"The conquest begins." As I read that, the book closed with a loud bang. Again, my mind cannot properly process anymore; it only took a minute for all of that to happen.

What the heck is actually going on? I can't keep track anymore; there is too much happening...

I look at the book that fell down, and the red-black fog that enveloped it is now gone. The book on the ground looks more like a normal old book that has aged for years.

I sigh and sit down on one of the overgrown roots in the ground, feeling hopeless, pondering what I should do now. Looking at my surroundings, I think to myself.

Hah... I can't run, I can't protect myself, and I have no knowledge. My memories are gone; it feels like I'm just in a dream.

I pinch myself to check if it's really a dream.

Heh... I guess this is not a dream then...

Looking at the katana, I want to pull it out again, but the pain in my back has still not dissipated, so my gaze again shifts to the book. I think for a moment, knowing to myself that I have no other choices but to rely on the book again.

However, I am scared and hesitant about whether to touch it or not, but the gaze of someone is making me want to do it because I can't just mindlessly run and get lost. Who knows what will happen to me if I stay in here?

Yeah, I should really touch it and inspect it; maybe it holds important information or it might even save me from my current situation...

However, even with this, I waited for minutes before trying to reach it. But I didn't do it by hand; instead, I picked up a stick and poked it. I tried opening it, but the stick broke as it didn't even flinch. I tried finding a bigger stick, but the result was still the same, so I was left with no choice but to instead pick it up and inspect it by hand.

Scared and nervous, I exhaled and inhaled deeply, trying to calm myself down. Well, goddamn it, I guess I have to risk it.

With my resolve made, I slowly approached the book with my right hand stretched, trying to reach the book little by little. The distance became shorter until I finally touched it. This time, nothing happened. There was no red-black fog that appeared, no black creepy hand, or anything.

I give a sigh of relief and pick up the book and begin inspecting it.

On closer look, the book has nothing special going on; it just looks like a book that has aged for years.

Does this book have some kind of history?...

The cover of the book is thick, with a really rough texture. But even then, touching the book feels like it was made from a special kind of material. There is also no text written in the book or title, and the four corners of the edges of the book have a uniquely designed shaped metal.

When knowing that there is nothing on the cover, I wanted to move to another part, that is the pages of the book, which are so thick that it made me think of it having thousands of pages. So I touch the edges of the book, ready to open it.

I breathe heavily, nervous as my heart beats faster. I am scared of what is going to happen but hope that there will be useful information in the book.

Please let there be something I can use to leave this place, let me survive...

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I opened it with my eyes closed, scared but full of hope. When I slowly opened my eyes, the hope I felt changed to disappointment. It was blank; the color of the paper was yellowish, the same as the cover, showing its age.

Seriously... But wait, where was the text earlier? Maybe there is something hidden written in there. After all, the text "the conquest begins" seems bland and questionable. What does that even mean?

So, I flipped the page once again, trying to find the text earlier, hoping it might give some information for what it means. This time, there was writing in a hard-to-read rune text. The color this time was silver, so I read it aloud.

"The strength lies in our death, the wisdom in our lives, for we are the army, the throne, the king, and the empire of no realms."

What?... Empire?... Realms?... How can there be an empire if there are no realms?

Confused, I began deciphering it by rereading the passage repeatedly in my mind, delving deeply into its meaning.

"The strength lies in our death" – what does that mean? Is it about sacrifice? Or perhaps bravery in facing death? Maybe it encompasses both. Let's tackle the next line...

Next is "the wisdom in our lives" – yes, that's experience, right? So, it refers to experience. But what puzzles me is the word "our" – does it imply a collective experience, maybe even spanning beyond individuals, considering it's also present in the first line?

Well, moving on to "we are the army, the throne, and the king" – the army signifies warriors, the throne implies leadership, and the king denotes rulership. But is there a distinction between throne and king? Isn't the ruler the one who governs the empire? Why mention a throne separately? Does it perhaps signify a strategic leadership role, with the king being the ultimate ruler of the army?

Now, onto the most perplexing part, "the empire of no realms." The empire suggests a kingdom, while realms refer to worlds or domains. But how can there be an empire with no realms or worlds? It's confounding.

