As they rode for a while, Karim suddenly looked around.
“We’ve reached the boundary of the central area.”
Although there were things around that couldn’t be seen in the southern region, the more accurate indicator was the dense mana concentration.
At some point, an intangible pressure had emerged. It meant they were getting closer to the central area.
The dense mana concentration didn’t just manifest as intangible pressure. It also had a significant impact on the ecology of the central area.
The ecology here was bigger and more powerful than the forests in the south or north.
The trees were larger, and the grass was taller. Monsters were stronger, and there were generally more predators.
“Let’s slow down, friend.”
“Ruff!”
The silver wolf slowed down. Thanks to that, Karim could take a closer look at the scenery in the central area.
Animal bones were scattered all around. Some were just bones, while others still had flesh and blood on them.
Here and there, trees were bent, and tall grasses were cut in various places.
It was as if a fierce battle had taken place.
“It remains the same no matter when you come.”
It looked like the aftermath of a war, but it wasn’t. It was the fierce traces of survival in the wild.
The law of the jungle.
While all forests were like this, the central region was particularly so.
It was a place where fierce fights between powerful beings occurred frequently. It was not uncommon to witness cannibalism of the same kind.
Tigers prey on tigers, and bears preyed on bears.
Ogres preyed on ogres, minotaurs preyed on minotaurs.
This was such a place.
Karim didn’t understand why before, but now that he fully comprehended the power of mana, he understood.
It’s all because of the dense mana.
Mana promotes growth. Plants exposed to excessive mana grow even more. They become livelier and richer in nutrients.
Animals are the same. Depending on the characteristics of each species, they generally grow larger, faster, and stronger.
The reason this place became unusually abnormal was because of that.
“It’s not a place to stay for long in many ways.”
Karim had often come here. Before he became the chief, this was the place where he had captured the ogre. But he had little experience going deeper.
“But I still have to go in.”
He watched the surrounding scene for a moment before speeding up again.
Deeper inside.
—
Central region of the Kaizen Grand Forest. I knew it, but it was still a place that didn’t disappoint.
Enemies were abundant wherever I went. There were monsters lurking everywhere, aiming for their lives.
It was the same now.
Growl!
A large tiger with sharp claws was attacking from behind.
A monster tiger belonging to the category of animals, but with the combat power of a superior monster, it was a Saber Tiger.
Karim quickly bent his waist. The Saber Tiger brushed past his body.
“Tigers, quite sharp.”
It was truly cunning. It had been hiding in the tall bushes as tall as a person, waiting for the opportunity to silently attack from behind.
If it were anyone else, they would have undoubtedly been attacked. Perhaps they would have been killed instantly. The Saber Tiger was that stealthy and agile.
But it didn’t work on Karim.
Karim swung his axe with force. The faint blue light of the axe slashed through the Saber Tiger’s body.
Thunk!
The skin was so tough that even with the axe embedded, it wasn’t completely severed. About half was cut? Blood was flowing from the partially severed body.
“I didn’t put in enough force.”
He exerted more force. The blue light intensified. He swung the axe continuously.
Swish!
With a smooth sound, the remaining body of the Saber Tiger was completely severed. The Saber Tiger was split into two.
“A truly sturdy tiger.”
He immediately picked up the Saber Tiger’s claws.
“Lord asked me to bring this back.”
He heard that it would fetch a good price if sold. If Lord makes money, that’s fine too.
He wiped the tiger blood splattered on his face and stared at the bisected tiger corpse.
It was truly huge. It seemed to be one and a half times the size of an average Saber Tiger.
Moreover, the tiger’s skin was oddly dark. Perhaps this fellow had also been exposed to concentrated mana for a long time and had become this strong.
Karim imagined.
“What if our warriors conquer this place?”
It might be possible. They weren’t as strong as him, but the warriors were undoubtedly strong. However, there would definitely be significant casualties.
Karim shook his head.
“We’re still far from that.”
Someone might call it greed. But Karim was sincere.
He hoped that the proud orc warriors would not suffer even a little damage. He hoped they would win overwhelmingly with superior strength.
“But that’s okay.”
Being far from the goal meant there was much room for growth. It meant there was still a long way to go.
“Isn’t that right, friend?”
“Woof!”
The silver wolf answered energetically. Karim smiled.
Although he had come to an unfamiliar place he had never been to in his life, Karim was not afraid. He wasn’t lonely either.
He had the Lord and a friend to spend his life with.
Then, the silver wolf, who had been dozing off, suddenly leaped forward and swung its front paw vigorously.
“Woof!”
