As the crimson light faded from around him, Noah opened his eyes as he felt solid ground beneath him. The air was cool and crisp, carrying the faint scent of morning dew and wildflowers.
He placed a hand on his chest as he felt the place where the sigil was imprinted hurting slightly. Blinking, he realized that he was neither dead nor was he back at his home. 'Fuck, did I just get transmigrated to another world?'
He slowly raised his head, the sky above him was a brilliant blue, but it wasn't the same as his earth.
Instead of one sun, there were three: one golden, one red, and one pale white, each casting an ethereal glow over the landscape. 'Fucking hell, 3 suns? How are they not colliding with each other from gravity? Or even how is this world even sustained?'
But just then, the air buzzed with the murmurs of confused voices.
Noah's gaze lowered from the sky as he looked around himself. He was standing in the middle of a small village. Roughly constructed houses with thatched roofs lined the dirt path, and the villagers dressed in simple tunic and robes stared at the newcomers.
Their expressions ranging from curiosity to pity.
Around Noah, other humans were materializing in flashes of crimson light, each bearing the same sigil glowing faintly on their chests. 'More unlucky fucks.'
As soon as getting a hold of themselves, some stumbled, disoriented from the sudden transfer, while others dropped to their knees, weeping or trembling. A few stood frozen, their eyes darting around in panic.
Noah's eyes widened as he instinctively checked his chest. The sigil was still there, etched into his skin, pulsating faintly as if connected directly to his heart.
He swallowed hard, finally realizing the deep shit he was in. 'Fuck, I'm really not on earth? I just hope this world is not like Protect The Titan or Devilwoman Laughbaby.'
The villagers began to gather around the newcomers, whispering among themselves. Some pointed at the weeping people, their faces showing either amusement or concern.
From among the group of villagers, a man stepped forward. His thick beard and weathered face showed his years of experience, and his movements carried the confidence of someone in a higher position.
The man coughed and cleared his throat, and the murmuring voices from the villagers quieted down.
His voice was deep and calm, reaching the ears of even those who were going crazy due to the extreme simulation, "Everyone, listen carefully," he began, addressing the group of roughly 30 humans who had appeared. "I know you're scared. I know you are confused. But you need to calm down and li-"
"Calm down?" A fierce-looking man in his forties stepped forward, his face contorted with anger, "Are you with that monstrosity that brought us here?" His voice was sharp, cutting through the air as he pointed a finger toward the man.
'Is this an idiot? If he was with that monstrosity he wouldn't be calming down you ass.' Noah thought to himself looking at the man.
The bearded man's expression didn't change in the slightest. He raised his hand, palm outward, in a calming gesture, "I understand your anger," he said, doing his best to seem gentle, "But I assure you, we are not your enemies. We've been through this as well."
"Through this?" a young woman from the group cried out, her voice trembling. "What is this? Where are we? Why did that thing choose us?"
The bearded man nodded solemnly. "This is the Eternal Bloodlands," he said. His words filled with such weight that made everyone's heart drop. "You've been brought here to survive. To fight. To grow stronger. It's not fair, and it's not kind, but it's the reality you face now. The reality we faced long ago."
'Fuck, you could have softened your words a little.' Noah groaned inwardly.
Chaotic murmurs spread through the group as panic began to set in. Some shouted questions, while others clung to each other.
Noah stayed quiet, his mind racing, 'Eternal Bloodlands? Fuck why does this name seem like the place I wouldn't want to be in.'
"Silence!" the bearded man bellowed, his voice booming over the crowd.
The newcomers quieted down, their eyes locking onto him. "Listen to me carefully. If you don't get a grip on yourselves, you won't last a day here. The Bloodlands is not a playground. If you want to survive, you need to focus and work together."
'No shit,' Noah clenched his fist while his gaze darted around, looking at the villagers who didn't seem to want to die from despair, 'Phew, looks like this world isn't that harsh if the villagers can have the spare power to show pity to us.'
Noah thought before his gaze turned back to the bearded man. The bearded man continued, his tone softer now but no less strict.
"My name is Garrick," he said. "I'm the head of this village. And like you, I was once brought here from another world. I survived because I listened, because I learned. You can do the same."
A tall, thin man near Noah spoke up, his voice trembling. "What… what happens if we don't? If we can't fight?"
Garrick's eyes hardened. "Then you'll die," he said bluntly. "The monsters on the Eternal Bloodlands will not wait for you to improve by lazing around. Those mongrels roam beyond this village, ready to hunt and devour you at a moment's notice."
Noah's lips trembled at Garrick's blunt words, he took a deep breath and stepped forward, "Why us?" he asked, "Why were we specifically chosen?"
Garrick's gaze met his. "Chosen? Yes, you can indeed say you were chosen. But don't for a second think it's a second chance at life. I'm sure whatever life you had back on your home worlds was millions of times better than whatever you will have here."
"As for why you were chosen?" He paused, as if mulling over his words before he continued in a weary tone, "None of us know why the Seraph chooses its victims. But what I do know is this: you're here now. And whether you like it or not, you will need to learn how to survive."
The crowd fell silent, the gravity of Garrick's words settling over them. Noah looked at the faces around him—some tear-streaked, others pale with fear—and then back at Garrick. 'Survive huh,' he thought, 'But how?'
"Fine," Noah said, taking a deep breath, "How can we learn to survive in this world?"