The next day Kael had to go back to the shop in hopes of gaining anymore to finally settle the current feud between his families unknown rival, however even if a customer decided to come into the shop there wasn’t any point because he didn’t even have anything to sell, now he though it was pretty pointless with him being here, he didn’t even need to sweep the floor anymore because of his magical broom, which he though might be even more precious than any of his actual weapons.
So, in the end he decided it was best to try and gain some items to sell, why hadn’t he though of this before? Well that’s simple, Kael had thought of this idea before in fact he’s wanted to do it, however the only thing that was stopping him was the danger that was awaiting him outside the city itself, the forest was littered with magical herbs dungeons and many other precious things but with great reward also came a great risk and that risk was creatures all the way up to gold rank littered the forest, however it would in fact be rare if he saw a gold rank beast it wasn’t too uncommon to not be accounted for.
Kael was now on the back of his new steed the [Night Rider] and he was heading to the great forest he could appreciate the speed at which his horse now travelled, it was about as fast as most cars could travel back in his old life, and it didn’t take long until he arrived, when he got there all he could see for miles where great tall standing redwood trees which together created a large canopy blocking out all sunlight creating this sence of twilight in the forest.
Kael dismounted, patting [Night Rider] on the nose as a thank-you. "Stay here," he told her softly, giving her a gentle nudge to make sure she stayed put.
The forest greeted him with silence, the kind that only a place untouched by civilization could offer. It was peaceful, yet Kael knew that calm could shift into danger at any moment. He gripped the hilt of his [Flame Blade], the weapon’s warmth reassuring as it pulsed in his hand. He didn’t need to be told twice that the blade was his greatest asset here. He himself wasn’t silver rank however his blade was so he was hoping to end most of his fights in as few hits as possible.
Kael began to walk deeper into the forest, his senses heightened. Every rustle of leaves, every faint shift in the wind, had him on edge. It wasn’t long before he heard a noise—a grunting, followed by the sound of heavy footsteps. He turned, instinctively raising his sword as a large creature emerged from the underbrush.
A boar, easily twice the size of the largest boar Kael had seen back home, charged toward him. Its tusks gleamed in the dim light, and its eyes burned with an aggressive gleam. The creature wasn’t the smartest, but it was powerful, and it wasn’t going to hesitate to attack.
Kael stood his ground, his muscles tense. The boar was fast, charging straight at him with a primal fury. Without thinking, Kael sidestepped just as the creature’s tusks swung toward him, narrowly avoiding the sharp horns. He swung his [Flame Blade] at the beast, the blade cutting through the air with a sharp hiss it sliced off a chunk of the creatures ear however he slightly missed his mark.
The boar grunted and staggered back, but it was far from defeated. It growled, pawing at the ground before charging again, faster this time.
Kael’s heart pounded in his chest. The [Flame Blade] flared to life as he focused, channelling his will through the sword. The blade blazed with heat, the fire spreading along the edge, and with a fluid motion, Kael swung it down in an arc. The strike landed squarely across the boar’s side, the fire sizzling as it burned through the creature's thick hide.
The boar let out a pained cry, stumbling backward, but it was still alive, still struggling. Kael’s confidence began to waver slightly. This wasn’t a fight he could afford to drag out. He needed to finish it quickly.
With a deep breath, Kael took another step forward. His grip tightened on the hilt of his sword as he moved with precise calculation. When the boar lunged again, Kael sidestepped, ducked, and slashed upward. The flames erupted from the blade, searing the boar’s flesh as he cleaved it from shoulder to side.
The creature collapsed, its body still twitching from the heat. Kael stood over it, breathing heavily. He wiped the sweat from his brow, trying to calm his racing heart. The fight had been close, and though the boar was far from a gold-tier threat or even silver, it still reminded Kael of the dangers lurking in the forest.
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It also made him realise that fighting beasts was different to fighting humans, you needed to give your blows strength it didn’t matter how sharp your sword was if you couldn’t swing it.
He bent down to examine the boar. Despite its formidable size and strength, it didn’t have much in the way of useful materials—except for one thing: its tusks. After a few moments of thought, Kael took the tusks and stashed them in his bag. They could be sold, or maybe combined into something useful later.
