I opened my eyes to find myself in a strange, unfamiliar place. The last thing I remembered was dozing off while peeling an apple — yet now I stood in a forest unlike any I had ever seen.
The trees loomed tall, their leaves and bark tinted with an unnatural darkness. A heavy fog clung to the air, wrapping the forest in eerie silence. Everything around me carried a blackened hue, as if the world itself had been drained of color. The atmosphere was unsettling, almost alien. How weird, I muttered under my breath.
Confusion swirled in my mind. Had I been summoned? Transmigrated to another world? No, that seemed impossible. There had to be a logical explanation. Perhaps I had been kidnapped. But who would abduct me only to abandon me in this bizarre forest? The thought was maddening.
I forced myself to calm down, retracing my last memories. Could this be the work of my organization — the shadow department of the secret black ops? They were known for strange methods, but this… this was unprecedented. Still, I resolved to survive whatever test they had devised. If this is their game, I'll beat them at it.
Just then, a voice echoed around me.
"Welcome, Shad Darc. You have been chosen as the ninth hero."
I froze. My heart raced. Was this a dream? A trick? The voice was serene, neither male nor female, yet both at once — gentle as a morning breeze. It carried no malice, only calm authority. For the first time, I doubted whether my organization was behind this.
Could they have created something new? Some secret project? I wondered. But without answers, I could only press forward.
The forest was oppressively hot, far warmer than its foggy, shadowed appearance suggested. Sweat clung to my skin as I gripped the only weapon I had — the black dagger I'd been using to peel my apple. Forged from unknown materials, harder than steel, it was a gift from my organization.
Hours passed as I wandered aimlessly, frustration mounting. Then, a low growl broke the silence. My body stiffened. A bear? Here?
Through the fog, about 150 meters away, a hulking shape emerged. As it drew closer, I realized it was no ordinary bear.
"What the…?" I whispered, eyes wide.
The creature was a grotesque fusion — the body of a bear, but with rhino-like legs and paws. Two horns jutted from its forehead, one above the other. Its fur was dark and coarse, its muscles thick, and its eyes glowed an ominous red.
I tightened my grip on the dagger.
"Where am I, really?" I muttered, staring at the beast that defied all reason.