All sound in the forest vanished. The rustle of wind stopped and the insects fell silent, as if nature held its breath, witnessing what had just happened. Time felt like it was crawling slowly. Right in front of Rian, the body of Catty, the panther who had been fighting fiercely moments ago, now lay shattered and stiff.
Her thick, jet-black fur was wet with a pool of blood that spread slowly over the ground and leaves. In that suffocating, total silence, the only remaining sound was a heavy thud:
"THUD..."
The ground trembled slightly.
"THUD..."
The Troll's footsteps were slow. Merciless, and unhurried. The foul stench from its body wafted over, stinging Rian's nose. The giant stone sword was raised again, its dense shadow creeping across Catty's corpse before finally engulfing Rian in darkness.
This is the end of my life. I really can't move at all, not to stand or even step. My leg is broken, my ribs feel like they're out of place.
At least, give me the chance to die beside Catty. But... it seems impossible. I'll be thrown or crushed by the troll's blow as it approaches me.
This is a very, very painful death for me. Even when I died before from slipping on a rock, I really didn't suffer this much.
I'm sorry Catty, sorry, sorry. I truly regret it, I was too stupid. Thank you for fighting and sacrificing your life for me, even if in the end your death was in vain. It doesn't change the fact of my foolishness, and I'll still die.
Tears streamed down Rian's cheeks, mixing with blood. The troll got closer, now looming right above him. The troll prepared to raise its stone sword to destroy Rian's body. The troll was ready to release its blow, striking from top to bottom. With all its strength, the troll released its attack quickly.
...
With the last embers of his fading consciousness, Rian caught the flash of a katana shrouded in red light. A single, graceful slash flew, severing the troll's head.
...
"Dukk..."
The sound of something heavy, something falling to the ground.
The troll's head.
...
...
A gust of wind held the blade in the air, then slammed into the creature until its regeneration stopped completely. The troll's body, which had previously risen relentlessly, now lay shattered in helpless pieces.
A humble old man floated down from above. His clothes were simple, just farmer's robes with a worn hood covering part of his face. He landed with a light movement, his body supported by the wind, then stood tall before the dead troll. Without glancing at Rian at all, he muttered, his voice cold:
"What a naive and reckless human."
He turned his body, walking away, as if he didn't care at all about the young man lying dying on the ground.
However, his steps stopped. From the corner of his eye, the old man saw Rian crawling with his remaining strength. Not toward safety, but toward Catty's lifeless body. The cat's body was large, even taller than Rian if it stood. Though his breath was ragged and blood was pouring, Rian kept trying to drag his body toward his friend.
Whoever that was, thank you for giving me the chance to end my life on Catty's body. I will meet her in another place. Wait for me, Catty... When we meet again, please punish me for this stupidity.
"Catty… I'm sorry…" Rian's voice was broken, weak, yet full of resolve.
He hugged Catty's body. Catty's black fur was now cold and lifeless. Tears fell hard, wetting the cat's face.
"I should have listened to you, Catty," Rian mumbled to Catty's lifeless body. "I thought I could be a hero, but I couldn't even protect my only friend."
Finally, darkness enveloped him.
The old man stood silently a few steps away. At first, he intended to leave. His intention in killing the troll was merely to maintain the forest's balance. Trolls were greedy creatures that had to be eliminated, not to save that reckless youth.
However, seeing the dying Rian still trying to protect and embrace his friend, the old man remembered the past. A memory of his own pet, a large cat that had once accompanied him on his travels. There was something in Rian's gaze, a loyalty, a sense of loss, and a sincere love, that made him stop.
He approached, and with a single light movement, lifted Rian's almost unconscious body.
One week passed.
Rian opened his eyes slowly. The scent of dry leaves and sandalwood filled his senses. He was lying on a bed of thick, soft, choice leaves, his body wrapped in thin cloth. Around him were natural, round wooden walls; not a normal building, but part of a hollowed-out giant tree trunk.
The room was neat and calm. A simple table, a wooden chair, and a dim light from a small hole in the wall accompanied him. There was no door, only a large opening covered by a cloth curtain.
Where am I? A house? Whose house is this? Where is Catty? My head still hurts.
He tried to sit. His body was weak but had enough strength to walk. His steps took him to a small window. From there, he saw the forest floor spread out five meters below. This house was truly in a tree.
Just then, a gust of wind entered, bringing with it the presence of the same old man. The old man stood outside the window, on a large branch, looking at him calmly while setting down his long katana.
