The morning sun rose high above the strange sky, its golden light filtering through leaves the size of shields. Max trudged forward, brushing past thick foliage, each step crunching over moss and roots. His encounter with the scaled wolf-beast from the day before still lingered in his body—his muscles sore, his knuckles bruised—but his spirit felt sharper than ever.
The forest was alive.
Every sound echoed louder than Earth's woods had ever been: the distant screech of winged beasts, the thrum of insects larger than his hand, the crack of branches far too heavy for deer or boar. The deeper he went, the more oppressive the air became, saturated with a strange pressure. It wasn't just weight—it was presence, the kind that made his skin prickle and his instincts scream caution.
He remembered the system's cold voice:
[ Endless Forest Detected. ]
[ Beasts: Tier 1 to Tier 7. Divided into Outer, Inner, and Core regions. ]
Max swallowed. He was only Tier 0—a mortal standing at the doorstep of something vast. The fact that he had survived even one Tier 1 beast was a miracle.
Still, he pressed forward.
"This forest," Max muttered, pushing aside a vine glowing faintly with blue energy, "is both a trial and a treasure trove."
The system remained quiet, but in his mind, he could almost feel its approval.
The Outer Forest
The trees grew closer together as he walked. Shafts of sunlight broke through the canopy in narrow beams, illuminating patches of grass where strange flowers bloomed—petals that shimmered with faint light, releasing mist like sighs. Max knelt beside one, curiosity gleaming in his eyes.
[ Item Detected: Lesser Spirit Flower. ]
[ Effect: Restores minor spiritual energy when consumed. ]
His lips curved. "Even the plants are magical here…"
He plucked one carefully, slipping it into his pocket. If beasts weren't the only source of power, then this forest held secrets waiting to be unraveled.
But secrets came with dangers.
From the corner of his eye, movement. Leaves shifted. A shadow darted low to the ground. Max tensed, ready to fight—but then stopped.
Voices.
Human voices.
"…damn thing nearly took my arm off!"
"Stop whining. You're lucky we only ran into a Tier 1 wolf. Imagine if it had been a snake from the Inner Forest."
Max froze behind a thick trunk. Ahead, through the gaps in leaves, he saw them: five figures, armored and armed.
The leader was a tall man clad in leather armor reinforced with iron, a longsword strapped across his back. His hair was dark and cropped, his posture steady. Beside him walked a woman with auburn hair tied back in a braid, carrying a staff carved from dark wood—the faint glow at its tip marked her as a mage. Behind them trailed three more: a stocky man with twin axes, a thin archer with keen eyes, and a younger boy in chainmail who looked barely older than Max himself.
Adventurers.
Max's heart skipped. Actual people—his first encounter since arriving. For a moment, doubt gnawed at him. Would they see him as a stranger? An enemy? This wasn't Earth—people here lived alongside beasts and "gods." Trust might be harder to earn.
But the alternative was wandering blind.
Max stepped out from behind the tree. "Wait!"
The adventurers froze. In an instant, weapons were raised, eyes sharp. The archer's bowstring tightened, aimed squarely at Max's chest.
"Who goes there?" the leader barked, his voice commanding.
Max raised his hands slowly, palms open. "Easy—I'm not your enemy. My name's Max. I…" His voice caught. What was he supposed to say? That he fell from another universe?
"…I'm lost," he finished simply. "I don't know much about this place."
The group eyed him warily. The mage's staff glowed faintly, scanning. "He doesn't seem cursed or tainted," she murmured.
"Still could be a spy," the axeman grunted.
The leader studied Max for a long moment before lowering his sword a fraction. "You don't look like you're from any kingdom I know. Your clothes…" His eyes narrowed at Max's plain black shirt and pants. "…odd."
Max forced a small smile. "Like I said, I'm lost. That's why—I wanted to ask… can I travel with you? At least until we leave this forest."
The group exchanged glances. The younger boy in chainmail whispered, "He looks harmless enough."
The archer scoffed. "Harmless gets you killed."
Finally, the leader sighed. "Fine. But understand this—one wrong move, and you'll regret it."
Max nodded quickly. "Understood." Relief washed through him, though he kept his expression calm.
