"Ryu…"
"…Sui!"
Ugh…
[Progress...80%]
The voice pierced through the haze, sharp and insistent.
Groaning, Ryusui pushed himself up, his hands sinking into soft dirt. His head throbbed as his eyes adjusted to the dim light filtering through the canopy of dense, twisted trees. Shadows danced across the uneven ground, and the earthy smell of moss and decay filled the air.
'Where… am I?'
His breath caught as he looked down at his hands—still human. His pale skin was unmarred, his fingers familiar. Relief surged for a moment, but it was short-lived. Reaching up to wipe sweat from his brow, his fingers brushed against something alien.
Long, pointed ears.
Turning his head slightly, his gaze fell on a sleek, flexible tail swaying behind him. The smooth, interlocking scales glinted faintly, and its rounded tip twitched slightly, as though alive.
"What the…" he whispered, his voice trembling.
His attention shifted to his clothes. He was wearing a coarse, beige tunic paired with simple, dark trousers. The fabric was rough, clearly handmade, and his scuffed leather boots looked like something from a medieval story.
'I… I died. The school collapsed. Haruto… he saved me.'
Images flashed—Haruto's desperate face, his outstretched hand, the ceiling crashing down.
'And now… I'm here. Why?'
His chest tightened. The grief was raw, and guilt clawed at him as the memory replayed in his mind.
"Haruto… I'm sorry," he whispered.
A low growl shattered the stillness.
Emerging from the shadows, the wolf stepped into view. Its wiry, muscular frame moved with a predatory grace. Its fur alternated between stark black and white, shimmering unnaturally, each strand resembling sharpened blades. Its crimson eyes glowed with a malice that felt almost human.
The wolf's lips curled back, revealing fangs that were jagged and razor-sharp. Saliva dripped from its maw, hissing as it hit the mossy ground.
'That thing isn't natural,' Ryusui thought, his heart pounding.
The wolf began to circle him, its movements deliberate and predatory.
Grabbing a thick branch from the ground, Ryusui held it in front of him like a shield.
The wolf lunged without warning, a blur of black and white.
Ryusui barely dodged, rolling to the side as its claws raked through the air where he'd been. Blood dripped from his arm where the wolf's fur had grazed him. The pain was sharp, searing, and immediate.
'Even its fur is a weapon.'
The wolf turned, pacing back and forth, its crimson eyes never leaving Ryusui.
'It's testing me. It knows I'm weak.'
The creature lunged again, and Ryusui swung the branch with all his strength. The impact struck its shoulder, forcing it back a step, but the wolf barely flinched. Instead, it snarled, shaking itself as if mocking him.
The wolf charged, and Ryusui threw the branch at its face. The wolf batted it aside with its claws, its movements fluid and precise.
'I can't win like this. It's too fast, too strong.'
His eyes darted to the clearing, scanning for anything he could use. A jagged rock caught his eye, half-buried near the roots of a massive tree.
The wolf lunged again, and Ryusui dodged, letting the creature's momentum carry it forward.
He grabbed the rock and turned just as the wolf spun to attack again.
The creature leapt, and Ryusui dropped to the ground, sliding beneath its razor-like fur. As the wolf landed, Ryusui surged forward, slamming the rock into its hind leg.
The wolf yelped, its movements faltering for the first time.
'It's not invincible.'
But the creature wasn't done. It turned sharply, its claws tearing through the ground as it charged again. Ryusui rolled to the side, leading the wolf toward the tangle of roots.
At the last moment, he dove forward, grabbing another rock. The wolf's claws caught in the roots, tangling it briefly.
Seizing the opportunity, Ryusui leapt onto its back, driving the rock into its neck.
The wolf howled, thrashing violently as its razor-sharp fur cut into Ryusui's arms and legs. Blood sprayed across the clearing, and his vision blurred from the pain.
"Haruto… you didn't save me for this," Ryusui growled through clenched teeth. "I'll live. For you."
With a final, guttural snarl, the wolf collapsed, its body convulsing before going still.
Ryusui staggered back, his body trembling. Blood dripped from his wounds, staining the moss beneath him.
But the wolf's body twitched one last time. Its fur bristled and shot out like needles, embedding sharp strands into Ryusui's legs and arms.
Pain shot through him like fire. His muscles seized, and he collapsed to the ground, unable to move.
A low, guttural snarl broke the silence.
From the shadows emerged a goblin, its hunched form grotesque. Its green skin glistened with grime, and its beady black eyes gleamed with malice. It grinned, revealing jagged, yellow teeth, and clutched a crude, bloodstained dagger.
The dagger rose—
But before it could strike, the goblin froze mid-motion. Its beady eyes widened in terror as it clawed at its throat, choking on invisible air.
A boy stepped into the clearing, his dark brown hair messy but purposeful. His light armor bore scratches from battle, and a longsword hung at his side. His piercing eyes glinted as he extended a hand, mana swirling faintly around his fingers.
With a flick of his wrist, the goblin's struggles ceased, and its lifeless body fell to the ground.
"Are you alright?" the boy asked, his voice steady but firm.
