Chapter 2
Part 1 The Wrong Forest
The world felt... wrong.
Adrian Cole stood still for a long moment, just breathing.
Not panicking.
Not yet.
The air was the first thing he noticed.
It wasn't just fresh—it moved differently. It carried weight, like something unseen brushed against his skin with every inhale. The forest around him stretched tall and ancient, trees thicker than anything he had ever seen back home. Their bark wasn't smooth or rough—it pulsed faintly, like veins ran beneath the surface.
"...Alright," Adrian muttered, running a hand through his hair. "Either I finally snapped... or I'm very far from Johannesburg."
Silence answered him.
No cars. No distant voices. No city noise.
Just wind... and something deeper beneath it.
He shifted his weight and took a step forward.
Then paused.
Something felt off.
He looked down at his hand.
At first glance, it looked normal.
But when he flexed his fingers... something lagged.
Just slightly.
Like his hand wasn't entirely solid.
"...Nope," he said immediately. "Don't like that."
He reached out and pressed his palm against the nearest tree.
For a second, nothing happened.
Then—
His hand stuck.
Not glued. Not trapped.
Just... adhered.
"...Excuse me?"
He pulled back.
It resisted.
Not strongly. Just enough to feel wrong.
When his hand finally came free, there was a faint stretch—like pulling away from something elastic.
Adrian stared at his fingers.
"...Yeah. Definitely not normal."
He wiped his hand on his jeans out of instinct, even though nothing was there.
"Cool. Great. Love this for me."
He started walking.
No real direction. Just movement.
Because standing still in a forest that felt alive wasn't high on his list of good decisions.
Leaves crunched underfoot.
The deeper he went, the quieter it became.
Too quiet.
"Alright," Adrian said under his breath, "if something jumps out and tries to eat me, I'd really appreciate a warning first."
Something rustled in the bushes ahead.
He froze.
"...That counts."
The movement was small.
Subtle.
A faint shifting of leaves.
Adrian slowly crouched, picking up a small branch from the ground.
Not much of a weapon.
But better than nothing.
The bushes parted.
And something stepped out.
Adrian blinked.
"...Oh."
It was... cute.
A tiny creature, no bigger than a housecat.
Round body. Soft-looking fur. Big, curious eyes.
Its tail flicked lazily behind it as it sniffed the air.
Adrian straightened slightly, lowering the stick.
"...Okay. That's not so bad."
The creature tilted its head.
Adrian exhaled, tension easing.
"Hey there, little guy."
It took a step forward.
Still harmless.
Still adorable.
Adrian smiled faintly.
"See? This is good. This is the part where the strange forest gives me a cute companion and—"
The creature stepped fully out of the bushes.
Adrian's brain stopped.
Because the rest of it came with it.
Its body wasn't small.
It wasn't harmless.
It wasn't even remotely normal.
From the neck down, it was massive.
Easily over five feet tall when it straightened.
Muscle layered over muscle, its limbs thick and powerful. Claws curved from its hands—long, sharp, and very much capable of removing limbs.
Its small, cute head sat on top of a monstrous body like a bad joke.
Adrian stared.
"...Oh, you're adora—"
The creature's eyes snapped toward him.
Its body tensed.
A low, guttural growl rumbled from deep in its chest.
Adrian's expression dropped instantly.
"...—wait."
The creature took one step forward.
The ground cracked slightly beneath its weight.
Adrian pointed at it.
"WHAT THE HELL?!"
It lunged.
Adrian turned and ran.
"NOPE! NOT TODAY! NOT EVER!"
Branches whipped past his face as he sprinted through the forest, heart slamming against his ribs.
Behind him—
Heavy footsteps.
Fast.
Too fast.
"WHY ARE YOU BUILT LIKE THAT?!" he shouted over his shoulder.
A roar answered him.
"THAT'S NOT A NORMAL SQUIRREL!"
He pushed harder, legs burning as adrenaline kicked in fully.
The forest blurred around him.
