Riccardo walked forward, glancing around him.
"What do you think?" Estrella asked, moving to his left.
"Nothing relevant."
"Ohh… two days aren't enough to trust us yet?" she teased with a small grin.
"That's not what I meant."
Estrella let out a light laugh.
"I know, I was joking!"
Riccardo smiled back.
"I know..."
"Estrella, don't bother the new guy too much!" Dalai called out from the front.
"Relax, I'm not the one bothering him here!"
After saying that, Estrella glanced back at Dana, who looked surprised.
"Are you talking about me?"
Dalai slightly turned his head toward her.
"You do talk a lot with Riccardo..."
"Well yeah, because he's nice to talk to. He always seems a bit lost in his own world, but he actually has interesting things to say."
Riccardo raised an eyebrow.
"'Lost in his own world'… are you trying to say I look stupid?"
"No, not at all. Actually, the opposite. I think I was right to insist on keeping you in the group."
Riccardo thought for a moment.
[Flashback]
"Come on, stay with us!" Dana had said while Riccardo was trying—unsuccessfully—to leave, since she was blocking him by jumping on him, while the others tried to pull her away.
[End Flashback]
Riccardo, pulled back by the memory, let out a breath that almost sounded like a suppressed smile.
"With that kind of persistence, I think anyone would give in..."
Dana puffed out her chest.
"I always get what I want!"
The others looked at her, slightly confused.
"Back to business... is this the right direction?" Estrella asked after a brief silence.
"I think so... from up a tree over there, I saw a nice lake in this direction," Dalai replied.
Riccardo looked at a nearby tree with a mark carved into it.
"Yeah, definitely..." he muttered, leaving Estrella confused.
"Did you say something?"
Riccardo started walking, picking up his pace.
"Excuse me, I'll take the lead from here."
He passed even Dalai, moving to the front of the group.
"Why? I was the one who saw the lake."
"I've seen that lake up close before."
"You mean you've already been around this part of the forest?" Dana asked.
"Yeah, let's just say I spent three days in this area getting used to this way of living."
Dana looked around.
"It does seem like a calm starting area."
"True, there's no one here."
"It is now... but the first few days were hell in this area. It has a lot of useful resources, which is exactly why many people like me left as soon as possible."
Dalai looked at him thoughtfully.
"Did you have to face other subordinates?"
"Yes. Dozens of them. Fighting every day was inevitable, but I avoided killing whenever possible—if that's what you're wondering. Not that it was always an option..."
"I see... sorry for asking."
"No need. It's nothing I regret."
Dana looked at Riccardo thoughtfully.
From the way he described it, he's currently level 11... more than double mine...
Then she thought back to Riccardo's fight against Ardit and his group, and how effortlessly he had disposed of them.
And that gap is real. We need to close it.
After a while, Riccardo stopped in front of a tree.
"We're here."
He stepped aside, revealing a lake that appeared before the group, who were instantly amazed.
"Drinkable water!" Dana exclaimed.
The three of them rushed toward the lake to drink.
"Wow, it's so fresh!"
"We really needed this!"
Riccardo approached and took a sip as well.
"So, are we staying around here?" Estrella asked.
"Fine by me!"
"Same here!"
"Not happening."
Riccardo's words instantly killed everyone's enthusiasm.
"Why?" Dana asked.
"Many people left, but that doesn't mean this area is abandoned. In fact, whoever stayed is probably among the most dangerous people in this forest. People who won't hesitate to kill on sight."
The three of them didn't know how to respond to Riccardo's statement.
"Then we don't have any choice but to move further away," Dalai said, resigned but firm.
"Ugh... and the drinking water was so convenient," Estrella muttered sadly.
"Of course, if we need it, we can always come back."
Riccardo's words made Estrella smile slightly again.
"So where do we go now?" Dana asked.
Riccardo gave a faint smile.
"How about a magical place to sleep?"
All three of them looked at him, immediately intrigued by his suggestion.
