The Crossroads Inn slowly came alive long before sunrise.
A faint silver mist still clung to the ground as lanterns hanging beneath the broad wooden eaves flickered against the retreating darkness. Stable hands moved quietly between rows of carriages, fastening harnesses and feeding weary beasts that had spent the night resting after long journeys. Merchants loaded crates onto wagons, guards checked their weapons one last time, and travelers hurried through quick breakfasts before continuing toward their various destinations.
Unlike the lively atmosphere of the previous evening, the inn was strangely peaceful at dawn. Conversations were softer, laughter less frequent, as though everyone understood that another day on the road demanded both energy and caution.
Inside one of the upstairs rooms, Zion opened his eyes before the first rays of sunlight reached the window.
Years of waking before dawn to tend Granny Iya's forge had become second nature. Even without an alarm, his body rose at almost the same time every morning.
He quietly sat on the edge of the bed and took a slow breath.
The room was still.
Across from him, Kellan remained sprawled across his mattress, wrapped so tightly in his blanket that he resembled a cocoon more than a person. Soft snores escaped from beneath the blanket at perfectly regular intervals.
Zion stared for a moment before shaking his head.
Captain Roran had been right.
If the inn collapsed around him...
Kellan would probably continue sleeping.
After washing his face with the cool water provided in the room, Zion fastened New Dawn to his waist before stepping into the hallway.
The inn was already awake.
Servants carried baskets of fresh bread toward the kitchen while the smell of roasted meat drifted through the corridors. Somewhere below, someone was chopping vegetables with rhythmic precision, each strike echoing faintly through the wooden building.
For reasons he couldn't quite explain...
His stomach growled.
Again.
Zion frowned thoughtfully.
"I ate enough for nine people last night."
His stomach answered with another rumble.
"...Apparently not."
---
When Zion reached the dining hall, Captain Roran was already seated near the window, calmly drinking a cup of steaming tea while studying a worn leather map spread across the table.
Without looking up, he spoke.
"I wondered how long it would take before your stomach woke you."
Zion sat down opposite him.
"I thought I was still full."
"So did everyone else."
Captain Roran folded the map before finally meeting Zion's eyes.
"Origin Essence changes the body."
"When an Awakener first begins cultivating, every improvement demands nutrients. Muscles strengthen, bones become denser, organs grow more resilient. Even your blood gradually changes."
He picked up a piece of bread and broke it in half.
"People think cultivation is fueled only by Origin Essence."
"They're wrong."
"The body still needs food."
"The stronger your body becomes..."
"...the greater the burden."
Zion nodded slowly.
That explained why Granny Iya had always insisted he eat enormous meals after long days inside the forge.
Perhaps...
She had known all along.
A waitress approached carrying two wooden trays.
"I thought you'd be the first ones awake."
She smiled as she placed bowls of hot porridge, fresh bread, roasted eggs, and slices of smoked beast meat onto the table.
Zion looked at the breakfast.
Then at Captain Roran.
"Is this enough?"
The captain looked at him.
Then at the food.
Then back at him.
"For me?"
"Yes."
"For you?"
"...Probably not."
---
By the time Mira entered the dining hall, Zion had already emptied three bowls of porridge, half a basket of bread, and every slice of smoked meat on the table.
She stopped walking.
Blinking once.
Then twice.
"...Didn't we have dinner only a few hours ago?"
Zion calmly swallowed another bite.
"We did."
"And you're hungry again?"
"I was hungry before breakfast."
Captain Roran quietly sipped his tea.
"I've stopped questioning it."
Mira slowly took her seat.
"I think your forge consumed less fuel than you do."
Before Zion could answer, a loud yawn echoed across the dining hall.
Kellan stumbled down the stairs with messy hair and half-open eyes, dragging his feet toward the table.
"I had the strangest dream..."
He stopped.
His gaze landed on the empty dishes piled beside Zion.
"...You started without me?"
"I woke up hungry."
"You always wake up hungry!"
