Tales of Restart Village's Hero — Brald White : Greed Beneath the Silent Forest
Narrator
"Even today..."
"The moon shines..."
"Just as it always has."
"Some stories..."
"Begin with hope."
"Some..."
"Begin with tragedy."
"And then..."
"There are stories..."
"That begin..."
"With greed."
Far away...
Beyond the peaceful fields of Restart Village...
Beyond the quiet river where children often played...
Past the hills where birds still sang without fear...
Lay the Death Forest.
The ancient forest stood as silent as ever.
Towering trees stretched toward the heavens like silent guardians.
Their branches intertwined so tightly that only thin rays of moonlight reached the forest floor.
Cold mist drifted slowly between their enormous roots.
The scent of damp earth and ancient wood filled the air.
Even the wind...
Seemed unwilling...
To disturb the silence.
Deep within the forest...
Hidden beneath the shadow of a colossal ancient tree...
Rested a single grave.
Simple.
Peaceful.
Untouched by time.
Fresh wildflowers still lay before the weathered stone.
The grass surrounding it remained perfectly healthy.
Not a single footprint disturbed the sacred ground.
It was almost as though...
The entire Death Forest...
Refused to let anyone disturb that place.
Because this was no ordinary grave.
It belonged to...
The Legendary Dragon.
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Liza.
Moonlight gently illuminated the lonely gravestone.
Silence embraced the clearing.
Even the beasts lurking within the forest remained hidden.
It felt...
As though the forest itself...
Was standing guard.
Then...
A faint sound echoed through the trees.
Crunch...
A single footstep.
Another followed.
Crunch...
Someone...
Was approaching.
From the darkness...
A hooded figure slowly stepped into the clearing.
His long black cloak concealed his entire body.
His face remained hidden beneath a deep hood.
Only one feature could be seen.
A pair of cold...
Golden eyes.
Sharp.
Calculating.
Completely devoid of warmth.
The mysterious man stopped several metres away from the grave.
He neither bowed...
Nor offered a prayer.
He simply stared.
As though he were looking upon a priceless treasure.
After several long moments...
He finally spoke.
"...So..."
"It's true."
"The Legendary Dragon..."
"Really died here."
His voice carried no sadness.
No admiration.
No respect.
Only...
Greed.
The hooded man slowly knelt.
His gloved hand touched the cold earth.
He closed his eyes.
The surrounding mana gently flowed around his fingertips.
For several silent breaths...
He remained completely still.
Listening...
Feeling...
Searching.
Then...
A faint smile appeared beneath the shadow of his hood.
"...Amazing."
"Even after death..."
"Your mana..."
"Still refuses to disappear."
His golden eyes slowly opened.
They gleamed with excitement.
"So..."
"The rumours..."
"Were true after all."
He slowly lifted his gaze toward the lonely grave.
"...I've finally found you."
Dark clouds slowly drifted across the moon.
The silver light dimmed.
The clearing became colder.
Much colder.
As though the Death Forest itself...
Had heard those words.
The clearing became colder.
Much colder.
As though the Death Forest itself...
Had heard those words.
A sudden breeze swept through the ancient trees.
Yet...
The leaves did not dance.
They trembled.
A crow cried somewhere in the darkness.
Its sharp call echoed through the silent forest.
Far away...
The growl of a Magic Beast abruptly ceased.
One by one...
The sounds of life disappeared.
Even the forest...
Seemed unwilling to breathe.
The hooded man slowly opened his eyes.
A faint chuckle escaped his lips.
"So..."
"Even now..."
"You still protect this place."
His golden eyes scanned the surrounding trees.
He could feel it.
Countless invisible gazes...
Watching him.
Judging him.
Warning him.
For a brief moment...
His hand drifted toward the hilt of the sword hanging at his waist.
But...
He stopped.
A smile appeared beneath his hood.
"I'm not foolish enough..."
"To challenge an entire forest."
"Not today."
He slowly rose to his feet.
His black cloak fluttered gently behind him.
The moonlight briefly reflected in his cold golden eyes.
They contained no fear.
Only ambition.
Only greed.
He looked at the grave one final time.
"When I return..."
"I won't come alone."
"I'll come prepared."
His voice remained calm.
Almost casual.
As though he were merely discussing tomorrow's weather.
He slowly raised one hand.
A faint black magic circle flickered for an instant.
Then disappeared.
Almost like a silent promise.
"You guarded this place..."
"For years."
"But every guardian..."
"Can eventually grow tired."
"And when that day comes..."
"Everything buried here..."
"Will belong to me."
The wind suddenly grew stronger.
Leaves swirled through the clearing.
The ancient branches creaked above.
The hooded man's cloak billowed behind him.
Yet...
He simply laughed.
A cold...
Emotionless laugh.
Without another word...
He turned away.
His footsteps echoed softly against the forest floor.
Crunch...
Crunch...
Crunch...
With every step...
His figure faded deeper into the darkness.
Until...
Nothing remained.
Silence returned.
The mist slowly drifted across Liza's grave once more.
Moonlight broke through the clouds.
Its silver glow gently illuminated the weathered stone.
The wildflowers swayed softly.
Almost...
As though someone invisible had gently brushed against them.
The Death Forest...
Had regained its peace.
But somewhere...
Hidden within that ancient silence...
A new danger had quietly taken root.
The Narrator
"Some seek power..."
"To protect those they love."
"Some seek power..."
"To protect themselves."
"But the most dangerous people..."
"Are those..."
"Who seek power..."
"Simply because they wish..."
"To possess it."
"And greed..."
"Never stops..."
"With only one treasure."