Silence.
But not the kind that brings peace.
This silence was something more like hunger.
It devoured everything — even me.
My name is Satoru.
Or maybe... was?
No — I'm still alive. I think.
I opened my eyes —
if you could even call it "opening."
Darkness.
Not the darkness of night.
But an infinite void — without direction, without time, without meaning.
No ceiling. No ground.
Just the feeling of floating — weightless, suspended, trapped between death…
and something that wasn't life.
And then, the voice came.
"Wake up. You have to fight for me."
It wasn't a shout, nor a whisper.
Not male. Not female.
There was no anger. No compassion.
It just... was.
Echoing in my mind — not in space.
The voice spoke again, heavier, deeper:
"You weren't meant to exist.
But now that you have this power…
I won't let it go to waste.
You must fight for me."
I felt something awaken inside me.
Not hope. Not fear.
Something else — something without a name.
---
Suddenly, everything beneath me shifted.
I felt the ground vanish, pulling me down —
to somewhere completely different from that void.
I was in a forest.
But not an ordinary one.
The trees stood tall, and their branches stretched like living veins,
channeling an invisible energy through the air.
The wind whispered through the leaves,
carrying murmurs that felt like they rose from the soil itself.
There was power flowing here — but it wasn't natural.
It was magic — raw, untamed, alive.
I stood up, still dazed but determined.
"I have to find out what's going on here."
My steps pressed softly into the damp forest floor, unsure and quiet.
My hand instinctively brushed my waist,
where I felt the rough edge of a half-broken, rusted dagger —
the only thing I had with me.
I moved forward.
Then — a sound.
Distant, yet close.
A tension bloomed in my chest.
I scanned the trees around me, sharp and alert,
and quickly ducked behind a thick bush.
My eyes locked onto the darkness between the branches,
ready for whatever might come next.
---
The footsteps grew softer… and closer.
Something crept out from the shadows.
I couldn't tell what it was at first,
but even at a glance,
it looked nothing like anything I'd ever known.
My thoughts started spinning.
"That's… that's a goblin."
As I focused, the details sharpened in my mind:
Dull green skin,
long ears poking out through a mess of tangled hair,
and a face that barely resembled anything human.
It was small —
but the kind of small that meant quick and deadly.
Its eyes locked onto mine.
A sharp, unblinking stare.
I couldn't tell if it had seen me —
or if it was waiting to strike.
---
Without a moment's hesitation,
I rushed toward it.
The dagger was still firm in my grip.
A thought swirled in my mind:
"I don't know what's going on, but...
why does my body move so lightly, so easily?"
My eyes flicked to my hands —
I could feel the flow in my muscles,
like water,
fluid and responsive.
The goblin lunged at me,
but its movements felt strangely slow,
as if time had bent around me.
I thrust the blade forward —
effortless.
Without doubt.
It slid into the thin cloth of its belly
and passed through like paper.
---
The goblin's body collapsed to the ground,
and my dagger — the very one that had just torn through its belly —
turned to ash in my hand and vanished.
I crouched for a moment,
steadying my breath,
trying to gather my thoughts.
The air was still heavy,
and I had no idea what my next step should be.
Footsteps.
But this time,
there was something strangely familiar in them —
calm, almost human.
No — I knew it was a human.
Someone was coming toward me.
Without hesitation,
I ducked behind a tree.
I couldn't afford to trust anyone in this world so easily.
As the steps drew closer,
I held my breath
and readied myself.
Then, in a sudden burst,
I dashed out and threw a punch toward the figure.
But just before my fist could land on their face—
I stopped.
I lowered my hand,
took a sharp breath,
and stared in disbelief.
"Arne...?
What are you doing here?"
---
My mind spun.
Arne...
One of my classmates back in school —
before I fell into this... nowhere.
He was the talkative type,
easygoing, always chatting with others.
I rarely spoke to him.
And yet, here we were — face to face.
Arne paused for a moment,
his face filled with surprise and uncertainty.
"I've been here for a few weeks... You were Satoru, right?"
I lowered my guard and replied softly,
"Yeah, I'm Satoru. But I only got here maybe half an hour ago."
His expression turned more serious — even a little worried.
"This isn't the place to talk. Come on, I'll take you to the city."
And without waiting for a reply,
he took off running.
I followed after him, calling out:
"There's a city in this hellhole?"
---
As we emerged from the forest,
my eyes fell upon a city —
one far more beautiful and strange than I could have imagined.
A fantasy city,
filled with color, light, and architecture unlike anything I'd ever seen.
But I didn't say a word.
I just followed Arne in silence.
We entered a restaurant —
an old one, but the scent in the air said they still cooked there.
We sat in a quiet corner,
a heavy silence hanging between us.
Without any preamble, I asked:
"How many people have ended up here?"
Arne hesitated for a moment before replying:
"Just like you, I don't know the exact number.
But I know it's not just us."
I looked straight at him and said:
"Let me guess —
you've spent the last few weeks finding a place to stay and a way to make money, right?"
Arne nodded.
"Yeah… but it's more than that.
I think surviving in this world is harder than anything else."
I gave a faint smile.
"I figured as much."
---
Arne stood up and tossed a few coins onto the table —
their golden glow catching the dim light of the restaurant.
"Use these to get some food.
There's an inn near the square — get a room there.
I've got something to do, need to make a bit of coin."
I didn't say anything.
Just picked up the coins and quietly slipped them into my pocket.
After the meal, I headed to the inn and booked a room.
I sat on the bed and took a deep breath.
I tried once more to calm my mind.
Told myself:
"For now... I need to sleep.
Then... I'll start searching for her."
---
When my body relaxed, I immediately fell asleep.
But it wasn't really sleep; I was again floating in that familiar void —
the same endless darkness I had known before.
The voice of that vague presence reached my ears once more, clearer and more serious:
"Go... find your sister.
She is in the Central Guild."
I opened my eyes.
It was dark around me, but the air was cold and heavy.
My body was soaked in sweat, and my breaths were quick and restless.
Night had fallen.
And once again, I was in a world where nothing was simple.
---
Without realizing it, I found myself standing in front of Arne's door.
I raised my hand and knocked.
"Arne... I need to talk to you."
My voice was firm, but inside I was full of doubt and anxiety.
"My sister... she's in the Central Guild."
I didn't know where the Central Guild was, but I knew we had to find the way.
"We have to go..."