Despite pondering deeply, the meaning of the last part eludes me. So, I attempt to synthesize the insights gleaned from the previous lines.

But I'm stumped... "The strength lies in our death" likely refers to sacrifice or bravery; "the wisdom in our lives" indicates experience; "the army, the throne, and the king" symbolize warriors, leadership, and rulership. However, "the empire of no realm" remains enigmatic. I'm unsure if my interpretations are accurate. Could they be flawed? Does this cryptic quote actually hold a hidden meaning? If so, what message does it convey? And how does it relate to the earlier text "the conquest begins"?

Seeking answers, I attempt to flip through the pages once more, reaching the end with nothing but blank sheets. Returning to the passage, I close my eyes, delving into profound thought, momentarily forgetting my surroundings and fears. Yet, despite my introspection, the book reveals no further secrets.

Time passed, though I couldn't say how much, as I sat in the tall mangrove tree, consumed by thoughts of the quote and engrossed in inspecting the book.

Looking around, a purple light shone from the sky, partially obscured by the canopy of the cursed tree. The red thick fog that veiled the forest had transformed into a silver mist, and the tree itself, once black with red leaves, now boasted a silver trunk and dark blue foliage.

How long had I been absorbed in studying the book and pondering the quote? I had lost track, fixated on my thoughts to the point of forgetting my surroundings.

Panicked, I scanned the forest, finding only my solitary figure amidst the trees.

Was my fear unfounded? Was there truly nothing here but my imagination? The gaze, the fear, the unease—all gone. Had it all been paranoia?

Confused, I tilted my head, plagued by unanswered questions.

And what about that eerie black hand I had encountered earlier? No, it's not just paranoia; it's real. I experienced it, felt it, and saw it with my own eyes. I need to leave here as fast as I can.

Gazing at the sword, I contemplated my next move and came to a decision. So I quickly rose up and walked four steps to the sword impaled on the overgrown roots.

Hmm... There's nothing wrong with being safe; maybe this time I could retrieve it.

I grabbed it with both my hands, widened my legs to exert more force, making sure to pull it out. This time, I adopted a stance as if pulling a katana impaled on overgrown roots and then pulled it toward me.

To my surprise, the katana impaled on the roots came out easily, and I didn't even struggle. With just a little force, the katana was no longer impaled on the overgrown roots. Surprised, I fell backward, hitting my back and head because I exerted too much strength.

Ouch... Fuck...

Luckily, the pain is endurable, so I quickly stand up, pat my legs, removing the dust, and then notice the clothes I am wearing.

It is a white long-sleeve shirt that seems to be made with a special kind of fabric, as it has a really smooth texture, paired with black gloves. On my bottom are black trousers that cling tightly with black shoes. However, the clothes I am wearing seem to be damaged or torn in some areas, revealing parts of my body. Sadly, I wasn’t able to look at my face, for there was no mirror, but my black hair was over my neck, so instead, I focused on my clothing first...

I think to myself, I need a new set of clothing, but that is the problem. Where do I have to get it? And I don't even have any armor to protect me.

Looking around, I realize that I might not find answers if I continue to stay here, so I need to leave this place, for I am not sure if it is truly safe.

What if I get lost? What if I encounter a being that could devour me?

Nervousness grips me as my heart beats faster. I try to calm myself by breathing slowly, touching my chest with my left hand, while my right hand grips the black katana.

After calming myself down, I walk to the book, crouch down, and pick it up using my left hand, ready to make my next decisions in surviving.

No, I have to stop thinking like this. In order for me to survive, I need to take risks, no matter the dangers. Only by experiencing it for myself can I truly know what is true...

I chuckle and say, "Heh, fear is the unknown nightmare we conjure in our minds, and courage is the light that faces it, for the truth always lies hidden within the darkness."

What an interesting thing to say in this situation that I just made up. Perhaps this is the meaning of the quotes "The strength lies in our death, the wisdom in our lives" – the more you experience death or perhaps fear, the more wisdom you gain. Is this what you call experience?

I give a silent laugh as I mock myself for how I acted during this situation, slowly walking away from the tallest tree in the mangrove forest, entering the deepest part of the forest.