Reincarnated as a Helion in a world of hunters

Chapter 10: The king is coming

The rider stopped before a building that looked ancient even under the cover of night.

Two tall towers rose on either side, their shadows cutting across the full moon and drowning the structure in darkness. Between them stood the main hall, its center carved with temple-like patterns worn smooth by time. Dim light glowed from within, filtering through dust-settled stained glass of many colors.

A high boundary wall surrounded the complex. The entrance gate, grand once but now aged, stood half-open; its iron hinges groaning with age as it moved.

The soldier dismounted and crossed the damp cobblestone path toward the gate. Each step echoed too loudly in the stillness as the doors creaked wider, surrendering to age.

He reached the main building and struck the wooden door with his fist.

Knock. Knock.

The door cracked open, candlelight spilling out through the narrow gap as the smell of old paper leaked out.

A white-robed attendant received the sealed decree without a word. The soldier turned at once, mounting his horse again as hooves thundered away into the silent night.

Inside, steady but hurried footsteps climbed the stone stairway. The attendant stopped before a door adorned with detailed wooden carvings of the serene face of a woman, frozen in peaceful repose, at its center.

“Father,” he called softly. “A letter from His Majesty.”

For a moment, there was only silence.

Then-

CREEK.

The door opened.

An old man stepped out, his long braided beard resting against a robe of white embroidered with golden patterns. Wrinkles lined his face deeply, yet his posture was calm, dignified. His eyes, deep green and sharp, widened slightly as his moustache twitched with a warm smile.

“Is that so… my boy?”

He extended his left hand. Each finger bore a different golden ring, each set with a stone of a unique color.

The attendant bowed deeply and placed the decree into his palm.

With a quick snap, the wax seal broke.

Slip.

The folded parchment slid free as the old man read the decree carefully. The air in the hallway turned heavy with anticipation as the only sound echoed was of the faint rustle of the parchment.

The attendant waited, heart pounding, as the elder’s expression slowly changed. His brows furrowed. His hand drifted through his beard, stroking it from top to bottom.

“…Hmm.”

The lines on his face seemed to deepen, his age pressing forward as tension flickered in his eyes.

“What is it, Father?” the attendant asked, his voice tight.

The old man lowered the letter and adjusted the glasses slipping down his nose. Then he spoke.

“Open the Room of the Dark Age.”

The attendant could feel weight in his legs as the rest of his body refused to twitch. A cold drip slid down his spine.

“F-Father… that room has been sealed for over a millennium…” The words came out forcing their way through his frozen vocal.

“I know.”

The old man turned back toward the room, his voice calm, unyielding.

“His Majesty will be visiting us the day after tomorrow. Prepare it.”

The door closed firmly.

The attendant stood still for a breath, then rushed down the stairs.

Below, hurried footsteps echoed as the building stirred to life. Orders were whispered. Doors were unlocked. Dust-covered halls were disturbed after centuries of silence.

They only had one day.

Sierra Laurens opened her eyes beneath the bed sheet wrapped around her.

The sun had just climbed over the horizon. Warm light cut through the open window, painting sharp, blinding stripes across the floor.

She blinked a few times, then slowly sat up, using the headrest for support. Her head still felt heavy, a dull dizziness lingering behind her eyes.

“…How did I end up here?”

She tried to piece it together but the memory hit her all at once, cold and sharp.

The boundary.

The suffocation.

The mana, so dense it had felt like it was crushing her organs from the inside.

Her stomach twisted violently.

Sierra clamped a hand over her mouth, fighting the urge to vomit as her breathing turned shallow. Even the air in her own room felt heavy to breathe for a moment, as if her body was still trapped inside that dome.

She swallowed hard and forced herself to steady her hands.

Then she noticed it.

A letter lay on the small table beside her bed.

The wax seal stamped across it bore the royal crest, and under the morning sun, it almost looked like it was glowing.

Sierra didn’t reach for it because she already knew what that was about. She just sat and gazed at it as if the paper might bite.

Her throat tightened.

“…The summons… it’s already here!!”

Inside the Natural Habitat

I woke up as sunlight grazed my fur, warm and welcoming.

