The forest

Karsu knew that every logical possibility pointed to him staying within the city. His pursuers would assume that his critical injuries would keep him from risking an escape—especially with the deadly forest encircling the place. What no one else knew, however, was that the forest wasn't deadly at that precise moment; the monsters' mating season had rendered it nearly empty, as the predatory creatures were busy fighting amongst themselves for mates, leaving the land clear except for a few non-aggressive beings.

His movement was a calculated risk—one that no one else could even fathom—and that was precisely what made it completely safe. With every step he took through the forest, his body bled slowly, yet he pressed on. He chose a shaded spot among the dense trees where he could rest without leaving any obvious trace. In his hand, he held a tiny creature barely a few centimeters long—a creature that should not have been there. The qiz… a strange being, each variant endowed with its own unique ability and distinct dietary needs. Some feed on minerals, others on energy, but this particular one was the Thread Qiz, and it hadn't eaten since the day Karsu entered the city. Now that he had left it behind, the opportunity to feed had arisen once more, drawing it back into his mental sea as it began absorbing the Mind Stone to nourish its qiz.

The Mind Stone is a rock that contains a large amount of stored energy, used both as a currency for trade and for refinement.

Day Three: The Dark Beginning

With hunger and pain intensifying, Karsu decided to hunt one of the "hallucinogenic qiz" creatures—the qiz that is attracted to the scent of poisonous mushrooms. He knew these creatures only revealed themselves through their aura, so he meticulously set his traps using the Thread Qiz and materials that interacted with his inner energy. After hours of laying the traps, as he rubbed mushroom leaves between his hands, he whispered somberly to himself:

"Time is not my friend… but they do not know that the nectar of despair creates my steeds."

Suddenly, a beast resembling a wolf with spiky skin roared, shattering the silence of the forest. Yet, with incredible speed, Karsu used the Thread Qiz to transform that beast from a "half-skull" classification (as a group) into minced meat.

"I was just wondering how I'd eat today," he mused.

Afterwards, Karsu set off in search of a particular cave he had heard about "before the return"—a time when he learned that a man had transformed from being poor to rich overnight! Though he had yet to explore this cave, it was close by, and indeed, he found it shortly after. There, he discovered refining materials and an enormous amount of energy stones.

(These are stones that store energy and are used to help refine a person; due to their value, they sometimes serve as a barter currency.)

He immediately began refining and recharging his energy.

Day Four: Hunting the Black Shadow Qiz

In a dense fog that cloaked the forest in its toxic shroud, Karsu headed toward an area known as the "Cemetery of Lights," where it was believed that the Black Shadow Qiz gathered at the full moon. He carried with him a rare bottle of black liquor mixed with drops of his own blood, knowing that this unique bait would attract the type drawn to the scent of liquor and blood. Hiding beneath the leaves of the Lithra plant, he climbed a hollow tree until he was within range of the qiz's red eyes—glowing like embers in the darkness. When the creature pounced, Karsu hurled a net made from the hair of the Hydra beast. At that moment, he unleashed his sea of energy, seizing the qiz as a beam began to form and intensify. After a few seconds, he finally absorbed it into his spiritual sea, where it was refined in moments—a result of the fear the qiz (a level-two qiz compared to the one within Karsu) instilled.

Then came Qaranus—a beast of level six!

(This means Qaranus is considered a level-six beast—a "six-skull" creature. Six-skull beasts are catastrophic, capable of annihilating entire civilizations and bloodlines. No human had seen one for seven hundred years—a catastrophe in which more than a billion humans were killed, and to this day, it remains unknown how the beast vanished!)

Day Five: Rebuilding the Traps Amidst the Rain

As the rain poured so heavily that it transformed the ground into a slippery swamp, Karsu realized that his old traps had lost their effectiveness. He did not give in; instead, he redesigned them using the sticky leaves of the Kara tree, blending in a mixture of aged honey that entices the Buraq Qiz. Later that night, when he heard the footsteps of Krax's guards approaching, he coldly whispered, "They will not be able to see… for the aura is hidden in their eyes."

Then, using the Hallucination Qiz, he projected scenes of breathtaking, fiery monsters around them and enhanced the qiz with his own aura, melting the soldiers' hearts into terror—they fled in panic.

Days Nine and Ten: The First Confrontation Between Karsu and Krax, the Fifth Commander of the City's Masters

On a vast plain near a hill, Krax stood, his body as rigid as a statue of embodied anger, his red eyes burning with hatred, his hands gripping his massive sword as if ready to shatter the entire world. Just a few steps away, Karsu stood untroubled—his hands clasped behind his back and a slight smile dancing on his lips, as if he were merely an amused spectator.

Krax (in a roar echoing through the abandoned walls):

"Return it to me… now!"

Karsu (raising an eyebrow, as if he had just heard a peculiar request):

"Interesting… You didn't say 'return it to us' but rather 'return it to me.' Have you begun to feel that you are alone in this war?"

Krax (stepping forward, his eyes blazing):

"Don't try to manipulate me, you filthy wretch! You know full well what you've done! How many men have been killed because of you? How many bodies torn apart by this pursuit? There is no place here for your usual tricks!"

Karsu (calmly, as if discussing a scientific matter):

"They aren't tricks, but facts… The difference is subtle, yet fundamental."

Krax (shouting, his voice carrying a mix of pain and anger):

"You killed my men! You destroyed me! And now, because of you… we will all perish!"

Karsu (tilting his head slightly, as if in deep contemplation):

"So, after all this, you finally understand the truth."

Krax (glaring with fury, his heart pounding like a war drum):

"Return the book to me… or no one will survive!"

