Naz awoke from a deep, heavy sleep, his body still burdened by the weight of his first day in this strange world. He slowly lifted his head… then froze.
A cloak covered him—no, not just any cloak… an invisibility cloak, identical to the one Fifi had worn the night before. He couldn't understand how it had reached him, yet one truth stood undeniable: it was meant to protect him… but it also bound him to the unseen laws governing this world.
Carefully, Naz lifted the cloak, taking great care not to make a sound. That's when he heard faint noises nearby.
He stole a glance.
A group of lesser demons passed close by, their twisted fingers stretching outward as if searching for any trace of life. Naz held his breath, his heart pounding violently in his chest, swallowing both fear and anger at once.
They passed.
Silence returned.
Naz lowered himself to the ground and quickly gathered his belongings: the sword he had inherited from Fifi, the notebook, and the vial of antidote. But something was missing.
The small object Fifi had given him…
He couldn't recall its name, yet he knew it was crucial—some kind of key tied to a mysterious ally in this world.
He paused, breathing unevenly.
Then her words echoed in his mind:
"There is someone helping us… but no one knows who they are."
A chill ran through him as his thoughts spiraled.
Who was this unknown figure?
And how far did their power reach?
Moving cautiously along the winding forest path, Naz noticed something… off.
A presence.
A figure nearby—on the verge of death… just as described in the novel he had memorized.
His heart began to race.
His mind calculated relentlessly:
If I interfere… what will it cost?
Will I alter the course of the story entirely?
He couldn't afford hesitation.
With swift precision, he threw a stone far into the distance, drawing the danger's attention away. Then he dashed forward, grabbed the figure, and pulled them beneath the invisibility cloak. The cloak dimmed, concealing them both.
They moved in silence, hidden within its cover.
But almost immediately, Naz sensed it—
Subtle changes.
The trees… slightly different.
The shadows… shifting unnaturally.
The air… thick with a strange energy that made his skin tense at every brush against it.
He whispered to himself:
"Every change has a price…"
His first lesson.
Every action—no matter how small—could trigger consequences beyond prediction.
Then—
Impact.
A violent punch struck beneath his chin, sending him stumbling backward. Naz regained his footing just in time as a mocking voice rang out:
"You idiot… how did you fail to recognize my scent? Idiot! Hahahahaha!"
A lesser demon stood before him—one of Lucifer's followers—its voice dripping with scorn.
"I have orders… to take your cloak and ensure you never reach the kingdom. Resist… and you die. Before you even arrive at the gates, the guards will finish you! Hahaha!"
Naz trembled.
But he did not hesitate.
Still holding the person he had just saved, he surged forward with everything he had. His blade cut through the air and struck the demon, landing a severe blow—
But not a killing one.
Before the creature could recover, a voice emerged from the void.
Deep. Vast. Terrifying.
"Fools… proceed…"
Naz's entire body shuddered.
The demon's form began to swell grotesquely, its body distorting beyond recognition—then suddenly—
It exploded.
Black smoke filled the air, carrying the sharp stench of burning flesh.
Silence fell once more.
Then the voice returned.
Closer.
More deliberate.
"I will see you soon, Naz…"
Naz's eyes widened in shock.
"How… does he know my name?!"
A dark, echoing laugh followed
"Zehahahahaha!"
Naz stood frozen, gripping his sword, his notebook, and the vial tightly. His heart thundered in his chest, his hands trembling—not from fear alone…
…but from the weight of what lay ahead.