CHAPTER II

In a thicket of forest somewhere.

"Ugh… that hurts."

He had absolutely no idea what had just happened. As though there's a gap between his awakening and the quagmire he trapped into, his body feels sore all over, and his head is throbbing painfully.

Groaning on the ground, as he felt leaves were falling over him, and the sensation of rough forests' floor, he forced himself to stand half-right. He almost fell down again due to severe head-ache he felt before leaning on a tree's trunk.

Taking a long deep breath, he tried to ease the pain but it would never go away. He really hates the sensation, coughing up and almost emptied his stomach content but he ultimately holds it back.

"That feels like crap"

It must have been an hour; he been panting like a rugged dog there. Something just trying to inject him with plentitude of information or it was just his own delusion as he takes a look around and sees the alien forest, he found in.

He can't believe he was caught in the so-called and popular otherworldly experience. Anyway, it looks like the information gave him the absolute necessity of what he was bestowed with.

There's a single piece of information he can draw to his memory, engraved with the words, "We're terribly, deeply, sorry."

It should've sufficed to explain it all. He laughed in anguish of his throbbing pain, how absurd. You would never think if God would make such cliched mistake like that to the point he thing the personage in question did it in purpose for some enigmatic purpose, or he was just reading too deep in this.

One thing he learned in his life is that nothing is ever truly free. Unless such a concept escaped the notice of God.

Robbed from his shitty former life without any true purpose, he was supposed to be grateful for the chance. Many would kill to experience such novelties. He couldn't careless, he just wanted to be trapped inside that gloomy room and fantasize all he wants like some teen in their puberties.

Maybe, just maybe, God took pity on me. He laughed at the idea; he was never a man of church ever since it had gone from his life.

The thing that robbed him of his happiness. He shuddered in disgust before shaking his head. Taking another deep breath, he looks above.

The sky is clear and blue as ever with clouds swimming freely. The forest is not very thick as he could see the area outside the edge. Lush green fields filled with Rocky Mountains, rolling hills, and cliffs.

From the position, looks like he is in an upland. Remote from civilization.

Before taking a step, he gave a look to current his condition. Once he was naked, but now he can see the extravagant black military uniform, the cape hugging both of his sides, the belt holding in binocular and a water canteen, and a high-quality weapon sling holding two ceremonial military swords which hanging low on his left side just beside his waist. He kicked his boot into the trunk and nodded to himself.

The color black and red seems to blend well which he imagines creating a fierce persona. Now, he knows he was out of shape before this as he canceled his gym class for a long time already, but the bulging muscle which had threatened to burst out his uniform told him otherwise.

His figure is a quite lean for the man of his age and height. Even to the standard height of his people, he knows he was above average, reaching almost 2 meters in height. Part of why he was part military before…

He shook his head, every thought always filled with that thing. He tries to shake it every time it comes up. Then he reaches his hand to his face and to his hair, coping with a feel.

The unkempt beard, he assured, was trimmed, and so was the hair which already swept to the back. Alas, there's no mirror or at least a body of water to reflect the change. At least they're considerate enough to clean him up before dumping him wherever he was… or whatever this blasted empty land devoid of intelligent life is.

He saw the fallen hat, hanging low from a half-fallen tree branch and picked it up. His old training kicked, had fallen into habit, he fixed it to his head.

He saw the emblem emboldened above the visor. Five petals of cherry blossom leaf and three Matagama at the center facing each other. On his belt and cape also branded a similar emblem alongside the Imperial golden crest.

He shook his head, of all factions, why it had to be this one. Granted out of all factions, they had the most numerous ships he'd painstakingly raised to level 120, the maximum level cap the last time he played which was just a while ago.

How did he know such a thing? The information granted by the being that sent him here, is what he can answers. It's also the reason his suspicion that it's just a ploy of those beings instead of just granting him his old appearances and profile.

Again, he shook his head. Better not to think deeply. He took the first step in this strange world after steadying himself. It's a weird sensation to have his other leg back, partially the reason he wasn't that upset for being suddenly transported into a new body.