The Regressed Heir of Ravencrest

Chapter 53: The Hunt Begins

Ethan bought some bread and dried meat from a nearby merchant before immediately departing, with Rune running faithfully at his side. Within several minutes, the two reached the outer gates of Northwatch.

Ethan increased his pace, Rune effortlessly matching every stride beside him. They quickly crossed several small frontier villages, passing merchants transporting firewood, farmers clearing snow from their fields, and hunters returning with the day’s catch. By the time the sun reached its highest point, Northwatch had long since disappeared beyond the horizon.

Ethan’s thoughts drifted back to the Four Great Evils’ sudden appearance. In his previous life, every place they passed became synonymous with death. Entire cities disappeared overnight, countless civilians became subjects for grotesque experiments, and those unfortunate enough to survive often wished they hadn’t. Remembering those scenes, his fingers unconsciously tightened into a fist before he slowly forced himself to calm down.

Rune suddenly turned its head toward Ethan, its brilliant blue eyes quietly observing him as though it had sensed the change in his emotions.

"It’s nothing," Ethan said softly, reaching down to pat Rune’s head.

It’ll take at least a few more hours before we reach Maple River.

Ethan took a quick bite of the bread while Rune reluctantly munched on the dried meat, clearly finding it far less appealing than fresh prey. After resting for a few minutes, the two resumed their journey.

By the time they arrived at one of the villages near Maple River, the sun had already begun its slow descent toward the western horizon.

Ethan could see villagers standing outside their homes while children continued playing in the snow. At first glance, the village looked peaceful, but the uneasy expressions on the adults faces revealed a different story.

As Ethan and Rune entered the village, conversations gradually died down. The villagers looked at him in surprise, only for that surprise to quickly turn into confusion after noticing how young he was. However, the faint aura radiating from Ethan’s body and the Adventurer Guild badge hanging from his waist erased any trace of doubt.

"Can you tell me where the village chief’s house is?" Ethan asked in an even tone.

Before anyone could answer—

A small boy came running across the snow, his foot catching on a buried stone.

Ethan caught the child before he could fall face-first into the ground, gently steadying him back onto his feet.

The boy looked up at him with wide, hopeful eyes.

"Did... did the Adventurer Guild send you?" he asked innocently.

Ethan gave a slight nod.

"Can you... can you please look for my father?" the boy asked, his voice trembling slightly. "He hasn’t come home for the last two days."

The moment the words Adventurer Guild left the boy’s mouth, more children abandoned their games and rushed toward Ethan. Within moments, several worried adults followed behind them. Hope flickered across their faces, contrasting sharply with the fear lingering in their eyes, as though Ethan’s arrival had become the only thing they could cling to after days of uncertainty.

"My husband disappeared three days ago!"

"My older brother is still missing!"

"My daughter hasn’t returned since yesterday morning!"

One voice after another filled the air.

Ethan listened quietly without interrupting, mentally organizing every piece of information they provided.

At least twelve people had disappeared from this village alone, and every one of them had vanished within the last three days. Even if beasts were responsible, most of the missing were ordinary farmers who rarely ventured into the forest. Twelve people disappearing in such a shrt span was far too unusual.

Ethan considered a few more possibilities before deciding he first needed to speak with the village chief.

He looked back at the boy standing closest to him.

"Can you take me to the village chief’s house?"

The boy immediately nodded.

"I know where it is! Follow me!" He quickly took Ethan’s hand and began to run.

The adults instinctively stepped aside, allowing the two to pass, while many silently watched Ethan’s retreating figure with anxious expressions.

The boy hurried across the village until they stopped in front of a modest wooden house.

He quickly knocked on the door several times.

"Elder!...Elder! The Adventurer Guild has sent a hunter! Please come quickly!"

Creak...

The wooden door slowly swung open.

An elderly man in his late fifties stepped outside. His tired eyes immediately fell upon Ethan before briefly shifting toward the growing crowd gathered outside.

Without saying anything, he gestured for Ethan to enter.

The elderly chief gestured for Ethan to take a seat before quietly dismissing the villagers gathered outside. Only after the wooden door had been shut did the worry on his face become fully apparent. Dark circles hung beneath his eyes, and the fatigue in his expression suggested he hadn’t slept properly in days.

Ethan stepped inside and took the seat opposite the elderly man.

"Has the hunter from the Adventurer Guild arrived already?" another voice called from deeper inside the house.

Only then did Ethan notice another elderly man seated beside the fireplace. Judging by his attire and the authority with which he carried himself, he was clearly another village chief. Seeing Ethan’s questioning gaze, the first chief spoke.

"Chief Rowan’s village was the first to report the disappearances. I asked him to remain here until someone from the Adventurer Guild arrived."

Chief Rowan studied Ethan for a brief moment before exchanging a glance with the first chief.

"I expected the Guild to send an experienced hunter," he admitted honestly. "Not someone this young."

The first chief nodded in agreement.

