Beast

With a leather map in hand, Aldebaran set out on his adventure alone. Meadow had offered him some fruits for the adventure, but he turned them down.

"Better to save those for everyone else," he'd said, knowing how chaotic things still were back home.

The terrain was rough—steep inclines and uneven paths—but his wooden staff turned out to be more useful than he'd expected. It might've looked simple, but it had helped him navigate through some tough spots.

Now, Aldebaran found himself in the Forest of Slumber, deep in the Oakspire region. The neighboring area, Eanor, was close enough to visit. What threw him off, though, was how massive this forest was. It stretched across four whole regions, which was more than he'd anticipated.

"Huh, I'm so not built for hiking," he grumbled, his legs aching as he trudged along. "Where even am I?"

Pulling out the map, he scanned for his location. According to the markings, he should've been somewhere near a land filled with mushroom-like plants. But as he turned around, all he could see were endless trees and thick bushes.

"Man, don't tell me I'm lost," Aldebaran said, weaving his way through the trees. He then narrowed his eyes at an unfamiliar foliage. "Wait a second... this looks weird."

The moment he stepped closer, a sharp, foul stench hit him like a truck. He gagged, instantly covering his nose. "What the hell! What is this smell?"

It didn't take long to find the source. Just a few steps ahead, massive mushrooms loomed like natural skyscrapers, their caps stretching high above the forest floor. Smaller fungi of all shapes and colors clustered around, turning the ground into an alien landscape. The air shimmered with a misty haze, thick with the stench of rot and something chemical.

Aldebaran grimaced, stepping back. "Is this poisonous?"

[Yes.]

"Fuck!" he blurted, scrambling to retreat. "Couldn't have warned me earlier, huh? Damn system!"

He walked out of the fungi-filled zone, but the detour would make his destination even further away. His legs ached, and exhaustion weighed him down, but he couldn't afford to waste more time. Taking a deep breath, Aldebaran decided to take a calculated risk.

Gripping his staff, he activated his first skill. White Ember. A faint glow emerged from the staff's tip—not too bright, but enough to cut through the thick haze and guide him.

Each cast drained more of his energy, and it wasn't just once, he had to keep recasting the skill as the light flickered out after a few seconds. The range was frustratingly short, barely giving him a glimpse ahead.

"Is it because my skill level is low?"

[Correct. The maximum level of White Ember is 3. Its experience will increase based on how often you use it.]

"Fair enough," Aldebaran sighed. He moved forward, spot by spot, he navigated through the mist.

Aldebaran's breathing was ragged, the strain from overusing his skills mixing with the resistance of the swamp beneath his feet. The light of White Ember was becoming weaker, a reflection of his waning strength. He decided to stop under the violet mushroom, letting out a frustrated breath as he slumped onto the floor.

"I can't do this anymore," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. Pulling out a cloth as he tied it around his face as a makeshift mask against the air. "I need to rest for a minute."

The last of his light sputtered out. Just as he closed his eyes for a moment's reprieve, movement caught his attention. From the direction he had come, a shadow emerged—large and lumbering. At first, it looked like a shaped bush, but it shifted.

Aldebaran froze as the creature stepped into view. Its massive, five-meter-long frame was covered in coarse, bristled fur, and atop its head, a crest-like structure reminiscent of a chicken. The noise it made, however, was nothing like a bird—it screamed like a wild boar, but its overall size and shape resembled a bear.

"Is that… a Mystical Beast?"

[Yes, but low level. Just avoid it for now.]

Aldebaran forced himself to his feet, his body trembling as fear coursed through him. The beast was closing in, its movements growing faster with each step.

The vibrations beneath him signaled how close the creature was. When Aldebaran turned, he was stunned. The beast's monstrous face loomed before him, its mouth wide open, saliva dripping from its curved fangs. Those razor-sharp tusks ready to tear him apart.

Panic almost paralyzed him—but an idea struck. Desperation sharpened his focus as he raised his staff, forcing himself to chant the incantation. Summoning every ounce of stamina left in him, he unleashed White Ember at full might, blinding the creature.

Disoriented, it stumbled back and moved erratically. In its confused rampage, it smashed through the fungal forest, toppling one of the colossal mushrooms with a deafening crash.

Aldebaran didn't waste a second. Adrenaline surged through him as he sprinted. "What is that thing?"

[Sporecrest Maul. Master of the fungus region. Its sight is perfectly adapted to the mist, and the mushroom's substance fuels its strength. In other words, as long as it remains in the mist, its strength never diminishes.]

"So I have to lure it out of this swamp."

The Sporecrest shook its massive head, recovering from its disorientation. Despite the distance Aldebaran had managed to put between them, the beast locked onto him. It let out a roar before launching forward, moving with shocking speed.

"Shit!" Aldebaran cursed, his hands trembling as he readied himself to cast White Ember again. But before he could react, the beast did something unexpected. It leaped.

"What the—" Aldebaran's eyes widened in surprise as the Sporecrest soared through the air.

Thinking fast, he raised his staff and sent White Ember hurtling upward. The beast howled, but it remained unstoppable. It crashed down with thunderous force, sending shockwaves and tearing apart everything.

Aldebaran hurled through the air like a ragdoll, slamming through thick foliage and sending him tumbling out of the fungal swamp. His flight ended when he crashed into a tree, the impact sending him almost unconscious.

His vision blurred, every part of his body screamed in distress. Numbness crept over him like a shroud, and the weight of his own limbs seemed unbearable. If Sporecrest hadn't missed, there was no question—he'd be dead.

Sporecrest emerged from the cloud of dust and debris. Its monstrous form loomed through the haze, searching for its target. Then, with a snarl of triumph, its eyes locked onto Aldebaran.

"This is meaningless," he whispered, staring into the maw of doom. "Even after this rebirth... I'm still the same."

As the beast charged, Aldebaran's eyes fluttered shut, surrendering to its fate. But then a burst of light erupted, cutting through the forest. The brilliance forced his eyes open for the briefest moment, but he couldn't comprehend what he saw. Someone—a figure bathed in radiant light—had stepped between him and death.

The last thing Aldebaran heard was the Sporecrest's roar until everything went black as he plunged into unconsciousness, consumed by the darkness.