Alaric stood tall, resting the axe on one shoulder, while the other hand was pressed against his hip. The old man was clearly showing off. “Aren’t I amazing?”

“No one likes a show off,” Levi said, unamused. But secretly he was amazed. On Earth, he had heard of eastern cultivation. One would have to channel their inner energy, kind of like how he meditated. But instead of simply replenishing mana, they compacted it, strengthened it. From a gaseous, to a liquid. From a liquid, to solid. He had read a lot of Chinese books like that.

And, this so-called ‘acting’ method the druids believed was kind of like that, in some ways. Instead of cultivating their energy, they cultivated the Ingredient they had fed their Birthright Seed.

“And this can only be done when one reaches the 3rd Tier?” Levi asked expectantly.

Alaric nodded. “Only once the path is in front of you, may you ‘act’ in the way that befits the ground,” he said, “Hey, isn’t the Academy holding its entrance exam soon? No doubt you’ll be heading there?”

“Shortly,” Levi said. “In truth, I wanted to experience the world a bit on my own, so that I may grow further than simply having my hand held.”

“Freedom is not so easy to obtain,” Alaric said, gazing into the forest. If the trees communicated with him, then no doubt he knew that Gregory was somewhere in the vicinity. He continued with a wistful smile, “I should know.”

“Thank you for your teachings,” Levi said. “If it works, I’ll be in your debt.”

“Then you can pay me back by beating those stuck-up noble children in the Imperial City,” Aleric said with a chuckle. “No doubt they need it.”

While he was here chatting, the ape-like beast was recovering. Levi was about to leave, when he said, “Who are you, anyway?”

“Just Aleric,” he replied. “Leaving so soon? I was going to offer you some tea.”

Levi shook his head. “I have a target to hunt. Don’t plan on leaving it alive, either. Although someone I know wouldn’t agree with that.”

“Once an enemy is formed,” said Aleric, “it’s best to dig it out by the roots.” Aleric pointed to a direction ahead. “It’s that way. Best of luck, boy.”

“Thanks, again,” Levi said, walking ahead. He half turned and smiled. “If you’re still here on the way back, I’ll take you up on that offer.”

“I’ll be here, as always.”

Levi waved to Aleric, and made his way through the titan-like trees. In his mind, he was attempting to pry into the character of the woodcutter. The way he talked and acted, made it clear he was someone from the Imperial City. The way he mentioned the noble children… Levi had half the mind to believe that he himself had kids of his own there, and he wanted Levi to teach them a thing or two.

One thing was certain, however, was that Levi was not as strong or as talented as he thought he was. Gregory only had half the story, and it seemed Aleric knew for certain, that there were more people just like Levi. That told him that Aleric, the druid, was a noble himself.

In theory, Levi should have stayed and got to know the man better. Should have tried to learn more about him. But he couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling niggling at the back of his mind. That he shouldn’t trust him, that he shouldn’t get close to him.

Maybe it was because of what happened with Rakor, or the fact there was a summoned demon after him and his treasures. Whatever the reason was, Levi found it hard to trust someone he had just met for the first time. Especially one so powerful.

It took around six hours before he left the primordial trees behind. The next terrain was a smaller forest, and Levi—even with his tracking inexperience—found the ape’s footprints. Or more accurately, the torn bark on the trees. The signs were clear: deep gouges in the trunks and broken branches showed the passage of something massive and powerful.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

As Levi moved deeper into the forest, he could sense something was watching him, eyes digging into his shoulders. The undergrowth was dense, and the canopy above blocked much of the sunlight, creating an eerie, shadow-filled atmosphere. Every step was careful and deliberate. His senses were on high alert, spear in hand and ready for any sudden attack.

A rustling in the treetops caught Levi’s attention. He looked up just in time to see a massive figure moving swiftly among the branches. It was the ape-like troll, and it had already set its sights on him. The creature’s eyes glowed with a cunning intelligence, and its long arms swung it effortlessly from tree to tree, staying out of reach. Wounds marred its body, both charred and bloody.