Thud!
Something was hit. Whatever it was, it crashed mercilessly to the ground. It fell so hard that dust rose.
“It’s a giant vampire bat.”
It was three times larger than an ordinary vampire bat. Perhaps it sucked blood in proportion to its large size.
Looking around, there was a large hole in the high cliff ahead, likely a cave. It seemed that the giant vampire bat had come from there.
“Thank you, friend. I feel safer with you around.”
“Woof!”
Karim stroked the wolf’s shiny silver fur and nodded his head.
“These sneak attacks are really frequent.”
It wasn’t like encountering top monsters like ogres or minotaurs.
Everything here was a threat. Even trivial things needed caution. If one got careless, they could lose their life to something as simple as a vampire bat.
Of course, Karim would never let that happen. His heightened senses could detect attacking enemies.
The problem was that it slowed him down.
“I can’t keep wandering around like this ignorantly.”
He needed to find a way. A more efficient way to find the legacy of the ancestors.
Karim didn’t know such a way. In the first place, it wasn’t certain whether it even existed.
But there was speculation.
“Friend, it seems we must make a decision.”
“Huh?”
“We’re heading to where the mana is thickest.”
Where mana is thickest, it’s also the most dangerous place.
Where no orc has ventured due to its danger, there lies what everyone desires.
That was Karim’s assumption, and he was sure of it.
Karim closed his eyes and pondered where the thickest concentration of mana might be.
“There.”
“Let’s go, friend.”
“Huh!”
The wolf and orc dashed through the wind.
Karim’s pattern of action was simple.
He moved towards where the concentration of mana felt strongest. Along the way, he defeated any beasts or monsters he encountered. After eliminating any obstacles, he moved on.
He rested when night fell. But he never slept outdoors. Karim had a super cheat called “Taehyung”.
When it became too dark to see anything, Taehyung summoned Karim to sleep in his own house. Then, the next day, he would summon him back.
Although Karim insisted it wasn’t necessary, Taehyung’s attitude was firm.
Unlike the orcs’ territory, the central area of the forest was teeming with monsters in every direction. There were dangerous plants, like carnivorous plants, and even animals were perilous. They could scream and attack even in sleep.
Taehyung was worried about that.
“Do you really need to suffer by going to buy stuff? We should go as comfortably as possible, right? Sleep comfortably when you can. And then, get back to it when it’s light. Right?”
Since the time ratio between dimensions was 1:1, there wasn’t much of a time difference, so it wasn’t a problem.
Moreover, there was no problem with food. If there was nothing to eat, Taehyung would provide. He could summon food to feed him.
There were also items like bread in the unique class shop that could be bought with low points, so it was okay to give him those.
So, he slept at Taehyung’s house, then moved through the forest during the day.
A week passed like this, and finally, they reached the place with the thickest concentration of mana.
“Wow. It’s hard to breathe.”
Taehyung shook his head.
The mana was so dense that it seemed like even his breathing was becoming labored.
If an ordinary person came here, they would surely not last long and would die of respiratory distress.
“Karim, are you okay?”
“It’s a bit suffocating, but I can bear it.”
“Oh, right. This feeling is your feeling, isn’t it? I forgot.”
If Taehyung was feeling this pressure, it meant Karim was feeling it too.
“My lord. Anyway, there’s no one here.”
“Indeed.”
Despite overcoming numerous enemies to come here, there was no one at the place with the thickest concentration of mana.
Only towering trees and thick bushes that made it difficult to see ahead.
“It’s really strange. With so many monsters before, why is there nothing here?”
Taehyung muttered, puzzled, but Karim didn’t see it that way. What was more important was the absence of any traces left by the ancestors here.
“Is there really no legacy left by the ancestors?”
As his assumption, which had been close to certainty, fell through, there was an inevitable sense of disappointment.
‘I must have hoped for too much.’
Not relying on luck and thoroughly honing one’s skills, as the Lord had said. It was about training in advance to prevent any future side effects.
Karim resolved to do just that. And now, he thought of going back and working hard with his fellow tribesmen.
“My lord, I think it’s time to return to the village. I must faithfully carry out the tasks you’ve given me.”
“No, why go back? Stay still for a moment.”
Taehyung looked around with the Summoner’s Eyes.
While there were monsters lurking elsewhere, there were no creatures at all in the place with the thickest mana.
No, it wasn’t just monsters; there were no living creatures moving at all. There weren’t even insects.
This was something that made no sense no matter how much one thought about it.
“Hmm. There must be something around here.”
Moreover, Taehyung had been feeling something since earlier.