Ryusui tried to respond, but exhaustion overwhelmed him. Darkness claimed him once more.
When Ryusui woke, the soft crackle of a campfire greeted him. He lay on a rough, medieval-like futon, his wounds neatly bandaged with strips of coarse fabric.
The boy who had saved him sat nearby, tending to a pot suspended over the fire. The faint aroma of herbs filled the air, blending with the earthy scent of the forest. The boy's light armor, scratched and weathered, reflected the firelight faintly, and his sword lay within arm's reach.
"You're awake," the boy said, glancing at him briefly.
Ryusui winced as he tried to sit up, his body protesting with every movement.
"Don't move too much. You're lucky to be alive," the boy added, his tone matter-of-fact.
Ryusui stared at him for a moment, taking in the boy's calm demeanor.
"You… saved me."
The boy nodded.
"I did."
"Thank you," Ryusui said quietly. He hesitated before asking, "What's your name?"
The boy straightened, wiping his hands on his trousers.
"Bell von Ashenfort."
"Bell," Ryusui repeated, the name unfamiliar but grounding. "I'm Ryusui Itsuki."
Bell tilted his head slightly.
"Ryusui. Strange name."
"I could say the same about yours," Ryusui retorted, managing a faint smirk despite his exhaustion.
Bell chuckled softly.
"Fair enough."
Ryusui's gaze drifted to the flames, the events of the day flooding back.
"Bell… what is this place?"
"This forest? It's part of the Ashenwood, on the outskirts of the Velnar Kingdom," Bell replied, stirring the pot.
Ryusui's brow furrowed.
"Velnar Kingdom?"
Bell turned to look at him, a hint of suspicion in his gaze.
"Yes… the year is 8686, in case you're about to ask."
Ryusui blinked, his heart skipping a beat.
'8686? What the hell? That's over six thousand years from 2024…'
"You seriously didn't know that?" Bell asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Where are you from, exactly?"
Ryusui hesitated. His mind raced for an explanation, something plausible enough to buy him time.
"I… don't remember," he said finally, his voice faltering slightly.
Bell's expression didn't change, but he didn't press further.
"Amnesia?"
"Something like that," Ryusui replied, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "I just… woke up in the forest. Everything before that is a blur."
Bell studied him for a moment, then shrugged.
"Convenient," he muttered, turning back to the fire. "But if you've really lost your memory, you're in for a tough time. This isn't exactly a kind world for the clueless."
As they continued to talk, Ryusui's gaze wandered to a strange, vibrant fruit hanging from a low branch nearby. Its surface was smooth, and its color shifted subtly, like the iridescent scales of a fish.
Curiosity piqued, he reached out to grab it.
"Don't touch that," Bell said sharply, swatting his hand away.
Ryusui recoiled, startled.
"What? It's just a fruit!"
Bell chuckled, shaking his head.
"That's a Deathblossom. One bite of that, and you'll be dead before you can even regret it."
Ryusui raised an eyebrow.
"Seriously? Who names these things?"
Bell smirked.
"Nature doesn't care about names, but the name fits. I'm surprised you don't even know that… even when you live on Earth."
Ryusui froze. The casual mention struck him harder than he expected.
"Wait… Earth? This is Earth?"
Bell tilted his head, puzzled.
"Of course it is. What else would it be?"
Ryusui's mind raced. 'It doesn't make sense. This… this isn't the Earth I know. The year… the kingdoms… everything is different.'
Bell, noticing his silence, leaned back against a tree trunk.
"You've really lost it, huh? You might want to figure things out before you go wandering into Baldour City. They don't take kindly to the clueless."
"Baldour City?" Ryusui asked.
Bell nodded.
"It's the nearest city from here. If you want answers—or just a roof over your head—you'll need to start there."
Ryusui stared into the fire, the embers glowing like tiny stars in the darkness. 'Baldour City… I need to go there. If I'm going to survive—and find out why I'm still alive—I can't stay here.'
Bell stretched, yawning slightly.
"We'll head out at dawn. Get some rest while you can."
Ryusui lay back on the futon, his thoughts heavy with unanswered questions. As exhaustion began to claim him, one thought lingered above the rest:
'Haruto… I promise I won't waste the second chance you gave me.'
After seeing Ryusui drift into a restless sleep, Bell sat by the dying embers of the campfire, his gaze lingering on the boy. He tilted his head, his brows furrowed in thought.
"An elf?" he murmured to himself, studying the pointed ears peeking through Ryusui's disheveled hair. "No… not quite."
His eyes traveled lower, catching sight of the sleek, scaled tail that swayed slightly even in sleep. The faint firelight danced across its hexagonal patterns, giving it an almost metallic sheen.
"A hybrid?" Bell whispered, his tone both curious and wary. "But of what?"
He shook his head, leaning back against a tree. The forest around them fell silent, save for the occasional rustle of leaves in the wind. With a sigh, Bell tossed another log onto the fire and stretched out, his armor clinking softly.
"Whatever he is… I'll figure it out later."
And with that, Bell let his weariness take over, falling into a light sleep under the canopy of stars.