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Chapter 4 – The Breath of the Earth
The sky above Terravell stretched wide and white, like a canvas left unfinished by the gods.
It was quiet—peaceful, even—as Haruto walked the stone pathways of the earthy capital. The air smelled like soil and wood and something ancient. Vines crept across buildings carved from living stone, and moss grew comfortably between road tiles, never overtaking, never messy.
Beastkin, humans, and other strange humanoids walked past him, their expressions calm, focused—none paid him much mind.
Not like Tokyo. Not like Earth.
Here, everyone seemed to belong. Even the city breathed.
---
Haruto glanced at his glowing interface again.
> 🗺️ SYSTEMATIC GUIDE – FIRST MISSION UNLOCKED
Objective: Prepare for Departure into the National Wild Woods
Location: Western Expanse of Terravell
Terrain: Deep Forest, Hills, Lake Systems
Time Limit: None
Expected Risk Level: Moderate
Checklist:
[ ] Acquire travel bag or field pouch
[ ] Gather food and basic supplies (wild-safe)
[ ] Buy or scavenge crafting materials
[ ] Obtain local map fragment (Terravell – Outer Sector)
[ ] Speak to a Slime Guide (Optional)
Note: This mission is mandatory for Adventure Mode Travelers before entering any wilderness region.
---
Haruto exhaled, feeling the subtle pulse of Vita around him. Terravell wasn't flashy like a fantasy kingdom, nor cold like a digital city. It was real—a society rooted in nature and quiet understanding.
Every shop was carved into stone or grown into wood; vendors sold dried fruit strips, flint-based tools, moss-bark potions, strange cube-food, even talking satchels made of folded leaves. He spotted a stall selling "seed bombs"—explosive plant pods used for distractions or marking ground.
The locals were calm—but everything whispered one thing:
Out there is no guarantee.
The National Wild Woods weren't just any forest. They were sprawling, ancient, and lightly mapped. The sky would darken faster there. The lakes could whisper. And beasts—some known, others undocumented—moved in silence.
Still, Haruto thought, tightening the satchel strap across his shoulder, I'm already in deeper than any game or book ever prepared me for.
Then he saw it—out in the plaza.
A Vita-tethered bulletin board, glowing with shifting symbols. One notice pulsed softly for Adventure Mode Travelers only.
> Wilderness Departure Notices: "No combat expected in the early routes... but no rescues either.
Stay on Vita-marked paths or be prepared to negotiate with nature itself.
Beware the Silver Fog—travelers report illusions, memory loss, and echoes of Earth."
—"Yarrow's Blessing Be With You."
---
Haruto stood on the edge of the city now, the great woodlands visible beyond the final marker stone.
A breeze brushed his hair.
The trees swayed.
And somewhere, just past the treeline, a slime blinked… watching.
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Chapter 5 – The Forest That Forgets
The city behind him faded into whispers as Haruto crossed the final stone marker.
Beyond it, the trail dissolved into moss.
The trees were denser here, but not in an overgrown way—in a way that felt intentional. They leaned and arched like they were watching.
Welcome to the Confusion Woods, his Guide whispered.
Haruto felt it more than read it—like the world was feeding him this warning directly into his spine.
The path started off easy. A straight walk, birds chirping above. A few odd-colored mushrooms lined the base of trees. He took note of them, checked his Vita flow—it still pulsed steadily from his boots into the earth.
But then…
He turned around.
The trail was gone.
No… that's impossible, Haruto thought, spinning again.
He had walked straight. Straight.
But now, the trees behind him weren't the ones he passed. The ground he'd stepped on was slightly wetter. And the way ahead—the same dirt path—was now veering left… when it hadn't before.
His skin prickled.
> Environmental Alert: You are in a Geowarp Zone – CONFUSION WOODS
Reality Distortion Detected.
Memory Navigation recommended. Vita threads unreliable.
✅ Trait Activated: Environmental Sense – Partial Defense Against Spatial Drift
Haruto took a breath. The Vita around him wasn't hostile—it was dizzying. Trees shifted angles slightly when he blinked. Shadows jumped just a little too fast. A root that was in front of him suddenly wasn't.
"This forest is alive," he whispered.
He knelt, placing his hand on the ground.
He focused. Let his breathing slow. Tried to sync with the landscape intel his contract with Yarrow granted him.
The moss beneath him hummed softly.
Not hostile.
Just… confused.
---
Then came the voice.
Not loud.
Not human.
"You don't belong here."
He turned—and saw it. A slime. Soft green with translucent veins of silver light inside its core. It wobbled on a tree stump, eyeless, but clearly watching him.
"I… I'm a Traveler," Haruto said. "I'm in Adventure Mode. I signed a contract with Yarrow."
The slime pulsed, the silver glow flaring once.
