The western gate of the city looked quieter than the main entrance Kael had used earlier.
While the eastern side was crowded with merchants and travelers, the western gate mostly saw adventurers leaving the city for work. A few guards stood beside the stone walls, watching the road lazily while talking among themselves.
Kael walked past them without much attention.
The metal guild tag in his pocket felt heavier than it actually was. It wasn't big or impressive, just a simple plate with the letter E engraved on it.
But somehow it still meant something.
For the first time since arriving in this strange world, Kael actually had a direction.
An E-rank quest.
Hunt a pack of forest wolves.
Nothing glorious.
But it was a start.
The city gate slowly disappeared behind him as he followed the dirt road leading into the wilderness. The afternoon sun hung high in the sky, though the forest ahead cast long shadows across the path.
Kael adjusted the spear resting across his shoulder.
"Alright," he muttered quietly.
"First official job."
A faint smile crossed his face.
Back on the battlefield he had fought just to survive. Now he was hunting monsters for money.
Life really did move in strange directions.
The road soon narrowed and curved toward a dense forest. Tall trees rose on both sides, their branches forming a natural canopy overhead. The air grew cooler as sunlight struggled to pass through the leaves.
Kael stepped off the road and entered the forest.
Immediately the sounds of the city disappeared.
Only the quiet rustling of leaves and distant bird calls remained.
He moved carefully, keeping his senses alert. Fighting monsters had taught him one important thing.
The forest always watched you first.
Kael walked for nearly half an hour before he noticed something unusual.
Tracks.
He crouched near the ground and studied them carefully.
Several clawed footprints pressed into the damp soil.
"Wolves," he murmured.
Not surprising.
The quest notice had said a pack was causing trouble near the forest edge.
Still, Kael remained cautious.
A single wolf was manageable.
A pack was something else entirely.
He followed the tracks slowly, moving deeper between the trees. The scent of damp earth filled the air while small insects buzzed quietly nearby.
Minutes passed.
Then suddenly—
A low growl echoed through the forest.
Kael stopped instantly.
The sound came from somewhere ahead.
Another growl followed.
Then another.
Kael exhaled slowly.
"Well… found them."
He tightened his grip on the spear.
The bushes ahead rustled slightly.
Two wolves stepped into view.
They were larger than normal wolves, their gray fur thick and rough. Their eyes glowed faintly yellow while sharp teeth bared in a warning snarl.
But what worried Kael more was what appeared behind them.
More wolves.
Five.
Six.
Seven.
"Yeah… definitely a pack."
The wolves circled slowly, spreading out around him.
Kael kept turning carefully, watching them all.
His body relaxed slightly instead of tensing.
Panic would only make things worse.
The Abyss Core inside his chest pulsed softly.
A quiet rhythm.
Almost like it was waiting.
One wolf lunged first.
Its body shot forward with surprising speed.
Kael stepped sideways and thrust the spear forward.
The tip struck the wolf's shoulder, forcing it back with a sharp yelp.
Another wolf immediately jumped from behind.
Kael twisted his body and swung the spear shaft sideways, striking the animal across its head. The impact knocked it back into the leaves.
The pack paused for a moment.
Watching.
Testing.
"Smart," Kael muttered.
These monsters weren't mindless.
They were looking for weakness.
A third wolf suddenly attacked from the left.
Kael drove the spear downward, the sharp point piercing through the creature's neck.
A short cry escaped the wolf before it collapsed.
The forest fell silent again.
The remaining wolves stared at their fallen pack member.
Their growls grew deeper.
Then three of them attacked at once.
Kael moved instinctively.
His spear swept forward, striking one wolf across the jaw. Another lunged toward his leg, but he kicked it away before stepping backward.
The third wolf reached him first.
Its teeth snapped inches from his arm.
Kael drove the spear forward with all his strength.
The blade plunged through its chest.
The wolf collapsed.
But the pack didn't retreat.
Instead their movements became more aggressive.
Two more wolves rushed him from opposite sides.
Kael's breathing grew heavier.
Fighting one or two monsters was manageable.
But six?
That was different.
One wolf lunged toward his shoulder.
Kael ducked and rolled across the ground, barely avoiding its teeth. Dirt and leaves clung to his clothes as he scrambled back to his feet.
The Abyss Core pulsed again.
Stronger this time.
A faint warmth spread through his body.
His muscles felt lighter.
Sharper.
Almost like his body was responding to the danger.
Kael's eyes narrowed.
"Guess you're helping again."
Another wolf jumped.
This time Kael moved faster.
The spear thrust forward like lightning.
The blade pierced straight through the creature's throat.
Blood splattered across the leaves.
The remaining wolves hesitated.
Four left.
Kael exhaled slowly.
The fight wasn't over yet.
But now the pack looked less confident.
They had lost three members already.
