A few weeks ago, Jiro, with his determination and courage, had hurled his crimson spear toward the imposing Milena, who, despite her beauty and power, looked vulnerable. The spear struck the Oni woman's talisman directly, triggering a massive explosion of energy.
As the fissure opened by the beasts closed, the carriage passed through the portal, and Milena, like a lightning bolt, was sent flying through the air.
—Noooo... damn you, half-breed! —Milena screamed furiously, her face twisting with rage as she disappeared into the distance.
Days later, in a dark and lonely forest…
Milena lay unconscious on the ground, her body aching from the fall. Her eyes fluttered open slowly, waking to a sharp pain.
—It hurts... —she muttered through clenched teeth. Her hair, like her clothes, was covered in thorns and leaves, remnants of her merciless fall.
—My whole body aches... —the Oni woman said as she struggled to sit up, her two scarlet horns faintly glowing under the dim forest light.
—Now I remember... —she continued, a grim expression on her face. —That boy... he destroyed my talisman… Now I can't return to the Spirit Kingdom. Without the talisman... how will I access it? I need to deliver my report to my lord spirit…
Frustration filled Milena as she clenched her fists, knowing her mission had failed. But there was still something she could do—something that kept her hope alive.
—I need to find a Loom Temple... If I travel between worlds, I can reach the Fairy Kingdom and have them craft a new talisman for me… —she said as she stood up and checked her pockets, searching for something important.
—Let's see… —she murmured, pulling something from her clothes with a look of certainty. —Aha! Here it is… —she said, relieved. It was the Universal Compass.
—With this Universal Compass, I can set a fixed course… Not only does it let me choose my destination, but it also tells me how to get there.
For example, if I choose the Fairy Kingdom, it will tell me how many worlds I need to cross before reaching my destination. Once I enter the Loom Temples… —she continued with confidence.
With a confident smile, Milena raised the compass to the sky.
—Tell me how to reach the Fairy Kingdom! —she commanded firmly.
The compass shone brightly and shot a radiant light toward the south.
—So, there's a Loom Temple in that direction… huh? —Milena remained silent, watching the light fade into the distance.
Then, with a deep sigh and a hint of discouragement, she muttered: —That looks really far… how am I supposed to walk there?
With no other choice, she began her march through the forest, exhaustion and discomfort making her steps slow and unsteady. As she walked, her stomach growled—a harsh reminder of her hunger.
—I'm so hungry... —she complained in a low voice, touching her stomach while glancing at the compass, which continued to glow with stars and lights around it.
—The Universal Compass is really useful in emergencies… —she murmured as she kept moving.
—When you travel to a world with a Universal Compass, it gathers all the information from the universe you've entered, storing the locations of the Loom Temples. They work like a guide map so you don't get lost in the world or universe you're traveling through…
—I wish it could make food appear.
But, as always, there was a downside. Milena kept mumbling as she walked.
—The worst part is… it doesn't take you directly to the place it points to. You have to go there yourself. And I… I'm starving! —she cried out in frustration, as tears of helplessness streamed down her cheeks.
The young Oni kept walking, battling fatigue and despair, knowing that the journey ahead was still long.
Milena kept walking through the dense forest, following the line of light projected by the Universal Compass toward the south. Her steps were heavy and slow, and the accumulated fatigue in her body was starting to take its toll. Her clothes were dirty, her hair tangled, and her stomach growled with hunger.
Then, the sky darkened, and in an instant, the rain began to fall with brutal force. The drops pounded against the leaves of the trees, quickly soaking the ground and making the path slippery.
—Ugh, I have no luck… —Milena muttered in frustration, feeling the cold seep into her bones.
Looking for shelter, she scanned her surroundings until she spotted the entrance to a cave in the distance. Without hesitation, she hurried her pace, feeling her wet clothes clinging to her skin.
Upon reaching it, she stepped inside without a second thought, sighing in relief as she shook her arms, trying to rid herself of some of the moisture.
—I'll stay here until the rain stops… —she said, crossing her arms as she watched the entrance of the cave, where the water continued to pour down in sheets.
However, the cave's interior was dark and damp. The echoes of dripping water filled the space. A shiver ran down her spine, but she decided not to stay idle. If she had to wait, she might as well explore a little.
She extended her hand and conjured a small flame, illuminating the path with a warm, flickering light.
—Let's see what's inside… —she murmured curiously as she advanced slowly, her footsteps echoing within the cave.
But her stomach wouldn't stop growling, reminding her of her urgent need.
—Ugh, I really need to eat… —she groaned, placing a hand on her belly. —It's been two days since I last ate… I'd eat a whole bear if I had the chance…
However, her instincts warned her that something was wrong. Further ahead, the cave walls began to show something unsettling—deep claw marks, as if some beast had sharpened its nails against the stone.
