CHAPTER 1 THE DARK FOREST

I’m finally out! I had been given a task to accomplish within three cycles and come back. I breathed the fresh new air. I observed the sky and my surroundings. Everything was new, confirming that it indeed was a brand new world I found myself in. The black stone I found myself encircled in after the teleportation. Just beyond them the massive sequoia sized black trees that had branches point up like spikes threatening the sky and to stop giants from crossing. The star of the planet, the new sun, sent brightness down to encompass everything. The giant eye that floated in the sky like a moon, it simply stared unmoving, with its four petals gently holding it aloft. Instilling in all that saw it feelings of being watched by an unmovable god. 

I dashed into the forest, with no worry for direction. I knew Saika would keep a map for me. I briefly wondered if my colleagues also got Saika in their heads or I somehow just got lucky with her. Excitement from my freedom drove my body, finally making full use of this new body filled with giddiness. 

Past the gigantic black trees, I saw the edge of a more normal looking forest and I just kept running, luckily I only needed to make slight adjustments to my direction. My mission was to head north to investigate an anomaly.  I had no idea how long a cycle was, so I made haste. As soon as I reached the forest a green plant-based tentacle swung at me. I had years of experience to draw from, as I drew my shattered sword and ducked under the lash. My momentum carried me forward sliding on the grass, as I angled the edge of my blade it easily cut through the thin living vine. As I kept running I lamented the fact that there was no exp notification like I had gotten so used to. 

“Mr. Moore, would you like me to generate some exp notifications for you?” The familiar voice of Saika rang in my head. The AI helper had been intentionally made to sound monotone as there were cases where people would get too attached to the AI.

“No need, Saika. Let’s keep things purely practical for now at least. Also my name is Warborne Grimm now.” I answered her in my head.

“Of course, Mr. Grimm.” She answered. It should help with getting used to my new life. When I first woke up in the netherworld she had explained to me that she was stuck in my head and could help by using some of my brain power. As scary as it was to have a foreign entity in your head capable of messing with everything. Her help was invaluable. She could generate a minimap similar to those of in games, meaning she kept track of my surroundings in real time and generated a circular map in my vision, on which I could focus or just glance at. Apparently her core functionality had been to improve human brain functionality by simply organising everything in there in an efficient manner, like a machine. This allowed her to generate said minimap by gathering all the information I sensed, even if I wasn’t actively paying attention. Also allowed her to give me a perfect recall. A miracle of modern science, the only worrying thing was that this technology was never announced in all my years on Earth. Well it no longer mattered as I was no longer on Earth I was certain I could not use the same method to go back, that I used to get here. 

The canopy of the forest was thick enough to enshroud it in almost complete darkness, even during mid day. Only the wind swaying the trees would occasionally let through a beam or two of light in. The bouncing light would quickly dissipate like a lightning strike in the middle of the night. Such a strange phenomenon I noted. I wanted to accomplish my task before I explored my surroundings, as I had no idea how long a cycle was. The darkness nor the flashing lights bothered me at all. It seems my body fully acclimated to the heart of the shadow demon that rested within my chest. I was told the name of the species was Sianka and I would get their abilities in addition to my natural human side. As well as a third part, a gift from Sia Grimm herself, part Succubus, or Incubus in my case since I was male. I hadn’t come across anything dangerous so far, but the vines trying to randomly lash me were getting annoying as I ventured deeper into the forest. Apparently Sianka were a species of demon specialising in stealth. That was also the reason I was running topless in a forest. I melded into the darkness, the cost of such an ability was that I felt like I was suffocating whenever I wore clothing incompatible with my skin. Material compatible with me was extremely rare, I only had a pair of pants. At least they were nice and much better than being completely nude. Similar to ninja pants, they were somewhat baggy and were tied tightly around my feet acting as shoes as well. The fabric was thin and nearly indestructible, but the colour was a black so deep, it caused discomfort in normal people. 

All those VR games could not compare to the way my tireless body felt as I ran through the forest melded with the darkness. Soon I came across a man in a rough outfit with various patches of leather and bits of metal plates strapped or stitched onto his outfit. It looked like an outfit cobbled together from a scrapyard. He did have a few weapons I noted and wondered how good my stealth was. Having the perfect opportunity for testing I slowly approached him. Applying all techniques I knew for keeping myself hidden. I stayed out of his line of sight, because the random flashes of light from the swaying canopy would shed my dark mantle. He was a skinny, pale and frail looking man. I kept following him as he moved at a casual pace, as if patrolling. I hoped he would reach some others so I could do some much needed information gathering. Not long after he did indeed meet another. They spoke and I hid behind a nearby root, my small body completely covered from their line of sight. The problem was, I did not understand their language. After some light cursing I left, continuing on my journey to the north side of the forest. I could not gain anything within reasonable time without understanding the language. I would just have to circle back later. 