Karsu (smiling coldly and lightly placing his hand over his chest):

"And the question is… why should I?"

Krax (seething, his body trembling with hatred):

"Because you will be buried with me if you do not!"

Karsu (laughing softly, as if the remark were more of a jest than a threat):

"Wrong assumption… Think a little, Krax. Here I am before you, even though I had every opportunity to flee… Does that not make you wonder?"

Krax (pausing briefly, then roaring):

"Stop playing with me!!"

Karsu (lowering his eyes momentarily before looking back at Krax, his voice calm yet laden with unbearable weight):

"If you're foolish enough to think I haven't calculated every step, then death is the least you deserve."

Krax (stepping back involuntarily, his breathing quickening):

"What… have you done?!"

Karsu (placing his hand on the leather cover of the book concealed beneath his cloak, smiling lightly):

"I did not steal the book, Krax… I only took what should never have been in your hands from the start."

Krax (struggling to control himself, his heart pounding wildly as his mind screamed belated warnings):

"You don't understand… The book isn't merely a possession; it is… a curse! Without its seal, we will all be doomed! Our master will die, the city will be erased!"

Karsu (with absolute calm):

"And who said I don't understand?"

Krax (his eyes widening as the wind's howl rises, as if the universe itself were holding its breath):

"Then… why?"

Karsu (stepping forward, his voice dropping to a deadly whisper):

"Because your death… is only the beginning."

The Roar of Battle, the Moments When Fates Are Decided

Rocks crashed to the ground with tremendous force, shattering tree trunks and stirring up a dense cloud of dust. Karsu, moving with the fluid grace of a dancing shadow, evaded the attack and altered his path—watching the trembling earth beneath his feet shudder under the might of the commander who wielded the Earth Qiz. The soldiers tried to encircle him, aware that letting him escape would be catastrophic, yet Karsu was not one to be easily contained.

The commander stood amid his troops, surrounded by stone walls that formed and shifted as if extensions of his body, his eyes scrutinizing every move Karsu made. Suddenly, his fingers dug into the ground, and the earth trembled before splitting apart, sending sharp stone pillars erupting upward in an attempt to tear Karsu from below. But as the rocks ascended, Karsu leapt backward, leaving only a blurred image in his wake.

Yet fate had another plan.

A resounding roar cut through the clamor, followed by a violent tremor in the earth that wasn't caused by the commander. Everyone turned to see a herd surging from between the trees—massive bodies moving like mountains at a terrifying pace, their red eyes glowing under the slanting sunlight.

The soldiers screamed as they tried to reform their defensive lines, but the beasts showed no mercy. Armor shattered under fists as large as boulders, and some were crushed under enormous feet. The commander attempted to use the Earth Qiz to erect barriers for his troops, but the rapid onslaught rendered his efforts nothing more than desperate measures to delay the inevitable.

Karsu, who until that moment had been in the very heart of the battlefield, needed only seconds to realize that this was his chance. With a swift motion, he dashed toward the trees, using the ensuing chaos as cover, while the beasts tore apart the soldiers who had been unfortunate enough not to escape.

Though the commander found himself in a desperate situation, he noticed Karsu's withdrawal and—rather than pursue him—planted his feet firmly, knowing that the forest would not easily release someone who had delved so deeply within. With a grim expression, he ordered the remnants of his troops to withdraw, leaving behind a scene engulfed in chaos as Karsu's shadow faded among the dense trees.

In the forest, Karsu faced yet another challenge with the "Healing Qiz" from the book—a creature that required honey for nourishment. With his supply depleted, he resorted to trading three energy stones, even though they provided only 70% of the basic nutritional power the qiz normally received.

Every step he took deeper into the forest brought with it an increasing sense of heaviness—not physical, but psychological. The trees arched overhead, intertwined as if to block his path, and the light from outside was reduced to mere faint strands filtering through the thick canopy. The high humidity clung to his skin, and the air was saturated with scents that needed no expert to recognize as a blend of life and death.

Yet, what caught his attention most was not the environment but the aura.

The place pulsed with a strange energy—not only ferocious but ancient, as if this forest were not merely a habitat for monsters, but a legacy of something older than humanity itself.

Karsu was no fool to enter such a place without a plan. In truth, this forest had been his target from the very beginning.

But now… the hunt had become the quarry.

At first, the sounds were faint—distant whispers among the branches—then, gradually, they grew louder…

In the darkness, amid the dense trees, tiny lights began to appear. Eyes stared at him without revealing themselves. Some glowed red, some yellow, but what made Karsu reassess the situation was the presence of green eyes—cold and steady, as if they belonged not merely to beasts… but to thinking creatures.

He didn't need to fight to know that the place was teeming with monsters classified above two skulls.

The Survivor Doesn't Move by Chance

Karsu was not a man to leave things to luck. He knew that facing these monsters meant certain death, yet he had not entered the forest to fight, but to claim its hidden treasures.

He understood that everything growing here was a weapon in its own right. The herbs that others might dismiss as mere wild plants were, in fact, precious materials—some poisonous, some granting extraordinary energy, and some potent enough to immobilize a mountain-sized beast.

But the real challenge was reaching them without attracting the attention of the lurking predators.

He held his breath, slowed his heartbeat, and allowed his aura to gradually vanish until he became one with the shadows. This was his true skill—not just fighting, but surviving in places from which no one ever emerges.

Slowly, swallowed by the encompassing darkness, he began to move… not as a human fleeing, but as a hunter treading cautiously through a lair of beasts.

The forest welcomed him… but at what cost?