The green-haired girl wore a cloak of the same color, along with a coat made from tiger fur to keep warm. Focused, she held her bow steadily, aiming at a squirrel trying to reach a nut.

— So this is where you are? — said a familiar voice behind her as the creaking of the wooden gate revealed someone had come in.

The girl ignored the child, keeping her focus on the squirrel.

— Hey, aren’t you going to talk to me? — insisted the boy, lightly tapping her, causing her to miss the shot.

— What do you want? — she asked, sighing impatiently as she walked off to retrieve the arrow.

— Your friends are nice. Why do you keep so distant? Since yesterday, you haven’t said a word beyond what’s strictly necessary to anyone in the village — he said, following her.

— I’m not obligated to talk to you — she replied, pulling the arrow that had lodged into the trunk of a tree.

— Your friends are going to train me! I’m going to be a hunter, you know? — he said, excited.

— That’s a waste of time. You should be helping the village instead of chasing an impossible dream — she replied, brushing past him, intending to leave.

— Impossible? But anyone can become an adventurer! — the boy protested, outraged.

— You’re a ten-year-old brat with an impure core. You’ll never make it.

— But the core only starts forming at twelve!

— That’s what they say so you don’t get discouraged. The truth is, by seven, you already start cleansing impurities from your core.

— But I only started meditating less than a month ago!

— Meditation isn’t necessary. The impurities fade naturally. They lied to you, idiot — she snapped, walking away.

On impulse, the boy grabbed a stone near his feet and hurled it at the adventurer. With agility, she dodged and deflected it with her bow, making it ricochet and strike the boy’s forehead.

— Give up your dreams and accept the life that was planned for you.

— You’re only saying that because you’re afraid I might become better than you! Don’t want me to live adventures like your friends? To go through things that shape my character and morals? — he shouted, kneeling, blood running down his face.

— You have no idea what you’re talking about.

— Yeah, right!

— The adventurer’s life isn’t as amazing as it seems. Give up that idea. These “adventures” you fantasize about aren’t worth it.

— And why not, huh? — he demanded, standing in anger. His left eye remained shut from the blood trickling down.

She stared at him for a few seconds, searching his eyes for any hint of fear. Then she looked around and started walking back toward the field.

— What’s wrong? Run out of arg— — he mocked, before being cut off by a powerful kick to the stomach that slammed him against a tree.

— I’m going to tell you a little story — she said, suddenly right in front of him.

— H-how did you…? — he murmured, barely able to speak.

— Tate probably already told you how we formed our bond of partnership and friendship. Maybe even mentioned what I used to do, thanks to that soft heart of his. But I’m going to tell you about my past as an adventurer — just to show how terrible this profession can be — she said, sitting down beside the boy. — It can destroy a sane mind forever.

— Did you really have to kick me like that!? — he asked, curled up in pain, silenced by her hand over his mouth.

— When I was seventeen, I joined a small but experienced guild of hunters and adventurers. It was my first time in a dungeon, and I was nervous — she began, speaking in a serious tone while staring at the gray sky. — This guild had ten members: three with perception cores, three with strength, three with magic, and one with consciousness. The place had only three underground levels, inhabited by spiders and the occasional slime — nothing unusual.

— Can you skip the boring parts? It’s not my fault you had a bad experience. At least Tate had a noble reason for becoming an adventurer. Very thoughtful, actually — the boy muttered, trying to sit up.

— I don’t know about his past, nor do I care. I’m only telling you the truth behind the fantasy fun you’ve heard. So sit down. Now — she ordered with a commanding tone that gave the boy chills.

— O-okay... — he said, trembling as he sat beside her.

— The first floor of a dungeon is usually the easiest, depending on how many levels there are, obviously. But from the second floor on, I started to feel something strange in the air… something I couldn’t explain. I asked the others, but no one else felt it — she continued, hugging her arms, her voice beginning to tremble. — When we reached the third floor, everything was pitch black. Some mages conjured magical “torches” to light the long hallway ahead.

Ferry sighed deeply, eyes closed, as if trying to recall every detail of that incursion. Her fingers gripped her shoulders tightly. It was clear the memory still haunted her. Beta, meanwhile, was growing uneasy.