"How are you? Better?" asked the old man, his voice flat but not as harsh as before.
"Not bad… much better," Rian answered nervously, trying to force a stiff smile. "Who are you? Did you save me? Where is Catty? Is she… alive?"
The old man looked straight into his eyes.
"I have given that cat a proper burial, behind this tree," he replied flatly.
Rian's eyes widened. Without a second thought, he leaped out the window, five meters from the ground.
"Hey! Don't be reckless! You could die if you misstep!" the old man shouted, quickly moving to another window to watch him jump.
However, Rian reflexively controlled wind magic, similar to how the old man descended from the air after slashing the troll. His body floated down and landed on the ground with a light thud.
The old man snorted, then smiled faintly.
"Interesting."
The ground behind the tree looked freshly disturbed, a new headstone marking Catty's grave. Around it, several old headstones were visible, covered in moss and weeds. The forest atmosphere was so quiet, only the sound of birds and the rustling wind kept it company. The scent of damp earth and decaying leaves rose, making the place feel sacred.
Rian knelt, touching Catty's headstone, then bowed his head. His fingers trembled as he traced the surface of the still-damp earth.
I'm so grateful, at least Catty's body wasn't abandoned in that rotten cave. And I haven't even had a chance to thank that old man.
The old man descended slowly from above, landing beside him. His movement was as smooth as a falling leaf.
"Was that cat your pet?" the old man asked, standing next to Rian.
"She… was more than a pet. Catty was my friend. My first friend in this world. And I killed her, because of my foolishness," Rian replied, tears beginning to fall again.
"This world?" the old man muttered, but didn't pursue it.
The old man let out a long sigh. His hand pointed to one of the mossy headstones. "I, too, lost a friend. A large cat. He accompanied me for many years while I roamed this forest. One day, while I was busy researching the river, he was resting alone. A troll came… and finished him. Since then, every time I see a troll, I kill it on sight," he said in a flat tone, a hint of regret veiled in his voice.
There was a long silence. Rian bowed his head deeply, while the old man stared at his own friend's grave.
"I built this treehouse long ago, just as a temporary stop," the old man continued slowly. "But after he died and I buried him here, I couldn't bring myself to leave. It felt… like leaving half of my soul. So I chose to live in this tree, to stay with him until the end of my life."
Rian's eyes widened slightly. For the first time, he saw the fragile side of such a mighty figure. There was a similarity between them; both had lost a friend they loved.
The old man looked at Rian sharply, then asked suddenly: "Do you want strength?"
Rian was stunned, but immediately remembered the old man's single slash that split the troll with ease. "Yes. I want to be strong," he replied.
"What do you want that strength for?" the old man narrowed his eyes.
Rian clenched his fists, his eyes glistening. "I want to fulfill my dream. To become a hero, to protect the people I love. I don't want to lose anyone ever again. Losing Catty was… painful enough," Rian explained, full of determination.
The old man looked at him for a long time, then nodded slowly. "Very well. Starting tomorrow, I will train you."
Rian nodded, then looked at Catty's headstone one more time.
Catty… I'm sorry I couldn't protect you. I promise, I will protect your entire race, all your brethren. Even with my life.
The old man turned for a moment, his heart stirred. "This boy… though weak, he has something worth inheriting: a resolute heart."
The forest wind blew gently, carrying a faint, familiar voice. "Thank you, master…"
Tears streamed again, but this time accompanied by a faint smile. "You're welcome, Catty."
He walked back toward the old man's treehouse. Staring at the massive tree trunk, he frowned. The tree was huge, perhaps two meters in diameter, and the entrance hole was high above.
Wait, wait. Getting down was easy, maybe because I saw the old man use wind magic to support his body when landing.
So... How do I get up? There's no ladder? Huh?
"Old man, where's the ladder?" he yelled from below.
The old man's voice echoed from the window: "Figure out how to get up yourself. If you can't, you sleep down there!"
Rian pondered. He recalled how his body had reflexively moved with wind magic earlier. He tried to feel the mana flow in his body. Behind the window, the old man watched. A faint smile graced his old face. Though his body was sometimes tired, his eyes still held authority and secrets.
Meanwhile, in the white world.
"You lost your friend only a few hours after meeting. Your foolishness is endless, Rian. This is truly entertaining," said Goddess Bodas with a mischievous smile, then, "Now, a former hero just happened to help you when he heard the troll's loud roar."
The Goddess drank her tea gracefully, then muttered again, "We'll see how long he can survive being trained by an old man who, in his youth, was called the Deadly Master."