We never truly grasp the value of people until we lose them. Yet nothing cuts deeper than when your very happiness, your own desire, becomes the reason for that loss.
...
"After that legendary battle, the result has been decided—the volume has reached its end. Magnificent, isn't it, Ray…?"
She arched a brow with a faint chuckle.
"You really need to redefine the word *magnificent*…"
"Wait—are you saying my style has gotten weaker…?"
Rosanna puffed her cheeks, visibly displeased.
I raised my hand in mock surrender.
"The great author, bearer of limitless imagination, the mastermind who crafted the grandest plots and most legendary twists—Rosanna, the novelist herself—upset over the critique of one single person?"
A heavy sigh slipped between her teeth as she met my eyes directly.
"You're calling me by that name again… Forget it. So, Ray, what's your opinion of the ending for Volume Four? It was *hard*. So hard, I nearly gave up on writing the story altogether more than once."
I paused, recalling how often she locked herself away, emerging with dark circles under her eyes and wrinkled clothes… to the point where I sometimes had to break into her room and drag her out just to make her breathe fresh air again. She was the kind of lunatic who, once she started something, would finish it at any cost.
"There isn't much I can say, really…"
I pulled my phone out of my pocket and opened one of the web novel reading forums where fans gathered.
*"You idiots, go read **Master of the Last World**! The author just released the final chapter of Volume Four today!"*
*"Damn, this masterpiece of a novel is nearing its end, man. It's a true gem in every sense."*
*"That anonymous author has outdone himself again—one of the greatest web novels ever. We're all waiting for the finale…"*
I smiled faintly, my gaze fixed on her face. Before I could say anything more, Rosanna snatched the phone out of my hand and gave me a fiery glare.
"Forget what the others say, Ray. What matters is *your* opinion. I *know* you haven't read a single chapter—that's why I've been telling the story to you myself."
Under the weight of her glare and her threats, I could only force a weak smile. The truth was, I had never been fond of web novels.
Most of my free time was spent on video games.
That's why Rosanna—being my only, dearest friend, and I being hers—would always recount her stories to me with fiery passion.
Her words painted vivid worlds, pulling me into her strange, wondrous tales and letting me live alongside her characters. She was astonishingly talented when it came to storytelling.
Her latest work, *Master of the Last World*, was her most complex and famous creation yet.
Even though its ending was still far away, I had already lost track of the plot multiple times while she was explaining it to me. Still, she had clearly surpassed herself.
"In short, Rosanna—it's truly an amazing story. Though my head still hurts from the way Volume Four ended, everything about it is stunning. I'll be waiting for you to tell me how it all concludes."
Rosanna jumped from her seat, a radiant smile lighting up her face. She looked overjoyed.
"Ray, which characters did you like the most? There were so many, but surely one must have stuck with you…"
I thought for a moment before replying.
"The Master of Fate. He was incredible—alongside the Moon Queen. But from the ordinary humans, I really liked Lord Aerion, the old man."
She nodded repeatedly, delighted by my answer. Before she could fire off another question, I gestured toward her untouched glass of juice.
"Hey, Ray, could I…?"
"No. Absolutely not."
I cut her off firmly, giving her no chance to deploy her puppy-eyed act. After a few too many accidents, I had strictly forbidden her from drinking alcohol.
When we finished our meal, I left the payment on the table and picked up my car keys.
"Let's go. You need proper rest, and I'm forbidding you from writing for at least a week."
Surprisingly, she agreed without protest. Then she stood, clinging tightly to my arm as though she feared I might slip away.
"Let's go. wait for the next volumes," she said cheerfully.
"I don't really have a choice, do I?" I replied with a faint grin.
A minute later, we were both in the car. But before I could even start the engine, a chilling shiver shot down my spine.
Cold sweat began to bead across my forehead and face, as though I were naked in a blizzard.
A gaze—something, someone—fell upon me. It pierced through skin, flesh, and bone, reaching down to my very soul.
Then, with a voice as deep as if it had risen from the bottom of the ocean, words I could not understand thundered in my ears, making my entire body tremble.
Before I could grasp what was happening, a blinding white light swallowed the world before me. A searing pain split my skull apart, as though an iron rod had been driven straight through it.
The next instant, I was consumed by the darkness that devoured me whole.
...
When you think life is finally turning around, the world will always raise its middle finger at you.
Who could have known… that the very story I wrote for the only person in my life would become the source of his torment?
...
"Ughhh… ahhh… my head…"
I staggered, clutching my skull as if I had just undergone surgery.
The pain was relentless, as though someone were striking my head with a solid iron rod. My vision blurred, hazy and distorted.
After a moment, the agony dulled—not gone, but bearable enough to allow me to think.
When my eyes finally settled on my surroundings, I almost wished the pain had lasted longer.
I froze in place, eyes wide, mouth agape.
Colossal trees stretched endlessly in every direction. Lush green grass spread beneath me, while the scorching midday sun poured down like a waterfall from the heavens.
"Where… am I?"
The question slipped out, my voice trembling as panic clawed at my chest.
Just a moment ago, I had been in the car with Rosanna. Now, I was standing in a vast, eerie forest that filled me with dread.
Was this some kind of hidden camera prank? A joke designed just for me?
For a fleeting second, I thought so. But the moment I looked down at myself, I knew something was terribly wrong.
My height was off. My skin pale and sickly. My body frail—on the verge of death.
I raised a trembling hand and felt my hair. Long, black strands.
But my hair had never been long.
My pupils widened. My hands shook uncontrollably.
Where am I? What is this place? And more importantly… what happened to me?