9. The Wandering Knight

Black Wood Forest

The fierce tornado wind sent the Wolfhound crashing into a tree, leaving it gasping for breath and vanishing in an instant. The person present there was visibly exhausted, with disheveled black hair and a body engulfed in steam.

Surrounded by the wolf-like monsters, their eyes gleamed with aggression, hungry to prey upon the man named Liu Han. Their mouths were stained with fresh blood, indicating a recent feast, and their large menacing fangs protruded menacingly.

However, Liu Han showed no fear or distress. Instead, he wore a spirited smile full of determination. The relentless insults hurled at him no longer hindered his steps or dampened his ambitions. He had transformed his hatred into a driving force, pushing him forward.

The Wolfhound struck first, but Liu Han responded swiftly, leaping skillfully upwards. Meanwhile, the other wolf lunged at the young man, its jaws wide open. Yet, Liu Han remained unfazed, revealing his inner strength.

With his right hand brimming with energy, he calmly unleashed an immense power, creating a thunderous impact as he struck the Wolfhound's head. The wolf collapsed rapidly, causing destruction that sent dust and smoke swirling through the forest.

Gradually, a silhouette emerged from within the cloud of dust. Pausing to ensure an unobstructed view, the person checked his character statistics by tapping on a transparent menu.

[Name: Liu Han]

[Level 7: 33% EXP]

[Class: Martial Artist]

Liu Han gazed at the screen, taken aback. A Martial Artist class should never have existed in the world of magic. Nevertheless, he had no choice but to accept it. Changing classes seemed impossible too since it was defined by a personality test, and creating a new account with different data was not an option due to Xaindan Cooperation's partnership with the government.

Including the original census data.

As the young man prepared to take another step forward, the sound of approaching footsteps caught his attention from behind. Swiftly, he turned around and discovered someone emerging from the dense undergrowth.

Clad in a steel armor set that perfectly complemented his long sword, which he had just used to disperse the lingering dust clouds, the young man exuded an air of confidence. With his brown hair and determined expression, he stood tall and ready.

"What's going on? Where are the monsters?" the man asked with a hint of confusion in his voice, scanning the area until his blue eyes settled on Liu Han, who was on guard. "You there, have you seen a pack of wolves around here?"

Liu Han lower his defense and replied, "Do you mean the Wolfhounds?"

"Whatever they're called!" The man casually slung his long sword over his right shoulder. "I heard their howls and saw thick smoke in here."

"So, that's why you launched such a ridiculous attack?" Liu Han furrowed his brow. "Your actions could have threatened other players, you know."

"Hey, hey, spare me your lectures!" With unwavering confidence, he continued searching for something, his demeanor changing. "Besides, this isn't the [Lunar-Verse Zone] where players can hurt each other. At most, they'll only feel the impact without decreasing their HP."

The brown-haired young man suddenly became aware and turned to Liu Han. "Wait, why are you here?"

"Not only reckless," Liu Han shifted, making a start away. "You're also quite foolish."

"Are you the one who kill them all?" Having noticed Liu Han getting farther and almost out of sight, he quickly sheathed his sword on his back and caught up with him. "Where are you heading to?"

The youth tried to catch up quickly, pushing through the dense overgrown bushes. As he ventured deeper into the forest, the foliage became denser, making it difficult for sunlight to penetrate from above, creating an increasingly darker atmosphere.

"Wait for me!" He called out, hastening his measures when he saw a ray of light ahead.

As he approached, his foot got caught on tree roots, and he nearly stumbled into a ravine but was prevented from falling by something. Liu Han was there, holding onto his sheathed sword and a dagger lodged in a tree trunk.

Swiftly, the black-haired man pulled him back, and the lad fell onto the rocks with a slight moan. "Ouch, my butt!"

"You are careless too," Liu Han said, crouching at the edge of the deep canyon, which was filled with trees below.

