The forest had fallen eerily silent. Even the leaves seemed to hold their breath, waiting.
Rayan (Azrael) gritted his teeth as the immense pressure weighed heavily on his body. The shadowy figure—this unknown enemy—loomed with the kind of aura that silenced all laughter, all mockery, all doubt. This was no simple monster. This was a test.
A test of fate. Of power. Of will.
"He's too strong," Yeon whispered, his blood tendrils coiling defensively. "Even your time magic couldn't hold him for more than a second."
"Doesn't matter," Rayan replied, forcing himself to stand. "Even if it's one second, that's all I need to punch this guy in the face."
Cezar stepped forward, a serious look in his eyes. "No. We do this together. We're not solo heroes. We're friends—idiots, maybe—but united."
Tonio (Daichi) nodded. "Let's move. Formation: Chaos Rain."
Yeon blinked. "That's not a real formation! You made that up!"
"I did, and it sounds cool, so shut up and follow!" Tonio snapped.
In perfect sync—if only out of panic and adrenaline—the four friends spread out.
Rayan charged head-on, light magic bursting from his fists. Yeon flanked left, blood trails slithering like hungry serpents. Tonio rooted the area, vines and thorns rising like jagged spears. Cezar threw enchanted daggers, each infused with raw mana.
The dark figure moved at the last second.
He vanished.
Rayan gasped—and then choked as a sudden force slammed into his back, hurling him into a tree with bone-crushing power.
"RAYAN!" Yeon shouted.
Cezar leapt back as a shadow bolt nearly took off his arm. Tonio cried out as a wave of darkness shattered his vines.
The enemy was everywhere—and nowhere.
"You cannot win," the figure's voice echoed through the woods, as if coming from the trees themselves.
Rayan groaned, blood dripping from his forehead. "I hate mysterious boss monologues."
"Tonio, cover me!" Yeon roared.
Tonio summoned a shield of bark and leaves around Ayen, who then charged forward with reckless courage. His blood blades clashed with the staff of the enemy in a shower of sparks and ichor.
Meanwhile, Rayan focused. His breathing slowed. His mind cleared.
Time is not a weapon. It's a rhythm. A dance.
He inhaled, and in that second, the world stretched.
The falling leaves paused. The wind stilled. The enemy twitched.
Rayan reappeared behind the figure, his fist glowing golden with concentrated light.
"FOR THE CHOCOLATE, YOU BASTARD!"
The punch connected.
A wave of holy light exploded through the forest. The red eye dimmed. The shadow flickered.
The figure stumbled back, hissing.
"Impossible... How...?"
Rayan stood panting, barely conscious, his power flickering like a dying flame.
"You're not the only one who can control time," he said, then promptly collapsed.
The others rushed to him.
Yeon cradled Rayan's head. "Bro, you idiot... That was awesome."
Tonio stood watch, breathing heavily. "He's not dead. Just out cold."
The figure stepped back, wounded and wary. His eye blinked slowly.
"This isn't over," he growled. "You've made enemies beyond your comprehension."
He vanished into the darkness.
Silence returned.
Cezar exhaled. "So... that was our first real fight."
"We won," Tonio said.
Yeon nodded, tears barely hidden behind his grin. "Yeah. Barely."
Rayan opened one eye and muttered, "...still no chocolate bars."
Everyone laughed.
Even in another world, even on the edge of death—friendship held firm.
The next day, after recovering with the help of Tonio's healing vines and a few minutes of peaceful silence, the group decided to take a break from chaos and explore the magical forest. It was supposed to be a walk of peace. Supposed to be.
"Hey, no creepy eyes. No shadow dudes. Maybe this place is finally giving us a breather," Cezar said as he kicked a rock lazily.
"Yeah," Yeon muttered, chewing on a piece of grass. "Finally, a normal day in this weird world."
Just then, they heard a deep growl.
Tonio froze. "Guys... please tell me that was your stomach, Yeon."
"I—uh—I wish it was."
From behind the bushes emerged an enormous bear, twice the size of a horse, its fur glowing with faint magic runes and its eyes burning with primal fury.
"THAT IS NOT A NORMAL BEAR!!" Rayan shouted.
The bear roared.
"RUNNNNNN!!" they all screamed in unison.
They sprinted through the woods like madmen, tears flying from their eyes, their mouths open in comical sobs.
"WHY US AGAIN?!"
"I DON'T WANNA DIE!!"
"WE JUST FOUGHT A SHADOW BOSS! I DESERVE A VACATION!"
They stumbled through vines, jumped over roots, and barreled through bushes, the bear hot on their trail.
Just when all hope seemed lost, they burst through a final thicket—
—and found themselves standing at the edge of a lively, colorful town.
Fireworks exploded overhead. People cheered and danced.
"What the..." Rayan blinked.
A large banner fluttered above them: WELCOME HOME, PRINCE KAEL! SLAYER OF THE A-RANK DRAKE DRAGON!
The townspeople looked up at the four filthy, exhausted boys and the monstrous bear still charging behind them.
"MONSTER!!" someone screamed.
Archers and mages appeared from balconies, unleashing a barrage of elemental magic. The bear, startled and outnumbered, turned and fled back into the woods.
The crowd erupted in applause.
A man in regal armor stepped forward, smiling. "Friends of the prince, are you? Welcome to Arcania!"
Rayan, face covered in mud and twigs, raised a shaky hand. "We're... definitely not royalty, sir."
Yeon gasped. "But I'll take the free food if that's on the table."
Everyone laughed.
And for the first time since arriving in this strange world—they felt a little like heroes.
Later that evening, the group found themselves in one of Solmaris's best restaurants—courtesy of the prince's celebratory voucher.
They devoured platters of roasted wyvern meat, glowing fruit salads, and steaming beast-bone stews. Ayen had three bowls of fire pepper noodles. Tonio kept summoning tiny vines to feed him more bread. Rayan and Cezar fought over the last drake rib like animals.
"Best. Meal. Ever," Cezar groaned, patting his bloated belly.
"I'm crying," Yeon said dramatically. "This is better than winning the lottery."
Once they calmed down from the feast, Rayan turned to a hooded man sitting alone near the fireplace. "Hey, mister... mind if we ask something?"
The stranger raised an eyebrow but nodded. "Ask away."
Rayan leaned in. "What kind of world is this? Like, do guilds exist here? Is there a ranking system? Realms?"
The man chuckled. "Ah, new blood from another land, I see. You're outside resident of this kingdom aren't we? world split into six great realms—Human, Beast, Dragon, Demon, Celestial and Elf. Guilds? Of course. Every adventurer joins one eventually. Most cities have at least three."
Tonio sat up straighter. "Do you know where the nearest guild is?"
The man nodded. "Just past the fountain square, east side of town. Look for the giant sword-shaped sign."
Cezar rubbed his chin. "Heard any rumors? Like, powerful people or scary bosses?"
The man's eyes gleamed. "There's been whispers lately. The Wandering Hermit—an unknown warrior—slayed another S+ Rank Demon General in the Demon Realm. Just last week, he also took down an A-Rank Frost Dragon in the Dragon Realm. Alone."
Everyone went silent.
"...That guy sounds cracked," Yeon finally muttered.
Rayan grinned. "I want to meet him."
The man just laughed. "If fate wills it, you might."
And so, their journey truly began—not just as survivors of another world, but as adventurers with a purpose.
End of Chapter 3