It was early in the morning, and the sun had yet to rise over the mountain. The forest leaves were still covered in morning mist and dewdrops. A thin white fog hung over the dense canopy, filling the lush forest with a mysterious stillness.
Even in the heat of summer, the air felt chilly.
Kevin shook the dew off his raincoat, sat cross-legged on a mat of weeds, and looked ahead.
"Little cub, don't run. Let me take a look at you." Ging smiled as he caught a wolf cub darting past his legs. After giving it a few rubs, he began inspecting it, pulling at its fur, even tugging its tongue, checking its health in a way that made the cubs cry out. Yet the two-headed wolf couple lying nearby didn't seem to mind. They simply watched quietly, eyes calm.
The scene made Kevin curl his lips. Damn, you two weren't acting this gentle last night.
"Gu~"
The sudden sound made Ging and all the creatures present turn to look at Kevin. He wasn't embarrassed. He just nodded. "Guess I'm hungry."
"It's about time. Let's head back," Ging said, standing and dusting off his hands.
"Woo woo." The two-headed wolves whined as Ging prepared to leave, circling him closely.
Kevin couldn't help thinking.
But seeing their twin heads, especially the horned one, it didn't feel that strange anymore.
"Haha, I'll come back to see you again soon."
Just as they were about to leave, the larger two-headed wolf approached Kevin. It carried a black, sharp horn in its mouth and gently laid it down at Kevin's feet.
"For me?" Kevin pointed at himself, puzzled.
The horned head of the wolf nodded.
Kevin picked up the sharp horn. It was surprisingly light. A spiral pattern wound across it, and the flat cross-section revealed it was hollow inside.
As he held it, something stirred inside him. A strange sensation—as if he needed it. A faint desire stirred in his body.
Could this be...
"Yes, it's one of their horns," Ging said from beside him. "But it didn't break—it's a shed horn from natural growth.
Two-headed wolves shed their horns four to five times in their lifetime. Each shedding happens every fifteen to twenty years."
Ging seemed to notice Kevin's confusion. "Take it. It's a gift—from him to you."
Then, with unmistakable pride on his face, he added, "This is what you get by following me. Don't underestimate its value. At major auctions, a shed horn like this is worth around 50 million Jenny.
If it's a full horn cut off from the head, it could be worth more than ten times that. That's part of why they were hunted nearly to extinction."
Ging looked out toward the cave entrance. Several people were tied to a large tree nearby.
They were the poachers from the previous night. Ging hadn't killed them. Now they lay there, bound hand and foot, socks stuffed in their mouths.
Kevin didn't fully understand how much purchasing power tens of millions of jenny had—but judging by Ging's reaction, it was clearly a considerable fortune.
Still, what drew Kevin's attention wasn't the money. The moment he picked up the horn, he felt... something. Was it muscle memory? He couldn't tell. But he definitely sensed a strange pull.
Why do I feel like this?
"Seems like you're pretty satisfied with that gift. Let's go."
Kevin snapped out of it and saw only Ging's back as he walked away. He followed silently.
He dragged the four bound poachers all the way back to the camp.
A rugged off-road vehicle that hadn't been there earlier now stood waiting.
A burly man in a camouflage vest and military boots leaned against the vehicle, smoking. His face was unshaven, marked with scars and a rough edge of hostility.
"You went to see them?" the man asked.
Ging nodded, patted the man's arm, and kicked one of the poachers at his feet. "They're yours. You've been tracking them, right?"
The man nodded and turned his sharp eyes toward Kevin, studying him. Then he looked back at Ging, silently asking a question with his gaze.
At last, he gave a small nod.
"Bergel Laghot. Poacher hunter," he introduced himself simply. He nodded to Kevin, then, without another word, dragged the four poachers into the car.
The poachers stared at Kevin with wide, desperate eyes as they were dragged away, whimpering as if they wanted to say something.
Only after the vehicle disappeared did Ging turn to Kevin, who stood lost in thought.
"Looks like you've got a lot of questions. Eat while we talk. Yesterday's deal still stands; you can ask me anything."
Soon, simple self-heating meals were spread across the portable table. Kevin ate in silence, deep in thought.
At last, he asked, "What was that power during the fight yesterday? I saw something coming off both you and the poacher leader. It was faint, but I know I wasn't imagining it."
It was the question he'd wanted to ask most—the strange, supernatural force that hinted at something beyond this world. After a moment, he added, "I have fragments of memory… but they're incomplete. Like something's missing."
While chewing canned food, Ging replied, "What you saw is called Aura. It's the energy that leaks from living things. Every lifeform has it."
'Then why could I only see it faintly from Ging and the leader last night?' Kevin mused.
"Ordinary people and most living beings can't perceive the Aura. It naturally leaks out and disappears.
But those with Nen—the ability to control the Aura—or those in training can sense and control it. In battle, they release far more Aura than normal, making it easier to notice."
Life Energy? Aura? Nen?
The terms echoed through Kevin's mind, and something clicked. Memories stirred. Disconnected fragments surfaced—experience, instinct, a vague understanding of what this power was.
"It looks like something's coming back to you. Look closely at my palm. Do you see anything?" Ging suddenly held out his palm.
Kevin frowned and stared at it.
He could see something—faint and blurry, but clearer than the night before. The memory in his mind seemed to trigger some instinct, some muscle memory.
He had a knack for observation. He could feel something leaking from his own body, flowing to his eyes.
The more he looked, the clearer the image became.
"Five?"
"Yes. It's the number five. You just learned how to use Gyo—or [Focus]."
What a strange term. This word didn't unlock any new memories, but it was clear this world was no longer ordinary.