WORST.DAY.OF.MY.LIFE. If you can even describe it as that. One moment I've started my internship at a prestigious research company, the next I'm waking up in a strange forest. I start running trying to find any semblance of civilization. Where am I at? After running for a couple of minutes I finally got to a clearing with a gigantic lake. I take a look in the water and see what should be my reflection but it looks like someone completely different. With hair as black as the night sky, golden brown skin, and dark brown eyes as deep as the ocean staring back at me, I still can't believe this is me. In disbelief I take a look at my surroundings. At a scene that can only be seen in fantasy novels or anime, truly a breathtaking moment. As quick as the moment came, it left when a giant sea serpent, with a head as big as a mini van, rose from the surface of the water. Even though its eyes had a misty and glossy look, it also has this blank look as if it's looking right through me. Then, it lets out a blood curdling roar. It seemingly scared every animal within the vicinity, birds, small animals, and even some of the bigger animals ran for their lives. My first instinct is to run but for some reason my body isn't moving as if I'm standing my ground. No matter how frightened I am at this point I can not be frozen with fear. I don't even know where I'm at, who I am, and how the hell did I get here? After what seemed like an eternity the creature left. I start running the first chance I get. I've got to find out what the hell is going on. First I've gotta find some type of shelter, before I can even start looking for a town I've got to survive first. I know that I was busy with my work at the company" but I couldn't believe I would forget what my grandfather had taught me. After running for a couple of minutes I got to a little meadow. It's been so long since I've even been in the woods ,by my family's dojo, but this definitely does not look like what I remember. "Well, this day can't get any wor-" and before I could even finish my sentence the sound of thunder filled my ears like water as lightning shot across the sky.

"Well great," I say as rain pours on me. (Rustle Rustle) What the fuck is that? I don't even know of any animals that can move that fast through the trees. Now that I'm looking at the trees they really are abnormally big. So big I doubt I'm in Korea, hell I doubt I'm even on earth anymore. How can the trees be this big? Some of the smaller ones I see are about as big as a giant sequoia. With trunks that thick it's no wonder why they are so tall. Before I can recollect myself I feel something running down the side of my face. A flash of heat hits my face as I realize it's not water. Before I could even let out a sound my body started moving by itself again. "What the hell was that and why don't I feel any pain? I was obviously cut, but with what?" I think to myself as I speed away. Looking back while I run, I not only see three people chasing me but one is jumping through trees. Why are they wearing masks? Why are they chasing me? WHERE THE FUCK AM I? "What the fuck is going on?" I yell, frustrated at everything about this situation.

"What you don't remember?" One of the men says while appearing in front of me. "I had them take precautions just in case but it seems like that was unnecessary." My body freezes, as if readying to fight I get into a stance. "It seems like you've lost your memory but I won't take any chances. I'll give you a choice in how you want to die, you can die as brutally as possible or entertain me a little. Perhaps I'll see how you were able to defeat Mehr Janus. Either way yo- (smack) Did you really think you can hit me with this measly amount of power?" This unknown man says as he catches my fist. "Dammit how the hell am I going to get out of this? Guess I'll have to fight dirty. Wait, what is this welling up inside of me?"

"If this is all you'll amount to I might as well just kill you n-" Some of his blood hits my face as some black formless mass sends him flying upward. "What is this? Where is it coming from? Whatever this is, it's helping me so I might as well take advantage." As this man I sent flying lands he wipes blood from his face while saying, "I can't even finish a sentence. God dammit, I don't care anymore I want this fucker dead!!" "It seems like it's coming from me. I feel so much more powerful. I've trained almost all my life with grandfather, but I've never felt this strong." As all the assailants started to jump at me I took the closest one, which happens to be the fucker I just sent flying and managed to trip them all up. "I've got to find a place to hide for now. There is still too many people for me to fight." As I zig zag between the trees when I come across a tree that has fallen over, hollowed out by some smaller rabbit-like animals. They looked like regular rabbits except for the fact that they walk on their hind legs with their fur growing in a way that looks like a blade protruding from the heel. Although they seem harmless, as I sneak into the log, I watch a couple proceed to defend themselves from a hawk like creature. As they slice apart the bigger creature the people trying to catch me come by close enough for me to hear them.

"Fuck where did that cripple go, 2 lucky shot and he disappears? Split up and search the area, Alpha, use energy sense and find anything alive in a 1 mile radius." "Got it boss," seems like there's only a couple of competent people. "Boss, there's about a dozen breaths over by the giant log, he could be hiding among the beasts."

