Chapter 07: The Dark Realm.

The Dark Realm – that’s where I’m sitting, enjoying the breeze all by myself.

Now, the phrase “all by myself” here isn’t your average kind of alone, it’s a very *abnormal* kind of alone.

Don’t get it? “All by myself” here doesn’t just mean no companions around—it’s much worse than that, *a lot* worse. Stay here long enough, and I’ll probably end up as the president of the “Loners Club.”

Too much rambling, let me cut to the chase—there’s nothing here except sand and dirt.

Ferrets? What kind of foolish, cute little ferret would bring its tiny self to live in this desolate, barren land with not even a blade of grass?

Let’s say there *was* such a ferret. What would it eat here? Guess it would have to nibble on dirt to survive.

When I first heard the name “Dark Realm,” I vaguely guessed it would be a dull and gloomy place, but having no living creatures at all? That’s a bit much. And that’s just the start of the “list of dull things” in the Dark Realm.

First, let’s talk about the colors of this world. Three words: absolutely hideous. The ground is pitch black, and the sky is pale white. I feel like I’m watching an old black-and-white movie, but with 3D glasses on.

I wasn’t expecting much from this world—its name says it all. “Dark” as in “Dark Realm” means black, right? If the “Dark Realm” had all sorts of vibrant colors, that would be strange.

Still, though...

Isn’t this *too* black!?

Looking left, right, up, and down, it’s all just black, nothing stands out. Wait... *stands out*? Oh, right, aside from the sand and dirt, there’s also a massive, towering pyramid-like structure in front of me, and… yep, it’s black too. Ugh, I’m starting to feel nauseous from all this black…

To be honest, I’d love to go check out that giant tower, but I’m scared. Do I need to explain why? This barren, lifeless place… I mean, not even a single blade of grass, yet somehow there’s this giant structure? There’s only one logical explanation for this absurdity: aliens.

Yes, aliens are the ones who built that tower, and they’re making me curious about it.

Oh, wait. I just realized something pretty funny. To the creatures here, *I* am the alien, aren’t I? Even though I haven’t seen any living things yet, if there were any, I bet they’d be wide-eyed and staring at me in shock. Of course, that’s if they actually come here and find me.

Sounds cool, doesn’t it? But also, *terrifying*! What am I scared of? Being taken to a lab... and you know what happens after that. I don’t want to think about it.

Anyway, end of the alien story. Got a review for me? What? Boring? You even say it’s nonsensical? Ugh, I should’ve kept my mouth shut. I’m not sharing with you anymore!

Just kidding, if I don’t share, what would I talk about?

Next up, let’s discuss the sound. How should I put this? It’s *scarily* quiet. I mean *dead* quiet!

One thing’s for sure, ever since I got transported to this Other World, I’ve been in nothing but silent places. But at least, back in that forest, there was a ferret and a pig that walked on two legs. And that cave had Black (the scythe) waiting for me. But here? There’s *nothing.*

Oddly enough, despite the silence, I can’t hear my own heartbeat like I could in the forest. Earlier, I tried saying random things like “I’m an alien” or “Hao Hao noodles are the best instant noodles in the world,” but the only response to my shouting was an eerie silence. I couldn’t even hear my own voice, like I had temporary deafness or something—just complete silence.

At this point, I’ve come up with a simple yet reasonable theory: my hearing has been *disabled.*

In the Other World, this isn’t all that strange. What’s important is *why* my hearing got disabled. Is the Dark Realm trying to hide something from me? If that’s the case, I feel pretty uneasy.

But since I’m a proud member of the “Optimist Club,” I’ve decided to ditch that dark thought and move on to a lighter, more comforting theory.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

For instance, maybe that giant tower over there is emitting some freaky sound that could drive creatures insane, making them bash their heads against rocks, or something equally gruesome. So, to protect its super-VIP player, Hazu, the Dark Realm decided to disable my hearing.

This theory also explains why there are no living creatures here, not even a blade of grass, despite the warm weather and occasional rain.

Huh? *Rain?* Oh no, it’s raining hard now!

Hey, someone give me an umbrella! Are you nuts? There’s no one here to ask.

A place to take shelter, Hazu needs shelter! That tower over there? Dream on. Not even a storm could make me go near that death trap.

Damn it, the rain’s getting heavier. Dark Realm, how is it even raining when there are no clouds?

You idiot! You’re about to become a “rain girl,” and you’re still asking stupid questions? Find shelter now!

A cave, it looks like there’s a cave over there. To the left, about 20 meters away. Without hesitation, I sprinted toward it, but since the ground was all sand—not because I’m clumsy—I slipped and fell flat on my face, just three meters from my goal.

Ugh, so humiliating... A future world ruler, defeated by a little rain... At least no one’s here to witness this, or my dream of world domination would’ve ended right here.

After lying face-down for a bit with no prince charming to come help, I had to push myself up and walk into the cave, trembling and huddling in there for a good hour. Just earlier, I was praising the warm weather, and now it’s freezing cold. Plus, I’m soaked from the rain, so now I’m cold on top of cold.

Suddenly, I feel homesick. I miss those peaceful times lying at home under a blanket, playing games during the freezing winter, a hot bowl of noodles from the neighbor... I even miss... my lover. Just kidding, I’m still single, don’t get any ideas.

Maybe it’s because of this miserable situation that someone as quiet as me now *wants* to talk to someone. Currently, the only one I can talk to is Mon, but he’s been MIA since we got here. Apparently, he’s off checking for any stray bosses wandering into the newbie farming area. So, I’ve got no one to chat with, even though I’ve never done that with anyone before.

Oh, wait, there was one time I confided in Roni about getting bullied at school. Roni’s a girl my age, we go to the same school and class. If I’m being lenient, I could say she’s my only close friend up until now. Because, honestly, I’ve never dared to open up to anyone besides Roni!

I wonder how she’s doing now. Would she be worried that I didn’t show up at school this morning? No idea.

Goodness, it’s freezing!

Hmm, I’m thinking too much again. But I should stop here—the real issue now is what I should do with this soaked dress. It’s so cold! Going topless might actually feel warmer, but I’m not *that* crazy.

I wish I could use magic and poof a fire into existence right now.

Magic? I did merge with Black (the scythe), didn’t I? What if I *can* use magic now? What’s there to lose by trying?

First, assume a meditative posture. Alright, straighten your back… okay, now raise your right hand, point your index finger forward, and chant.

“Boom!”

Nothing happened. My first attempt at casting a spell: failure.

Don’t lose heart, let’s try again. Maybe the spell “Boom” was too simple, so let’s go for something more complicated, like…

“O mighty Fire God, extend your hand to save your freezing child, with your boundless, loving flames!”

Second failure.

Damn it, it seems my words didn’t touch the Fire God’s heart. Alright then, I’ll try a different language.

“Fireball!!”

Hopeless, utterly hopeless. Even the so-called “gateway to the future”—foreign languages—couldn’t make magic work, so what else could I rely on? Looks like I’m going to die here, a cold and lonely death, with no one to light incense for me. I’m on the brink of death, and Mon still hasn’t shown up to save me. What a useless senior.

Master Mon, where are you… Hazu’s about to freeze to death…