The first touch of sunlight against my face pulled me out of sleep.
I inhaled sharply, eyes snapping open as the warmth spread across my skin.
The fatigue had lessened.
Not gone—but dulled.
What remained was something worse.
A hollow weakness.
My body felt functional again, but there was a clear lack of energy, like a fire reduced to embers. At least my mind was sharp now.
So… what now?
I sat up slowly, rubbing my face as thoughts began to settle into place.
There were only a few explanations for what was happening.
One—this was my world… but in the future. A future where everything had already collapsed. Where whatever had started the apocalypse had already taken hold, and I had somehow been dragged forward into it.
The ruined railway station. Those creatures.
They didn't leave much room for doubt.
And those things that chased me…
I clenched my jaw.
They had once been human.
I was almost certain of it.
The eye of that bearded man—the one I saw before everything went to hell—and the eyes of those creatures… they were the same.
Twisted.
Corrupted.
The second possibility was worse.
This wasn't my world at all.
Just something… similar.
A different reality where the apocalypse had already come and gone, leaving behind whatever this was.
Which meant—
Survivors might not exist at all.
A quiet breath left me.
So that feeling I had before… that something was deeply wrong with the world—
It wasn't in my head.
"Good to know I'm not insane," I muttered under my breath.
A slow smile crept onto my face.
If anyone saw me right now, they'd probably take a step back.
There was something off about it.
Something unhinged.
My hand moved to my side, where I had been injured.
Nothing.
The wounds were gone.
Only faint scars remained, barely visible against my skin.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
After pulling on my torn black t-shirt and pants, I grabbed the bamboo container and drank deeply. The water was warm, but it didn't matter—my body welcomed it like salvation.
Food was next.
And direction.
I could follow the river upstream—play it safe, conserve energy.
But without proper tools, I'd just end up starving.
No.
I needed elevation.
Information.
I turned away from the river and faced the forest.
Deeper it was.
Higher ground meant a better view—and maybe a way to understand where I was.
As I moved forward, the terrain began to rise. Gradually at first, then more aggressively. The ground sloped upward, the incline sharpening with every step.
Familiar.
Too familiar.
A mountain range wrapped in dense forest.
Back home, we had something like this.
"A shola grassland complex…" I murmured. "Or what people used to call the high ranges."
The resemblance was uncanny.
Time slipped by as I climbed.
The sun drifted lower, its light turning warmer, softer.
I needed to stop soon.
That was when I found it.
A narrow stream flowing down from higher up the mountain, feeding into a shallow pond nestled between rocks. The water was clear—clean.
Perfect.
I decided to camp there.
And if I was lucky… get some food.
I had no equipment. No hooks. No line.
But I didn't need them.
Fish in shallow, flowing water behaved predictably. They stayed near rocks, under shade, conserving energy against the current.
I slipped off my t-shirt and crouched low, moving carefully along the edge of the stream.
Patience.
That was key.
I watched the water, tracking the subtle movements beneath the surface—the flicker of fins, the slight shift of shadows.
There.
I moved.
Fast.
Using the shirt as a crude net, I swept through the water in a single motion.
For a second—nothing.
Then—
Struggle.
I pulled back.
Two fish.
Not small either.
A grin broke across my face.
"Lucky."
As the sun dipped further, I gathered firewood and lit another fire. The flames rose just as the last light disappeared beyond the horizon.
I skewered the fish on sharpened sticks and held them over the fire.
The smell was… basic.
No salt. No spices.
Just flesh and heat.
I ate anyway.
Every bite felt like fuel.
Necessary.
By the time I finished, darkness had settled in completely.
The plan was simple.
Reach the top tomorrow.
Get a clear view.
Figure things out.
I lay back, the fire crackling beside me, and let sleep take over.
I didn't know how long I had been asleep.
But something was wrong.
The feeling hit first.
A crushing sense of impending doom.
My eyes snapped open.
Every nerve in my body screamed at once.
I was on my feet instantly, muscles tensed, breath shallow as I scanned the surroundings.
It should have been pitch black.
But it wasn't.
Fireflies.
Hundreds of them.
Maybe thousands.
They filled the air, their glow far brighter than it should have been—unnaturally bright, casting the forest in an eerie, shifting light.
For a moment, I wondered if I was still dreaming.
But no.
I was awake.
And there was something here.
Something watching.
I extended my senses, searching for any trace of asura energy.
Nothing.
That made it worse.
I turned slowly, every movement deliberate, eyes cutting through the glowing haze.
Everything looked normal.
Too normal.
Then—
My gaze stopped.
Across the stream.
I couldn't explain it.
Nothing moved.
Nothing stood out.
But I couldn't look away.
Seconds stretched.
The silence thickened.
And then—
Something shifted.
The illusion broke.
It was there.
A massive figure, crouched low on all fours, its form blending unnaturally with the darkness.
Watching me.
Before I could react—
It released it.
A surge of demonic energy exploded outward.
My body locked instantly.
I dropped to my knees, limbs refusing to respond.
No—
Not fear.
Something worse.
Suppression.
Crushing. Absolute.
I couldn't move.
Couldn't breathe.
And from across the stream—
It moved.
In a blur of muscle and shadow, the creature lunged.
Straight at me.
Aimed to kill.