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Mike thought his life was mundane, filled with endless hours of gaming and avoiding the real world. But when he's suddenly transported to a strange new realm, his world is turned upside down. Waking up in a forest with no idea how he got there, he finds himself bonded to Rin, a mysterious young woman with a powerful past. As they journey deeper into this unfamiliar land, they uncover secrets about their world—and Mike's own unusual origins.

Rin, once a captive, is slowly regaining her strength, and the two form an unexpected bond. Together, they navigate a world filled with strange creatures, ancient magic, and long-forgotten powers. But the deeper they venture into the forest, the darker and more dangerous things become. When they unknowingly enter the Forbidden Forest, a place from which no one has returned, they face monsters, lost legends, and the terrifying truths hidden within.

With Rin's knowledge of the world’s lore and Mike’s latent abilities as a Silver Wolf, they must learn to survive and uncover the mystery behind the Great Sage—an immortal hero whose disappearance twenty years ago altered the course of history. As secrets unfold and enemies draw near, Mike must confront his own hidden potential and decide how far he’s willing to go in this new, perilous world.

Will Mike and Rin escape the dangers of the Forbidden Forest, or will they become another lost story in its dark history?

The scythe

back in the forest, Mike and Rin continued their journey with their new companion a fire dragon Rin had named Scarlethia. The name suited her well, given her fiery nature.

However, she wanted nothing to do with Mike. It was as if she resented him for planning to leave her behind.

"This pet of yours sure does hate me," Mike muttered, reaching out to pat Scarlethia, only for the dragon to pull away.

"Well, you did try to abandon her, hurt and alone, in a creepy place," Rin pointed out.

"Don't blame me! Anyone else would have done the same thing," Mike defended himself.

"No, they wouldn't," Rin shot back.

"Kyuu!" Scarlethia cried out suddenly, her voice sharp with urgency.

"Hey, what is it?" Rin called, watching as the dragon flew ahead, chirping insistently. It was clear she wanted them to follow, but they had no idea where she was leading them.

Without hesitation, Rin ran after her.

"Rin, wait up!" Mike groaned, clearly frustrated but following nonetheless.

"We should just leave her if she doesn't want to come with us!" he shouted.

But in the short time they'd been together, Rin had formed a deep bond with Scarlethia. She knew the dragon was too weak to survive on her own.

Scarlethia flew farther and farther ahead. Rin kept up as best she could, with Mike trailing behind. Finally, the dragon stopped, and Rin gasped at what she saw.

Mike, however, reacted with outright panic.

"Why… why is there a cabin in the middle of the forest?!" he stammered. "I told you we should've run! Now look we're gonna get killed!"

As he turned to Rin and Scarlethia, he noticed something unexpected tears were pouring down the dragon's face.

"What the I didn't know dragons could cry…" Mike murmured, watching in confusion. "What's wrong, little guy?"

Rin, without hesitation, hugged the trembling dragon. "Maybe… she knew the person who lived here," she said softly.

The cabin was old and overgrown with weeds, clearly abandoned for years.

"We should check inside," Mike suggested.

Approaching the fence, he attempted to jump over it, only to be stopped by something invisible. As he reached out, his hand pressed against an unseen force.

"There's a barrier here," he muttered.

"Mike, there's a gate right here," Rin pointed out, already walking through it with Scarlethia perched on her shoulder.

The first thing Mike noticed upon stepping inside was the garden. Something was growing in it plants that vaguely resembled the medicinal herbs from the House of Valenstrid. He decided to brush it off for now.

Inside the cabin, nothing seemed too out of place aside from the unusual weapons and the massive bookshelf lining one of the walls. The owner had been someone who loved both reading and crafting.

As they rummaged through the space, a thought crossed Mike's mind.

"Hey, Rin, what if we live here?" he suggested. "I mean, it's abandoned, and Scarlethia seems to like it."

"Okay," Rin replied almost instantly.

Mike blinked. "Wait… you're sure?"

"Yeah. Why not? This place seems fine, and we don't have anywhere else to go."

"Well… alright then. From today on, this is our home," Mike declared.

Scarlethia chirped excitedly as if she understood their decision.

As they continued exploring, Mike noticed an old letter on one of the tables.

"Hey, Rin, come look at this," he called.

"It looks like a letter. Read it," Rin urged.

Mike unfolded the paper and read aloud:

{To whoever comes to live here after me,

I have left behind certain things for you to find. Some will grant you power, others—nothing. The power is yours to wield as you see fit. If you find it, use it in your way.

Perhaps now, after all these years, I may finally rest in peace.

Whoever you are, I wish you luck in your adventures. My name… you will discover as you uncover the secrets I have left behind.

Thank you. This is my final struggle.}

A lone Carbin