The weekend finally arrived, bringing a much-needed break to the academy. After days of intense recovery and rebuilding efforts, the atmosphere was starting to lighten. Vital facilities were being rebuilt, with soldiers and volunteers pitching in to help.

The soldiers, many of whom were exhausted from recent battles, were granted extended breaks, enjoying a rare moment of respite. Faculty members and students alike volunteered to distribute supplies, while others took the opportunity to visit the town, relishing the semblance of normalcy that the weekend offered.

Despite the ongoing reconstruction, many parts of the town were still cordoned off, damaged by the recent battle. However, the open makeshift stores and public areas brought life back to the streets. Citizens and students helped each other to uplift the town’s spirits, filling the air with a sense of community and resilience. Even Shiro and his friends joined in, lending a hand to the local shops during their free time.

Ren, however, had a different plan for the weekend. While others enjoyed their break, he was preparing for a two-day trip, hoping to uncover something crucial to his survival in this world. But first, he needed to gather supplies—a task that had proven frustrating in his current circumstances.

Over the past few days, Ren had spent every spare moment learning about his skill Unexistence, and its limitations. The skill was, without a doubt, incredibly powerful. It rendered him virtually invisible, evading the senses of even the most elite members of SIN and the enigmatic priestess. Though Ren was certain they were searching for a way to detect him, he felt safe for now.

At first, Ren was disappointed by the modest gain of the timer, but the fact that the skill could be enhanced at all filled him with hope. If it could continue to improve, he might just survive this world’s challenges.

However, the skill’s drawbacks became glaringly apparent in everyday life. Finding a place to sleep was simple enough—Ren just located an empty bed and crashed there, knowing he wouldn’t be seen. But eating and other basic needs were a different story.

He couldn’t simply walk into the cafeteria or a store without drawing attention. Worse still, he didn’t have any money, and with the skill’s timer being so short, eating cooked food from the cafeteria was impossible.

His solution, while practical, left him feeling conflicted. When the military reinforcements arrived, they brought with them ample food supplies, including packs and snacks. Ren had taken to stealing what he needed from their trucks, just enough to survive. He couldn’t shake the guilt gnawing at him, but survival trumped morality in his situation.

The bathroom problem was another matter altogether. With limited time and privacy, Ren had to find secluded areas or trek to the nearby forest to handle his business. The first day had been the hardest, with him fumbling through the inconveniences of his new reality. But after a few days, he had adapted, learning to navigate the challenges of living unseen.

Despite the frustrations, Ren was slowly getting the hang of this life. It wasn’t ideal, and it was far from comfortable, but he was managing.

On Saturday morning, Ren moved quietly through the academy grounds, gathering the supplies he would need for his journey. He collected essential survival tools like a knife, matches, food, water, and basic medication in case of emergencies.

"Ugh, I never realized how hard it is to live like this," Ren muttered as he walked. "It's like being a ghost, but without all the benefits."

In recent days, Ren had gathered a fair bit of knowledge about his Unexistence skill. It was undoubtedly the strangest ability he had ever encountered in the game. There were so many different rules governing it—some helpful, others just frustrating.

For example, he had learned that as long as he held items on him or in his clothes, he could take them with him when he vanished. But if those items strayed too far from him while in that state, they would reappear in the physical world, out of his reach.

"Though that rule doesn’t seem to apply to the Origin Metal," Ren mused. "Since it's registered in my status screen."

This peculiar rule also extended to things like body waste, something Ren had discovered in a spectacularly embarrassing way.

"That memory is going to haunt me for the rest of my life," he groaned internally, vowing to take that secret to the grave. The only ones who would ever know are himself and the goddess.

As for the Origin Metal, he had discovered that it was far more versatile than he had initially thought. If needed, it could even transform into a modest tent, just big enough for one person. This unexpected utility gave Ren much more confidence as he prepared for his journey.

However, the problem lay in his destination.

His destination was the Eldaron Forest, the largest woodland on the continent. Spanning across multiple countries, the forest was a natural border for many, and its reputation was as vast as its size. Yet, the sheer size wasn’t what made Eldaron dangerous.