Yesterday had been exhausting. After returning to the habitat, my legs had refused to move even an inch. That was why the Heliswood and Helisite gathering got delayed, even though I’d already collected all the normal stone and wood.

I’d eaten my fruits and slept like I hadn’t slept in a month. So today, my schedule was already set.

First things first.

I tore a fruit from the nearest tree and took a big bite. The same sweetness hit my tongue.

“Mmm… delicious as always.”

[Level Up.]

I chewed slowly,

Then the system chimed again.

[Heliswood located. Strike down the tree to gather the material.]

My jaw stopped mid-chew.

“…Wait. Wait, wait.”

I stared at the message, then at the tree.

“You mean the fruit tree?!”

My voice rose before I could stop it.

“But if I strike it down then… my food supply will be gone! What the hell?!”

The system responded immediately.

[New trees inside the habitat will grow in the same place after striking down the old one.]

“…Oh.”

The heat I was feeling burning inside got flooded with a bucket of cold water.

“That’s a relief.”

After all, I didn’t want hunger pushing me into killing again. I stood in front of the tree for a moment, just looking at it.

“Damn… these trees are really beautiful.”

I finished the fruit and wiped my mouth with the back of my paw.

But what needed to be done, needed to be done. I flared my claws and slashed at the trunk with a violent Scratch.

Thud!

I felt like I had punched a mountain. My body jerked backward as if my own claws had stabbed into my bones. I landed hard, blinking in shock.

And the trunk…

…didn’t even have a mark.

“OOOUUCH!”

Blood dripped from the base of my claws. I grabbed my right paw with my left and blew air over it, trying to kill the sting.

“Fooo… fooo… foooooooooo…”

Instead of damaging the tree… I’d damaged myself.

“Damn it,” I hissed, staring up at the trunk. “This thing is hard as diamond.”

My brain felt numb as confusion hit me hard. And the system answered like it was proud of itself.

[Objects carrying Helis particles through them are sturdier than normal.]

The hot flames in my chest returned instantly evaporating the cold water of earlier.

“Well!!!” I snapped. “Thanks for the information so early!!!”

My voice cracked with fury like steam would come out of my ears.

“Helis Recovery!” I gasped.

The moment the skill activated, dense particles flooded into me through my pores. The injury on my claws sealed up instantly, like it had never been there.

“…Wow.”

I flexed my paw, stunned.

“The recovery speed is way higher inside the habitat.”

And in that moment, something else clicked too. These particles… were called Helis.

I mean, it was literally in the name of my skills, but still…

“…I might be the dumbest one alive for realizing this so late,” I muttered.

I stood up again and faced the tree.

My teeth gritted. I was not ready to let a piece of wood win against me.

“You’re stronger because Helis flows through you, right?”

I raised my claws.

“But you’re not the only one.”

I activated Helis Integration.

Blue particles poured out of my body as they clung to my fur like a static-tight swimsuit made of Helis. My claws flared again but this time the tips burned with blue blaze flickering along them as Helis collided and sparked.

I struck. A blue streak tore through the air and for a split second the tree looked like it was made of glass.

SHHHK!

The sturdy bastard shuddered. Then it fell on the ground with a loud noise.

Thud.

My chest burned with triumph as I stared down at it.

“…Like that,” I muttered at the fallen trunk, as if it could hear me.

The fallen trunk didn’t stay there for long. It started to vanish, evaporating into drifting particles.

[Heliswood has been added to inventory.]

[+1000 Heliswood]

[+24 Evolution Fruits]

“…Hell yeah!” I couldn’t stop myself.

“One tree gave me a thousand Heliswood… and the fruits too?! That’s four days’ worth of food!”

I literally jumped in place. Then I noticed something.

Right where the tree had stood a moment ago, Helis particles were still drifting upward like faint blue mist.

And from the soil…

a tiny sprout pushed through, fresh and almost cute.

I crouched down, watching it as it slowly tore through the dirt, forcing its way into the world like it had been waiting for permission.

Then the system chimed again.

[Helisite located. Smash the stone filled with Helis to gather the material.]

And I swear the voice sounded like it was smirking.

[Note: Objects carrying Helis particles through them are sturdier than normal. Information provided in advance.]