"Then learn to walk like the forest does. Forward and backward are lies here. Only intent moves you."
Haruto swallowed.
This isn't a path you walk. It's one you negotiate.
He looked around. No landmarks. No signs. Only endless trees… subtly shifting.
He took a deep breath and thought about his goal—not escaping the forest, but understanding it.
The moss to his left lit up faintly, forming a trail.
Haruto smiled weakly.
"Okay, then," he muttered. "Let's try this your way."
And the forest listened.
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Chapter 6 – When the Forest Watches
The slime didn't speak again—but it followed.
Wobbling just behind him, occasionally blinking with its inner silver pulse.
Haruto walked carefully, hand on the hilt of the short dagger he had picked up earlier in the markets of Terravell. A crude thing—stone-forged, slightly chipped, but real. He hadn't trained with it. Hadn't even cut anything with it.
But out here, the way the trees breathed, the way time seemed to tick around him like a faint heartbeat in the moss...
He gripped it tighter anyway.
---
The forest was no longer silent. It creaked. Groaned like a massive beast shifting in its sleep. And somewhere up ahead—something moved.
Not a beast. Not clearly visible.
But he heard it.
Branches brushing aside.
A footstep? Or a paw?
No, two.
Then three.
---
He ducked behind a vine-wrapped root, crouching low.
The slime stayed by him, mimicking his posture.
Suddenly, a flash—just ahead. A form.
Humanoid. Thin. Barefoot. Pale as mist. It was Haruto's size, but its face was wrong.
It didn't walk—it glided.
Not a ghost.
Something older.
> WARNING: Forest Echo Manifested – Origin Unknown
Spiritual Reflection Formed by Confusion Woods
Engage only if survival is assured. High mental risk.
His hand trembled. The dagger felt too light.
He thought of running.
But the slime pulsed again—intent.
He shifted his mindset.
Not afraid. Not prey. Not confused.
He focused on one goal: survive.
The forest bent slightly, as if acknowledging it.
The ghostly figure began to dissolve, melting back into fog.
Not because he defeated it.
But because it no longer had power over him.
---
Haruto collapsed to his knees, gasping. His pulse was pounding so hard he could barely hear the woods anymore. The slime slowly nudged his hand, letting out a small, warm bubble of air.
"Thanks," he whispered, voice raw. "That wasn't just an illusion."
The slime blinked once in agreement.
Out here, everything was real. Even if it looked like it wasn't.
Fear, intent, focus—they weren't just emotions.
They were currencies. Weapons.
Haruto stood slowly.
His hand never left the dagger.
And the forest began to part again—just slightly.
---
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Chapter 7 – The Illusion That Bites
Haruto moved through the trees slowly now.
Each step measured. Each breath counted.
The Confusion Woods weren't merely physical—they watched.
They responded.
Some trees had eyes. Or maybe they were knots. Maybe not.
The slime still followed. Silent. Unblinking. But slower now… as if hesitant.
A twig snapped.
Haruto froze.
Then—a thunderous roar—too loud for this silent place.
Branches cracked. Bark exploded.
A massive shadow burst from the trees.
It was huge—eight feet tall, its body hunched like a gorilla, but covered in thick, matted fur. Its mouth was far too wide, like a split mask. Its eyes… no, holes—just black sockets leaking mist. The creature screamed again, low and wet like broken lungs.
Haruto panicked. His instincts kicked in before his thoughts did.
He swung the dagger wildly.
The blade cut through the air—then through flesh—
Or at least he thought it did.
Because the moment it hit…
The creature evaporated.
Not like smoke.
Not like blood.
Just… gone.
Vanished like it had never existed.
The trees remained still. No disturbed branches. No broken bark.
Only the echo of that horrible scream remained. Even the slime was frozen—shaking faintly.
> ⚠️ Geowarp Alert: Illusion-Type Manifestation Detected
Cognitive Hazards increasing. Stay grounded. Do not trust visuals.
"The woods do not lie… but they reflect."
Haruto stood trembling, blade still raised.
That thing was real. He felt the heat of its breath. Heard its snarl inside his skull.
And yet… the world insisted it had never been there.
He looked at his arm—fine. His jacket—unmarked.
"Am I going crazy…?" he muttered.
The slime let out a low bubble. Almost mournful.
Then it nudged his ankle, gently pulling him toward a hollow tree nearby, glowing faintly with Vita threads—a place of grounding.
Haruto followed. Sat down inside the base of the tree.
And breathed.
---
This forest doesn't just attack.
It reveals. It echoes things.
Fears. Doubts. Thoughts.
And if I lose myself... it'll become real.
---
The slime curled next to him. The air pulsed slow.
He wasn't safe. Not here.
But for a moment… he was stable.
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