Growl~

  "I know, I know, geez," I muttered to my own stomach while preparing my meal for the day.

  After carefully avoiding the battle between the kingdom’s army and the rebels, I left the town of Armskrik and found myself in yet another forest. This time, however, I wasn’t lost—I was here to hunt for food.

  It was still winter, but the ground wasn’t completely covered in snow.

  "I hope Col and his friends are alright," I thought, unable to imagine the hardships they must be facing in these troubled times.

  Hunting was easy. Using small pebbles, I flicked them with my fingers, striking hares the moment they emerged from their hiding places. After catching several, I set up a makeshift camp to cook my meal.

  "That should do it," I said, finishing my preparations. Instead of using my dragon’s breath to cook, I decided to do it the normal way—over a campfire.

  A gentle breeze passed through the trees, while clouds occasionally drifted over the sun, casting soft shadows on the ground. The forest was quiet, most creatures still burrowed away for the winter. Honestly, I enjoyed this tranquillity—just me, alone with nature. It felt peaceful.

  As I sat in front of the fire, my heightened senses suddenly picked up a sound—a rustle, movement nearby. I closed my eyes and focused.

  "Footsteps," I murmured. A single set.

  "The army? Rebels?" I wondered.

  Either way, I needed to check it out—discreetly, of course.

  I tread carefully, moving between trees and positioning myself out of sight.

  Maintaining a safe distance, I peeked from behind a tree, brushing aside a few shrubs for a better view.

  There, I spot a man wandering alone, his steps aimless.

  He isn’t wearing a winter coat—just a worn leather jacket, leather trousers, and boots. Apart from the spear he holds, he’s clearly unequipped for the cold.

  He looks weary, lost, and troubled.

  “Should I approach him?” I wonder, debating whether it’s a good idea or not.

  Either way, there’s no harm in trying. Besides, what harm could he possibly inflict on me?

  “Pfft, even a bear’s sharp claws and teeth didn’t leave a scratch on me,” I scoff, dismissing the idea that his spear could pose any threat.

  With that thought, I quietly move into position behind him, sneaking up without a sound.

  “Excuse me, are you lost?” I asked as I approached him.

  “Gaaah!” he screamed, startled by my sudden appearance.

  I expected some kind of reaction, but his seemed excessive—like someone caught in the middle of something suspicious.

  “Who… who are you?” he demanded, quickly shifting into a defensive stance, his spear aimed at me.

  I raised my hands slightly to show I meant no harm. “Easy now, I was just hunting nearby when I heard you.”

  “Lies!” he snapped, glaring at me with distrust.

  “You don’t look like a hunter… You… you must be with the bandits from earlier, aren’t you?” His voice trembled.

  Though he held the weapon, he was clearly the more nervous one. Sweat formed on his temple, and his hands shook slightly.

  “No, I’m not,” I said calmly. “I mean, I’m neither a hunter nor a bandit. I’m just a wanderer hunting for food in this forest.”

  But my words fell on deaf ears. Without warning, he lunged at me, spear in hand.

  His movements—how should I put it? Predictable, very predictable.

  As he charged, his spear aimed straight for me, I shifted slightly to the side at the last moment.

  The look of astonishment on his face was almost amusing. His momentum carried him forward, and before he could correct himself, his foot slipped. Losing his balance, he crashed face-first into a tree. His weapon flew from his hands, landing right at my feet.

  “Arghhh!” he groaned, now sprawled on the ground, clutching his face with both hands.

  I couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for him… though, I had to admit, it was also pretty amusing. Swallowing my chuckle, I picked up his spear and stepped closer.

  “You dropped this,” I said, holding it out to him.

  The moment he saw me approach, he flinched, his eyes filled with fear. “P-please… don’t hurt me! I’m sorry! Please!”

  I blinked. “What?” His reaction caught me off guard. “I’m not going to hurt you. I just picked up your weapon. You dropped it.”

