Intermission: Druid’s student (Souta POV)

Souta left the village not long after the incident with his brother. He bought equipment and necessities for a long adventure.

He decided that he would follow the Old Man that helped him so he can thank him again and to be more powerful.

Because in a world like this, weakness means death.

Souta followed the rumors of a group covered in cloaks that went south.

He was sure that this was the Strong Old Man’s group.

I wished he gave me his name.

As I kept traveling south, I reached an entrance to a forest.

To go past the southern border, you will need to go through the infamous druid’s forest.

“Forest, huh…”

I went in; I ready my sword and daggers.

A few minutes of walking, suddenly, vines grip my feet.

I fell, and after that, even my upper body is tangled.

Oh my, is this the end already? I haven’t got to see Old Man yet.

A druid appeared.

“Young man, what is your business here? Entering the woods alone seems pretty weird to me.”

“I’m just passing through.”

Suddenly the grip of the vines went tighter. It hurts!

“You better speak up now if you want to live.”

“Argh! I am just following an acquaintance of mine!”

“Are you talking about that cloaked undead?”

“Yeah, those guys. Wait, u-undead!?”

“Yep, those guys are undead, skeletons to be certain.”

“B-but… One of them helped me; I thought he was just a kind, old man.”

“Heh. Those guys are unique. I’ll say it straight, a young man or should I say, a young boy? It is hopeless.”

“What!? I need to meet him! I don’t have anything left in my life. If I don’t try to reach that guy, I won’t be able to understand why he helped me.”

“You are persistent. Those guys will go through the deadlands, and a human traveling there has almost no chance of survival. Are you still going to go?”

“Yes!”

“Hmmm… I believe you have the spirit, but you’re going to need more than that. Come on; I’ll teach you how to survive in the deadlands.”

“Wow! Really?”

“Yep, so let’s get started.” Then my training began.

The druid thought it was fascinating to see a human following a group of undead.

The following part was typical, but the reason was not extermination.

He thought that maybe, humans and monsters could exist. Or not.