Slash, slash, swoop, haa... Haa...
Slash, slash, haaaaaa.
The bamboo shoot was carved into uneven pieces, scattered across the ground where they had fallen. The cuts seemed rough, splintered, and uneven, nothing like the clean work of a steady hand, as if the blade had been driven through them in haste rather than with precision.
Along the rough edges, thin inner fibers still clung rigidly, stretching between the broken sections, curling slightly from where they had been torn apart.The sound of wood being cut rippled through the bamboo forest, echoing as far as the bamboo could be seen.
A man stood there naked from the waist up, gasping for air, momentarily stopping before continuing the series of slashes again with his left hand. Loads of sweat falling from his body to the ground, where the shadows of the bamboo could be seen, which were made by the sun that was shining brilliantly in the day
He repeatedly failed to cut the bamboo into clean pieces due to his poor left-handed swordsmanship and lack of balance.
After a couple of hours, his body fell on the ground, lying motionless, as he had no energy left to continue slashing. Slowly, his eyes closed due to fatigue and exhaustion, which had overtaken his mind.
Swoosh, fwoosh…gentle wind flowed through the entire forest as the man slowly opened his eyes, watching the sky that was covered with the large shoots.
"Gurgle… gurgle…"
The sound of flowing water reached him clearly through the silence. Without wasting a moment, he gathered his belongings and moved toward it. Soon, a river came into view, its gentle current slipping over stone, sending soft ripples of sound through the air.
He reached the river and then followed in the movement opposite to that of the flowing river. He saw a slight hill from where the water stream was pouring through, and his gaze met a small cave that was built just near the river.
Without any visible reaction, he moved forward, reached the cave, and placed his belongings inside before immediately heading toward the river.
Standing before the hill from which the water fell, he watched as it formed a small waterfall. Keeping a safe distance from the falling stream, he moved several meters away, where the water current was steady, and jumped into it.
He could feel all his exhaustion and build-up flying away.
He let his body relax, allowing himself to sink into the river. His mind fell silent, no thoughts surfacing as the current embraced him; his limbs were still with no movement, as if they had no life in them.
After a few moments, he rose to the surface, grasping for air, only to let himself fall back in again. He repeated this for several minutes until sunset, when the entire sky began to change.
He emerged once more and looked upward.
There was no sun or moon.
Instead, the sky was filled with countless stars, drifting nebulae, and clouds of cosmic dust.
It looked unreal, like an illusion painted across the heavens.
Yet, to those who lived in this world, it was nothing out of this world. It had been this way for centuries. No one knew why it happened… or how.
The reflection of distant galaxies shone across the river's surface.
But the man did not linger.
He quickly moved back toward the cave and sealed its entrance with the large rock he had prepared earlier.
The cave was no more than four meters in length and breadth, barely enough for the man to survive.
Without further ado, he took a square-shaped item from the box; it was transparent, yet it seemed to hold much within.
While standing, he closed his eyes and channeled spirit energy into the box he held in his left hand. Both the energies collided, and swiftly, a pair of clothes with two light pearls appeared, illuminating the entire cave. The eerie look in his sunken eyes and the calluses on his palm glowed.
Howl!
Hrrr…
Thump, thud…
Countless beasts roamed around the area, searching for their prey, under the cosmic sky.
He had never witnessed anything like it in his life.
For as long as he could remember, his world had been confined to the mansion and the towering walls that encircled the kingdom, a life shaped by distance from everything beyond.
So when he first saw monsters in the memories... of rifts opening in mid-air, in the sky, or on the ground, it did not feel real. It clashed with everything he had believed.
He once believed that this lovely and tranquil world was created by the heavens.
But what he had seen… what he now understood…
It was not heaven.
It was far closer to hell.
He sat inside the cave, its entrance sealed behind him, cutting off the wind flow. The air within was thick and unmoving.
After changing into dry clothes, he crouched near a patch of uneven ground and reached for a small piece of bamboo. Pressing it against the rough surface of a stone, he struck it carefully at first, then with growing persistence.
The sharp, hollow sounds permeated within the enclosed space, each strike bouncing off the walls and returning to him in repetition. There was no escape for the sound, no wind to carry it away, only the cave, holding onto every noise, every movement.
A faint spark finally caught.
It flickered weakly, almost dying before it could take form, but he shielded it subconsciously, guiding it with slow, practiced movements until it grew. A small flame emerged, fragile at first, trembling in the dense air before slowly steadying into a low, persistent burn.
He extended his hands toward the fire, feeling the faint warmth press against his skin.
Without hurry, he placed his wet clothes near the fire and sat back, his gaze fixed on the slow, steady movement of heat and light.
Fast winds could be heard crashing into the cave with loud groans from the beasts.
Crackle, crackle…
Listening to the crackles created by the campfire, he fell into a deep slumber…
Slowly, two months passed; the man trained relentlessly in the lonely and detached world, gaining proficiency at basic swordsmanship in nearly two months. If not for the sun-origin core, it would have taken him at least eight to ten months, which provided him with continuous healing, increased stamina, and physical abilities.
His origin core had evolved from the middle stage of reformation to the peak stage of it, changing his spirit energy to a dark pink color.
It was finally time for him to move to meet his last-known companion as the due date for their meeting approached.
The man packed his belongings into the small transparent cube, watching as each item settled within. Once finished, he stuffed it into his blue robe, securing it close to his body.
He tied his sword at his right waist, adjusting it until its position was comfortable, the familiar weight steady and reassuring. Then he pulled the robe over himself, the fabric falling over his face and body, concealing him completely.
Slowly, he lowered himself to the ground.
His head came to rest against the soft, lavish grass, still carrying warmth from the sun. Around him lay several bamboo shoots, cleanly cut and scattered, their pale inner surfaces catching the dim light.
He remained there for a moment, unmoving, eyes closed, letting the stillness settle around him.
A small, unspoken gratitude passed through him
for the warmth...
and the protection this land had given him.
The land was located on the northern continent, a few kilometers west of his homeland.
His next destination was a city in Blossoming Vale, a large empire at the center of the northern continent, lying further west from his nation, which spread over hundreds of kilometers, almost triple the size of his land.
He got up and followed a trail that showed a signboard for the city closest to him.
"Inkwood."
He got out of the forest and saw the distant view of the city.
He walked along the trails made of tough stones mixed with graphite and sand. Many people stood in front of the gates, some arguing, others passing through with loads of stuff on their carts.
As evening approached and the sun began to set, the crowd slowly started to thin out.
He was the last one to enter. The moment he passed through, the guards moved to close the gates, sealing them off from both entry and exit.
The view of the city he had seen before through the entrance was entirely different now.
Even though security was high, most shops were closed, and hardly any people roamed the streets.
The shops that were still open belonged to poor people who needed money to survive.
Suddenly, a woman approached the man, who was covered from head to toe in a blue robe.
"Sir, if you are searching for some necessities, like food, a guide, or an area to stay, then please come and visit our shop. It is just around the corner." The young woman spoke in a gentle tone.
"How far could the travel guide take me?" a voice spoke through the veil.
"Sir, the travel guide knows every part of the continent. If you pay him well, he can take you anywhere you want," the woman said calmly.
"Lead the way, then."