[10] A Distant Explosion

It was now the third day since we left the village.

So far, our only issue has been the large influx of food we've stockpiled. Due to the nature of my detection method, I couldn't control the reflex to kill whatever came within a 2-meter radius, resulting in more meat than I accounted for.

This wasn't a major problem, but at this rate, I wouldn't be surprised if my inventory was filled with squirrel meat before we reached the Capital.

King wasn't much help either. After waking up the first night to see me covered in more blood and meat than he could ever dream of, he started to compete to see who could kill the most during their shift. I would wake up to his bloodied tongue licking my face and the widest grin as he led me to his pile of dead animals. I doubted some of them came near our camp.

I tried explaining that his efforts were unnecessary and that I was still figuring out how to control this ability. The little brat only toned it down by half the next day.

I couldn't be too mad; we wouldn't have to worry about actively hunting, which allowed us to focus more on our journey during the day. Still, the unnecessary killing felt… unnatural.

It was a phenomenon King didn't fully grasp. It was in his nature to kill. Anything that entered his mouth was given a deserved death by his standards. At least this development helped him adjust to his new sleep schedule, and he woke me up each day with more vigor.

Aside from these changes, our routine stayed the same. The road remained dirt, and the scenery was still the same old shrub and bush.

From the map I bought from a traveling merchant, I understood that this part of the forest was particularly dense and vast, another reason for that town's decline in economy and overall health. There was a lot of ground to cover with little reward, making even the simplest trade routes difficult due to the distance alone. This was what appealed to me when I was running from bounty hunters.

Back then, I wasn't aware of anything other than my strong will to escape. I hadn't realized how far I had traveled from my 'spawn' point until I reached the village, barely breathing. I would have died if Master hadn't picked me up like the stray I was.

At our current pace, we should reach the edge of the forest and enter the Central Territory in a day or two. While the scenery wouldn't change much, the magic in the air shifted in each territory.

As the center of the Demon Continent, I was eager to see how different their magical fields would feel compared to the southeast—where I 'spawned'—and the east—the town.

King didn't share my excitement. The bear lay panting heavily on top of my head, looking half-dead with his exaggerated breaths. I doubted it was anything serious; he probably just wanted to make me feel guilty.

"You barely walked a mile, King," I said.

He responded with a weak flap against the side of my head, intending to hit harder but too exhausted to follow through.

"Complain all you want. I can't carry you all the time, you know."

As if on cue, King's breathing grew heavier. He shuffled around, ruining my ponytail as he tried to position himself to protest against the, maybe-excessive-maybe-not, exercise.

I thought it was ridiculous. He thought it was working. Soon, his breathing evened out, and I felt his magic flowing steadily again, no longer trying to help his heated skin cool down. He didn't move an inch, and it wasn't hard to figure out what he was up to.

I was baffled that he thought he could convince me he was still tired.

"You know, with you this close, I can feel your stamina and mana recovering, right?"

The stamina part was a lie, but it wasn't difficult to deduce from his steady breathing and relaxed nature.

He stiffened on my head, and I decided to address it properly. I carefully removed him from my head—his claws were tangled in my hair from all his fidgeting. The concerned look on his face as I untangled his claws told me he didn't mean to hurt me, so I didn't push it.

King pouted after making sure that I was alright. The puffiness of his face should be adorable if not for the genuine gleam in his eyes.

I kneeled in front of him and tried to connect his gaze with mine, to no luck. He was persistent in turning his head.

"Am I walking too fast for you, baby boy?" I softened my voice, reaching my hand out to soothe him.

The effect was immediate as he turned and nuzzled my hand, cooing as he nodded. He was still pouting, but he appreciated the affection.

I couldn't fault him. He wasn't used to this environment. He'd adjusted incredibly well, but that didn't change the fact that I'd uprooted him from his previous life. Pushing him to do more was unfair, especially when he was still getting used to waking up in the wilderness rather than a warm room and soft bed.

I should slow down. We didn't need to rush, after all; I was just being meticulous.

Pulling him close, I made sure he heard and felt my next words. "I can't carry you all the time, but we can take as many breaks as you need until you're ready. When you're walking with me, we'll go slower. Does that sound good?"

Immediately, his happy self returned. He nearly barked with a high-pitched growl as he licked my face repeatedly. I laughed at his childlike excitement, holding him tighter and playfully twisting my torso back and forth.

He wriggled free, becoming even more vocal as the news settled in his stubborn head.

I couldn't resist teasing him as he danced in a circle around me. With a finger to my chin, I hummed, "Was that a yes? Or a no? I'm not sure I understood you. Maybe we should stick to the pace we had earlier…"

King tackled me before I could finish, using his furry belly to muffle my mouth. His fur tickled me enough to make me sneeze, and I accidentally flung him off me.

He looked surprised by the force of the sneeze but burst into cackles when he saw the grin on my face, realizing I hadn't been serious.

I stood up, dusting myself off. "Let's get mo—"

BOOM!

A red light flashed from somewhere deep in the forest, followed by thick smoke.

"What is tha—"

BOOOM!

Another explosion shook the ground, and more smoke rose into the sky. Without a word, I placed King on my head and sprinted toward the source of the commotion.

Whatever it was, it felt dangerous. The direction came from the East Territory, I had some ideas about what it might be and bounty hunters was at the very top. The traces of their equipment and their dead corpses confirmed that.

I concealed our presence with magic. It was a poor spell, however, from the looks of the remains, the battles here were intense. They should be hell-bent on killing each other to dismiss that we were even here.

Sure enough, I could see two lone figures standing on opposite sides with their weapons drawn.