It was a subtle irritation, as if poking at his nerves.
‘But I’m clearly looking through the Summoner’s Eyes.’
When looking through the summoner’s eyes in a 3rd Point of View, one did not share sensations with Karim. Naturally, one couldn’t feel any sensation at all.
However, Taehyung was clearly feeling sensations vividly now.
‘Am I finally going mad?’
Or is it a hallucination?
Even though it’s nothing, am I feeling pain, imagining that I can feel my senses?
‘I really might be going crazy.’
Or maybe it’s a result of growth.
As Karim and his bond grew stronger through the growth of the Link Skill, they also became more adept at handling mana.
‘Anyway, this system isn’t very friendly. Can’t it be a little more detailed like a game? “Your skill level has increased by 1!” How about that?’
Whatever it was, it wasn’t bad to try.
“Karim, try what I tell you to do. See that grass shaped like an arrow over there? Let’s go there.”
“Got it.”
Taehyung led Karim with detailed instructions.
…
“Yes. There. No, a bit more to the left. More, more, a little more! Okay! Stand there.”
“I’m standing. What’s next?”
“Under your feet, chop with your axe. Put all your strength into it. Push it deep into the ground.”
Karim cocked his head in confusion. But without questioning, he followed his lord’s command.
“It’s right under your feet. You have to hit the ground in front of you accurately. Don’t hit anywhere else. Can you do it?”
“That’s easy.”
Karim took a deep breath. As he exerted his strength, the muscles of his arms swelled, and the axe turned blue.
“Hyah!”
He struck with all his might.
Thud!
The axe sank deep into the ground.
Crackle!
The ground split open.
“I did it. What should I do now?”
Thunk, thunk, thunk!
“Huh?”
He couldn’t continue speaking. It was because geometric patterns suddenly appeared on the ground out of nowhere.
A geometric pattern drawing a large circle around where Karim stood.
Both Karim and Taehyung knew what it was.
“A magic circle…?”
Immediately after, a system window appeared only visible to Taehyung.
[You have unlocked the Seal Core!]
[Something hidden is revealed!]
Taehyung instinctively realized.
“We did it.”
The effort he had tried thinking it was worth a try had paid off.
“I found it! I found it!”
Taehyung clenched his right fist tightly and shouted triumphantly.
As they rode for a while, Karim suddenly looked around.
“We’ve reached the boundary of the central area.”
Although there were things around that couldn’t be seen in the southern region, the more accurate indicator was the dense mana concentration.
At some point, an intangible pressure had emerged. It meant they were getting closer to the central area.
The dense mana concentration didn’t just manifest as intangible pressure. It also had a significant impact on the ecology of the central area.
The ecology here was bigger and more powerful than the forests in the south or north.
The trees were larger, and the grass was taller. Monsters were stronger, and there were generally more predators.
“Let’s slow down, friend.”
“Ruff!”
The silver wolf slowed down. Thanks to that, Karim could take a closer look at the scenery in the central area.
Animal bones were scattered all around. Some were just bones, while others still had flesh and blood on them.
Here and there, trees were bent, and tall grasses were cut in various places.
It was as if a fierce battle had taken place.
“It remains the same no matter when you come.”
It looked like the aftermath of a war, but it wasn’t. It was the fierce traces of survival in the wild.
The law of the jungle.
While all forests were like this, the central region was particularly so.
It was a place where fierce fights between powerful beings occurred frequently. It was not uncommon to witness cannibalism of the same kind.
Tigers prey on tigers, and bears preyed on bears.
Ogres preyed on ogres, minotaurs preyed on minotaurs.
This was such a place.
Karim didn’t understand why before, but now that he fully comprehended the power of mana, he understood.
It’s all because of the dense mana.
Mana promotes growth. Plants exposed to excessive mana grow even more. They become livelier and richer in nutrients.
Animals are the same. Depending on the characteristics of each species, they generally grow larger, faster, and stronger.
The reason this place became unusually abnormal was because of that.
“It’s not a place to stay for long in many ways.”
Karim had often come here. Before he became the chief, this was the place where he had captured the ogre. But he had little experience going deeper.
“But I still have to go in.”
He watched the surrounding scene for a moment before speeding up again.
Deeper inside.
—
Central region of the Kaizen Grand Forest. I knew it, but it was still a place that didn’t disappoint.
Enemies were abundant wherever I went. There were monsters lurking everywhere, aiming for their lives.
It was the same now.
Growl!
A large tiger with sharp claws was attacking from behind.
A monster tiger belonging to the category of animals, but with the combat power of a superior monster, it was a Saber Tiger.