"Forgive us, but this matter has already thrown the surrounding villages into panic. We can’t help but be concerned."

Ethan wasn’t offended. Their doubts were understandable.

"I can understand your concern," Ethan replied calmly. "Tell me everything you know and leave the investigation to me."

The room fell silent for a brief moment before the first chief finally spoke.

"You are the only hunter sent by the Adventurer Guild?" He asked expectantly.

"I am," Ethan answered with a nod. "Were you the one who submitted the request?"

"Yes." The elderly chief let out a tired sigh. "At first we believed only our village had been affected. But over the following two days, the surrounding village chiefs reported similar disappearances. After discussing it together, we decided we couldn’t delay any longer and immediately sent a request to the Adventurer Guild."

Ethan gave a slight nod.

"Before I begin my investigation, I need to understand exactly what happened. Answer as accurately as you can, even if something seems insignificant."

The two chiefs nodded.

"Of course."

Ethan leaned forward slightly.

"When did the first disappearance occur? Were they all taken during the night? Did anyone witness what happened?"

Chief Rowan answered after a moment’s thought.

"The first person disappeared three nights ago. As far as we know, every disappearance happened after sunset." His expression darkened. "No one witnessed anything. By the time their families noticed, they were already gone."

"What about the village hunters?" Ethan asked. "Did they discover anything unusual? Beast sightings, footprints, signs of a struggle... anything at all?"

The two chiefs exchanged another helpless look.

"They searched the surrounding forests for two days," the first chief replied. "But they couldn’t find any beast tracks or signs of a fight. The only unusual thing they discovered were several strange claw marks reported by a woodcutter yesterday. None of us recognized them."

Ethan’s fingers lightly tapped the wooden armrest once.

"The woodcutter who found them... is he still alive?"

"Yes."

"Did he mention seeing anything unusual?"

Chief Rowan slowly shook his head.

"No... he only noticed the claw marks while gathering firewood."

Ethan’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"Where exactly were these claw marks found?"

"They were scattered across several places," Chief Rowan answered. "But most of them were found along the road leading toward the east."

Ethan silently committed the locations to memory before asking his final question.

"Can you let me know how many people had disappeared across all the surrounding villages by the time you submitted the request?"

"At least forty-two," the first chief answered immediately. "Including those from our village."

Ethan fell silent for a moment as he considered everything he had learned.

Forty-two people had disappeared across several villages within only three days.

Even if a beast pack was responsible, the local hunters should have recognized the species long ago. Yet they hadn’t found a single identifiable track or any evidence pointing toward a known beast.

This was far more complicated than he had initially expected.

I need to solve this before more people disappear.

Ethan slowly rose to his feet.

"Thank you. I have enough information for now."

The first chief stood as well.

"It’s already getting late," he said. "Why don’t you stay here for the night? You can begin your investigation at first light."

Ethan shook his head.

"No. If I delay any longer, more people may disappear. It’s better to begin now."

The two chiefs exchanged worried glances but ultimately chose not to persuade him any further.

As Ethan stepped outside, the young boy from earlier immediately ran toward him, his hopeful eyes fixed on Ethan’s face.

"Will you... find my father?"

The village chief gently rested a hand on the boy’s shoulder.

"Don’t trouble the hunter."

Ethan remained silent for a moment.

Looking at the child, who couldn’t have been older than six, he felt a faint heaviness settle in his heart. He had seen too many children wear that same hopeful expression in his previous life, desperately waiting for loved ones who would never return.

He crouched down until they were at eye level and gently placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder.

"Can I know your name?"

"...Grey."

Ethan smiled.

"Grey... I’ll do everything I can to find your father. But until then, promise me you won’t leave the village. Stay with your mother, alright?"

Grey nodded firmly.

"I promise."

Ethan gave the boy one final pat on the head before turning toward the eastern road, his expression gradually becoming solemn once again.

"Don’t let anyone leave the village after sunset," he said, looking at the two village chiefs. "Until I return, make sure everyone stays inside the village."

The two chiefs exchanged puzzled glances.

"Do you know what’s responsible for this?" Chief Rowan asked.

Ethan shook his head.

"Not yet...But if I’m right, wandering outside after dark will only put more lives at risk."

The last traces of sunlight gradually disappeared beyond the horizon as darkness settled over the frontier.

Ethan followed the route Chief Rowan had described, his sharp gaze sweeping across the surrounding forest while Rune silently padded beside him.

Once the village lights had completely disappeared behind him, he came to a halt beneath the shadow of a towering pine tree.

It’s time.

Ethan took a slow breath.

Night Sovereign Art—First Form: Shadowless Breath.

The aura surrounding his body vanished completely. His presence dissolved into the encroaching darkness as though he had become one with the shadows themselves. Even his footsteps ceased to leave the slightest disturbance.

Rune immediately lowered its body, instinctively understanding Ethan’s intent. Without making a sound, he slipped into the shadows a few paces behind him.

Within moments, both Ethan and Rune vanished completely into the darkness of the eastern forest.