Yuri pushed through the last tangle of branches and stumbled into the open, blinking against the sudden burst of light. For a moment he just stood there, stunned. After what felt like an eternity wandering through hell, the world in front of him looked impossibly alive.
Light.Calm.Life.People.
So many people.
They moved in bright, tailored clothing that looked as if someone had ripped character designs straight out of a video game. Crowds flowed between buildings shaped like medieval cottages—timber frames, stone bases, roofs woven from layers of leaves. Patches of half-melted snow clung stubbornly to the corners.
Yuri's throat tightened. Emotion crashed through him in a wild, dizzy rush. He hadn't seen this much life in… he couldn't even remember. Tears welled in his eyes as he stared at the impossible scene.
"Uh…?"
A voice drifted toward him.
She stood a few paces away, blinking at him in surprise before stepping closer with quick, warm enthusiasm.
"Excuse me!" she said, her tone gentle and bright.
Yuri turned toward her — and froze. Her long, dark, silky hair framed a face almost too perfect to believe. Her eyes were deep and luminous, her skin smooth and unblemished. She wore layered dark garments beneath a black coat trimmed in gold flames. Even her fingerless gloves matched the gleaming gold of her boots.
"Uh… h-ha…" Yuri managed, the words collapsing in his throat.
She tilted her head. "Hi! My name's Mayori. I'm sorry — you're new, right? What's yours?"
"Mayor… Mayori…" he stuttered.
Mayori blinked. "Uh… you're Mayori too?"
"N-no! Sorry— my name's Yuri." He swallowed hard. "Nice to meet you… Mayori."
"Yuri, huh?" she echoed with a quick nod. "So when did you get here? What rank are you? What level? What's your—"
She stopped mid-sentence, her eyes suddenly fixed on something. Yuri followed her gaze and realized she was staring at the broken blade he held.
He looked down at it, baffled by her intensity.
"Uh… Mayori? Is everything okay?" he asked quietly.
"Huh—! Yeah. Yeah." She snapped back to herself. "Everything's fine. I'm just… intrigued."She raised her eyes again. "How did it break? The sword."
Yuri hesitated. People nearby were beginning to slow, glancing their way. The attention made his skin pull tight.
"I… don't know," he said finally. His jaw clenched without him meaning it to.
"Well. It's fine — forget it." She waved it off with forced cheer. "Anyway! As I was saying… when did you get here?"
"Just a few moments ago," Yuri replied. "I don't even know where 'here' is. Honestly… this is the first time I've seen this many people in a very long time."He hesitated. "It almost feels… fake."
Mayori gasped — loudly. "WOW! REALLY!?"Her excitement burst out of her like energy from a shaken bottle."That must mean—!"
Before Yuri could blink, she grabbed his hand.
"Come with me!"
"W-wait—!"
She didn't give him the chance. She dragged him through the bustling streets — or whatever this place counted as streets. Heads turned as they passed, eyes lingering too long, unreadable.
Before he realized it, she yanked him through the doors of a building — a shop.
"RAVI!" she shouted, her voice echoing off the walls.
"GEEZ—!" a voice responded from the far corner, deep and flat with a faint accent.
Footsteps followed. A man emerged from the shadows, descending a short set of steps. He wore a robe the color of dried clay, fabric folding heavily around his arms and pooling at his feet. Beneath it, a darker under-layer clung close to his skin, and fitted trousers wrapped tight around his calves. His feet were bound in simple cloth wraps. The muted tones of his clothes absorbed the dim light as if they belonged to it.
His hair fell in long, dark curls across his face.And across his nose, a single sharp scar.
"Sorry about that," Mayori said. "Ravi — this is Yuri. He just arrived in the Forest. Literally moments ago. You understand what that means?!"
Ravi froze. His eyes widened in disbelief.
"Hold on… that can't be true," he murmured. "You mean… you…"
His expression shifted instantly. He rushed past them and slammed the door shut with a violent thud.
"Hey, buddy — Yuri, right?" he said, stepping close. "To cut things short, call me Ravi. So tell me straight — is it true? You just now entered the Forest?"
"If by 'the Forest' you mean… here," Yuri answered carefully, "…then yeah. I did."
Ravi's entire body trembled. He stumbled back, barely catching himself before Mayori steadied him.
"Careful!" she said.
Yuri's worry spiked. "Hey— are you okay?" he asked, reaching toward the man.
SNAP.
Ravi's hand shot forward, seizing Yuri's wrist in a crushing grip.
"Finally…" Ravi whispered, almost too soft to hear.
A chill crawled up Yuri's spine.
"You are our only hope, Yuri," Ravi said.He lifted his face — and Yuri flinched.Ravi's eyes were glowing, spiraling with molten gold.
"You are our only hope of escape."