The forest was thick with mana, saturated by the mana vein that lay deep beneath its roots, stretching the entire length of the forest. Some experts theorized that the mana vein itself was responsible for creating the forest ages ago, and its presence gave the forest a magical quality. Mist hung in the air, and ancient trees towered above, their massive branches blotting out the sun.

But it wasn’t just the mana that made Eldaron perilous. The creatures that lived within were as formidable as the forest itself. Banshees, elementals, and other spectral beings thrived in the dense mana, making the forest deadly for anyone who wasn’t prepared. Even seasoned adventures hesitated before entering its depths.

The creatures might not be able to see Ren, thanks to his Unexistence skill, but he knew better than to underestimate them. His greatest concern, however, was the risk of getting lost. The forest was vast and largely uncharted in many places, and with his only guidance being general knowledge from the game, there was a real risk of wandering aimlessly which could prove fatal.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

But Ren had a clear goal in mind—something deep within the Eldaron Forest that could drastically change his fate. The risk was high, but the reward was too enticing to ignore.

“If I get my hands on that thing, it'll be the best moment of my life," Ren muttered to himself, the excitement bubbling inside him.

The only catch? He had two days to pull it off.

“Shiro and his friends will head to the capital on Monday morning, so I need to take care of this business fast.” Ren murmured as he finalized his preparations.

The journey to find what he sought would be hard enough, but returning after obtaining it? That would be an entirely different challenge. Ren could already imagine how the trip back could be nothing short of spectacular—if he even survived.

“Of course, that’s assuming I make it out alive,” Ren sighed, acknowledging the grim reality of his chances.

Once he had gathered everything he needed, Ren set off toward the town's edge, where the entrance to Eldaron loomed like a silent sentinel. Standing at the threshold, he paused, gazing into the forest. The path looked deceptively ordinary, much like any other forest trail.

He glanced back at the academy in the distance, a sense of uncertainty creeping in. Would he be able to return later? He pushed the thought away. “Well, here goes nothing,” he said aloud, forcing confidence into his voice.

With one last look, Ren turned his back on the academy and stepped into the dense woods, ready for whatever awaited him.

As he ventured deeper, the forest revealed its true nature. A thick mist rolled in from all directions, gradually enveloping him until his visibility was reduced to just a few meters. The trees, initially modest in size, grew larger with every step he took, soon towering above him like ancient skyscrapers. Their massive canopies stretched so high they blocked out most of the sunlight, casting eerie shadows over the forest floor.

The ground beneath his feet was soft, making the trek easier in terms of terrain, but the mist made navigation difficult. Ren glanced down at his watch—an item he had taken from the academy. It was still early, though the thick fog gave the forest a timeless, almost otherworldly feel.

“It really does look otherworldly,” Ren muttered as he took in his surroundings, both awed and uneasy.

The object of his search was a hidden relic, a secret piece from the game that had been lost to time long before the Dark Ages. It was the culmination of knowledge from the three ancient races: humans, elves, and dwarves. To find it, Ren needed to locate a specific marker that would confirm he was on the right path—a fallen shrine, a remnant of a lost civilization whose history had long since faded from the continent’s memory.

“I’ve got about nine hours until sunset,” Ren said, glancing upward at the sky, now barely visible through the trees. “Let’s hope my stamina holds out until tomorrow.”

Hours passed as Ren pressed forward. The forest was vast, and he had to be careful not to lose his way. He marked the trees with his knife to avoid accidentally doubling back. As he ventured deeper, he encountered creatures lurking in the mist.

The first was a banshee. Its ghostly figure drifted through the fog, its wails chilling Ren to the core. He froze for a moment, the hairs on his neck standing on end. Luckily, his Unexistence skill rendered him invisible to the creature, but the experience served as a grim reminder of the dangers lurking in the forest.

“That was scarier than any horror movies.” Ren whispered, his heartbeat slowly returning to normal.

