Chapter 4: Black Mist
There was a nearly invisible black smoke starting to gather from all directions into a single mass. I don't know how I failed to notice this anomaly in a space so purely white, but that didn't matter— even if I had noticed it, I wouldn't have been able to change anything.
The black mist began to compress into a ball, and its color darkened with every pulse until it turned pitch black, like a black hole.
I kept my eyes on it, watching the changes unfold. I saw it start to writhe and shift into strange patterns, moving like bacteria, and suddenly it began to take on a strange form. It was familiar to anyone—yes, it was a human shape: a head, legs, arms, and a body. But what caught my attention more than anything else was its bizarre face. It had no features—no nose, no eyes, no ears, no hair—just a large, white, smiling mouth.
Its smile gave me an unsettling feeling, like someone had poured a bucket of ice-cold water over me. I felt the chill in every limb and cell of my body. But so what if I was afraid? I had no escape. I was completely at its mercy. What did it matter if it was black or terrifying?
After a few seconds, the black figure settled into its humanoid form.
I had been watching it from the moment it was just gray mist until it became a black sphere, then a human-like figure. I hadn't looked away once—I didn't even blink.
I kept staring at its face, waiting for any reaction. It didn't move, just stood there facing me, as if watching me back.
I said nothing—and neither did it. I didn't blink, keeping my eyes wide open out of fear it would suddenly move, like I was in a staring contest.
Time passed slowly. Each minute felt like an hour. I endured it and continued to observe in silence.
One minute… two minutes… three… twenty-five minutes.
I couldn't take the silence any longer, and my eyes could no longer bear it, so I broke the stillness and said,
"Hello…!"
Well, not the best way to start, but I tried to carry on as if talking to someone I knew.
"Hi, how can I help you?"
I kept a fake smile on my face to match its own.
No response. It was like it hadn't even heard me. Completely ignored me. I didn't let it bother me and continued speaking.
"Sorry to bother you, but could you tell me—what is this place?"
Still no response. I didn't take it personally. I just sat down to rest a little, and once I regained some of my energy to stand and move again, I noticed it reacted.
I didn't know why, but that made me think of something.
"Alright, if you don't want to communicate, that's fine."
I turned and began walking away in the opposite direction. After I had walked about twenty meters, I heard an annoying buzzing sound in my ear:
[Wow, you're really impatient!]
"…?"
I froze where I stood, trying to get used to the irritating sound. Then I turned around, squinting at the strange figure.
I saw the humanoid shape tremble slightly, and the voice returned:
[Do you enjoy being stared at like that?]
"…"
I didn't reply. I stood still. Something about this felt oddly familiar. Right—because I had just done the same.
[Well, never mind that now.]
[I'll finish up here and go take a bath. The gaze of mortal beings is truly filthy.]
That annoying voice rang in my ears like the screech of two massive metal plates grinding together.
[Congratulations, little mor—!]
"Silence."
[…]
I couldn't take it anymore and yelled:
"Stop talking in that voice!"
[Oh?! So, you're like them too!]
There was a hint of sadness in his voice. Though the tone hadn't changed, I could feel it.
[Alright then, how about this?]
"That's better. Thank you."
The voice now was much more pleasant—clear, even soothing. I enjoyed the clarity and said:
"Please, go ahead."
[…]
[Right, where was I? Ah yes, ahem.]
[Congratulations, little mortal. You've earned the chance to save your people from their current fate.]
I was surprised by his formal tone, especially his choice of words—"mortal" and "save your people"… What did he mean?
I didn't dwell on it and asked:
"What do you mean by saving my people from their fate?"
[I mean saving them from the destruction that awaits.]
"…"
I was silent for a few seconds, then said:
"What kind of salvation are you talking about? What destruction? My people have already been nearly wiped out."
The humanoid figure was silent for a few moments, then asked:
[What do you mean 'nearly wiped out'?]
"Hmm? Yeah, there was a war… and it ended with the destruction of the entire world."
[Hah? I don't believe you. Let me check.]
He didn't believe me. He began moving his hands through the air as if typing something.
He stopped and stared silently.
[…]
I heard a note of shock in his voice, then he said:
[Ahem… It seems your world really is unlucky. But no matter.]
Then he returned to his formal speech:
[Human, since you are the first of your kind to discover the Gate of Radiant Fortune, you will receive a reward beyond your imagination.]
I swallowed hard as I listened to those wonderful words. Somehow, I had expected something amazing from this strange gate. He continued:
[As the first human to find the Gate of Radiant Fortune, you will receive an additional reward.]
[And since your world was destroyed before the Event occurred, you will receive yet another bonus.]
[Total: 5 Mysterious Chests + Awakening Elixir + Panacea for any disease.]
His voice was so beautiful—it was like listening to a lullaby. From the beginning, I had sensed that something incredible would happen because of this gate.
I stepped toward the strange figure and extended my hand in thanks.
The humanoid figure didn't understand and tilted its head in curiosity before saying:
[What is this?]
"Oh, nothing. It's just that in our human traditions, we express gratitude with a handshake."
[Oh.]
[Alright! I thought gratitude was shown by bowing.]
I answered without hesitation:
"Sorry, but in this world, no one deserves my bow except for God."
[…]
The figure said nothing but reached out and shook my hand, then quickly let go.
[Alright, here are all your items. I hope you get something good.]
He said that, then pointed at the pile of gifts on the ground and dissipated the same way he had formed.
Oh! I forgot to ask how to get out. Well, it didn't matter right now.
I quickly approached the pile of gifts, as if I had been healed from all hunger and thirst. There were five chests in different colors, along with two elixirs—one for awakening, as he said, and the other a cure for all diseases.
I set aside the healing elixir, as I didn't need it at the moment. Maybe I'd use it if I were on the brink of death.
I took the awakening elixir in my hand and examined it. It wasn't strange—it looked like clear water. I didn't spend long looking at it. I opened it and drank it in one gulp.
It didn't have a distinctive taste, just like water, but the effects were far from ordinary. I began to feel warmth spreading through my body, likely from the surge in blood circulation. My body was screaming with excitement; the blood inside me felt like it was dancing at a party. My body trembled intensely—then suddenly stopped.
And then, I felt it—a strange, powerful sensation.
I felt like I was born anew. I felt like I could break a wall with a single punch. It was incredible. To my surprise, hunger, thirst, and exhaustion no longer affected me. I felt completely full of energy.
I enjoyed this feeling for a moment, then turned my gaze to the remaining gifts. I picked up the first chest, heart pounding with excitement… not knowing that my life was about to change forever just by opening it.