  He looked utterly confused. “You… what? But—” He struggled to form a proper sentence. Then, after a brief pause, he hesitantly asked, “You’re really not going to hurt me?”

  “Nope,” I said casually.

  Growl~

  It wasn’t my stomach this time—it was his.

  “You’re hungry,” I noted. “Have you eaten?”

  “N-no, I haven’t,” he admitted, his voice laced with embarrassment.

  .

  .

  .

  “Hmm…” I muse as I watch my newfound companion sitting by the campfire, eating his share of my meal.

  “I’ve seen this before…” I chuckle softly. This situation reminds me of when I first met that lonely hunter and his hound companions in the Black Hill Forest.

  “Thank… thank you for the meal,” he says, lowering his head slightly.

  “So, what are you doing here all alone?” I ask curiously.

  “I…” He stops, hesitating, as if unsure of what to say.

  Seeing this, I speak. “You have a spear with you, and you kept mentioning bandits just now.”

  Still silent, he contemplates his words. He doesn’t even dare to look at me.

  "Your spear," I spoke out. "It doesn’t look like the kind a peasant or hunter would use. It looks like it was made for the army," I said, noticing how well-built and sturdy it was, forged for battle rather than hunting.

  “I was a soldier once. A spearman in the kingdom’s army,” he says suddenly.

  I find it hard to believe. He looks too young. In fact, he seems to be around the same age as Col—maybe even younger. He must have been forced to participate in the war.

  “Then what happened?” I ask, wanting to know more.

  He seems to struggle for words, but I can sense the tension around him, as if there's something he wants to say but hesitates to.

  To ease things up, I speak. “My name’s Aldrous. I come from the western part of this kingdom, and I’m a wanderer.”

  He glances at me. I offer him an assuring smile, signalling that I mean what I say.

  “If there’s something you want to say, just say it. It’ll only weigh on you if you keep holding it in. Who knows? I might be able to help.” I say sincerely. If it’s within my power, I won’t hesitate to lend a hand.

  I watched as he took a deep breath before speaking. “I… I was sent to the front lines against General Kenric’s army, but… but I couldn’t do it. Fighting, killing… I just can’t.” His voice was tense, strained.

  I remained silent, giving him my full attention.

  He continued, “During the battle, I ran. I fled from it all. I hid in forests, caves… eventually, I found myself in a small settlement nestled deep in the mountains. There, I met an elderly couple kind enough to give me shelter and food.”

  He paused, taking another deep breath—this time more restless.

  “The elderly couple… they were good people, but I—I abandoned them.” His head lowered; his voice heavy with regret.

  Curious, I asked, “Abandoned? What do you mean?”

  Still avoiding my gaze, he spoke softly. “I stayed with them for a while. Then, one day, a group of bandits came. Instead of helping to defend them, I snuck out and ran into the forest.”

  I was shocked by his words, but at the same time, I couldn’t entirely blame him. He was too young to be forced into battle, let alone a full-scale war. It must have been a terrifying experience, one that left him so afraid that even the thought of another fight made him run.

  Stolen novel; please report.

  Still, his cowardice may have led to dire consequences for the elderly couple who had shown him kindness.

  So, I asked again, “How many were there? The bandits.”

  He lifted his head slightly, his face weary and filled with guilt. “There must have been a dozen… I didn’t dare to look. The only thought in my mind was to get away—to run into the forest as fast as I could.”

  I let out a low hum, thinking. What should I do? What action should I take? I had assured him that I would lend a hand.

  A slow, gentle breeze swept across the clearing. The trees rustled, leaves drifted lazily through the air, and though the air was cold, the heat from the campfire provided just enough warmth to keep one comfortable—not that I needed it much, as my body could generate its own heat.

  The peaceful scenery sometimes made me forget that the kingdom I was born and raised in was in turmoil.

  A thought resurfaced. The power I inherited… was its fate? Could I use it to bring peace to this land?

  I looked at the young man before me, his life thrown into chaos by a war neither he nor any other citizen had anticipated. Something stirred within me—a sense of responsibility. I had always yearned for a laid-back life, wandering wherever I pleased, unbothered by the struggles of the world. But… was I being selfish?

