Being bored in his room, just training all the time—Verc decided to go with his plan to explore the [Cursed Forest] deeper. The stone walls of his castle were sturdy and safe, but they had begun to feel like a cage after spending almost all of his time training inside of it.

He needed movement, he needed a challenge, and most of all, he needed to see what lay beyond the borders of his current knowledge.

"Are you sure you don’t need anyone to come with you, Lord Verc?"

Tatum asked. He stood at the front of the group of beastmen, his expression full of genuine concern.

Verc decided to go alone with this journey. No Onyx, no Bong. Just him.

"Yeah, I just want to clear my mind."

Verc said. He adjusted the straps of his gear, making sure everything was tight and secure. His voice was calm, but there was a flicker of excitement in his eyes that he couldn’t entirely hide.

Tatum, Jed, Ashley, and the others were here to see him off. They looked up at him with a mix of respect and worry. To them, Verc wasn’t just a leader; he was the reason they were still alive.

It wasn’t just them; Groo, Mamon, and the other orc leaders were there as well. They stood like massive pillars of muscle, their arms crossed over their chests.

Kuma, the leader of the gnolls, stood slightly to the side. He bowed his head deeply as Verc looked his way, his tail tucked slightly in a sign of submission and loyalty.

Then there were the three humans; Pwyll, Bernia, and Nara. Bernia looked a bit pale, clutching a book to her chest. Pwyll, on the other hand, gave a short, sharp nod. He understood the need for a warrior to test himself against the wild.

"Just take care of everything while I was away."

Verc instructed that, his gaze sweeping over the various leaders of his growing community. He wasn’t worried about their loyalty, but he wanted to make sure they stayed sharp.

At his words—the others nodded their heads with a resolute look on their faces. They took the order as a sacred duty.

"We will not let a single blade of grass be harmed in your absence, Lord Verc!"

Groo declared, his deep voice vibrating in the air.

Then, Verc turned to Nara. The little girl had Onyx in her arms. The puppy was squirming, sensing that Verc was about to leave, but Nara held him tight, her small face set in a determined pout.

He patted both of them on their heads.

"Take care of each other."

Then he said that, smiling a little.

... ... ...

Anyway, Verc didn’t say much about goodbyes. He’s not used to it after all. In his old life and his new one, he had always been someone who moved forward without looking back too much.

And so, after quickly packing just a few outfits and the essentials in his spatial pouch—he quickly left the castle and his territory all and all.

He didn’t want a long, drawn-out ceremony. He just turned toward the north and started walking.

He told the others to inform everyone of his leave just after he was gone. He didn’t want the whole village following him to the treeline. He preferred to slip away unnoticed

***

(Verc’s POV)

I walked at a steady pace, my boots crunching softly on the carpet of dead leaves and dark moss. The air changed almost immediately when I left the clearing.

The mana in the air was thicker, heavier.

"It’s been a while since I’ve been alone by myself."

I muttered as I walked north deeper into the [Cursed Forest].

It’s been an hour since I left the castle, and the familiar sounds of the forge and the village had long since faded away, replaced by the eerie silence of the deep woods.

-KIEEEEEK!!!

A sudden screech echoed from the canopy above. A large, bat-like monster with multiple glowing eyes dropped from a branch, its claws extended and dripping with venom.

SLASH—!

I didn’t even break my stride. With a single, fluid motion of my hand, a blade sliced through the air.

The monster was cut into two before it could even get close to me.

So far—Except for some loud, weak monsters; nothing really happened.

To me, these encounters were barely even a distraction. I didn’t even bother to stop and collect their blood.

"Hmm..."

I scanned my surroundings using [Vibration Awareness] and by scattering my mana everywhere—but there were really nothing but trees and monsters near me.

My senses stretched out for hundreds of meters in every direction, mapping the twisted roots and the hidden burrows of the forest.

"..."

I stopped for a moment, looking up at the sky. The thick canopy made it hard to tell what time it was, but the shadows were long and jagged.

I don’t really know what I was expecting when I decided to journey the [Cursed Forest].

