The morning air was crisp, carrying the distant sounds of a waking town—merchants setting up their stalls, the clatter of hooves on cobblestone, and the chatter of early risers. But inside the quiet household, Kazel was focused.
He tightened the sash, adjusted the sheath of his sword, and checked his dagger's and sword's edge before sliding it into place, ready for the journey ahead. He was methodical, treating this preparation as if he were marching into battle—because, in a way, he was.
Just as he secured the last of his gear, a voice broke the silence.
"Kazel, what are you doing?"
His mother, Lana, had approached, peering over his shoulder with curiosity. Her voice was gentle, but her eyes held concern.
Before he could answer, Noel, his father, who had been observing from his seat, lowered his cup of tea and arched a brow. "And where exactly are you planning to go, all geared up like that?"
Kazel didn't pause in his movements. "I'm heading out for a few days," he said casually, buckling his wrist guards. "With my friends."
His mother gasped softly, clasping her hands together. "Oh, my! My son has friends at last!"
Kazel almost faltered. ( Friends, huh? ) He hadn't lied—technically. But the idea of him having what his mother envisioned as a warm, cheerful group of companions felt… off.
Noel, however, was less interested in the details of friendship and far more intrigued by another possibility. He leaned forward, an amused smirk playing on his lips. "A woman friend?"
Kazel shot him a dry look, but before he could answer, his mother swatted Noel's arm with a disapproving glare. "Now, now, it's not our job to pry—at least not yet!" She then turned back to Kazel, her expression softening into that of a worried mother. "Be safe, alright? And take care of yourself."
Kazel's lips curved slightly. "Of course, Mother."
Lana gave him a final once-over, then reached forward to straighten his collar, a motherly instinct that she couldn't suppress. "Make sure to eat properly. And if it rains, find shelter quickly, alright?"
"Yes, yes," Kazel said, waving her hands away.
Noel chuckled but then met his son's gaze seriously. "Don't do anything reckless. And if something goes wrong, come back."
Kazel held his father's stare for a moment before nodding. He wouldn't make promises he couldn't keep, but he understood the concern behind the words.
With everything set, he turned toward the door, the weight of his weapons and supplies pressing against him like a reminder of what lay ahead.
As he stepped outside, the sunlight greeted him warmly. The town bustled in the distance, and beyond that, the Heir Forest awaited. He exhaled, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.
---
At the entrance of Heir Forest, a group of five cultivators stood in quiet anticipation. Their robes bore no insignias, no markings of allegiance—just practical gear suited for the dangers that lay ahead. Three women and two men, all seemingly in their early twenties, exchanged words in hushed tones, their expressions serious.
One of the women, with twin tails that swayed slightly in the morning breeze, suddenly caught sight of an approaching figure. A boy—no older than fourteen—stepped into view, his posture relaxed yet purposeful.
"Kid, are you lost?" she asked, raising a brow.
Kazel met her gaze without hesitation. "No, I want to join the expedition."
A brief silence fell over the group. The twin-tailed woman frowned. "Who brought you here? Whose younger brother are you?"
The others glanced at each other, shaking their heads.
"Not me.""Nope, don't know him.""Never seen him before."
Kazel sighed. "I'm not someone's little brother—I'm here for the Rare spirit beast."
That got their attention.
One of the men, tall and lean with an air of skepticism, narrowed his eyes. "Are you serious? Listen, kid, this isn't a game. We won't have time to babysit you if things get dangerous."
"You won't need to," Kazel replied casually. "If I die, just leave me."
The group was momentarily stunned.
The straight-haired woman, who had remained quiet until now, swallowed hard. That wasn't something a normal teenager would say.
The curly-haired woman tapped her spear against the ground. "Well… as long as you don't get in our way, I don't really care. We barely know each other as it is."
"Good," Kazel nodded, smirking slightly. "Then let's at least get introductions out of the way. You can call me Kazel."
The twin-tailed woman clicked her tongue but relented. "Yiren."
The straight-haired woman hesitated for a moment before offering her name. "Saya."
The curly-haired one smirked. "Lina."
The taller man crossed his arms. "Rui."
The last one, thinner and slightly awkward, gave a small nod. "Jang."
Kazel looked at each of them, then stretched his shoulders. "Alright then. Let's get going."
Yiren sighed, shaking her head. "You're really just forcing your way in, huh?"
"Why not?" Kazel tilted his head. "I won't be a burden. You'll see soon enough."
Lina chuckled. "Cocky. I like it. Alright, kid, let's see what you've got."
With that, the group turned toward the forest, the dense foliage ahead whispering with unseen movements.
As they ventured deeper into Heir Forest, Kazel glanced at his newfound companions. "So, what are your cultivation levels?"
Yiren clicked her tongue. "Kid."
"Kazel," he corrected.
She rolled her eyes. "Kazel, it's impolite to ask that."
"Really? I didn't know."
"Good, now you do. Don't ask again," Yiren said firmly.
Kazel shrugged, filing that bit of etiquette away for later. They walked in silence for a while, the forest growing denser around them. Shadows stretched between the thick trees, their twisted branches reaching toward the sky like skeletal fingers.
Then, a sharp whistle cut through the quiet.
They all turned to see Rui standing still, his gaze locked on something in the distance. He tilted his head, silently inviting the others to come closer.
