Zich walked up a mountain. It was a deep forest where not even paths for mountain beasts existed, much less an organized road. A thick cluster of trees blocked his vision and every time he took a step, his foot flattened a bush. Occasionally, protruding tree roots or caved-in terrain tried to trip him but failed to hinder him. In this place where only hunters or herb gatherers might tread in besides beasts and monsters, Zich kept a steadfast pace. After all, Zich was someone who preferred to walk in a straight line on a map even if the terrain in front of him was a mountain or lake.

‘It’s quiet.’ Zich looked up at the sky. The moonlight quietly seeped from the small gap between the thicket of trees. Cries from numerous insects rang throughout the surroundings, and Zich heard the roar of a mysterious beast from some distance away. Yet, Zich felt an extreme sense of serenity.

‘Now that I think about it, how long has it been since I wandered around alone?’

Even before the regression, he gathered his underlings before fighting the world; after the regression, he traveled with Hans from the moment he left the Steelwalls. In other words, it had been a very long time...