Left. Right. Jump over a fallen log.
Don't trip. Don't fall. Don't die.
"Okay, okay, think," he muttered. "There has to be—"
Voices.
Ahead.
Human voices.
Adrian's eyes widened.
"YES!"
He burst through a line of trees—
—and nearly collided with a group of four people.
They turned in shock.
A woman in light armor. A tall man with a spear. A cloaked figure. And another with a sword already halfway drawn.
Adrian didn't stop.
"SORRY—RUN!"
He flew past them.
They blinked.
Confused.
Then—
The creature burst through the trees behind him.
The ground shook.
The group froze for half a second.
Then all four turned and ran.
"WHAT IS THAT?!" one of them shouted.
"WHY IS IT CHASING YOU?!" another demanded.
Adrian didn't slow.
"NOT IMPORTANT—RUN FASTER!"
"WHO ARE YOU?!"
"STILL NOT IMPORTANT!"
The creature roared again, closing the distance.
Adrian risked a glance back.
Bad idea.
It was closer.
Much closer.
"...Okay," he breathed. "That's bad. That's very bad."
Then—
Something flickered in his vision.
Golden light.
Symbols.
Not in front of him.
Inside his head.
He stumbled slightly.
"...What?"
The world seemed to dim for a split second as the symbols formed.
Strange.
Ancient.
Unreadable—yet somehow understood.
Inferno Construct — Acquired (Incomplete)
Adrian blinked.
"...You're kidding."
Another roar snapped him back.
The creature was nearly on him.
No more running.
He skidded to a stop.
The group behind him nearly crashed into him.
"What are you doing?!" one shouted.
Adrian turned slowly.
Facing the creature.
"...Testing something," he said.
"ARE YOU INSANE?!"
"Very possible."
The creature lunged.
Adrian raised his hand.
He didn't know how he knew what to do.
He just... did.
Something gathered in his palm.
Not light.
Not fire.
Pressure.
Heat.
Like the air itself was being crushed into a single point.
It grew.
Condensed.
A sphere formed—dense, glowing faintly with a deep orange core.
The air around it warped.
The ground beneath his feet cracked slightly.
Adrian stared at it for half a second.
"...Huh."
The creature was almost on him now.
Claws raised.
Mouth open.
Adrian took a breath.
"Sure."
He thrust his hand forward.
"Inferno Ball."
The sphere launched.
Not fast.
Not slow.
Just... inevitable.
It struck the creature dead center.
For a split second—
Nothing.
Then—
Impact.
A burst of compressed heat and force exploded outward.
The creature's body snapped backward mid-lunge, lifted off its feet and thrown across the clearing.
It hit the ground hard.
Once.
Twice.
Then didn't move again.
Silence.
No wind.
No sound.
Just the faint crackle of scorched earth.
Adrian stood there, arm still extended.
Slowly, he lowered it.
"...Okay."
He looked at the creature.
Then at his hand.
Then back at the creature.
"...That worked way too well."
Behind him—
No one spoke.
He turned slightly.
The group stared at him.
Wide-eyed.
Weapons still drawn.
No one moved.
Adrian scratched the back of his head.
"...So," he said casually, "good news—problem solved."
No one responded.
A long pause.
Then one of them finally spoke.
"...What... are you?"
Adrian let out a breath.
Looked at the forest.
Then at them.
Then back at his hand.
"...Honestly?" he said.
A beat.
"I was hoping you'd tell me."
Part 2 Stonehollow
For a long moment...
No one moved.
The creature lay where it had fallen, its massive body half-buried in the dirt, smoke faintly rising from the impact point. The forest, which had moments ago been filled with chaos and shouting, now felt unnaturally still.
Four pairs of eyes remained locked on Adrian.
Measuring him.
Re-evaluating him.
Adrian, for his part, shifted slightly under the attention and glanced down at the creature again.
"...So," he said, brushing invisible dust off his sleeve, "that's dealt with."
Still no response.
He sighed.
