Gregory brought with him three hunting knives, his bow and arrows, a mask, and a multitude of traps. He didn't care how risky and dangerous this is, he wanted to save his daughter no matter what. Gregory didn't understand why he was so riled up but he didn't care. Right now, he had the courage to act. He had no intention of questioning it.

He followed the trail the bandits created. The trail was, for some reason, very well hidden.

Bandits shouldn't be this good at hiding their trails.

Gregory ignored it as he rushed through the forest. In the distance, he sees the light of two torches. There were two guards there. They seemed a bit shaken up.

They die first. I have to be quiet.

Gregory approached the two bandits with surprising silence. He knew how to be quiet because he would hunt animals like this but it felt like his body became twice as light. He doesn't understand what's happening to his body but if this is how the gods are helping him, then he will not question it.

Once he approached the two from behind, he took out two of his hunting knives. These knives were regularly sharpened. After all, he uses them to cut pelt, material that's tougher than the neck of most humans.

Gregory approached the nearest guard and stabbed his neck while shoving a pile of leaves in the guard's mouth. The other guard turns to see Gregory approach him with a knife. He tries to unsheath his sword but it's too late. Gregory pushes his knife up the guard's chin and into his skull. This all happened within a few seconds.

Breath in... breath out.

Gregory then hid the bodies. He took a sword and the knives he used to kill the guards.

Those two were his first human kills. He's supposed to feel weak, nauseous, or even just a bit confused but he didn't. He felt invigorated. He remembers that this happened after he prayed to the guardian of the forest.

Thank you guardian beast of the forest. I will repay this blessing tenfold.

Gregory snuffed out the lights of the torches and he followed the path towards the bandit den.

Magnus felt the worshipper trudge towards the military encampment. There were scouts positioned everywhere but none of them has spotted the shining and glimmering golden dragon nor have they spotted the drugged-up worshipper coming towards them. Gregory is not really drugged up. The presence of Magnus has awoken some of Gregory's dragon blood which empowers him to act. After all, dragon blood is arguably the most potent of all blood.

Magnus seemingly blended in the forest. Despite his golden scales, he was hard to see unless one had sharp senses.

"Huh?"

Magnus' eyes turned to a scout near him. Magnus was surprised. Many scouts passed by him without reacting to his presence but this one did.

Shame.

The scout was about to scream but the jaws of the dragon silenced him far too quickly before he could utter any sound. Magnus spit out the scout's head. Dragons were famous for eating humans but Magnus always found it too uncouth. Humans were sentient creatures. As a matter of fact, Magnus would never eat any sentient creature. Besides, humans tend not to give too much energy unless they were powerful magic casters.

I have to move.

Magnus stood up. He just killed a scout. The patrol will notice that one of their members is gone. Magnus starts to move deeper into the military camp's direction.

Another one.

Magnus felt the death of another soldier nearby. Magnus didn't feel pity for these soldiers but he didn't hate them either. He didn't feel much regarding these humans. His memory tells him that was a flaw. His instincts have no comment. Now was the time to choose.

Should Magnus meet the worshipper or should he leave him? It wasn't too hard of a question and to be honest he preferred to stay alone for now but those were his dragon instincts talking. His memories keep telling him to gain allies but that goes against most dragon instincts.

Maybe this is why the ancient ones were wiped out and only the young ones survived.

Magnus remembered some parts of the war. Most of the ancient dragons were destroyed. Only a handful of the ancients managed to survive. Despite the majority of the ancients dying, many of the young ones survived.

The sound of shouting suddenly snapped Magnus back to reality. The two missing scouts must have caught the attention of the other patrol.

The choice was now or never.

Magnus attuned his senses towards Gregory and he started to move towards him.

The young ones might have been correct in their decision. If I were to look for them now, they would surely spurn my offers of an alliance. They would think I failed them.

Magnus heard more shouting as soldiers were ordered to comb the area for intruders.

Gregory was running around the camp. He was invigorated by the blessing of the beast, or so he believes but this blessing only gives courage, decisiveness, and a small boost of physical abilities, it didn't give one knowledge of things they didn't know. Gregory killed a patrol, not knowing that would cause trouble. Well, he knew that killing would cause trouble but he didn't expect it so fast.

Where's my daughter?... I need to find her.

When Gregory reached the camp, he was surprised by how organized it was. After seeing the bandits changing their clothes, Gregory realized that these weren't bandits. These were soldiers. Gregory should have escaped and reported the news to the nearest town but he couldn't risk his daughter. If he did call the might of the kingdom's army, he risked losing his daughter forever.

