Chapter 9: Human Village

Chapter 9: Chapter 9: Human Village

He let out a slow breath.

Surprisingly, that realization didn’t frighten him.

Instead, it made him even more determined.

Games could be reset after defeat. Reality offered no such luxury.

If his dungeon was destroyed here. There wouldn’t be another chance.

"I’ll have to be even more careful."

-----

Several kilometers away from Ragnar’s dungeon, beyond the dense forest that stretched endlessly across the mountains, stood a small human village.

Although it couldn’t compare to the bustling towns or prosperous cities, the village possessed a peaceful charm of its own.

Simple wooden houses with straw roofs were neatly arranged along wide dirt roads. Thin streams of smoke rose from countless chimneys as families prepared the evening meal.

Children laughed while chasing one another through the village square, their cheerful voices echoing through the quiet settlement.

Farmers returned from the fields carrying baskets filled with freshly harvested vegetables, while several elderly women sat beneath the shade of a massive oak tree, chatting as they mended old clothes.

Since the village bordered the vast forest, hunting had become one of its primary sources of food.

Nearly every household had someone capable of wielding a bow or spear, while the younger generation learned to hunt almost as soon as they were old enough to walk.

At the entrance of the village, several guards stood watch behind a sturdy wooden palisade. The walls weren’t particularly tall, nor were they capable of stopping a determined army, but they were more than enough to keep wild beasts away.

One of the guards suddenly smiled as he looked toward the forest path.

"They’re back."

The others followed his gaze.

Several figures gradually emerged from between the trees.

There were seven hunters in total.

Their clothes were dirty from spending the entire day inside the forest, and dried blood stained portions of their leather armor.

Some carried bows over their shoulders, while others held long spears or hunting axes. Across their backs hung today’s prey, including several rabbits, wild birds, and a large wild boar whose body required two hunters just to carry.

Walking at the front of the group was a tall man with broad shoulders and a calm expression.

Unlike the others, he carried only a simple longbow crafted from dark wood. A quiver filled with finely made arrows rested comfortably across his back, while a hunting knife hung at his waist.

His face wasn’t particularly handsome.

Years of hunting beneath the scorching sun had tanned his skin, and several old scars stretched across his arms and neck. His short brown hair was slightly messy, and his sharp eyes constantly scanned his surroundings out of habit.

This man was Kyle.

The strongest hunter in the entire village.

Although he was only twenty-eight years old, everyone in the village respected him. From hunting massive wild boars to driving away packs of wolves that wandered too close to the village, Kyle had protected the settlement more times than anyone could remember.

Many of the younger hunters walking behind him had learned everything they knew from him.

One of the younger men laughed as he adjusted the heavy boar hanging across his shoulders.

"Brother Kyle, your tracking skills are getting scarier every year."

"I couldn’t even see those footprints."

Another hunter nodded enthusiastically.

"I thought we’d be going home empty-handed today."

"If you hadn’t found that boar’s trail, we’d probably only have a few rabbits to show for an entire day’s work."

Kyle simply smiled faintly.

"It wasn’t difficult."

"The ground near the stream was still soft from yesterday’s rain."

"The tracks were easier to spot."

His voice remained calm and modest.

He never enjoyed taking credit for himself.

As far as Kyle was concerned, hunting wasn’t about talent.

It was about patience.

Observation.

And experience gained through countless days spent inside the forest.

The moment the hunters entered the village, several children ran toward them with excited expressions.

"They’re back!"

"Look!"

"They caught another boar!"

The children gathered around the hunting party, their eyes sparkling with admiration.

One little boy stared at Kyle with obvious excitement.

"Brother Kyle!"

"Can you teach me how to shoot a bow when I grow up?"

The surrounding adults couldn’t help but laugh.

Kyle reached out and gently ruffled the boy’s hair.

"When you’re older."

"For now, listen to your parents."

The boy immediately nodded with a determined expression.

"I will!"

Nearby, several villagers also gathered around the hunters.

The sight of fresh meat immediately brought smiles to their faces.

Food had become increasingly difficult to find over the past few months. The animals deeper within the forest had become more cautious, forcing hunters to travel farther from the village with each passing week.

Today’s successful hunt meant everyone would have meat for dinner.

As the villagers happily carried the prey toward the butcher, Kyle quietly remained standing near the village gate.

Instead of following the others, he slowly turned around and looked back toward the distant forest.

The others had already returned to their homes, laughing as they divided the day’s catch among their families. Before long, the pleasant aroma of roasted meat drifted through the village, accompanied by the cheerful chatter of villagers gathering for dinner.

Normally, Kyle would have joined them.

Instead, his thoughts remained on what he had seen earlier that afternoon.

As the hunting party was making its way back to the village, he had caught something unusual hidden between the towering trees.

It had only lasted for a brief moment.

A glimpse so fleeting that he had almost convinced himself he had imagined it.

A building.

Deep inside the forest.

At first, he assumed it had been nothing more than oddly shaped rocks or perhaps sunlight reflecting off an ancient tree trunk.

Yet, the image refused to leave his mind.

It bothered him throughout dinner.

It lingered while he sharpened his arrows.

Even as darkness slowly enveloped the village, the mysterious structure continued to occupy his thoughts.

Finally, Kyle stood.

"I’ll be back before sunrise."

He informed the village guards with a calm smile before tightening the strap of his quiver across his shoulder.