  I brush the thought aside instantly, not wanting to ponder on it too much.

  "Right," I said, I know what I should do for now.

  I turned to him. “Where is the elderly couple’s house?”

  The restless young man looked at me, puzzled, probably wondering why I was asking. Still, after a moment’s hesitation, he spoke.

  “From where we met, head further south. You’ll see a modest cottage surrounded by several leafless birch trees.”

  "Alright," I said as I stood up, stretching my body a bit. "I’m off to the elderly couple’s house," I added, making my intention clear.

  "But…" he hesitated before continuing, "if you head there now, you're bound to cross paths with the bandits." His voice carried a hint of worry.

  "I gave him a reassuring smile and said, 'Don’t you worry about me; I can take care of myself. And you, you stay here—it’s safer for you while I’m gone.'"

  "But what will you do? There’s a lot of them—the bandits. Surely you can't fend them off alone." His concern deepened.

  I simply smiled. "I'm stronger than I look," I said before walking off toward the place where I had met him earlier.

  Tracking his steps was easy; his footprints were clearly visible on the snowy, muddy ground. It wasn’t long before I reached my destination—the supposed home of the elderly couple.

  The house was modest, a typical peasant dwelling with a small vegetable patch that, at the moment, bore no visible crops.

  As I walked closer, an elderly man emerged from the house, seemingly unaware of my presence. His hair was snowy white, and his frail body hunched slightly as he moved.

  Then suddenly, he gasped. His eyes widened in shock, likely startled by my sudden appearance.

  “Good afternoon, I—” Before I could finish, the elderly man cowered in fear, raising both hands slightly to shield his face. His voice trembled as he spoke.

  “Please… we don’t have anything left to give. You’ve already taken everything… I beg you…” His tone was filled with fear and sorrow.

  He must have mistaken me for one of the bandits. Looking at him, I felt a pang of pity.

  “No, no, I’m not with the bandits. I came here to help,” I said immediately, hoping to reassure him.

  Lowering his hands, he gave me a puzzled look.

  “Help?” he asked, confused.

  I proceeded to explain that I had met the young man he had sheltered and fed, and that he was the reason I was here.

  As I finished, I saw a spark of recognition in his eyes as his memories resurfaced.

  “Ah… yes, yes, so you met Svan! How is he? I hope he’s alright,” he said, his tone now much calmer, his concern genuine.

  “Svan… so that was his name,” I thought to myself.

  “Yes, Svan is alright,” I said, reassuring him.

  “Thank goodness. I was worried he might have run into the bandits,” he said with a sigh of relief.

  Honestly, I hadn’t expected his concern for Svan to be so genuine. Considering how Svan abandoned him when he needed help the most, I thought he would have been upset or angry.

  “You’re worried about him even though he abandoned you?” I asked curiously.

  “Oh no, no, he only took shelter here for a while. Our matters don’t concern him. In fact, he was free to leave whenever he wished,” the elderly man said.

  His response was unexpected, to say the least.

  “But the bandits—he could’ve helped you instead of leaving you to fend for yourselves,” I said, troubled by the fact that Svan had abandoned an elderly couple to face the bandits alone.

  Then a voice spoke from behind the elderly man.

  “The bandits only wanted our food supply, nothing more. They didn’t harm us and left as soon as their demands were met.”

  It was an elderly woman, likely his wife, who had just stepped out of the house.

  She then eyed me curiously and asked, “And you, young man, who might you be?”

  I stammered slightly before responding, “Ah, forgive me. How rude of me not to introduce myself.”

  With a slight bow, I said, “My name is Aldrous, and as I mentioned earlier, I’m here to offer my assistance regarding the bandits.”

  “Aldrous, that’s a fine name. Well, I’m Mrs. Abel, and this is my husband, Mr. Roger,” she said, introducing themselves.

