As they stepped out of the shimmering portal, Rohan and Aria found themselves enveloped in an endless expanse of luminous green grass that stretched towards the horizon like a canvas of jade. The sky above was a brilliant azure, with only a few wispy clouds scattered across it like cotton candy tufts.

Rohan's gaze swept across the unfamiliar landscape, his mind racing with questions. "Where are we?" he wondered aloud, his voice barely above a whisper.

Aria's eyes remained fixed on the portal behind them, her expression a mix of confusion and trepidation. She shook her head, her ponytail swishing behind her. "I don't know, but I think we're a long way from home."

Suddenly, two blue popup windows flickered to life before them, casting an ethereal glow on their faces. Rohan's eyes narrowed as he read his message, his face set in determination. "Welcome, Rohan. You are currently in Realm 0, Level 100. Your promotion task is to 'Survive in the new world without Nexus assistance.'"

Aria's eyes widened as she read her message, her face pale with worry. She looked up at Rohan, her voice barely above a whisper. "Welcome, Aria. You are currently in Realm 0, Level 78. Reach Level 100 to unlock promotion tasks."

As they looked down at themselves, their eyes widened in shock and embarrassment. They were completely naked, with no clothes or weapons to their names. Rohan's face flushed with embarrassment, and Aria's eyes darted around the open field as if searching for a hiding place.

"This is insane!" Rohan exclaimed, his voice rising in frustration. He threw up his hands, his eyes scanning the horizon as if searching for answers.

Aria's eyes darted around the open field, her voice laced with desperation. "How are we supposed to survive without anything?" She gestured to their naked bodies, her face pale with worry.

Their eyes met, a spark of understanding passing between them. They knew what they had to do - survive, adapt, and thrive in this new world.

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Rohan's gaze swept across the horizon, his mind racing with strategies. "We need to find shelter, food, and water. And fast."

Aria nodded, her eyes scanning their surroundings. "I see a cluster of trees in the distance. Let's head there."

As they set off towards the trees, the silence between them was palpable, punctuated only by the rustling of the grass beneath their feet.

The trees loomed before them, their branches swaying gently in the breeze. Rohan's eyes narrowed, his senses on high alert. "Stay close," he whispered, his hand on the makeshift weapon at his side.

Aria nodded, her eyes scanning the trees for any signs of danger. As they entered the cluster, the silence was oppressive, the only sound the soft crunch of leaves beneath their feet.

As they ventured deeper into the forest, Rohan pushed aside a curtain of tangled vines, revealing a narrow path. "This is crazy," he muttered, his voice barely audible over the rustling of leaves.

Aria nodded, her face flushed with exertion. She swiped at the sweat on her forehead, her eyes fixed on the path ahead. "And the trees are so close together. It's like they're trying to block our path."

Rohan's eyes scanned the surroundings, searching for a break in the underbrush. Suddenly, Aria spotted a fallen branch nearby and picked it up. "Maybe we can use this to clear a path."

Rohan nodded, taking the branch from her. "Let's try it." He began to hack at the underbrush, the branch slicing through the dense foliage with ease.

As they cleared a path, they stumbled upon a small clearing. But their hopes of finding a bounty of food were quickly dashed. The clearing was barren, with only a few scrawny bushes and some wilted wildflowers. Rohan's stomach growled with hunger. "This is not what we needed. We have to keep looking."

Aria nodded, her eyes scanning the surrounding area. She pointed to a nearby slope. "Maybe there's a stream or a river nearby. We can follow it and see if it leads us to some fish or other aquatic life."

Rohan's face lit up with hope. "That's a great idea. Let's move." He set off towards the slope, Aria following close behind.

As they followed the slope, the terrain grew rockier and steeper. The sun beat down on them, relentless in its intensity. After hours of searching, they finally stumbled upon a small spring. But to their dismay, it was dry, with only still, glassy pools that offered little solace or relief. Rohan's face fell. "This is not what we needed. We have to keep looking."

Aria's eyes were sunken with exhaustion. She slumped against a nearby rock, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know how much longer I can keep going. I'm so hungry."

Rohan put a hand on her shoulder, his voice reassuring. "We'll find something. We have to." He scanned the surrounding area, his eyes searching for any sign of food or shelter.

Just then, Aria spotted something moving in the underbrush. "What's that?" she whispered, her eyes wide with fear.

Rohan's eyes narrowed. "I don't know, but let's find out." He set off towards the underbrush, Aria following close behind.