# Pushing forward too rashly (10)

“Do you want to eat more?”

“I'm okay, sir.”

Choi Han quickly moved the bread behind him after hearing Kim Rok Soo's response and took some fruit out one by one.

“What about these?”

“It’s okay. I'm full.”

“...How could you be full after eating a few pieces of chicken......?!”

Choi Han suppressed the emotions that wanted to burst out of him as he took out an apple pie.

Kim Rok Soo's young eyes looked baffled as he watched but Choi Han did not see it.

‘...I need to buy him some new clothes too but first, I need to feed him more!’

Choi Han had checked the balance in Kim Hyun Soo's bank account in advance.

Although this was an illusion, he was only going to use a portion of the money since he felt sorry for the owner of the body after submitting a letter of resignation on his behalf as well.

Furthermore, although he didn't know anything about modern Earth, he still had some social common sense.

‘...I can't leave Cale-nim as he is right now.’

Choi Han placed a slice of apple pie and some orange juice in front of Kim Rok Soo and recalled his first meeting with Kim Rok Soo.

Choi Han had told the young Cale-nim that he was Cale’s father’s hoobae at work in the past and Kim Rok Soo had come with him.

‘Even if I said that I would give him food and buy him chicken!

...How could he be so innocent......?!’

Choi Han was at a loss of words at young Cale’s innocence and pureness to follow him after hearing such groundless excuse.

Of course, the young Kim Rok Soo did not believe anything Choi Han had said but had come with him because he did not want to go home. There was no way Choi Han would know that.

“Rok Soo.”

“Yes, mister?”

Choi Han flinched for a bit after being called a mister but he responded with a stern look on his face.

"Next time, you must never follow someone you have never met before. Even if they say that they will feed you, you must never follow them no matter what. Do you understand?”

Kim Rok Soo looked at Choi Han with a slight look of disbelief before nodding his head.

“Yes sir, I won’t follow them.”

“Good, what a good boy.”

The young Kim Rok Soo's face turned even more baffled but Choi Han did not notice as he was thinking about what that eccentric voice had told him a bit earlier.

‘You have discovered the clue, food, to cover up target Kim Rok Soo's indignity.’

‘You have discovered the clue, warm home, to cover up target Kim Rok Soo's indignity.’

Food, a warm home, clean clothes, and an abundance of food for dinner.

Choi Han quickly figured out the answer after gathering these clues.

‘There’s only one thing that the young Cale-nim needs.’

Home.

‘A new home or shelter.’

He was currently having a painful and humiliating childhood at his relative’s hands.

He needed to be pulled out of there.

It could not be a short-term or limited solution.

Choi Han looked at the apple pie eating child with pity before looking at the wooden sword at the side of the room and making up his mind.

‘I’ll need to learn about orphanages tomorrow. Or maybe there’s a child support agency.’

Furthermore, he needed to go visit Kim Rok Soo's house.

That guy who was said to be addicted to alcohol and gambling...

“...I’ll at least need to see his face.”

His gaze slowly became colder as he looked at the wooden sword.

* * *

Cale decided to take care of one problem first.

“Please untie me.”

He was still tied to the wooden pillar.

“Hmph.”

The black Dragon snorted and turned his head away.

Shhh. Then the rope tying Cale slowly released. Choi Han was watching this absurd situation in shock before he ignored the black Dragon and quickly approached Cale.

Tang!

However, a black barrier appeared to stop him.

“...What the hell?”

The black Dragon had cast the barrier to stop Choi Han. He was preventing Choi Han from approaching Cale.

Choi Han and the black Dragon made eye contact.

The Dragon's dark blue eyes sparkled.

“You are too strong compared to that terrible bastard.”

“What the heck is he saying?”

Choi Han grumbled quietly before turning toward Cale.

His eyes then opened wide.

Boom!

“Ugh!”

Cale dropped down and fell on his butt.

Cale rubbed his butt and grumbled as the Dragon and Choi Han stared at him.

“What are you looking at?”

Of course, he could only mumble without looking at them because the Dragon looked vicious while Choi Han looked oddly scary.

He didn't want them to beat him up.

Forget the physical pain, he would feel immense shame if he was hit by these two now.

“...It really is a person.”

Choi Han’s pupils were shaking slightly as he said that in a low voice. He looked stoic but the tips of his fingers were shaking.

“Of course I'm a person. This is the Forest of Darkness.”

