Kael sat against the stone wall of the narrow cave for a long time. His breaths were slow, as if he were trying to calm himself after all the chaos that had happened. The faint glow from the system panel floating in the air illuminated part of his face. His biodata was displayed there, exactly as before.
Kael stared at it without expression. Or rather, without the energy to express anything. After a few minutes, he realized there were no more roars or gusts of wind outside, no signs of the creature that had chased him. Only the soft wind slipping between the leaves of the dense forest.
Kael exhaled quietly. He took a small step toward the cave entrance. Every movement felt heavy, as if his body still couldn't fully believe he had survived. He paused and looked out. The forest ahead resembled a dark green sea shifting with the breeze. But between the trees, he could see several massive marks on the ground. Soil torn open, roots exposed, tree trunks snapped. The marks stretched long, like something gigantic had sped through.
Kael knew those marks belonged to the winged creature that had chased him. The creature with a low, chest-shaking roar. Just remembering it made Kael want to run back into the cave. But he knew he couldn't stay there forever.
He swallowed hard and stepped outside. The open air offered a small sense of relief, though fear still hovered in the back of his mind. He walked slowly between the thick trees, careful not to make too much noise. His gaze drifted toward the wide meadow he had seen earlier. It looked peaceful now, but the creature's attack had left deep scars on its surface. The ground was torn, grass charred, and huge tracks spread too clearly to ignore.
Kael stopped. He didn't dare cross that meadow again.
He turned away and walked deeper into the forest. Each step allowed the shadows of the trees to swallow him little by little. No direction, no goal. Only the rustling leaves, snapping twigs, and the whisper of the wind accompanied his steps. Sunlight filtering through the canopy shifted with the rhythm of the breeze, creating flickers that never stayed still.
Time passed. Kael didn't know how long he had walked. Dizziness washed over him. His vision blurred. His body wavered. He finally realized how hungry he was. How thirsty. Since arriving in this world, he hadn't eaten or drunk anything. His body felt like it was screaming for sustenance.
Kael stopped beneath a massive tree, its trunk twice as wide as his body. He leaned against it, trying to take a deep breath. But the exhaustion only deepened. His eyelids drooped when suddenly a soft blue light appeared before him.
A new system panel floated gently. Kael lifted his head, mildly surprised.
Words appeared one by one.
[SYSTEM]
Side mission completed. Please view details.
Kael blinked. He had no memory of completing any mission. Still, he stared at the panel with a hint of hope. He pressed the button labeled details. The panel changed.
[Side Mission]
Walk four kilometers
Status: Completed
Claim reward
Kael fell silent. Then, with a faint breath, he pressed the claim button.
A few seconds passed before a new panel appeared beside the first. Its header glowed brighter than usual.
[Reward]
You have obtained one Fortuna Wheel opportunity.
Kael tilted his head, studying the display: a digital wheel marked with strange symbols he had never seen. Most of the reward names looked like foreign characters or perhaps unfinished code.
A small disappointment touched him. Not because the reward seemed bad, but because he had no idea what any of it meant. Still, better a random reward than none at all. He pressed the spin button.
The wheel spun. Light flashed. A soft, distant chime echoed.
It stopped.
The panel displayed the item's name.
Aetheris Veil
Kael stared at it, confused. Beneath it, an image appeared: a thin fragment of silver-blue cloth, floating like smoke but with a defined shape. Its surface emitted faint lines of light, as if scanning the world around it.
Then the description appeared.
[Description]
This item can detect anything within a radius of 1.2 kilometers. Capable of identifying living creatures and valuable items.
Weakness: In dense environments, its sensors may overload with information, causing confusion.
Another line followed.
Aetheris Veil equipped.
Kael sighed. He had been hoping for food. But this world clearly had no intention of giving him what he wanted so easily.
He stood slowly. Even in his weak state, he hoped the item could help him find something edible. He tried activating it in several ways, closing his eyes, focusing, waving his hand, even shouting briefly.
Nothing happened.
Kael muttered under his breath.
"Didn't this thing say it could detect over a kilometer? Then why isn't anything showing up?"
He froze. His sluggish mind recalled something.
He whispered, unsure but hopeful
"Detect."
Instantly, something appeared.
His field of vision shifted. Small panels like points of light dotted the air, each showing a location and distance.
Kael's eyes brightened. For the first time since arriving, something gave him a spark of hope.
He followed the signals. But most detected objects were strange items: a wood branch as hard as stone, silver-colored leaves with no use, fresh water that turned out poisonous.
No food.
No fruit.
Nothing edible.
Kael wiped his face. Hunger made his body tremble.
Then, as he turned, one signal flared brighter than the rest.
'Golden apple'
'Six meters'
Kael froze.
Then he ran.
Every step felt like pushing through a fog of exhaustion. The distance panel shrank rapidly. And then he found it, a golden apple hanging high on a tree branch. Its surface glowed softly, like condensed sunlight.
As he approached, another panel appeared.
[Description]
Increases luck, agility, and intelligence by four points.
Kael was shocked. He had never seen an item with such a strong effect since arriving in this world. Without hesitation, he climbed the tree. Even with his weak body, he forced himself upward. Every grip felt unstable, but he endured until he finally grabbed the fruit.
He plucked it. And without waiting, he took a bite.
He almost gagged. Not because it was poisonous, but because the taste was horrible—like bitter metal mixed with something rotten. But he kept eating. His body desperately needed it.
Second bite.
Third.
Fourth.
Each swallow made him want to throw it away. But he finished it.
The moment he swallowed the last piece, the ground shook.
Violently.
Kael, still high up on the tree, lost his balance. He tried to cling on, but a second quake hit sharper, stronger.
He fell.
His body slammed into the ground. His head hit hard. His vision blurred instantly. Sounds faded. The world pulled away from him. His consciousness slipped.
Just before everything vanished, Aetheris Veil detected something.
Creature detected
one kilometer
Name…
unreadable
The panel flickered.
A warning appeared faintly.
[WARNING]
Dangerous entity approaching
Remain motionless
Kael didn't have time to read the rest. His consciousness vanished entirely.
The forest fell silent again.
Only the wind continued to move soft, patient, as if waiting for something to arrive soon.