Time slowly passed, and the mist enveloping the forest grew denser, swallowing the last remnants of light.
The surroundings became eerily silent, as if the entire forest was holding its breath after the recent battle.
Only the soft crackle of the campfire remained, its orange light dancing over the gnarled tree roots, casting flickering shadows that swayed through the fog.
The three of them sat around the fire, soaking in what little warmth they could find amidst the damp, creeping chill in the air.
They had recovered their HP, but that didn't mean the exhaustion in their bodies had vanished.
Fatigue weighed down every joint, every muscle, a stark reminder that the earlier fight had been anything but simple.
Yuna leaned gently against a rock, her eyes dazedly watching the firelight flicker in her tired gaze. Her fingers unconsciously gripped the edge of her worn scarf, as if seeking a sliver of comfort in the cold night.
Nautilus sat cross-legged, his back against a tree trunk, arms resting on his knees and head slightly bowed. His breathing was still a bit ragged, though slowly stabilizing.
Ren leaned back, resting his head on the massive tree root behind him. His body felt limp after the long battle, like the last of his strength had finally drained away.
Even with a full HP bar, the toll of constant fighting and high-speed movement wasn't something a virtual health bar could fully mend.
Tired. Not the kind of tired that sleep could fix, but the kind that seeped into your thoughts, into every breath you took.
"...Never thought fighting low-level mobs could wear me out this much…" Nautilus was the first to break the silence, his voice hoarse with fatigue.
Ren gave a faint smile, but it barely reached the corners of his mouth before fading. "It wasn't just one."
"Yeah, it was a whole pack…" Nautilus sighed, rubbing his eyes before muttering, "I never imagined I'd have to take on a whole group of monsters in a situation like this."
Ren didn't respond. He understood the feeling. Even with combat experience, being surrounded by monsters in a mist-shrouded forest was far from pleasant.
Yuna suddenly spoke, her voice so soft it nearly blended into the crackle of the flames:
"…If Ren hadn't been there, we probably wouldn't have made it out."
Ren blinked, glancing over at her. But Yuna wasn't looking at him, her eyes were fixed on the fire, the flickering light reflected in them, though it was unclear whether it came from the flames or something else.
Nautilus remained silent, offering no protest. He simply tightened the fist resting on his knee, his expression thoughtful.
The silence between them stretched on. No one said anything more, but each of them remained lost in thought.
Because even though they had survived the battle, it wasn't time to celebrate just yet.
Beneath the thick darkness of the misty forest, the campfire danced across the massive roots, but it couldn't fully chase away the lingering cold.
The weight of exhaustion pressed down on them, not just from the fighting, but from the constant tension of staying alert for danger.
Yuna pulled her scarf tighter and lowered her head. Nautilus remained quiet, eyes still locked on the fire, as if pondering something deeply.
Ren shifted slightly, pulling a piece of dry bread from his inventory. Even with the item window open, he hesitated for a while before finally taking a small bite.
The bread was dry and hard, each bite crunching between his teeth.
The bland taste of in-game food had never bothered him before. The real issue was the way his stomach churned from all the stress.
But he still had to eat. Still had to recover.
A while later, Yuna also pulled out some simple food from her inventory. She opened the menu, tapped on a small pouch, and a smoked sausage appeared in her hand.
Unlike the dry bread, the sausage had a deep brown color, the outer casing slightly wrinkled from long preservation. But when she took a bite, a mild mix of fat and salt spread across her tongue.
Nautilus still hadn't moved, showing no interest in food. He kept his arms crossed, gaze thoughtful.
Ren glanced at him, then spoke in a hoarse voice:
"Eat. Without strength, it'll be hard to deal with anything that comes our way."
Nautilus looked at him, the firelight reflecting in his green eyes, before exhaling slowly.
"Got it," he muttered, reluctantly pulling out a piece of dry bread from his inventory. After staring at it for a moment, he added a piece of jerky, perhaps not wanting to chew on plain dry flour.
Ren didn't say anything more. He continued eating his bread. Once he got used to the dryness, he began eating faster, piece by piece, trying to fill the hollow in his stomach.
Yuna also began to relax. She pulled out some hard cheese, slicing it into thin pieces to eat with her sausage.
The salty, rich flavors mingled with the smoked meat, offering her a small sense of comfort, as if the warmth of the food was spreading from her stomach to the rest of her body.
Nautilus stayed silent for a while longer, but eventually began eating. Slowly at first, but hunger soon pushed him to eat faster.
As he chewed on the smoky jerky, he raised an eyebrow slightly, as if realizing it tasted better than he expected.
