The river divided the village into two.
It wasn’t particularly wide, nor was it especially dangerous.
During the warmer months, children often played near its shallow banks, while farmers used its water to keep their crops alive.
Small boats occasionally traveled downstream, carrying supplies toward the larger towns.
For the people who lived there, the river was simply part of life.
The village itself wasn’t remarkable.
A few hundred houses.
Several farms.
A blacksmith.
A small marketplace.
An inn.
And, standing proudly near the center of the settlement, a building with a wooden sign hanging above its entrance.
ADVENTURER’S GUILD.
The building was probably the busiest place in the village.
Adventurers came and went constantly.
Some stayed for weeks.
Others arrived in the morning and disappeared into the nearby forests before sunset.
They hunted monsters, explored ruins, escorted merchants, searched for herbs and materials, and occasionally took jobs that were far more dangerous than anything the villagers wanted to hear about.
To the villagers, adventurers were both impressive and slightly ridiculous.
They could fight monsters.
They could use magic.
They could travel across entire countries.
Yet somehow, they still managed to spend half their earnings at the village tavern.
Not far from the river, a young boy crouched beside the water.
He looked about six years old.
His short black hair was messy, with several strands falling over his forehead and others sticking out in directions that seemed to have no connection to gravity.
His dark brown eyes were fixed intensely on the river.
His small face was scrunched up in concentration.
He held a smooth stone between his fingers.
He had been trying to skip stones for the past ten minutes.
“This time.” He pulled his arm back.
“This time it’ll work.” He threw the stone.
Plop.
The stone sank immediately.
The boy stared at the water.
He slowly lowered his hand.
“…The river cheated.” A voice came from behind him.
“You’re just bad at throwing.” The boy turned.
A girl stood a few steps away.
She had dark-brown hair tied into two short braids and was carrying a small basket against her hip.
The boy looked at the basket.
More specifically, he looked at what was inside it.
Bread.
Fresh bread.
His eyes widened.
The girl noticed.
“No.” He looked at her innocently.
“I didn’t say anything.” “You were about to.” “I wasn’t.” “You were looking at my bread.” He looked away.
“I like bread.” “Then buy some.” “I don’t have money.” “Ask your mother.” The boy looked toward the village.
Then back at the bread.
The girl narrowed her eyes.
“Don’t even think about it.” He smiled.
The girl took one step backward.
“Don’t.” He took one step forward.
“Don’t.” Another step.
“I’m warning you.” The boy suddenly lunged.
“HEY!” He grabbed the bread and ran.
“ARIX!” Arix sprinted down the riverbank, laughing.
“I’m borrowing it!” “You STOLE it!” “I’ll give it back!” “When?!” “Later!” “That isn’t how borrowing works!” Arix laughed harder.
He didn’t get very far.
His sandal caught against a small stone.
“Whoa—!” He fell forward.
The bread flew from his hand.
Arix landed face-first in the grass.
For several seconds, he didn’t move.
The girl slowly walked over.
She picked up the bread.
“You’re paying for this.” Arix lifted his head.
His cheek was covered in dirt.
“I don’t have money.” “Then tell your mother.” Arix immediately looked nervous.
“…We can negotiate.” The girl crossed her arms.
“You’re going to get scolded.” “No, I’m not.” “She already knows you’re here.” Arix froze.
“What?” The girl pointed behind him.
Arix slowly turned.
At the end of the street stood a woman.
She had long black hair tied loosely behind her head.
Her face was calm.
Too calm.
Her eyes were fixed directly on Arix.
Arix swallowed.
“…Oh.” The girl smiled.
“Good luck.” Arix stood.
Then ran.
“Arix!” Arix was fast.
At least, he believed he was.
He sprinted through the village, weaving between people and carts.
“Sorry!” He nearly collided with a farmer.
“Watch where you’re going!” “Sorry!” He ran past the blacksmith.
Past the marketplace.
Past the inn.
And straight toward the Adventurer’s Guild.
The guild was the one place in the village where he could disappear easily.
Adventurers came and went constantly.
Nobody paid much attention to one small boy.
Arix slipped around the side of the building.
He crouched behind a wooden barrel.
He listened.
Nothing.
He waited.
Still nothing.
Arix slowly smiled.
“Perfect.” He had escaped.
At least for now.
His curiosity immediately overcame his fear.
He moved toward one of the windows.
The window was low enough that he could see inside.
Arix crouched beneath it and peeked through.
