own license. She seems to still be doubtful about it, but she’ll know soon enough.

Moving past that, a day had passed by. After both Charlotte and Marie accepted his invitation to join him, they woke up as early as they could and went down to the castle’s gate. To their surprise, Jake was already there.

After they met up, he told them to follow him to the guild first. He told them that normal people are not allowed to venture out into the wild. However, if you have an adventurer’s license with you, you’re allowed to leave.

And so, with Charlotte still sleepy and Marie being the shy girl she is, the group went and entered the guild. Since it was still sunrise, there weren’t many people just randomly sitting around in the guild.

Jake quickly met up with the receptionist and requested the making of the license for both of them. The woman did a quick interview with the girls, and then led them into another room. He stayed in the main room and ordered a nice coffee.

Why was there a coffee shop here? He knows not.

Why is there coffee here? I don’t know.

Actually, who cares?

After sipping the last drop of coffee from his cup, the girls came out of the room, both holding their own personal adventurer’s licence.

After they listened to the woman about what the license can give them, they left the guild and went through the streets leading to the west exit. But because it was still quite early in the morning, the person they were waiting for hadn’t come yet.

“So, who’s this guy you’re talking about? Is he powerful?”

“Insanely powerful…That’s an understatement…”

“Ho…What’s his name?”

“Well…Oh, hey, Zed! Over here!”

As Jake called out, Zed turned around to see Jake already waiting there, this time, with two girls standing beside him. Zed was quite surprised, but he kept his usual smile and walked up to them.

“Ah, you’re awake, young Jake. May you introduce me to these two girls?”

“This is Charlotte, she’s a friend of mine. And she’s Marie, also a friend.”

“I see…”

Zed silently stared at them for a moment. And then, a chill creeped up her shoulder as she felt his eyes shift colours. Suddenly, Marie felt like something was happening and quickly hid behind Charlotte, who was confused at her actions.

To Zed’s surprise, Marie actually sensed that he was examining their stats!

“…It seems your senses are much greater than that of any human being, Young Marie.”

“H-Huh?”

To his comment, Marie let out a small squeak as she slowly let go of Charlotte’s back. Charlotte was doing her best to comfort her, after all, she’s a shy and insecure girl! It’s her job as her friend to be at her side when she needs it!

Meanwhile, Jake only eyed Zed with suspicion.

“What’s that supposed to mean, Zed?”

“Just like I have said, her senses are much stronger than any other humans. She was able to sense my {Foresight}.”

“He…”

Jake thought about it for a moment. If what he said aligned with what he thought, then does that mean she has a sensing type ability? That’s awesome!...Wait, {Foresight} is able to do that?!

“But, her magic is also oddly strong. Her friend there is no different.”

“I see…”

After Marie was able to stop hiding behind Charlotte, Zed introduced himself, and explained that he used his {Foresight} to see into their past, and their future. He wasn’t very sure if that was true, but it is called ‘Foresight’! That should be one of its ability, right?

The more this goes on, the more powerful this skill seems, doesn’t it?

“Woah! You’re able to do that?! That’s crazy!”

“Yes! After all, I am a prophet!”

Zed said proudly as he stuck out his chest in pride. Whatever, prophet or not, this man is definitely broken in terms of his power level.

Is it perhaps over 9000?

“That aside, Zed, are we ready?”

“Hmm? Quite so! Do you wish to leave now?”

“Mmm…Yeah, sure, why not?”

With his confirmation, Zed led the group towards the guard. They showed the guard their personal licenses, and he let them leave. Now, they were out in the wilderness!

“Woah! So this is what it looks like outside!”

“I-It looks amazing…”

Just as the two girls were marvelling over how beautiful the flowing grass looks outside, Zed’s senses picked up something, and Jake’s instincts began tingling. Something was coming.

“C-Charlotte?”

Marie began to grow nervous as her senses picked up too that something was coming close, but Charlotte didn’t hear her and continued staring into the wilderness.

And then, it happened!

“Pupupu!”

Out from the ground, a single shroom came bursting out of the ground! It readily charged straight at the two girls, but because she knew pre-emptively, Marie pushed them both away from the shroom’s charge.

Saved at the last second!

“M-Marie?!”

“T-Thank goodness…”

Realising that it had missed, the shroom quickly turned around, but before it could finish, a knife was stabbed onto its head. “PUPU!”

“Marie. Charlotte. Please, kindly stay behind me.”

Zed said as he approached the shocked girls. Marie instinctively held onto Charlotte’s clothes. Her senses told her that more were coming!

“H-Hiii!”

“Puuu!”

“Pupupu!”

“Pupuuu!”

And then, one after another, shrooms began sprouting out of the ground. They made formation and circled them, Jake being the only one outside. Charlotte felt a shiver crawl on her back.

This wasn’t good…This was very not good!

But then, with confidence, Zed looked at them and said,

“Leave this to him. Let him be an example.”

And then, from the shadows, a shooting star was thrown out! It cut through the air, weaving itself into one of the shrooms, breaking the circle!

Poison spurted out, and splashed the other shrooms with the agonizing liquid, and they too began wailing in pain.

In an instant, one shroom has died, and two were disabled!

*Wuussh!*

From somewhere, a knife came and stabbed the head of one of the remaining shrooms. Several shooting stars flew in unison and hit two shrooms, the rest missing completely.

Seconds passed, and only 5 were left!

2 were disabled, and the rest were cowering in fear!