Gregory sensed the presence of many soldiers. He never had this ability before. At most, he could sense animals but even then, it wasn't as sharp as his ability to sense humans now.

At least 6?

Gregory started to lead these 6 soldiers to an area where he set up traps. He was an efficient trap setter. His traps were aimed to hit the vital spots in animals. Now, he just had to adjust it so it could hit the vital spots of humans. Unless someone had magic or powerful abilities, they would die from these traps all the same.

Gregory runs through a small area and he lightly jumps.

"There!"

The soldiers finally saw Gregory. They make chase.

Shit. I'm making too much noise! My little girl might be in danger!

The soldiers start running through the same path Gregory followed.

Gregory doesn't react when the ground behind him breaks open, revealing wooden spikes. The one leading the group falls to the pit along with the one directly behind him. It wasn't a quick death. The spikes were made out of wood but they pierced the soldiers all the same. The death of two of their comrades put a stop in their tracks.

"Johann! Tarel! Nooooo!"

Three out of the four remaining soldiers start to move around the pit and continue the chase. The other one was to return to base and inform their superiors what was happening.

Gregory saw the other guy run away.

Shit shit shit shit shit.

He wanted to chase him and silence him. Any more noise and trouble could be dangerous for his daughter but he couldn't. If he died, no one will save his daughter. Gregory kept running and he prayed once more.

"Please have that man trip on one of my traps. I beg you oh great beast of the forest."

Gregory kept running deeper into his trapped territory.

Simon was a conscripted soldier. He didn't have many plans for his life. He wanted to survive till the age of 30 so he can retire and use the empire's pension system so he can buy a farm and live a simple life with a wife. He was 24. He needed to survive for 6 years, get the money, and get a wife. That was the extent of his dreams.

Unfortunately for Simon, Gregory's prayer was heard. There were no traps to meet him but there was something else.

At least, Simon's death was quick and painless. Magnus made sure of that.

No need for endless suffering. They will have more opportunities in the next life.

Magnus slowly stalked his worshipper and the ones trying to catch him. As he stalked the forests, Magnus noticed the handiwork of Gregory. There were many traps. The first spike pit claimed two souls. There were other traps but only the 3rd trap managed to claim another poor human. There were still 2 assailants and from what Magnus could sense, there weren't any traps where Gregory was going.

Does he plan to lose them in the forest? I believe he will not succeed.

It was fine if Gregory was running out of options. His beast of the forest was close enough to hear his prayers.

Magnus followed closely behind Gregory and his two assailants.

Gregory was going to a dead-end. He had no choice. His other traps were too wide and if he went another way, he would have been forced to return to the camp. He could not be captured.

Could he risk endangering his daughter by showing up? No!

Could he not risk her by not showing up at all? No!

And if he gets captured, he will surely be beaten to death. He could not bear his daughter watch her father get tortured and killed.

The most he could do now was hope to lose these two soldiers. If that failed, he must kill them. Earlier, Gregory managed to kill two guards but that was by surprise. He was not confident he could do it in an actual fight.

Gregory exits a part of the forest and his heart sinks to his stomach. In front of Gregory was a wall of stone. It was a cliff that Gregory had no hope of climbing.

"Finally caught you!"

Gregory unsheathes his short hunting knife. He turns around and sees the two soldiers.

"You know how to run well old man! I'm gonna gut you like a fish for what you did!"

The two soldiers unsheathe their swords. They spread out a bit as they slowly approach Gregory. Gregory's heart was pounding fast. He wasn't afraid to die. It was weird. Ever since he started his plan, he lost any semblance of fear. At most, he could feel anxiety or a bit of nervousness but not true fear. But then Gregory's daughter came to his mind. Then he felt fear.

I can't die.

"Kill him!"

The two soldiers charged forward to stab and hack at Gregory. Gregory, in a desperate attempt to save his hide, prays once more as he charges forward.

Guide me, guardian!

Magnus was there to hear the prayer.

I hear your prayer.

A creature larger than a wolf leaped from the shrubbery and greens of the forest. The two men were immediately crushed as the greater weight of this creature slammed them to the ground, breaking their skulls and spines. Their death was quick.

The landing of the creature created a small shockwave and Gregory hits the floor. Gregory closes his eyes as the feeling of strength in his body seems to magnify and intensify to the point that he broke the hunting knife's handle.

Once the dust settles, Gregory opens his eyes. He beheld the majestic figure of the creatures of legend.

A single thought occurred in Gregory's mind. Something that almost every human knew instinctually.

Dragon