But there’s just really a feeling that there’s more into this place than just trees and aggressive monsters.

I mean, after all—even though this forest was full of monsters and they’re fairly strong...

’I just find it hard that those are the only reasons why this place remained unconquered for a long time.’

I had seen human greed firsthand. I knew that if it were just a matter of strong monsters, the empires of the world would have simply sent enough meat into the grinder to eventually clear it out. There had to be something else—a core, a curse, or a power that actively pushed back against civilization.

And because I built my base with the others here—I felt a new sense of responsibility. This wasn’t just a random forest anymore. It was our backyard.

"I need to find whatever it is and stop it before it reaches us."

I declared with a resolute look on my face. If there was a hidden boss or a source of corruption that made this forest "cursed," I wanted to be the one to find it first.

I didn’t want the village to be caught off guard by some ancient evil waking up.

Yes, it sounds like a lot of work, but to be honest—I’m also so bored that doing this even though it might take a while doesn’t seem that bad.

"Also, it’s for the safety of the territory. So everything is all good."

I said as he continued deeper into the forest.

I adjusted my direction slightly, heading toward a mountain range I could see in the far distance, its peaks shrouded in purple mist.

***

Meanwhile, as Verc had just set out deeper into the [Cursed Forest]—the expedition team that was sent out by the King and the Emperor was now travelling toward the forest to conquer it.

They’ve started their journey a week ago, but because the City of Saligao was cities away from their destination, it was a long and grueling march. The road was dusty, and the sun was unforgiving.

And because there are about a hundred of them in this expedition—the logistics were a nightmare. The nobles had insisted on sending their own forces as well to gain merit. They brought specialized guards, personal servants, and wagons full of luxury goods.

It would probably take a week or two more before they reach the edge of the forest. That is if no problem arises and they only take few breaks. But "few breaks" was not a concept the nobility understood.

Sons of nobles had come as well to try and hope to get some achievements in this expedition—the pace was miserable. They wanted to be heroes, but they didn’t want to deal with the reality of travel. Their lack of stamina and experience in travelling made the journey even slower than it already is.

"Ugh, those spoiled brats should’ve just stayed in their houses."

Stanford said with an annoyed look on his face. He wiped sweat from his brow, glaring at a nearby carriage where a young noble was complaining about the quality of the wine.

Stanford was also a son of a noble, but he was used to the rough travelling because he joined the paladins at an early age, and seeing this military operation move like a sluggish snail was grating on his nerves.

Elianna and Kael didn’t say anything, but they understand his frustration.

Especially Elianna. After all—those sons of nobles had tried a lot of ways to make a move on her throughout their travel. They saw the Saintess not as a holy figure, but as a prize to be won. They would ride up beside her, offering her shade, expensive snacks, or reciting terrible poetry.

Kael and his squad members tried their best to keep them away, but their persistence was just really something. The nobles didn’t take "no" for an answer easily when they felt their status protected them.

"I miss when we’re just travelling on our own."

Kael muttered under his breath, a bit tired from all the bullshit happening in their group. He looked back at the long line of wagons and horses, sighing deeply.

Before, they could cover twice the distance in half the time. They didn’t have to wait for someone to fix a broken wheel on a carriage full of silk pillows.

Everyone heard his words, and they all agreed with it. The silence that followed was heavy with nostalgia for a simpler time.

But then—they remembered him.

Verc.

They coincidentally met him and he joined them for a short while back then. And honestly, they liked him.

In fact, they still haven’t told anyone that the vampire/monster that killed the leaders of the City of Zore and caused a mess—was Verc.

"..."

Nobody said anything. They just kept walking, the sound of the marching soldiers and the creaking wagons filling the air.

’I wonder where and what he’s doing right now with Bong and Onyx.’

But that question appeared in their heads. Even in Elianna’s.

’Did he move on to somewhere else?’

She wondered.

She had a strange feeling that their paths would cross again, but she couldn’t tell if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

"Stay focused, everyone."

Elianna said softly, her voice snapping the others out of their thoughts.

"..."

Kael and the others just nodded their heads. And with that, they continued traveling