"Correct."
Kellan threw both hands into the air.
"One day you're going to eat an entire restaurant."
Captain Roran calmly folded his arms.
"Not today."
"Today, he only ate breakfast."
Even the waitress laughed as she walked past with another basket of bread.
---
An hour later, the four travelers departed once again.
The horned horses snorted as Captain Roran guided the carriage back onto the ancient highway. Morning sunlight poured through the forest canopy, painting shifting patterns across the road while the wheels rolled steadily over weathered stone laid centuries earlier.
The farther they traveled from the Crossroads Inn, the quieter the world became.
The endless chatter of merchants and travelers disappeared behind them, replaced by the whisper of wind through towering trees.
Zion rested an elbow against the carriage window.
Yesterday, every sight had felt unfamiliar.
Today...
He found himself observing differently.
The roads were wider than those surrounding Blue Star Village.
The forests seemed older.
Even the Origin Essence lingering in the air felt denser somehow, carrying a freshness he had never noticed before.
Captain Roran noticed him watching the landscape.
"Do you feel it?"
Zion nodded.
"The Origin Essence..."
"...it's stronger."
"It is."
The captain's voice remained calm as he guided the horses around a gentle bend.
"Blue Star Village lies near one of the weakest Origin Veins on the continent."
"The farther we travel toward Stone River City..."
"...the richer the world's Origin Essence becomes."
Mira looked up from the notebook resting on her lap.
"So Origin Essence isn't evenly distributed?"
Captain Roran shook his head.
"Not even close."
"Some mountains contain enough Origin Essence to nourish entire sects for thousands of years."
"Some valleys produce spiritual herbs that never appear elsewhere."
"Others become breeding grounds for powerful Origin Beasts."
He paused briefly.
"And those places..."
"...are usually soaked in blood."
None of the three spoke after hearing those words.
Until now...
Origin Essence had sounded almost gentle.
Like an invisible gift left behind by the heavens.
Captain Roran's words reminded them of another truth.
Anything valuable...
Would inevitably be fought over.
The carriage continued deeper into the wilderness, unaware that before the sun reached its highest point...
The road ahead would teach the three youths their first lesson about surviving in the world beyond Blue Star.
---
The road gradually left the ancient forest behind, winding toward a chain of rocky hills that stretched across the horizon like the spine of a sleeping giant. Towering cliffs rose on either side of the highway, their weathered surfaces covered in patches of stubborn moss and twisted vines that had clung to the stone for generations. The cheerful songs of birds slowly disappeared, replaced by an uneasy silence that settled over the landscape.
Even the wind seemed quieter here.
Captain Roran's eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly.
Years of traveling these roads had sharpened his instincts far beyond those of ordinary people. Every shift in the breeze, every unusual silence, every broken branch carried meaning. The absence of birdsong was rarely a coincidence.
He gently tightened the reins.
The horned horses immediately slowed their pace, sensing the subtle change in their master's demeanor.
Inside the carriage, Zion noticed the difference almost at once.
"Captain?"
Roran didn't answer immediately. His sharp gaze swept across the cliffs above them before settling on the dense undergrowth lining both sides of the road.
"Stay alert."
His calm voice carried none of its usual ease.
"The forest is watching us."
The simple sentence caused the atmosphere inside the carriage to change instantly.
Kellan instinctively reached for the hunting knife hanging at his waist. Although he had awakened his Origin Essence only recently, years of hunting had taught him never to ignore the warning of an experienced veteran.
Mira quietly closed her notebook and slipped it into her travel bag. Her expression remained composed, but Zion noticed the slight tension in her shoulders.
Only the steady rumble of the carriage wheels disturbed the silence.
Then...
A sharp crack echoed through the hills.
It wasn't loud.
It sounded almost like a branch snapping beneath a heavy foot.
Captain Roran immediately pulled the reins.
The carriage stopped.
The horned horses stomped nervously against the stone road, releasing uneasy snorts as they pawed at the ground.
