On a sunny day, a boy wandered deep into the forest, living in the wilderness, far away from people.
*grab...
"Haha! This looks interesting! Spinney Berry—Owwww!! *grabs"
He was gathering all kinds of unique materials using his knife—searching the forest floor, inspecting plants, and identifying their properties by sniffing, touching, and reading from a worn-out book.
"Eh? Cray mushroom is poisonous? *sniff sniff… It smells kinda like grilled chicken though..."
*proceeds to eat it*
*Cough! Cough! Cough!! Auckk!!*
Yeah… that's Jack—a genius when it comes to knowledge, but dumb when it comes to experience. He loves discovering things unknown to him. That's just his hobby.
"Muffle berry—this berry often grows on mossy trees in Gargieth… Where is that?? I don't understand."
*turns the page of his book*
Jack is an orphan, living alone in the forest. His parents died from a disease known as the **Kiari Virus**, a sickness that eats away the cells of the host until nothing remains. It spread through their town like wildfire. Jack miraculously survived, thanks to medicine given to him by a man in a white hoodie from the church.
"Thank you very much, Mister…?"
That's what Sister said—though she never got the man's name.
"Please keep it. I'm glad I could help. Ah—you can call me *Sanny*."
The man in the white hoodie smiled calmly.
Jack was raised in the church. He was content there. But one day, when he heard he was being adopted by a rich family, he panicked. He didn't like the idea—he felt like they were trying to sell him.
So he packed his things and ran away the day his "new parents" were supposed to come. He didn't look back, tears rolling down his cheeks.
From that day on, he would be on his own. It would be tough and dangerous to survive in the wild, but with determination in his eyes, Jack accepted the challenge.
----
**A few months later...**
*Swing*
*Shhhook*
*Whoosh!*
*turns another page*
"Owww!! So that's how it works! If you swing a little to the left and twist—it becomes Piercing Slash! HAHAHA! I'm so excited!"
*turns the page again*
Several months after leaving the church, Jack had grown taller and stronger. He spent his days training and learning everything he could.
"Haaa—I'm exhausted. *drinks water* Ahhhh! So refreshing. Anyway, gotta hunt food for dinner!"
He lived at the top of a giant tree. His only source of water? Rain.
*Whoosh!* *Woohaaa!* *Swing!*
"Hyah!! Hoo—this one's tough."
A wild boar stood against him, its thick hide difficult to pierce. But Jack took it as training.
Surprisingly, he'd become fearless—facing off against deadly beasts, monsters, and even living plants that tried to devour him. He fought them strategically, always careful, although he still got scratched up due to carelessness.
"Wai—"
*SLASH!!* *DODGE!!*
One day, a massive two-legged monster attacked him. Jack was injured—not fatally—but enough to bleed and feel pain. He got cornered by giant spiders and the beast, backed against the roots of a massive tree.
There was no escape. His survival wasn't certain. For the first time, Jack was afraid. Truly afraid.
"No, stay away!!"
(What do I do? Someone… please help! I don't want to die!)
The monsters crept closer.
*Ssshhhuumm!!*
A white-haired man appeared at full speed.
*Slash* *Slash* *SLASH!*
Blood flew through the air. In an instant, the monsters were dead. The white-haired man, covered in scratches, stood over them.
Jack didn't even have time to react. His eyes couldn't keep up with the man's movements.
"…"
The white-haired man stared at Jack blankly.
"Thank you, Sir…" Jack managed, slowly getting up, shaking.
"Sir!"
"..."
"Thank you very much for saving my life!!"
The man didn't respond. He just turned and began walking away.
"Mister! Wait! You're so strong and cool! Uhmm…"
He stopped. Jack wanted to say more, but words failed him.
The white-haired man sat down silently. Jack followed, sitting too. An awkward silence filled the space.
But Jack couldn't just sit still. Despite his injuries, he stood up and began preparing food, believing a meal was the best way to show gratitude.
*starts making fire*
He cooked quietly, not wanting to bother the man. He offered the food, but the man didn't eat. Jack didn't push—it looked like he was deep in thought. Eventually, Jack ate, then dozed off near the fire, wondering who the man really was.
"Who's this…?"
The white-haired man's stomach growled. He snapped out of his thoughts and smelled the food Jack had cooked.
(GrOwLiNg~)
He took a bowl, sniffed it, then began eating with his hands.
"Tasty…"
As he ate, he looked up at the starry sky. His face showed loneliness and sorrow—yet a flicker of hope danced in his eyes. He looked over at Jack, sleeping peacefully beneath the tree.
*shaassshaaaa~*
Suddenly, he felt something dark—a malicious presence from the southwest. A strange whistling sound echoed in the air. Without hesitation, he grabbed his sword and ran.
"Maybe… Maybe I'll find a clue there."
*birds chirping*
He reached the source of the sound. A **Dark Giant Wolf** with a red gem on its forehead appeared.
*Slash!* *Slash!*
After a fierce fight, he killed it, roasted the meat, and ate it quietly under the moon. Jack remained asleep, unaware of what happened.
---
**The following days…**
Jack followed the white-haired man everywhere, begging him to teach his skills.
"Hey, Sensei! Teach me those moves, please?? Senseii!! I'm dying here, y'know? Come on—talk to me!"
"Shut up."
The man didn't have the energy—or interest—to teach. He fought the monsters they encountered while Jack cooked and complained.
"Hey, Sensei! Why do you pay attention to monsters, but not to me?!"
*sigh…*
Frustrated, Jack challenged him.
"Fine! If you won't teach me—then I challenge you to a duel! Grab your sword!"
The man just kept eating.
"Tsk."
Jack leapt, knife aimed at his head.
"Hyahhh!!!"
A swift motion disarmed him mid-air.
"Augh! *grabs the knife* Hyahhh!!"
Jack's persistence led to nothing but bruises and embarrassment.
"Ugh… I'm such a disgrace…"
He collapsed, exhausted.
(How can I be like him? He's insanely strong… I've trained every day of my life—but I can't even scratch him!)
Then the white-haired man spoke.
"Why are you trying so hard?"
Jack blinked, surprised.
"Because I want to be strong! I want to be like you! With that power, I can survive without needing anyone's help!"
"I'm Horstein."
Jack's eyes widened in shock. After days of silence, the man had finally introduced himself.
"I'm a former knight of the Kingdom of Asherem. It was destroyed by a raging storm of demons. They came from the South in overwhelming numbers. We were outmatched. It was endless—a swarm of monsters."
Jack listened carefully.
"They were driven by a dark force—something that made them rage and destroy everything in their path."
"Horstein-sensei… where is the Kingdom of Asherem?"
"Here. Look around. You've been living in its ruins."
"W-Woah!!"
Jack couldn't believe it. All this time, he'd been living in the ruins of a fallen kingdom.
"Wait—Sensei, is that a throne you're sitting on?"
"Yes. I'm waiting for someone."
"Who?"
"I can't tell you."
Jack didn't press further—he sensed it was something deeply personal.
"But Sensei… how did you survive the war?"
"…"
Horstein didn't answer. He stood and began walking.
Jack stared at him, curious, theories swirling in his mind.
And so… the journey begins.
What challenges await?