  I gave them a warm smile and said, “It’s nice to meet you both. Now, about the bandits…”

  “They already left a while ago,” Mr. Roger said.

  “Hmm… and where did they go?” I asked.

  Mr. Roger took a few steps forward into the yard, pausing briefly before pointing in a direction. “They went southeast into the forest.”

  After thanking them for their cooperation, I set off toward the location Mr. Roger had indicated.

  Tracking the bandits was effortless. They had left plenty of signs behind—muddy footprints on the snowy ground, broken branches, and discarded food scraps scattered along the path. The track lead me further into the forest.

  Among several leafless trees, a makeshift camp had been set up, where the bandits gathered with their spoils.

  I concealed myself behind a tree near their camp, deciding to observe before making a move.

  There were thirteen of them, scattered around the campsite—some inspecting their stolen goods, a few sharpening their weapons, and others sparring. I could make out one wizard class among them, identifiable by the staff resting at his side. At the center of it all sat a man with a tight expression, seemingly giving orders to the other bandits.

  “He must be the leader. Looks tough—probably a fighter class,” I murmured to myself. The man wore armored attire, and beside him lay a well-crafted sword, steady and sharp—far more refined than my own broken blade.

  "Now, what should my next move be?" I wondered.

  I was certain these were the kind of people who had stolen from many defenseless citizens. Judging by the crates and baskets stacked with loot, they had more than their fill of robbery.

  So, how should I put an end to their lawless acts?

  I decided to face them head-on.

  With heightened determination, I stepped out from my hiding spot and moved steadily toward the campsite.

  Almost instantly, one of them spotted me. “What the—” he gasped in shock before immediately calling out, “Hey, we got company!”

  At that moment, the other bandits stopped what they were doing and turned their focus on me. Some moved into defensive positions, arrows at the ready, while others wore threatening expressions, steadying their hands on their swords. The leader, his face visibly irritated, rose to his feet and stepped forward, seemingly to confront me.

  “The hell is wrong with this guy? Does he even know who we are?” one of them muttered, his tone laced with annoyance—probably at my nonchalant intrusion.

  “I say we rob him,” another chimed in, grinning as he gripped a large cleaver in one hand.

  “Who the hell are you? What do you want?” the leader demanded, now standing just a few meters in front of me.

  “I am the one who wields the essence and power of an ancient dragon. You lot have done nothing but terrorize the innocent, and for that, I shall punish you all. Expect no mercy from me!”

  —Or at least, that’s what I wanted to say. But honestly, such a dramatic monologue felt a bit cliché, even to myself.

  Instead, I chose to get straight to the point.

  “There’s an elderly couple living nearby. A while ago, they were robbed by a group of bandits.” I spoke in a steady tone, keeping my gaze locked on the bandit leader.

  A grin crept onto his face as he replied nonchalantly, “So? What are you going to do about it?” His voice dripped with smug arrogance, which, I’ll admit, irritated me just a little.

  “BWAHAHAHA!” One of the bandits burst into laughter. “Is he for real?”

  Another, standing close to the leader, raised his bow and aimed an arrow at me. “Say the word, and I’ll end him right here, right now.”

  “Wait. Lower your weapon,” the leader suddenly ordered.

  From behind, the wizard of the group stepped forward and whispered something to him before retreating.

  The leader scoffed, then raised both his arm slightly, as if asserting dominance. “Hah, you’ve got to be kidding me. You came here alone and dared to question me?”

  It seemed the wizard must have used some kind of detection spell—that’s how they knew I was alone.

  Unfazed by his intimidation, I spoke again, this time with a stern and confident tone.

  "The elderly couple did nothing wrong. They were just living their lives, and you should have respected that. Instead, you chose to rob them of their livelihood."

  The leader scoffed, now visibly annoyed. "Then what? You going to avenge them?" His tone carried a hint of anger as he went on, or rather, taunted me. "Come on then, what are you waiting for?"

  Honestly, this wasn’t playing out the way I had imagined.