Milena froze in place and swallowed hard.
—This cave has a lot of bones… —she whispered, looking more closely at the ground. There were fish remains, small animal bones, and even some larger ones.
Her eyes sharpened, and a chill ran down her back. Something had been using this cave as a den.
—I should get out of here… —she murmured, stepping back slowly.
That's when she noticed something else on the ground. Among the damp rocks and scattered remains, strands of blue fur lay there.
Milena frowned and crouched slightly to examine them. Her mind tried to process what kind of creature could have left such a trace, but she didn't want to find out.
—No, no, no… I better leave right now… —she said, quickly turning around.
She extinguished the flame in her hand and hurried out of the cave, her heart pounding. To her relief, the rain had stopped.
Sighing in exhaustion, she looked again at her Universal Compass, which still pointed south. She decided to keep moving, but this time, she remained on high alert.
After a long trek, her luck finally changed.
Before her stood a majestic tree laden with pink fruits, its branches heavy with juicy produce that seemed to glow under the sunlight.
Milena's eyes lit up with relief and joy.
—Food! —she exclaimed, caring about nothing else.
With surprising agility, she leaped toward the tree, climbing its branches with desperate hunger. She plucked several fruits and began devouring them one after another, savoring their sweet taste.
The exhaustion, hunger, and bad luck seemed to fade away with each bite.
For now, at least, she had found a moment of peace.
Milena devoured the fruits with an almost childlike joy, caring about nothing but the sweet taste filling her mouth.
—Ah... God finally heard my prayers! —she exclaimed with her mouth full, completely ignoring her lack of manners. —Now I won't starve to death... So goooood!
She bit into fruit after fruit, unaware that her belly was starting to swell. She had gone so long without eating that her body was now absorbing as much energy as possible.
After a while, Milena lay back on a thick branch, sighing in satisfaction as she patted her full stomach.
—I'm stuffed… —she said with a lazy smile. But then she remembered her mission and, with some effort, got to her feet. —Well... I have to keep going.
She jumped down from the tree with ease and stretched before following the direction shown by the Universal Compass. However, she never looked back… where, scattered among the tree's roots, lay the skeletal remains of animals and people.
If only she had paid a little more attention.
Milena's journey was far from easy.
She crossed hills covered in thick undergrowth, climbed and descended steep mountains, waded through rivers with dangerous currents, and, as if the universe had a personal grudge against her, was attacked by an endless number of wild animals.
A boar chased her downhill, forcing her to run for her life. Massive birds tried to steal her compass while she slept. A pack of wolves stalked her for an entire night, and when she finally tried to fight back, her mana ran out at the worst possible moment.
—Why am I so unlucky?! —she screamed in frustration while running, tripping clumsily over the bushes.
Her clothes were torn, her hair was a disaster, and her face was covered in bruises from all the times she had fallen. At this point, she felt like the entire universe was mocking her.
After what felt like an eternity of suffering, Milena finally reached the top of a hill.
She was panting heavily, her legs trembling, but when she lifted her gaze, her eyes lit up.
Before her, in the distance, stretched a vast kingdom. From her position, she could see the towering buildings, the castles with gleaming spires, and the neatly aligned houses sprawling across the grand city.
It was her destination.
The Universal Compass still pointed in that direction. There, she would find the Telar Temple that would help her continue her journey.
A wave of relief washed over her, and with tears of joy in her eyes, she raised her arms.
—Finally… I'm getting out of this hell! —she exclaimed in excitement. —Now, this is the first step toward ascending…
But just as she was about to take her next step…
CRACK
Her foot landed on unstable ground.
Her expression changed in an instant.
—No… this can't be…
And before she could react, the ground crumbled beneath her feet.
—THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING!! —she screamed as she tumbled down the hill at an alarming speed.
Her body spun out of control, crashing into rocks, branches, and bushes. Each hit forced a pained grunt out of her, but she was unable to stop herself.
Finally, the disaster ended when she slammed headfirst into a massive tree.
BAM!
Milena was completely motionless.
A large bump began to form on her forehead, and tiny stars seemed to spin around her head before her consciousness faded entirely.
The Scarlet Oni had fallen in the most ridiculous way possible.
Milena felt her body heavy as she slowly regained consciousness.
Her eyes, barely open, saw a blurry world. Earthy and green patches mixed in her vision as her mind tried to comprehend what was happening.
—Ugh... —she groaned, feeling a throbbing pain in her forehead.
When her vision finally cleared, she realized something was wrong.
Her body was moving... but she wasn't walking.
A strange swaying was shaking her as if she were being transported. She blinked several times and tried to move, but her arms wouldn't respond.
—Huh...? —she murmured, feeling a pressure around her torso.