For several long seconds...
Nothing happened.
The forest remained perfectly still.
Then the earth trembled.
A deep, rhythmic vibration spread beneath the road, growing stronger with every passing heartbeat. Pebbles bounced across the stone highway, while dust drifted lazily from the cliffs overhead.
Kellan swallowed.
"...That's not normal."
"No," Captain Roran replied quietly.
"It isn't."
The bushes on the left side of the road suddenly exploded outward.
A massive shadow burst from the undergrowth with terrifying force, scattering broken branches in every direction.
The creature landed heavily upon the highway, shaking the ground beneath its weight.
It resembled a wolf...
If wolves could grow nearly three meters tall.
Its body was covered in dark crimson fur that shimmered like burning embers beneath the afternoon sunlight. Jagged black spikes protruded along its spine, while a pair of curved horns emerged from either side of its head. Every breath escaped its mouth as waves of scorching heat, revealing rows of fangs sharp enough to tear through steel.
Most terrifying of all...
Its golden eyes burned with unmistakable intelligence.
Kellan's face lost all color.
"That..."
"...that's not an ordinary beast."
Captain Roran slowly climbed down from the driver's seat without taking his eyes off the creature.
"No."
"It awakened long ago."
The wolf lowered its body, releasing a low growl that echoed between the surrounding cliffs. Crimson Origin Essence began to gather around its limbs like dancing flames, causing the temperature of the air to rise noticeably.
Zion's hand unconsciously rested upon New Dawn.
His instincts screamed at him.
Run.
Every fiber of his body understood one simple truth.
If he faced this beast alone...
He wouldn't survive a single exchange.
The wolf from the Impossible Trial had been terrifying.
This creature... felt like an entirely different level.
Captain Roran stepped forward until he stood between the carriage and the enormous wolf.
Only then did he speak.
"Remain inside."
His tone wasn't commanding.
It was absolute.
None of the three argued.
Because they understood.
This battle was beyond them.
The Crimson Fang Wolf studied Captain Roran for several moments before releasing a deafening roar that shook leaves from the surrounding trees.
Without warning...
It attacked.
Its enormous body became a crimson blur as it crossed more than thirty meters in a single heartbeat. Stone shattered beneath its paws, leaving deep cracks across the ancient road as it lunged with enough force to crush a carriage in one strike.
Kellan couldn't even follow its movements.
Mira's breathing caught in her throat.
Even Zion, whose body had been strengthened by the Impossible Trial, saw only flashes of crimson racing toward the captain.
Captain Roran finally moved.
He drew his sword.
The clear ring of steel echoed through the valley like the chime of a distant bell.
Unlike New Dawn, Roran's weapon possessed no elaborate decorations or glowing inscriptions. It was a practical battlefield sword, polished through years of relentless use.
Yet the moment it left its scabbard...
The world seemed to grow heavier.
A dense pressure spread outward from Captain Roran's body.
The Origin Essence in the surrounding air surged toward him like invisible rivers answering an ancient call.
Golden light flowed across the blade.
Not violently.
Not explosively.
It gathered with perfect control, coating every inch of steel in a thin layer of radiant energy.
Zion's eyes widened.
For the first time...
He was witnessing the true power of a genuine cultivator.
Captain Roran planted one foot firmly against the stone road.
He neither dodged nor retreated.
Instead...
He swung his sword.
The movement was astonishingly simple.
There were no unnecessary flourishes.
No dramatic roar.
Just one clean, perfectly executed slash.
The blade met the wolf's descending claws.
BOOM!!
The collision erupted like thunder.
A violent shockwave exploded outward, flattening the surrounding grass and sending loose stones flying in every direction. The horned horses reared violently, while dust billowed across the road in thick clouds that swallowed both combatants from sight.
For several tense heartbeats...
No one could see anything.
Only the echoes of the impact rolled through the valley.
Then the dust slowly began to settle.
Captain Roran still stood exactly where he had been.
