How many hours had it been? Two? Three?
There was no way to tell. He had no clock or watch to check the time, and he lacked the knowledge to read it from the position of the sun.
"I wish I could tell time by looking at the sun," he muttered under his breath. Lying under the massive tree, he listened to the rustling of its leaves as a soft breeze blew through. The branches above swayed gently, their movements creating a calming rhythm. Every now and then, a leaf would break free and drift lazily down to the ground, landing softly nearby.
Near him, the woman was still unconscious. He glanced at her, then shifted her closer to the shade under the tree. Her skin, smooth and untouched by the harshness of the sun, seemed too perfect to risk any harm. He told himself it wasn't concern, just practicality.
As he sat back, another leaf floated down, landing just within reach. He picked it up, running his fingers along its smooth, delicate surface. The tiny veins etched into it were faint but intricate, like nature's own design. Without much thought, he flicked his wrist and sent the leaf flying toward a tree that stood far away from their spot.
The leaf shot forward faster than his eyes could follow. It spun in the air, its edges blurring as it moved, cutting through the space like a blade. When it struck the distant tree, it didn't stop or bounce off—it sliced cleanly through the thick trunk as though the wood was nothing but soft butter.
The sound of the falling tree was loud and heavy, echoing across the quiet forest. The crash shook the ground slightly, sending birds bursting from the nearby trees in a frenzy of flapping wings and startled cries as they scattered in every direction.
"Well," he said, sitting up and looking at the fallen tree with a hint of amusement. "That was something." He glanced down at his hand, then back at the jagged stump where the tree had once stood tall. "Even something as light as a leaf can become this powerful when thrown by me."
The idea intrigued him, and his thoughts wandered. What would happen if he threw something sharper—like a needle—from a much greater height, perhaps from space itself? Would it tear through the ground and create unimaginable destruction? Or would it burn away before it could reach its target? It was a question he would save for another time, something to test later.
Right now, his focus returned to the woman. She stirred slightly, her breathing changing as her body began to move. She was waking up. He stood, brushing himself off, and prepared to greet her.
A grin spread across his face as he thought, It's time to see how well my role-play works. I'll finally use the lines I've always wanted to say!
He had no doubt that she would be terrified when she saw him. After all, humans were raised to fear the devil, and whether or not he was the true devil didn't matter. If she believed he was, it was enough.
The woman's eyes fluttered open, her expression hazy and confused. Her gaze darted around as if trying to piece together where she was. Slowly, her breathing changed—first shallow, then suddenly stopping as her eyes locked on him.
"Greetings, woman," he said in a deep, theatrical voice, bowing slightly. "I hope you had a pleasant sleep." Straightening up, he ran his fingers through his dark hair and let a devilish grin stretch across his face.
The woman's reaction was immediate. She let out a piercing scream, scrambling backward until her back hit the rough bark of the tree.
"Who... who are you?" she asked, her voice trembling.
Satan grinned widely and stepped back, stopping just a few feet away from her, he needed some distance, and took a dramatic pose.
"I am the fallen one. The serpent in the garden. The first deceiver. The father of sin. The lord of destruction. The prime evil. I could list my titles and names for days, mortal, but for simplicity's sake, you may call me Satan," he declared, his voice dripping with theatrical flair.
This was actually not the usual introduction when he role-played online in World Without Grace. His guildmates were hardcore roleplayers, maybe even more dedicated than he was, and told them to change his introduction speech as it was not dramatic enough, so here he had made it a bit more dramatic.
"Satan..." the woman whispered. "You mean the Devil? That Satan?"
"Yes, the very same," he said with a wide grin with excitement on his face, as a feeling of euphoria surged through his body. It was almost like he was getting in heat... you know, like the type a man would be when he does things with a woman in bed.
"Now, now... don't be afraid of me," he added, speaking in a softer, almost caring tone. "If I hadn't caught you mid-air, you wouldn't be alive to have this conversation."
"You saved me?" the woman asked, surprised, she couldn't understand why would the individual who called himself the devil save her life, wasn't he supposed to be a being of pure evil?
"Yes, I did. Don't make me repeat myself, woman. I don't like it," Satan replied, keeping up his role. "Now, answer the question."
Then tears welled up in the woman's eyes.
Huh? She is crying, why? he wondered.
He couldn't understand it. The woman had just met him, and now she was crying. Was it the fear? The shock? Or perhaps it was something else entirely? He stared at her, trying to make sense of her reaction. What could be so overwhelming that it would bring her to tears?
"It happened out of nowhere..." the woman's voice trembled as she continued, "We were playing together when suddenly a boy dressed in leaves and cobwebs appeared, holding a sword and a dagger, with a flute tied to his waist. He grabbed her forcefully. I tried to stop him, but he was far stronger than me." Her voice shook. "He grew annoyed, lifted me with some strange force, and with just a glare, hurled me high into the sky."