— We killed a few more monsters, even goblins that appeared along the way. It wasn’t common to find them in places like that, but I ignored it. The mission was simple: find a rune and deliver it to the client. We’d be handsomely rewarded if we succeeded.

— Sorry, but what are runes? — he asked, confused, resting his head on the girl’s lap.

— Runes are magical stones that contain some kind of hidden power. Depending on the stone, you might gain an extremely powerful unique ability… or something totally useless.

— W-wait a minute! You mean there are stones that give you powers!? — he exclaimed, perking up.

— We kept clearing the area until we reached the final room, which looked like a library. We searched everywhere but found nothing — she continued, recalling with a distant look. — Then I leaned on a nightstand and discovered a secret trapdoor that led even deeper into the dungeon. It was a massive corridor, and at the end was a glowing glass box containing the rune we were after. It was beautiful. As thin and fragile as it seemed, the glass was unbreakable. No magic worked… until one of the mages used a sound-based spell that shattered it.

— So everything worked out! — he shouted, before being silenced with a slap.

— We knew there could be dangers, even monsters down there. Everything had been meticulously planned. But there was one small detail... — she opened her eyes, heavy with grief. — As soon as we took the rune, a den infested with explosive monsters opened up. It was terrifying. Countless suicide creatures came at us on all fours, making sounds like ticking bombs.

Beta could see how psychologically scarring that had been. Despite feeling empathy, his curiosity was stronger.

— One mistake can turn allies into enemies in seconds. That’s what I learned from my first incursion. A girl ran beside me holding the rune. I tried organizing the group to fight back, but no one listened — her voice grew heavier. — I heard bones cracking and a scream of agony. The girl beside me had both her legs crushed, and just before she fell, she tossed the rune into the air. Another adventurer caught it. But we later found out one of the mages had done it to her as a distraction, hoping the monsters would kill each other. I didn’t want to leave her behind. I tried to go back to help — then felt a searing pain in my leg. I’d been shot by the other archer in the group.

— WHAT!? WHY!? — shouted Beta, consumed with anger.

— I couldn’t do anything. I just saw those things coming at me. Then I heard an explosion followed by a collapse. Irony of fate: the ones who abandoned us were the first to die. One monster had been hiding, as if it predicted their movements — she gave a bitter smile. — Limping, I ran toward the pile of rocks blocking the exit, watching the monsters surround my companion. The look on her face… her eyes asked: “What did I do to deserve this?”... then they exploded.

— My God… — whispered Beta, covering his mouth.

— The explosion triggered a chain reaction. The ground shook. More stairs collapsed. I was trapped, unable to climb or descend. I’d lose too much blood and die soon. But I noticed the rune had survived. One of the men’s hands still held it, intact — her voice was bitter. — I could hear the ceiling cracking above. I didn’t know what kind of power the rune had, but judging by the reward, I figured it was something immensely powerful.

— Don’t tell me... so you...

— Before the ceiling crushed me, I absorbed the rune. Time seemed to stop. I felt power surging through my veins. My vision turned purple for a few seconds. I thought I’d vomit — she said, averting her gaze. — When the ceiling touched my hands, which I raised on instinct, it disintegrated. Not just the ceiling — the entire dungeon was obliterated. Nothing remained. Not even the bodies of my companions. That’s when I understood: I had absorbed a conjuration rune. An extremely powerful artifact capable of materializing anything I imagined, through magic.

— So you’re a mage?

— I’m an archer. But I have this special power, though it hasn’t reached its full potential yet — she replied, looking at her palm.

— What do you mean?

— Runes are unique and rare powers. It’s unlikely anyone else will have the same ability or power level. They adapt to your core. I’ll only know its full potential once I reach the white stage.

— But… aren’t mages forbidden from reaching the white stage?

— I’m not a mage. I just have a power that uses magic — she explained, healing the boy’s forehead wound.

— And the person who ordered the rune… didn’t they come after you?

— Looks like they’re here. I’m heading off — she said, noticing Tate and Dereck approaching. She stood up and walked away.

— E-er… I’m glad you trusted me with that story, Miss Ferry — said the boy, awkwardly.

