The One-Eyed Silent Swordsman
Arc 5: Elven Village Arc
Chapter 13: Elven Village
I force my body forward.
Strike.
Again.
Again.
It collapses.
[+34,000 EXP]
[EXP: 77,200 / 260,000]
My breathing breaks.
"…Not stopping…"
More footsteps.
More presences.
"Appraisal."
[Level: 503]
It moves instantly.
Too fast.
I can't follow it fully.
My body reacts—
before I think.
I dodge.
Barely.
The ground explodes behind me.
"…This won't end…"
It attacks again.
No pause.
No hesitation.
I step back.
Late.
Claws tear my arm.
Pain explodes.
"…I'm going to…"
My vision shakes.
"…collapse…"
No.
Not yet.
I move.
Strike.
Again.
Again.
It slows.
One more.
It falls.
[+41,000 EXP]
[EXP: 118,200 / 260,000]
My legs tremble.
My grip weakens.
"…I can't feel…"
My fingers shake.
My sword almost slips.
More.
Always more.
"Appraisal."
[Level: 487]
[Level: 512]
"…Too many…"
They surround me.
I move.
Barely.
Strike.
Again.
Again.
One falls.
Second falls.
Third—
It hits.
My chest tears open.
"…This is…"
My breathing collapses.
"…bad…"
I force myself forward.
One more strike.
It falls.
[+36,000 EXP]
[EXP: 214,700 / 260,000]
My vision blurs.
Everything shakes.
"…I'm going to…"
My knees bend.
"…become unconscious…"
Something appears.
Far.
Through the trees.
Faint.
"…?"
Light.
Weak.
But there.
"…Is that…"
My breathing breaks.
"…exit…?"
My body moves.
Not fast.
Not stable.
—but forward.
One step.
Then another.
More movement—
Behind me.
Still coming.
"…Not now…"
I don't stop.
I can't stop.
The light grows.
Stronger.
Brighter.
Too bright.
Shapes distort.
My vision can't hold it.
"…Almost…"
My legs shake violently.
I stumble.
Fall—
Catch myself.
"…Just… a little…"
My body screams.
Everything hurts.
"…Move…"
One more step.
The light floods everything.
I can't see.
I can't think.
"…There's…"
My voice fades.
"…light…"
Too bright.
"…too much… light…"
My body moves forward—
One last step—
And everything disappears.
My body falls.
No control.
No strength left.
Light swallows everything.
[Danger]
[Danger]
The system reacts.
For the first time—
not to monsters—
but to a place.
My body crashes forward.
The ground feels different.
Not rough.
Not wild.
Soft.
Silence follows.
No growls.
No killing intent.
No death.
Just stillness.
Far away—
voices.
"…What was that?"
"…Something fell…"
"…From the barrier?"
Footsteps approach.
Light surrounds the area.
Figures appear.
Not monsters.
Different.
"…A human?"
"…Impossible…"
"…How did he get inside?"
Their voices overlap.
Confusion.
Caution.
An old man steps forward.
Slow.
Steady.
The others fall silent immediately.
"Move aside."
No one disobeys.
He looks down at me.
Not with fear—
but with focus.
Deep.
Careful.
"Appraisal."
…
[Level: 369]
…
His expression freezes.
"…What…"
A breath escapes him.
"…This is not possible…"
Murmurs spread behind him.
"…What did you see?"
"…Is he dangerous?"
The old man doesn't answer.
His gaze remains fixed on me.
"…He is not an ordinary human…"
Silence deepens.
"…This presence…"
His voice lowers.
"…It can't be…"
A pause.
"…He is the son of—"
He stops.
Completely.
"…Elder?"
"…What do you mean?"
No answer comes.
The old man closes his eyes briefly.
"…Take him inside."
No explanation.
Only an order.
The tension remains.
Unanswered.
…
Time passes.
Quietly.
Light changes.
Again.
And again.
My body does not move.
But something is different.
Warmth spreads slowly.
Not from battle.
Not from blood.
From rest.
Wounds begin to close.
Naturally.
Slowly.
The forest feels distant now.
Far away.
Footsteps.
Soft.
A door opens.
A girl enters.
Careful.
Quiet.
She looks at me.
"…Still unconscious…"
She steps closer.
Slowly.
Watching.
"…Strange…"
Her hand moves forward—
then stops.
"…His presence…"
She frowns slightly.
"…Why does it feel…"
Heavy.
Not overwhelming—
but not normal.
"…What are you…"
Silence answers her.
My fingers twitch.
Slightly.
Her eyes widen.
"…He moved…"
She steps back.
Alert.
Waiting.
Darkness begins to fade.
Slowly.
My breathing returns.
Weak.
Uneven.
…but alive.
"…Where…"
My eye begins to open.
Light enters.
Soft.
But in that moment—
something changes.
The air shifts.
Invisible—
but real.
A presence spreads.
Not fast.
Not violent.
—but everywhere.
The girl freezes.
"…What… is this…"
Outside—
voices stop.
Movement halts.
The entire village goes silent.
Not fear.
Not completely.
…but pressure.
As if something has awakened.
Something unknown.
My breathing steadies.
The pressure fades.
Slowly.
Like it was never there.
"…Where am I…"
My voice is low.
Weak.
But clear.
The girl looks at me carefully.
"…You're awake…"
I try to move.
My body responds.
Heavy—
but working.
Fragments return.
Forest.
Blood.
Fighting.
Light.
"…I was…"
My eye narrows slightly.
"…in the forest…"
A pause.
"…I went too deep…"
Silence fills the room.
Footsteps approach again.
The old man enters.
His gaze sharp.
Focused.
"…You're awake."
His voice is calm.
But serious.
He steps closer.
"…How did you reach this place?"
I look at him.
"…I don't know…"
A breath escapes me.
"…I just kept moving…"
"…Then there was light…"
The old man watches me carefully.
Long.
Silent.
"…I see…"
But his eyes say otherwise.
Something remains.
Hidden.
Unspoken.
I look around slowly.
The walls.
The light.
The calm air.
"…This place…"
A pause.
"…It's not the forest…"
No one answers.
But I already know.
Something has changed.
…
Silence.
"…Then where…"
My words hang in the air.
The old man turns.
"…Come."
No explanation.
Just that.
I stand.
My body feels… light.
Too light.
No pain.
No wounds.
…Recovered.
The door opens.
Light enters.
Soft.
But the moment I step outside—
My eye narrows.
"…This…"
The air.
It feels different.
Not heavy like the forest.
Not sharp.
Calm.
Too calm.
"…Where is this place…"
"…Observe."
The old man walks ahead.
I follow.
Buildings stretch around me.
White.
Smooth.
Not built.
Grown.
"…These structures…"
"…Are alive."
My eye sharpens.
"…Alive?"
"…Everything here is."
Silence.
Figures appear.
Watching.
From a distance.
Not humans.
Ears.
Sharp.
"…Elves…"
Whispers spread.
"…He's awake…"
"…That human…"
"…That pressure…"
My presence flickers.
The air tightens—
"…Control it."
The old man's voice cuts instantly.
I exhale slowly.
The pressure fades.
"…That…"
"…was not intentional."
"…That is why it is dangerous."
We continue walking.
Water flows nearby.
Clear.
Untouched.
Creatures move freely.
No fear.
"…Why are there no monsters…"
Chapter End
Next Chapter: Mana Control
Time: Friday, 6PM GMT+5:30