"I see..." Satan said, nodding as he processed the information. Oof... I wasn't expecting that. But there's only one person I know who dresses in clover leaves and cobwebs... carrying a sword, a dagger, and a flute...
He hesitated.
Being in another world—or perhaps finding himself in the same kind of world as his game character—was one thing. But this? This was ridiculous. Still, if transmigration—or isekai—was real, then anything was possible.
"Woman, how familiar are you with fairy tales?" Satan asked. It felt absurd to ask, but he needed confirmation, since not everyone knew about fairy tales, and he wished she knew, otherwise this was going to take a long time to explain.
"Not much," the woman replied.
"Oh..." Satan said, with a disappointed tone.
Then, realization hit the woman. "Are you saying the person who kidnapped my daughter is a fairy tale character?"
"Yes," Satan said grimly. "Even I found it hard to believe... Where I came from, fairy tales were just stories. But here? Perhaps not."
"Where you came from?" the woman asked, "You mean Hell, right?"
Shit! Shit! Shit! My mouth slipped!
He internally panicked, but managed to keep his face calm.
"There's no need for you to know that, for that was nothing but something left to be forgotten," he added, "Now, coming to the culprit, there's only one person who fits that description."
"Who?" she asked quickly.
"None other than the infamous Peter Pan," Satan said.
"Peter Pan?" she repeated, stunned. "The boy who takes children to Neverland so they never grow up and live happily among fairies? That Peter Pan?"
"Huh? I thought you said you didn't know about fairy tales, but you know about Peter Pan?" Satan said. "You lying to me."
"No! It's something I saw on my phone," the woman answered.
Satan just nodded his head.
"But I don't understand, why would he kidnap my daughter? Isn't he supposed to be a good guy, who only takes unhappy and neglected children? But I never neglected my child or made her unhappy."
"Oh, so you've also been blinded by the sugarcoated version," Satan said coldly. He always got annoyed by the fact that people believed the childish version of fairy tales that were altered to make them so-called "appropriate." "Contrary to popular belief, fairy tales weren't created to teach good morals but to instill fear and caution. Most original fairy tale characters are dark and twisted, and Peter Pan is no exception. Neverland isn't the paradise it's made out to be."
The woman's face turned pale with fear. "What's going to happen to my daughter?"
"In Neverland, she'll gradually forget you. She'll live there for years with Peter Pan and the other children until she begins to age. Neverland doesn't grant eternal youth—it only slows aging. Once she grows older, Peter Pan will kill her or banish her to some unknown place, as he moves on to his next victim… or, as he calls them, his next 'friend,'" Satan explained. "It's a never-ending cycle."
The woman gasped in horror, her hands covering her mouth as she processed the grim fate of her daughter.
"Peter Pan isn't some innocent boy. He's a cruel, selfish, and deranged creature," Satan added. He knew well, from the original stories, how twisted Peter Pan's obsession with preserving the innocence of childhood was... it was almost perverse in nature, one could even call him a pedophile... not actually but borderline. It's hard to tell; despite looking like a child and having childlike behavior, Pan's age was certainly not that of a child.
"You have to save her—please!" the woman begged, clasping her hands.
"And why should I?" Satan said. He wasn't exactly a good guy, and helping this woman was hardly something he'd usually do. The truth was, while he did save her, it was more because he was surprised to see her falling from the sky than anything else. Plus, there was something about her—a mature woman who had aged well, almost like fine wine. That type of beauty was his weakness, and he couldn't help but be drawn to her.
But even with that, Satan knew there was no way he would fight an unknown enemy without knowing their power. He had no idea what kind of abilities Peter Pan had, and that uncertainty made things dangerous.
If it had been another player—someone like the guildmates he faced in the game, for example—Satan would've been confident in his own strength. He had exceptional PvP (player vs player) skills, and he knew a lot about different battle techniques. He had been through many fights, and his knowledge of skills made him a tough opponent.
But Peter Pan was different. He was a genuine supernatural being.
That alone made Satan nervous—what if Peter Pan's strength far surpassed his own? He might be walking into a situation where he was completely outmatched, and that kind of risk wasn't something Satan usually took lightly.
"I'll do anything! Anything you say and give anything of mine I could, money, my soul, or even my body!"
Wait... did she just say anything?
Now that the word "anything" had tempted Satan, he wondered if helping her meant he could do anything to her, a thought that briefly stirred a wave of paranoia in him. However, he quickly pulled himself back from it, knowing that was a very dangerous line to cross.
"Choose your words carefully, woman," Satan warned. "They may lead you to something you'll regret."
"No... I've made up my mind. I'll do anything. Even sell my soul to you. Just please bring my daughter back," she cried.
He couldn't believe he was actually feeling bad for her.