Karim quickly bent his waist. The Saber Tiger brushed past his body.
“Tigers, quite sharp.”
It was truly cunning. It had been hiding in the tall bushes as tall as a person, waiting for the opportunity to silently attack from behind.
If it were anyone else, they would have undoubtedly been attacked. Perhaps they would have been killed instantly. The Saber Tiger was that stealthy and agile.
But it didn’t work on Karim.
Karim swung his axe with force. The faint blue light of the axe slashed through the Saber Tiger’s body.
Thunk!
The skin was so tough that even with the axe embedded, it wasn’t completely severed. About half was cut? Blood was flowing from the partially severed body.
“I didn’t put in enough force.”
He exerted more force. The blue light intensified. He swung the axe continuously.
Swish!
With a smooth sound, the remaining body of the Saber Tiger was completely severed. The Saber Tiger was split into two.
“A truly sturdy tiger.”
He immediately picked up the Saber Tiger’s claws.
“Lord asked me to bring this back.”
He heard that it would fetch a good price if sold. If Lord makes money, that’s fine too.
He wiped the tiger blood splattered on his face and stared at the bisected tiger corpse.
It was truly huge. It seemed to be one and a half times the size of an average Saber Tiger.
Moreover, the tiger’s skin was oddly dark. Perhaps this fellow had also been exposed to concentrated mana for a long time and had become this strong.
Karim imagined.
“What if our warriors conquer this place?”
It might be possible. They weren’t as strong as him, but the warriors were undoubtedly strong. However, there would definitely be significant casualties.
Karim shook his head.
“We’re still far from that.”
Someone might call it greed. But Karim was sincere.
He hoped that the proud orc warriors would not suffer even a little damage. He hoped they would win overwhelmingly with superior strength.
“But that’s okay.”
Being far from the goal meant there was much room for growth. It meant there was still a long way to go.
“Isn’t that right, friend?”
“Woof!”
The silver wolf answered energetically. Karim smiled.
Although he had come to an unfamiliar place he had never been to in his life, Karim was not afraid. He wasn’t lonely either.
He had the Lord and a friend to spend his life with.
Then, the silver wolf, who had been dozing off, suddenly leaped forward and swung its front paw vigorously.
“Woof!”
Thud!
Something was hit. Whatever it was, it crashed mercilessly to the ground. It fell so hard that dust rose.
“It’s a giant vampire bat.”
It was three times larger than an ordinary vampire bat. Perhaps it sucked blood in proportion to its large size.
Looking around, there was a large hole in the high cliff ahead, likely a cave. It seemed that the giant vampire bat had come from there.
“Thank you, friend. I feel safer with you around.”
“Woof!”
Karim stroked the wolf’s shiny silver fur and nodded his head.
“These sneak attacks are really frequent.”
It wasn’t like encountering top monsters like ogres or minotaurs.
Everything here was a threat. Even trivial things needed caution. If one got careless, they could lose their life to something as simple as a vampire bat.
Of course, Karim would never let that happen. His heightened senses could detect attacking enemies.
The problem was that it slowed him down.
“I can’t keep wandering around like this ignorantly.”
He needed to find a way. A more efficient way to find the legacy of the ancestors.
Karim didn’t know such a way. In the first place, it wasn’t certain whether it even existed.
But there was speculation.
“Friend, it seems we must make a decision.”
“Huh?”
“We’re heading to where the mana is thickest.”
Where mana is thickest, it’s also the most dangerous place.
Where no orc has ventured due to its danger, there lies what everyone desires.
That was Karim’s assumption, and he was sure of it.
Karim closed his eyes and pondered where the thickest concentration of mana might be.
“There.”
“Let’s go, friend.”
“Huh!”
The wolf and orc dashed through the wind.
Karim’s pattern of action was simple.
He moved towards where the concentration of mana felt strongest. Along the way, he defeated any beasts or monsters he encountered. After eliminating any obstacles, he moved on.
He rested when night fell. But he never slept outdoors. Karim had a super cheat called “Taehyung”.
When it became too dark to see anything, Taehyung summoned Karim to sleep in his own house. Then, the next day, he would summon him back.
Although Karim insisted it wasn’t necessary, Taehyung’s attitude was firm.
Unlike the orcs’ territory, the central area of the forest was teeming with monsters in every direction. There were dangerous plants, like carnivorous plants, and even animals were perilous. They could scream and attack even in sleep.
Taehyung was worried about that.
