It had been approximately two days since Shad Darc left the comfort of his savior tree in search of water.
So far, his journey had yielded nothing.
No streams. No ponds. Not even the faintest sign of moisture.
"Maybe I'm heading in the wrong direction."
Shad released a strained sigh.
His body was gradually approaching its limits. Although he had survived several days without food or water before, the situation was becoming increasingly dangerous. Food could be endured for much longer, but water was different. Dehydration would cripple him long before hunger became a serious concern.
And this forest seemed to be making matters worse.
The strange environment left him feeling more dehydrated than he should have been. Whether it was the unusual temperature, the air, or something else entirely, he couldn't say. What he did know was that his condition was deteriorating faster than expected.
He needed to find water.
Soon.
"Argh, this is getting tiring. Where the hell are all the creatures in this damned forest?"
His voice carried a trace of frustration.
'Calm down. Getting agitated won't help you right now. Stop complaining and keep moving.'
The Meditating Advisor's voice was calm, almost irritatingly so.
Shad's expression darkened.
"Damn you. What do you mean, keep moving? I don't even know which direction I'm supposed to go."
'You're running out of time. The sooner you find water, the better.'
The Lonely King spoke with his usual calmness.
Shad scoffed.
"You're one to talk. Why don't you kindly show me the way to salvation?"
Silence followed.
Shad waited.
Nothing.
A few seconds later, the Meditating Advisor finally spoke.
'First, you need to determine whether the land around you is rising or descending.'
"And how exactly is that supposed to help me?"
'If you've been moving toward higher ground, you should consider heading downhill. Water is more likely to collect in lower areas than on elevated terrain.'
The voice paused.
'Of course, this isn't Earth. The terrain may behave differently here. It might be the reverse, or elevation might not matter at all.'
Shad rubbed his chin.
"So what are you suggesting?"
'Hmm.'
The Meditating Advisor sounded as though it were genuinely considering the possibilities.
Shad frowned.
The behavior was strange.
All of them existed within his mind. By that logic, he should have been aware of the answer the moment the question arose. Yet the identities continued to act as though they were separate individuals, each possessing their own thoughts and uncertainties.
He had noticed this before, but it still bothered him.
Shad looked up at the cold, unfamiliar sky.
"Fine. We'll head uphill."
The Meditating Advisor had already suggested examining the terrain, so Shad first needed to determine which direction led toward higher ground.
He scanned the surrounding forest until he found a particularly tall tree.
"There."
He approached it and tilted his head back.
Even among the enormous trees surrounding him, this one stood out. Its trunk rose far above the forest floor, its branches disappearing into the thick canopy.
A faint sense of awe passed through him.
Then he began climbing.
The ascent was difficult. The tree's bark was softer and less rigid than that of his savior tree, making it harder to find reliable handholds. Still, Shad adapted quickly, using the two snake fangs attached to his equipment to dig into the bark whenever necessary.
After a strenuous climb, he reached a height from which he could observe the surrounding landscape.
He continued upward until he judged that he had climbed high enough.
Then he looked out.
At first, he saw nothing useful.
The forest stretched in every direction, its enormous trees blending into one another. From his position, the terrain appeared almost completely flat.
Shad narrowed his eyes.
"Seriously?"
He remained still, studying the landscape.
He looked for subtle changes in the height of the canopy, the direction in which the ground seemed to slope, and any variation in the density of the trees. At first, the differences were too slight to recognize.
Then, gradually, the pattern began to emerge.
The terrain wasn't flat.
It only appeared that way from the ground.
After several more minutes of observation, Shad finally identified the direction in which the land rose.
"Got it."
He carefully descended the tree, taking his time to avoid an unnecessary injury. Once his feet touched the ground, he immediately set off toward the highland.
After walking for some distance, he stopped beside another tree and used one of his snake fangs to carve a distinct mark into its trunk.
The mark pointed toward the lower ground he had come from.
If he needed to return, it would serve as a reference point and reduce the chance of becoming lost in the endless forest.
With that precaution taken, Shad continued toward the highland.
He had approximately five days remaining before the end of the seven-day period he had given himself.
However, time behaved strangely in this forest.
A single day felt far longer than it should have. Despite the urgency of his search for water, Shad welcomed the extended sense of time. It gave him more opportunities to train and experiment with Energy Flow without feeling as though the deadline was constantly approaching.
By his standards, he had made some progress.
Not much.
But enough to matter.
First, he had gained a limited degree of control over Energy Flow within the two snake fangs and the horn he carried. Maintaining that control still demanded considerable concentration, but it was becoming more manageable.
Second, the speed of his Energy Flow manipulation had improved. He could now direct and control it more quickly than before, reducing the delay between intention and execution.
Third, he still hadn't verified whether he could heal himself actively.
He had already observed Energy Flow's restorative properties, but he hadn't deliberately tested whether he could use it to heal an injury while conscious. Doing so would require him to sustain an injury in the first place, and he had no intention of harming himself without necessity.
Especially not in a forest where something could kill him before he had the chance to recover.
The fourth development had been surprisingly easy.
Shad had discovered how to temporarily increase his physical power while maintaining his base strength.
He hadn't even devoted much attention to the technique. Compared to his other experiments, it had developed with unexpected ease.
That alone made him cautious.
Anything that came too easily deserved further examination.
The fifth objective remained untouched.
He still hadn't begun training to imitate the giant snake's movement—the way it had crossed the forest without producing any noticeable sound or disturbance.
Stealth.
Silent movement.
Efficient control.
Those were the qualities he wanted to reproduce through Energy Flow.
But for now, water came first.
After another two or three hours of walking toward the highland, something unexpected happened.
Shad began to feel excited.
The sensation appeared without warning, spreading through him for reasons he couldn't immediately identify.
He slowed down.
His eyes moved across the trees.
Then he understood.
Something was nearby.
A presence.
A visitor.
Shad's lips slowly curled into a grin.
"Finally."
He rolled his shoulders.
"After all this time, I was beginning to worry that I wouldn't encounter another creature."
His grin widened.
He wasn't particularly excited in an emotional sense. The feeling was closer to anticipation—a natural response to the possibility of danger, conflict, and new information.
After all, every creature he encountered was another opportunity to learn.
And perhaps this one would also lead him to water.
"Come on, then."
Shad stared into the forest ahead.
"Let's see what you've got."