Village Chief’s room.

“You son of a bitch,” Ian cursed Jacky as he punched him brutally.

Punch

“Ahhhh, Listen to me… Ian.” The chief wanted to speak something, but Ian interrupted him immediately by giving him another powerful swing.

“No, you are a selfish bastard,” Ian shouted.

Punch

“I-Ian… Please, Stop. You don’t want to do this,” the chief spoke as blood started flowing out of his nostrils.

Ian finally stopped and sat down beside him.

“Oh, darn… My nose is bleeding,” the chief spoke as he tried to stop the bleeding with his handkerchief.

“Yeah, and that’s how it should be, you idiot. You didn’t let me go in for my son, but you let all those parents go for their children. Have you lost it?” Ian spoke.

“Yes, say whatever you want, but I stopped it from being a bloodbath here,” the chief replied.

“Yeah, you did, Mr. Hero. Now that bloodbath will happen inside the forest. Those parents can die in that forest, you know that, right?” Anon asked.

“I do, but what can I do about it? If I wouldn’t have allowed it… They would’ve used the way you used to go into that forest, and I can’t keep a mother away from her children,” Jacky spoke.

“Jacky, I don’t think you understand… What if their children survived somehow in this competition, but when they come out of the forest and you tell them that their children are dead… Can you imagine what their reactions would be?” Ian spoke.

“I-I can’t do anything about it… They would’ve killed each other anyway if I wouldn’t have allowed them to go inside the forest.

I am sorry, Ian,” Jacky apologized.

“No worries, friend. Save it for the kids who will find out that their parents died because of you,” Ian spoke as he stood up and moved toward the exit of the room.

“W-Wait… Please Ian. You can’t do this to me. Please stop, don’t leave me like this,” the chief immediately spoke as he stood up and grabbed Ian’s hand.

“Leave me, you piece of **,” Ian spoke as he swung his hand forcefully to remove Jacky’s hand.

“I-Ian… Listen… Listen. Please don’t go. Y-You can hit me more if you want to, but please don’t leave me. Please stay. I want your help; you are my only friend here,” Jacky spoke as he started crying in front of Ian.

“Friend, huh…? Can you tell me where my house is in the city?” Ian asked.

“Y-Yes… Why not? I-It’s on the eighteenth block, right?” Jacky spoke with a confused expression.

“Go to hell,” Ian said as he started walking out of the room.

“Wait… Ian, please. I-I will pay your loan. All of it,” the chief spoke.

Ian immediately stopped and looked back.

“What do you want from me?” Ian asked.

“Yes… Please come back in and let’s talk,” Jacky said as he closed the door and wiped his sweat with his handkerchief.

Inside the Evensong Forest…

Anon is still searching for Ven.

“Ven… Are you here?” ｂ𝚍ｎｏｖ𝚕．ｃｏｍ

“Ven, can you listen to my voice?”

Both Fen and Anon are calling her name inside the forest; they are currently in an unknown area, and this area is filled with long trees from every side.

“VENNNNNNNNNNN…. Please come out Sob-Sob” Fen falls down on her knees as she started crying again.

“Hey, Hey, Hey… What happened? Keep yourself calm. We will find her; don’t worry,” Anon said as he tapped on her shoulder.

Woooooooof

Suddenly, Gin barked very loudly as he started running again.

“He found her,” Anon said as he smiled.

“What? Really? Are you telling the truth?” Fen asked as she looked at Anon.

“Yes, let’s go,” Anon said as he stood up and started running behind Gin.

As they were running behind Gin… Anon noticed that something wasn’t right.

‘Well, this is odd. I haven’t seen a single animal since I entered this area. It’s as if everything living here just vanished… Only trees and leaves are here, nothing else.

What is it that I am missing? Is this a sign of some kind of danger?’ Anon wondered as he continued to run.

After running behind Gin for 10 minutes, they reached an empty place.

There was nothing there except a big large tree that had sparkling leaves of different colors.

The tree looked mesmerizing; it had the glow and smell of heaven, but to Anon, it looked like a fancy trap.

Gin suddenly stopped barking and started hiding behind Anon’s legs.

‘He is afraid? Why? There is no one here?’

“W-Where is she? Where is Ven, Jule? You said he found her,” Fen asked with a very confused expression.

“Gin, why are you scared, my boy? What is it that’s making you afraid?” Anon asked as he patted Gin’s head.

Gin didn’t respond and started whining as he transformed back into his puppy form and hid in his pocket.

Zzzz

Suddenly Anon heard a sound and immediately turned toward Fen.

“Fen, are you alrig…” But as soon as he turned around, he noticed that Fen is also missing.

“What the heck?” Anon spoke as his eyes opened wide in surprise.

“FENNNNNNNNNN…” Anon shouted immediately.

“Juuuuule…” Her voice came in a surrounding echo.

“Where are you?” Anon shouted.

“I am at-”

Suddenly her voice got silent.

‘How? I didn’t sense anything? Who the heck is it? No, What the heck is it?’ Anon wondered as he swiftly scanned the area.

“Gin… Use your sound and tell me where is it, I command you as your master,” Anon ordered as his anger shot up to the top level.

Woof Gin barked slowly and didn’t come out.

“Gin, I COMMAND YOU,” Anon shouted loudly.

Wooof

Gin jumped out of Anon’s pocket and used his skill.

Woooooof

Gin suddenly started running toward the big sparkling tree.

He stopped near the tree and started barking at it.

Woof Woof Woof

“What are barking at ? I can see that-” suddenly Anon stopped talking as he saw a horrific view.