The guild hall was crowded.
Several adventurers were sitting around wooden tables.
A heavily armored man was arguing with a receptionist.
Two hunters were comparing monster parts.
Someone in the corner was loudly explaining how they had supposedly defeated a monster twice their size.
Arix didn’t believe that one.
Then he noticed a particular group.
Four adventurers.
They had just entered the guild.
The first was a tall man with broad shoulders and short dark-brown hair.
A thin scar ran from the edge of his left eyebrow toward his cheek.
He wore worn leather armor reinforced with metal plates, and a longsword rested at his waist.
His face was calm and serious.
He didn’t look particularly intimidating.
But there was something about the way he carried himself that made it obvious he had experience.
The second was a woman wearing a dark-blue robe.
Her long silver-blonde hair fell over one shoulder.
Her pale blue eyes calmly examined the guild as she walked.
A wooden staff rested in her right hand.
At its top was a smooth blue crystal.
Arix’s eyes immediately locked onto it.
A mage.
The third member was a lean young man with messy reddish-brown hair.
A bow rested across his back.
He wore a constant grin and had sharp, lively eyes.
He looked like the kind of person who would turn a simple journey into a disaster.
The final member was a woman with shoulder-length black hair and warm hazel eyes.
She wore practical brown clothing beneath a light traveling coat.
A large backpack rested against her shoulders.
Unlike the others, she looked exhausted.
Very exhausted.
Arix decided he liked her.
The four sat at a table.
Arix moved closer to the window.
He could hear them now.
“I told you we should’ve bought supplies yesterday,” the woman said.
The red-haired man leaned back.
“We had enough yesterday.” “We don’t have enough today.” “That sounds like a future problem.” “It is currently a problem.” The swordsman sighed.
“Renn.” “What?” “Stop.” Renn smiled.
“No.” The mage slowly looked up from her drink.
“You two have been arguing about food for twenty minutes.” “Because she’s wrong.” The woman lifted an empty food bag.
“I’m holding the evidence.” Renn looked at it.
Then looked away.
“Clearly planted.” Arix covered his mouth.
He tried not to laugh.
He failed.
A small snort escaped him.
The four adventurers turned toward the window.
Arix froze.
Renn stood.
“Was that a child?” Arix slowly lowered himself.
Too late.
The window opened.
Renn looked down.
Arix looked up.
They stared at each other.
Renn smiled.
“Hello.” Arix said nothing.
“Were you spying on us?” “No.” Renn raised an eyebrow.
“You’re standing outside our window.” “I was looking.” “At us.” “No.” Renn laughed.
The swordsman walked over.
“Leave him alone.” “But he’s been watching us.” The mage approached.
She crouched slightly, bringing herself closer to Arix’s height.
“What is your name?” The boy hesitated.
“Arix.” “And how old are you?” “Six.” Renn blinked.
“Six?” Arix nodded.
The swordsman crouched as well.
“Why are you watching adventurers?” Arix pointed toward the forest.
“Because I want to become one.” Renn immediately grinned.
“See?
Good taste.” The swordsman ignored him.
“Why?” Arix thought for a moment.
“Because I want to see everything.” The mage smiled.
“Everything?” Arix nodded.
“Everything outside this village.” The swordsman looked toward the distant road.
“There is a lot outside.” “How much?” “More than you can imagine.” Arix’s eyes widened.
“Monsters?” “Yes.” “Magic?” “Yes.” “Dragons?” Renn raised a finger.
“Definitely.” The swordsman looked at him.
“Don’t lie to the child.” “I didn’t say where.” “You’ve never seen a dragon.” “I’ve seen a very large lizard.” “That was a lizard.” “It had wings.” “It jumped.” “It jumped impressively.” The mage sighed.
Arix laughed.
The woman with the backpack finally smiled.
“I’m Lena.” She pointed toward the swordsman.
“That’s Kael.” Then toward the mage.
“Mira.” Finally, she pointed at Renn.
“And that’s Renn.” “Hey, why did you introduce me last?” “Because you’re the least important.” Renn looked offended.
Arix giggled.
Arix’s attention quickly returned to Mira’s staff.
He pointed toward it.
“Can you use magic?” Mira nodded.
“Yes.” “How?” “Mana.” Arix tilted his head.
“What’s mana?” Mira thought about how to explain it.
