If Amon rembered history well, he knew that the Fourth Era ended in the year 1892.
It was said that the world was locked in a brutal war. Every race was fighting one another. To be honest, the reasons behind it were vague. Rather, they were the most common reasons.
Racism… well, racism was not the sole cause of the Great War, but it was a significant underlying factor and a core ideology.
Racial hierarchy and colonial violence. The belief that one's race was superior, that they alone had the true right to rule the world.
At that ti, no race was on good terms with another. Especially during the Fourth Era.
Not to forget political tensions, religions, and those abyssal races, who were actually the first to break the war against humans. Slowly, that single conflict spread across the entire world.
Like a small spark that can gradually engulf an entire forest.
These were the most common reasons for wars. And this was also what was written in the history books.
But as always, one should not believe history blindly.
It only shows the surface of everything.
"The reason… for the Great War in the last era… must have been sothing else. No way in hell that hierarchy was the only reason…"
Then he fell silent.
Actually, wars do often occur because of these reasons.
"Hah… how can I forget the wars that happened in my last world. Even though there was no magic… war was sothing that happened many tis throughout history."
"Disputes over territory, resources, power, or deeply held beliefs, alongside deeper human drivers like fear, honor, status or pride, and perceived threats, with historical grievances."
Amon pushed those thoughts aside.
He did gain so information from this.
First, this organization might be the one behind the ambush on the airship.
Why?
Well, Amon still rembered how that masked man tried to use the coordinates of so safe place to open the portal.
When the gate was opened, the guy started to panic, yelling, Why this place? Anything but this!
That ant many locations were set on the artifact. One of them being here… so it was only natural that only mbers of this organization knew about this place. That was why they had set this location on it.
Another thing. The current Fifth Era had started a long ti ago. It had been over a thousand years.
So it was perfect.
They had started making their moves again.
Amon sighed. "But what's the na of this organization… what are they actually planning? What are their motives?"
He couldn't guess.
Amon put the page into his ring.
He rubbed his chin. "...Avasthāna. That na I found on the plate… does it have so aning? Is it their organization's na? Heheh~ interesting."
Amon left the building.
Now he needed to focus on exploring the dark forest.
He had already gained sothing valuable. Even if it wasn't directly useful for his survival.
At the very least, he got a warning that this place was by no ans normal.
A shiver ran down his spine the mont he rembered the screaming of sothing unknown during the night.
"Alright now… let's go on my exploration journey."
Amon walked into the forest.
This ti, he went in a different direction. Not the sa path he had taken yesterday. He had walked quite a long distance yesterday.
And found nothing other than a monster.
Now it was ti to check the other side.
Amon stepped into the forest once more.
The mont he crossed the boundary, the light dimd noticeably. The dense canopy of black leaves swallowed most of the already weak daylight, turning the surroundings into a gloomy, oppressive world of shadows.
Tall trees rose like silent giants, their trunks twisted and pitch-black. Shorter ones crowded beneath them, growing at strange angles, as if even nature itself was warped here.
The air felt heavy. Cold. Every breath carried a faint, earthy stench mixed with sothing unpleasant.
Sothing rotten.
Amon swallowed.
He tightened his grip on his sword and began walking cautiously. With every few steps, he stopped and used the edge of his blade to carve a small cross onto the bark of a tree.
Scrape.
One mark.
Scrape.
Another.
"This should stop from getting lost…" he muttered under his breath. He did the sa thing as last day.
The sound of tal against bark echoed unnaturally in the silent forest, making his nerves tingle. Other than his footsteps and breathing, there was nothing. No birds. No insects. No rustling of animals.
Too quiet.
Amon's heartbeat quickened slightly. He was afraid.
Of course he was.
Anyone would be afraid in a place like this. A forest where monsters lurked, where unknown things scread in the night, and where even the air felt hostile. But fear or not, he had no choice. Staying behind ant a slow death. Moving forward at least gave him a chance.
He continued walking. Slowly. Carefully.
His eyes scanned every shadow, every gap between the trees. His mana circulated faintly through his body, ready to reinforce his legs at a mont's notice. Sweat ford on his palms despite the cold.
Ti passed.
Minutes… or maybe longer. Maybe hours. It was hard to tell in this place.
He was glad that even after traveling for so long, he hadn't encountered any monsters until now.
Why… why is my luck good today? This doesn't feel right.
Just then.
…shhh…
Amon froze.
His body stiffened instantly.
"…?"
He held his breath and listened. At first, he thought it was his imagination.
But then he heard it again.
Shhhh…
A very faint sound. A very low sound. Continuous. Like sothing flowing.
Water.
Amon's eyes widened slightly.
"…Water?" he whispered.
In this silent forest, even the smallest sound stood out clearly. The noise was weak, but unmistakable. Sothing was flowing sowhere ahead.
His heart started pounding. Not from fear this ti, but from hope.
'If there's water…'
His thoughts raced.
A river. A stream. If I follow it, it might lead sowhere. People. Creatures. Anything.
Without hesitation, Amon reinforced his legs with mana.
Thump!
He dashed forward, heading straight toward the source of the sound, branches brushing past him as he moved deeper into the dark forest. His eyes locked ahead, chasing the faint promise of survival hidden within the whisper of flowing water.
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