— I didn’t tell you out of trust. I told you so you’d understand what you might be getting into. These runes might seem amazing, but if they’re more powerful than you can handle, you’ll die a horrible death. Remember that — she said harshly, cheeks flushed, walking away.

— You’re really something. Ferry never talks to anyone outside our group. And honestly, she barely talks to us either — said Dereck, laughing.

— Yeah… But it’s okay. Shall we begin, champ? I promise I’ll go easy on you this time — said Tate, crouching in front of the boy and ruffling his hair with a smile.

— Whatever… you just caught me off guard yesterday — he replied, brushing the man’s hand away.

— Then what was all that fear when Ferry told you to sit down? — teased Dereck, lighting a cigarette.

— S-SHUT UP!!! — he shouted, embarrassed.

— Enough talking. Beta, to the center — ordered Tate.

The boy nodded and walked to the center of the field, having no idea what awaited him in training.

— You going easy on him this time? — asked Dereck, taking a drag from his cigarette.

— I did what I did yesterday to see if he really wanted to stick with this idea of becoming an adventurer — Tate replied, walking toward the boy, who was far enough not to hear.

— Was Ferry in on it too? — Dereck blew smoke and followed his friend.

— I only asked her to try to convince the brat to give up. I have no idea what they talked about.

They were both gathered in a small circle, side by side. Tate was explaining to the boy how the training would work on that first day. It was clear to the adventurers that Ferry’s words had shaken the child’s psyche — his expression revealed disbelief in what he was hearing.

Tate began by explaining the “killer’s will” and how to unleash it. Cold blood was necessary, as this power required killing animals and, in extreme cases, even humans. He also demonstrated a technique called the surprise attack: by thinking of this keyword, the mind would empty itself of everything, focusing solely on concealing one’s own presence.

This training would demand great effort from the boy, as he would have to release his killer’s will and then hide it again along with his presence. This exercise could only be performed after killing his first animals with his own hands. Meanwhile, Dereck taught how to strengthen and purify his core of strength.

Although less intense, this second training was not easy either. Beta was to remain silent, meditating, trying to empty her mind. The longer she could keep her thoughts blank, the more impurities she would remove from the core. Strengthening the core consisted of expanding it until it occupied a good part of the body — integrating with veins and nerves.

Unlike movements and strength, which adapted as one advanced stages, this fortification was not a natural bonus: it was an achievement. The core would become an essential part of the body, like a new organ, and would bring immense advantages compared to those who kept common cores.

To demonstrate the power of this technique, Dereck faced Tate in a quick fight. Even being only one stage ahead, the difference in strength was brutal. His movements were absurdly fast, and his precise blows showed that he was not even using his full power. These were the advantages of an expanded core interconnected with the body.

The training would be arduous, and the boy already sighed nervously, foreseeing how exhausted he would be by the end of the day. But as the saying goes: “no pain, no gain.”

From a distance, Ferry returned to the village. She walked with a cold gaze, glancing at the girls who played and chatted with the guards. The mere presence of the woman sent chills through the girls.

— That woman is scary — Carla commented, approaching her friends.

— It’s just a pose. She does that to seem superior — Liz replied, showing no fear.

— She’s weird anyway — Catarina said.

— Whatever. So, do you want to go try fishing by the river? — Sarah suggested.

— What? Didn’t you hear last night’s rain? And look at the sky? It’s obvious another storm is coming. Going to the river would be stupid — Payton advised.

— What are you even doing here? You’re a pain! — Liz retorted, leaving with the others.

— Is she still mad at you because of that? — Jonathan asked, sighing.

— All of them are. It’s been four years, and she still holds grudges — Payton replied, furious.

— She’s not the type to like talking about it.

— Wow, we have a real Sherlock Holmes here — Jonathan mocked.

— Payton, how exactly did that happen four years ago? I don’t remember well.

— I don’t want to recall that stupid day — she said, turning her back.

— You never told your side of the story, we only heard hers. Maybe I can help you guys talk again like normal kids.

— No way. She already poisoned the other girls’ minds.

— Payton, please, tell your version.

— Fine — she answered, releasing a long sigh.