Lucas wandered aimlessly through the streets, his mind drifting between thoughts. He was so absorbed that he didn't notice the figure walking toward him until it was too late.
Thud.
He stumbled slightly as he bumped into someone. Startled, Lucas looked up, his lips already forming an apology. "Uh, so—"
The words caught in his throat. He blinked several times, unsure if his eyes were playing tricks on him. Standing before him was a man—a human.
For a moment, Lucas could only stare. The man was unlike anyone he had ever seen. His unruly red hair caught the sunlight, and his single visible eye, a deep brown, studied Lucas with suspicion. A black eyepatch covered his left eye, adding to his rugged appearance. He wore a long black cloak, its edges slightly frayed, and Lucas could just make out the hilt of a sword peeking from beneath it. Everything about the man screamed danger—and experience.
But none of that mattered to Lucas. What mattered was the unmistakable fact that he wasn't alone. Another human, here in the land of elves.
The man's voice broke the silence. "What are you staring at, kid?" His tone was gruff but not unkind. His brow furrowed slightly as he leaned closer, examining Lucas more closely. "Wait... are you a human?"
Lucas blinked again, snapping out of his stupor. His lips curled into a smile, one of relief and excitement. "Yeah, and I'm guessing you are too?"
The man raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Isn't that obvious, kid?"
Lucas frowned at his tone. "What do you mean, 'not obvious'? You asked me first!"
The man smirked slightly, but the expression didn't last. His gaze sharpened, and he took a small step back. "Never mind that," he said, his voice lowering. "How did you get here, kid?"
"Huh?" Lucas tilted his head. "What do you mean?"
The man crossed his arms, his cloak shifting slightly to reveal more of the sword's hilt. "I mean, how did you manage to get here? This isn't exactly a place people just stumble into. Wait..." His eyes narrowed. "Do you have allies with you?"
Lucas shook his head quickly. "No, I don't. Well, I guess I have a friend, but if you mean other humans, then no."
The man's expression hardened as he studied Lucas. "No way," he muttered. "There's no way you got here alone unless..." His voice trailed off as his gaze swept over Lucas from head to toe.
Lucas shifted uncomfortably under the scrutiny. "Unless what?" he asked cautiously.
"Unless you're strong. Really strong. Are you an S-ranker?" The man's voice grew serious. "If you are, what the hell are you doing here?"
Lucas blinked in confusion. "Huh, what are you talking about?"
The man let out a long sigh, rubbing his temple as if trying to find patience. "Don't play dumb with me, kid. The only way to get here is through the danger zone—that forest surrounding this land." His voice grew graver as he continued. "And let me tell you, it's not just any forest. We're talking about an enormous, sprawling wilderness that stretches endlessly in every direction around the Land of Blossoming Flowers. It's like a natural wall, sealing this place off from the outside world."
He gestured broadly, as though outlining the forest's enormity. "It's filled with dangers—monsters that wouldn't think twice about tearing you apart, bandits who prey on anyone foolish enough to try their luck to go through the forest. The trees there aren't just tall—they're ancient, gnarled things that block out the sky. Travelers call it the 'Barrier Forest' for a reason. It's what keeps this land hidden and protected from the rest of the world."
Kael narrowed his gaze, his tone sharp. "To even reach this place, you'd have to cross that forest—no roads, no safe paths, just pure chaos. It's a gauntlet of death. The fact that you're standing here alive? Either you're hiding something, or you've got abilities you're not telling me about. No ordinary human could survive that."
Lucas's eyes widened as he listened. The man's words painted a picture of a world far more treacherous than he had imagined. He recalled waking up on the mountaintop when he first arrived, descending through a smaller forest that, while eerie, hadn't seemed so dangerous.
'I must have already been inside the Barrier Forest when I woke up from this world,' Lucas realized.
'Just how big is this land? Back then I walked so far, and didn't even stumble upon a single house.' Lucas muttered to himself, almost in awe.
The man frowned seeing the confusion on Lucas' face, he was realizing something. "Don't tell me..." He leaned closer, studying Lucas's face carefully. "You really don't know anything, do you? Were you adopted or something? Maybe an elf found you and took you in?"
"Adopted?!" Lucas blurted, his voice rising in surprise.
The man nodded firmly. "Yeah, it makes sense. Look at your ears—they're round, not pointed like theirs. That's a dead giveaway you're not one of them. Sorry to break it to you, kid, but if you're here, someone must have taken you in when you were too young to remember."
Lucas stared at the man, his mouth hanging open. He had to fight the urge to laugh at the absurd conclusion. 'Well,' he thought, 'I guess that works as an excuse.'
Before Lucas could say anything, the man interrupted. "Anyway, the name's Kael Deryn. I'm an S-rank swordsman from Avaloria Kingdom." His tone carried a hint of pride as he straightened his posture. "Surely you've heard of it, right?"
Lucas's jaw dropped. "Seriously?!"