"I almost plunged right in there." The young man in the steel armor turned to him. "You saved my life. Thank you."

Although it was only in the Realm of Axian, death in it had its consequences, regardless of the dungeon. Gear durability would decrease, acquired items might disappear, and experience gain would slow down. The repercussions were somewhat similar to dying in a dungeon but less severe.

Furthermore, reviving had its limits, restricted to only five times. Once that limit was reached, the character would be reset to level 1, losing all progress. The exception was dying in the [Lunar-Verse], where they would instantly return to the [Aruna-Verse] if they died five times in succession.

"Why did you follow me?" Liu Han inquired as he stood up.

"Listen, I'm not trying to be rude or anything," the armored man said, raising his both hands. "How about we start over again? You don't mind, do you?"

Liu Han stared into his blue eyes, took a deep breath, and then decided, "Fine."

"Thank God," the brown-haired lad looked up and reached out his hand, offering a handshake. "I'm Astorn, even though you already know that from above my head, but come on, I've already introduced myself."

"Foolish and reckless, a good combination," Liu Han sarcastically accepted Astorn's hand. "Should I reveal my name too?"

Astorn chuckled softly, feeling a little uneasy since he already knew Liu Han's ID. "Thank you, Liu Han."

"You still didn't answer my question," Liu Han stated and turned in front of him.

"Well, to be honest, I'm a newbie here!" Astorn scratched the back of his head nervously, flashing a wide smile to reveal his teeth. "Seeing you take down those wolves all by yourself, I thought you knew a lot about this game."

Liu Han fell silent for a moment before speaking candidly, "You're mistaken. I still don't understand much about it."

"Ah... okay, but your level is quite high," Astorn replied, searching for the right justification. "I thought you knew the places and ways to get more EXP."

Liu Han looked at Astorn again, still at level 4. It was strange; all the equipment he wore was of a relatively high level. There's no way he obtained them for free.

Moreover, he didn't hide his information, clearly displaying his class as a Knight. Liu Han furrowed his brow, sensing something odd. "By the way, why are you here? Were you assigned by the Guard?"

For some reason, the cheerfulness that once radiated from Astorn faded, and his fiery enthusiasm was no longer visible. "That's the problem. I'm not recognized as a Knight."

"What do you mean?" Liu Han was completely lost this time. Unlike warriors, knights specifically received missions from the guard as substitutes for the inaccessible Bounty Missions from the inns.

"They say I'm too weak to be a Knight," Astorn bawled with a pleading tone, sounding melancholic and disheartened. "Even though I've tried so hard to fulfill my missions, they keep trashing me."

"I know I take a very long time to complete tasks," the brown-haired man continued. "And I have failed multiple times in the same mission."

"The burden and undeserved of the Knight class," Astorn lowered his head even further. "Those are the words that keep haunting my mind."

"That's why I'm committed to proving that I'm not what they think I am," his voice grew slightly intense, a glimmer of hope starting to take root within him. "I want to become strong and set out on an adventure, defeating monsters that I can overcome. So it all leads here."

Liu Han simply listened, paying close attention, knowing that his own fate was not much different. A weak being, ostracized by society. Nowhere for them to escape from the taunts and insults. Even among the esteemed class, Astorn received treatment that was so awful, fueling Liu Han's growing resentment towards all their arrogance.

"Come on," Liu Han suddenly clamored, startling Astorn.

"W-Where?" The Knight man was flustered and rotated – only to find Liu Han already standing there. "Where are we going?"

"Don't you want to shut their mouths?" said the black-haired man, looking different than before as he turned, showing only his hazel right eye that glow in the dark of the forest.

Liu Han's behavior and aura seemed to nurture vengeance and anger.

Once again, they ventured into the forest, seeking a meandering path, on a hunt for monsters they could encounter, and embarking on a journey to unknown realms. However, what remained certain was that the two individuals, bound by the same faith, possessed a powerful determination to change their lives.

To be continued...