That's when her brain processed what she was seeing.
A giant backside with a loincloth was right in front of her.
Milena felt a chill run down her spine.
—W-what the hell is going on...? —she whispered, her eyes wide open.
She tried to move her arms but realized she was tied to a pole. Her body hung upside down, held by two enormous orcs carrying her like a hunting trophy.
—Wait...? —her face turned pale. —No... I can't move my hands.
In that instant, the truth hit her mind like a hammer.
—WHAT?! WHATEEEEEE?! —she screamed, writhing in panic. —WHERE ARE YOU TAKING ME, YOU DAMNED?! LET ME GO NOW, YOU PIGS!!!
The orcs, who appeared to be primitive warriors, let out a guttural laugh.
One of them, with greenish skin and scars on his face, growled something in his rough language:
—That beautiful Oni woman... she must taste good.
The other orc, bulkier and with yellowing teeth, nodded enthusiastically.
—Yes... we are lucky. Finally found person to eat. Since she fell from the sky... it's a great divine miracle from the gods.
Milena turned pale with fear.
Eat...?
—E-eat...? —she murmured with a trembling voice.
Her mind exploded in panic as she finally understood what they wanted to do with her.
THEY WERE GOING TO DEVOUR HER!
—HELP MEEEEEE! EAT?! HAAAAAAAHHHH!
Her scream resonated so loudly that the birds in the nearby trees flew off in a panic.
Her eyes trembled, her skin was cold with sweat, and her legs kept twisting in a desperate attempt to free herself.
—This is going from bad to worse! This is the worst trip of my life! I should have left when I had the chance!
Milena began to cry.
—THIS IS THE WORST WORLD EEEEEEEVER!
One of the orcs, carrying the Universal Compass, looked at Milena with confusion.
—Horned woman cries... must be happy to be a great tribute for our feast tonight.
Milena screamed with all her might in her mind.
"YOU'RE WRONG, YOU DAMNED! WHO WOULD BE HAPPY KNOWING THEY'RE GOING TO BE EATEN?!"
Then, her eyes widened further when she saw the orc start shaking her Universal Compass as if it were a broken toy.
—LET GO OF THAT! —she roared angrily. —IT'S MY ONLY WAY OUT OF THIS WORLD! IF YOU KEEP DOING THAT, YOU'RE GOING TO BREAK IT!
The orc looked at the compass, scratching his head in confusion when it didn't react to his movements. In the end, with a shrug, he put it in a leather pouch made from the skin of a giant bear they used as a pack animal.
The orcs continued walking carefree, ignoring the shouts of the captive Oni.
Milena, with a twisted face and a broken soul, could only think of one thing:
—HOW AM I GOING TO GET OUT OF THISSSSSS?!
Milena was tied to a thick log, surrounded by orcs on all sides.
The village was a bustling, rustic place, with enormous wooden huts and animal skins hanging as decoration. Orcs of all ages wandered through the village: women, elders, and children, all with greenish skin, prominent tusks, and clothes made from the hides of wild beasts.
The orc children gathered around her, staring at her with curiosity.
—Look, look! Strange horned woman.
—She has soft skin, like a baby pig.
—Can we eat her now?
One of the children pulled her cheek, another poked her forehead with a stick, and one more tugged her hair hard.
—Ugh! Leave me alone, you wild little monsters! —she growled, struggling against her restraints.
At that moment, an adult orc scolded the children with a grunt:
—Leave the food woman alone! She's not for playing.
Milena felt a nervous twitch in her eye.
—I'M NOT FOOD, FOR GOD'S SAKE! —she protested desperately.
She looked around, analyzing her situation.
—"I can't get out of here like this... If I could burn the rope with fire, maybe I could free myself... But I can't leave without my compass. I need to locate it first."
Her mind worked quickly on a plan.
Then, a memory crossed her mind.
—"I hate this! I really hate this!" —she thought angrily.
She remembered the words of the Spirit Lord when he sent her to this world.
—"Absorb the energy of this world, Milena. And come back to give me your report."
—"But I'm not even good at combat! Look where I am now?! A beautiful and delicate woman like me shouldn't be going through all THIS!!!"
Her heartbreaking scream echoed throughout the village, making all the orcs turn to look at her with alarmed faces.
There was an awkward silence.
