Chapter 9 — The Hunter That Let Him Live

The forest went silent.

Not quiet.

Silent.

No insects.

No wind.

Even the distant howls of monsters had disappeared.

Kael stood completely still.

His fingers tightened around the Darven katana.

The Golden-Eyed Nightfang had stopped moving.

The other Nightfangs were frozen behind it.

For the first time since Kael had entered the Dark Forest, the monster that had confidently spoken to him looked afraid.

Its golden eyes stared into the darkness behind Kael.

Kael slowly turned.

Nothing.

Only trees.

Black trunks.

Thick mist.

And darkness.

Then—

BOOM.

A massive tree several dozen meters away suddenly split in half.

Something had passed through it.

Kael's pupils contracted.

His Danger Sense exploded.

[DANGER.]

[DANGER.]

[THREAT ANALYSIS FAILED.]

[Target cannot be properly analyzed.]

[Level: ???]

[Grade: ???]

[Species: ???]

[Potential: ???]

[Threat: UNMEASURABLE]

Kael swallowed.

"Not good."

The Nightfang beside him suddenly spoke.

"Run."

Kael glanced at it.

"What?"

"RUN!"

The monster turned and disappeared into the trees.

Its companions followed immediately.

Kael didn't hesitate.

He sprinted in the opposite direction.

The Hunt

Branches whipped across Kael's face.

He didn't slow down.

His agility was already far beyond what it had been when he first entered the forest, but whatever was behind him didn't seem to care.

BOOM!

Another tree collapsed.

Kael glanced over his shoulder.

His blood turned cold.

Something enormous was moving between the trees.

He couldn't see its body.

Only two faint silver eyes occasionally appeared between the darkness.

It wasn't chasing him quickly.

It was walking.

And somehow, it was still catching up.

Kael immediately reached for his weapons.

"Darven MP-01."

The submachine gun appeared in his hand.

He turned while running and fired a burst toward the creature.

RATATATAT!

The magical rounds tore through the darkness.

For a moment—

Nothing happened.

Then the bullets simply stopped.

They floated in the air.

Kael's eyes widened.

The unknown creature hadn't even moved.

The bullets were suspended in front of it.

Then they fell harmlessly to the ground.

Kael's expression changed.

"That shouldn't be possible."

He immediately switched weapons.

"Darven SR-01."

The sniper rifle appeared.

Kael braced himself against a tree.

He activated Metal Reinforcement.

[Metal Reinforcement activated.]

[Darven SR-01 temporarily enhanced.]

[Grade: 4 Spirit → Grade 5 Rare.]

Kael aimed.

The creature was still approaching.

He fired.

BOOM!

The shot disappeared into the darkness.

For the first time, the creature stopped.

Kael's heart jumped.

Did it work?

Then a metallic sound echoed through the forest.

CLINK.

Something fell onto the ground.

Kael stared.

His sniper round.

It had been caught.

The creature had caught the projectile.

Kael's face went pale.

"Nope."

He immediately ran.

Behind him, something moved.

WHOOSH!

A dark shape flashed past.

Kael felt something strike his shoulder.

CRACK!

He was thrown several meters.

He crashed into the ground and rolled through the dirt.

"AGH!"

Pain shot through his shoulder.

His arm went numb for several seconds.

Kael forced himself up.

His clothes were torn.

A shallow cut ran across his shoulder.

Nothing serious.

But the message was clear.

He couldn't fight this thing.

Not now.

Maybe not for a very long time.

Kael looked toward the creature.

For the first time, he saw part of it.

A tall figure stood between the trees.

Humanoid.

Covered in dark armor.

Its face was hidden.

Only its silver eyes were visible.

Kael activated Threat Analysis again.

[Analysis failed.]

The creature stared at him.

It didn't attack.

Instead, it slowly raised one hand.

Kael prepared himself.

Then—

The creature pointed toward the ground.

Kael looked down.

His rusty awakening sword was hanging from his belt.

The creature's silver eyes focused on it.

Kael's expression changed.

"You know this sword?"

No answer.

The creature took one step forward.

Kael immediately raised his katana.

"Don't come any closer."

The creature stopped.

For several seconds, neither moved.

Then something completely unexpected happened.

The creature spoke.

Its voice was deep and strangely calm.

"Darven."

Kael froze.

The word echoed through the forest.

"...You know my family?"

The creature didn't answer.

Instead, it turned around.

Then it began walking away.

