The darkness once again enveloped the entire space around Nea.

"Am I dead? Is death like this? Dark and cold. Is it like this?"

After contemplating the darkness, Nea suddenly realized: "Why is it so cold? This feeling... it's too real!"

From deep within the darkness emerged a gigantic eye resembling a massive crystal floating in mid-air, glaring directly at Nea. The gaze from that eye was chilling to the extreme, causing Nea to feel their entire body freezing from the cold:

"This bone-chilling sensation! Is this perhaps Hell? Well, heaven must be too extravagant a notion for me."

Just as Nea accepted the notion of this place being Hell, at that very moment, a loud noise echoed through the dark space, growing louder and louder until it jolted Nea awake. He breathed heavily:

"I'm still alive? Where am I?!"

Nea noticed his entire body was tightly wrapped in white bandages, with some areas still stained red with blood. He then looked around the room. He found himself lying on a bed in a room adorned with rather antique decorations.

He hugged his head, trying to recall what had happened. He could only remember vague images of forests, streams, and a tiger.

"Right! The tiger, where is it? Why am I here? And who treated me?"

Nea looked around and saw a few people standing at the door. Some voices rang out:

* Quick, go report to the General.

Nea hesitated to stand up, then realized a large shackle and a nearby wooden pole bound him. But that wasn't a primary concern as he couldn't stand up anyway. His whole body still ached, and his head throbbed with pain.

Nea wondered, "What language were they speaking? Are they from this land? And where exactly is this place?"

Nea glanced at the figures lurking outside the door, unsure of how to react or what to say. Speaking might not even be understood, and he couldn't comprehend their language. This situation seemed unsettling, but considering they had treated his wounds, Nea decided to stay put since he couldn't move anyway.

"But why does this room feel strangely chilling?"

****

A servant hurriedly approached Gióng with the news:

* Urgent report, General.

* What's the matter that requires such urgency?

Gióng halted his morning training. The servant continued:

* Sir, the boy has awakened.

* What!? But the royal physician said with such injuries, it would take several days for him to regain consciousness.

Gióng paused for a moment to ponder, then stood up:

* Thank you for the report; you may withdraw. I'll go there immediately.

As he took a few steps, he heard someone calling out:

* Oh! So you're done with your workout!!

Gióng was surprised and asked:

* Ngọc Hoa, it's still early; how did you arrive so soon?

* I missed you too much. Why? Don't you like meeting me early?

* No, you arrived at just the right time. He has regained consciousness.

The princess's expression shifted from slight annoyance to surprise:

* Is he awake already? I thought the royal physician said he would be unconscious for a few days.

* I don't know either, but I've felt something different since I saw him. He may be the same as us.

* Hmm, let's see how he's doing then.

She took Gióng's hand and ran ahead cheerfully, pulling him along. Upon arriving, she rushed in first. Ngọc Hoa looked at the young man sitting still, his eyes reflecting confusion in his mind. She stepped forward to reassure him:

* Don't worry; this is a safe place. Now, you don't have to worry about those monstrous tigers anymore.

Nea heard the voice and immediately lifted his head to look. Before him was a young woman in her twenties with white hair, her gentle smile making Nea feel that she wasn't a threat. Nea looked into her bright red eyes. Suddenly, Nea felt a headache; he remembered seeing these eyes somewhere before. Then Nea shuddered, his skin crawling:

"Yes, that's right, it's these eyes, unmistakable, the eyes of the one who brought me to this world."

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

Nea felt himself recoil slightly, but he also sensed that something was amiss here. Despite sharing the same eye colour, Nea was sure the other person was male, not female. Suddenly, curiosity filled Nea's mind with questions, but he couldn't speak due to the language barrier.

She seemed like an angel in the morning sunlight with her radiant smile. Nea stared at her intently, unable to utter a word, while she continued cheerfully:

* Sorry, you don't understand what I'm saying, right?

Nea remained frozen, still unable to understand what the girl was saying. He only saw her stand up and pour him a cup of hot tea. Nea watched as she said something into the steaming cup, creating an illusionary wisp of smoke, before handing it to him. Nea sipped the hot tea, feeling its warmth spreading through his body.

* Do you feel better now?

She asked.

Nea froze, understanding each word of the previous sentence. She smiled and continued:

* I'm Ngoc Hoa, and you?

