From the hidden passageway, Johan stepped forth through a small brush that hid the doorway. A calm, crisp air pressed against his skin as he took a moment to steady himself, a rush of freedom flooding him.

Beyond the towering walls of Audemars, danger lurked in the shadows, but undoubtedly, the real threat was the king and his court once they noticed he was missing from his cell.

Johan glanced at the ring, glimmering on his finger in the moonlight. Its weight felt significant, a simple reminder of kindness.

"Hmm, If I pawned this..." Dollars signs popped into Johan's mind as he chuckled. "Nah, I gotta return this to her someday. She was too kind to me."

He surveyed the darkened forest. "How the hell am I supposed to know which way is north?"

The vastness of the wilderness stretched endlessly before him, each direction indistinguishable from the other. As Johan ventured further from the walls and onto the dirt path, meandering deep into the forest, a familiar glow caught his eye—a translucent display hovering in the corner of his vision.

"Ah, I forgot about this."

With a swipe of his hand, Johan accessed the Sanity System's menu screen, bringing up the mini-map before him. The interface displayed valuable information about his surroundings, marking his progress with each step.

"Now, this is handy," he said, a grin spreading across his face as he studied the mini-map.

It dawned on him that it could expand to reveal a larger map, providing all the guidance he needed to navigate the terrain ahead—no reliance on a map, compass, or anyone else required.

"Guess I won't be getting lost after all," he said aloud, appreciating the small fortune of the system's feature.

Johan continued north down the dirt path, following the mini-map displayed on the HUD for hours. The night stretched on as he pressed through the forest. He had never walked this much, not to mention going without water and food for what felt like an eternity.

The relentless hunger tore at his stomach like a merciless beast, its growls echoing through the silence. Each step amplified the emptiness within him, a constant reminder of his body's desperate need for sustenance.

"Guess it's been a while since I've eaten," he muttered, the realization slapping him awake.

Oh, how time flew in this new world. Nearly half a day had passed since he last ate—back in his world, just before he met his friends for the midnight release of CoL.

The memories of his last meal became increasingly vivid with each passing moment: a classic bacon cheeseburger, perfectly cooked with juicy beef patties and crispy bacon layered beneath a river of melted cheese.

Fresh vegetables nestled between soft, toasted buns added a satisfying crunch.

On the side, golden fries, crispy and seasoned just right, accompanied the burger, served with tangy ketchup—though Johan had always preferred honey mustard.

To wash it all down was a tall glass of ice-cold cola, fizzing with refreshment.

The taste of that meal and the warmth of his friends' laughter felt like a distant dream, a fleeting moment of comfort amid this harsh new reality.

"...I wonder what they're all up to..." Johan mumbled as memories of his friends flooded his mind.

Days they spent lounging around, playing video games, or going out to eat. The simplicity of it all was what he missed, and sharing it with them.

Johan sighed. "I couldn't bring myself to say it to them, but I'm going to miss those guys..."

As he leaned against the base of a tree, fatigue washed over him. His vision blurred, and weakness seeped into his limbs, pulling him toward the ground. His lips felt parched from the relentless march through the forest, and his throat ached for a sip of cool water, longing for relief from the dryness that clung to him like a suffocating fog.

But no relief was in sight.

"Damn, I should have asked Elara what I should do for food and water."

With a weary sigh, Johan pushed himself up from the tree, his muscles protesting with each movement. His strength waned, yet he knew he had no choice but to endure the challenges ahead.

"Seriously? What kind of isekai bullshit is this? I'm out here running for my life, and the universe can't even throw me a snack?" he grumbled, his voice hoarse.

Johan slammed his fist against the tree and marveled at seeing creatures inhabiting this fantastical world scattering from the towering tree.

They were beings unlike any he had ever seen in his world.

Rodents with tails as long as their bodies scurried from branch to branch, their bright eyes filled with curiosity as they observed him. Rabbits with sleek, iridescent fur and elegant, spiraled horns darted through the bushes, their movements both graceful and cautious.

