Chapter 5: Mystic plane
I stared in complete awe at the man standing before me.
Gone was the massive dragon that had nearly beaten me senseless earlier. In its place stood a tall, elegant man dressed in a black kimono patterned with faint dragon scales that shimmered whenever the light touched them. Long emerald-green hair flowed down his back like silk, swaying gently with the breeze, while crimson ruby eyes gleamed with amusement.
My jaw practically dropped. He noticed immediately.
"Are you gawking, my dear master?" he teased with a sly smirk.
"I am not gawking!" I shot back quickly.
"I'm just surprised! I didn't know you could turn into a human!"
"Human?" He chuckled softly.
"You misunderstand, milady. The inferior party within a contract naturally takes the form most compatible with the superior oneor rather, the contracted master. Therefore, I am not truly human."
He lifted one arm slightly, revealing faint emerald scales lining his upper skin.
"I am a dragon hybrid taking on a humanoid appearance." he explained
"How is that even possible? You literally kicked my ass earlier…" I pointed out
Power supremacy is not merely about brute strength," he explained calmly.
"Your mana reserves far exceed my own. Your intellect and adaptability are likewise superior."He stepped closer, studying me carefully.
"Judging by your fighting style, your mind simply has not yet adapted to your body's full potential. You hesitate. You second-guess yourself. However…" a grin spread across his face
, "…once you fully adjust, you will surpass me rather quickly."
I rubbed the back of my neck awkwardly
"I guess that makes sense. I'm still getting used to all this weird fantasy-world stuff…"
"Indeed." A brief silence settled between us before he suddenly straightened his posture.
"There is, however, one issue remaining."
"Hm?" I stared at him confused
"You have yet to give me a name."
"A name?" He nodded.
"I require an identity. The same way I refer to you as Master or Milady, I too should possess a proper designation."
"Oh…" I tapped my chin thoughtfully.
"Do you have any suggestions?" I asked
"I desire something symbolic," he admitted.
"A name with meaning. Something memorable. Though…" his lips curled upward slightly
I stared at him for a moment. Black kimono. Dragon aesthetics. Long green hair. Dramatic speech patterns
Yep. This guy was absolutely living out some anime samurai fantasy.
Still…
A fitting name slowly formed in my head.
"How about… Ryuchi?" I smiled. "Ryu for short. It means dragon in Japanese."
"Japanese?" He tilted his head in confusion.
Crap. Right. , this is a Different world.
"It's… uh… a language from my homeland, don't worry about it" I explained quickly.
"I see." He nodded as he placed a hand over his chest before kneeling gracefully on one knee.
"Very well. I, Ryuchi, humbly accept the name bestowed upon me by my master." The instant the words left his mouth, his body erupted with glowing emerald light.
Wind exploded outwards
"What the heck is happening?!" I stumbled backward in alarm.
"Receiving a name significantly increases a monster's power," he explained cheerfully while examining his glowing hands. "My mana capacity, physical abilities, and evolution potential have all risen dramatically!"
"YOU COULD'VE WARNED ME FIRST, IDIOT!"
"My apologies." He laughed shamelessly.
"I shall explain my abilities in detail later, Milady." he said
I groaned while pinching the bridge of my nose.
This guy was definitely a delinquent.
An elegant delinquent, if such even exist.
"There is one more thing I wish to request," he said suddenly.
"What now?" I groaned, already done with this mental rollercoaster
"I would like continued access to your memories."
"Huh?" I stared at him suspiciously.
"Why?"
His eyes sparkled immediately.
"Your memories contain extraordinary knowledge unlike anything in this world. Fascinating weapons, philosophies, architecture, stories…" He clasped his hands together excitedly.
"Particularly the memories involving noble swordsmen! Their honor! Their discipline! Their unwavering conviction!" He dramatically pointed toward the roof of the cave as if gesturing to the sky above us.
"I have decided that I, too, shall embody such ideals!"
I deadpanned at him.
He is absolutely obsessed with samurai culture already. Delinquent confirmed.
"Enough talking," he declared proudly.
"We should leave this place."
Before I could respond, he suddenly scooped me up bridal-style.
"HEY—?!"
A glowing lime-green magic circle expanded beneath our feet.
"What's happening?!" The world blurred.
Light swallowed us whole.
POOF.
......
The Fresh air hit my faceas i slowly opened my eyes. We were back in the forest.
Sunlight filtered through the trees while leaves danced gently in the wind.
"Nature truly is beautiful, is it not?" Ryu smiled peacefully while inhaling deeply.
"…Can you put me down now?" I said blankly.
His eyes widened."Oh. Right."
He carefully placed me back onto the ground. As I adjusted my balance, something massive caught my attention in the distance.
A gigantic metallic gate was embedded directly into the mountainside. Ancient symbols glowed faintly across its surface.
"What's that?" I asked.
"That," Ryu explained, "is the entrance to a labyrinth.
"Labyrinth , like dungeon?" I stared.
