Peter's POV

Walking through the dense highland forest was a hassle. The dense foliage made it hard to walk, and the course dirt made it even more difficult. wore down my shoes. Finding a fairly large and sturdy stick on the ground, I dusted it off and fashioned it into a makeshift walking stick. I knew the journey home would be easier than the journey to the mountains, as the elevation would be in my favor. But without a cohort, I would have to travel alone, and that was very dangerous. They say it is impossible to traverse a death zone such as the Orusan Mountains alone.

With predators in every corner and mana beasts that roamed the craggy cliffs of those accursed mountains. The forests that surrounded the mountains were relatively safer but still harbored dangers of their own. Walking swiftly yet carefully around a tree, I froze. In front of me was the corpse of a woodland stag, a middle-class mana beast.

It lay there, twitching as though it had been recently killed. I ran, I would definitely stand no chance against someone who could kill such a thing. I ran and ran, but it seemed nothing was following me, so I stopped to catch my breath. "By Solus, what the fuck was that? Whatever killed that didn't even eat it. The only wound I saw was a small hole in its neck. I don't even wanna know anymore... I wanna go home." I looked at the sun falling into the horizon and started to set up a makeshift camp for the night.

Waking up as the sun rose, I continued my journey south. The forest had been unexpectedly tame. I haven't even encountered a single living deer, let alone a mana beast. But what I encountered here were even more unsettling corpses, those of normal predators, and even a few mana beasts marked my path; they were all killed in the same manner, with a hole in the neck. This wasn't natural; the journey to the mountains was treacherous, and even with a paladin protecting us, we encountered a variety of dangerous creatures. But now? Nothing, not even a distant roar, could be heard. It was unsettling, but I wasn't going to waste the opportunity.

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So I headed south with even more haste. Food wasn't difficult to find here; there were a variety of berries and rabbits that inhabited these forests. Sharpening my makeshift walking stick with a piece of flint I found on the ground. I threw it with accuracy at a nearby rabbit. Javelin throwing was part of the training regiment of the Atarinskian Guard. After amateurishly skinning and gutting the rabbit. I started to cook it over a roaring fireplace and started to eat it. It didn't taste good, but as long as it kept me full, it would be fine. After a short-lived lunch, I continued my trek.

After five days of walking, I had finally exited the highland forests and entered the temperate plains, where I had stumbled upon a tranquil river. This river flowed with great abundance as it was rich in fish and fresh drinking water. I walked along the river downstream; it would lead to civilization. The views of the herds of bison on the flatlands were quite beautiful. Who knew after a near-death experience one could appreciate a peaceful view like this more?

I turned around and still saw the dark silhouette of the mountains; it sent a shiver down my spine. Not trying to think about it, I hurried on, hoping I would reach civilization soon. Two days have passed, and I think I see something on the horizon. City walls, which surrounded a bountiful river, and a castle that towered over them all. I was finally home. I started to run, not in fear but in excitement. In jubilation, I shouted,

"Finally! Finally!" Yes! "

And after an hour of that, I had reached the gates. They were still bloodstained from the recent siege, but it still gave me a sense of longing. I knocked on the gates, and a man stepped out; it was a guard. He asked,

"Peter! Hey, Why'd it take you so long to get back? Wait, where are Ronn and the rest of the cohort?"

I gave him a despondent look and said,

"the- they're gone..."

The guardsmen gave a shocked expression,

"No... No, that can't be."

I looked at the man with a steadfast demeanor and said,

"Quick, you must take me to Lord Notos."