[Shortly after]
Riccardo guided the group to a hilly area inside the forest.
"Here we are."
A small circular hill rose within the woods, its slopes covered in towering trees growing at an incline.
Symbols were carved into their trunks, while the branches intertwined so densely they veiled the sky.
At night, moonlight filtered through those tangled shapes, creating an atmosphere that felt suspended—almost unreal.
"This is really magical..."
Estrella looked around, completely captivated.
As they moved closer to the center of the grove, Estrella touched one of the trunks, and the carved symbols lit up with a golden glow.
"They look very ancient..."
She studied them carefully, while Dana stepped closer, noticing her curiosity.
"I'm not an expert, but I think they might be runes..."
"I was thinking the same thing, but they seem different from the runes found on Earth..."
"Probably it's the Divine Language," Riccardo said.
"You mean there's an alternative version to the one we know?" Estrella asked.
"Not really an alternative. More like the original one."
"Who carved it then?" Dana asked.
"I don't know. It could've been carved by a deity when this world was created… or by some creature that understands the language."
"If it was written by a mythological creature, isn't it dangerous to stay here? It might come back," Estrella said, worried.
That thought also unsettled Dana.
"Yes, but since I've known this place, nothing non-human has ever come here."
Riccardo's words eased their concerns a little.
"But it's still strange that no one settled here. You're protected on all sides, there's only one entrance, and you even have a sort of natural roof made of trees."
Dalai looked around as he set his things down near a tree.
"I don't know… but we can take advantage of it while we can."
"Right! Let's get ready for the night!" Estrella exclaimed enthusiastically.
The four of them prepared what they needed for the night and ate shortly after lighting the fire, sharing conversations and laughter.
"What a great meal… we really needed this once in a while!"
Dalai leaned back, satisfied.
"True!"
Dana looked up at the sky and saw the full moon between the branches of the trees, almost halfway through its cycle.
"Guys, I think it's about time… who wants to take the first watch?"
"I'll do it," Riccardo replied immediately.
"Are you sure? You also stayed up all night yesterday without even asking for a shift..." Dalai didn't sound convinced.
"Yes, I'm sure. Don't worry about it."
The others exchanged doubtful glances again.
"If you say so… I trust you," Dana said.
Soon after, the three of them went to sleep, while Riccardo remained in front of the fire, sitting with his eyes fixed on the flames.
Suddenly, the sound of snapping branches came from the forest ahead. Riccardo slightly lifted his gaze.
"They've started the hunt..." he muttered under his breath.
He stood up and kicked the fire out, letting himself be swallowed by the darkness of the night. Then he stayed silent, waiting.
Suddenly, a series of metallic sounds echoed around the hollow, like weapons clashing.
Riccardo glanced at his companions, then sat back down, reassured.
Looks like we're safe for tonight...
[Morning]
At the first light of dawn, Dana woke up. After a yawn, she noticed Riccardo still awake and, still half-asleep, walked over to him.
"You stayed up the entire night..."
Riccardo turned to look at her.
"Good morning."
"You didn't answer my question..." Dana said with a slight tone of disapproval.
"Yes. I spent another sleepless night."
"Why do you do that?"
"You said you trust me, didn't you?"
Dana sat down next to Riccardo.
"I do, but this behavior won't lead to anything good..."
"I've already accounted for that."
"Then tell me why."
Riccardo stayed silent for a moment, staring into Dana's eyes.
"Because—"
"Good morning!" Estrella suddenly appeared out of nowhere, startling Dana and interrupting Riccardo.
"Estrella, be quieter in the morning!" Dana scolded her.
Riccardo, seeing the scene, stood up with a faint smile and stepped away.
"Will you stop making noise?" Dalai muttered, still half asleep.
"Dana, can I ask you something?" Riccardo said.
"You said you practiced MMA at a decent level, right?"
"Yes, why?"
"How about teaching me something?"
The proposal caught Dana completely off guard.
"Uh… sure."