“Not so fast,” Levi muttered, planting his feet firmly on the ground. He hurled a fire javelin with precision, aiming to disrupt the monster’s movement. The fiery spear sliced through the air, leaving a trail of heat in its wake. The troll dodged, narrowly avoiding the attack.

The creature retaliated, launching a thick branch toward Levi with tremendous force. Levi ducked, the branch crashing behind him and sending a shower of leaves and debris into the air. He could feel the power behind the throw.

Using his mana, Levi set several invisible fire traps around the area. These magical mines would detonate when stepped on, providing a much-needed advantage against the agile troll. He hoped to draw it into a more vulnerable position.

“Come on, you overgrown monkey!” Levi shouted, activating Incite. His words, imbued with magic, echoed through the forest, taunting the troll.

The ape roared in response, its rage evident. It swung down from the trees, landing with a heavy thud that shook the ground. Levi watched as it charged toward him, its massive fists pounding the earth.

Levi backpedalled, keeping his spear between him and the beast. As the troll closed in, Levi threw another fire javelin, this time aimed at the base of a large tree. The explosion of flame ignited the dry wood, quickly spreading to the surrounding trees. Smoke filled the air, obscuring the troll’s vision and cutting off its escape route back into the treetops.

The troll hesitated, glancing nervously at the growing inferno. Levi seized the opportunity, darting forward with his spear. The point glowed with heat as he channelled mana into the weapon, extending his reach with each thrust. He aimed for the troll’s limbs, seeking to cripple its movements.

The ape-like monster roared in frustration, swiping at Levi with its massive hands. Each swing was powerful enough to snap bones, but Levi kept just out of reach, using his spear’s length to maintain distance. The fire in the trees crackled loudly, casting flickering shadows that danced around them.

“Is that all you’ve got?” Levi taunted again, pushing the troll further into rage. The creature lunged, stepping into one of Levi’s fire traps. The explosion was immediate and powerful, sending the troll stumbling backward, its leg scorched and bleeding.

Levi pressed the advantage. He could feel his mana reserves dwindling but knew he had to keep up the pressure. He lunged with his spear, striking the troll’s injured leg and drawing another roar of pain from the beast.

The troll, realising the precariousness of its situation, attempted to retreat once again. It turned and hobbled away, but Levi was relentless. He wouldn’t let it escape. Not this time. He chased the creature through the burning forest, the heat intensifying around them.

As they moved, the troll inadvertently triggered another of Levi’s traps. The explosion sent it sprawling to the ground, giving Levi a clear opening. He raised his spear, ready to deliver a decisive blow, but hesitated. The troll’s eyes met his, a flicker of desperation and fear within them.

The pause was enough for the troll to scramble back to its feet. It let out a final, defiant roar before turning and fleeing deeper into the forest, away from the flames.

Levi quickly glanced at his surroundings, ensuring that it was safe before slipping into Meditation. Within minutes, his mana was fully replenished, and he resumed his pursuit of the ape. He was certain the beast was a higher level than he initially thought, but he was close now; he could smell it—the blood, the fire.

As he ran, his target quickly vanished from sight. It wouldn’t be long before he lost it altogether. His legs were tiring, his pace slowing, but the ape wasn’t slowing down. Instinctively, he commanded the mana from his container down into his legs. The fiery nature of his magic swelled around his calves and thighs, imbuing them with flame as he did with his weapon.

His legs caught fire, and Levi gritted his teeth and pushed off the ground. He blasted forward, covering at least three times the distance he had previously. Soon, he caught up to his target, and with one final fire lance, he threw it with all the strength in his body, pouring his magic into the throw. Willing the fire enhancement into his arms and back, the lance shot through the air, the temperature rising dramatically. The magical weapon slammed into the beast, boring a hole deep in its back. It howled in pain and collapsed to the forest floor, where Levi was waiting.

He stood over the monster without hesitation. Opening his palm, he summoned a highly concentrated arrow of flames and shot it into the beast's skull, killing it instantly.

System notifications filled his vision as Levi grinned in victory.