On a sidewalk, a 22-year-old woman was returning home after going to the market, when out of nowhere a crack appeared in the air and pulled her, desperately trying to hold on to a nearby pole, but when she thought of this idea it was too late and she went flying straight to the crack. Her name is Charlotte Campo Branco.
When she opened her eyes in desperation, she couldn't calm down. Her memories felt cloudy; she could remember everything, but simultaneously, it felt like something was missing. The face of the person she was thinking about appeared empty. In moments like this, she expected something more welcoming if this was indeed the so-called end.
She realized she had landed on some unfamiliar ground. She gazed up at the seemingly ordinary sky and made a desperate attempt to remember the faces of important people. However, it was always the same result: blank faces and missing pieces in her memory. She couldn't even recall the faces of her own father and brother.
Charlotte attempted to calm herself down and surveyed her surroundings, still distressed and confused about her location. She couldn't understand why her memories were so weak. All she could see was a grassy plain with refreshing air. As she glanced at the ground, she noticed something red – a dehydrated snake with a teardrop-like marking near its right eye. The snake noticed her as well and swiftly attempted to attack.
It happened so quickly that Charlotte barely managed to escape, clutching her shopping bag from the supermarket that had come with her. Fortunately, the contents didn't spill as she ran, fearing the snake might be venomous.
Stopping to catch her breath, Charlotte spotted a nearby rock. The half-dead snake pursued her with unnatural speed and determination. With a bit of effort, Charlotte picked up the rock, roughly the size of a melon, and hurled it at the snake, which managed to dodge. The snake's reaction to the rock surprised it, buying Charlotte precious time to flee. She knew that even if she didn't kill the snake at that moment, it would likely succumb to thirst soon.
After putting some distance between herself and the snake, Charlotte realized that she didn't have many resources. The only items she possessed were two loaves of bread and a bottle of water she had purchased at the market.
After taking a moment to rest and sipping some water, Charlotte pondered her surroundings. The place had a star that resembled the sun. Could it also have a satellite similar to the moon? Continuing her exploration, she came across a location filled with various weapons, including spears, daggers, swords, and more. Some appeared broken, while others seemed abandoned, perhaps by a previous owner. Cautiously, Charlotte opted for a spear that appeared to be in better condition. She wasn't sure what to expect in this place; another encounter with a snake or something worse lurked in her mind. Earlier, while fleeing from the snake, she had glimpsed a group of peculiar-looking sheep that she was keen to avoid.
With some reluctance, she held the spear, took a small piece of bread to replenish her energy, and continued her journey. Along the way, she found herself in a perpetual state of exhaustion, frequently running from or defending herself against animals in the area, even those that appeared herbivorous. She was nearly overwhelmed by fatigue and drowsiness but managed to escape from these animals, perhaps owing to their lack of specialization in chasing her.
Lost in her fatigue and inattentiveness, she failed to notice a hole in the ground and fell into it. As her vision blurred, she spotted someone who seemed to be smiling. Charlotte lost consciousness and, when she awoke eight hours later, she experienced a slight pain. Gazing into a puddle of water, she saw her familiar reflection, a woman with black hair and green eyes. Examining her surroundings more closely, she realized she wasn't alone. Another person, seemingly a teenager, was staring at her. This individual emitted a faint white light, wearing a peculiar outfit that resembled a white Hanfu with gold accents. His fluffy, light golden-yellow hair and yellow eyes caught her attention, along with the presence of a fluffy tail, which further enhanced their luminous appearance.
"Oh, you woke up," the young man says. He appears thoughtful as he continues, "I haven't seen anyone in a while. It seems like that person wasn't bad, but it was a long wait."
"Apparently, you are a human. I haven't seen one in a while. I thought they had been exiled from Upper Earth," the young man adds with a thoughtful tone. "But you are here. My name is Sol Liang. I'm a Quilin, and I was sealed here by someone. He didn't give me much information. Understand, you can call me Master Sol for now."
"Upper Earth? Exiles? Where am I? Is there any way I can go back to my homeland?" Charlotte questions.
Sol Liang responds, "Yes, you can come back, but you are very weak for now. From what I see, you use a spear." He looks at the spear that fell next to him. "I don't know how to use it; I just picked it up from the ground while I was running away," Charlotte confesses.
"The person who helped me and sealed me here left this possibility for you to strengthen yourself, as you have stayed long enough. Now, you will not need to worry about eating or being thirsty, but you can still eat and drink. This helps to fortify the body," Sol Liang adds with pride.
Charlotte was surprised by what Sol Liang had said, and then she realized that he hadn't introduced himself.
"Pleasure, Sol. My name is Charlotte Campo Branco, you can call me Charlie to simplify things a little," Charlotte responds, displaying a hint of trepidation, out of politeness.
"So shall we continue the explanation?" Sol says, looking at Charlotte, who has emerged from the puddle. He nods in affirmation. A green light emanates from Sol Liang, and Charlotte's clothes quickly dry. The Quilin smiles and begins.
"Then, I'll explain what I did. Now, let's start with the basics. Don't trust anyone except me and the other three sealed ones. They all hate humans, in short, exiled races, so there are few beings you can trust," Sol Liang speaks in a serious tone. Charlotte is shocked, and Sol continues to explain.
"So you can become a little stronger. I will teach you the basics of the spear for three months, and then we'll continue with part one of the training," Sol says to Charlotte, who looks at him with fear.
"Isn't that too long?" Charlotte asks.
"It's the opposite. It's a short time, but as I'm a top teacher, and there's water from the puddle to heal you, it'll be faster. First, get that training armor next to you, Charlie." Charlotte looks at the armor he's pointing at. It's made of leather and iron, located between two other armors in the cave.
"Isn't it very heavy and hot?" Sol looks at Charlotte, judging her.
"And?" Sol continues to stare, and Charlotte feels the gaze, hurrying to put on the armor.
"Now, what do I do?" Charlotte asks Sol thoughtfully. She wonders if the training will begin right away.
"Your basic training begins now. Next to the armor, there are some clothes too," Sol says, looking at Charlotte as if it's obvious.