"Would he really survive surrounded by viper hares, I hope he's been poisoned and died already. Dealing with him now is hard enough but I don't want to imagine what he'd be like if he somehow regained his strength."

How can they estimate where I am just by breath? Forget about that, I've got to get out of here somehow. Remember the old man's training, clear your mind, erase your presence. Have a clear state of mind and disappear. As I blend into my surroundings I can hear them getting closer. Whoever it is I've got to take them out to lessen the burden of getting chased. I've never killed before but I don't even know the situation I'm in right now so I don't seem to have a choice. I then remember one of the core things the old man taught me. Those who treat me with kindness repay them with even greater gratitude. But those against me, those who are my enemies, treat them mercilessly, no matter who they are. I have no clue what kind of life he led before he raised me but his teachings have gotten me through countless predicaments. As one of these goons gets closer to me, before I can even think of what to do, my body moves as if it's been through plenty of battles. Going with the flow I take aim and strike (secret technique 1-hit 1-kill Bladed fist) piercing through his heart with my hand, to my surprise. "Aaa-" I cut his scream short by punching and pushing him further away from my position. I dart through the vegetation in the area and in a matter of seconds I can hear them upon finding their fallen comrade.

"Fuck he was the only tracker I brought with me. Omega, you and Zeph go through the area and find traces of him. We are getting close to the capital of New Korea, DO NOT BE SEEN! I'll go back to base and get another tracker." They have a base in the midst of this forest? And he said the capital of New Korea, what the hell has happened since I've been passed out, either way I can finally get to someone that won't try and kill me. I don't know how fast I'm running, but it's definitely faster than usual. After emerging from the forest I start to see giant stone walls that surround the area ahead, and what is supposed to look like an entrance is utterly destroyed. I eventually reach a couple guards, wearing armor made of what seems to be the scales of some lizard, stop me in my tracks,

"Wait stop there, do you have identification?"

Fuck I have no clue what's going on let alone if I have any type of id on me.

"If not you can pay an entrance-"

"Leave the boy alone, can't you imbeciles see the state he is in? Come young one, I'll handle the fee," says an older man who feels familiar. He's wearing similar armor to the guards

"Thank you," is the only thing I can say. My body is sore, and my mind is tired of just trying to comprehend the situation.

"You must be hungry boy, come, follow me," says the old man.

Before I can even speak, the old man leans in, "Not really the best place to talk. I know you have some questions, but let's eat first. Keep your hood up until we get to a safe place."

As we walk, he tells me various things about the village while I'm just taking in the scenery.

Apart from what seemed like a tornado hit the gate as we got closer in town it seems more of a mess of people than a mess of the buildings surrounding the gate. It seems I came in through a crowded part of town. Stalls lined up on each side of the roadside, until we got a little deeper in town when I started seeing shops. Everything from herbs and plants to metals and ores.

"Things have been a little hectic with the recent beast wave occurring but we are rebuilding quite nicely if I do say so myself," says the old man.

Speak my true name...

What the fuck was that?

I'm all of a sudden drawn to some rubble.

"Young man we don't have much time we must go,"

I say nothing as I continue to the rubble. It felt like I was in a trance.

You must remember...

As I start to rummage through the debris, I'm reminded of the destruction war has caused in my world. And that no matter what world I find myself in the aftermath is always the same. People who lose their homes, and possibly their lives, also lose precious memories.

"Boy, we must hurry before we are caught in some trouble. What is so impor-"

As he was about to finish talking, both him and I were entranced by what had been calling me. A blade that's as dark as the night sky, with an ominous looking hole in the middle of the blade. Black mist starts to seep from within the blade and starts to form an eye in the hole staring back at me. The hilt felt like it was made from some kind of stone wrapped with some kind of leather.

"Boy we MUST keep moving,"

The old man says as he grabs and pulls me. I hide the blade in a sheath that I guess has been around my waist. I haven't even had time to gather myself to even see what I'm wearing, is this my blade? As we start running through the alleyways before we get to what seems like a small house that would be in the slums.

Walls almost fallen apart but still hold together as if by just a thread. The windows are half broken while the only door is barely hanging off its hinges.

As we walk in he starts moving some things around. The old man says,

"We won't be safe here for long, but we have enough time for you to regain your strength."