“Do you really need to suffer by going to buy stuff? We should go as comfortably as possible, right? Sleep comfortably when you can. And then, get back to it when it’s light. Right?”
Since the time ratio between dimensions was 1:1, there wasn’t much of a time difference, so it wasn’t a problem.
Moreover, there was no problem with food. If there was nothing to eat, Taehyung would provide. He could summon food to feed him.
There were also items like bread in the unique class shop that could be bought with low points, so it was okay to give him those.
So, he slept at Taehyung’s house, then moved through the forest during the day.
A week passed like this, and finally, they reached the place with the thickest concentration of mana.
“Wow. It’s hard to breathe.”
Taehyung shook his head.
The mana was so dense that it seemed like even his breathing was becoming labored.
If an ordinary person came here, they would surely not last long and would die of respiratory distress.
“Karim, are you okay?”
“It’s a bit suffocating, but I can bear it.”
“Oh, right. This feeling is your feeling, isn’t it? I forgot.”
If Taehyung was feeling this pressure, it meant Karim was feeling it too.
“My lord. Anyway, there’s no one here.”
“Indeed.”
Despite overcoming numerous enemies to come here, there was no one at the place with the thickest concentration of mana.
Only towering trees and thick bushes that made it difficult to see ahead.
“It’s really strange. With so many monsters before, why is there nothing here?”
Taehyung muttered, puzzled, but Karim didn’t see it that way. What was more important was the absence of any traces left by the ancestors here.
“Is there really no legacy left by the ancestors?”
As his assumption, which had been close to certainty, fell through, there was an inevitable sense of disappointment.
‘I must have hoped for too much.’
Not relying on luck and thoroughly honing one’s skills, as the Lord had said. It was about training in advance to prevent any future side effects.
Karim resolved to do just that. And now, he thought of going back and working hard with his fellow tribesmen.
“My lord, I think it’s time to return to the village. I must faithfully carry out the tasks you’ve given me.”
“No, why go back? Stay still for a moment.”
Taehyung looked around with the Summoner’s Eyes.
While there were monsters lurking elsewhere, there were no creatures at all in the place with the thickest mana.
No, it wasn’t just monsters; there were no living creatures moving at all. There weren’t even insects.
This was something that made no sense no matter how much one thought about it.
“Hmm. There must be something around here.”
Moreover, Taehyung had been feeling something since earlier.
It was a subtle irritation, as if poking at his nerves.
‘But I’m clearly looking through the Summoner’s Eyes.’
When looking through the summoner’s eyes in a 3rd Point of View, one did not share sensations with Karim. Naturally, one couldn’t feel any sensation at all.
However, Taehyung was clearly feeling sensations vividly now.
‘Am I finally going mad?’
Or is it a hallucination?
Even though it’s nothing, am I feeling pain, imagining that I can feel my senses?
‘I really might be going crazy.’
Or maybe it’s a result of growth.
As Karim and his bond grew stronger through the growth of the Link Skill, they also became more adept at handling mana.
‘Anyway, this system isn’t very friendly. Can’t it be a little more detailed like a game? “Your skill level has increased by 1!” How about that?’
Whatever it was, it wasn’t bad to try.
“Karim, try what I tell you to do. See that grass shaped like an arrow over there? Let’s go there.”
“Got it.”
Taehyung led Karim with detailed instructions.
…
“Yes. There. No, a bit more to the left. More, more, a little more! Okay! Stand there.”
“I’m standing. What’s next?”
“Under your feet, chop with your axe. Put all your strength into it. Push it deep into the ground.”
Karim cocked his head in confusion. But without questioning, he followed his lord’s command.
“It’s right under your feet. You have to hit the ground in front of you accurately. Don’t hit anywhere else. Can you do it?”
“That’s easy.”
Karim took a deep breath. As he exerted his strength, the muscles of his arms swelled, and the axe turned blue.
“Hyah!”
He struck with all his might.
Thud!
The axe sank deep into the ground.
Crackle!
The ground split open.
“I did it. What should I do now?”
Thunk, thunk, thunk!
“Huh?”
He couldn’t continue speaking. It was because geometric patterns suddenly appeared on the ground out of nowhere.
A geometric pattern drawing a large circle around where Karim stood.
Both Karim and Taehyung knew what it was.
“A magic circle…?”
Immediately after, a system window appeared only visible to Taehyung.
[You have unlocked the Seal Core!]
[Something hidden is revealed!]
Taehyung instinctively realized.
“We did it.”
The effort he had tried thinking it was worth a try had paid off.
“I found it! I found it!”
Taehyung clenched his right fist tightly and shouted triumphantly.
