The rain had stopped by morning.
Nero stood at the mouth of the cave, watching the last drops fall from the purple leaves overhead. The forest was quiet save for the occasional rustle of the underbrush.
He had made his decision.
Today, he would gather the remaining twenty Seals of Sin.
He checked his equipment one final time. The Silver Blade hung at his waist, its edge still sharp despite a week of constant use. The satchel containing his rations, the map, and the Divine Elixirs rested against his hip.
This was just another hunt.
Nero took a slow breath and stepped out into the forest.
The black earth squelched beneath his boots. The air smelled of wet bark and rotting vegetation. Somewhere in the distance, he could hear the low bellow of something large moving through the trees.
He ignored it and began walking.
***
The first Hollow Wretch appeared an hour into his hunt.
