About half an hour later, Matthew slowly finished his stance, bringing his longsword back to his side.
He exhaled a long breath of turbid air, feeling a slight warmth spreading through his body, along with a trace of fatigue and hunger from the practice.
Wiping away his sweat, he pulled some dried meat from his waist and began to eat, looking up at the night sky.
Then, he returned to the cabin and began his meditation for the day...
...
The next morning, before the dawn light had fully spread and only a sliver of pale light broke through the horizon, Stone Mill Village was already bitingly cold.
Most of the leaves along the dirt road had fallen, leaving only bare branches piercing into the gray sky.
A thin layer of frost covered the ground, crunching softly underfoot—early winter had quietly arrived.
Yet, the foliage at the edge of the Shadow Forest remained lush and dense, as if protected by an invisible force, showing no signs of withering at all.
Matthew withdrew his gaze and stood at the edge of the forest, his breath condensing into a white mist.
“This forest is truly unusual. It's unaffected by the weather.”
“I wonder if the wood inside has changed as well? Perhaps it's tougher, or contains some special energy... maybe even life?”
“But... even if there are changes, they would be deep within the forest. After all, that would require deeper mana infusion.”
He tightened his backpack and checked the 【Forest Shadow Hunting Bow】, his shortsword, and the dried meat, waterskin, and several simple tools he carried with him.
He took a deep breath of the crisp air at the forest's edge, composed himself, and stepped into the Shadow Forest.
The light inside the forest dimmed abruptly, a stark contrast to the bleakness outside. The trees were tall and dense, their foliage blocking out most of the sky, and a thin mist drifted through the air.
As Matthew walked through the woods, the thick layer of fallen leaves underfoot was soft and springy, making almost no sound when stepped on.
This was different from his previous entries into the forest.
Because Matthew had been practicing his meditation method, his sensitivity to energy particles had increased significantly.
He could clearly feel that the elemental energy particles drifting in the air were exceptionally dense. If he could meditate here, his progress would be much faster than at home.
However, almost at the same moment he perceived this abundant energy, a strange sensation welled up in his heart.
“These energy particles seem unusually violent?”
“Should I try?”
In the face of immense benefits, taking a tiny risk was worth it!
Matthew scanned his surroundings and saw nothing unusual. He then tried to use his meditation method to guide a trace of external energy into his body for conversion—
“Sss...”
A stinging pain, like being rubbed by fine sand, flared up inside his body.
Though it was extremely mild, for Matthew, who was already accustomed to the peaceful flow of energy, the sensation was incredibly distinct and uncomfortable.
He understood in his heart. “The mana environment here is problematic. Although the energy is dense, it is far too chaotic and violent. If I absorb and convert it directly, not only will it be highly inefficient, but it might even shock my spiritual core and cause damage to my body!”
“No wonder there are monsters and magical beasts. Operating in this environment long-term without a strong enough physical constitution would make even breathing a hazard, let alone living here.”
However, this was of little consequence to Matthew, as his Spirit was powerful.
To him, the violent energy particles in the air were more like environmental background noise—active and sharp, but as long as he maintained the stable field of his own Spirit and did not actively absorb or convert them, he would remain unharmed.
Having figured this out, Matthew set his mind at ease. He then began to focus on the objective of this trip—finding traces of magical beast activity, especially his primary target: the Shadow Wolf.
According to the instructor, there were primarily two types of magical beasts active in the outskirts of the Shadow Forest around Stone Mill Village: the Shadow Wolf and the Green Bead Python.
The former was slightly larger than a normal wild wolf, covered in short, grayish-black fur that provided excellent camouflage in the forest.
Its most distinctive feature was its eyes, which glowed with a faint green light in the dark.
They were renowned for their speed and pack cooperation, usually moving in groups of three to five, making them one of the most common predators in the forest outskirts.
In terms of combat strength, a single Shadow Wolf, with speed, strength, and sharp fangs and claws far exceeding those of ordinary beasts, could easily kill a lone ordinary person.
But for an experienced and well-coordinated adventurer squad, they could be slain as long as the squad was well-prepared.
As for Class holders, even a warrior who had just stepped into the Black Iron Rank, as long as they didn't fall into a desperate situation of being surrounded, fighting a single Shadow Wolf was practically a free kill.
Now that Matthew's strength was close to, if not already touching, the threshold of the Black Iron Rank, and with the 【Forest Shadow Hunting Bow】 in hand, he was highly confident in dealing with a lone Shadow Wolf.
As for the Green Bead Python, a species of snake, an adult could reach four to six meters in length, with a thick body and astonishing strength.
It was named the “Green Bead Python” precisely because its pupils were a terrifying, glowing green. In the dim forest, they looked like two moving green beads, making it highly recognizable.
Instructor Calm had specifically warned him that this python was extremely venomous. Once bitten, an ordinary person would drop dead on the spot.
Class holders could endure for a while relying on their physical constitution, but if they did not receive treatment, they would still die.
As Matthew kept a wary eye on his surroundings, he pondered to himself: The threat of the Green Bead Python is indeed terrifying, but those glowing green eyes are too conspicuous in the forest. As long as I stay alert, I'll be able to spot them from afar and avoid them.
The real trouble might actually come from packs of Shadow Wolves. They move swiftly and cooperate well. Once surrounded, I might have to pay a steep price.
He then had another thought: It's already early winter now. Normally, snakes should be entering hibernation. The Green Bead Python might be sleeping deep inside some hidden cave or tree roots.
If I'm lucky enough, I might even get one for free!
However, magical beasts are affected by the mana environment, so their ecological habits might differ from ordinary animals. I still can't let my guard down completely.
But if I really can get one for free, it would be a massive jackpot!
Matthew remembered Instructor Calm mentioning during a casual chat: “The value of magical beast meat depends not only on its rank but also on the species.”
“For instance, snake meat like that of the Green Bead Python concentrates more life essence within its body. Its meat is firm, contains purer energy, and has a fresh, chewy texture. At the same rank, its price is often higher than wolf meat.”
After calming his slightly excited emotions, Matthew continued to tread cautiously through the outer forest, his gaze sweeping over the ground, tree trunks, and bushes like a hawk, searching for any possible traces.
After an unknown amount of time, Matthew stopped in a relatively open clearing in the forest.
His eyes narrowed, and a slight curve formed at the corner of his mouth.
Rate on N.U.
