With slow and steady steps, Arya approached the massive cave entrance, his senses on high alert. The small beast led the way, moving with familiarity, but it still maintained Arya's pace, as if aware of his cautiousness.

Upon reaching the entrance, Arya peered inside. The cave's sheer size was intimidating, but what surprised him more was the strange sight within.

The entire space beyond the entrance was bathed in a yellow hue, its rocky terrain barren and lifeless. There was nothing noteworthy inside—except for the oppressive aura lingering in the air.

It felt as if a massive, unseen beast was breathing deep within, its presence looming over everything.

A naturally formed pathway led deeper inside, but parts of it were broken and eroded, making the way forward uncertain.

As Arya observed the area, one thing became clear—this cave had remained untouched by humans for at least a year.

Even though they were still within the outer region of Dreadfall Forest, Arya felt a growing unease.

"Are you sure, little guy? Is it really safe for me to follow you inside?" he asked, his instincts warning him.

The small beast turned back and nodded, gesturing for Arya to proceed without worry.

Even with its reassurance, Arya hesitated. Was this beast leading him into a trap?

But then he reasoned—if it wanted him dead, it wouldn't need a trap. It was already strong enough to kill him at any time.

"...Alright, I'll trust you," Arya finally said.

The small beast stared at him for a moment, its deep eyes holding a strange complexity. Then, it turned away and continued forward.

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Unbeknownst to Arya, as the little beast faced away, its expression briefly twisted into grief. A single tear formed in its eye—before instantly evaporating into smoke.

Deeper Inside the Cave

As Arya followed the small bear-like beast, the scenery remained unchanged for a long time—barren, rocky, and eerily silent.

But after some distance, strange drawings began appearing on the cave walls.

At first, they were nothing but rough etchings, but there was something unsettling about them. Though crude, they carried a sense of life, as if the creatures depicted within them were watching.

Most of the drawings featured colossal beasts, their forms indistinct yet monstrous.

Arya couldn't tell whether they were the same beast in different poses or entirely different species. The details were unclear, but one thing was certain—they were massive.

For nearly two hours, Arya followed the small beast deeper into the cave, walking without encountering a single disturbance.

And then, at last, he reached the end.

At first, he thought they had reached a dead end, but then he noticed another gigantic entrance—an exit leading somewhere else.

But as Arya neared it, the aura from before surged again.

This time, it was stronger.

It pressed down on him, as if demanding submission.

Of course, it was only an illusion—the aura wasn't powerful enough to force him to kneel or even make him sweat. But the oppressive presence was undeniable.

The Mysterious Drawing at the Exit

Just before the exit, a large carving adorned the cave wall.

Unlike the earlier, rough sketches, this one was far more detailed.

It depicted a beast—bowing toward something unseen.

And unlike the others, this creature wore human-like equipment—a helmet and body armor.

Though its face remained indistinct, its posture radiated loyalty—as if it was kneeling before a great being.

Arya raised an eyebrow and glanced at the small beast beside him.

"Hey, shorty… don't tell me this is one of your ancestors?" he asked, half-joking. "If it is, they'd be disappointed with how tiny you turned out."

The small beast looked at him, then at the helmeted beast in the drawing—and nodded.

Arya blinked. "Wait… seriously?"

The small beast had confirmed it—this was one of its ancestors.

But before Arya could ask another question, the little creature shook its head.

"...No?" Arya frowned. "Didn't you just nod?"

He glanced back at the drawing, then at the small beast.

"But there's no way something this massive could be related to you. The size difference is ridiculous."

He paused, then reconsidered.

"Unless… your species is somehow related to this beast? Like a different branch of the same lineage?"

The small beast nodded again, confirming Arya's guess.

So, while not direct ancestors, they shared a connection—likely from the same species family.

The small beast then motioned for Arya's hand, just like when they had first met.

"Huh? What now?" Arya asked, extending his hand.

The creature grabbed his two fingers, the ones bearing his Seed Rings.

A faint glow surrounded them.

And suddenly—

The pressure from the aura vanished completely.

Arya raised an eyebrow. "You could do that this whole time? You should've helped me when we first entered the cave!"

The little creature simply rolled its eyes in response.

Ignoring Arya's complaints, it turned back toward the drawing, staring at it with deep thought.

It remained silent for a while, as if trying to recall something.

Then, without a word, it gestured for Arya to follow—leading the way toward the next entrance.