  When I was a child, I heard tales of heroes and legends. In those stories, the bad guys always made the first move—charging in with reckless arrogance—only for the hero to counter effortlessly, showcasing their power and striking fear into the enemy.

  But reality, as I was quickly learning, wasn’t nearly as dramatic.

  They seemed to be waiting for me to make the first move. But I wasn’t a warrior or a fighter—I had no training, no technique, no real understanding of combat.

  Sure, with my inhuman strength, I could beat them effortlessly. But controlling that power was another matter entirely. I didn’t want a bloodbath. The last thing I wanted was to kill people randomly. I wasn’t a killer, and I never wanted to be one.

  I needed to subdue them—to make them fear me enough to comply with my demands. But how?

  Then, a memory sparked—my encounter with the massive black bear in Darkhill Forest.

  A grin crept onto my face as I steadied myself.

  Taking a deep breath, I let out a roar.

  This time, I put my whole heart into it. Probably a bit too much.

  "ROOAAAAAAAA—!"

  A monstrous bellow erupted from my lungs, tearing through the air and echoing across the forest. The sheer force of it rippled through the air, scattering the snow around me. Trees shook, branches snapped, and debris flew in all directions. For a moment, I could have sworn the ground trembled beneath me.

  As I stopped, the echo of my roar still lingered in the distance. I took a steady breath and set my gaze upon the bandit group.

  They were in total disarray—all of them were on the ground, some lying unconscious, others cowering in fear, their hands tightly pressed over their ears.

  Their leader was curled up on the ground, groaning in pain as he writhed, his hands clamped over his ears. "Argh…" he groaned, his body twisting as if trying to shake off the pain.

  It seemed my roar had been deafening, an unbearable experience for them.

  I stepped closer to the bandit leader, crouched beside him, and grabbed the collar of his Armor, yanking him into a sitting position. His arrogance and smugness were gone, replaced by wide-eyed terror.

  With a fearful look, he stammered, "Wh-what… what are you?"

  I pulled him in closer, my mouth near his ear, and spoke in a low, threatening tone.

  "Listen, I'm here to take back what you stole from the elderly couple. After that, I don’t want to see any of you here again."

  Sweat formed on his forehead as he stared at me, frozen in fear.

  I continued, "I can do far worse than just a roar."

  Suddenly, an arrow whistled through the air toward me. Without hesitation, I instinctively snatched it mid-flight with my free hand and snapped it in two.

  The bandit who had shot the arrow gasped in horror. Trembling, he dropped his bow and collapsed onto his back, his knees still weak from the roar. He must have forced himself to stand just to take that shot.

  "Monster…" the bandit leader muttered, his face pale as he watched the scene unfold.

  I gave him a small grin before releasing my grip on his Armor. Without another word, I walked over to a wooden crate filled to the brim with food supplies, lifted it effortlessly, and turned away, making my way back to the elderly couple’s house.

  .

  .

  .

  "Aldrous!" Svan called out as I arrived at the elderly couple's house.

  "Svan?" I said, confused. "What are you doing here? I thought you were at the campsite." I set the crate of food down as I spoke.

  "I… I couldn't let someone I just met bear the consequences of my mistake," Svan admitted, his tone honest and sincere. "So, I decided to head back here, thinking I could lend you a hand."

  I smiled at him and said, "You don’t have to worry about it anymore. I've already taken care of it."

  "Really?" he asked, his expression filled with admiration.

  "You're back!" Mrs. Abel stepped out of the house; her face lined with worry.

  I gave her a nod and said, "I managed to take back your food supplies—and more—from the bandits." I gestured to the crate brimming with food.

  Mrs. Abel's face lit up, her earlier gloom vanishing.

  "Oh, how am I going to thank you?" she said, her voice filled with gratitude.

  Before I could say a word, Mrs. Abel invited me to stay the night, as the day had already passed its evening mark. I was reluctant at first, but she insisted, wanting to at least provide me with shelter and a decent meal after all the effort I had put into retrieving the stolen food from the bandits.

  Of course, I obliged and accepted the offer.