3rd Century, Year 63. Somewhere in the Hailan Forest.

"Hey, Cosmo, I wonder what our future will be like from now on? Think with me, we are almost 14 years old... Another year and we'll already be considered adults."

"Hmm... It's not as if the world is going to end, you know?"

"...You know, sometimes you can be so carefree that even I get scared!"

At this very moment, I am in the forest. I am not alone; I am with my childhood friend, Leo.

We are currently somewhere in the middle of the Hailan Forest, which is a large forest that sits right in the middle of three different kingdoms. It's really important because it helps to keep the peace between these countries. If any of the kingdoms tried to take over the forest, it would upset the other two and could start a big conflict. So, the forest acts as a sort of mediator, making sure everyone gets along and there's no trouble.

Furthermore, inside this forest, there are small, unorthodox tribes, outlaws, thieves, and unwanted races. It has everything.

In Leo's mind, only one thing kept hammering him:

How on earth will we find our way back?

We had definitely gotten lost in this massive forest. The dense foliage blocked out most of the sunlight, creating a thick fog that clung to our ankles, making it difficult to find any landmarks to help us orient ourselves. Even a simple footprint or an old wooden board, which might have come loose over time, would have been a great help in finding our way.

Leo had always had the spirit of an older brother to me, even though we were both the same age. And so, he would not rest until he found a way back.

"Oh no, let's just keep walking forever! I mean, who needs a break anyway? Our feet can handle it, right? We'll just keep walking until we drop from exhaustion!"

"Shut up, Cosmo."

By coincidence, after exhausting all possible places, he was right in front of him, sitting on top of a hill in the closed forest, staring into a small space between the foliage.

It is a fact that these ironies of mine do not go down well at the moment, but you know, I like it.

"I found..."

Leo quickly takes Cosmo by the arm, pulling him toward him.

"Whew, Leo, you're making too much noise!"

Leo's face was flushed, his unblinking eyes fixed on a small gap in the dense foliage, where a glimpse of a river stream flowing below the hill was visible. Cosmo couldn't fathom what could be so captivating about that particular spot, or why Leo's gaze had grown so intense. As a whirlwind of unanswered questions swirled in Cosmo's mind, the air around them seemed to grow denser with an inexplicable sense of foreboding.

"Dude, what are you doing? We have to get back soon. Nana will be worried, and I don't want to get another scolding."

"Wait... something strange is happening here."

They say that curiosity killed the cat. But in this case, Cosmo was consumed by it.

Cosmo let out a small sigh and reluctantly agreed to see what was on the other side.

"Let's see what's so special about this..." grumbled Cosmo.

As soon as Cosmo caught sight of the opening, his eyes widened and his face turned as red as a sunburn. His complexion seemed to change rapidly, almost like a chameleon. It was a strange sight to behold, as Cosmo was usually a more aloof and ironic person who rarely showed his emotions on his face so readily.

From the top of the hill, they had a stunning view that few could rival.

A group of elven women, standing unabashed, were crossing the creek below the river. Their skin was the color of fresh cream, reflecting the dappled light that filtered through the dense canopy. Some of the women had small, firm bodies, while others were blessed with ample curves. But as Leo's gaze swept over them, he noticed something else: scars and other signs of slavery, an ugly reminder of the darkness that lurked just beneath the surface of this idyllic scene.

"Leo, we should probably head out soon," Cosmo said calmly.

"Those women down there are likely slaves, and you know the kind of trouble we can get into if we're caught staring at them."

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He didn't sound particularly worried, but there was a hint of caution in his voice that made it clear he knew the risks involved.

Cosmo knew Leo was exaggerating, but it was not a total lie. In that region, life had no value; any misunderstanding or even small crimes could result in death.

"Okay, Leo. Let's get going."

It's amazing how you can change your mental state in seconds, Cosmo. One moment you were madly curious, and now you've managed to put your hand on your conscience.

The light jokes among themselves were interrupted forcibly.

"AAAAAAAHHH!"

A huge scream brought the boys back. What could have caused that scream? Could they find out? Leo asked himself all the time.

"Silence, you shit, come here little girl, I won't do you any harm."

"Leave me alone, you bastard."

"You bitch, did you just punch me? You slut, you're going to pay dearly for this."

