CHAPTER 11 , SHADOWS OF THE NORTHERN FOREST
Night had fully descended upon the Northern Forest.
The darkness there was different from the darkness of cities. It was deeper, thicker, almost alive. The towering trees stretched endlessly into the sky, their branches twisting together like ancient claws that blocked most of the moonlight. Only thin rays of pale silver light managed to slip through the dense canopy, falling weakly upon the forest floor.
The ground was covered in damp soil, fallen leaves, and tangled roots. Every step released the faint smell of wet earth and moss. The forest air was cool and heavy, carrying the distant sounds of nocturnal creatures awakening for the night.
Jay walked steadily along the narrow forest path.
His cloak moved slightly with the wind as his sharp eyes scanned the darkness around him. He had already been traveling for hours since entering the forest earlier that day. His body showed no signs of exhaustion, but his mind remained completely alert.
The Northern Forest was not a place where someone could relax.
Danger here rarely showed itself openly.
It watched.
It waited.
Then it struck.
Jay suddenly stopped walking.
Something felt wrong.
The forest had grown too quiet.
Even the distant cries of birds had faded, leaving behind an unnatural silence. His instincts—honed through years of brutal training and countless battles in his previous life—warned him that something was approaching.
He slowed his breathing and listened carefully.
For several seconds, nothing happened.
Then—
A sharp whistle tore through the air.
A crossbow bolt shot out of the darkness and slammed into the tree trunk just inches from Jay's head.
The impact echoed loudly through the forest.
Jay moved instantly.
His body shifted sideways in a smooth motion, already preparing for the next attack.
From the shadows between the trees, figures slowly emerged.
One.
Two.
Three.
Then six.
They stepped into the dim moonlight like predators revealing themselves after a successful ambush.
Their clothing was dark and practical, clearly meant for blending into the forest at night. Cloth masks covered the lower halves of their faces, leaving only their cold eyes visible.
Each of them carried weapons.
Short swords.
Crossbows.
Daggers.
One of them, slightly taller than the others, stepped forward.
"So," the man said in a low voice. "We finally found you."
Jay studied them calmly.
"I assume you were looking for me," he replied.
The man chuckled softly.
"You caused quite a bit of trouble for the Iron Fang Gang last night."
Jay's expression did not change.
"So they sent hunters."
Another man stepped forward, spinning a dagger lazily in his hand.
"Our boss wants you alive," he said. "Apparently, you're interesting."
Jay tilted his head slightly.
"And if I refuse?"
The leader slowly raised his sword.
"Then we'll bring back your corpse instead."
The six men spread out, surrounding him in a loose circle.
They were experienced fighters.
They moved carefully, ensuring Jay had no clear path of escape.
Leaves crunched beneath their boots as they closed in.
For a moment, Jay stood completely still.
His eyes moved calmly from one opponent to the next, calculating distances, angles, and timing.
Three in front.
Two to the left.
One behind.
A perfect trap.
Then Jay exhaled slowly.
"It's been a long time," he murmured.
Before any of the bandits could react—
Jay vanished.
Not ran.
Not jumped.
Vanished.
One moment he was standing there.
The next moment the space he had occupied was empty.
The bandits froze.
"What the—?!"
"Where did he go?!"
Their eyes darted wildly across the dark forest.
But Jay had not truly disappeared.
He had activated a power he had not used in a very long time.
The Power of Hiddenness.
It was one of the rare abilities he had mastered in his previous life.
When activated, it erased nearly all traces of his presence.
His footsteps made no sound.
His breathing blended with the wind.
Even his life energy became almost impossible to detect.
To anyone relying on their senses, Jay had effectively ceased to exist.
There was only one weakness to this power.
If someone looked directly at him—if their eyes landed exactly where he stood—the concealment would fail.
But in a dark forest filled with shadows and confusion, that weakness was almost meaningless.
The bandits began turning in frantic circles.
"He's here somewhere!"
"Spread out!"
But they were already too late.
A faint movement flickered through the shadows.
