Volks, Fred, and Kei were explorers from one of the Wandering Villages.

In this forest, no village ever stood in the same place for long. The people who lived here weren’t settlers, they are tribes. They moved constantly, building temporary villages deep within the forest and abandoning them the moment an enemy grew too close. Survival depended on mobility.

Because of that, they called themselves the Wandering Villages.

It had been two days since the three of them left their current settlement. Their task was clear: find new sources of food, scout unfamiliar regions, and gather information to bring back to the village.

Unlike ordinary hunters or gatherers, explorers had a different responsibility. They didn’t simply collect meat or herbs. They observed patterns—changes in monster behavior, shifts in ecosystems, signs of danger or opportunity. Their reports determined where the village would move next and how long it could safely remain.

And this time, something felt off.

"Doesn’t this feel strange?" Fred muttered as he crouched beside a tree, inspecting the ground.

Volks nodded. "Yeah. The bugs that usually stay near Red Sandalwood aren’t here."

Kei scanned the surrounding trees. "They’ve moved. And not randomly."

Normally, certain insects and small monsters clustered around Red Sandalwood trees, drawn by the scent and mana within the wood. But now, those same creatures were nesting elsewhere, as if deliberately avoiding something.

The three followed the trail carefully.

The deeper they went, the more unnatural the forest felt. Birds avoided certain branches. Even the air seemed quieter.

Then they saw it.

A fence.

Wooden planks stood firmly in the ground, forming a clear boundary in the middle of the forest.

They stopped instantly.

"...A fence?" Kei whispered.

"That’s impossible," Volks said, eyes narrowing.

No one built permanent structures in the forest. Humans didn’t. Monsters didn’t. Even fortified camps were rare, because once a group moved on, fences became useless burdens.

"Who would build this?" Fred asked.

The fence wasn’t crude. The wood was strong, carefully set, and reinforced. It wasn’t something thrown together in a hurry.

"A permanent settlement?" Kei suggested.

Volks shook his head slowly. "No one stays permanently here. Not unless..."

"...unless they’re strong enough to," Fred finished quietly.

The thought sent a chill down their spines.

A secret military camp from a kingdom? A hidden base? Or something worse— someone powerful enough to claim territory in a forest that rejected permanence?

They exchanged glances.

Walking away would be the safer option.

But explorers existed to take risks.

"We should confirm," Volks said finally. "If this is a threat, the village needs to know."

Kei swallowed. "And if it’s not?"

"Then it might be an opportunity," Fred replied.

Carefully, weapons half-drawn, they followed the fence until they found a gate. They feel faint pressure when going near the fence. Unlike monsters, human’s instinct lacks a little.

The three explorers took a breath.

Then, with cautious resolve, Volks stepped forward and tried to push the gate. It didn’t budge, not even a little. He frowned, exchanged a glance with the others, and then raised his hand to knock.

Knock. Knock.

A moment later, the wooden gate creaked open. Standing there was a young man dressed simply, a faint smile on his face. An orange cat sat casually on his shoulder, its tail swaying lazily as it observed the visitors with sharp, intelligent eyes.

"Welcome, visitors," the young man said calmly.

The three explorers stiffened almost instinctively. The man looked not so handsome— too ordinary. His clothes were simple, his aura restrained, and yet the blade hanging at his waist was unlike anything they had seen before. Its shape was odd, its presence unsettling.

They didn’t dare let their guard down.

"Hello," Volks said after a brief pause, forcing a polite smile. "We’re explorers from the Fruit Tribe Village. I’m Volks, this is Fred, and she’s Kei." He gestured to his companions. "We were... surprised to find a fence in the middle of the forest. Out of curiosity, we decided to knock. We also brought some herbs and spices for barter."

The young man’s eyes lit up immediately. The shift was subtle, but none of them missed it.

"Herbs and spices?" he repeated, clearly pleased. "Please, come in."

He stepped aside and waved them through. Kei, a half–dark elf with sharp ears and silver eyes, entered first, followed by Fred and Volks. The moment they crossed the gate, all three of them froze.

Inside the fenced area stretched rows upon rows of farmland. Neatly arranged plots filled the space, brimming with life. Vegetables, herbs, and fruits grew in abundance, their colors vibrant and healthy. Many of them were already ripe, ready for harvest.

"This..." Fred muttered, eyes wide.

They spotted cornfields next—and wheat. But something about them felt off. The stalks were shorter than normal, the ears of corn smaller, the wheat thin and modest.

Still, the shock was undeniable.

"Corn?" Kei gasped softly. "How... how do you even have corn here?"

It wasn’t corn season. Not even close.

Tyler noticed their reactions and chuckled lightly. "I focused on growing what was efficient," he said. "Corn and wheat need a lot of water. It’s time-consuming."

What he didn’t say was that pouring water endlessly with a copper pot wasn’t worth the effort when other crops yielded better results.

Kei knelt beside one of the plots, gently touching the soil. Her expression grew more serious. "This soil... it’s perfect."

Tyler nodded. "Good soil is all I need. With my skill, I can grow plants, trees, and crops almost anywhere." He paused, then added honestly, "Well... not on metal or stone. I’m not that ridiculous."

He smiled as if it were nothing special.

The three explorers exchanged uneasy glances. Skills that enhanced plant growth weren’t unheard of, but this? Growing off-season crops in the middle of a monster-infested forest, protected by a fence, with no visible guards?

To do this safely, there had to be a powerhouse nearby.

Or worse...

The young man himself might be the hidden powerhouse.

Just as Volks opened his mouth to ask a question, a thunderous sound tore through the air.

BOOOOM!

The ground trembled faintly beneath their feet. All four of them turned toward the horizon. Far, far away, a massive explosion erupted, sending a towering pillar of fire into the sky. The flames twisted violently, even visible from this distance.

Fred swallowed hard. "What... was that?"

Kei’s ears twitched, her expression tense. "That wasn’t natural."

Even Tyler frowned. He stared toward the distant blaze, his calm expression finally cracking.

"What the hell is happening now...?"

The orange cat on his shoulder narrowed its eyes, tail flicking sharply. The peaceful farm, moments ago filled with quiet curiosity, now felt unsettlingly fragile— like the calm before a storm.

Somewhere beyond the forest, something big had just begun.