"The gates are reinforced with advanced holy and light magic. Monsters cannot leave unless contracted by mortals. Adventurers frequently enter to hunt monsters, gather rare materials, and strengthen themselves."
Almost as if summoned by his explanation, three figures approached the gate from afar.
Two men, One woman All dressed in matching uniforms.
"Hide," I whispered immediately while dragging Ryu into nearby bushes.
"…Why are we hiding?" he asked
"Stranger danger."
"But they are weak."
"That's not the point."
I peeked through the bushes cautiously.
They looked young. Maybe early twenties at most.
"Why are they wearing uniforms?"
"Draco Academy students," Ryu explained quietly. "It is the continent's most prestigious institution for magic, combat, strategy, and scholarly education."
"So basically fantasy private school." I thought out loud
"…I suppose."
He continued, "Students are occasionally permitted to participate in supervised labyrinth raids. Materials obtained during missions may be exchanged for skill credits or sold for currency."
"I see…"i quietly pulled out my phone and began typing notes.
Ryu immediately stared at the device with visible curiosity but surprisingly didn't comment.
"Master," he suddenly whispered, "may I test something?"
"That depends entirely on what you're testing."
"Have you heard of a spiritual space?"
I shook my head.
"It is a dimension connected directly to one's soul. A reflection of one's inner self, personality, and mana. Few races possess the ability to access it."
As he spoke, mist-like energy gathered around his hand.
"While imprisoned inside the labyrinth, the barrier magic prevented access to mine. However…" his eyes gleamed, "…now that our souls are linked, I wish to see how much it has changed."
A swirling portal opened before us.
I stared in complete disbelief.
"…You can just DO that?!"
Ryu smiled and extended his hand toward me.
"Come, Milady.
.......
As the two disappeared into the mist portal, the female student near the labyrinth suddenly froze.
"What's wrong, Amy?" the party leader asked.
Her face had gone pale
"…I sensed something terrifying just now."
The others stiffened.
"A monster?"
"I don't know…" she muttered nervously. "But whatever it was… it vanished instantly."
An uneasy silence followed.
"…Let's finish this raid quickly," the second male suggested quietly.
The others nodded immediately.
........
My breath caught in my throat. We stood atop a lush green hill beneath a brilliant blue sky.
Crystal-clear rivers flowed down distant mountains while endless fields of flowers danced beneath the wind. Trees swayed peacefully nearby, their branches heavy with unfamiliar and familiar fruits alike.
It looked like paradise.
"PERSIMMONS!" I squealed as I immediately sprinted toward one of the trees.
"Persi… what?" Ryu asked in confusion
"Persimmons! They're fruit from my world!"
I tossed one toward him.
He examined it cautiously before taking a bite.
His eyes widened instantly.
"…Delicious.
Within seconds he started grabbing more from the branches.
I snorted
"It's sweet, right?"
"Exceedingly."
I looked around again in amazement.
"So where exactly are we?"
"My spiritual space," he explained while still eating fruit. "Or rather… our spiritual space now."
"Huh?"
"Our contract fused our souls together. Since your mana and existence are dominant within the contract, this realm has begun reshaping itself using your memories and subconscious."
I slowly looked around again, the familiar plants. The atmosphere.The strangely Earth-like scenery.
"…That's insane."
"My original spiritual space was nothing more than endless darkness and stars," he admitted. "But now…
He gestured toward the vibrant paradise surrounding us.
"…it has become something entirely different."
A slow grin spread across my face.
If this place existed separately from the world outside…
Then nobody could find me here.
Not Thalia
Not Artemis.
Not anyone.
I grinned maliciously
"Master…" Ryu said carefully. "Your expression looks rather sinister."
"Shush.
I activated my skill immediately.
{Radar activated}
Mana spread outward like invisible waves.
My senses expanded dramatically. I could feel rivers, forests, animals, terrain…
This place was HUGE.
But at the farthest edge, There was only fog.
Interesting.
I turned toward him excitedly.
"Hey, Ryu."
"Yes?"
"Could we build a town here?" I asked
He blinked.
"You require no permission from me. This realm belongs primarily to you now."
His lips curled upward slightly.
"If you wish to build a kingdom… then build one."
My heart skipped slightly
A kingdom… A safe place.A home.
Somewhere Sanemi could return to.
"…Then we'll do it."
"And what shall this kingdom be called?"
"Huh?"
"You require a name."i froze.
A kingdom name?
Oh no.
Why was naming things suddenly so stressful?! I crossed my arms and started pacing dramatically.
It had to sound cool.
Elegant.
Memorable.
Not cringe.
After several painful minutes, inspiration struck.
"Our kingdom shall be called…" I pointed dramatically toward the sky
"ETHEREAL CITY!"
Silence.l
Then—
Ryu began clapping immediately
"A magnificent name."
Heat rushed to my cheeks
"S-Stop making it sound so dramatic!"
I sighed before pumping my fist into the air.