Then, a female orc crossed her arms and commented with annoyance:
—That food you brought is very noisy.
The orc who captured her shrugged and replied:
—You'll get used to it. All beautiful women like her always complain.
The female orc frowned, feeling offended.
—You mean to say I'm ugly and she's prettier than me?
—N-no, I didn't mean that! —the orc sweat coldly upon seeing the murderous look from his wife.
Meanwhile, the afternoon began to fall, tinting the sky with a deep orange hue.
Milena watched in horror as the orcs brought a huge metal pot to the center of the village. They lit a fire and began filling it with water and vegetables.
One of the largest orcs raised his arms and announced in a deep voice:
—It's almost time for the feast!
The orcs cheered with excitement.
Milena swallowed hard, feeling her stomach turn.
—"Damn, I don't have much time left! I need to get out of here now!"
That's when something shiny caught her attention.
A few meters away, among a pile of bags full of stolen goods, she saw her Universal Compass.
Her eyes sparkled with hope.
—Alright... I got it.
Two enormous, rough hands grabbed Milena by the shoulders and yanked her out of the makeshift cage where she had been tied.
—Get up, food.
The orc shoved her roughly, causing her to stumble forward.
—Take it easy, savage! —she growled, glaring at him angrily—. Don't you know how to treat a woman?
The orc simply snorted and forced her to keep walking.
But in Milena's mind, things were different.
—"Those fools didn't see it coming…"
A cunning smile formed on her face as she walked among the orcs.
—"I used a bit of electric magic, creating small waves to loosen the rope without them noticing… Now, I just need the perfect moment to free myself."
The village was in a festive uproar. Orcs were raising torches and singing as they made way for Milena. The path was decorated with beast pelts, and the sound of war drums echoed loudly.
Ahead of them, a large stone statue stood on a platform.
It was the image of a being in white, with features hidden under a hood. Its face was unreadable, leaving it unclear whether it was a man or a woman.
One of the orcs extended his arms and shouted with devotion:
—Prepare for this great feast, thanks to the God of White!
The others cheered enthusiastically.
Milena frowned as she looked at the statue.
—God of White? I've never heard of him… and right now, I don't care.
Then, the moment arrived.
With an agile movement, she flipped in the air, releasing an electric explosion from her body, breaking the ropes instantly.
A blue flash lit up the village.
The orcs stood frozen, staring at her in surprise.
An uncomfortable silence filled the air.
Until the orc leader roared:
—The food is rebelling! Catch her!
Milena didn't waste any time.
—See you never, idiots!
She ran with all her strength.
Her legs were propelled by electric shocks, increasing her speed until she became a fleeting lightning bolt.
She reached out and grabbed her Universal Compass from the pile of bags without stopping.
The orcs chased her, throwing axes, spears, and stones.
—SLIPPERY HORNY ONE!
—DON'T LET HER ESCAPE!
The sound of their steps shook the ground.
But Milena kept running, dodging their attacks with superhuman reflexes.
—"I have to get out of here!"
Until…
She found herself at the edge of a cliff.
Her heart stopped.
Beneath her feet, a river roared powerfully, filled with sharp rocks.
—NO, NOT AGAIN!
The orcs were quickly closing in, surrounding her.
There was no other choice.
—DAMN IT!
She jumped.
The wind hit her face as she plummeted.
—WHY AGAINNNN!
SPLASH
She fell straight into the turbulent river, disappearing into the current.
The orcs peered over the edge of the cliff.
One shrugged and murmured:
—Well... the food is gone. Now the food must be with the angels.
The orc leader nodded.
—Let's go back to the village.
And so, they left calmly, as if nothing had happened.
The roar of the water devoured everything.
Milena struggled against the violent currents of the river, her body spinning uncontrollably among the foam and bubbles.
Every time she tried to move an arm, the force of the water dragged her even faster.
With great effort, she managed to tuck her Universal Compass into her clothes, holding it tightly against her chest.
But her stamina was reaching its limit.
—I should have learned to swim when I had the chance! —she yelled desperately.
Then, the current hurled her without warning.
Her eyes widened.
In front of her, the abyss.
A deafening roar engulfed her as she plummeted down the waterfall.
—THERE ARE WORSE DESTINIES THAN DEATHHH!
And she fell.
Near the waterfall...
