Earth.

'Is this the end? Will I die just like this? What about my dreams? No, I don't want to! I want to live!'

These were the thoughts running through the mind of Dean as he was falling to his demise. 

If he knew this was how his day was going to turn out, he would never have decided to follow his dorm mates on their adventure. But being driven by youth and the constant thrill of wanting to experience something interesting, he couldn't say no when his dorm mates proposed the idea. 

He was only nineteen years old this year, and he only recently had his first girlfriend. His life just started being meaningful with the inclusion of his girlfriend. He couldn't ask for anything more, he had a cute and pretty girlfriend, had great friends, although his parents can't be said to be the richest, they weren't poor either, so he had a comfortable life financially. He even got a car from his parents on his birthday! 

What else could you ask for? 

But fate decided to play a cruel trick on him. As he plunged towards the rocky canyons below him, he knew there was no chance he could survive. 

'At least I didn't die a virgin.'

This was the last thought Dean's brain processed before his body brutally slammed into the sharp rocks. 

Dead, the life of the young Dean came to an end just like that. 

What was worse was that his friends didn't even know he was dead. He ventured from where the group were camping and went further into the mountain, telling them he would return soon. 

On his way, he wanted to take a leak, and where else could be better for that other than the edge of a cliff which was over two thousand meters high? 

When the idea came to him, he was quite exhilarated since he hadn't experienced something like that before. How would it feel like taking a leak from such a high place? Well, in his case, it was death! 

What a sad way to die, he died while taking a leak. 

The edge of the cliff suddenly cracked and broke off when he just started his business. When he got to the edge of the cliff, he didn't know underneath it had already corroded in. So, the edge of the cliff could almost be described to be as thin as a piece of paper. The thickness of it wasn't even close to five centimeters, it was surprising it still hadn't broken off after so long. Maybe it just didn't want to go down alone? Who knows? 

….

At the same time, in another dimension.

Somewhere in the Lemuria Continent.

"Faster! They're catching up."

A youth yelled as he looked behind him only to see their pursuers gaining ground. 

There were two young men currently running in the forest as fast as they could. Behind them, was a group of boys around the age of fifteen who were chasing them with malice visible in their faces. 

The two young men were Leon and Dean. They have been best friends since they were little, and the friendship didn't start with them. Their fathers were also known to be best of friends, they even married on the same day. Their children were almost born at the same time, with Leon being born a few days before Dean. 

They were both from two of the eight prominent families in Raven's City, Leon was from the O'Brien family, while Dean was from the Dawson family. Their families had close ties, and with both young men being the future family heads of their respective families, a lot was on their shoulders. They couldn't be said to be the most talented, well, Leon had great potential. Dean on the other hand only had above-average potential. 

Being close friends, Leon mostly goofed around with Dean instead of training. This made him advance at a slower pace. Presently, he's regretting that decision. Given their identities, there wasn't anyone who dared to make trouble with them. Well, except for the other prominent families' children, that is. 

Since they all had the same status, they would get into fights with them often. And the elders from each family were quite welcoming towards their battles, they said it was good for the kids. Besides, each family was secretly fighting against each other, and if their offspring could come out on top in their battle against the others, it would be great for their reputation. And a good reputation is key to attracting young and talented warriors, as well as resources of course. 

In a world where power reigns supreme, the strong are exalted and the weak are squashed. Raven's City is a low-tier city among the numerous cities which were situated in the northern part of the Lemuria Continent. There are a total of three tiers among the cities; low, mid, and high tier. 

"Leon, let's head in that direction." Dean pointed at the northeast part of the forest. 

"Are you mad?! Have you forgotten that place is a danger zone?" Leon scolded the moment he realized where Dean was pointing to. 

"That's the only way we can get them to stop chasing us. There's no way they are bold enough to chase us there." Dean said with confidence. 

"That's because we will get killed the moment we cross into it, they wouldn't need to chase us once we're dead you moron!" Leon looked at his friend and couldn't help but think he had some screws loose. 

"It's not like people haven't come out of there alive. More than forty percent of the people who enter there make it back alive." Dean continued persuading.

"Because they are strong, a single slap from those people and we'll die, yet you want us to enter into a place they wouldn't dare say they were confident in leaving alive?" Leon denied the idea once more. 

