The Invincible Young Master

SWOOSH!

A brilliant light flared in the heart of the forest, drawing the attention of nearby creatures.

In that area, where the light flared, four figures appeared, standing in the clearing.

Towering trees loomed overhead, their dense canopies weaving together to shroud the area in shades. The ground beneath them was soft and treacherous, a mix of slick mud and shallow pools of murky water that faintly mirrored the few rays of light filtering through the thick foliage.

Reynold was the first to recover, his sharp eyes scanning the surroundings, trying to assess their situation. His heart pounded in his chest, not from fear but from the shock of their unexpected landing.

The trees, the humid air, the damp ground—it was clear they were far from any familiar territory. His brow furrowed as he glanced around. Only four of them stood within the small clearing.

Spark was nowhere to be seen.

Reynold's mind raced, trying to piece together what had happened. His gaze darted over the trees, searching for any sign of where they had landed, but the thick forest seemed to stretch endlessly in every direction. Just as he was about to speak, Pooella's voice broke his concentration.

"Little miss, are you okay?" Pooella asked, her voice trembling with concern as she knelt beside Alice, who swayed unsteadily on her feet.

Alice blinked slowly, her eyes half-closed as though she were fighting off a wave of exhaustion.

"I feel... sleepy," she mumbled before her legs gave way and she slumped into Pooella's arms.

"Little miss!" Pooella cried out in alarm, quickly checking her pulse and temperature. Her face was pale, worry evident in her eyes.

Reynold stepped closer and crouched beside them, gently placing a hand on Alice's forehead.

"Don't worry," he said in a calm, reassuring voice. "This is the aftereffect of long-distance teleportation on her young body. She's just exhausted."

He reached into his pouch and pulled out a small, glistening pill. "Here, give her this. It will help with her recovery."

Pooella took the pill with a nod of gratitude and gently slipped it between Alice's lips.

After a few moments, Alice's breathing became steadier, her small body relaxing in Pooella's arms as the effects of the pill began to work.

Zhao Shi, who had been silently observing the surroundings, finally spoke.

"Where is young master Spark?" His tone was steady, but there was a sharp edge of concern beneath his words.

Reynold shook his head, his expression grim. "He's not here. The assailant must have targeted him specifically, manipulating the rune formation to send him to a different location."

For a formation master, it was possible for them to manipulate teleportation formations, selecting one individual as the target while allowing others to be swept along in the disturbance.

"But why teleport us here?" Zhao Shi asked as he looked around the thick forest.

Reynold sighed, glancing at the dense trees that loomed overhead. "We were caught in the crossfire. Whoever did this was after my brother, not us. He must have been their primary target."
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"Then, should we search for the young master?" asked Zhao Shi.

"He'll be fine," Reynold said with quiet certainty, though even he couldn't shake the nagging doubt in the back of his mind.

Reynold straightened, his expression turning resolute. "First, we need to figure out where we are. Once we understand our surroundings, we'll find a way out and regroup with him."

He looked around once more, his eyes narrowing. "But we can't stay here long. Whoever tampered with the altar might come looking for us. We need to keep moving."

Before Reynold and the others could take a step, the soft rustling of leaves and the unmistakable sound of footsteps reached their ears.

It started as a faint disturbance in the thick underbrush but quickly grew louder, spreading in all directions, forming a circle around them. The air became tense as if the forest itself had come alive with unseen eyes watching their every move.

Reynold's eyes darted toward the sound, his expression hardening. Zhao Shi, ever alert, shifted into a defensive stance, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the surroundings.

The footsteps grew closer, the heavy thuds vibrating through the ground. And then, from the shadows of the towering trees, a massive figure emerged.

The first thing Reynold noticed was the man's immense size. His height towered over everyone in their group, and the ground seemed to shake slightly with each of his steps. His skin was a shade of dark hue, rough like stone, with muscles that bulged under his heavy fur garments.

A large mace was strapped to his back, its jagged edges gleaming dangerously under the sparse light that filtered through the forest canopy.

The man's appearance was nothing short of menacing—his features were rugged and fierce as if chiseled from stone. A thick, wild beard hung from his square jaw, framing a face marked by the scars of countless battles. His eyes gleamed with a dangerous, predatory glint as they roved over Reynold and the others, sizing them up with the casual malice of a hunter examining prey.

Reynold's brows furrowed slightly. He scanned the man's imposing figure, as his mind raced through the possibilities. His gaze lingered on the man's crude, weathered attire and the strange, spiraling tattoos that covered his arms and chest—clear markers of his origin.

"Barbarians…" Reynold muttered.

This wasn't some random bandit or a local ruffian; they had been transported far beyond the Jul Empire's borders. Reynold's suspicion crystallized as he continued to observe the towering figure before them—this man hailed from the barbarian tribes of Grimhold, a savage continent across the vast ocean.

And this was no mere random teleportation—they had been sent deliberately to one of the most dangerous places.

The barbarian stepped closer, his lips curling into a menacing grin as he looked down at the group. His deep, gravelly voice rumbled through the air as he spoke in a language unfamiliar to most of them. However, the tone of his voice made his intentions clear enough. He was not here for a friendly chat.