I opened my eyes before dawn broke.
My body felt light. It seemed that the more my level rose, the better my stamina became. Even if I slept little, I woke refreshed, and muscle soreness recovered quickly.
In truth, I had slept only three hours. But I felt refreshed, with no fatigue. I got up, moved my body, and loosened my joints. Neck, shoulders, arms, legs. I stretched them one by one.
When I stepped outside the pit house, Solid Rock was already waiting. His silhouette was visible in the dim light of dawn, his massive frame faintly revealed, and I could see the hand gripping his spear.
The sky was still dark, and the stars sparkled. Only the eastern sky had begun to brighten slightly. White breath rose from my mouth, and the cold dawn air dug into my lungs. It was chilly. The end of autumn. Winter would arrive soon.
"You have come early."
Solid Rock was fully armed. Two spears, one stone knife, a waterskin, and even emergency rations. He was thoroughly prepared. A leather pouch hung at his waist, and a spear was tied to his back.
"You're early too."
I said with a smile.
"Couldn't sleep all night?"
I asked while looking under Solid Rock's eyes. There were dark circles.
"Of course not."
Solid Rock answered with a smile.
"Today is an important day, so I was too excited to sleep. It is the day we go to find a copper vein."
"I tossed and turned all night too."
Running Deer cut in.
"I was so excited I couldn't sleep."
Behind Solid Rock stood three more warriors. Running Deer, Fierce Eyes, and Swift Wind. All three wore tense expressions, their faces stiff, and strength had entered their hands. They were fully armed as well. Spears, stone knives, waterskins, food. They were ready for battle.
"Is everyone ready?"
I asked.
"Yes!"
"We are fully prepared!"
"We can leave anytime!"
The three answered all at once. Their voices were strong, and I could feel resolve rather than fear.
"Weapons?"
"Spears, stone knives, and emergency rations."
Swift Wind answered. He had a lean build and a nimble impression. As expected of a scout, his eyes were sharp, and his movements looked agile. He was armed more lightly than the other warriors, for the sake of moving quickly.
"We brought two days' worth of food."
"And the waterskins are filled."
Running Deer added. He was the largest, and he was carrying the most baggage. But his expression was relaxed.
"Will it not be insufficient?"
Fierce Eyes asked worriedly.
"Should we bring more?"
"No, this is enough."
I shook my head.
"If we bring too much, it becomes baggage instead. Good. Let's leave."
I fastened the Bronze Sword at my waist. The only bronze weapon. Today, this sword might have to play its role.
I felt its weight. It was reassuring, yet it also felt like the weight of responsibility. I gripped the hilt, and it was solid, settling perfectly in my hand.
Would this sword see blood today? The blood of a Tiger Tribe warrior? I hoped not. But I had to be prepared.
We left the village and headed west.
We walked along a forest path. The morning fog was thick, the ground beneath our feet was hard to see, and the back of the person ahead was faint. The humidity was high, my clothes grew damp, and droplets formed in my hair. Faint sunlight filtered through the branches, and dew-soaked grass wet my ankles. Cold moisture touched my skin, and my feet grew damp.
As if announcing morning, the birds began to sing, and far away, a deer cried. The forest was waking.
"Chieftain, please walk slowly."
Fierce Eyes said from behind me.
"The ground is slippery."
"I know. I'll be careful."
I nodded.
"How long will it take to reach the western mountain?"
"If we hurry, we will arrive when the sun reaches the middle of the sky."
Swift Wind answered. He was leading the way. His steps were quick, and the way he avoided obstacles was natural. He was familiar with the forest path.
"How close is it to the Tiger Tribe's territory?"
I asked.
"The eastern foot of the mountain is our land, but if we cross westward, it becomes Tiger Tribe territory."
Swift Wind answered.
"We must not cross that boundary. The moment we cross it, it is war."
His voice was serious. He looked back and met my eyes, his gaze warning me.
"Where is the boundary?"
I asked.
"The ridge at the summit."
Swift Wind answered.
"As long as we do not cross that, it will be fine. There are three large rocks on the ridge, and they are the boundary markers."
I understood. The ridge was the boundary line. The rocks were the markers. If we crossed it, that was a declaration of war. The start of war.
"Understood."
I nodded.
"Do you know roughly where the copper ore is?"
"Not exactly."
Solid Rock answered.
"I have only heard that the Previous Chieftain brought copper from the middle of that mountain in the past. But he kept the place he mined it a secret."
"Hmm...."
The Previous Chieftain. In other words, my father—no, this body's father. He had kept the location of the copper vein secret, and there must have been a reason. He had probably done so to prevent the Tiger Tribe from seizing it. If the information leaked, the Tiger Tribe could mine it first.
"Did Father never tell me the exact location?"
I asked.
"Before he passed away, he should have told you, Chieftain...."
Solid Rock spoke cautiously. He was watching my expression.
"I don't remember."
I shook my head.
"I was unconscious for three days. My memories before that are blurry."
"That can happen."
Solid Rock nodded.
