Early in the morning, Sakeer departed from E-Rantel, following the information he had gathered from the Adventurers' Guild and a crude map.
His destination was Carne Village, a remote settlement near the Great Forest of Tob, situated in the northwestern frontier of the Re-Estize Kingdom.
Despite its nearly century-long history, Carne Village remained impoverished and overlooked — a forgotten corner of the kingdom. Yet, in the anime's storyline, it played a surprising role as a pivotal transition point.
Of course, Sakeer knew the village itself wasn't particularly important to the main plot — more like a passing landmark than a major setting.
As he traversed a desolate hillside path, a sudden rustle came from the grass.
"RAAAAH!"
A goblin burst out from the undergrowth, lunging at him.
Sakeer instinctively drew his iron sword, sidestepping the creature's ambush. With a swift motion, he swung his blade.
Slash!
The goblin's scream was cut short as its body was sliced clean in half.
『Ding! Gained 30 XP!』
Sakeer flicked the green blood from his blade, his expression cold and unbothered.
Suddenly, more rustling filled the air — four more goblins emerged from the grass.
"What a troublesome bunch," Sakeer muttered.
Raising his hand, he incanted, "Magic Arrow!"
Sou! Sou! Sou! Sou!
Four glowing projectiles shot forward, each targeting a goblin.
Splurt! Splurt! Splurt! Splurt!
Green blood splattered as the creatures collapsed one by one.
『Gained 27 XP』
『Gained 25 XP』
『Gained 30 XP』
"About the same as wild beasts…" Sakeer mused, stepping forward to cut off the goblins' ears — a valuable bounty for the Adventurers' Guild.
"Should be enough to gain a level by the time I reach Carne Village."
The rest of the journey was far from peaceful.
While goblins continued to appear, Sakeer also encountered small demonic beasts along the way. By the time evening arrived, he finally stood before Carne Village — a humble settlement encircled by crude wooden fences.
Smoke drifted lazily from chimneys, adding a faint warmth to the otherwise bleak surroundings.
However, Sakeer's sharp gaze took note of the village's defenses.
"That fence… it wouldn't even slow down a serious monster attack."
Yet despite its vulnerability, Carne Village had stood unscathed for years — an unusual phenomenon in a region teeming with danger.
As he reflected on the day's encounters, something else became clear:
The closer Sakeer traveled toward Carne Village, the fewer monsters he encountered.
There was a reason for that.
The Great Forest of Tob was home to three powerful beings known as the Forest Dominators. These creatures held dominion over vast territories, ensuring that lesser monsters rarely strayed near their domains.
In the south ruled by the Wise King of theForest Hamusuke, a mighty beast that guarded Carne Village's surroundings.
In the east resided the Troll of the Ancients, the ruler of the eastern woodlands, also known as the Giant of the East, Guu.
In the west dwelled the Demon Snake of the West, Ryraryus Spenia Ai Indarun, a formidable serpent that ruled over the western region.
These three beings, each roughly level 30, were considered legends— beings strong enough to rival heroes.
However, even among these mighty rulers, the Forest King Hamusuke was said to be the most formidable.
By human standards, these creatures stood at the threshold of the hero realm, yet even seasoned warriors of that rank rarely stood a chance against them in one-on-one combat.
Staring past the wooden fence, Sakeer's gaze shifted to the distant treeline.
The dense foliage concealed the forest's depths, shrouding it in shadow. Yet beneath those towering trees lurked something far more terrifying than the Forest Dominators.
In the heart of the Great Forest of Tob, a true nightmare lay sealed — the Demon Tree.
Two centuries ago, this monstrous being emerged during the 13 Heroes Era. With a staggering Level 85, the Demon Tree had been so powerful that even back then, it couldn't be destroyed — only sealed away.
When the anime's storyline begins, it's revealed that the seal had begun to weaken.
This was the true reason behind Shalltear Bloodfallen's ill-fated encounter with the Black Scripture — the elite unit of the Slane Theocracy.
While Shalltear's confrontation with the Black Scripture seemed like sheer misfortune, in reality, the group's presence was no coincidence.
Their real mission had been to investigate the weakening seal of the Demon Tree.
The Slane Theocracy's true objective had been to break the seal of the Demon Tree — a powerful entity that had slumbered in the heart of the Great Forest of Tob for centuries and control it.
To ensure their success, they carried the world-class item [Downfall of Castle and Country], intending to control the Demon Tree once it was unsealed.
But fate had other plans.
They encountered Shalltear Bloodfallen.
The clash that followed was both unexpected and devastating. While the anime briefly touched on this event, the light nobel version provided more detail.
The "Black Scripture", a powerful faction within the Theocracy, suffered heavy losses. The individual wielding the world-class item — the key to controlling the Demon Tree — was killed by Shalltear before they could complete the spell.
This tragic twist was the reason Shalltear became a "wild monster," despite being under mind control. With the artifact's wielder dead, the spell spiraled out of control.
"Who are you?"
A sudden voice snapped Sakeer back to the present.
Two middle-aged villagers stood at the entrance of Carne Village, each gripping a steel pitchfork. Their wary eyes fixed on Sakeer as he approached the gate.
"Excuse me," Sakeer said calmly, offering a gentle smile. "I'm a traveler passing through and was hoping to spend the night here."
The villagers exchanged glances. Their suspicion lingered, yet their eyes shifted behind Sakeer, scanning the path he'd come from.
Seeing no one else, their tension eased slightly.
"Wait here," one of the villagers muttered before turning and jogging back toward the village.
Sakeer stood patiently, observing the modest settlement. Before long, the villager returned with an older man who appeared to be in his forties or fifties. His skin was dark and weathered, his gray-brown hair streaked with signs of age.
The man — clearly the village chief — studied Sakeer carefully, his gaze lingering on Sakeer's black hair.
"You're here to spend the night?" the village chief asked in a coarse yet steady voice.
"That's right," Sakeer confirmed with a nod.
"Then please, come in."
The village chief's immediate approval surprised Sakeer.
"That was... easy," Sakeer thought.
Carne Village rarely saw visitors. Aside from the occasional merchant gathering herbs or a tax collector in late autumn, strangers were uncommon.
"Village chief?" one of the villagers blurted out in surprise, clearly taken aback by his swift decision.
Given the late hour and the unrest in the surrounding forest, their caution was understandable.
The village chief sighed, his expression weary.
"In the past two months, the monsters in the forest have been particularly restless," he muttered, unlatching the wooden railing that served as the village's gate.
The two villagers exchanged another look — this time with understanding.
Though Carne Village had enjoyed relative peace, the road leading here was dangerous. The fact that Sakeer had made it this far alone suggested considerable strength.
"If he really meant harm," one of the villagers thought grimly, "these flimsy wooden defenses wouldn't stop him anyway."
And yet, Sakeer hadn't attacked. That, in itself, spoke volumes.
Realizing this, the villagers finally lowered their guard.
With the village chief leading the way, Sakeer stepped through the gate and into Carne Village.
(End of Chapter)