In an act of desperation, the girl ran towards the rocks. They were slightly sharp rocks surrounded by aquatic vegetation, extremely slippery.

Leo knew she wouldn't get far.

And it wasn't long before she fell. One of the stones pierced her knee. She tried to scream, but her voice wouldn't come out. All the girls, who a short time ago were playing in the creek, had been surprised by bandits.

Thirsty bandits, who had nothing left to lose...

The result was obvious of what was going to happen at that moment: the girls' cries mixed with the sound of punches and broken bones. It was cruel, it was dirty, it was intolerable.

The boys were burning with anger, but that anger quickly drained away as they received a gentle tap on the back.

"Time to go back, boys."

It was Nana. Nana was always good at finding the boys, so it didn't take long to find them.

The boys turned around and walked away, along with Nana, amidst the startling sounds coming from the girls.

At that moment, even with anger, nothing new had happened under the sun that illuminated that immense forest.

And the anger was quickly replaced by indifference.

But only for one of them did the anger remain...

"Nana, what are we having for dinner?"

"Warth meat with root flakes, the way you love, Leo."

"And for me, Nana?"

"Hmmm..."

"For you, Cosmo, I made you some wood-fired rice and fried fish."

Her expression was warm, and that's why they loved Nana. Nana was the most important person to them.

"Cosmo, I've heard that lately you've been taking your studies in magic a little more seriously. What's up? Some little wizard girl you fell in love with?"

It wasn't hard to tell that Cosmo was in love, his face quickly turning red.

"No-no, Nana. It's just that I should at least learn the basics of magic so that I can keep up with Leo more closely."

Of course, no one believed Cosmo's lie. After all, Cosmo fell in love easily and always did his best in a certain subject to impress.

Leo, on the other hand, was extremely good at magic and astronomy. He excelled well, even though his education within the forest was extremely limited.

Leo also understood that Cosmo was not good at these subjects, but he knew that Cosmo had his qualities and strengths.

"Cosmo, Nana!"

After he had caught the attention of the people he loved the most, Leo held his hand up slightly and focused his gaze on the light coming into the forest.

"Before the light fades, I will show you something."

His hand began to glow brightly. It was a living white light. This light synthesized into a fixed point above Leo's palm, with each second this ball became more and more condensed. It was vibrant and strong, perfectly condensed.

Everyone at that moment understood what it was: it was the pure form of mana swallowing the little light present in the forest.

"So that's why you stayed so long in the locked room. I thought you had reached puberty and needed to relieve yourself again."

"Stop it, Nana! It only happened once!"

"Can I touch it, Leo?"

Cosmo was curious. He understood what it was, but he had never seen it.

"Sure, as long as you want to lose a finger."

"But if I touch it quickly, will it amount to anything?"

"Try your luck, Cosmo."

Even with the jokes in the air, Leo had reached the white stage of his Mana core. And that could become problematic. Some tribes might want to recruit Leo.

But the main thought that bordered Nana's mind was that Leo had potential. He had managed to purify his Mana core on his own, coming out of Dark to White, before his adulthood. Removing the impurities such as blood, fats, and other impurities is not such a simple thing.

It's a waste to leave him hidden in this forest.

"Nana?"

"Oh, hi!"

The boys couldn't understand what was going on in Nana's head, so only the most logical question could come up at that moment.

"We're hungry!"

"Right, right..."

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"Yes sir, there were two children who watched the whole thing."

"This could be problematic, my lord."

"Lift your head! And tell me, was there anyone else?"

"Yes, my lord. A woman with big reddish hair and a scar over her right eye. I couldn't feel any mana coming from her."

Upon finishing his report, the bandit was dismissed. It was a dirty, dark room with a wooden finish. There was only one chair in the middle, a throne in itself. Various animal horns decorated the throne, and sitting on it was a middle-aged man with a slight smile.

"So you still stick around the bushes, Demerara? The next gale will start soon, and I wonder how you will manage."

"Tell them to release the slave elves. And make use of their power to search the entire forest for someone that doesn't have mana."

As he finished the order, a great lightning bolt illuminated the dark room. The man sitting on the throne was revealed to have a totally burned face, his eyes charred and his nose torn off.

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