"Tough crowd."
The woman in light armor was the first to move. She stepped forward carefully, her hand still resting on the hilt of her weapon, eyes sharp and cautious.
"You killed it in one strike."
Her tone wasn't impressed.
It was... suspicious.
Adrian shrugged lightly. "Yeah, well... it tried to eat me first. Felt fair."
"That was a Thornmaw," the tall man with the spear added, his voice tight. "They don't just die like that."
Adrian blinked. "Good to know. I'll make sure the next one takes longer."
That earned him a look.
A very unimpressed look.
The cloaked figure let out a quiet breath. "You're not from around here."
"That obvious?"
"Yes."
Adrian nodded slowly. "Yeah, fair."
Another pause settled between them.
The tension hadn't gone away.
If anything—it had shifted.
Less fear.
More calculation.
The swordsman finally lowered his blade, though not completely. "You ran straight into us with that thing behind you... and then turned around to fight it."
Adrian rubbed the back of his neck. "In my defense, running didn't seem like a long-term solution."
"...You're either brave," the woman said, narrowing her eyes slightly, "or incredibly stupid."
Adrian gave her a small, tired smile.
"Why not both?"
That almost—almost—broke the tension.
The man with the spear exhaled slowly, then looked at the others before turning back to Adrian.
"...You said you're not from here."
"Correct."
"Where are you from?"
Adrian opened his mouth.
Then paused.
Because that was a very good question.
"...Far," he said finally. "Very far."
Not a lie.
Just not helpful.
The cloaked figure studied him for another second before speaking.
"We should take him to Stonehollow."
The others hesitated.
Then nodded.
Adrian raised a hand slightly. "I'm assuming that's a place and not a prison?"
"...It depends," the swordsman muttered.
"Comforting."
The walk took longer than Adrian expected.
Not because of distance—but because of how often he found himself staring at everything around him.
The forest slowly thinned as they moved forward, giving way to a worn path that looked like it had seen regular travel. The air shifted again—not lighter, but... less oppressive.
Civilization.
Or at least something close to it.
He kept pace with the group, though no one walked particularly close to him.
Not fear.
Not exactly.
But they were giving him space.
Watching him.
"...So," Adrian said after a while, breaking the silence, "Stonehollow. Big place? Small place? Somewhere in between 'don't blink or you'll miss it' and 'you need a map to find your way out'?"
The woman glanced at him briefly. "...It's a frontier village."
"Ah. So somewhere between 'cozy' and 'probably gets attacked regularly.'"
"...Yes."
"Nice."
Another stretch of silence.
Then—
The trees parted.
And Adrian stopped.
"...Oh."
Stonehollow wasn't massive.
But it wasn't small either.
It spread across a wide clearing, surrounded by rough wooden walls reinforced with stone. Watchtowers stood at key points, guards stationed at the top, scanning the horizon.
Inside—
Movement.
Life.
People.
Not just people.
Adrian's eyes widened slightly as he took it all in.
A man with wolf-like ears and a tail walked past one of the gates, carrying what looked like hunting gear over his shoulder.
Nearby, a short, heavily built figure—clearly not human—argued loudly with someone over what looked like tools.
Further in, he caught sight of someone with long, sharp features and silver hair moving through the crowd with quiet grace.
"...Okay," Adrian muttered under his breath, "...either I'm dreaming... or reality has officially given up."
"What was that?" the spear-wielder asked.
"Nothing," Adrian said quickly. "Just... processing."
They approached the gate.
The guards straightened slightly as the group came into view.
One of them frowned. "You're back early."
"We ran into a Thornmaw," the woman replied.
That got their attention immediately.
"And?" the guard asked.
She tilted her head slightly toward Adrian.
"...He killed it."
The guard looked at Adrian.
Up.
Down.
Then back at her.
"...You're serious."
"Unfortunately."
Adrian gave a small wave. "Hi."
The guard didn't wave back.
"Right," Adrian muttered. "Still adjusting."
