Volume One

Chapter 001: Matu Mountain Village

The Laris Mountains are an unremarkable range on the continent of Eden. Although this vast, primitive region stretches for thousands of kilometers and borders the famous Magic Beast Mountains of Eden, there are rarely any magical beasts here—only some rather ferocious wild animals.

In a basin leaning against the southern part of the Laris range, a hundred or so households are scattered about. Most of these villagers make their living by hunting, but of course, they only hunt wild animals. They mainly sell the meat and pelts of these animals to make ends meet.

It is now spring. The ice and snow of the Laris Mountains have melted, and as the weather gradually warms, the wild animals awaken from hibernation and move about the hills more frequently.

Normally, the transition from winter to spring is when wild animals are most abundant, and it brings the most benefit to the village. However, at the entrance of Matu Mountain Village, sharp wooden stakes have been set up as defenses, and the hunters are standing guard inside the village, looking wary...

"Sam, how are things on your side? These past few years, those damned beasts always try to invade our village." The entrance to the village is piled with sharpened wooden stakes, and a bearded man hiding behind them speaks to a young man beside him.

"I just came from the back of the village. The village chief says the wild animals are manageable, but if one or two magical beasts show up, our village will be in real trouble. I really don't know what to do." Sam is dressed in rough homespun clothes, his hair messy, and he's holding an iron pitchfork stained with dried blood.

"What else can we do? Think about it—so many wild animals hibernate, and when spring comes, they all wake up and look for food. How can our village not suffer? And in recent years, magical beasts have started showing up from time to time..." The bearded man grips his somewhat rusty axe a little tighter and glances at the area outside the defensive stakes.

"Who knows what kind of magical beast will show up this year. Just hope it's not a fire-type, or we'll be in real trouble." Sam says, recalling with lingering fear the fire-breathing magical beast from a few years ago, and glances at the flammable wooden stakes.

"You're such a jinx... Sigh, if only our village had a swordsman..." The bearded man's gaze grows a bit distant, tinged with hope.

"Hey, haven't you heard?" Sam says.

"Heard what... Oh, you mean that kid... I wasn't there that day, just heard some rumors. Tell me the details." The bearded man, seeing that things are quiet for the moment, perks up his ears.

"Uncle El's son, Shade, released battle energy a few days ago. Even though he only cut through a branch, you have to remember he's not even ten years old yet. If he trains for a few more years, he'll definitely become a real swordsman." Sam says with some excitement.

"Really? That's great news! Our village hasn't produced a swordsman in decades. If little Shade trains well, he'll definitely have a bright future... With him around, those damned magical beasts won't dare invade our village again!" the bearded man says.

"Hey, you guys probably don't know—the village chief has already decided that everyone will pitch in to send little Shade to the swordsman academy in town..." Another hunter, hearing their conversation, eagerly shares the news.

"If he really gets into the swordsman academy, that'll bring honor to our village. I'd be willing to pay even more for that." The bearded man sighs.

"Yeah, we're so remote—if we can really produce a swordsman, it'll make us all proud. Plus, the town will take better care of us, maybe even give us some money to build a defensive wall..." Sam says.

"Alright, alright, enough chatting. Be careful, I have a bad feeling. Normally, a few wild animals would have shown up by now..." A middle-aged man on the other side interrupts their conversation, frowning.

"Uncle Jill, in recent years the wild animals in the Aris Mountains have been really active, and a lot of magical beasts have come over from the Magic Beast Mountains. I heard several villages elsewhere have already been..." Sam seems to remember something and lowers his voice.

"Stop scaremongering and mind your own business." The middle-aged man called Uncle Jill glares at the young Sam.

The group falls silent, watching their surroundings carefully to guard against a sudden attack by wild animals. Of course, if a magical beast appears, they must immediately alert all the able-bodied men in the village to defend themselves—magical beasts are not something a few ordinary people can handle.

...

There is a group of "child soldiers" in Matu Village, and among them is a little tyrant named Gaia. He's actually only eight years old, one of the younger kids in the group, but because he's so good at causing trouble, fighting, and playing pranks, all the other children love to follow him around.