The forest was alive in all the wrong ways.
Thick fog slithered between gnarled trunks, hiding roots like snakes ready to trip the unwary. Moss dripped from twisted branches, leaving glistening trails across the damp ground. The air was thick with the scent of rot and decay, and shadows shifted like they had their own agenda. Every snap of a twig sounded like a scream in the dense silence. Somewhere distant, a growl—or maybe a howl—rolled through the mist, sending shivers crawling up my spine.
I clutched the stick I'd picked up earlier. "Good job, Yomen," I muttered to myself, voice low. "Your stick will totally save you from demon wolves."
I wasn't sure if that was sarcasm or an actual pep talk. Probably both.
Then, glowing green eyes appeared in the fog. A wolf—massive, lean, with fur as black as spilled ink—stalked the clearing. Its jaws opened, low and wet, the growl rumbling in my chest.
I froze.
Then I ran.
Not just ran—my legs felt like rockets. I could feel the wind slicing past me, branches whipping my face, roots tripping me but I pushed through anyway. Maybe… 100k per hour? I thought, panting. Maybe it's the aura buff. But why can't I see my stats or change them? Maybe I need to reach some "Sword of Aura" level to unlock those… Classic RPG mechanics.
The wolf lunged, claws tearing through the air. My heart thumped so hard I thought it might explode. Then—thunk!
An arrow struck the beast's skull, and it crumpled like a ragdoll. Silence fell again.
But the arrow's origin was nowhere to be seen. Someone—or something—was hunting here. And I had no intention of being next.
I stumbled into a small clearing and froze. A soft sound—a sob—reached my ears.
There, beneath a crooked tree, sat a girl. Small, delicate, with long chestnut hair curling around her face. Her eyes… amber, warm and shining like sunlight trapped in honey. Her cheeks were pale, but the fear made them flush pink. Her lips trembled slightly as she whispered in a high, melodic voice:
"Please… don't hurt me."
She wasn't just beautiful. She radiated kindness, the kind that made you want to protect her. And… yes, cute as heck.
"My name's Yomen," I said awkwardly, hoping my voice sounded confident. "I… I'll keep you safe."
Her eyes widened, then softened into a faint smile. "I… I'm Emilia Kante."
(Okay… first girlfriend. Definitely. Maybe my wife someday. Yep. Totally planning it.)
I chuckled nervously. "You may ask… 'first girlfriend? You're 27.' Look, I wasn't ugly! Handsome even. Just… socially anxious. Terrified of girls. And now, teleporting to a new world… I can talk to girls. Maybe it's the Clown blessing or whatever magic nonsense. Anyway… moving on."
She giggled, and I swear my chest warmed. Cute, honest laughter… I wanted to memorize it forever.
I cleared my throat. "Hey… um, what's your aura?"
Her eyes widened slightly, whispering, "1,300…"
I blinked. Higher than mine, but not by too much. I laughed quietly to myself. She's stronger than me… but we'll get stronger together. And I'll make sure to protect her, no matter what.
"Wow… that's actually pretty strong," I said, grinning. "Okay… we can do this. I'll do my best to keep up."
She giggled, like wind chimes caught in the breeze. "And you? What's yours?"
I puffed my chest (mentally noting how ridiculous I looked) and said, "5K."
Her eyes sparkled. "5K?! That's… amazing! Yomen, we can get out of here easily!"
We started moving cautiously through the fog, talking quietly as we searched for the stones.
"Yomen… what's a glowing rock?" she asked, brow furrowed.
I shrugged. "Something about this forest. You find it, you survive, you impress the guild. Classic high-stakes treasure hunt."
She tilted her head, blinking her amber eyes. "Sounds… dangerous."
"Yeah," I muttered, "dangerous but… fun. Also… I think I'm gonna save you. And maybe flirt a little."
Emilia snorted. "Good luck with that."
I grinned. (Yeah, Clown blessing… totally working.)
Curious, I asked, "Do you think someone can get more than one stone?"
She shrugged, tilting her head cutely. "I guess… the more stones you get, the better chance to join a good Familia."
I nodded, determination sparking. We'll both get ours. And I'll make sure she's safe, no matter what.
We laughed and teased as we moved, stepping over roots, slipping in mud. I asked her favorite color; she said "lavender," and I said I liked hers—amber, golden, sunshine—and she rolled her eyes, cheeks pink.
Then, in a clearing, something made my stomach drop. A body, slumped against a tree. My breath hitched.
"Oh no… oh no… no no no," I muttered. Every instinct screamed to run, but then I saw it—a faint glow in the corner of my vision.
My hand shot to my pocket. Warm. Pulsing. Alive. The stone.
I dashed to the hunter's body, heart hammering, and grabbed the glowing rock from his pocket. Relief and victory surged through me.
"Yes! I got one!" I called to Emilia.Don't worry, we'll find one for you too!"
Her amber eyes widened. "R-really? Th-thank you, Yomen!"
We moved cautiously through the misty forest. Shadows twisted and loomed. Then—pain. Sharp, sudden, unrelenting.
Emilia's face hovered above me, amber eyes gleaming. A wicked smile split her face.
"Ez hunt," she giggled, voice sweet but cruel. "I can scam simps like you… hehe."
"No… she was supposed to be… my first girlfriend… my wife…" My voice cracked as pain tore through me.
She laughed and disappeared into the fog, leaving me on the cold, misty forest floor.
I lay there, pain radiating, the fog curling around me like icy fingers. Am I… dead? Is this… my real end?
A strange sensation coursed through me—cold like the mist in my bones, yet warm like the stone in my pocket. Confusion, fear, and a flicker of hope collided inside me.
Then everything went black.
And suddenly… the Clown's blessing activated.