After a brief exchange, they were allowed through.
And just like that—
Adrian stepped into Stonehollow.
The noise hit him first.
Voices overlapping. Metal clanging. Laughter. Arguments. The general hum of a place that was very much alive.
The smell came next.
Food. Smoke. Leather. Earth.
It was overwhelming.
But not unpleasant.
Just... real.
He turned slowly, taking everything in.
Beastkin. Humans. Dwarves. Elves.
All in one place.
Not perfectly harmonious—he could see tension in certain interactions—but functioning.
Existing together.
"...Huh," he said quietly.
"Never seen a mixed settlement before?" the cloaked figure asked.
"Not like this," Adrian admitted.
They led him through the main path of the village, weaving through the crowd with practiced ease.
Eventually, they stopped in front of a large building.
Unlike the others, this one was built with heavier stone reinforcement.
A sign hung above the entrance.
A sword crossed with a shield.
Adrian raised an eyebrow.
"...Let me guess."
"The Adventurer's Guild," the woman said.
"Of course it is."
Inside—
It was louder.
More chaotic.
Tables filled with people in armor, robes, and everything in between. A large board covered one wall, layered with papers and notices.
At the far end, a counter.
Behind it, a few workers moving quickly, handling requests, handing out tasks, managing the flow.
Adrian glanced around.
"...Yeah, this tracks."
They approached the counter.
One of the staff looked up. "Back already?"
"Change of plans," the spear-user said. "We need a room for him. Temporary."
The staff member's eyes flicked to Adrian.
Paused.
"...He's new."
"Very," Adrian said helpfully.
The staff member sighed slightly. "Of course he is."
After a brief exchange and a few coins changing hands, arrangements were made.
Adrian was handed a small key.
He turned it over in his fingers.
"...Well," he said, "this is officially the weirdest day of my life."
"You'll get used to it," the swordsman said.
"...That's what I'm afraid of."
Before he could say anything else—
A presence shifted in the room.
Subtle.
But noticeable.
Not loud.
Not overwhelming.
Just... there.
Adrian's gaze lifted slightly.
Near the back of the guild hall, partially obscured by the movement of others, stood a man.
Older.
Calm.
Watching.
Not openly.
But intentionally.
Their eyes met for a brief second.
And something in Adrian's chest tightened.
Not fear.
Recognition.
Of what—he didn't know.
The man looked away first.
Like nothing had happened.
"...You'll be staying upstairs," the staff member said, breaking the moment.
Adrian blinked and looked back at the counter. "Right. Room. Yes. That's good. I like rooms."
He turned back to the group.
"...Thanks. For, uh... not letting me get eaten."
The woman gave a small nod. "Don't die before we figure out what you are."
"...Comforting," Adrian said.
They left.
Just like that.
No dramatic goodbye.
No lingering conversation.
Just gone.
Adrian stood there for a moment, key in hand.
"...Alright then."
The room was simple.
A bed.
A small table.
A window overlooking part of the village.
Nothing fancy.
But it was safe.
He stepped inside, closed the door behind him, and leaned against it.
Silence.
Finally.
He exhaled slowly.
"...Okay."
He walked over to the bed and sat down.
Then lay back.
Staring at the ceiling.
"New world," he muttered. "Almost got eaten by a... whatever that was. Learned how to throw a fireball."
A pause.
"...Productive day."
He lifted his hand slightly, staring at it.
Flexing his fingers.
Still felt... off.
Still not entirely human.
"...We'll deal with that later."
Another pause.
"...Hopefully."
He let his arm fall back onto the bed.
The exhaustion hit him all at once.
Physical.
Mental.
Everything.
His eyes started to close.
"...Alright," he murmured. "Tomorrow... we figure things out."
A small breath.
"...Maybe."
Darkness took him.
Part 3 — Two Worlds
Morning came too fast.
Adrian opened his eyes slowly, staring at the unfamiliar ceiling above him. For a moment, everything felt... normal.
