He then began to walk, and after a few minutes of following the glowing arrow hovering ahead of him, he finally arrived at the southern gate of Zedi Village. The gate was enormous, made of thick wooden panels bound together with blackened iron that gave off an aged but formidable look. It was almost as wide as the adventurers' guild building and twice as tall, its wooden surface covered in old scratch marks and moss, evidence of the countless years it had served as a border between the peaceful village and the wilds beyond. There were five such gates in Zedi, each positioned at different directions—north, south, east, west, and the fifth one leading toward the training fields for adventurers.
Standing guard were several soldiers, their stances straight and serious, each one carrying long spears with dark metallic tips that glinted under the sunlight. They wore identical uniforms—leather armor dyed a dull blue, matching helmets with visors lifted so their faces could be seen, and sturdy black boots caked with dried mud. As Rowan began to pass through, casually glancing at each of them while trying not to look suspicious, one of the soldiers suddenly raised a hand and stepped into his path, halting him.
"Is there a problem?" Rowan asked, his voice unsure but polite, already wondering if he had done something wrong.
The soldier hesitated for a moment, his eyes flicking up and down Rowan's robed form, then shook his head quickly, as if embarrassed. "No… no, just… ahh—never mind. You can exit."
Rowan blinked, clearly confused. "Uhm. Yea?" he replied, not really knowing what else to say. The interaction had caught him off guard, and he wasn't the best with unexpected social situations.
He gave the soldier a quick, awkward wave before stepping out of the village boundary. As soon as his feet crossed the threshold beyond the gate, the glowing arrow that had been hovering ahead of him slightly adjusted its direction and pointed more toward the left. Trusting the system's guidance, Rowan followed it.
Outside the protective walls of Zedi, the world opened up dramatically. The sky stretched endlessly above him, a vivid blue without a single cloud in sight, and the fields were alive with colors. Patches of yellow wildflowers swayed gently beside bushes dotted with red berries, and tall grasses rustled with the whisper of the wind. Everything looked bright, almost as if the saturation had been turned up in a painting. If anyone were to see this view for the first time, they might believe it was a peaceful paradise.
But Rowan knew better. Beauty in this world didn't mean safety.
He continued walking along the designated path, occasionally adjusting his footing as he navigated around uneven terrain, exposed roots, and the occasional dip in the land. After several minutes, he entered a densely wooded area, the transition from open field to forest happening faster than he expected. Trees loomed over him—immense, thick-trunked ones whose canopies blotted out a portion of the sky. These trees were far taller than the adventurers' guild building, not by a small margin but by at least three times its height, and their thick foliage let through beams of dappled sunlight that danced on the forest floor.
There were also smaller trees, twisted and gnarled, nestled in between the giants. The air was cooler here, and the scent of damp earth and moss filled his nostrils. The ground was littered with fallen leaves and tiny mushrooms that glowed faintly in the shade.
His chat lit up again.
[Jakkk: this shi is beautiful]
[Haoe: beautiful as it seems I don't wanna live there gng]
Rowan chuckled under his breath, gazing at the forest around him. "What place is this? The area I spawned in had big trees too, but this… this is different."
[Hak: maybe because this is a different forest?]
"If I remember correctly… this is Xian Forest?" Rowan muttered.
[Yaj: yeaaa, it has animal-type monsters, like the Grey Lion or some stuff.]
[Dahg: the grey lion is quite rare, yea? Maybe he'll see a Footed Tailow]
Rowan frowned slightly. The name was familiar. A Footed Tailow… he vaguely remembered it from the monster compendium during his game days. It was a bird-like creature, but it couldn't fly. It had wings, sure, but they were more decorative than functional. Instead, it moved on foot—fast, strong, and incredibly aggressive when provoked. It was roughly the size of a bear, which made it particularly dangerous for unarmed travelers.
He tried not to think about that too much.
As he continued deeper into the forest, the light dimmed further. The arrow ahead of him still glowed, now more useful than ever as a guide. The forest floor began to change texture under his boots—what was once soil became damp moss, and then patches of stones slick with condensation. Strange calls echoed in the distance, not quite birdsong, not quite beastly roars, but something in between. It sent a slight chill down Rowan's spine, but he kept walking.
He passed by a creek that cut across the path. The water was clear, running swiftly, and tiny silver fish darted within. He knelt down to inspect it, his reflection staring back up at him. For a moment, he simply listened to the sound of water, letting it relax his nerves.
He noticed something odd then. A shimmer.
In the distance, not far from the creek, he saw a silvery shape dart between two trees. It moved too fast for him to identify clearly. He immediately stood, alert.
"What was that?" he asked aloud, then looked to the chat.
[Hadk: ghost???]
[Jil: bruh it was probably a rabbit]
[Gal: that shimmer tho... sounds like the Silver Hound]
The Silver Hound. Now that was a name he recognized. A canine-type monster known for its shimmering fur, so fast it looked like a blur when running. Fortunately, it was a solitary creature and not immediately aggressive… unless startled.
He took a step back.
Then another.
Suddenly, the bushes behind him rustled, and before he could even turn around, a long, pale snout poked out. It was followed by a large eye—glowing faintly blue—and then the rest of its sleek head. The Silver Hound.
Rowan's heart jumped into his throat. "Shit."
He didn't even wait to see if it was hostile. He turned around and ran. He didn't look back. He didn't think. His feet pounded against the ground, his robe snagging once on a low branch. He stumbled but didn't stop. The arrow in front of him now meant nothing. All that mattered was getting away.
He leapt over a fallen log, almost tripped, kept running. The sound of heavy pawsteps behind him filled his ears. It wasn't chasing him—yet—but it was moving. It might be curious. It might be hunting.
His breath was loud now, ragged. He ran through more trees, dodged vines, ducked beneath low branches, and didn't stop until he found a small hollow beneath a large root. He dove into it, curled up, and stayed still.
His chest rose and fell rapidly. The chat had exploded.
[Hah: YO WTF THAT WAS THE DOG???]
[Goa: RUN RUN RUN]
[Zel: don't die don't die this is just chapter 2 bro]
He stayed hidden for several minutes, long enough that the sound of the creature's movement faded. Only then did he peek out.
The coast was clear.
He let out a long, shaky sigh, then crawled out from under the root, brushing dirt from his robe.
"That was too close," he whispered.
He checked the system log. No injuries. No status effects. Somehow, he had gotten away.
"Alright," he muttered, catching his breath and regaining his composure. "No more messing around. Let's stick to the quest. No detours."
And with that, he looked up, spotted the glowing arrow again, and began walking.