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I eventually reached a steep hill and started climbing. Looking back the black sharp trees and the pristine cut black stone of the portal were visible. Also I could see the top of the light blocking canopy. It looked like massive lilypads holding water. The strangeness of such trees was intriguing but I was no scientist to figure out how it worked and their impact on the environment, it was fascinating to see such otherworldly flora though. Past the hill I could see more familiar trees, resembling earth one's much more, but still they had leaf shapes I had never seen before. They also swayed against the wind with the leaves moving in semi-circular patterns. With no time to gawk I continued running north looking to complete my task. Until I got too zealous with my stealth and stepped too far into light and got ambushed by an animal. I had no problem sneaking by most animals in this forest, they were too big to fight anyway but this one capitalised on the minute mistake I made revealing myself tiny bit too much. What luck to have it happen at this predator's ambush sight. 

Without me even noticing it lunged and bit my leg. I really needed to work more on my dark sight. My small childish body was immediately halted and dragged back. I reflexively swing at the creature causing me pain. Which is a big mistake as I do have a weapon with much more lethality to it than my small fist. The wolf-like creature, with a rat-like face and shark like triangular teeth, sees my resistance and swings me around like a ragdoll. Disoriented and slightly dazed, I try to calm down. As the beast drags me further and swings me again this time heading directly into a tree. I raise my arms to shield my face. The impact is harsh and I feel my bones creaking. I kick with my free leg hoping to delay the next swing, as my toe impacts something soft and squishy there is enough of a delay to reach for my broken blade. I draw and slash in one swift motion, years of practice undamped by the numbness from the pain. I feel the pressure release around my other leg and immediately roll forward and onto my feet. I took stock of my injuries and my enemy in a glance. It looked canine to me, with a strange rat-like face and a grey mane slicked back. It was wholly grey and the size of a great dane, with a stockier build and shorter legs. It whimpered as it tried to reach its damaged eyes, I had managed to get both. My arms being too numb to grip my blade correctly I stood in my kendo stance and attempted to observe my surroundings for other ambushers. Feeling through my body, I could tell, if I was wholly human I would have died here. With nothing nearby that I could I closed the distance between us to finish the creature as its whimpering would attract others and I was in no condition to fight. Its left eye opened and gazed at me with bloody hatred, I stiffened at the healing rate of the beast, it clearly was a blind eye before. I could not let it heal so I rushed at it. It clearly was smart as it turned and ran too fast for me to catch up. 

I found a large, nearby root and hid beneath it snuggly, pulling on the darkness to hide. Both arms were hurting, my grip was too loose to swing my sword, my left leg was bitten but thankfully the rat wolf's shark-like teeth couldn’t pierce whatever these pants were made out of, or maybe it was my demonic skin, either way I need to thank Sie and Sia Grimm for the gifts. I just hid for a while recuperating. The adrenaline wore off and the reality of what just happened dawned on me. Even with all my experience, skill and training I almost died in this new world, on day one no less. I was complacent in my joy. I had read so many scenarios like mine, where I was the main character, young boys transported to a new world with magic and growing to be indestructible. Could you really blame me though, this happens only in fairy tales. I hoped my colleagues were less complacent than me, I was simply lucky this time. I took a deep breath even if I didn’t need to anymore. Clearing my mind and focusing. Although I didn’t have much of a say in it, I was evolved and trained for the last three months. I may have been a bit overzealous, since I was technically three months behind the competition. But I also need to understand that this is real unlike before, it was simply simulations and competitions without the danger of losing one's life. 

With my dark sense, I could pinpoint all the creepy crawlies I had disturbed when I hid beneath the root. I was also holding the nameless broken sword. Not for the first time I observed the magnificent shard. Even though it was the shattered remnants of a large sword, the metal was still pristine, even with all the chips, it still had a sharp blade on one side, reaching almost the length of what I would call a short sword, or perhaps a rather large dagger. The brake was such that the leftover shard still had a sharp tip. Where the back of the blade would have been is now just jagged metal leftover from the shattering. It was a strange almost translucent metal, it hid a crimson tint deep within, but observing it even through the brakes the red tint was still deep within the metal somehow. The hand guard was very wide, clearly leftover from the time the blade was whole. It had sharp monstrous teeth like protrusions biting the large black handle. Obviously in my childish hands it looked even bigger.  Unfortunately the only way I could carry it was on my back, as it was as wide as I was. This blade had saved my life twice already. Also another gift I would treasure. 

I was done with my rest and could no longer tolerate the creepy crawlies I dashed out of my hiding spot and continued towards my destination, but this time taking stealth as number one priority instead of speed and I would be on guard against anymore rat wolves.