* Nea... my name is Nea.

* Nea? What an unusual name.

At this moment, Nea remembered:

"Oh no! I'm in a different world and accidentally used my real name. I don't even know what other name to use."

* So let me ask you this. Are you a spy sent from another country?

* No.

Nea answered instinctively, about to ask again, "What do you mean by a spy?" But his mouth moved as if controlled, and understanding the language here seemed even more confusing. Could it all be because of this girl? Nea was pondering this when she heard the girl speak to someone outside:

* See, I told you already, he's not a spy at all.

Gióng leaned into the room, having to stoop due to his height. Nea watched the muscular man stride through the doorway in awe; the door itself was tall and wide, but it paled compared to him. Despite Nea boasting a fairly athletic physique from his regular training, he couldn't help but feel dwarfed by this man. Nea felt as if he had misspoken, something he'd done right away. Gióng spoke up:

* Hello there, I'm Gióng. Hearing you say that puts me at ease. May I ask where you're from?

"Dang! How am I supposed to answer now?" Nea stood frozen.

Suddenly, someone appeared at the door:

* Your Highness, Your Excellency, the royal physician has arrived.

* Let him in.

"Phew! Thankfully, I've been rescued. But a princess? A general? For real??"

Nea was surprised, feeling like he was in a historical drama. The royal physician approached Nea, hesitantly checking his pulse, and then seemed reluctant to conduct a complete examination. Princess Ngọc Hoa seemed to remember something and said to Nea:

* Oh, could you please remove your necklace for a moment?

Nea nodded and removed the necklace, holding it tightly in his hand. The group of people gathered around looked on in awe. Gióng reminded them:

* Alright, everyone, don't crowd around and make a fuss.

* Yes, sir.

Then, they all backed away but continued to discuss excitedly. Nea looked at the necklace and then at everyone else. Finally, he placed the necklace down, and the royal physician only dared to examine him. After the examination, he said:

* The speed of recovery is truly remarkable. At this rate, you will be completely healed in a day or two. If you'll excuse me, Princess, General, I'll take my leave.

* Yes, please escort the physician out.

Nea put the necklace back around his neck, and the princess noticed how carefully he handled the necklace, so she asked:

* That necklace seems very important to you.

* It's the last keepsake my father left me.

* Is there something wrong with your father?

* Yes, he disappeared ten years ago.

As Nea spoke, he delicately held the crystal pendant in his hand. The princess comforted Nea by patting his shoulder:

* I'm sorry to hear that but don't worry, wherever he is, he's still watching over you.

Nea felt uplifted hearing those words. The princess and Gióng left the room to let Nea rest some more. As they walked, they discussed:

* I don't think he knows anything about the capabilities of that necklace.

* Yes, I noticed it. Everything seems to be written all over his face. I think you don't have to use your ability on him anymore.

* Hmm, I see.

* Now, I have to meet with Lý Thạch to discuss the upcoming issue.

* Oh, is it about yesterday's matter?

* Exactly.

****

Back to the evening before.

In King Hùng's study room, a secret meeting was held. The atmosphere in the room seemed heavy, and Gióng spoke up:

* So, the kingdom of Hoa has been invaded.

* That's right. The Mông army from the distant north seems very strong regarding military power. We don't know what their next move will be.

Lý Thạch looked worried. Gióng spoke confidently:

* Don't worry too much, Lý Thạch. As long as we are here, they will never cross our borders.

* Gióng, don't be too arrogant. No matter how strong you are, it's not sure that you can defeat them all by yourself. Besides, yesterday they sent an envoy.

Lý Thạch reminded Gióng. But Gióng ignored it and asked further:

* What do they want?

* They want us to marry the princess to them.

King Hùng spoke up, his voice very serious, showing that this matter also caused the old king some anxiety. He continued:

* I cannot marry Ngọc Hoa to them. I don't want my daughter to fall into the hands of anyone I don't know anymore.

* In that case, war is inevitable.

Gióng asserted. King Hùng elaborated further:

* On that matter, I have negotiated with their envoy and proposed a solution, which is a duel. Both sides will bring out their strongest warriors to compete, and whichever side wins will be able to dictate their terms. They will get the princess if they win, but if we win, they must retreat and never set foot on our land again. Gióng, I order you to gather the most potent warriors you have to participate in this tournament.

* Roger, my liege.