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In the distance, hordes of what seemed to be deer with shimmering wings glided gracefully by, their pleasant calls enchanting the night.

Johan watched in awe as these creatures went about their lives, each contributing to this world's boundless creativity. Yet, despite their strangeness, he felt a sense of familiarity in their presence.

As the hours passed, fatigue weighed heavily on him. His muscles continued to ache, and his eyes grew weary from navigating the darkness. Each step felt heavier, threatening to pull him into the depths of sleep.

Every rustle of leaves and chirp of insects sent jolts of hope of him stumbling upon the Den of Wolves, yet each time, he found nothing but the silent wilderness. Finally, just as he began to lose hope, he spotted a small stream through the trees, its waters glistening like silver in the moonlight.

Relief flooded him as he stumbled toward the water's edge, dropping to his knees and cupping his hands to catch the crystal-clear liquid. The water's refreshing feel revived him, washing away the grime that had plagued his face for hours.

Yet, Johan knew that both his thirst and hunger would remain unfulfilled.

"Didn't they say we should purify water before drinking it...?" he murmured, air-drying his hands. "But damn, I'm so thirsty..."

Like a lion claiming his territory, his stomach roared.

Johan looked down at his stomach. "Come on, shut up already."

His thoughts drifted to the previous meal once more. He could almost taste the juicy bacon cheeseburger—hot, greasy, and topped with melted cheese—alongside crispy fries, golden and perfectly salted.

"That would hit the spot," he mumbled, feeling his stomach grumble again in agreement.

Just as he imagined the satisfying crunch of biting into the burger, his gaze drew to a breathtaking sight.

A woman emerged from the depths of the water, her brown, silky skin touched by the moonlight. She shook her head, her hair wet with elegance and fluidity that seemed straight out of a regal textbook, like a dance of stars above.

Johan's heart skipped a beat, captivated by the sight of the woman washing herself in the stream. Her slender physique radiated a silvery glow, accentuating her body's curves in a mesmerizing and intoxicating way.

A wicked grin spread across his face. "Well, I wasn't expecting a free show in the middle of a forest... Hell of a lot better than a burger."

But his trance shattered when the woman noticed him.

With a whispered incantation, wisps of light swirled around her, coalescing into a magnificent staff of polished ebony, detailed with runes that pulsed with an inner radiance.

The staff's head bore a crystal, refracting the moonlight into colors dancing across its surface like a mesmerizing aurora.

With a flick of her wrist, she pointed the staff at Johan.

"You there. Who are you, and what are you doing here?"

The woman's direct approach while standing there nude left Johan speechless.

"I asked you a question... Who are you, and what are you doing here?"

Johan raised his hands in surrender, water dripping from his palms. "I'm just, uh, I was looking for—"

A loud, untimely growl from his stomach shattered the tension momentarily.

"...some food and water."

Her grip on the staff tightened as the glow intensified. "You expect me to believe that?"

Johan sighed, holding his hands higher in surrender. "It looks terrible, but I just so happened to stumble upon this stream, and you know how it is. Water in one hand, a view in the other. Life's all about balance, right?"

Her brow twitched as her voice dipped with icy suspicion. "A view in the other...?"

The staff flared with arcane energy, its light crackling like restrained thunder.

"You claim to be looking for food and water, yet your eyes refuse to leave my body."

Johan's heart sank as he realized with growing horror that he'd been staring again.

"Wait, I didn't mean—"

Before he could explain, the sharp hum of magic filled the air, and a bolt of light streaked from her staff. His vision blurred. It was as if her magic had splashed the world with water. His limbs turned heavy and unresponsive, refusing to obey his desperate commands.

"Hey, wait! I swear, this is a big misunderst—"

His words faded into a muffled groan as he stumbled backward, collapsing to the cold ground. The distant sound of rushing water echoed in his ears, fading as darkness swept over him like a suffocating wave.

As his consciousness ebbed, Johan watched the darkness shroud his eyes.