TBATE: Black Will

Navigating through the trees surrounding me, I kept moving forward, marking the bark to avoid getting lost in this vast forest. If I was indeed in Dicathen, the best-case scenario was that I was somewhere in the smaller forests of the Sapin Kingdom. But there was also a worse possibility—I could be in the Beast Glades, a place teeming with monsters of all ranks, from E to the terrifying S-rank beasts. At the moment, I was an easy target for them.

However, I hadn't encountered a single monster in the past few days, which was unsettling. It was as if something was scaring them away, and that frightened me more than anything.

Could it be the carcass of the beast that kept them away? Or maybe it was a sign that I wasn't actually in the Beast Glades, a thought that brought some relief.

Evening slowly descended upon the forest, shadows grew longer, and after making my final marks on the trees, I returned to where the beast's carcass lay, next to a small campfire. The surrounding silence was almost eerie, only the rustling leaves in the wind broke the stillness. I felt an odd sense of calm — I had food that could last a few more days and a shelter that allowed for some rest without fear of nighttime predators. But how long would this last?

"Tch, when will I get out of here..." I muttered in frustration, glancing at the darkening forest.

It seemed endless. No matter how hard I tried, every step seemed to lead me in circles. On the first day, I headed east, following the sun, but I never found the edge of the forest. The second day, I went west, but with no luck. The third day, I tried north, then south. All my efforts were in vain.

I stood, staring at the trees, which had begun to feel like an impenetrable wall. The forest wouldn't let me go, as if it were a living being, consciously holding me in its grasp.

Days passed, my efforts remained fruitless, and my food supplies began to dwindle. The monster's carcass I had been using for sustenance started to rot, releasing a pungent, foul odor. It became impossible to continue eating it, and staying here any longer was unbearable.

After finishing the last scraps of meat, I sat cross-legged on the ground and focused on replenishing my mana. My mana core was depleting faster than usual, and I felt it draining away even when I wasn't actively using it. It was as though something inside me was continuously devouring my reserves, sapping my vitality.

"Beast will," I thought, frowning. This idea kept surfacing in my mind. Something about that monster must have affected me, leaving a mark after its death. If this continued, I might be in serious danger, either from an unexpected threat or simply because I wouldn't be able to control the beast's will, which could lead my body to a deadly state. I needed to address this problem as soon as possible before it became fatal.

I closed my eyes and focused on my mana core, trying to understand what was happening inside me. The unknown force continued to drain my resources. Trying to trace the source of this leakage, I began slowly examining the flow of my mana, exploring every minor vein.

Since the moment I had erected a barrier between my core and the beast's will, my mana core had changed. It had transformed from a dark red to a light red, and along with this change, my mana reserves had increased.

Mana was absorbed through mana veins and then distributed through channels after passing the heart. The core, located in the solar plexus, quivered every time I sensed a new flow of mana. However, something was wrong—the barrier I had erected for protection was slowly eroding. Cracks, resembling a spider's web, appeared on its blue surface, spreading across its structure.

On the other side of the barrier was a dark mass of energy. It slowly but persistently consumed more and more territory, feeding on my mana like a living creature feasting on my strength. The barrier seemed thin, like a blade, and I knew it wouldn't last much longer. What would happen if it collapsed, I had no idea, but one thing was clear—it wouldn't lead to anything good.

Gathering all my strength, I channeled almost all of my available mana into the barrier, sealing the smaller cracks and reinforcing it. The feeling of danger retreated, but I knew this was only a temporary fix. The dark force trying to break through my defense was held at bay for now, but it hadn't been stopped.

Opening my eyes, I began thinking about my next steps. The primary issues before me were obvious. First, I needed to find a way out of this cursed forest and reach some sort of settlement. Second, I had to deal with the "beast will" that threatened my mental and physical integrity.

I stood up, feeling slightly fatigued from manipulating my mana. I needed to act quickly while I still had strength left. Walking over to a nearby stream, I crouched down and splashed cold water on my face. The refreshing droplets tingled on my skin. Glancing at my reflection in the water, I saw a child with silver hair and turquoise eyes staring back. His medium height and gaunt face seemed fairly ordinary, but one detail stood out—my ears.

They were pointed, like an elf's. I was an elf. And with this knowledge, I could guess that I was near the Elshire Forest. If this was close to the Elshire Forest—the home of elves—then it wasn't too surprising that I hadn't found my way out yet. The forest was known for its magical barriers, guarding it from outsiders.

