Horizon Valley, 30 kilometers south from Red Lake Village, within the misty embrace of the Green Fog Forest.
The morning air was thick with humidity, and dark clouds loomed in the sky, promising heavy rain. The forest was unusually silent, save for the occasional rustling of leaves. Lucas stepped into a shallow cave, brushing damp foliage from his shoulders.
"Hmm... Looks like heavy rains are coming," he muttered, peering at the sky. "This cave is perfect for a temporary stay."
He glanced at his worn-out bag. "I have only two days of food left. I need to find a village to restock."
He wiped sweat from his brow. "It's been 10 hours since I left Red Lake Village. Strangely, I haven't encountered a single beast. In a forest like this, that's unusual. Maybe... I was just lucky."
But he knew better than to rely on luck.
Lucas sat cross-legged on a patch of dry ground in the cave. The stone beneath him was cool. He placed a hand on his stomach and checked his body center again.
"Yeah... empty. What can I expect..."
The void within him was unsettling. No elemental core, no energy—nothing.
Without powers, wandering this forest was practically a death sentence.
He closed his eyes and started reflecting on his true goal. "I need to find clues about the River of Eternals. But with my current state, it's next to impossible. I need an ally... someone who can help me survive out here. But where would I even find such a person in this vast forest?"
Realizing there was no immediate answer, he decided to rest and conserve energy.
Three Hours Later
Lucas began to pack up. His movements were automatic—folding his small blanket, securing his bag—until he suddenly froze mid-motion.
A thought hit him.
"Wait... I can't use powers, but my body center is awakened, right? It has infinite space. Does that mean... I can store things inside it?"
He grabbed his bag and held it up. "Let me try."
With cautious determination, he pushed the bag against his stomach. "C'mon, work... open!"
Nothing happened.
He let out a long sigh. "Ahhh, my luck. I can't even store things inside my body center. Open, you... useless... thing!"
As if reacting to his frustration, a deep hum echoed faintly in his mind. Lucas blinked.
"Body center... open," he said inside his mind.
Suddenly, with a low tearing sound, a black space cracked open before him. A circular, swirling portal floated in the air.
His eyes widened. "It... it opened!"
Beyond the dark portal was a hollow space, like a vast black room. Lucas, still stunned, placed his bag inside the space. It floated gently, untouched by gravity.
He grinned. "So... I said 'body center open' and it opened. If I say 'body center close'..."
He thought the words—and the black portal sealed shut and vanished.
Lucas sent his consciousness into the void. Sure enough, the bag was floating peacefully.
He gave a firm nod. "Now that's a pretty cool thing."
Feeling a little more confident, he stood up and exited the cave.
He pulled out his map. "According to this, there's a village 40 kilometers south of here. Ancient Aurora Village. I should be able to restock there. And who knows... maybe I'll meet someone who can help me. But... explaining my situation won't be easy."
Six Hours Later
Darkness blanketed the forest. Fog clung to the trees, and the only light came from Lucas's lantern, swinging gently in his hand.
"According to the map," he whispered to himself, "the village is about 20 kilometers away now. Should I find shelter again?"
Before he could decide, he heard something.
Footsteps.
Crunching on dead leaves, slow and heavy.
Lucas stopped. His body tensed. "A beast?"
He raised his lantern—and as he turned, the light collided with something.
Clink!
The lantern had bumped into something massive.
Lucas looked up.
His heart stopped.
Standing before him was a lion—three times the size of any he'd seen before. Its golden mane was streaked with crimson, and its eyes glowed faintly with a demonic red hue.
Lucas's legs moved on instinct.
Only one word exploded in his head:
Run!!!
He turned and bolted. Branches whipped his face. Thorns tore his clothes. Behind him, the roar of the beast shattered the silence.
Lucas dodged trees and leapt over fallen logs. The beast gave chase, snarling with hunger.
His lungs burned. His legs screamed in protest. But he didn't stop.
The lion was fast—too fast. It gained ground quickly.
I can't outrun this forever, Lucas realized.
Chapter ends