The deeper he went, the more the forest seemed to pulse with mana. Each step brought him closer to his goal, but also closer to whatever unseen dangers lay ahead.

Elementals, beings made of pure mana, also roamed the forest, but like the banshees, they paid Ren no attention.

“The elementals look so cool, but those banshees... they’re straight out of a nightmare,” Ren muttered, watching the creatures move through the mist.

As he observed them, an idea formed in his mind. He glanced at his robe.

“Should I train here?” Ren murmured to himself. “I do need some combat experience.”

After mulling it over, he finally made his decision—he was going to fight.

With a press on his timer, Ren reappeared in the physical world, instantly drawing the attention of a nearby banshee. It let out a bone-chilling scream and rushed toward him.

“Damn, that scream sends shivers down my spine,” Ren muttered as he willed the Origin Metal to form into the greatsword. The handle fused with his right arm as he braced for the encounter.

The banshee attacked with wild ferocity, but Ren was ready.

“Here we go!” he shouted, dashing forward with the greatsword in hand. In a swift movement, he slashed through the banshee, cutting it cleanly in half.

Though he destroyed the banshee, Ren realized his movements were stiff. His body wasn’t used to this kind of exertion.

“My life as a gamer is really coming back to bite me now,” Ren sighed in frustration. But he had no time to dwell on it—more banshees were closing in.

“This... might be a problem,” Ren thought, eyeing the approaching enemies.

One banshee slashed at him from the side, but Ren managed to block with his sword. Using the flat of the blade, he pushed it back with a swift kick, sending the creature reeling. Without wasting a second, he rotated his sword and thrust it forward, piercing the banshee’s form.

Two more banshees charged from the left and right.

“It’s time to try something new,” Ren said, excitement tingling in his voice.

He positioned his sword downward with both hands, channeling mana into the blade. Energy surged through him, gathering around the sword as it began to gleam with a fierce light. Sparks flickered off the metal, and Ren felt his muscles strain under the pressure. But he had no more time.

“Take this!” Ren shouted as he slammed the sword into the ground, unleashing a massive shockwave that rippled through the forest. The banshees disintegrated as the force of the blast hurled them away.

But Ren wasn’t prepared for the aftermath.

“Shi—” Ren began, but the shockwave caught him too, throwing him backward. His body slammed into the ground, rolling painfully across the forest floor.

Groaning, Ren lay there, his body aching from head to toe. The Origin Metal shifted back into his robe as he caught his breath.

“Ouch... Definitely not doing that again until I can control it,” Ren muttered, wincing at the pain.

He lay still for a while, waiting for the discomfort to subside and the timer on his skill to run out.

“From now on, let’s stick to training... slowly,” Ren decided, dusting himself off once he could stand again.

From that point on, every time his skill’s cooldown ended, Ren used the opportunity to train. Sometimes he practiced swordplay against nearby enemies, and other times he focused on controlling his mana, trying to prevent it from flaring out of control.

Despite his efforts, the shrine remained elusive. As the sun began to set, Ren felt a wave of disappointment wash over him. He had hoped to find the shrine before nightfall, but the forest was proving even larger and more disorienting than he had anticipated.

Thankfully, he had packed enough supplies for an extra two days, just in case. The Origin Metal, now a comfortable robe, kept him warm as the temperature dropped, repelling both the heat of the day and the cold of night.

With dusk settling in and the forest growing darker, Ren decided it was time to set up camp. He found a relatively flat area, and with a thought, the Origin Metal transformed into a small, sturdy tent—just large enough to shield him from the elements. Inside, he checked his supplies and reflected on the day’s journey.

“I figured this might happen,” Ren sighed as he munched on a snack. “I just hope I find it in time.”

After organizing his thoughts for the next day, he settled into his makeshift tent. Though frustrated by the slow progress, he knew patience was key. Tomorrow, he hoped, would bring him closer to the fallen shrine.

Satisfied, Ren closed his eyes, allowing sleep to wash over him as he prepared for the challenges of the coming day.