I sat at my desk, staring blankly at the pile of work in front of me. Another dull day, another reminder that nothing ever changed. The city outside my window was alive with movement—people rushing to their destinations, laughing, talking, living—but here I was, a shadow in the background, just trying to make it through the day.

It wasn’t that my life was awful. It was just… empty. People passed by me without a second glance, like I didn’t even exist. I wasn’t anything special. Not good-looking, not talented, not remarkable in any way. I was just… Kaito Shizuki, a guy who blended into the background so well, even I sometimes forgot I was there.

“Is this it?” I muttered under my breath. “Is this all there is to life?”

It had always been like this—unnoticed, forgotten, stuck in a world that didn’t seem to care about me. The few friends I’d had in high school had long since moved on, and at work? Well, it was the same story. Just another cog in the machine.

I sighed, leaning back in my chair and looking up at the ceiling. “Maybe I should just disappear. Everyone else would probably be better off without me anyway.”

I wasn’t expecting anyone to hear me, but in that moment, I felt so overwhelmingly… tired. Tired of the monotony. Tired of being invisible. I just wanted to escape. I wanted to be free from all of this, from the constant cycle of being overlooked.

“I just… want something better than this,” I whispered.

And then… everything went white.

I blinked as I woke up. The first thing that hit me was how… quiet it was. Not the usual hum of city life. Not the noise of people or cars. Just… silence.

I pushed myself up from the ground, feeling the soft earth beneath my palms. This wasn’t my room. This wasn’t even a place I recognized. I rubbed my eyes, trying to shake off the disorientation, but when I looked around, I was even more confused.

Massive trees stretched toward the sky, their trunks thick and covered in ivy. The air smelled fresh, like rain on dirt, and the breeze was cool. No signs of anything familiar. I was… somewhere else.

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

“What the hell…?” I muttered, looking around again. This couldn’t be real, could it? One minute, I was in my apartment, feeling sorry for myself, and now I was in some kind of forest? My heart began to race as panic set in. “Okay, okay, I’m dreaming. This has to be a dream.”

I pinched my arm hard enough to leave a mark, but the pain didn’t stop. It wasn’t a dream.

“Shit,” I whispered, running a hand through my hair. “Where the hell am I?”

I stood up and started walking. Maybe I could find some answers. Maybe someone knew what was going on. But as I walked deeper into the forest, I couldn’t shake the strange feeling that this place wasn’t like anything I knew.

After a few minutes of walking, I heard a loud crash followed by a screeching roar. I froze.

The sound was coming from nearby, so I cautiously followed the noise, staying hidden behind the trees. Peeking through the branches, I saw… a busty elf in a tight leather outfit fighting a massive, clawed monster. The elf’s silver hair shone in the sunlight, and her bow was drawn tight as she fired arrows with skill. The creature was huge, though, and every time she landed a hit, it barely seemed to faze it.

My heart skipped a beat. The sight was unexpected, but… damn, I couldn’t look away.

The elf was fast, but she was being pushed back. The monster’s claws swiped dangerously close to her, and for a moment, I thought she might lose.

I had no idea what I was doing, but the urge to get a better view of this strange battle was too strong to resist. Quietly, I climbed up a tree, trying to get a good vantage point.

Just as I settled into a sturdy branch, the elf took another hit. She stumbled back, her bow falling from her hands, and the monster lunged in for the kill.

“Shit!” I muttered under my breath, watching as the monster’s massive claws came down toward the elf.

But before I could react, my balance wavered, and I lost my grip. I fell from the tree in a panicked flail, crashing straight into the side of the monster.

Thud!

The force of the impact was enough to send the monster reeling back, and before it could recover, it crumpled to the ground with a heavy thud.

I stared down at the beast, breathing heavily. What the hell just happened? Did I… kill it?

I quickly scrambled to my feet, only to find the elf staring at me, her wide eyes full of shock and confusion.

I froze. She wasn’t smiling. She wasn’t thanking me. Her expression was cold, almost like she was ready to kill me herself. I had no idea what to do.

All I could think of was that I needed to get away. Fast.

“Uh… you’re welcome?” I stammered awkwardly, backing away.

The elf’s eyes narrowed, and her lips pressed into a tight line. She didn’t move, didn’t say anything. I didn’t wait to find out what she’d do next.

With a quick turn, I bolted, running as fast as I could through the forest. My heart pounded in my chest, and I didn’t dare look back. I could hear her shout something, but I didn’t stick around to figure out what it was.

I ran for what felt like miles, weaving through the trees, my legs burning with the effort. I didn’t stop until I was out of breath, panting in a clearing where the sounds of the forest finally quieted.

I looked over my shoulder, expecting to see the elf chasing after me. But there was no sign of her. She hadn’t followed.

“Holy shit…” I breathed out, leaning over with my hands on my knees. I could still feel my heart racing, but the immediate danger seemed to have passed.

I let out a relieved sigh. Whatever that was, I wasn’t about to stick around and find out.

I didn’t know where I was, or how I got here, but at least… at least I was free.