Years passed inside the Dark Forest with a slow, murderous rhythm.
But for Kentro… time was no longer measured in days, but in the number of battles he had survived.
Winter came and went.
Rain battered the wooden roof of the cabin almost every night.
And that exiled child kept living inside the hell, as if he had become part of it.
Then, on a cold morning wrapped in mist…
Sunlight crept between the giant trees, revealing a young man standing atop a high rock.
He was no longer that weak child.
Kentro had grown.
At thirteen, his body had become tougher, his muscles taut from years of fighting, hunting, and fleeing.
His black hair had grown past his shoulders, moving in the cold wind, while his crimson eyes had become quieter…
And far more dangerous.
Small scars were scattered across his arms and neck, as if the forest itself had carved its memories into his flesh.
He stood holding a wooden spear he had crafted himself, watching a pack of Shadow Wolves move silently among the trees.
He took a slow, steady breath.
Then…
He vanished.
He darted between the trees at blinding speed, moving like a shadow within the mist.
He appeared behind one of the wolves in an instant, driving his spear deep into its neck.
A sharp cry tore through the forest.
But the rest did not hesitate.
Two wolves leaped at him together, their fangs gleaming in the darkness.
Kentro dropped low, claws passing just above his head, then spun violently and pulled his old dagger in a swift motion.
“Shhhhak!”
He split one wolf from belly to jaw, while shoving the other with his shoulder, sending it crashing into a massive tree.
He didn’t stop.
He pushed off the trunk, leaped upward, and landed on the second wolf, delivering a series of quick strikes with his dagger.
One.
Two.
Three.
Until the beast finally collapsed in a pool of blood.
As for the last wolf…
It backed away slowly.
It stared at Kentro with clear fear in its eyes.
Kentro smiled faintly, breathing a little heavily.
“Running away… is also a way to survive.”
Then he let it flee.
He stood in the forest, his breath rising in the cold air, before calmly beginning to gather his prey.
He no longer fought recklessly like before.
Now, he watched…
Analyzed…
Then struck at the perfect moment.
Inside the old cabin…
The place had changed.
The crumbling walls had been partially repaired.
Simple tools hung on the walls, and primitive maps and papers Kentro had drawn over the years piled up on the wooden table.
But in the farthest corner…
The Black Book still sat.
Since finding it years ago, he had tried to understand it hundreds of times, but he could only read a few words.
“Darkness.” This chapter was taken from novelping.com without permission.
“Devouring.”
“The Void.”
Incomplete words…
But enough to plant a deep unease inside him.
Kentro sat before the book, turning its pages slowly.
Then he stopped suddenly.
There was a strange symbol—a black circle, as if it swallowed the light around it.
He hesitated for a moment…
Then touched the page with his fingers.
The book trembled suddenly.
Kentro’s eyes widened.
And the next moment…
He heard a very faint whisper.
A distant, unclear voice—as if someone was speaking from the depths of an endless place.
He pulled back immediately and slammed the book shut.
Silence filled the cabin.
Even the wind seemed to pause for a moment.
He stared at the book cautiously and whispered:
“What in the hell is this thing…?”
But despite his fear…
His curiosity grew stronger with each passing day.
In the human world…
Inside the Grand Church Hall.
High-ranking priests stood around a massive table with a world map at its center.
One of them spoke anxiously:
“Demonic movements have increased recently.”
Another replied:
“It seems the Dark Emperor is preparing for something.”
Suddenly…
The hall door opened slowly.
The Grand Archbishop entered with quiet steps, and everyone stopped speaking immediately.
He sat upon his golden chair, then said in a cold voice:
“And what of their exiled heir?”
One of the priests answered:
“No trace of him has appeared in years.
We believe he died inside the Dark Forest.”
A faint smile appeared on the Grand Archbishop’s face.
“If he is dead… then the world is better off.”
But an old man standing at the back suddenly raised his head and said:
“And what if he survived?”
Everyone turned toward him.
The old man continued in a low voice:
“Children thrown into hell… either die.”
Then he slowly raised his eyes.
“…or return as monsters.”
Silence fell over the hall.
In the demon world…
The royal palace was quieter than usual.
The Dark Emperor stood before a massive window, staring at the black sky in silence.
One of the emperors said:
“The humans are still watching our borders.”
But the king did not reply.
Long moments passed before he finally spoke:
“How long has it been?”
The Earth Emperor answered calmly:
“Eight years, my lord.”
Silence followed.
And for a very brief moment…
A flicker of disturbance appeared in the king’s eyes.
It vanished quickly.
But the Earth Emperor noticed it.
He hesitated slightly… then said:
“Have you… regretted it?”
At that moment, the hall froze completely.
The temperature dropped in a terrifying way.
The king turned slowly, fixing him with a chilling stare.
“Watch your words.”
The Earth Emperor immediately bowed.
“I apologize, my lord.”
After everyone left…
The king remained alone by the window.
He stayed silent for long moments, then whispered in a voice barely audible:
“…Kentro.”
Back in the Dark Forest.
The fire crackled softly in front of the cabin, while Kentro sat cleaning his dagger in silence.
Suddenly…
The trees moved.
He stopped instantly.
He slowly raised his head, feeling something watching him from the darkness.
He rose quietly, his hand resting on his dagger.
The air grew heavier.
And the forest… was unnaturally silent.
Then…
A massive shadow appeared on a high branch.
Two golden eyes glowed in the darkness.
But this time…
They didn’t disappear.
Kentro’s body stiffened as he stared at that mysterious being.
Then that deep voice echoed again:
“How long will you pretend to be just an ordinary human… Kentro?”
Kentro’s eyes froze.
Because that voice…
Had spoken his name.
To be continued…