After the fight against the hunters, Draven spent a few days observing the village more closely.
Life there continued as normal. People worked, children played in the dirt streets, and the hunters left early in the morning for the safe areas of the forest.
But for Draven, something had already changed.
He knew he couldn't continue training near the village for much longer.
Sooner or later, someone would notice.
That night, sitting on the small hill where he usually thought, he made a decision.
"I need to go somewhere where I can really train."
The Great Sage replied immediately.
"Suggestion confirmed.
Current training is limited by the environment around the village."
Draven looked towards the forest that stretched beyond the hills.
That region was known to the villagers as Varkhal Forest.
Most people avoided going too far into it. Monsters lived in the deeper areas.
For Draven, this was exactly what he needed.
"So that's where I'll train."
Before dawn, he prepared only the essentials.
A small backpack, water, some simple provisions, and a common knife.
Nothing too heavy.
He didn't intend to return anytime soon.
Draven walked silently to the edge of the village. The first light of day hadn't yet appeared, and almost no one was awake.
He stopped for a moment and looked back.
The village was small. A few wooden houses, surrounding fields, and the dirt road leading to other regions.
It was the only place he had known since birth.
But if he wanted to better understand his own powers, he needed to leave.
Without saying anything to anyone, he continued on.
The walk to the forest took about two hours.
The closer he got, the more the weather changed. The trees grew taller and the ground more uneven.
When he finally crossed the first row of trees, the sunlight dimmed under the shade of the canopy.
The air also felt different.
Denser.
The Great Sage began an analysis.
Environment identified: Varkhal Forest
Presence of hostile life detected.
Estimated risk level: Moderate to high.
Draven nodded slightly.
"That's exactly what I wanted."
He walked deeper into the forest.
The sounds were constant: rustling leaves, insects, branches breaking in the distance. It was a very different environment from the tranquility of the village.
Draven was attentive to everything around him.
A few minutes later, something moved among the bushes.
A creature slowly emerged from the vegetation.
It looked like a wolf, but its body was larger than that of a small horse. Bony plates covered part of its back, and its teeth were long and irregular.
The Great Sage immediately analyzed it.
Creature identified: Carapace Wolf.
Common predator of the region.
Threat class: Moderate.
The animal growled softly.
It had already noticed Draven was there.
The creature attacked first.
It leaped towards Draven with surprising speed.
Draven dodged to the side at the last moment.
He hadn't used any abilities yet. First, he wanted to understand the monster's speed and behavior.
The wolf turned quickly and tried to attack again.
This time Draven reacted.
His fist was covered in Armament Haki.
He landed a powerful punch on the creature's flank.
The impact threw the animal against a tree.
But the monster still tried to get up.
Draven immediately realized that this creature was much more resilient than any common animal.
The Great Sage confirmed it.
Bone plates function as natural armor.
Draven decided to end the fight.
Shadows beneath his feet began to move.
Noctharum.
Two dark blades formed in the air.
He made a short movement with his hand.
The blades shot out.
They pierced the creature's neck before it could react.
The monster's body fell to the ground in the clearing.
Silence.
Draven observed the body for a few seconds.
It was the first time he had faced a real monster from that forest.
The Great Sage recorded:
First creature of the Varkhal Forest defeated.
Combat experience gained.
Control of Noctharum:
slightly improved.
Draven took a deep breath and looked into the forest.
He knew this was only the beginning.
If he wanted to become truly strong, he would have to face creatures far more dangerous than that wolf.
Even so, he felt something new.
Excitement.
"Let's see how far this forest goes."
And without hesitation, Draven continued walking deeper into the Varkhal Forest, where stronger monsters and greater challenges awaited him.