The meal was simple, nothing special. Dry bread, sausage, salted meat, and a bit of cheese. But in this situation, it was the only thing that brought them any sense of comfort.
A full stomach helped ease the weariness a little, making their minds feel just a bit lighter.
The flames kept dancing, reflected in the eyes of the three of them.
This rare moment of peace probably wouldn't last, but at the very least, for now, they could enjoy a bit of warmth and the feeling of being full.
Ren stared at the piece of dry bread in his hand. Back when he had just started his journey, he used to feel content with a piece of simple bread like this, no matter how tough or tasteless it was, as long as it filled his stomach, that was enough.
But now, after having tasted the incredible dishes in the Starting Town, from hot bowls of herb-scented soup and juicy grilled meat skewers to soft, warm loaves of bread, this dry piece suddenly felt so bland it was hard to swallow.
He took a bite, clearly feeling the coarse crumbs break apart in his mouth, leaving behind a faint trace of old flour before being forced down his throat with a gulp of water.
It wasn't bad enough to be inedible, but there was nothing to enjoy about it either.
For a fleeting moment, an idea sparked in his mind.
Maybe he should learn how to cook.
Not just to improve the taste of his meals, but for survival. If he could make use of ingredients found along the way, he wouldn't have to rely on store-bought supplies or pre-prepared food.
More importantly, a hot meal could restore physical and mental strength much better than dry bread, salted meat, or any other simple rations.
Ren glanced at Nautilus and Yuna. They were eating in silence too, with faces showing no sign of enjoyment.
To them, this was merely an act of keeping their energy up, nothing more. A good meal might not change their situation, but at least it could make them feel a little more at ease.
He narrowed his eyes, fingers unconsciously brushing the edge of the bread as if weighing the thought in his mind.
But then, Ren let out a quiet breath.
Not now.
Learning to cook might not be a bad idea, but he had too many other things to worry about.
Finding a way out of this forest, keeping the group safe, making sure they had enough strength to go on, those things were more important than how the food tasted.
He shook off the thought, continuing to chew the dry bread mechanically.
Maybe later… when things weren't so tense, he'd give it a try.
The cold mist slowly descended, slipping through the tree canopy, leaving a thin, damp layer over the uneven ground, where tangled roots sprawled like giant serpents sleeping beneath the decaying leaves.
The night air grew heavier by the minute, its creeping chill seeping through even the thickest clothes, reaching beneath the skin.
Under the sky almost entirely shrouded by trees, the only light came from the flickering flames at the center of their camp.
Orange and yellow light danced across the rough roots, casting long, shifting shadows onto the surrounding tree trunks.
But no matter how bright the fire burned, it couldn't chase away the lingering chill or the invisible tension that had surrounded them ever since they set foot in this place.
Ren pulled his cloak tighter, eyes drifting toward his two companions. Both looked utterly drained, not just from the earlier battle, but from the constant need to stay on guard.
Yuna rubbed her eyes and gave a slight shake of her head, as if trying to fight off the sleep slowly overtaking her. She sat curled up, arms wrapped around her knees, her small shoulders trembling lightly whenever a cold breeze slipped past.
Nautilus, on the other hand, had stopped trying to stay awake. He leaned against a tree, head tilted to the side, eyes half-closed as if he could drift off at any moment.
Even so, his hands remained loosely wrapped around the short sword resting across his lap, a sign he hadn't let his guard down completely.
Ren tightened his fingers, feeling the coarse grip of his own sword pressing into his palm.
"We should take turns keeping watch," he said, voice quiet but firm enough to break the stillness between the three of them.
Yuna flinched slightly, eyes opening a bit wider before blinking rapidly, perhaps too tired to react as sharply as usual. Nautilus frowned a little, but said nothing.
Ren looked at the two of them, then continued, "I'll take the first shift. Then Yuna, and finally Nautilus."
Yuna hesitated for a brief moment, then nodded softly. "…Okay."
Nautilus just let out a long sigh, muttered something unintelligible, and shifted his body slightly, leaning his head back as if ready to fall asleep then and there.
Ren gave them both one more glance, then adjusted his posture, keeping his sword within arm's reach on his lap. The fire flickered, offering a thin veil of warmth against the cold air, but he didn't allow himself to relax too much.
He listened, to the crackle of burning wood, the rustling of wind through the leaves, the soft patter of dew dripping from the branches above.
Nothing else. No strange noises. No signs of movement in the night.
This forest was too quiet. Unnaturally so.
Ren narrowed his eyes, fingers curling tighter around the hilt of his sword. He stared into the deep darkness cloaking the forest, where towering trees loomed behind layers of heavy mist.
Anything could be hiding out there.