Darius Aryan!

Life is always filled with various possibilities and unpredictabilities, and my life has been no exception. However, as I reflect on it, it feels like that man understood me completely and even anticipated the choices I would make. It's strange, but I feel as if I'm in a card game where my opponent has fully figured out my hand.

A profound sense of fatigue overwhelmed me. After what felt like an eternity, I finally opened my eyes to an unusual sight. The first thing that caught my attention was the moon; it was gray and emitted a strange aura. In front of me stood leafless trees and a lake that appeared dark and ominous. As far as the eye could see, there was only darkness. Fear took hold of me; I had no idea where I was, and that terrified me. I waited for a while, noticing that there was no sound at all, as if no living being—no, not even the wind—was present. After some contemplation, I decided to head toward the trees because there was no other option, unless I chose to swim, which I didn't know how to do.

As I walked past the pond, I caught a glimpse of my reflection. I had long black hair, fair but radiant skin, and emerald-green eyes framed by arched eyebrows. Overall, my face appeared very attractive yet mysterious. Upon closer inspection, I realized that I had grown to at least 2 meters tall, and my body had become extremely fit and athletic. I thought to myself, "Wow. That pill did more than just bring me here.

After walking for what felt like an eternity, I arrived at an abandoned cabin. Inside, the cabin was filled with hunting tools, leading me to think it must belong to a hunter who would return soon. I decided to wait for a bit and explored the cabin, but nothing unusual caught my eye—just an ordinary cabin, like those I'd seen in movies. While I was lost in thought, the cabin door suddenly opened. A strong-looking man with a scarred face and messy chestnut hair entered, resembling a warrior from a historical movie. He paused, looking confused when he saw me, but then smiled and walked toward me.

The man reached out his hand toward me and said, My name is Hormizd Aryan, I'm glad to finally see someone in this cursed forest.

His words left me feeling a bit confused. I wasn't sure what he meant—was he insulting the forest or suggesting it was genuinely cursed? Either way, I needed to learn more about this man. I noticed that his hand was still extended toward me, so I shook it and said, "Hello. I suddenly found myself in this forest when I opened my eyes, and I truly have no idea where I am. Could you provide me with some information about this place?"

The man paused in thought and said, "It seems you truly have no idea where you are. Alright, if I were to tell you about this forest, there's a very long story behind it. For now, all you need to know is that this forest is located in the northern part of the land of Turan. Due to a curse placed here by a god, no one can enter or leave this place."

When the man said this, I was stunned. What did he mean by "Turan"? I had never heard of it before. More importantly, a god? A curse? Was this man some sort of storyteller? Then I remembered the pill I had taken and the forest I had seen, and I began to think deeply. I mean, it's possible. But why was this man so calm if no one can leave or enter this forest? I asked him, "Excuse me, but what do you mean by a god and a curse? And why are you so calm being here?"

The man explained, "Gods are powerful and immortal beings, and they typically don't interfere directly in the affairs of humans or other mortal races. This curse was placed upon me to prevent me from causing harm to them or disrupting their plans. As for why I'm calmly speaking with you, it's because there's nothing else I can do—at least for now."

I started to think deeply. So that's how it is… Gods? To me, this is nothing but nonsense—a facade they use to appear strong. I mean, the fact that there's more than one god already contradicts the idea of singularity and the concept of divinity I have in my mind. After all, if they were truly gods, they could easily destroy the humans they themselves created. And the fact that they cursed this man to stop him shows they can simply be seen as beings slightly more powerful than the rest.

After a few seconds, the man, noticing that I wasn't speaking, asked me, 'By the way, you still haven't told me your name, have you?

The man's voice pulled me out of my thoughts, prompting me to ponder his question once again. Now that I think about it, I can't recall my name. Ever since I encountered Cyrus, it seems like I've forgotten many things. After thinking for a moment, I replied to the man, "To be honest, I don't remember."

His gaze was one of the surprises. He paused for a moment and said, 'Let's choose a name together, because without a name, you won't get anywhere. But I must say that this forgetfulness, or whatever problem you have, could become troublesome for you later on, though I hope it won't.

And that was where my story began. After talking to Hormizd about this world and realizing that magic and various power systems exist here, he and I started to become friends. Hormizd would share his stories and adventures with me. Eventually, one day, he told me that I needed a name, and after some discussion, we agreed on one.

The name was Darius Aryan.