Joshua was on the ground, chest heaving like he'd just sprinted a mile. His little legs wobbled, and I had to suppress a laugh. Kids… so dramatic sometimes.
Then my eyes landed on the boy standing over him. Tall, red hair sticking up in every direction, gripping a spear like it was glued to his hand. Calm. Too calm. The kind of calm that screams I kill things for breakfast.
I froze.
'Do I know him?' I thought. Nope. Definitely not. But something about him felt… familiar, like a memory I hadn't lived yet.
I stepped forward. "Joshua… you okay?"
Joshua nodded, still panting. "Y-yeah…"
The boy didn't move. Not a twitch. Not a blink. Just stared at us, evaluating. Typical heroic protagonist energy. I could feel it radiating off him.
"…And you are?" I asked casually.
He blinked at me. Then, after a long pause, spoke with that quiet, measured tone of someone who's definitely overqualified for a walk in the forest:
"Daniel. And you… are?"
I smiled. "Julien. You saved my brother?"
He tilted his head. "I… guess? Don't know the kid, but I'm pretty sure he owes me one now."
I laughed lightly. "Owes you? Kid literally just got mauled by a boar. I'd say the debt is mutual."
Daniel raised an eyebrow. "Fair. And you… are you always this cheerful when wild animals try to eat kids?"
"Cheerful? Oh no no. I'm amused. Big difference," I said, shrugging. "Besides, someone has to make sure the forest doesn't get boring."
He blinked at me, slightly confused. Slightly annoyed. I smirked. Good, he's intrigued.
Joshua tugged at my sleeve. "Big brother! Can we—"
"Patience," I said, ruffling his hair. "I'm about to make this interesting."
And then… the ground shook.
The mutated bear Daniel had impaled earlier convulsed violently. Red veins pulsed along its hide, eyes blazing with mana. It let out a roar that made Joshua squeal.
Daniel tightened his grip on his spear, stance ready. Joshua stumbled back.
I stepped forward casually. "Joshua… is this the teddy bear that hurt you earlier?"
Then I felt it. My chest tightened. My mana surged. And at that moment, a notification popped up in my mind:
Status Screen: Emotional turmoil detected — Happy Face activated.
Not playful. Not cute. Rage disguised as laughter. Pure chaos radiating outward.
I laughed—loud, unrestrained, and somehow ridiculously cheerful despite the tension.
Daniel stiffened instantly. He could feel it. The pressure. The wind. The… sheer something emanating from me.
I drew my deck of cards. Twelve black cards with golden symbols hovered around my fingers, spinning lazily. Wind curled along them, tugging at my hair and sleeves.
"Alright," I said, trying to keep it casual, "let's see how the teddy handles a little… upgrade."
I flicked my wrist. The cards shot forward.
The bear roared, swung a paw, tried to look intimidating. Mistake.
The cards shredded it. Limbs ripped. Fur tore. Flesh split. The wind carried the sound of tearing and the smell of ozone. Each strike precise, almost playful, like I was teasing it.
Its head rolled across the forest floor. I landed in front of it, hands on hips, still grinning like I'd just pulled the ultimate prank.
Joshua stared at me. "B-Big… brother?"
I crouched and ruffled his hair. "All good, kiddo. Teddy's gone for real this time."
Daniel… he didn't move. Just stared. Narrowed eyes. Jaw tight. Hands twitching on the spear.
'Do I know him?' he thought. His internal voice screaming it.
'Not yet,' I thought back, smirking. 'But you will.'
Joshua tugged at my sleeve. "Can we play now?"
I chuckled. "Patience, little one. First, make sure the monster buddy stays dead."
Daniel's gaze followed me, analyzing, calculating. Who is this lunatic laughing over a boar's corpse?
I flicked the last card in the air. A dozen more blades spun, shredding the boar's remains. Nothing moved. Nothing breathed. Nothing would ruin our day.
Daniel finally exhaled. "…I don't know if he's insane… or something" he muttered.
Joshua giggled behind him. "Big brother… he's scary!"
Daniel blinked, shoulders relaxing slightly. Still suspicious. Still alert. But intrigued.
I laughed again, spinning a card between my fingers. "By the way, I'm Julien. That's Joshua. And you… you're Daniel, right?"
"…Daniel," he said, voice rough but steady.
"Good to meet you, Daniel," I said, still grinning. "Thanks for saving my brother."
He smiled. I smiled wider. And just like that, the forest seemed to hum with tension, wind, and mana.
And for a fleeting second, the world felt alive. Ridiculously alive.
I knew, without a doubt: this was only the beginning.