Jiro splashed in the water, diving in and resurfacing with a relaxed smile.
Next to him, Kogorō, the grumpy floating spirit, watched with his arms crossed.
—Jiro, we should hurry and find that Milena before it gets dark.
The boy blew bubbles in the water before responding.
—Just give me a little more time, Kogorō...
The spirit huffed, annoyed.
But then...
A blood-curdling scream echoed from above.
They both looked up just in time to see a body falling rapidly from the waterfall.
—WHAT? —Jiro exclaimed.
—HELP, I CAN'T SWIM! —Milena screamed... before crashing into the water.
Jiro's eyes went wide.
—Look, Kogorō... IT'S MILENAAAA!
Hours later...
Milena woke up feeling the cold of the night on her skin.
The four moons shone in the starry sky, illuminating the place where she lay.
Around her, the smell of roasted fish filled the air.
Her stomach growled loudly.
Jiro laughed, offering her a piece of fish with a big smile.
—Come on, eat something.
Milena didn't respond immediately.
She looked at him warily.
All the misery of the past few days had been because of him.
First, she had been dragged into this world, then hunted like an animal by orcs and almost devoured at a feast.
All… because of that half-blooded boy.
Jiro noticed her expression.
—Hey... I'm sorry if I got you into trouble.
Milena turned her gaze away, saying nothing.
But then, Jiro asked something unexpected:
—Do you know how to get to the Spirit Kingdom?
Milena raised an eyebrow.
—"This kid... wants to know how to get to my lord..."
A malicious smile hid on her face.
—"I'll lie to him. I won't tell him anything about the Universal Compass or the Fairy Kingdom. I'll make him travel between worlds aimlessly… that'll get him off my back."
Kogorō, beside her, frowned, noticing something suspicious in her attitude.
Milena sighed dramatically.
—The only way is through the loom temples that exist in each world. Only then could you find a clue.
Jiro seemed immediately convinced.
—Oh, I see! So, I just have to find those temples.
Milena smiled to herself.
—"Perfect."
Later, in the early morning...
The camp was silent.
Jiro and Kogorō slept soundly near the extinguished campfire.
Milena quietly got up, slipping away into the darkness.
—Now, foolish boy... —she whispered—. I'll make you pay by letting you travel aimlessly.
She crossed her arms, a satisfied smile on her face.
—You'll never reach the Fairy Kingdom…
—As far as I know... The Fairy Kingdom is one of the realms capable of creating talismans to access the Spirit Kingdom.
That was the only higher realm where she could find a talisman to access the Spirit Kingdom.
Without it, Jiro would be trapped, with no direction at all.
But just as she was about to leave...
She stopped.
She glanced back at Jiro's food: roasted fish, fruits, and water.
Her stomach growled.
—Mmm... I can't travel without supplies.
With a smile, she grabbed all the food before disappearing into the trees.
The sun was beginning to rise on the horizon, painting the sky with shades of orange and gold.
Milena walked down the dusty path, her gaze fixed on her Universal Compass.
The needle pointed firmly in a specific direction.
—"The next kingdom..." —she murmured to herself.
Her journey was just beginning, but at least she no longer had to deal with that annoying boy.
Suddenly, the sound of creaking wheels interrupted the silence of the path.
A carriage was approaching slowly.
Milena stopped and observed.
The driver was an elderly man with a white beard and a traveler's hat.
Upon seeing her, he pulled on the reins and stopped the carriage.
—Good morning, young traveler! —he greeted kindly—. It seems you're heading to the next kingdom. Do you need a ride?
Milena smiled cunningly.
—Are you by any chance heading to the kingdom in front?
The man nodded.
—Yes, I am. I have business there.
Milena closed her compass with a confident smile.
—"Perfect. No more obstacles on my way."
She climbed into the carriage without hesitation.
The wheels creaked again, and the journey to the next kingdom began.
In the morning...
Jiro stretched lazily, waking up to the light of dawn.
He yawned and rubbed his eyes.
But then, his expression changed.
He looked around.
—Milena?
She wasn't there.
Neither was...
THE FOOD.
Jiro screamed in horror:
—WHERE DID OUR FOOD GO?!
Kogorō made an annoyed face.
—That witch stole it from us.
Jiro was in shock.
—MILENAAAAAA!