[ Quest Update: Join an Adventurer Party – Complete. ]
[ Reward: +50 EXP ]
The system's notification flickered. Max's lips twitched upward. Step by step, progress.
They moved as a group, weaving through the dense underbrush. Max kept slightly to the back, observing.
The leader introduced himself as Garron, a knight from the Kingdom of Aeloria. The mage was Selene, the axeman Borek, the archer Kael, and the young chainmail-clad boy was Ryn, a novice adventurer training under the party.
"You said you're lost," Selene asked curiously after some silence. "From where, exactly?"
Max hesitated. "Far away. A place not connected to… kingdoms or empires you'd know."
"That explains the clothes," Kael muttered, eyeing him with suspicion.
Max chuckled awkwardly but said nothing more.
Still, their casual conversation gave him glimpses of this world.
The Kingdom of Aeloria, Garron explained, was one of the great human nations, bordered by the Endless Forest to the east. Beyond the forest lay the Demon Wastes, home to countless demonic clans and their kings. To the west stretched the Divine Isles, where beings said to descend from the old pantheons—Zeus, Odin, and more—resided, each ruling their fragments of power.
"They're not gods," Borek spat bitterly as they trekked. "Just monsters with too much strength. They make their own realms, demand worship, and call themselves divine."
"Careful," Selene warned softly. "Such words can bring trouble."
Max's eyes narrowed slightly. The system had told him the same—no gods, only ascendants. And yet, the deception was vast enough that people lived in their shadow as though it were law.
"What about… the Almighty?" Max asked carefully.
The group grew quiet. Garron glanced at him, his voice steady but respectful. "The Creator is not like them. The Almighty made all things—worlds, powers, souls. No one can touch Him, no matter their Tier. There is only one truth, one faith. Remember that."
A faint shiver ran down Max's spine. Hearing it from their mouths gave weight to what the system had shown him.
"Do the kingdoms follow this faith?" Max asked.
"All do," Selene answered. "Even demons and false gods know His name, though many deny it."
Max fell silent, his thoughts heavy.
A sudden rustle snapped the group to alertness. Garron raised a hand, signaling silence. From the shadows of the trees, a pack of scaled wolves emerged—smaller than the one Max had slain before, but more numerous.
"Tier 1 beasts," Kael whispered, notching an arrow.
Max's fists clenched. He had fought one before—but with this group, he might learn more.
The wolves growled, circling. Garron gave orders swiftly. "Kael, cover from the rear. Selene, prepare shields. Borek, Ryn, with me on the front. Max—" He hesitated. "Can you fight?"
Max met his gaze firmly. "Yes."
A grin flickered across Garron's face. "Then prove it."
The battle erupted.
Kael's arrows struck first, pinning two wolves before they lunged. Selene chanted, a barrier of light shimmering into existence, deflecting claws. Borek charged with a roar, axes cleaving through scales, while Ryn nervously struck with his short sword. Garron moved like a storm, his blade cutting arcs of steel, each swing clean and powerful.
Max dove into the fray. His enhanced strength and agility let him dodge and strike, his fists slamming into jaws and ribs with bone-cracking force. This time, he wasn't alone—he was part of a unit, moving with them. The synergy was strange but exhilarating.
Within minutes, the wolves lay slain.
[ +60 EXP ]
[ Basic Combat Instinct Proficiency Increased. ]
Max wiped sweat from his brow, heart pounding. For the first time, he fought not for survival but as part of something larger.
Garron clapped him on the shoulder. "Not bad for a stray. You fight like a man who's tasted blood before."
Max only smiled faintly, hiding the storm of thoughts in his mind.
By evening, the group reached the edge of the Outer Forest. The trees thinned, giving way to open plains bathed in the orange glow of sunset. In the distance, Max saw it: walls rising against the horizon, tall and fortified. A kingdom—his first sight of civilization in this world.
His chest tightened. A new chapter awaited.
The system pulsed once more.
[ Quest Generated: Enter Aeloria. ]
Reward: Unlock Abilities Function.
Max's lips curved upward. Step by step, he was climbing. From lost wanderer to something greater.
And this was only the beginning.