As Kael began to stand up, something else in the forest caught his attention. He could feel a faint, almost imperceptible pull in the air then it entered his chest, he felt a little stronger and closer to a new whole, like a drop of water in a glass, that must’ve been the beats essence bringing him closer to the silver rank, the whole rank up process had been studied but the results were rudimentary at best from what the bodies previous owner understood one would have to kill about 100 bronze tier beats or 50 silver to rank up to silver which sounded really harsh to Kael, how could someone be expected to kill 50 sliver beasts at the bronze rank, but what he didn’t know is that most people never make it to silver and if they do its mostly after years of fighting in large groups or buying encaged beats if you were rich.
He shook off the thought, turning his focus back to the present. The forest around him was quiet again, but Kael could feel the weight of its mysteries pressing in. There was still much to explore, and if he was going to find the materials needed to make his mark in the world, he had to stay sharp. He couldn’t afford to become complacent, not with his family depending on him.
With a deep breath, Kael began to walk deeper into the forest, his [Flame Blade] at the ready. He knew there would be more creatures to face—more tests of his strength and resolve. But now, he felt a sense of purpose that he hadn’t felt before. This wasn’t just about survival or gathering materials. It was about growth, about pushing himself to become something greater than he had been.
As he moved through the trees, Kael’s thoughts drifted to the silver rank again. If this was truly the path to becoming stronger, he had no choice but to follow it. The road to silver would be harsh, filled with more challenges than he could imagine. But as he felt the warmth of the [Flame Blade] in his hand, he knew that he wasn’t alone. The sword, the essence he had absorbed, and the path ahead—all of it was a part of him now.
And Kael would use everything at his disposal to carve his way forward.
After an entire day of battling through the forest, Kael had begun to adapt to the rhythm of the fight. He’d slain two more boars, a bronze-ranked snake, and a bronze-ranked goblin. However, after taking down the goblin, he had hurriedly retreated, wary that it might belong to a nearby clan. He couldn't afford to risk a confrontation with more enemies than he could handle. Along with the beasts, Kael had gathered a large quantity of herbs, which he could sell in the shop, ensuring that his trip wouldn’t be entirely for nothing.
As the sun began to set, casting long shadows through the forest, Kael decided it was time to head back to the city. The forest had been kind to him today, providing both the experience he needed and the materials he sought. His bag was now heavy with tusks, herbs, and a few other valuable odds and ends. The hunt had sharpened his skills, but it had also made him realize how much further he needed to go if he wanted to stand a chance against the more dangerous creatures lurking deeper in the woods.
Kael mounted [Night Rider], his new steed, and set off back towards the city. The horse’s speed was a comfort, and soon the dense forest began to give way to the more familiar sights of civilization. Despite the dangers he had faced, Kael couldn’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction. His strength was growing, and the thrill of the fight was slowly becoming second nature. But he knew there were still many more challenges ahead—beasts to face, rivals to contend with, and mysteries about his new powers to uncover.
As he approached the outskirts of the city, the familiar silhouette of the shop came into view. Kael felt a mix of relief and frustration. The money he’d earned today would help, but it still wouldn’t be enough to resolve everything. The feud between his family and their unknown rival wasn’t going to disappear with a few herbs and tusks. But it was a start.
He dismounted and led [Night Rider] to the stable behind the shop. “You did good today,” Kael murmured, giving the horse a reassuring pat before heading inside.
Kael’s last task of the day was to stock the shelves with the herbs he had collected, as well as the monster parts he had gained. He had gathered many useful herbs, all of them bronze rank, including [essence leaf], [Crimson Thorn], and [Silver root]. These herbs were highly sought after in the market, often used in potions and salves to enhance strength or heal wounds he didn’t quite know himself. He also had the tusks from the boar, the venom sacs from the snake, and the goblin’s medallion, all of which could be sold for a good price or potentially combined into something more valuable later.
He wasn’t quite sure as to what the goblin medallion was or its purpose as he hasn’t encountered goblins before or even heard about them, Kael made plans to investigate on his next journey to the forest.
After all his tasks were complete he jumped on [Night rider] and headed home for some well earned rest.