"Fine, I will," Satan said. It wouldn't suit him to deny the woman help—not after she said she would do anything. "But do you have something of your daughter's? I need a personal item to locate her."
In his inventory, he had a special item that required something personal to open a portal to the person they were seeking—or at least their closest location. One could say that it was some kind of portal opener, and something that he frequently used to travel long distances.
However, despite that, he was unsure whether it would work or not...
"My daughter's favorite teddy bear… it's in our house," the woman said urgently.
"Then let's head to your house. I'll retrieve the item, and you're coming with me. Your presence will comfort your daughter," Satan said, as there was a chance that her daughter might not be in good condition and in such situations, a mother's motherly and warm grasp was needed.
"Yes," she nodded, determined.
"This is going to be an interesting rescue mission," Satan muttered to himself, trying to show a wicked smile tugging at his lips.
I just hope I make it out of this alive...
....
"So, this is her favorite teddy..." the woman said, handing the small bear to Satan with a hint of hesitation in her voice.
Satan took the teddy bear into his hands and inspected it closely. It stood about 35 centimeters tall, its fluffy white fur soft to the touch. Around its neck was a neatly tied blue ribbon that formed a small bow, giving the toy a delicate charm. Its round, black button-like eyes seemed to gleam with innocence, and a small, stitched smile gave it a cheerful and comforting expression.
What an ugly little abomination... he thought, holding back a grimace. Why do little girls adore such things? Why not something cool, like a super-action killer psycho robot?
"This must be very special to her," he said aloud, trying to sound sincere.
"Yes, it is very special to her," the woman replied, her voice tinged with warmth. "She keeps it with her at all times, even while she sleeps. I gave it to her on her eighth birthday."
"I see..." Satan murmured. It wasn't hard to understand. Children often formed emotional bonds with toys, treating them as cherished companions. He considered the thought for a moment before asking, "What about her father? Where is he?"
The moment the words left his mouth, he regretted them. He felt as though he had just stepped into a minefield.
"I don't have a husband," the woman replied after a brief pause. Her voice was steady, though there was a trace of discomfort. "I'm a single mother... sort of."
Single mother? Ready to mingle!
"What a jackpot..." Satan muttered under his breath, a disgusting grin briefly crossing his face.
"Jackpot? What?" the woman asked, her tone shifting to one of unease as she began to feel uncomfortable.
"Nothing, nothing!" Satan quickly corrected himself, shaking off his inappropriate thoughts. He cleared his throat, putting on his most innocent expression. "I was just thinking... how can a woman as beautiful as you remain single? And to be a mother on top of that? Is your husband... even alive?"
The woman's face darkened slightly as she replied, "My husband died years ago. In a car accident."
"Oh..." Satan said, unsure how to respond. He really shouldn't have pried into someone's personal life like that. The mood between them turned awkward for a moment before he decided to refocus on the task at hand.
Reaching into his inventory, Satan pulled out a feather.
The feather was stunning, almost otherworldly. Its white surface was pristine, like freshly fallen snow, and its edges shimmered faintly with a radiant glow. The inner part of the feather gleamed with a soft, sky-blue hue that shifted gently as light touched it, giving it a mesmerizing, ethereal quality. At its tip, the feather glinted with a silvery sheen, and the end had a crystalline texture.
The woman's eyes widened slightly at the sight. It was the most beautiful feather she had ever seen.
"Don't be mesmerized by it; it's nothing but a simple R-rank item," Satan said casually. Then, as if remembering something, he added, "By the way, I forgot to ask for your name... and your daughter's. I need to know her name to find her. It's a requirement for this item."
"It's Tachibana Yuko—or Yuko Tachibana—and my daughter's name is Yukari," the woman replied.
"Well then..." Satan said as he gently pierced the teddy's head with the quill of the feather. "Move aside a bit," he instructed Yuko. Then, in a commanding tone, he continued, "Oh, Feather of Wants, open a portal to the land where Yukari Tachibana, the owner of this item, is located."
The feather began to glow. Satan plucked it out, handed the teddy bear back to Yuko, and hurled the glowing feather toward the wall.
"This will lead us to the nearest place where your daughter is being held. There may be enemies ahead—perhaps many. I might have to kill, torture for information, or even tempt them," Satan said, slipping into his devilish persona. Then, giving Yuko a serious look, he added, "No matter what happens, do not leave my side. Do you understand?"
Yuko nodded resolutely.
As soon as the feather struck the wall, it shattered like delicate glass, sending shimmering fragments flying in all directions. The broken pieces hung in the air, glittering like tiny stars. Slowly, the fragments began to gather together, swirling in a circular motion. The movement quickened, forming a glowing spiral that grew larger and brighter until it became a portal.
On the other side of the portal, they could see an image of a lush, green land stretching into the distance.
"Are you ready?" Satan asked, looking at Yuko, who nodded in response.
He extended his hand toward her.