The forest surrounding the quiet village had always been a place of peace, a silent sea of towering trees whose leaves whispered softly with every passing wind. For years it had remained untouched by the chaos of the outside world, far from the cities, far from the politics of kingdoms, and far from the bloodshed that had once shaken the royal capital.
But peace rarely lasts forever.
That afternoon, the wind carried something unfamiliar through the forest. It was not merely the rustling of leaves or the distant calls of birds. It was heavier than that, sharper, like the faint echo of steel and footsteps moving through the shadows.
Ultra was the first to notice it.
He stood at the edge of the forest path, a small figure beneath the tall trees, his calm eyes scanning the quiet surroundings. At first glance he looked like nothing more than a boy wandering near the woods as he often did. Yet there was a stillness in the way he stood, a quiet awareness in his gaze that seemed strangely mature for someone his age.
Something was wrong.
The forest had gone too quiet.
No birds moved.
No insects sang.
Even the wind had slowed as though the trees themselves were listening.
Ultra slowly turned his head toward the deeper parts of the forest.
And there they were.
Three figures stepped out from the shadows between the trees.
They wore dark cloaks that concealed most of their armor, but their posture made their identity obvious. These were not travelers or hunters. Their movements were controlled, disciplined, and cautious.
Soldiers.
One of them removed the hood of his cloak, revealing a hardened face marked by years of battle.
His eyes fell upon the boy immediately.
"So this is the village."
The second man stepped beside him and looked toward Ultra with narrowed eyes.
"A child…?"
The first soldier studied the boy carefully. There was something about him that felt strangely out of place. Not fear. Not confusion. The boy was simply… watching them.
Calmly.
The soldier began walking toward him, his boots pressing softly into the forest soil.
"Boy," he said in a firm voice.
Ultra did not move.
"Yes?"
"Where is your mother?"
The question lingered in the air for a moment.
Ultra answered simply.
"At home."
The soldier smiled faintly.
"That makes things easier."
Behind him the other two men shifted slightly, their hands resting near the hilts of concealed blades.
Ultra noticed everything.
Their breathing.
Their positions.
Their distance.
Three opponents.
All armed.
The first soldier leaned slightly closer to him.
"You should come with us quietly."
Ultra tilted his head.
"Why?"
The soldier's smile disappeared.
"Because someone important wishes to see you."
Ultra's eyes remained steady.
"I don't know you."
The forest air grew tense.
The second soldier sighed impatiently.
"This is pointless. If it's the boy we were sent for, we take him. If not, we take the woman and ask questions later."
Those words changed everything.
Ultra's expression did not change.
But something inside him did.
The moment his mother was mentioned, a quiet pressure began rising in his chest. It was not anger in the usual sense. It was something deeper.
Something older.
The leader stepped forward again and reached for Ultra's arm.
In that instant, Ultra moved.
It was a simple motion.
Yet faster than the man expected.
His small hand struck the soldier's wrist, pushing it aside with surprising force.
The man blinked in confusion.
Before he could react, Ultra had already stepped back.
The other two soldiers immediately drew their weapons.
Steel flashed in the dim forest light.
Yet the boy standing before them did not show the slightest trace of fear.
Instead he spoke calmly.
"You should leave."
One of the soldiers laughed loudly.
"Did you hear that?"
"A child giving us orders."
The leader's eyes narrowed.
"Enough games."
He began drawing his sword.
But something strange happened.
The wind shifted suddenly.
Leaves trembled violently along the branches above them though the sky remained perfectly still.
The soldiers paused.
A strange pressure filled the air.
Subtle.
But undeniable.
The leader frowned.
"What… is this?"
Ultra stood motionless.
His eyes were focused.
The pressure in the air seemed to gather around him, as though the space itself had become heavier.
The second soldier whispered quietly.
"…This kid…"
The leader forced a scowl.
"Don't be ridiculous."
But even he could feel it now.
Something was wrong.
The boy took one slow step forward.
His voice remained calm.
"I told you to leave."
For the first time since arriving in the forest, uncertainty appeared in the soldiers' eyes.
This was not normal.
Children did not stand like this.
Children did not create this strange silence that seemed to weigh down on the air itself.
The third soldier shifted nervously.
"Maybe… we should just take him and go."
The leader gritted his teeth.
"No."
He raised his sword.
"We finish this."
But far away, beyond the forest trees, another pair of eyes had already sensed the disturbance.
Artoria.
Standing outside the small wooden house, she slowly turned her head toward the forest.
Her instincts had awakened.
Something had arrived.
Something dangerous.
And deep within her heart she understood one truth immediately.
The past had finally caught up with them.
The hunt had begun.
And the quiet life they had lived for years was about to end.