I stopped counting how many monsters I had fought.
At some point, counting loses its meaning.
The Valsmeer Forest was deceptively quiet. No screams, no obvious movement—only that constant sensation of being watched. Every step forward was met with heavy silence, as if the forest itself was holding its breath.
The mana within my body no longer flowed as smoothly as it had at the beginning.
It wasn't an obvious problem. There was no collapse.
It was something far more dangerous.
Sluggishness.
Every burst of mana required extra focus. Every minor enhancement consumed more than it should.
And that… wasn't normal.
I realized the reason after some time.
The forest itself.
The mana in the air was dense, but incompatible. Using it carelessly made the body work against itself—a slow, silent drain, unnoticed until it was already too late.
I stopped behind a thick tree, placed my hand against its trunk, and closed my eyes.
I breathed.
I recalibrated my flow.
Not with force—but with calm.
I opened my eyes at the exact moment something moved to my left.
Two E-rank monsters. Then a third. Then a fourth.
They surrounded me without a sound.
I didn't sigh. I didn't complain.
I moved.
The first strike was clean. The second as well. The third… slightly slower.
I noticed it immediately.
The timing of my sword wasn't perfect. I had to adjust mid-swing. I avoided injury—but at a cost.
I took a deep breath once the fight ended.
"It's still early… but the drain has begun."
I kept moving.
Time passed without me noticing.
Light in the forest no longer accurately reflected time. The sun was there, yes—but obscured, distorted, as if even daylight was losing its boundaries.
I fought.
Again and again.
E-rank monsters. Then two groups of D-rank. Then a lone D+.
Each time, I emerged victorious.
And each time… weaker.
The small wound on my arm hadn't fully closed. The shoulder injured earlier began to feel heavy. My breathing grew deeper.
Then, without warning, I made a mistake.
I was facing a D-rank monster—slender build, faster than average.
It attacked head-on. I dodged. Countered with a sideways strike.
But my foot slipped—half a step.
Just half a step.
It was enough.
Its claw tore into my side. Not deep—but the pain was sharp.
I retreated quickly, finished the fight with a direct strike, then dropped to one knee.
I pressed my hand against the wound.
The blood was warm.
"…"
I said nothing.
I stood up slowly.
The injury wasn't severe—but the timing was bad.
Very bad.
Less than ten minutes later, I realized I wasn't alone.
The air changed. The silence deepened.
Then… I heard movement.
Heavy. Slow. Multiple.
It wasn't one monster.
Three.
Three D-rank monsters—moving together.
Not a pack.
A group.
I took a step back.
"Damn it…
I can't retreat now. Not after coming this far."
I tightened my grip on the sword.
The remaining mana in my body wasn't enough for a prolonged fight. And they… wouldn't fall in a single blow.
The first attacked.
I dodged, severed its leg—but it didn't fall. The second struck from behind. The impact hit my back, driving the air from my lungs.
I rolled. Stood. Attacked.
The third charged straight at me.
A strike. Another. Blood. Sound. Pain.
At some point… I lost the rhythm.
Everything became reaction.
A blow blocked. A blow missed. A blow that hit me.
I took one down. Then the second.
But the third…
Was still standing.
I breathed heavily. My head spun. Mana… nearly empty.
It charged.
I couldn't dodge.
The claw pierced my chest.
Not deep—but enough.
I fell onto my back.
The fractured sky between the trees filled my vision. The light was too bright.
I heard its footsteps approaching.
Slowly.
"…So this is how it ends."
There was no panic. No regret.
Only cold realization.
If I made one more mistake… everything would end.
I raised my sword with difficulty. My body didn't respond immediately.
The monster lifted its claw.
And in that moment… I remembered something simple.
Not a technique. Not power.
Timing.
As the claw came down, I swung my sword upward with everything I had left—one strike, straight into the joint.
The monster roared. Lost its balance.
I forced myself forward and drove the sword into its neck.
The sound stopped.
Silence returned.
But I didn't move.
I lay there, breathing—slowly. With effort.
My heart pounded. My ears rang.
"…That was close."
Too close.
After some time—I don't know how long—I sat up, leaning my back against a tree. I wrapped the wound with a strip of cloth torn from my coat.
My hands were shaking.
Not from fear.
From exhaustion.
I lifted my head and looked deeper into the forest.
The pressure there… was stronger.
"Damn it…"
I closed my eyes for a moment.
Then stood up slowly.
Every step became calculated.
Every breath, monitored.
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