One month had passed since our return from that cursed book. In that time, much had changed, while some things remained frustratingly the same.
The most significant change was in my approach to survival. Before, I had avoided the creatures lurking in this forest, resorting to combat only when cornered with no other choice. But the battle with the Rakta and the Seven Stones had torn away any illusions I harbored about my strength. I desperately needed to become stronger, and I needed to do it fast.
That's why I began actively hunting the creatures of the Forest of Absolute. I sought out isolated monsters or small groups, methodically eliminating anything within my capabilities. The very thought should have been madness—a nine-year-old boy consciously seeking out creatures many times his size, creatures that could tear him apart without effort. Yet somehow, it worked. Jaipa was always there to support me when needed, but he only interfered when I truly required his help. So far, I hadn't needed to call upon him.
This was encouraging. Not seeking his help meant I was growing stronger.
However, fighting the creatures in the Forest of Absolute had revealed a harsh truth: there was an enormous gap in power between the monsters here and those we'd faced in the Book of Etresh. The creatures in this forest far surpassed anything from that book in every conceivable way—strength, speed, cunning, and raw malevolence.
On my first day of active hunting, disappointment had weighed heavily on me. How could someone who had killed creatures and people with ease in the Book of Etresh now struggle against a few forest monsters? But I reminded myself it was the same as back then. I had only encountered any creature beside which I have already encountered like Flyhum, Shadowmancers, and that regenerating monstrosity the Kirthagor
At first, fighting Shadowmancers alone without any assistance felt thrilling, dangerous in the way that made my blood sing. But as days passed, I grew accustomed to their patterns. Now I could dispatch dozens of them single-handedly. The Flyhum posed no threat at all killing them had become routine. The Kirthagors were trickier opponents, their regenerative abilities making them persistent adversaries, but once I sever their connection and remove their mir stones, they fell like any other creature.
Killing creatures and consuming their mir stones had become part of my daily routine.
Since returning from the book, I hadn't used the beads on my head even once. There was no particular reason beyond my own stubbornness I didn't want my hard-earned combat experience to go to waste. Using the beads would give me an overwhelming advantage against these relatively low-level creatures, and that felt like cheating myself out of genuine growth.
But hunting wasn't the only thing that had happened this past month. I had ventured to the boundary of the Forest of Absolute to test whether escape was possible. As Jaipa had warned, the moment I touched the forest's edge, I glimpsed death itself. Without even fighting anything, just making contact with the barrier caused every bone in my body to shatter. The pain and helplessness of that moment still remained in my memory as clear as day. After that single attempt, I never approached the edge again.
Thanks to Jaipa's assistance and my healing abilities, recovery didn't take long, though I still needed a full day to completely mend even with his help.
Despite everything that had happened, I continued pushing deeper into the forest's heart. Even now, I had barely scratched the surface of this vast region. Day after day, I explored new territories. Jaipa would sometimes warn me about venturing too deep, but I knew I had to push myself if I wanted to grow stronger.
Currently, we were wandering through another unexplored section. The morning sun felt unusually warm, and the forest seemed silent and peaceful for once.
"What do you say?" Jaipa's voice cut through the tranquility.
I sighed inwardly. Just when I found a moment of peace, this pest had to interrupt.
"About what?" My reply was flat and quick.
Jaipa turned to me with an exaggerated expression. "Nothing! I just felt bored," he muttered, floating beside me as if our forest stroll had suddenly become the dullest thing imaginable for him
I closed my eyes, took a long breath, and ignored him while continuing to walk.
"You know," he began again because of course he couldn't just stop talking "for someone who's always hunting monsters, brooding in silence, and slicing through creatures like a maniac... you're kind of boring."
"Then don't follow me," I replied plainly.
"But I have to! Guardian duties and all that. Besides, who else is going to keep you company? These monsters?"
I didn't respond. If I replied, he would only drag the conversation out longer. A few seconds of blessed silence passed—though not nearly long enough.
"Say," Jaipa continued, a teasing tone sliding into his voice like a knife between ribs, "have you ever, like, talked to a girl before?"
I blinked. My steps slowed slightly.
"What?"
"You heard me. Talked nicely, you know... smiled, maybe said something sweet? Complimented her hair or anything?"
"What are you talking about?" My voice remained flat, but there was an almost imperceptible hitch in it.
"I'm just saying," he floated ahead of me, arms crossed inside his robes—what was he even doing with his arms like that? He looked ridiculous, though I had to admit it was somewhat cool. He grinned wickedly. "You're always so serious and so... scary. Like a walking murder-spike. But what if someday someone tries to talk to you? A girl. A cute one."
I looked at Jaipa, about to reply, but he continued before I could speak.
"Would you even know what to say? I bet you'd just stare at her like she was a threat to your life."
"I wouldn't," I said, a little too quickly.
"Ooooh?" Jaipa spun midair, eyes glittering with interest. "Is that a crack in your armor? Do you like someone?"
"No."
He smirked. "But if you did?"
"I don't," I replied flatly. "But if "
"I said I don't."
This silence lasted longer. My face felt... warm and strange.
I touched my cheek. "Strange."
Was it because of the sunlight? Jaipa chuckled to himself.
"You're cute when you're flustered," he said while laughing.
"I'm... no."
"You are. Like a little grumpy hedgehog that doesn't know how to deal with affection."
I looked at him with a flat expression. "Say one more word and I'll feed you to the next monster."
Jaipa let out an exaggerated sigh. "You're going to be one lonely blade someday, Rudra."
"I should be," I muttered.
Because I was meant to be lonely from the beginning. I was the product of a loner.
He raised his hands dramatically. "Alright, alright! Have mercy!"
We walked on in silence for a while—the kind of silence I could actually accept.
Jaipa eventually stopped talking, maybe bored or maybe finally giving up. The forest remained oddly quiet, but the quietness I had liked earlier was gone now, tainted by his earlier pestering. The silence now felt different... wrong.
My grip on the blade at my side tightened. I looked around toward the trees, the thick roots curling out of the ground like dead fingers. Nothing moved. That's when I felt it.
Another presence and now i had a solid reason for choosing this path until now, neither Jaipa nor I had ever encountered another creature in this forest that possessed energy beside us...
My senses had become sharpe . I followed the foreign energy signature it was nearby, behind a massive tree trunk that could easily hide a dozen creatures.
I signaled for Jaipa to be quiet and slowly approached the source of the disturbance.