Still, wolves rarely gave up easily.
A larger wolf stepped forward from the group.
Its fur was darker than the others.
A low growl rumbled from its throat.
"Leader," Kael said quietly.
That explained their behavior.
The larger wolf suddenly charged.
Faster than the others.
Kael barely had time to react.
He raised the spear defensively as the creature slammed into him. The impact knocked him backward against a tree trunk.
Pain shot through his shoulder.
The wolf snapped its jaws toward his face.
Kael pushed the spear forward desperately, keeping the monster's mouth just inches away.
Its breath smelled like blood.
"Too close," Kael muttered.
With a burst of strength he twisted the spear sideways and shoved the wolf away.
The creature stumbled slightly.
That was enough.
Kael stepped forward and drove the spear deep into its side.
The wolf howled and collapsed.
The remaining wolves froze.
Their leader was dead.
For a moment no one moved.
Then the last three wolves slowly backed away.
Kael didn't chase them.
He simply watched as they disappeared into the forest.
Silence returned.
Only the sound of Kael's breathing remained.
He leaned the spear against the tree and wiped sweat from his forehead.
"Well…"
He looked around at the fallen wolves.
"That was messy."
His shoulder ached from the earlier impact.
But he was still standing.
And that meant the quest was basically complete.
Kael sat down on a nearby rock for a moment, letting his breathing calm.
Kael wiped the last traces of blood from the spear and leaned against a nearby tree. The forest had gone quiet again, like it was pretending the battle had never happened.
For a few seconds nothing happened.
Then suddenly—
A cold ripple passed through his chest.
The Abyss Core pulsed.
Once.
Twice.
A faint translucent window appeared in front of his eyes.
[System Notification]
Multiple hostile entities eliminated.
Experience gained.
Calculating results…
Kael blinked slowly.
"...There you are."
The window flickered slightly before new lines appeared.
Level Up Achieved.
Current Level: 10.
Reward Unlocked.
New Skill Acquired — Abyss Sense (Passive)
Kael frowned slightly as he read the message.
"Abyss Sense…?"
The moment the words appeared, a strange sensation spread through his body.
It felt like his awareness expanded.
The forest suddenly became clearer to him.
The wind moving through the trees.
Small animals hiding beneath leaves.
Even the faint presence of the wolves that had run away earlier.
Kael straightened slightly.
His eyes moved slowly across the forest.
"...That's new."
The system window slowly faded away.
But the feeling remained.
And somewhere deep inside his chest, the Abyss Core pulsed again—stronger than before.
The translucent window slowly faded from Kael's vision.
For a few seconds he just stood there quietly.
Then he took a slow breath.
"So… Level ten already."
The words sounded strange even to him.
Just a few days ago he had been struggling to survive on a battlefield he didn't understand. Now some invisible system was quietly tracking his growth like it was the most normal thing in the world.
Kael flexed his fingers slightly.
Something about his senses felt sharper.
The wind brushing through the leaves above him.
The distant movement of small animals hiding in the bushes.
Even the faint direction where the surviving wolves had run.
He could feel it all.
"Abyss Sense…" he muttered.
It wasn't overwhelming, but it was definitely real.
Useful too.
Kael glanced around the forest one more time before shaking his head.
"Alright. Enough thinking."
He walked back toward the bodies of the wolves scattered across the ground.
The smell of blood still lingered faintly in the air.
Kneeling beside the first wolf, Kael pulled out the small knife he carried and carefully removed one of its fangs.
"Guild proof," he said quietly.
One by one he collected them.
Seven fangs.
Seven wolves.
That should be more than enough to confirm the quest.
When he finished, Kael placed the fangs into a small pouch and stood up again.
The sun was already beginning to sink lower behind the trees. Golden light filtered through the branches, stretching long shadows across the forest floor.
"Better head back before it gets dark."
He adjusted the spear across his shoulder and started walking toward the road.
The forest slowly grew quieter behind him.
Strangely enough, Kael didn't feel tired anymore.
The fight had drained him earlier, but the level up seemed to have refreshed his body slightly. His steps felt lighter.
The Abyss Core pulsed softly inside his chest.
Not violently.
Just… steady.
Like a calm heartbeat.
As he reached the dirt road leading back to the city, Kael paused for a moment and looked toward the distant walls.
The stone towers were barely visible from here.
"First quest done," he said quietly.
It wasn't a heroic victory.
No cheering crowds.
No dramatic celebration.
Just a simple hunt in the forest.
But somehow that made it feel more real.
Every long journey started somewhere.
And today…
Kael had taken his first real step.
He tightened his grip on the spear and began walking back toward the city.
Behind him the forest returned to silence.
Ahead of him, the lights of the guild were slowly beginning to glow.
And somewhere in that busy hall, more quests were already waiting.