Haruto slowly opened his eyes.
"I think I got teleported into Tenzu… just like my father used to describe its environment."
His voice was low, but steady.
He looked around.
He was standing on top of a massive mountain. Thick fog drifted through the air like a living veil, hiding everything beyond a certain distance. Far below, enormous trees stretched endlessly across the land, their size far beyond anything he had ever seen on Earth.
The atmosphere itself felt different.
Heavier.
Unknown.
"I have to go down first," Haruto muttered. "Then I'll find a way to return to my real world."
Haruto began climbing down the mountain carefully, testing each step before putting his full weight on it.
"This mountain is huge… If I can get down from here, maybe I can figure something out."
The wind howled softly across the cliffs.
For a moment, everything felt calm.
Then—
Crack.
A sharp sound echoed beneath his feet.
The rock he stepped on suddenly broke apart.
Haruto's balance collapsed.
His body slipped.
He began falling down the steep cliff.
"Ah—!"
The world spun violently around him.
But just before he could fall any further—
A hand suddenly grabbed his wrist.
Firm.
Unshakable.
With a powerful pull, Haruto was lifted back up onto solid ground.
"Yo, boy. You should be careful," the stranger said casually. "If I wasn't here, you'd be dead by now."
Haruto breathed heavily for a moment before stabilizing himself.
"Thanks… but who are you?"
"My name is Raichi," the man replied. "I live on this mountain. Want to come with me?"
Haruto observed him carefully for a second… then nodded.
"Sure."
"Then follow me," Raichi said.
Haruto followed him through narrow, uneven mountain paths.
The deeper they went, the stranger the surroundings felt.
The fog shifted constantly, as if it had a will of its own. The silence wasn't empty—it felt watchful.
After some time, they arrived at a small wooden house built directly against the mountainside.
Despite its simplicity, it looked sturdy.
"This is my house," Raichi said.
"Nice place," Haruto replied.
Raichi turned his gaze toward him, studying him more seriously this time.
"Are you from the planet Earth?"
Haruto froze for a brief moment.
"Yes… but how did you know?"
Raichi let out a quiet chuckle.
"I've met many people before who got teleported into Tenzu."
So it really is Tenzu… Haruto thought.
And more importantly—
He wasn't the only one.
"Those people always ask me how they can return to their world," Raichi continued. "And I always give them the same answer."
"What answer?" Haruto asked.
"They must solve a great mystery of Tenzu. If they do that… I give them valuable information."
Haruto's eyes narrowed slightly.
"So if I solve a mystery, you'll tell me how to return?"
Raichi smiled faintly.
"If you can."
"Alright," Haruto said without hesitation. "But I'll need equipment… and clothes from this world."
Raichi crossed his arms.
"Not for free. If you defeat a Hellcrab from this mountain, then maybe I'll help you."
"Deal."
Haruto answered immediately.
"But first… I need some sleep."
Raichi laughed.
"That's fine. I have a book here—over a thousand animals from Tenzu. Read it if you want to learn about the Hellcrab."
That night, Haruto lay down inside the small wooden house.
But his mind wasn't resting.
In the middle of the night, he quietly opened his eyes.
Without making a sound, he stood up.
He picked up the Tenzu Animal Encyclopedia and began reading under dim light.
Page after page—
Creatures of all shapes and sizes.
Predators.
Territorial beasts.
Pack hunters.
Haruto didn't skim.
He analyzed.
Memorized.
Connected patterns.
After some time, he closed the book.
Then he stepped outside.
The cold night air brushed against his skin.
Under the dim moonlight, Haruto began preparing something in the forest.
He moved silently through the trees.
Carefully observing the ground.
Then—
He stopped.
Footprints.
Haruto crouched down and examined them closely.
"These marks…"
He quickly opened the encyclopedia and flipped through the pages.
After a few seconds—
He found a match.
"It's the same."
A giant centipede-type creature.
He slowly stood up, scanning the area.
Then—
He understood something.
Without hesitation, he took out a shovel.
He began digging.
The soil was rough, but he didn't stop.
Minutes passed.
A deep hole formed.
Haruto then walked toward a nearby river.
He filled a bucket with water and carried it back.
Step by step.
Without wasting energy.
He poured the water into the hole until it was filled.
Then he stepped back.
"My trap is ready."
Suddenly—
The forest trembled.
A massive centipede-like creature crawled through the trees, its enormous body twisting unnaturally as it moved.
Haruto immediately climbed up a tree.
From above, he watched.
Observed.
Calculated.
The creature slowly moved toward the river.
Then—
It stopped.
Curled its body.
And fell asleep.
Haruto frowned slightly.
"That's a problem…"
Still—
He didn't hesitate.
He climbed down.
Step by step, he approached the area.
No fear.
Only focus.
He carefully adjusted the trap's position.
Just as he finished—
The creature's eyes snapped open.
It had noticed him.
Its massive body twisted violently.
Then it charged.
Haruto instantly turned and ran.
The forest shook as the creature chased him, smashing through trees like they were nothing.
But Haruto was fast.
Extremely fast.
His movements were precise.
Efficient.
Even the monster couldn't catch him.
Within moments, he escaped the danger zone and returned safely.
Morning came.
Raichi was cooking breakfast.
Haruto sat down calmly and began eating.
"So," Raichi said, "when will you go hunt the Hellcrab?"
Haruto continued eating.
"It's already done."
Raichi frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"Wait until afternoon."
Haruto then looked at him.
"Can you show me around the mountain?"
Raichi shrugged.
"Sure."
They explored the mountain together.
The scale of the place was overwhelming.
Fog drifted endlessly between trees that towered like giants.
Rivers flowed like silver veins through the land.
Haruto even tasted strange fruits.
The flavor was perfectly balanced—not too sweet, not bland.
Just… right.
He saw creatures unlike anything on Earth.
Beautiful.
Unreal.
Almost dreamlike.
Afternoon arrived.
As they walked through the forest—
A scream echoed.
"AAAAAAHHHHHH!"
"Follow me," Haruto said instantly.
They rushed toward the sound.
When they reached the river—
Raichi stopped.
Frozen.
A massive Hellcrab was hanging from a rope trap.
Dead.
A large bucket of water had fallen over it, soaking its entire body.
"What… is this?" Raichi asked.
Haruto spoke calmly.
"Hellcrabs live in groups. Every group has a king and several soldiers."
"The soldiers attack first. They hunt in a single direction."
"If they fail… the king attacks from another direction."
Raichi listened silently.
"The king follows patterns," Haruto continued. "So I predicted its path."
"I set traps for the soldiers… and another for the king."
He pointed at the bucket.
"They're weak against water."
"So I used that."
Silence.
Then—
A slow smile appeared on Raichi's face.
"So… you figured that out already."
Haruto looked at him.
"So, Raichi… do I get my equipment now?"
Raichi nodded.
"Fine. Tomorrow."
The next day, Haruto received proper Tenzu clothing.
And a rifle.
"For protection," Raichi said.
Haruto also discovered a shortcut path leading out of the mountain.
Without hesitation—
He left.
No turning back.
No doubt.
His journey in Tenzu had officially begun.
Haruto stepped beyond the mountain's edge.
A vast, unknown world stretched before him.
Danger.
Mystery.
Truth.
Everything awaited.
Haruto's eyes sharpened.
"Let's see what this world really is."