Then—
A thin silver line flashed through the air.
One of the men stiffened.
A red line slowly appeared across his throat.
Blood followed.
He collapsed without a sound.
The others reacted instantly.
"Behind us!"
They spun around—
But Jay was no longer there.
He had already moved again.
Another flash.
Another body dropped.
Fear quickly replaced confidence on the bandits' faces.
"This… this isn't normal!"
"He's using some kind of magic!"
One of them swung his sword wildly into the darkness.
But he struck only empty air.
Jay moved through the shadows like a phantom.
Silent.
Invisible.
Precise.
Within seconds, another bandit fell.
Then another.
The forest swallowed their screams.
In less than a minute—
all six men lay motionless on the ground.
Silence returned to the Northern Forest.
For several moments, nothing moved.
Then Jay slowly stepped out from the darkness.
The faint concealment surrounding his body faded, and his presence returned to the world.
He inhaled deeply, steadying himself.
Using the Power of Hiddenness still required effort.
His abilities had not fully returned yet.
But even in its weakened state, the technique remained deadly.
Jay looked down at the fallen attackers.
"Iron Fang," he muttered quietly.
"They're more persistent than I expected."
As he was about to continue walking, something unusual caught his attention.
A faint blue glow pulsed between the trees.
Jay turned toward it immediately.
The glow was weak at first, barely visible through the darkness. But as he approached, the light grew brighter.
Soon he saw the source.
A circular symbol carved into the ground.
Strange runes surrounded the circle, etched carefully into the soil and glowing with magical energy.
Jay's eyes narrowed.
"A teleportation circle…"
Teleportation magic was rare.
Extremely rare.
It required immense magical knowledge and precise control over spatial energy.
Only powerful mages or ancient magical organizations could create such circles.
The glowing runes suddenly brightened.
Energy began gathering in the center of the circle.
The air vibrated.
Wind spiraled outward as the magic activated.
Then—
a pillar of blue light erupted upward.
Jay took a step back, watching carefully.
Within the light, a shape slowly began to form.
At first it was only a silhouette.
Then the details sharpened.
A person.
A young woman appeared within the teleportation light.
Her long silver hair flowed behind her as she stepped forward. She wore a deep blue cloak decorated with glowing runic patterns, and in her hand she carried a slender staff topped with a crystal that shimmered faintly in the darkness.
The teleportation light faded.
Her boots touched the forest floor.
For a moment, she simply stood there, steadying herself after the teleportation.
Then her eyes lifted—
and met Jay's.
She froze.
Clearly, she had not expected anyone to be here.
Her gaze quickly shifted around the clearing.
She saw the bodies.
Six of them.
Her eyes widened slightly.
Then she looked back at Jay.
"You…" she said slowly.
"How are you here?"
Jay crossed his arms calmly.
"I could ask you the same question."
The girl studied him carefully.
Then she looked again at the fallen bandits scattered across the ground.
"You did this?"
Jay shrugged slightly.
"They attacked first."
The forest grew quiet again.
A cool wind passed through the trees.
The girl turned her head toward the distant horizon.
Through a break in the forest canopy, the dark shapes of the Ashen Mountains could be seen far away.
Her expression changed slightly.
A hint of concern appeared in her eyes.
"You're heading toward those mountains, aren't you?" she asked.
Jay followed her gaze.
"Yes."
The girl remained silent for a few seconds.
Then she spoke again.
"Then there's something you should know."
Jay looked at her.
"What?"
She took a slow breath.
"Something has awakened in the Ashen Mountains."
The wind grew colder.
The trees creaked softly around them.
Jay's eyes narrowed.
"What kind of thing?"
The girl looked back at him.
Her expression was serious now.
"If you're really going there…"
She hesitated briefly.
Then finished her sentence.
"Then it seems we might be heading to the same destination."
Jay studied her silently.
He did not yet know who she was.
Or why she had appeared here using teleportation magic.
But one thing was certain.
His journey toward the Ashen Mountains had just become far more complicated.
And perhaps—
far more dangerous.