Kael stared.

"Wait!"

The creature stopped.

Without turning around, it said:

"Your father was wrong."

Kael's heart skipped.

"What?"

The creature continued walking.

"Your family was not destroyed because someone wanted your inheritance."

Kael's grip tightened around his katana.

"Then why?"

The creature disappeared into the darkness.

Its final words echoed through the trees.

"Because someone feared what your bloodline would eventually become."

Silence.

Kael stood motionless.

His mind raced.

His father had suspected the Northern Empire.

But his father had never told him that anyone feared the future of the Darven bloodline.

What exactly was Metal Control?

Why had the ancient battlefield appeared when he used it?

Why had the rusty sword forced his System awakening?

And why did this unknown creature recognize it?

Kael looked down at his hand.

For the first time, he wondered whether his father had truly told him everything.

He already knew the answer.

No.

A Cost

Kael suddenly heard movement behind him.

He spun around.

Three Nightfangs were standing nearby.

The Golden-Eyed Nightfang was among them.

Kael raised his weapon.

But the monster didn't attack.

Instead, it looked at the forest where the mysterious creature had disappeared.

"You met it."

Kael nodded cautiously.

"You know what it is?"

The Nightfang shook its head.

"No."

"You said something in this forest knows my blood."

"I said something in this forest has noticed your blood."

Kael frowned.

"What's the difference?"

The Golden-Eyed Nightfang smiled faintly.

"A great deal."

Kael didn't like that answer.

Before he could ask another question, a strange sound came from behind him.

Crack.

He looked down.

His Darven MP-01 was lying on the ground.

A large crack had appeared across its frame from the earlier attack.

Kael picked it up.

The weapon was damaged beyond immediate use.

He sighed.

"Great."

The Nightfang looked at the weapon.

"You create weapons?"

"Yes."

"Then create another."

Kael looked at it strangely.

"It's not that simple."

The Nightfang's golden eyes narrowed.

"For a Darven?"

Kael froze.

"What does that mean?"

The monster didn't answer.

It simply turned away.

"Follow me if you want to survive the night."

Kael hesitated.

Following an intelligent monster deeper into the forest was probably one of the worst decisions he could make.

But staying here alone after what had just happened wasn't much better.

He followed.

System Update

After nearly an hour of walking, Kael found a small cave hidden behind thick roots.

The Nightfang stopped outside.

"This place is safe."

Kael looked at it suspiciously.

"Why are you helping me?"

The monster stared at him.

"Because something stronger than me has taken interest in you."

"And?"

"And when powerful creatures become interested in something..."

Its golden eyes narrowed.

"...the surrounding creatures either leave or get involved."

Kael understood.

The forest wasn't becoming safer.

It was becoming more dangerous.

He entered the cave.

After making sure nothing was inside, Kael finally checked his status.

[Status]

Name: Kael Darven

Age: 11

Level: 4

Rank: F-Rank — Initiate

Mana: 24

Strength: 11

Agility: 14

Vitality: 12

Intelligence: 14

Metal Control: 41

Bloodline: Darven

System: Awakened

Skills:

• Basic Mana Manipulation — Intermediate
• Metal Control — Beginner
• Basic Swordsmanship — Beginner
• Basic Weapon Forging — Beginner
• Mana-Infused Weapon Creation — Beginner
• Metal Arsenal — Beginner
• Threat Analysis

Kael stared at the Mana value.

"24?"

He remembered his previous value.

The increase wasn't from leveling.

His training had slowly increased his mana capacity.

That was useful.

But not nearly enough.

Kael looked at his damaged weapons.

His MP-01 was unusable.

The SR-01 had survived, but the Metal Reinforcement had consumed a large amount of mana.

The rest of his arsenal was still intact.

For now.

Kael clenched his fist.

He needed stronger weapons.

Better control.

Better combat instincts.

And most importantly—

He needed answers.

The creature's words kept repeating in his mind.

Your family was not destroyed because someone wanted your inheritance.

Someone feared what your bloodline would eventually become.

Kael looked toward the darkness outside the cave.

"Father..."

He whispered.

"What were you hiding from me?"

Far away, deep beneath the Dark Forest—

Something opened its eyes.

A faint crimson glow appeared in the darkness.

And beside it, ancient metal chains began to tremble.

CLINK.

CLINK.

CLINK.

Then a voice whispered:

"Another Darven has awakened."

The chains stopped moving.

For now.