Cale took a look at Choi Han's appearance before adding on.

“Are you living here?”

He continued speaking as if he didn’t know anything.

“Or did you come from Harris Village? Maybe you are a knight dispatched from the Henituse territory?”

Choi Han's eyes were full of chaos.

"Village? Territory? What do you mean by that?”

He flinched for a moment before mumbling to himself.

“...I can talk to him? Now that I think about it, the language I am speaking is-”

He looked as if he didn’t know what to do as his mind was quite chaotic.

Cale was coldly observing him when a young Dragon's face that was extremely skinny burst up in front of him.

“Why did I need to come here?”

Cale flinched at the Dragon’s face that completely covered Choi Han and subconsciously stepped back.

Boom.

“Ugh.”

His back hit the wooden pillar.

"Tsk. How clumsy.”

Raon tried to sound serious again as he looked at Cale from head to toe.

‘...This feels so different.’

Cale felt weird being treated like this by Raon. However, he soon frowned again.

Gruuuumble.

It sounded like thunder in his stomach. Cale suddenly felt extremely hungry. Venion's lackey did not seem to have received any food from Raon.

He raised his head and looked at Choi Han and Raon. This was the dangerous Forest of Darkness. But he should not have to worry with the two of them here.

“I'm hungry.”

Raon sighed.

“Listen to this guy.”

He then looked at Choi Han.

“...What do you want?”

“Hand over some food.”

Raon was demanding food from Choi Han as if it was nothing. Choi Han looked at Raon with disbelief but Raon motioned toward the southwest with his chin.

“There's a village that way. Go get some human food from there. I hate humans. That is why I will not go to that village.”

“...What? You hate humans but you are demanding that I go get food for a human?”

Choi Han looked at Raon as if he made no sense.

‘Oh.’

Cale felt a bit delighted seeing a Choi Han who was completely different from the Choi Han he knew.

‘Choi Han is less pure before feeling the warmth from Harris Village.

If he’s like this, he won't be stabbed in the back by anyone out in the world.’

A satisfied smile appeared on his face.

Choi Han flinched after seeing the smile before looking away from Cale and lowering his head.

“Umm...... D, did you say that there is a village outside the forest in the southwest direction?”

The shaking in his voice could not be hidden.

It was understandable.

This was before Choi Han had gone to Harris Village.

Honestly speaking, Choi Han treating Raon and Cale like this despite that was enough to tell Cale that Choi Han was extremely patient and pure.

If it was Cale in Choi Han’s shoes, the moment he saw a Dragon he could communicate with, furthermore, the moment he learned about the existence of others humans and a village nearby, he would have grabbed this person in front of him or the Dragon by the collar and ran to the village.

“Yeah. But do you really live here? This is one of the dangerous Forbidden Regions so people don’t come here.”

Choi Han clenched his eyes shut while listening to Cale's comment.

“...I’ll go get some food for now.”

He then walked in the opposite direction of the village. He was headed toward a part of the forest that was covered in trees and dark from the shade.

Cale realized Choi Han was doing this to buy himself some time to control his emotions and looked away from him.

Flinch!

He then flinched after seeing Raon staring right at him.

This Dragon truly was more vicious as a three year old than a four year old.

“Why did you make me come here?”

The Dragon asked Cale a question.

"There aren’t many people here and there are lots of strong things.”

The Forest of Darkness. This place that the Dragon had ended up coming to was extremely dangerous compared to the other places he saw while flying here.

It was understandable that it was called one of the Forbidden Regions.

Most importantly, to this human in front of him...

“This place is completely useless to you.”

This human would not be able to survive here on his own for even a day.

The terrible bastard responded without any hesitation.

“But it is a place you need.”

The Dragon subconsciously opened his eyes wide.

Cale did not care and continued speaking while looking around.

“This is a good starting point for you to learn, grow, and figure out the world.”

This place would not be dangerous for Raon despite being a Forbidden Region.

In fact, the existence of the monsters would be helpful for Raon's growth.

“This should be a suitable place for you to build your home.”

Home.

Raon’s tail slightly flinched the moment Cale said that word.

Cale did not notice as he got up and brushed the dirt off his clothes.

“And the punk from earlier, he’s in a similar situation as you. He doesn't know much about the world and spent a long time alone.”

The black Dragon's gaze turned toward the northeast side of the forest for a moment.