His feet hadn't moved an inch.
The Crimson Fang Wolf, however...
Had been forced backward more than twenty meters, its massive claws carving deep trenches across the stone road before it finally regained its balance.
The beast stared at the human before it.
For the first time...
Its burning golden eyes no longer held arrogance.
They held caution.
Captain Roran lowered his sword slightly, his expression as calm as ever.
But the Crimson Fang Wolf wasn't finished.
With a savage snarl, it vanished once more.
A crimson flash crossed the battlefield.
Rip!
The beast's claws grazed Captain Roran's left shoulder.
His cloak split open as a thin line of blood appeared beneath the torn fabric.
The wolf landed several meters away before turning to face him again.
Captain Roran glanced at the shallow wound.
"Fast..."
"...but not fast enough."
"You've reached the Peak of the Origin Rank."
"A remarkable achievement."
He slowly raised his sword.
"Unfortunately..."
"...your opponent has already stepped into the Earth Realm."
"You chose the wrong caravan."
---
The Crimson Fang Wolf lowered its body until its claws dug deep into the stone road. Its golden eyes never left Captain Roran, yet the savage confidence it had displayed moments earlier had vanished. Animals possessed instincts far keener than humans. It understood that the man standing before it was no ordinary traveler.
For a heartbeat, neither side moved.
Then the beast threw back its head and released another earth-shaking howl.
The sound rolled through the valley, echoing from cliff to cliff before fading into the distant mountains. The surrounding forest answered with panicked cries as flocks of birds burst into the sky, fleeing in every direction.
Captain Roran's expression hardened.
"Trying to summon the pack?"
His grip tightened around the hilt of his sword.
"Then I can't afford to drag this out."
A faint golden radiance flowed beneath his skin as Origin Essence circulated through every meridian in his body. Unlike the explosive aura surrounding the wolf, Captain Roran's power was calm and perfectly restrained, like a deep ocean whose true depth could never be seen from the surface.
Zion watched without blinking.
He could sense the Origin Essence gathering around Captain Roran, yet it wasn't chaotic. Every strand obeyed his will with absolute precision, merging seamlessly with his body before flowing into the sword.
It reminded Zion of forging.
Power wasn't simply about having more.
It was about control.
The Crimson Fang Wolf attacked again.
This time it was faster.
Its massive body became a streak of crimson light that zigzagged across the battlefield, leaving afterimages behind as it searched for an opening. Its claws slashed through empty air again and again, each strike carrying enough force to split boulders apart.
Captain Roran moved only when necessary.
A single step.
A slight turn of the wrist.
A perfectly timed swing.
Every motion was efficient.
Every movement carried purpose.
The sword flashed again and again, deflecting claws, horns, and fangs with almost unbelievable precision. Sparks erupted each time steel met claw, filling the valley with a chorus of ringing impacts.
Kellan's mouth slowly fell open.
"...He's reading every attack."
Mira shook her head, her eyes never leaving the battle.
"No."
"He's predicting them."
Captain Roran wasn't reacting to the wolf.
He already knew where it would attack before it moved.
That realization sent a chill down Zion's spine.
So this...
...was the difference experience could make.
The wolf suddenly changed tactics.
Instead of lunging directly, it slammed both forelegs into the ground.
BOOM!
Cracks raced across the ancient highway as countless jagged stones shot upward like arrows, hurtling toward Captain Roran from every direction.
The captain finally took a deeper breath.
His voice remained as calm as flowing water.
"Earthshaker Art..."
The golden Origin Essence surrounding his sword condensed until it resembled liquid sunlight wrapped around the blade.
"...Mountain Cleaver."
With a single horizontal slash, the valley seemed to split apart.
The golden Origin Essence wrapped around the blade before erupting at the instant of impact.
The wolf's pupils contracted.
It tried to dodge.
Too late.
The golden arc crossed the battlefield in an instant.
For a brief moment...
Everything became silent.