"Alright! Enough talking! Let's go become rich and successful!"
"An excellent objective.
The two of us stepped back through the portal
The forest greeted us once more.
"First step," I declared confidently, "find civilization."
"Agreed." he nodded
We walked through the forest while I typed notes rapidly into my phone.
Ryu stared again
"That artifact continues to intrigue me
"It's not an artifact," I replied automatically before stopping myself. "I mean—it's… a special tool from my homeland."
"What does it do?
"Mostly stores information."
"Astonishing."
ROOOOOAAARRRRR!!
The ground shook violently.
Both of us snapped our heads forward.
A gigantic beast emerged from the trees.
Golden fur
Black stripes.
Massive claws dripping with fresh blood.
Red eyes locked directly onto us.
My entire body stiffened.
{Insight activated}
{Species: Thunder Bear ⚡🐻}
{Level: 15}
{Rank: Intermediate}
{Strengths: tremendous physical power, claws, agility}
{Weaknesses: honey}
I blinked.
"…Honey?"
What was I supposed to do?! Throw a picnic basket at it?!
The beast roared again before charging straight toward me. My body reacted instinctively.
I dodged sideways just as its claws smashed into the ground.
BOOM!!
Dirt exploded everywhere, Then I noticed something nearby.
A small furry creature lay trembling beside a tree, clearly injured.
"Ryu," I said quickly while tossing him my bag, "hold this."
"Master?"
I charged forward.
The Thunder Bear raised its massive paw.
Time seemed to slow.
I leapt upward instinctively—
—and kicked straight through its chest.
CRACK.
Silence fell.
The bear collapsed instantly.
Blood splattered across the forest floor.
I froze mid-step.
"…What."
I stared at my own leg
I DID NOT MEAN TO DO THAT..
"That was magnificent," Ryu muttered in genuine disbelief.
"I WAS TRYING TO KNOCK IT OUT!"
The second bear immediately fled in terror.
Slowly, I approached the injured furry creature instead.
It trembled violently.
{Insight activated}
{Species: Robonix}
{Level: 10}
{Rank: Peaceful}
{Abilities: camouflage, illusion magic, agility}
{Weaknesses: shiny objects}
Aw.
It was adorable.
"Hi," I said gently while crouching down. "I'm Shiori. That dramatic guy over there is Ryuchi."
Ryu looked offended.
{Healing Master activated}
Warm glowing liquid formed around my hand as I carefully spread it over the creature's wounds.
Its injuries slowly disappeared, The creature sighed in relief.
"Marvelous!" Ryu praised immediately.
"You healed it effortlessly!"
"It wasn't that special…" I shrug
"Nonsense." He pouted
The creature stared at me nervously.
"Thank you… for saving me." It said timidly
I nearly jumped backward
"IT TALKS?!"
"Creatures possessing mana can understand one another." Ryu said
"…Fantasy worlds are cheating." I turned back toward the creature.
"Do you have family nearby?"
It slowly shook its head.
"…Then come with us."
It blinked.
"You would allow that?"
"Of course." I said
"But why?"
"Because you're fluffy." I said honestly
"…What?" It blinked
"And cute."
"…What?"
"And this is clearly dangerous territory. Also humans would probably capture you eventually." I explained
The creature lowered its gaze sadly.
"…What if I disappoint you?
"Huh?"
"What if I'm weak? What if I fail your expectations? Wouldnt you abandon me?"
My expression didn't change
"Everyone grows at different speeds," I replied
"And honestly? I think you've got tons of potential."
The creature stared at me silently.
"…I accept."
A system notification appeared instantly.
{To adopt a familiar, a soul contract must be formed}
Mana swirled around us. Light engulfed the creature.
Its form slowly shifted and a young girl with fluffy animal traits appeared in its place.
I gasped.
ADORABLE.
"You shall be called Haruna," I declared proudly. "Haru for short!"
Glowing letters appeared briefly along her collarbone.
"I shall do my best," she said softly.
I physically clutched my chest.
Too cute.
"Wait," I suddenly said while looking between her and Ryu. "Why does her name appear on her body but yours doesn't?"
"Familiars receive visible crests," Ryu explained.
"Servants do not."
"But I contracted both of you."
"The weaker the contracted being, the clearer the mark. It fades gradually as strength increases."
"Ohhh…"
Haru quietly stared at our fruit bag with obvious longing.
"…You can eat some, you know."
Her ears perked up immediately..
"I may?!"
"Go ahead."
She carefully grabbed a fruit before taking a bite.Her eyes sparkled.
"Delicious…" i giggled.
The next several days passed surprisingly peacefully. We hunted, Gathered supplies.
Got completely lost multiple times.
And somehow avoided most dangerous monsters entirely
Which honestly felt suspicious.
"STOP RIGHT THERE, GREAT ONE!"
A nervous voice echoed through the forest.
We halted instantly.
Ahead of us stood an entire army of small green creatures wielding crude weapons.
I blinked slowly.
"…Goblins?"
I