Henry struggled to push himself upright after the latest exchange with the infected Black Bear King. Every movement sent waves of pain through his body, forcing him to grit his teeth just to remain standing. When he finally managed to straighten himself, he immediately noticed blood dripping steadily from the deep wounds across his chest. The bear's claws had cut far deeper than he initially thought. His breathing felt heavier, and his vision briefly blurred when he checked his status window. The sight that greeted him was enough to make his expression darken. Nearly half of his health was gone. For the first time since the battle began, he realized that continuing to fight recklessly could easily get him killed before he ever had a chance to claim the reward."Dammm," Henry muttered while pressing a hand against his injured chest. His voice carried both frustration and annoyance. He had finally found a quest with an incredible reward, only to discover that the enemy guarding it was m

"I don't care where that monster learned how to do that, but we have to end its life now. It's a huge threat," Louis spoke while tightening his grip around the handle of his sword. His voice carried a seriousness that neither Gareth or Tyler questioned. During all his years as a knight, Louis had encountered creatures capable of extraordinary feats, but never a corrupted bear capable of controlling fog and creating a tornado. Every instinct he possessed was warning him that allowing such a creature to survive would be disastrous. If it escaped into a populated area, the number of casualties it could cause would be unimaginable. The thought alone was enough to strengthen his resolve.Gareth and Tyler silently agreed. Both men stood several meters apart with their weapons already raised and their bodies positioned for combat. The three instructors slowly formed a wide semicircle around the infected bear, making sure it had no obvious route of escape. Their movements were cautious and de

Henry forced himself to remain calm after hearing Emma's question. Internally, however, his mind was working faster than ever before. The battle against the infected Black Bear King had been difficult, but this situation felt far more dangerous. Fighting monsters was simple compared to answering questions from experienced knights. One wrong answer could expose everything. Fortunately, during his run back to the carriage, he had already prepared a story. He had repeated it over and over in his head until it sounded natural enough that even he almost believed it himself. "I don't know," Henry replied while pretending to think about it. He glanced toward the forest where the instructors had disappeared moments ago before shrugging slightly. "Maybe they were chasing after something." His answer sounded casual and uncertain, exactly how someone in his situation would respond. The less information he provided voluntarily, the less likely someone would notice inconsistencies. At least, that

Henry had absolutely no idea how long he had been asleep. The past few hours had pushed both his mind and body far beyond their limits. Between the infected wolves, the mysterious fog, the battle against the Black Bear King, and the constant stress of hiding his true identity, exhaustion had accumulated until his body simply couldn't endure anymore. The moment he sat down inside the carriage, sleep had claimed him completely, dragging him into one of the deepest rests he had experienced since arriving in this world."Hey Henry, we're here."A voice reached him from somewhere far away. It sounded distant and unimportant, like a sound heard from the bottom of a lake. Someone shook his shoulder a few times, attempting to wake him up, but Henry barely reacted. His body felt heavy and comfortable, and he had no intention of opening his eyes. If anything, he only shifted slightly and continued sleeping, completely ignoring whoever was trying to disturb him.There was also something else tha