The team’s return wasn’t loud.
If anything, it was strangely quiet.
Their steps felt heavy—not just from physical exhaustion, but from the weight of what had happened.
Hunting wolves hadn’t been difficult in the usual sense.
But it hadn’t been normal, either.
Especially for Daron.
They walked through the forest on their way back, the sun already beginning its descent toward the horizon.
Golden rays slipped between the towering trunks in long slanted beams, painting the forest floor with fractured shadows across the carpet of fallen autumn leaves.
The air was colder than it had been that morning.
Calmer.
As though the forest itself was breathing after everything that had happened.
Inside Daron, however—
The opposite was true.
I’m certain…
The thought surfaced again.
But certain of what, exactly?
This time, he walked at the rear of the formation rather than near the front.
He barely spoke.
He didn’t participate in the lighthearted banter Gene and Karl exchanged about something he hadn’t been paying attention to.
Nor did he react to the occasional comments Amy threw his way.
His mind was elsewhere.
Lost in those moments.
Every second of the battle replayed itself over and over inside his head.
Every detail.
With frightening clarity.
“I never saw them…”
He raised a hand and stared at it.
The wolf that had attacked him from behind.
He hadn’t heard its paws against the leaves.
He hadn’t seen its shadow.
He hadn’t felt vibrations through the ground.
Yet—
I felt it.
His fingers slowly curled into a fist.
This wasn’t just danger sense.
He stepped around a massive tree trunk before continuing.
It’s something more precise.
They reached the edge of the forest as the final strands of golden sunlight faded from the sky.
The city’s gate appeared ahead of them.
Torches burned atop the walls, illuminating the growing darkness with a strangely cold sort of welcome.
The guards gave them routine glances before allowing them inside.
Gradually, life returned.
Voices.
Crowds.
Movement.
The familiar rhythm of the city.
Yet Daron no longer perceived it in quite the same way.
Every one of them…
His gaze drifted toward a man hurrying past with a basket of vegetables.
…carries something.
He wasn’t actually seeing anything.
But he was feeling it.
After turning in the mission and collecting their reward, they entered the guild.
The atmosphere inside was as lively as ever.
The team chose a table tucked away from the worst of the noise.
They sat.
Ordered food and drinks.
Then silence settled over them.
This silence felt different.
Not comfortable.
Heavy.
Filled with questions no one knew how to ask.
Eventually, Karl broke it in the direct manner only he could manage.
“Alright.”
He leaned back in his chair.
“Let’s just say it.”
His eyes fixed on Daron.
“What happened back there?”
Amy raised an eyebrow.
Gene watched quietly.
Nor simply listened.
Daron didn’t answer immediately.
His gaze lowered to the wooden tabletop.
Then he spoke.
“Before they appeared…”
He paused.
“…I knew they were there.”
Everyone exchanged glances.
Karl let out a short laugh.
“Yeah, we noticed that.”
Then his tone grew more serious.
“But how?”
Daron slowly looked up.
Inside, however, a sandstorm raged.
“I don’t know.”
Amy folded her arms.
“You can’t just say ‘I don’t know.'”
Her expression sharpened.
“That wasn’t normal.”
Daron drew a slow breath.
Then answered honestly.
“I didn’t see them.”
“I didn’t hear them.”
“But…”
He hesitated.
“I felt them.”
Silence.
Gene leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table.
“Felt them…
how?”
Daron shook his head slowly.
“I can’t explain it properly.”
He searched for the words.
“It was like there was something before their movements.”
Nor spoke quietly, almost as if she were thinking aloud.
“Their intent…?”
Daron looked at her.
Paused.
Then nodded.
“…Maybe.”
Karl frowned.
“That’s nonsense.”
But his voice lacked the certainty he wanted it to have.
Gene rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
“If it were just instinct, it wouldn’t be that accurate.”
Amy’s eyes remained fixed on Daron.
“Could you feel us, too?”
Daron froze.
That was an important question.
He thought for several moments.
Then answered.
“Yes.”
Silence returned.
“Each of you…”
He spoke slowly.
“…feels different.”
Karl snorted.
“Great.
You’ve discovered we’re monsters.”
But Daron didn’t smile.
“I mean something else.”
His gaze lifted.
“Karl…”
He hesitated.
“Sharp.”
Then he looked toward Gene.
“Heavy.”
His eyes shifted toward Nor.
“Faint.”
Finally, Amy.
“Steady.”
This time—
Nobody laughed.
Nor’s eyes widened slightly before she concealed her surprise.
Gene’s brows drew together.
Karl became unusually quiet.
Amy simply stared at him.
“That’s…”
She spoke slowly.
“…a sense of will.”
Time seemed to stop.
Will.
The word echoed inside Daron’s mind.
He looked at her.
“So that’s what I’m sensing?”
Amy nodded.
“But…”
She hesitated.
“…not like that.”
Leaning forward slightly, she continued.
“We can sense will too.”
Her eyes briefly moved toward the others.
“But not with that level of precision.”
Something shifted inside Daron.
Not outside.
Inside.
Then…
He lowered his gaze.
I’m different. This chapter was copied from g.com without permission.
There was no pride in the thought.
No arrogance.
Only a quiet realization.
And a touch of unease.
After a moment, he began thinking aloud.
“There are several possibilities.”
Everyone listened.
“The first…”
He raised a finger.
“This is simply a natural talent.”
Karl shrugged.
“Possible.”
“The second…”
Daron continued.
“I’ve somehow approached the Second Level without realizing it.”
Gene immediately frowned.
“That doesn’t make sense.”
“The transition isn’t that easy.”
Daron nodded.
“I know.”
Then he looked down at his hand.
“The third…”
His voice grew quieter.
“…is that I have an ability.”
Silence.
Complete silence.
Amy didn’t joke.
Karl didn’t interrupt.
Nor slowly raised her head.
Gene spoke first.
“An ability…?”
Daron nodded.
“Yes.”
His gaze hardened slightly.
“An ability that affects perception.”
“Something that lets me…”
He searched for the words.
“…see what cannot be seen.”
Amy opened her mouth.
“That’s…”
But she didn’t finish.
Karl finally spoke.
“If that’s true…”
His expression was unusually serious.
“…then it isn’t normal.”
A faint smile appeared on Daron’s face.
“I know.”
Then it faded.
“But there’s a problem.”
“What problem?” Nor asked softly.
Daron looked at all of them.
Then answered.
“I can’t control it.”
His voice remained calm.
“It just…
happens.”
Amy sighed.
“That explains a lot.”
“No.”
Daron shook his head.
“It explains nothing.”
Everyone looked at him.
“Because I don’t know when it will happen.”
A pause.
“Or why.”
Gene crossed his arms.
“So you’re relying on something you don’t understand.”
Daron nodded.
Karl smiled faintly.
But there was seriousness behind it.
“That’s dangerous.”
Daron met his gaze.
“I know.”
Silence lingered for several moments.
Then Daron lifted his head.
His eyes were clearer than before.
More determined.
“But…”
A small smile formed.
“I can learn it.”
For the first time since the conversation began, he sounded completely certain.
Amy smiled immediately.
“That’s what I wanted to hear.”