Chapter 4: Echoes of the Past

Maki Zenin's muscles still ached from her first descent into the Dungeon. Despite her exhaustion, her mind raced. Every battle felt like a step toward reclaiming her identity in this new world, forging herself anew. But as the night deepened, rest remained elusive.

Sitting cross-legged on the floor of Scathach's study, she ran a cloth over her spear, its edge gleaming faintly in the flickering light of rune-etched lanterns.

"You're restless," came Scathach's voice, smooth and calm.

Maki didn't look up. "You don't say."

Scathach entered the room, her presence filling it like an unspoken command. She took a seat across from Maki, her violet eyes observing her with a sharpness that made Maki feel like an open book.

"What haunts you?" Scathach asked.

Maki hesitated. She rarely shared her thoughts, even with people she trusted. But there was something about Scathach—her understanding, her strength—that invited honesty.

"I keep thinking about the people I left behind," Maki admitted. Her voice was low, almost a whisper. "My sister, my friends… Even the ones who pissed me off. I didn't get to choose to leave them. And now, I'm here. Fighting monsters for a world that isn't mine."

Scathach regarded her for a moment before responding. "Loss is a weight we all carry. But dwelling on what cannot be changed will only weaken your resolve. You were brought here for a reason, Maki Zenin. The question is not why you were brought, but what you will make of it."

Maki clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. "And what if I don't care about this world? What if I just want to go back?"

Scathach leaned forward, her gaze piercing. "Do you truly wish to return to a world that cast you aside? Or are you afraid of embracing the power you could wield here?"

The words struck a nerve. Maki glared at Scathach, but there was no malice in the older woman's expression—only a quiet challenge.

"I don't run from power," Maki said, her voice firm.

"Good," Scathach replied, standing. "Then you will be ready for what comes next."

The following morning, Scathach led Maki to a hidden chamber beneath her home. The walls were inscribed with glowing runes, and at the center of the room was a shimmering portal, its surface rippling like liquid silver.

"What is this?" Maki asked, her instincts on high alert.

"An opportunity," Scathach replied. "This portal leads to a singularity—a fragment of time and space corrupted by an imbalance of power. It is tied to a place called Fuyuki, a city in a world far removed from Orario."

Maki's breath hitched. Fuyuki. The name tugged at her memory, though she couldn't place why.

"What's there?"

"Chaos," Scathach said. "And a chance to grow stronger. The singularity is a battlefield where heroes of legend clash with forces beyond comprehension. Survive, and you will gain the insight and strength needed to face the gods themselves."

Maki hesitated. The Dungeon was one thing—its dangers tangible and its rewards clear. But stepping into an unknown world, one teeming with unfamiliar threats, felt like stepping into the void.

Scathach seemed to sense her hesitation. "You crave power, do you not? The power to control your fate, to stand on equal footing with the gods? This is the path forward."

Maki exhaled sharply. She couldn't back down now—not when she had come this far.

"Fine," she said. "Let's do this."

Stepping through the portal was like being plunged into ice water. For a brief moment, Maki couldn't breathe, her senses overwhelmed by a cacophony of light and sound. Then, the world snapped into focus.

She stood in the middle of a burning city. The sky was dark, heavy with smoke, and the air reeked of ash and blood. Fires raged uncontrollably, casting an orange glow over the ruins of buildings.

"This… is Fuyuki?" Maki muttered, her grip tightening on her spear.

Before she could take another step, a shadow moved in the corner of her vision. She turned just in time to see a figure emerge from the flames—a knight clad in black armor, its crimson eyes glowing with malice.

The figure raised a massive sword, its edge crackling with dark energy, and charged.

Maki braced herself, adrenaline surging. The knight's strikes were brutal, each one sending shockwaves through the ground. She dodged and parried, her spear clashing against the sword in a shower of sparks.

But the knight was relentless, its movements precise and calculated. Maki gritted her teeth, every muscle in her body straining as she fought to keep up.

"You'll need more than brute strength to defeat this foe," Scathach's voice echoed in her mind, a reminder of her earlier lesson.

Maki shifted her tactics, focusing on precision. She watched the knight's movements, searching for a pattern, a weakness. When it swung its sword in a wide arc, she ducked under the blade and drove her spear into its side.

The knight staggered, black ichor spilling from the wound, but it didn't fall. Instead, it let out a guttural roar and unleashed a wave of dark energy that sent Maki flying.

She hit the ground hard, her vision swimming. Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to stand.

"Come on," she muttered, gripping her spear. "Is that all you've got?"

The knight charged again, but this time, Maki was ready. She sidestepped its attack and drove her spear upward, piercing its chest. The knight froze, its crimson eyes flickering, before collapsing into ash.

Maki stood over the remains, her chest heaving.

"That was impressive," came a voice behind her.

She spun around, her spear at the ready, to see a man in a red coat and black armor. His white hair and piercing golden eyes gave him an otherworldly presence, and he held a pair of curved swords that gleamed in the firelight.

"Who the hell are you?" Maki demanded.

The man smirked. "Just an observer. But you… You're not from this world, are you?"

Maki frowned. "What's it to you?"

The man shrugged. "Nothing, really. But if you're planning to survive here, you'll need more than that spear. This place isn't kind to amateurs."

Maki bristled at the remark but didn't have time to retort. A low growl echoed through the air, and more figures emerged from the shadows—hulking beasts with glowing red eyes.

The man twirled his swords, his smirk widening. "Looks like the real fight is just beginning. Try to keep up, rookie."

Maki's grip tightened on her spear as the beasts charged.