However, this revelation gave me a new clue. If I was an elf, perhaps I had a chance of understanding the dark force consuming my mana. And the first name that came to mind was Virion—a great mage and strategist who lived among the elves. If I truly was near the Elshire Forest, maybe Virion or someone like him could help me.

The next day, with the first rays of sunlight, I set off in a northern direction, aiming for the blinding beams of the sun. Gathering the last remnants of food for the journey, I made my way, marking the trees every few meters in case I got lost. The mana boost made it easier to move forward, giving me the strength I lacked without proper nourishment.

"Why can I only enhance myself?" I wondered aloud, puzzled. Despite my attempts to use elemental magic, nothing seemed to work. I tried summoning water, moving the air, creating fire, raising earth—everything was unsuccessful. I felt no connection to the elements. The only thing I could do was enhance my body with mana and create a small blue blade around my hand. But that wasn't enough. Something was wrong with my mana.

Footsteps echoed through the forest, making it seem endless once more. Memories of my short life here and past times blurred into one.

Here, near a tree, I heard the rustling of leaves, and I spotted the first living creature since I found myself in this forest. A brown squirrel appeared before me, skillfully climbing the trees. It was medium-sized and looked quite harmless as it tucked away nuts in the roots of an oak tree.

"Food..." I muttered, focusing as I formed a mana blade around my hand. My task was simple: catch the squirrel to replenish my food supplies. I leaped toward it, ready to strike, but when I landed, the squirrel had already vanished. 

"Huh? How?" 

A sound, almost like laughter, reached my ears, and I tensed, scanning the area. My gaze shifted upward, and I saw the squirrel now perched atop a tree, staring at me with what seemed like a smirk. I was stunned.

"How could it escape so quickly? I enhanced my body with mana and jumped at such a speed. It should have stayed in place."

I sensed that this wasn't just a coincidence. The squirrel clearly sensed my presence and acted with intelligence. Such behavior was uncommon for an animal, unusual even.

Trying to understand how it moved so swiftly, I thought about my current abilities. My magic and strength were focused on enhancing my physical body and creating a mana blade, but not on improving my reflexes or movement speed.

"Could this animal possess some unique ability? Or maybe it's just an ordinary squirrel that happens to be much faster than I expected. Either way, I need to be more careful."

Focusing mana into my eyes, I observed the squirrel closely for a while. Nothing happened at first, but I decided to increase the mana flow into my turquoise eyes. After a moment, my vision changed—I could see that the squirrel's limbs were surrounded by a denser layer of mana compared to the general aura around its body. This was likely what allowed it to move at such incredible speed.

Now it was clear that the squirrel was using mana to enhance its movements, and that gave it the advantage. Interesting—what if I could replicate that for myself?

I shifted my focus to my next task: improving my skills and abilities, not only to be ready for more serious threats but also to handle simpler challenges effectively. The squirrel might have been a minor obstacle, but its speed reminded me that I needed more training and to enhance my abilities.

With these thoughts in mind, I continued through the forest, marking trees and observing the surrounding nature. The lesson I learned from the squirrel served as extra motivation to sharpen my skills and remain more vigilant of my environment.

After several hours, when a denser fog appeared before me, I heard footsteps and muffled voices. People! My heart raced, filled with hope and joy at finally finding someone alive. I quickly headed in their direction, but something made me stop. Listening closely, I froze a few meters away from the sound's source and hid behind the trunk of a tree.

My brows furrowed.

Something was definitely wrong.

"NO!!! HELP! SOMEBODY, PLEASE HELP! MOM! DAD! NOOO, I'M SCARED!!!"

I tensed at the sound of a little girl's voice, full of desperation.

"Someone shut her up! She'll attract attention!" one of the men barked sharply.

A sound of a slap silenced her cries, and I heard her body hit the ground.

"Quick, put her in the cart. We'll be out of Elshir Forest soon. We're only a couple of days away from the mountain range. We'll be safe there. Don't relax, keep moving."

"Hey boss, how much do you think she'll sell for? Elf girls are capable of a lot, huh? She's a child, so she's definitely a virgin! They'll pay a fortune for her!"

Slavers. Cold fury surged through my veins, and my fists clenched.

I cautiously peeked out from behind the tree and saw four slavers with a cart and a little girl. She couldn't have been more than six or seven years old, with silver hair and long, pointed ears like mine. She was an elf, and the slavers had captured her. But I didn't know who she was. One thing was clear—they were planning to sell her like a piece of property.

If I revealed myself, they might capture me just like they did the little girl. But they clearly knew how to get out of this forest. I noticed two wolves with deer antlers harnessed to the cart. These mana beasts were likely guiding them through the forest's magical barriers.