Then a crimson line appeared across the beast's chest.
The enormous wolf staggered backward.
Blood sprayed across the shattered road.
Its front legs trembled violently before finally giving way.
The massive body crashed onto the ground with a thunderous impact that shook the entire valley.
Silence returned.
Only the wind continued moving through the trees.
Zion stared at the fading golden light.
The attack hadn't been overwhelming because it contained more Origin Essence.
It had been overwhelming because not a single strand had been wasted.
Just as a master blacksmith needed perfect control over every strike of the hammer...
A cultivator needed perfect control over every strand of Origin Essence.
Power alone...
...would never be enough.
Captain Roran stood motionless for several seconds, ensuring the beast truly had no strength left before slowly lowering his sword.
The golden radiance faded from the blade.
With one practiced motion, he returned it to its scabbard.
Click.
The sound seemed unusually clear in the quiet valley.
Kellan released the breath he hadn't realized he was holding.
"...It's over."
Captain Roran nodded.
"For us."
He looked toward the surrounding forest.
"For the scent of blood..."
"...it's only beginning."
Without another word, he walked toward the fallen beast.
The three youths quickly followed.
Standing beside the corpse made its true size even more overwhelming. The Crimson Fang Wolf was nearly twice as tall as Zion, its body covered in scars earned through countless battles. Even in death, the pressure lingering around it made ordinary people instinctively step back.
Captain Roran knelt beside the beast and placed a hand upon its forehead.
"This is an Origin Beast."
He spoke as though giving a lesson rather than explaining a battle.
"The moment a beast awakens, a core begins forming inside its body."
Drawing a short hunting knife from his belt, he made a precise incision near the creature's chest.
A drop of blood slid from the shallow wound on his shoulder, but he ignored it completely.
After searching for a few moments, he reached inside and withdrew something that shimmered beneath the afternoon sunlight.
It was a crystal.
Roughly the size of a chicken egg.
Deep crimson in color.
Golden strands of light flowed lazily within its translucent surface, like tiny rivers trapped inside a gemstone.
Captain Roran held up the crimson Origin Core, allowing the afternoon sunlight to pass through its crimson surface.
"This belongs to Blue Star Village."
Kellan blinked.
"...Not to the person who killed it?"
Captain Roran smiled faintly.
"It does."
"But Blue Star Village entrusted me with escorting all of you safely to the Academy."
"The payment they offered wasn't merely silver."
"It was trust."
He carefully wrapped the Origin Core in a cloth before storing it inside his storage pouch.
Kellan blinked.
"...Where did it go?"
Captain Roran looked at him.
"My storage pouch."
"Storage... pouch?"
Captain Roran lifted the seemingly ordinary leather pouch hanging from his waist.
"A spatial artifact. The inside is far larger than the outside."
Kellan stared at the pouch as though it had become the most valuable treasure in the world.
"...That's cheating."
Mira couldn't hide her curiosity either.
"I've only read about them in books..."
Zion remained silent, but his eyes lingered on the pouch. A bag that could hold objects larger than itself sounded less like an artifact and more like magic.
Captain Roran smiled.
"They're rare in villages. In cities, they're uncommon, but not impossible to acquire."
"When I return..."
"...this Origin Core will belong to the village."
"It can be exchanged for cultivation resources, medicine, weapons, or supplies."
"It will help everyone become stronger."
Mira nodded thoughtfully.
"So one powerful beast..."
"...can improve an entire village."
Captain Roran smiled.
"Exactly."
"The strongest cultivators protect more than themselves."
"They protect the people standing behind them."
Zion silently watched the crimson crystal disappear into Captain Roran's pouch.
He suddenly understood something.
Strength...
...wasn't only for becoming powerful.
Sometimes...
It existed so that others could live better.
That lesson stayed with him long after the carriage resumed its journey.
____
Authors note: If you're enjoying The Chaos Ruler, please add it to your library, vote with your Power Stones, and leave a comment. Every bit of support helps!