Then it all came rushing back.
Forest. Monster. Fireball.
Not dying. Somehow.
"...Right," he muttered, dragging a hand down his face. "Not a dream. That's... unfortunate."
He sat up, stretching slightly—and immediately paused.
That same strange sensation lingered in his body.
Not pain.
Not weakness.
Just... different.
He flexed his fingers again.
Still that faint delay.
Still that subtle, unnatural elasticity.
"...Yeah," he sighed. "We're definitely not human anymore."
He swung his legs off the bed and stood, testing his balance.
Stable.
Good.
"Step one," he said under his breath, "don't panic. Step two... figure out literally everything else."
A beat.
"...Great plan."
The guild hall was already alive when he stepped downstairs.
Voices. Movement. Activity.
But something changed the moment he walked in.
Heads turned.
Not all of them.
But enough.
Whispers followed.
"...That's him."
"...The Thornmaw..."
"...One shot, they said..."
Adrian froze mid-step.
"...I hate this already."
He forced himself to keep walking, pretending not to notice the attention.
It didn't work.
A few people openly stared.
Others tried—and failed—to be subtle.
"...Cool," Adrian muttered. "Fame. Always wanted that."
He reached the counter.
The same staff member from yesterday looked up.
"...You're still alive."
"Against all odds," Adrian replied.
A pause.
"...I need to, uh... register. I think."
The staff member nodded. "If you're staying, you'll need to be officially recognized."
"Recognized sounds important."
"It is."
"...Good. Let's do that."
The process was... surprisingly simple.
Too simple.
A small object was placed on the counter.
A necklace.
Plain.
Unremarkable.
Except for the faint glow embedded within the small gem at its center.
Adrian picked it up.
"...This is going to do something weird, isn't it?"
"Yes."
"Great."
"Put it on."
"...Of course."
He slipped it over his head.
The moment it settled against his chest—
Something shifted.
Not outside.
Inside.
A faint pulse ran through him, like something scanning, measuring... understanding.
Adrian tensed slightly.
"...Okay. Yep. Definitely weird."
The glow in the gem flickered.
Then stabilized.
The staff member watched carefully, then glanced at a nearby device—a small, rune-etched plate.
The symbols on it shifted.
Changed.
Then stopped.
The staff member's expression paused.
"...That's... unusual."
Adrian sighed. "I'm getting that a lot lately."
Before they could say more—
A voice cut through the noise.
"Let me see."
The room didn't go silent.
But it quieted.
Subtly.
Naturally.
People made space without being told.
Adrian turned.
The man from yesterday.
The one who had been watching.
He approached calmly, his presence steady, controlled.
Not overwhelming.
But undeniable.
Adrian straightened slightly without meaning to.
"...You're the guild master, I'm guessing."
The man stopped a few steps away.
"...I am."
His eyes moved over Adrian—not casually, but carefully.
Measuring.
Not just his appearance.
Something deeper.
"Adrian," the guild master said.
Adrian blinked. "I don't remember introducing myself."
"You didn't."
A pause.
"...That's not concerning at all."
The guild master ignored that.
"Step forward."
Adrian hesitated for half a second.
Then stepped forward.
The guild master reached out—not touching him—but hovering his hand just slightly in front of Adrian's chest, near the necklace.
The gem flickered again.
The air tightened.
Not pressure.
But awareness.
The guild master's eyes narrowed... just slightly.
"...Interesting."
Adrian folded his arms. "That's usually where someone explains what's going on."
The guild master lowered his hand.
"You are not fully human."
Adrian blinked once.
"...Yeah," he said. "Got that feeling."
"You are something else... layered over it."
A pause.
The guild master spoke clearly.
"A hybrid."
Murmurs spread through the hall.
"...Of course I am," Adrian muttered. "Why not at this point."
"What kind?" someone asked from the side.
The guild master's gaze didn't leave Adrian.
"...Slime."
Silence.
Then—
"...A what?"
"...That's not possible."