There was no way he would want to seek death by heading in that direction.

Dean, seeing he couldn't convince Leon, took the decision himself and changed his direction.

"Dean, what the hell are you doing?!" Leon yelled out, stunned by his friend's sudden change in direction. 

"Trust me on this, besides, we wouldn't go deep into the place." Dean said with a smile. 

Seeing this, Leon gritted his teeth and decided to follow his friend. From the look of those bastards chasing them, there was no way they would let them off if they caught them. 

And just as Dean predicted, when the group chasing them saw where they were headed, they stopped in their tracks. 

Dean and Leon weren't far from the spot which separated this part of the forest from the other parts. So they quickly passed it, the group chasing them didn't dare to enter. 

"Fools, there is no way they can escape if they head deeper."

A youth snorted coldly. 

Although he wanted to do the deed personally, it didn't make a difference how they died, as long as they were dead, he was satisfied. 

"Let's wait a little longer, that way, they wouldn't dare to come out,"

When Dean looked behind him and noticed the group had halted, he laughed, "Haha, look, I told you they would stop following us."

Leon didn't pay any attention to him and vigilantly surveyed the area. Only after he didn't see or sense anything did he relax. 

"There are magical beasts that are good in camouflage, we should be careful." He warned. 

They also halted in their spot. Since the group wasn't chasing them, there was no need in going deeper, they would stay here until the group left. Luckily, they didn't need to go deep. 

After staying for almost one hour, the group chasing them was already starting to get frustrated. They had been staring at each other since they stopped running. 

"Hey, buddy." Dean suddenly called out. 

"Yeah." Leon shifted his attention to Dean. 

"I want to take a leak." Dean said. 

"Why are you telling me then? Can't you do it here?" Leon raised a brow as he looked at his friend. 

"No." Dean shook his head. 

"What do you mean no? You... Fine, go do it somewhere else. But don't go far." Leon wanted to reprimand him, but in the end, he allowed him to do what he wanted. It wasn't like Dean was a child anyway. 

Dean quickly walked not too far from where they were. Just as he was about to take a leak, the tree which was by his side suddenly moved. Turning his attention to it, Dean's heart immediately sank. 

A huge lizard was staring at him. He was sure at the time he came here, he didn't see this lizard. 

How can something this big go unnoticed? Just as this question popped into his head, he suddenly remembered Leon's words. Camouflage. 

He slowly retreated, seeing the lizard wasn't making a move. He turned around and immediately dashed towards where he was coming from. 

"Run!" Dean yelled as he was running towards Leon. 

He deeply regretted his decision to take a leak at that time. Maybe the lizard would have let them be if he didn't trespass into its territory. Where was its territory even? 

Leon looked in the direction the shout came from, and he instinctively wanted to run towards his friend. It was only after seeing Dean running in his direction did he turn and run towards the other side. 

When the group chasing them saw them running in their direction, they all stood up and wanted to attack. But on seeing the large green Lizard behind them, they all fled as fast as they could. 

Leon was the first to exit the forbidden part of the forest, given he was closer to the place that separates it. Just as Dean was about to pass through, the Lizard that had been chasing them leisurely suddenly increased its speed and swung its tail at him which lit up with a bluish color. 

The tail hit him solidly on his back and he was sent flying.

"Ah!" A scream escaped from Dean's mouth, along with a lot of blood. 

The Lizard didn't pass the mark. It was like it couldn't pass it. 

It screeched loudly before heading back. 

When the group chasing Leon and Dean heard the scream, they all knew the duo might've been caught, but they couldn't stop to confirm it. Hearing the screech from the Lizard, they all ran with improved vigor.

"Dean!" Leon yelled out and ran towards the spot Dean landed. 

On getting there, his friend laid on the ground, lifeless. 

Leon fell on the ground with a 'thud' and held the lifeless body of Dean in his hands. Streams of tears uncontrollably rolled down his face, he had always been with Dean since he was two years old. They were almost inseparable, how would he continue living without his friend? 

The crying Leon failed to notice the ray of light which shot towards the dead body of his friend. The light shot into the head of the dead Dean, and the previously lifeless body, twitched. 

Sensing the movement, Leon's body jolted. He stared at his friend and an inexplicable sense of joy filled his heart when he realized what happened, his friend wasn't dead...