“Mana is a form of energy that some people can sense and control.” “Can everyone use it?” “Not in the same way.” “Why?” “Because people become strong in different ways.” Arix looked toward Kael.
“Like swords?” Kael nodded.
“Training.
Experience.
Technique.” He tapped the sword at his waist.
“Some people dedicate themselves to physical combat.” Arix looked toward Renn.
“And him?” Renn proudly pointed toward himself.
“Natural talent.” Lena immediately replied.
“Bad decisions.” Renn ignored her.
Mira continued.
“Some people specialize in magic.” She raised one hand.
A tiny flame appeared above her palm.
Arix’s eyes widened.
The flame flickered gently.
He leaned closer.
“Whoa.” Mira smiled.
“You’ll learn more when you’re older.” Arix frowned.
“Everyone keeps saying that.” “Because you’re six.” “I’m almost seven.” Kael smiled.
“That’s a huge difference.” Arix nodded seriously.
“Exactly.” Renn leaned forward.
“And those aren’t even the only ways people become strong.” Arix looked at him.
“What else?” Renn opened his mouth.
Kael immediately interrupted.
“That’s enough for today.” “Why?” “Because you’ll spend the rest of the day asking questions.” Arix crossed his arms.
“I have lots of questions.” “We noticed.” Lena laughed.
Eventually, the adventurers prepared to leave.
They had supplies to collect before heading toward the forest.
Arix followed them as far as the edge of the village.
“Will you come back?” Lena smiled.
“Of course.” “When?” “A few days.” Renn raised a hand.
“Assuming Kael doesn’t get us killed.” Kael looked at him.
“You’re the one who walked into the monster’s nest.” “I was exploring.” “You were lost.” “I was exploring while lost.” Mira sighed.
Arix laughed.
Kael looked down at him.
“You remember what I told you?” Arix nodded.
“Don’t rush.” “Good.” “Learn first.” “Good.” “Train first.” “Good.” “And don’t go into the forest alone.” Arix nodded seriously.
“I won’t.” Kael smiled.
“Then maybe someday you’ll become an adventurer.” Arix’s eyes shone.
“Really?” “Maybe.” The four adventurers continued down the road.
Arix watched them until they disappeared beyond the hill.
He stood there for a while.
Then looked toward the forest.
Someday.
He would go there.
He would see the world.
He would become strong.
He didn’t know how.
He didn’t know when.
But someday.
That evening, Arix sat at the dinner table, enthusiastically telling his parents about the adventurers.
“And Mira made fire!” His father smiled.
“Really?” Arix nodded.
“With her hand!” His mother laughed.
“You shouldn’t bother adventurers.” “I wasn’t bothering them.” His father raised an eyebrow.
“You were spying on them through a window.” Arix froze.
“How did you know?” “Your mother told me.” Arix slowly looked at his mother.
She smiled.
Arix lowered his head.
“…Oh.” His father laughed.
Outside, the sun slowly disappeared behind the hills.
The river reflected the last light of the day.
The village became quieter.
People returned home.
Doors closed.
Lanterns were lit.
It was an ordinary evening.
At least, it seemed ordinary.
Deep within the forest…
Far beyond the fields and the paths used by hunters, where the trees grew thick enough to block out the moonlight, something strange happened.
The monsters stopped moving.
A wolf froze beneath the trees.
A massive beast lowered its head.
Birds abandoned their nests.
Even the insects went silent.
Then— Something began to seep through them.
Dark energy.
It crawled across their bodies in thin, unnatural strands, slowly growing denser.
The forest itself seemed to breathe with it.
But the monsters weren’t the source.
They were merely vessels.
The source was a wall.
An ancient wall hidden beneath roots, moss, and centuries of overgrowth.
And within that wall was a crack.
It was impossibly small.
So small that even a centipede couldn’t pass through it.
Yet it felt infinite.
There was no light on the other side.
No visible space.
No end.
Only darkness.
An endless darkness that shouldn’t have been able to exist inside something so small.
The dark essence continued to leak through.
It spread through the crack.
Through the stone.
Through the roots.
Through the soil.
Through every creature that lived within the forest.
The monsters trembled.
Then slowly raised their heads.
Their eyes changed.
And somewhere beyond that impossible crack— something moved.
The forest fell completely silent.
For the first time in centuries, nothing stirred.
Not even the wind.
And far away, in a village that knew nothing of what had just happened…
A six-year-old boy slept peacefully.
Unaware that the world he dreamed of exploring had already begun moving toward him.