What was this hidden shadow attacking them? They did not know! One thing they knew, was that they picked on the wrong enemy!

*Puchi!*

And then, the same knife stuck on that dead shroom was plucked out and was stabbed into one of the three shrooms. It cried loudly to its friends as it easily lost its life.

The two remaining shrooms looked to the two disabled shrooms, but they weren’t disabled, they were dead! A couple shooting stars could be seen sticking out on the shrooms’ heads.

And then, from the shadow of the rising sun, a boy appeared with a knife, dripping with the blood of their fallen friends. A smile slowly formed as he threw away the blood.

Alex had finally reappeared!

His levels raised way above the levels of the shrooms, he was now a monster to them! But was that enough to catch up to Alex?

“Holy…How fast is he?”

“I…I don’t know…He’s so fast…”

The two girls could only stay there quietly as they watched the two remaining shrooms cower in fear, just like a beaten animal waiting to be preyed on.

Readying his knife, he raised his knife into the air.

And then, the sight of a knife piercing their heads was the last feeling they felt before dropping dead.

A complete victory!

Sheathing back his blade, a mirage of white orbs came flying out of the dead shrooms and into his chest. A warmth raged, and his body felt slightly stronger, but the feeling was fleeting and soon died out.

“Beautiful!”

Jake felt slightly uncomfortable as he felt that the praise was unworthy. After all, this man was a man capable of destroying that mother crab with a snap of his fingers, and that might not be his full strength.

Impossible? Certainly not!

“That was amazing!”

“Y-Yeah…!”

And then, Charlotte and Marie soon joined in and praised him too. A small itch could be felt creeping on his back. He scratched his cheeks awkwardly as he pleaded for them to stop.

They didn’t listen.

“Anyways…Zed, what should we do now?”

“Hmm…With this many people, the cave has become impossible to explore.”

“Huh? Why?”

As Zed was about to open his mouth, a lone shroom came sprouting from the ground, fiercely targeting Jake to avenge its fallen family.

*Snap*

However, the vengeance was short lived, as with a snap, the body of the shroom shook violently and exploded from the insides! Green poisonous blood spread outwards like a fountain. Its body was no more!

“Holy…”

Ignoring Charlotte, who’s eyes were sparkling intensely as she witnessed the instant kill of the shroom, while Marie was looking awkwardly from behind her back, Zed and Alex continued their conversation.

“The caves are meant to trap groups of people. We were able to enter because only you and I were inside.”

“I see…So, where are we going to next?”

“Hmm…The forest of Principles should suffice!”

“Forest of…What?”

“The forest of Principles. Look over there, Young Jake.”

Looking at the place Zed was pointing at, all he could see was a lush forest, with a thin but visible road leading into it. The inside looks extremely dark.

For some odd reason, doesn’t that place look like something out of a horror movie?

“W-We’re going…there…?”

Marie said softly, her voice trembling slightly. Jake put his hand over his head, as if to say ‘Ah, as expected.’ Well, it is expected. She is quite shy, and cutesy at times, so being afraid of ghosts and what not shouldn’t be that far of a stretch, now would it?

“Do not worry, Young Marie! For that place simply houses feral wolves and spirits!”

“W-Wolves…and s-spirits?”

Marie’s face turned incredible pale, almost as white as paper, but not enough. Slightly poor-quality paper perhaps?

“You do not have to worry! For I am here!”

Zed said with his chest stuck out in pride. Normally, Jake would cringe at that display, but after knowing just how powerful this man is, perhaps his pride he carries around as his baggage was appropriate…

“Shh…It’ll be okay…”

“B-But…”

“After all, Zed and Jake there are with us today!”

“M-Mu…”

Marie let out a soft purr and nodded slowly. Zed and Jake looked at each other, before shrugging their shoulders and sighed.

“Well, follow me!”

Zed courageously led them all towards the forest of Principles.

Actually, move back a bit. Why was the forest named the ‘Forest of Principles’ again?! I mean, how does that fit into the context?!

*Sounds of flipping paper*

Ah. Because it’s the first area the adventurers are recommended to go too…

Moving on, Zed led the group onto the road that led there. Zed was being as prideful as ever, Jake was casually following the walk, Charlotte was enjoying the nice breeze washing across, and Marie was being the little cat she was and was hiding behind Charlotte.

And then, trees began filling up the area around them. The area got slightly darker.

They had just entered the Forest of Principles!

…………

Meanwhile, somewhere elsewhere,

“Ah…That feels good~…”

Under the forever falling waterfall, coming from the cliffs above, the figure of Alex could be seen bathing himself in the falling water. He displayed a peaceful smile as he enjoyed the cool feeling of the water washing across his body.

Although, he wondered if doing this is really fine.

His chest is completely covered in bandages, after all…

And then, right in front of him, where a small lake was constantly filling up, the sight of a little crab surfing across the clear waters could be seen.

“Pii!”

The crab happily surfed around the lake, raising its small claws in the air as it continued to circle around endlessly. It looked quite bored.

Alex sent a lukewarm gaze at the little fellow.

And then, as he did one last wash over his hair, he stepped away from the waterfall and swam back. He wasn’t the best swimmer, so he could only do small paddles to move himself.

Hey, he couldn’t use the surfboard, alright? He’ll die.

Reaching out his hand, he grabbed onto the earth and stepped out of the water. Letting the water drip down his bare chest, his eyes stared out into the world before him.

“Now…Where am I exactly?!”