Choi Han had not gone to look for food yet and was hiding in the darkness created by the trees of the forest. The Dragon knew it and Choi Han knew that the Dragon knew it.

Cale was the only one who didn’t know.

“You won't be lonely if the two of you are together. Both of you are strong so nobody will be able to easily mess with you guys.”

Cale didn’t know the clue to help Raon get past his indignity.

He simply wanted to give Raon a family.

“Well, it shouldn’t be too bad if you are together. At least you won’t be bored.”

Of course, he had no intentions of forcing it.

He was just going to create an opportunity for it to happen.

The Dragon quietly observed the gentle smile on Cale's face. He was sure that this terrible bastard had no idea that he was smiling right now.

The Dragon opened his mouth after a long time.

“...What about you?”

“Me?”

Cale chuckled.

“It’s not a good idea for you to be with a terrible guy like me who loses his mind from time to time. Don’t you think so? Why would you ask such an obvious question?”

‘Yes, yes indeed.’

He could not leave a bastard like this Venion's lackey next to Raon. Choi Han, who did not know the ways of the world yet, might end up learning the illegal things first as well.

That was why Venion's lackey had to disappear far far away.

‘By the time I take this guy far away Raon's heart should be filled with something other than indignity.’

Cale nodded his head with satisfaction.

It was at that moment.

Boom!

Cale looked down in shock after suddenly hearing a loud noise and feeling the ground shake.

The black Dragon had slammed his two front paws on the ground.

‘W, why is he acting like this?’

Cale slightly cowered at the Dragon who suddenly looked angry.

“I'm going to force you to work for me, you terrible bastard!”

The young Dragon shouted ferociously in a way that did not suit his small body.

Swoooooooosh-

Black mana violently swirled around the Dragon and started breaking the trees around them.

Crack. Crack.

Cale gulped and urgently responded while watching the large trees break without any fight.

“M, make me work! Make me work as much as you want!”

“...Hmph.”

Shhhhhh-

The black mana whirlwind slowly calmed down.

The Dragon peeked toward the northeast direction again. The human who had been hiding like a damn rat and watching them had gone into the forest while he had channeled his mana.

Rustle. Rustle.

Choi Han was slowly touching the scabbard of his sword as he walked.

“...He knows about me? Who is that guy?”

He made a firm resolve through the chaos in his mind.

“...I will definitely not miss it.”

Choi Han stopped for a moment and turned around to look at the southwest direction. He imagined the village, territory, and everything beyond the forest as he made a comment.

“I will leave here.”

It was a form of declaration and promise to himself.

“...With him.”

Only Choi Han knew who or what the declaration was for.

Cale, who had no idea about this, clenched his clothes while watching the black mana whirlwind settle down.

‘...This useless Venion's lackey! I don’t even have any ancient powers!

I can't make the shield or anything!

He has no good traits other than being very healthy!’

Cale slowly peeked toward Raon who channeled his mana again while breathing heavily.

“Uhh?!”

Cale was tied to the wooden pillar again.

A sturdy black shield appeared around it to protect him.

“...I am going to the village.”

The young Dragon spoke seriously before flapping his wings and flying toward Harris Village before suddenly stopping and looking at Cale.

"Be quiet. Monsters might come. You weak and terrible bastard.”

“...Ho.”

Cale watched the black Dragon fly away with a look of disbelief on his face.

“It might take longer than I thought.”

Filling Raon’s indignity with something else... It might take much longer than he expected.

However, there was something Cale did not know.

He did not know that Raon, who was flying to the village, stopped and looked back toward Cale multiple times despite being so far away that he couldn't see Cale and that he smiled while gathering fruit on the way to the village.

“...That’s odd.”

Cale got the chills for some reason after being left alone.

He felt an unknown sense of iffyness.

He felt as if things were going to get twisted in an odd way.

* * *

“...Finally there is someone entering the final stage.”

Alberu Crossman wiped around the eyes of his tired face.

The orb on top of the temple...

Only five of the six pieces of the orb had color.

They were all glowing purple except one that turned black.

That person had entered the 'wrath’ test.

“We know for sure it isn't Cale Henituse.”

‘Who could it be?’

Alberu continued to observe it without asking that question.

At that same time, the person slowly walking past the purple area to the black light quietly mumbled something.

“That is just indignities of the past. It is not even mine. I am someone who will observe the life of the legend.”

Clopeh Sekka headed toward the final illusion test, the Wrath test, with a calm look on his face.