The dense forest seemed to hold its breath as the members of the Expedition Guild emerged from the shadows. I met the familiar faces who had rescued me from the castle dungeon once again.

Fidèle's eyes widened in surprise as he spotted me amidst the aftermath of my confrontation with the Giant Moose.

"Ferdinand? What in the realms are you doing here?" He asked.

I straightened up, trying to appear nonchalant despite the lingering ache in my body.

"Just a casual stroll in the woods, you know. And then, this giant moose happened to walk by right me."

Fidèle frowned.

"Casual stroll? Why would you put yourself in danger like this?"

I raised an eyebrow, returning the question, "And why were you hunting a giant moose? "

Fidèle sighed, "It's a guild mission. The Giant Moose has been causing disturbances in the nearby villages. We were assigned to deal with it."

The other two members exchanged disappointed glances. It seemed like they were hoping to claim the beast as their own kill.

"I apologize," I said, genuinely feeling responsible for disrupting their mission.

"Is there anything I can do to make it right?"

Fidèle signaled to them to stand down.

"Radclive, Locven, the bounty remains ours to claim.”

“Even if you've taken it down.” He pointed at me.

“However, you should join the Expedition Guild officially. It's dangerous to roam these woods alone, especially with creatures roaming like this." Fidèle continued.

Eveline approached me, her concern evident in her eyes. She looked wary of me, so I deactivated my [Magic Eye]. She doesn’t seem to be able to see it, but her wary look tells me that she can sense it.

"Ferdinand, are you okay? You could have gotten yourself killed out here." Her cautious look now worried.

Nicostratos, ever the pragmatic one, interrupted, "Such a reckless move.”

“How did you manage to stay relatively uninjured? And what in the realms were you thinking, pulling off such reckless stunts?" Fidèle continued.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

I shifted uncomfortably, my face turning red.

"I was trying to test out some new magic abilities. It didn't go exactly as planned, but thank you for your concern." I murmured.

“Alright, everyone, let’s secure this catch before it wakes up.” Fidèle ordered.

As the guild members started binding the Giant Moose with restraints made from what seemed to be fine threads, Nicostratos continued to inspect the creature.

"This one's a feisty beast. Still alive, but we'll have to be cautious transporting it back to Eifansdoche. Do we still need to use Giant Spider Silk for this?"

I glanced at the restrained creature, feeling a mix of guilt and fascination. Fidèle then spoke up.

"We’re about to head back to Eifansdoche. Aren’t you coming with us, Ferdinand?"

I thought for a moment and then suggested we head back to the village.

"Kilarney is much closer. We can bring the creature there instead.” I replied.

Fidèle didn’t seem to agree with my idea, but he still considered my proposal.

"Kilarney, huh? We're a hunting party, and not everyone may welcome us with open arms. Are you sure about this?" He answered back with a question, his concern drawing on his face.

“Actually, I’m not sure myself.” I replied, realizing what he just said was true.

“Anyways, we might meet once again soon. We’ll head back to town.” Fidèle replied.

“You seem to be ignoring my question though. What are you doing out here?” He continued.

“He probably works in Kilarney now.” Nicostratos interrupted.

“Y-yeah… I’ve been staying there for a few days now.” I answered.

“I was worried that you’d find yourself back in that island.” Eveline sneered.

I remained in the forest despite the advices they gave me. I took out some food from the damaged pack that Eoin gave me. It kind of looked reminiscent of noodles, but these were crisp and didn’t seem to require anything else. Like a biscuit.

I activated my [Magic Eye] to scan my surroundings, but there didn’t seem to be anything of interest. I think that Giant Moose just found itself to me as it was trying to escape their party.

I took a quick glimpse of myself to see if I had significant injuries that I wasn’t aware of.

[Ferdinand Tamadito]

[Human]

Level 4

[XP:432/1264]

[Status]

Weariness: 22.04%

The person experiences some fatigue but can still handle regular activities without significant strain. Rest and recovery may be required after intense efforts.

Injured

Wounded. Regeneration rate [75%]

[Attributes]

Strength: 10

Dexterity: 10

Agility: 10

Intelligence: 10 [1,000]

Constitution: 25

Charisma: 10

[Buffs]

[You hail from a lineage of renowned magicians.]

[Intelligence multiplier +100%]

[Attains a heightened state of awareness, granting the ability to perceive and comprehend one's own stats with extraordinary clarity.]

I went back on my way to the village, eating the noodle crisps I took out earlier. It tasted odd for how sweet it was compared to how it looked.

The journey back to Kilarney was filled with a lingering sense of unease. As I approached the village, a knot tightened in my stomach.

Something felt amiss, and the air seemed charged with tension…

Upon reaching the outskirts, my worst fears materialized. Smoke billowed into the sky, and distant screams of panic reached my ears. Kilarney was in the grip of chaos.

Without a second thought, I sprinted towards the village, my heart pounding with each step. The flames painted an ominous picture against the night sky, devouring homes and shrouding the once serene surroundings in an orange glow.

As I neared the village entrance, I encountered what seemed to be a group of militias, who were on edge and armed. They immediately confronted me.

“You! Stop right there!” They shouted, ordering me to stand down. I saw a familiar face among them, who immediately lowered his guard and approached me. Then another one recognized me and stopped the others who were charging towards me.

“Fyrdie-lad! Come right over here quick!” Pádraig shouted, reassuring his companions not to be wary of me.

"Pádraig, what’s happening?" I gasped, catching my breath.

He looked grim, his eyes reflecting the gravity of the situation. "Invaders, Ferdinand. They came out of nowhere, attacking the village without warning. We need every able-bodied person to help defend. We just eliminated a group of them here."

The urgency in his voice spurred me into action. I nodded; my determination resolute.

"I'll fight alongside with you. Let's drive these invaders out!"

As I followed Padraig into the heart of the chaos, the distant echoes of battle cries and clashes of steel resonated through the air. Kilarney, which was once a peaceful refuge, was now a battleground.

The flames of chaos had engulfed the entire village, which just happened to have become my new home.

And I was determined to extinguish them.