Cursed System-Chapter 58: The encounter in the forest

RAGNA POV...

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My posture mirrored the martial artists I had once watched back on Earth. My back curved, muscles tense and protruding. My legs spread wide, digging into the forest floor. My hips shifted back, grounding me completely.

I exhaled.

Then clenched my fist.

The punch landed.

The tree shuddered violently—but didn’t break.

So I hit it again.

And again.

Bark chipped away. Indentations formed where my fists struck deep into the trunk. I kept punching, counting each strike, carefully recording my limits.

Eventually I stopped counting.

I had grown so used to being alone in the woods, surrounded by the vibrations of my own fists and legs, that I forgot something important.

I wasn’t alone.

After a few kicks, I froze.

Standing upright, I slowly turned my gaze toward the left side of the forest.

Something was there.

And it was watching me.

The odd sound I thought I had heard earlier was definitely getting closer—closer in my direction.

That alone was strange.

I didn’t remember anyone else being in this forest at this hour. As far as I knew, I was alone. After slipping my shirt back on, I slowly scanned my surroundings, my senses stretching outward.

I took a few cautious steps forward before a thought crossed my mind.

Why am I not running? Or at least hiding?

"...Maybe I’m just curious," I muttered internally, a faint smile tugging at my lips. Or maybe I just want to see what meeting a total stranger in this world feels like.

My smile widened.

"Activate Morph."

[Morph has been activated]

[-3 Mana points will be deducted every thirty seconds]

[Time left before Morph deactivates: 2:00]

I forced the madness out of my eyes and wiped the cruel smile off my face. My features began to shift, the familiar sensation crawling over my skin—the same modifications I had practiced a week ago.

My gray hair darkened into black. The faint red glow in my four pupils, remnants of my partially activated Cursed Eyes, faded away, leaving me with a single, ordinary-looking pair. When the transformation finished, I looked like someone else entirely.

Just in time.

The sound finally revealed itself—horses.

A group of them burst into view, galloping straight toward me. So that was the source of the noise I heard earlier. I thought to myself, I must have given them a clear trail.

Five rough-looking men rode toward me, their gazes sharp and heated, like predators who had just spotted prey.

Interesting.

From what I later learned, the man leading them was named Freecss.

At the time, of course, I didn’t know that.

To him, I was nothing more than a fortunate distraction.

Freecss was a knight—one leading a group of soldiers disguised as hunters. He had been enjoying his assignment until everything went wrong. They had been ambushed by unknown attackers, also in disguise. Though he had expected danger given the absurdly high pay, he hadn’t imagined nearly losing his entire team before completing a noble escort mission.

Still, he had succeeded in protecting the noble’s son.

That alone made the losses acceptable in his eyes.

Their escape hadn’t been clean, though. Forced to alter their route and battered both physically and mentally, they had been desperate for a way to recuperate. That was when their scout spotted me—a lone child wandering the forest at night.

To Freecss, I wasn’t a mystery.

I was an opportunity.

A nearby village child, probably sent on some errand. Parents or siblings waiting somewhere close. Easy targets. Easy release of stress. As long as they erased the family afterward, there would be no loose ends—and no noble wrath.

Freecss didn’t care about families.

He cared about peace, wealth, and proving himself worthy of a noble’s favor.

That dream—of castles, fine wine, and a life free from struggle—was what pushed him forward.

And so, when the scout reported my presence, he laughed and urged his men onward.

"What sh*tty luck," one of them snorted.

"Being seen by the captain."

"That kid’s finished," another added.

"Anyone wanna say his last prayers?"

The horses slowed as they reached me.

I stood there, trembling on purpose, my body stiff as if fear had rooted me to the ground.

So these are humans, I thought calmly, watching them approach.

Five normal horses. Nothing special—no flaming hooves, no strange aura. The men themselves were even more disappointing. I wasn’t expecting monsters, but... this?

The one in front burned the brightest. His lifeforce felt like a lump of fire. The rest behind him barely registered—small, flickering candle flames. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

My heart thumped.

Not from fear.

From excitement.

My second encounter with complete strangers in this new world, I thought, suppressing the grin threatening to surface.

’Are they good people? Bad people? Humans really are everywhere.’ I wondered, excitedly.

I couldn’t wait to find out.

The leader rode closer. He was large, broad-shouldered, with rough black hair falling messily over his forehead. A fresh scar cut across the center of his lips, warping his smile.

"Hey, kid,"

He called out calmly, his voice smooth and controlled. "Do you have any idea how dangerous it is to be out this late at night?"

I flinched on cue, shrinking back as if intimidated.

Inside, I was counting breaths.

Counting time.

Counting how long before he made his next move.

I stood there, fidgeting, waiting patiently for him to decide my fate—

—or so he thought.

[Author Notes: I would like to say a big thank you to everyone for reading this novel, and our top fans,I appreciate every comment, review, powerstones, golden tickets you guys give the book. But we need more.]

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