"You lost consciousness for three days, after all."
Fortunately, I had a good excuse. Thanks to memory loss, even things I did not know could pass naturally. The people already thought I had changed after the coma. Losing my memories was an extension of that.
'But I have Exploration Technology.'
I closed my eyes and focused. A faint sensation stirred in my mind. A feeling of being pulled from the west. Weak, but clear. It felt as though something deep underground was pulling me. Like a magnet and metal, an unseen force drew me. The direction was certain. Toward the western mountain. The distance was unclear, and it was still far.
Ding!
『Exploration Technology Activated』
→ Mineral reaction detected from the west
→ Estimated Distance: approx. 3 hours on foot
'I can follow this sensation. It isn't exact, but I know the rough direction.'
The system was helping me. It even told me the distance. Three hours. Around the time the sun reached the middle of the sky. It matched Swift Wind's estimate.
We passed through the forest and crossed a hill.
The terrain grew rougher and rougher. The trees thinned, rocks became more common, and the earth beneath our feet disappeared as pebbles increased.
Pebbles rolled down each time we walked. The slope grew steep, my breath came short, and my leg muscles pulled. But thanks to the leveling effect, it was bearable. In the past, I would already have been exhausted.
"Be careful!"
Running Deer shouted.
"From here on, if you step wrong, you will slip!"
Ahead, he was holding a large rock with his hand and keeping his balance.
"Understood! Let's go slowly!"
One step at a time, carefully. Holding the rocks and keeping our balance. If we slipped once, we could be badly injured. The rocks were sharp.
"That is the western mountain."
Swift Wind pointed.
In the distance, a towering mountain came into view. Snow lay lightly over the summit, clouds hung around the mountainside, and the rocks lit by the sun sparkled silver. The mountain was majestic and enormous, rising as though it would pierce the sky. It was grand. Breathtakingly so.
Modern mountains were beautiful too, but an undeveloped primitive mountain held a different kind of emotion. Nature untouched by human hands. Pure nature.
"That mountain is the highest in our territory."
Fierce Eyes explained.
"No one has ever climbed to the summit. It is too high and dangerous."
"It is quite high."
It seemed to be at least 1,500 meters above sea level. Reaching the summit would be difficult.
"Yes, it is the highest mountain nearby."
Swift Wind answered.
"Do we have to go to the summit?"
I asked.
"No. They say the copper is somewhere around the middle of the mountain."
Solid Rock answered.
"I heard the Previous Chieftain brought it from the middle."
"Ah, right. Let's go."
I spoke as I stepped forward.
"We have to save time. We need to return before sunset."
We arrived at the foot of the mountain. A rocky slope stretched ahead, the incline was steep, and stones were piled uneasily. Each time we set down our feet, small stones rolled away.
Clack, clack.
The stones struck one another and fell down the mountain. Looking ahead, I saw a steep rocky slope. An incline close to sixty degrees. A steep slope that could not be climbed without using one's hands.
"We have to be careful from here."
Swift Wind said. He was taking the lead and checking the path.
"Why?"
I asked.
"The ground is unstable."
Swift Wind explained.
"Stones roll down easily. If one person steps on a stone, it may roll down and strike another person. That is why it is better to climb with distance between us."
"Understood. Let's go slowly."
I nodded.
"One person at a time. Wait until the person ahead reaches a safe spot, then climb."
"Understood!"
We carefully climbed the mountain. We moved our feet cautiously, one step at a time. First, we grabbed the rocks with our hands and checked whether they were firm. If they did not shake, we held on and moved our feet. Before stepping down, we examined the stones and checked whether they shifted. We pressed them lightly with our feet, and if a stone shook, we avoided that place.
Solid Rock climbed first. Because of his weight, the stones shook more, but he skillfully chose only safe rocks to step on. Running Deer followed behind him, then Fierce Eyes, Swift Wind. One by one, they moved forward slowly.
I was last, following the footprints of those who had gone ahead. That meant the places they had stepped were safe. Of course, before stepping on a stone, I still checked whether it shook.
As I did, I kept focusing on Exploration Technology. I closed my eyes and concentrated my awareness. The sensation grew stronger. The pull, which had been faint at first, became clear now, and the direction grew more precise. Westward and upward. Slightly to the left. I could feel the exact direction. The distance was also growing closer. At first, it had said three hours, but now it was much closer. Perhaps around thirty minutes.
Ding!
『Exploration Technology Reaction Intensified』
→ Mineral reaction increased
→ Approaching target point…
'We're getting close. It must be somewhere up there.'
My heart beat faster, and excitement rose within me. Soon, I would find the vein. Copper. The raw material of bronze. The tribe's future.
"Chieftain, look over there."
Solid Rock pointed ahead. His finger was pointing at a crevice between the rocks.
Between the rocks, I saw stones with a bluish hue. It was a striking color, and unlike the gray rocks around them, it was a vivid blue-green. They shone like gemstones, sparkling in the sunlight. It was a color like a peacock's feathers.
"That is...."