"...Slimes don't—"
Adrian raised a hand. "Okay, hold on. I'm going to need you to explain that one."
The guild master finally looked away, addressing the room briefly.
"Slimes are among the lowest forms of life. Mindless. Weak."
He looked back at Adrian.
"You are neither."
"...Well," Adrian said slowly, "that's... reassuring, I think?"
The staff member glanced back at the rune plate.
"And his rank..."
Another pause.
"...Tier 2. Low."
That... settled things slightly.
Some of the tension eased.
Some of the confusion didn't.
"...Tier 2?" one of the adventurers muttered. "But the Thornmaw—"
"Was Tier 2 as well," another added. "Mid to high."
All eyes went back to Adrian.
He shrugged.
"...I got lucky?"
No one looked convinced.
The guild master studied him for another second.
Then turned away.
"Register him."
And just like that—
It was over.
No dramatic declaration.
No interrogation.
Just... acceptance.
For now.
A short while later, Adrian stood near the quest board.
"...Alright," he muttered, scanning the papers, "let's not die again."
Most of the requests were... simple.
Delivery.
Gathering.
Basic tasks.
He reached out and pulled one free.
E-Rank — Herb Collection
"...Yeah," he said. "That sounds safe."
The forest looked different during the day.
Less threatening.
Still unfamiliar—but manageable.
Adrian crouched slightly, inspecting a small cluster of plants.
"...Okay," he said, holding up the paper, "green leaves, red stem... that's definitely not it."
He moved on.
It took longer than he expected.
Mostly because he kept second-guessing everything.
"...This one?"
Pause.
"...Nope. Probably poisonous. Let's not die picking plants."
Eventually—
He found it.
"Ah. There we go."
He carefully collected the herbs, placing them into a small pouch.
Straightened.
Looked around.
No monsters.
No chaos.
"...You know what?" he said. "This is nice. I like this. Let's do more of this."
Back in Stonehollow—
The quest was completed without issue.
A small pouch of coins was handed to him.
Adrian turned it over in his hand.
"...Alright. Officially employed in another world. That's new."
He made his way back to his room, closing the door behind him.
The quiet settled in again.
He sat on the edge of the bed.
"...Okay."
He looked at his hands.
At the faint shimmer that only he seemed to notice.
"...Grandma's going to be worried."
A pause.
"...Also my boss definitely fired me."
Another pause.
"...Fair."
He leaned back slightly.
Staring at the ceiling.
"...So how do I get back?"
As if answering—
The air shifted.
Golden.
Faint.
Familiar.
The runes appeared again.
Not in front of him.
Inside.
Clearer this time.
Return Path — Available
Adrian stared.
"...Oh," he said slowly.
A beat.
"...That's convenient."
He sat up.
"...Alright then."
A breath.
"...Let's see what happens."
He focused.
Accepted.
The world folded.
Not violently.
Not painfully.
Just—
Gone.
Adrian blinked.
Fluorescent light.
Concrete walls.
Dust.
Storage unit.
He looked around.
"...Huh."
He stood there for a second.
Then checked his phone.
The screen lit up.
Time.
Date.
He frowned.
"...No way."
He did the math.
Slowly.
Carefully.
"...Eight days... is one hour?"
He stared at the screen.
"...That's broken."
He moved.
Fast.
Out of the storage unit.
Down the street.
Back home.
Heart pounding—not from fear this time.
From something else.
Urgency.
Confusion.
Possibility.
He opened the door.
"Grandma?!"
From the kitchen—
"I'm here! Why are you shouting?"
Adrian stepped inside.
She looked exactly the same.
Calm.
Normal.
Like nothing had happened.
She frowned slightly. "You just left for work. Did you forget something?"
Adrian stopped.
Completely.
"...I—"
He looked at her.
At the apartment.
At everything that hadn't changed.
"...What?"
She tilted her head. "Are you alright?"
Adrian let out a slow breath.
Ran a hand through his hair.
"...I have questions."