As they did, Jang's neck slowly craned back, his mouth hanging open. "Woah…"
Before them lay mountains of skeletons—bones stacked haphazardly upon one another, forming eerie, jagged mounds. Some were old and brittle, while others were disturbingly fresh, their surfaces still stained with dried blood.
"Interesting," Lina murmured, a smirk playing on her lips. She glanced at Kazel. "How about it, kid? Still want to continue?"
Kazel's eyes gleamed as he took in the sight. To him, this wasn't a warning—it was his masterpiece. A battlefield preserved in ivory and crimson. A sign that a true predator called this place home.
His smirk widened. "I want that Rare spirit beast even more now."
Yiren exhaled, rubbing her temples. "There is something seriously wrong with you."
Rui chuckled, shaking his head. "That makes two of us thinking that."
"Enough gawking," Saya spoke for the first time in a while. Her voice was calm, but there was an underlying tension in it. "We should keep moving. Our target is in the deepest part of the forest."
With one last glance at the sea of bones, they pressed forward, each step taking them closer to whatever beast had made this place its hunting ground.
As they trekked deeper into the forest, the undergrowth rustled, and a Mustang Black Rabbit darted out into the clearing. Jang's eyes gleamed with excitement.
"I got this," he announced confidently.
Before anyone could react, he moved like a blur, his speed remarkable. With a precise and calculated strike, he severed the rabbit's throat before it could even attempt to escape. The beast fell limp, its body twitching once before going still.
The group let out impressed murmurs.
"Nice work, Jang," Rui nodded approvingly.
Lina smirked. "Fast and efficient. Not bad at all."
Yiren gave a small clap. "Show-off," she teased.
Jang chuckled as he wiped his blade clean. "Well, someone had to provide dinner."
While the others praised him, Kazel simply crossed his arms and leaned against a tree, his expression unreadable. Unlike the rest, he wasn't impressed in the slightest.
( So that's their standard of skill? ) he mused to himself, his smirk barely noticeable. ( Not bad, but far from extraordinary. )
--
By the time night fell, they had set up camp in a small clearing. A fire crackled at the center, casting flickering shadows over their resting forms. The Mustang Black Rabbit, now freshly roasted, sizzled on a makeshift spit.
As they ate, the conversation turned casual, each of them sharing bits of their past.
"I grew up near the Jade Basin," Rui said, chewing thoughtfully. "My family's been beast hunters for generations. Pretty much raised swinging a blade."
"My clan runs a blacksmithing business," Jang added. "Hunting spirit beasts helps me test weapons in real combat. Gotta see if what we forge is worth selling, right?"
"Family trade, huh?" Lina smirked. "I just hunt because I enjoy it. The thrill of it, the chase, the kill. Nothing gets the blood pumping quite like that."
Yiren rolled her eyes. "Figures."
Eventually, all eyes turned to Kazel.
"Your turn," Saya said, watching him curiously.
Kazel smiled wryly, leaning forward slightly. "Well, let's see... I'm dealing with a canceled arranged marriage and surviving a case of Soul Rot."
A beat of silence followed.
Jang, mid-bite, stopped chewing. Rui raised a brow. Lina tilted her head, intrigued. Yiren, who had been sipping her tea, almost choked.
"Wait, wait, wait—what?" she coughed, setting her cup down.
"A canceled engagement and Soul Rot?" Rui's tone shifted, his amusement fading into something more serious. "That's... quite the combination."
Jang whistled. "Damn, kid. That's rough."
Kazel chuckled, waving a hand dismissively. "It's not as dramatic as it sounds."
Lina gave him a knowing look. "Oh? Somehow, I doubt that."
Yiren sighed, crossing her arms. "Alright, you win. Your story beats ours in terms of sheer misfortune."
Saya, who had been quiet, spoke up. "How did you survive the Soul Rot?"
Kazel shrugged. "Just lucky, I guess."
The conversation shifted again, but the tone remained thoughtful. Even the most experienced cultivators among them knew how terrifying Soul Rot was. It was a death sentence more often than not. The fact that Kazel had lived through it said a lot.
For the first time that night, the group wasn't just seeing him as some reckless kid. He was someone who had already faced death once—and had come back stronger.
---
As Kazel lay in his tent, his mind drifted back to the mysterious woman from Pao Pao's store. His fingers tapped lightly against his knee in thought.
"Strange..." he muttered under his breath. "I'm sure she wasn't one of the three."
The thought lingered for a moment longer before he exhaled and closed his eyes.
Then—
A rustle.
His ears twitched. His body tensed.
The movement was subtle, barely noticeable, but to Kazel, it was as loud as a war drum in the silence of the night.
( That wasn't the wind. ).
Quietly, he slipped out of his bedroll, moving with the practiced ease of someone who had lived through ambushes before. Instead of stepping into the open, he melted into the shadows, choosing darkness over the moon's revealing light.
Through narrowed eyes, he observed the intruders. Their ragged clothing, exposed vests, and the greed in their eyes made it all too obvious.
Bandits.
In another part of the camp, Saya's peaceful slumber shattered as a rough hand clamped over her mouth. Her eyes snapped open in panic, but before she could react, cold steel pressed against the tender skin of her throat.
"Don't struggle," a hoarse voice warned, breath thick with the stench of alcohol. "Unless you want to bleed."
Her heart pounded against her ribs.
Meanwhile, other figures slinked through the campsite, their greedy hands rifling through bags and belongings.
"Check everything," one of them muttered. "Take anything valuable!"