"Can I join too?" Estrella asked excitedly.
"If possible, I could probably use that as well," Dalai added.
"Yeah, sure, I'll teach you something, but I'm not as good as you think!" Dana said, slightly embarrassed by the group's expectations.
"Alright then. Let's start right away," Riccardo said.
[Another day passed filled with training and conversations]
Estrella and Dalai were exhausted and collapsed onto the ground. Even Riccardo bent forward, resting his hands on his knees. The only one still relatively fresh was Dana.
"Good job, everyone!" she praised them.
"You call that good? You're a monster!" Estrella exclaimed, completely drained.
Dana let out a small, embarrassed laugh.
"Trust me, compared to real fighters, I'm nothing special."
"But this is more than enough for us, thanks!" Riccardo said, making Dana smile.
"It's getting dark again..." Dalai said, looking up at the dimming sky.
"I'll take the night watch again," Riccardo stated.
"Again!?" Dana snapped.
"Now that I think about it… you didn't even let us take a shift last night," Dalai added.
"And I'll do it again," Riccardo replied coldly and with determination.
"Can you at least tell us why?" Estrella asked.
The three of them stared at him. Riccardo sighed, closing his eyes for a moment.
"Because I don't trust you yet. And I don't sleep around people I don't fully trust."
His words stunned them into silence.
"What? You still don't trust us?" Dalai asked, confused.
"But we trust you!" Estrella exclaimed, shocked.
"I appreciate that. But I'm not ready to put my life entirely in your hands yet. If you want me to stay, these are my conditions."
"But—"
"Estrella, it's fine!" Dana cut her off firmly.
"Dana..."
Riccardo looked intensely at Dana.
"You insisted on bringing him here. I hope you're also the one willing to accept his choices and keep trusting him."
"Of course. Do whatever you want."
Dana turned away, shooting him a sharp look.
"Of course."
Dalai and Estrella exchanged a glance, then followed Dana as she walked off. Riccardo watched them in silence.
Another night...
[During the night]
They all slept, with Riccardo taking the watch as agreed.
Suddenly, just like the previous night, he heard the clash of blades in the distance.
"They're starting again tonight…" he murmured, standing up and moving to extinguish the fire.
"What are you doing?" Dana suddenly asked, watching him.
Riccardo froze.
"Don't you trust me either?"
"I did trust you… but I don't sleep next to someone who hides things from me."
"Fair answer. I'll give you that."
"So are you going to tell me what's going on?!" Dana asked, raising her voice.
"Lower your voice..."
The sounds around the tree line grew louder, and she noticed it too.
"What are these noises—"
Riccardo placed a hand over her mouth, cutting her off.
"I said lower your voice," he said firmly.
"Then?" Dana asked again, this time quieter.
"Then you're finally starting to understand why I didn't want you on night watch."
"Are they mythological creatures?"
"No... those aren't the main threat in this area anymore. The most dangerous ones now are something else: humans."
Dana fell silent for a moment.
Then Riccardo's words came back to her.
[Flashback]
"Many people left, but that doesn't mean this area is abandoned. In fact, whoever stayed is probably among the most dangerous people in this forest. People who won't hesitate to kill on sight."
[End Flashback]
"So those are the ones left in this part of the forest?"
"Exactly. At night, many of them go hunting for other subordinates. That's why I brought you here."
"What do you mean?"
Riccardo extinguished the fire and moved toward a tree.
"I took shelter here during that period precisely because of its strategic position… but especially because of these trees..."
He placed a hand on the trunk, and the carved runes lit up faintly.
"As you can see—and as you already noticed—they have runes that activate when you get close."
"I see… so you use them as a warning system."
"That's why I put out the fire: it makes them even easier to see."
Dana still looked at him, unconvinced.
"Then why didn't you just tell us? Instead of making us think you didn't trust us?"
"I told you to keep your voice down… and besides, these aren't ordinary people. You're not ready for this."
Suddenly, a rune behind Riccardo lit up.