He then pulls up the rug off the floor in the middle of the house, which reveals a door.

"Open the door, I have to grab a few important materials."

He went back to finding what he needed, so I tried to open the door in the floor. For whatever reason it wouldn't budge. Both the handle and the door were as broken apart as the rest of the house. Have I really become this weak? As I'm pondering my own powerlessness, I keep struggling to open this door in the floor.

Just as I'm about to collapse the old man catches me, "Woah there, guess you weren't kidding when you said you would have no strength left. Don't worry I got what I need from up here, I got the door hehe."

As he grips the handle, his entire hand starts permeating a lot of steam while also giving off a light blue glow. The door starts opening slowly while fog starts to pour out and into the house. As the smoke dissipates and he descends into the basement, it starts to light up with what looks like crystals.

"Come on boy, it's time to start the healing process," says the old man, as he pokes his head out,

"Do you even know who I am?"

"Haha, that's the first time you've said anything since the gate. I was a bit concerned when you went into a trance earlier but it seems like it was for the best. You ended up finding the last piece to our little puzzle," says the old man.

As we reach the center of the basement, I see a circle with crystals at six different points in the circle, in the center of the room. I can also see runes written all around the circle.

"Here start sprinkling this powder onto the array, once we are done setting up we can begin your healing process," says the old man as he hands me a bowl of this turquoise looking powder.

"EW what is this? It smells like spoiled milk after it's been boiled!" I say as I catch a quick whiff before I cover my face.

"Forget the smell and just start sprinkling, we don't have much time."

"Alright, should I spread it over the whole circle?"

As the old man grabs the bowl from me he says, "Start with the crystals and only sprinkle over them. Then make a six pointed star inside the circle, with each crystal at a point."

He hands me the bowl again. As I get to spreading the powder the way he wants me to, the old man starts going through a stack of books.

"Ahhh yes here it is, thank goodness I found your notes," he says, "I may not be as good as you when it comes to genus arrays but you're only at Transcendent rank so I'll have to supply the genus energy for this array."

"Can we finally talk about what the hell is going on?"

"We can once you're all healed up, now drink this. It will help clear out your blood vessels."

I'm a little suspicious of what is in the cup, but this old man has been the only one to help me since I found myself in this situation. I start drinking this greenish liquid and I can not describe the taste but it fills my body with warmth.

"You should start to feel the effects in a little bit, let me know once you do," says the old man.

After about a minute, I could start to feel every vein tingle as if they're bugs crawling throughout my body.

"Is this warm tingling feeling what you were talking about," I say to him.

The old man begins to explain, "Good, now sit in the center of the array in a meditating position. Since I have to activate the array don't worry about chanting. I will do so as I lay down the proper runes as well."

"What will happen then?"

"Then we can start the healing process. Remember that warm tingling sensation and focus it into one point. Focus it all right here behind your belly button, your diantian. No matter what, do not lose focus, the slightest mishap can cause irreparable damage."

As he finishes explaining, I get ready to start meditating. I close my eyes and start by clearing my mind of everything, visualizing only a small ball of light in a dark void. I can see little balls of light and begin to as I start to focus them all into one ball of light. I can feel the blade that was on my hip, move onto my lap. I start to feel some pain in my lower abdomen so I make sure not to lose focus, not paying anymore attention to it. I can hear the old man start to chant as he lays down the runes.

"Kena, Uruz, Thurisa," Hearing these words I start to hear a sort of humming, almost vibrating sound. "Disregard everything else and focus on finding your center," says the old man.

"Isa, Jera, Gebo," As he keeps chanting, without losing focus, I start to see everything around me. As if I am having an outer body experience. While taking in seeing myself a translucent barrier starts to form around me, where the circle was drawn. As the barrier finishes taking form I start to hover in the air in the center.

"Algiz, Sowilo, Tiwaz," chants the old man. I can feel every cell in my body as it gets warmer, a green aura starts to exude from me.

"Ingwa, Othalan, Dagaz!"

I see a small light start to form in the back of my head. I inch in to get a closer look when I'm sucked back into my body. I start to see flashes of memories I don't recall having. Unconsciously I start to chant the same words the old man was.

After the old man finishes chanting he says, "Yes, the array was successfully activated. Don't blame yourself for what happened. Your father has been living with that evil inside of him all his life. Recover fast while I look into finding your family. Jin, I just hope your the same person when you awaken."