While the daily misery inside the Ministry of Science continued, Arin was making his way through the newly expanded forest at a brisk pace. Under normal circumstances, he would have moved much slower, taking the time to study every hill, stream, and grove he passed. That was something he planned to do once this mission was over. As far as he was concerned, this forest belonged to them now, and he intended to know it as well as the forest he had grown up in.
Some people might have argued that such dedication was unnecessary. After all, the forest had expanded to nearly ten times its previous size. Learning every corner of it would take years, perhaps even decades. Arin disagreed completely, and so did most of the clan.
Their ancestors had fought and defended these woods for generations. The forest was more than a collection of trees to them; it was their home, fortress, and hunting ground all at once. Knowing every path, clearing, and stream could mean the difference between victory and defeat. Yesterday's hunting game had proven exactly how valuable that knowledge could be.
The recruits, however, did not share that perspective yet. Most of them could identify major landmarks and navigate between important locations. What they lacked was the deeper understanding possessed by those raised within the forest. They knew where the stream was, but not which sections were shallow enough to cross quickly.
They knew where trees stood, but not which branches could support a running jump. They knew where clearings were located, but not which bushes offered concealment or which depressions collected rainwater after storms. Those details seemed small individually, yet together they formed the foundation of true mastery over the forest.
Unfortunately, nobody had much time to leisurely explore anymore. The appearance of the Secret Realm had changed everyone's priorities overnight. Recruits who would normally be studying maps or learning patrol routes were now being drilled relentlessly. Defensive positions were being prepared while scouts spread throughout the forest gathering information.
That was also why Arin had received his current assignment. Nobody was willing to send inexperienced recruits near the Secret Realm without understanding the danger first. During the Trial, death had only been temporary. Now, however, death meant exactly what it used to mean.
People were understandably nervous.
Most citizens had experienced death at least once during the Trial and remembered it as one of the worst experiences of their lives. Even though few could properly describe what they had gone through, the memory lingered. The mere possibility of permanent death was enough to make many people reconsider otherwise simple decisions.
Oddly enough, that fear had produced some positive outcomes. Murder had become one of the most severely punished crimes on the planet. Once guilt was proven beyond doubt, execution was almost universally accepted. Few people sympathized with murderers after personally experiencing death themselves.
The change had also devastated organized crime. Many criminal organizations had survived for years by operating beneath the threshold that justified major investigations. Petty theft, fraud, and extortion often slipped through the cracks when police resources were stretched thin. Murder, however, changed everything.
One body was enough to bring enormous attention.
Police forces, intelligence agencies, and even military investigators became involved whenever necessary. Since the military had spent much of the Expansion confined inside cities anyway, many units had accumulated plenty of free time. Hunting criminals became a surprisingly popular activity among certain officers.
Arin pushed those thoughts aside as he continued through the trees. The forest gradually grew quieter the closer he approached his destination. Birds became less common. Insects disappeared almost entirely. Even the wind seemed reluctant to linger in the area.
Then he finally saw it.
Right, here we are.
The hill rose nearly thirty meters above the surrounding terrain. It should have been covered in vegetation like every other hill in the region. Instead, it looked as though life itself had abandoned the area. Dead grass covered the slope in patchy clumps while black soil peeked through countless cracks.
A chill ran down Arin's spine.
It was not merely because the place looked wrong. He could physically feel something emanating from the hill. Cold energy seeped into the surroundings like invisible fog, settling deep within his bones. Every instinct told him to leave immediately.
What disturbed him even more was the reaction of the forest.
The pulse of the forest had never lied to him before. Through his physique, he could sense the emotions of the woods around him. Usually those feelings were subtle and difficult to interpret. Here, however, the message was painfully clear.
The forest wanted help.
No.
The forest was begging for help.
The sensation felt almost desperate. Whatever existed beyond that portal was something fundamentally opposed to life itself. Arin had no idea what was inside, but the surrounding vegetation clearly hated it. Even standing nearby made him uncomfortable.
His gaze shifted toward a dead tree near the summit.
The sight only made things worse.
The tree should have fallen long ago. It stood completely lifeless, yet somehow remained upright. Even stranger, the wind pushed leaves and debris away from the hill rather than toward it. It was as though nature itself refused to approach the portal.
"Okay," Arin muttered quietly. "How exactly are we supposed to get rid of this thing?"
The question lingered unanswered.
He was still considering how to report his observations when he suddenly froze. Something had changed. A presence washed over him like a wave, powerful enough that even someone without special senses would have noticed it. Whatever was coming through the portal was making no attempt to hide.
Arin's hand immediately moved to his bow.
The feeling was difficult to describe. He had never encountered anything like it before. Every instinct within him screamed that whatever approached was an enemy. Not just his enemy, but humanity's enemy.
It felt wrong.
Fundamentally wrong.
He had not even seen the creature yet, but every fiber of his being demanded that it die. The reaction was so intense that Arin briefly questioned whether some skill was influencing him. Yet the feeling remained even after he examined himself.
Then the creature emerged.
Arin struggled to find words for what he was seeing. Its body was black, but not the normal kind of black. Looking directly at it felt strangely uncomfortable, as though the darkness wanted to pull his gaze deeper and deeper. For a brief moment, he even felt something tugging at his mind.
Fortunately, his Willpower was strong enough to resist.
Arin shook his head and focused.
The creature resembled a dog in the loosest possible sense. Two nostrils occupied the space where eyes should have been, while a single eye rested where its nose belonged. The proportions felt wrong. The movements felt wrong.
Everything about it felt wrong.
Without hesitation, Arin drew his bow.
The arrow was already nocked.
He never even considered using Identify. Every instinct told him that learning more about the creature could wait until after it was dead. Some threats simply did not deserve the benefit of caution.
The string snapped forward.
The arrow crossed the distance in an instant.
The creature died immediately.
The shaft struck directly through the grotesque eye positioned on its face. The body collapsed onto the blackened ground without making a sound. Moments later, Arin watched his arrow bounce free and tumble harmlessly across the dirt.
"Oh."
That was convenient.
"That should save on arrows."
Arin nodded approvingly.
Bennie would definitely appreciate that. The treasurer always looked personally offended whenever Arin collected his arrow allowance. Sometimes Arin swore the man acted as though every arrow came directly from his own pocket.
The thought almost made him laugh.
Almost.
Unfortunately, the hill still existed.
The portal still existed.
And there was absolutely no guarantee that only one creature would emerge.
Arin quickly climbed into a nearby tree and settled onto a sturdy branch overlooking the area. From there, he had a clear view of both the portal and the surrounding terrain. More importantly, he could react immediately if something else appeared.
While waiting, his thoughts wandered elsewhere.
Specifically, toward the Class Skill he still had not chosen.
Most people would have selected a new skill immediately. Arin simply did not feel particularly motivated. Between scouting, hunting, crafting bows, and dealing with family nonsense, he had never found the time to seriously consider his options.
Besides, his profession was already keeping him busy.
The bows he crafted sold surprisingly well through the clan. Since he was a direct family member, he received half the profit from every successful sale. The other half went toward supporting the clan and guild. It was an arrangement far more generous than what most members received.
Not that Arin minded.
He already knew exactly what he wanted to spend the money on.
Another tree.
A really good one this time.
The thought brought a small smile to his face as he settled deeper into the branch. Below him, the dead hill remained silent. The portal stood motionless in the center of the corruption. And while notification windows quietly waited for his attention, Arin ignored every single one of them.
Until somebody else arrived, he intended to keep watching.
No matter what came through that portal next.