Св?т в?дчував... Розмит?.
Дивна сум?ш невагомост? ? нищ?вно? грав?тац?? огорнула все його т?ло, немов його кинуло в безкрайн?й океан, де вгору ? вниз не мали н?якого сенсу. Його св?дом?сть дрейувала — опускалася, п?дн?малася — неслася невидимими хвилями в об?йми св?ту, якого в?н не знав.
Пов?льний вдих.
Трава п?д ним здавалася м'якою, як найрозк?шн?ше л?жко. Запах вогко? земл? ? св?жо? зелен? наповнював його леген?, прохолодний ? гострий, торкаючись нерв?в, як шеп?т. Легкий в?терець поц?лував його в обличчя, залишивши по соб? ледь вловимий холодок.
"… Що це?.. Де я??
Голова в нього була важка — свинцева. Кано змусив його розплющити оч?, але вмить осл?п. Сонце, люте ? невблаганне, нависло високо вгор?, розливаючи сво? золоте тепло на весь навколишн?й св?т.
?нстинктивно в?н п?дняв руку, щоб закрити обличчя.
"… Я... живий??
В?дчуття було наст?льки яскравим, що сколихнуло його серце — глибокий ?нту?тивний стук?т у грудях. Раптом його т?ло знову стало справжн?м: холод, бол?, шпильки та голки, що повзли по к?нц?вках — усе це. Безперечно реальна.
— Але... Я помер, чи не так? Потяг... Св?тло... Насл?дки... Пот?м темрява... Що в б?са сталося?
Його пальц? вп'ялися в траву. Мокрий. Холодний. М'який. Живий.
Його пронизав сплеск адренал?ну. В?н р?зко с?в — св?т захитався. Його з?р затуманився, а в голов? задзвен?ло, як у вулику розлючених бдж?л.
"Заспокойтеся. Заспокойся, чорт забирай. Думайте лог?чно... Га. Так, в?рно. Яка частина цього ? лог?чною? Я був просто — що?!?
Кано глянув униз на сво? руки.
Вони були не його.
Б?льше. Сильн?ше. Вени, як шнури, п?д поц?лованою сонцем шк?рою.
Його серцебиття пришвидшилося.
"Що... Вони не можуть бути мо?ми?.
В?н простягнув руку, доторкнувся до свого обличчя.
Гостр? вилиц?. Тверда щелепа. Кути чужо? людини.
Все було не так.
"Це мр?я. Просто мр?я. Будь-яко? секунди я прокинуся у сво?му л?жку... сп?тн?лий, струшений, але безпечний".
В?н заплющив оч?. Зробив глибокий вдих. Пот?м знову в?дкрив ?х — швидко.
… Н?чого не зм?нилося.
Навколо нього все ще н?жно шелест?в л?с. Сонце ще прип?кало в неб?. Десь неподал?к у спок?йному ритм? булькав струмок, н?би глузуючи з його нев?ри.
"… Лайно".
Кано дозволив соб? знову впасти на траву, не зводячи очей з безкрайньо?, яскраво? блакит? неба. Його розум закрутився сотнею думок, а пан?ка все ще м?цно стискала серце.
"Це не просто мр?я. Але якщо не мр?я... А що дал?? Що в б?са з? мною сталося??
В?н пов?льно п?дняв л?ву руку до св?тла.
Там, викарбуваний на його шк?р?, був символ — ледь пом?тно червоний, пульсуючий, як биття серця.
Дракон. Згорнута в сп?раль ? елегантна, складена з переплетених л?н?й, як? переливалися, як вогонь, намагаючись залишитися в живих.
"… Що це в б?са таке?
В?н простягнув руку, обережно розч?суючи ?? к?нчиком пальця, готуючись до болю. Н?хто не прийшов. М?тка просто в?брувала — м'який, р?вний гурк?т, ?деально синхрон?зований з його диханням.
Прокляття? Або... Навпаки? Щось важливе?
Глибокий вдих. Довгий, пов?льний видих.
— Гаразд, Кано. Пан?ка не допоможе. Думайте лог?чно... Або хоча б зробити вигляд, що ти можеш?.
В?н ще раз глянув на л?с — неймов?рно гарний, але тихо загрозливий.
"Якщо це справд? новий св?т... тод? велике питання: що, чорт забирай, мен? тепер робити??
— в?дпов?в першим його жив?т, буркнувши з р?зким наполяганням.
"… Праворуч. Почнемо з аз?в: вода, ?жа, дах над головою. Не планую помирати в перший день, дуже дякую?.
Кано зв?вся на ноги, хоча його т?ло все ще здавалося чужим. Один невпевнений крок. Пот?м ще одне.
Пов?льно, але з дедал? б?льшою р?шуч?стю, в?н попрямував до струмка.
Св?т може бути будь-яким.
Його життя могло бути просто переписане на порожньому м?сц?.
Але в?н мав нам?р вижити.
Н?жний звук води, що тече, заспоко?в його. Струмок петляв м?ж гладкими каменями, кришталево чистими ? блискучими на сонц?. Крапл? танцювали в?д скел? до скел?, спл?таючи мелод?ю, яка здавалася в?чною.
В?н зупинився б?ля берега ? втупився поглядом у сво? в?дображення.
"… Добре. Подивимося, чи це справд? я?.
В?н нахилився ближче, вдивляючись у воду.
Незнайомець озирнувся у в?дпов?дь.
Високе чоло. Гостр? вилиц?. Тверда л?н?я щелепи. Його обличчя виглядало... Занадто ?деальний? Наче в?н був вир?зьблений навмисно. А ось оч? — оч? були найр?зк?ш?.
Dark crimson, like embers smoldering beneath ash.
"…My eyes used to be brown."
Almost unconsciously, his fingers touched his face.
The skin was smooth, fwless, despite the fact he hadn't had a proper wash — or any kind of care — in... hours? Days? He honestly had no idea how long it had been since the "accident."
"In theory, this should be the part where I'm in a bathroom, staring at myself in the mirror, going: 'What the hell?!'But nope. No mirror. No bathroom. Just a stream, and a forest. And zero chance of waking up back home."
His gaze dropped lower.
Hands — broader, muscur, marked with veins.
Chest — wide and solid.
Abs? Definitely present. Thank you, new body.
"…Okay, one point for this world. But everything else? Yeah, big question mark."
He sighed and ran a hand over the back of his neck. The usual tan line from office life — gone. His skin looked smooth, unnaturally even, as if someone had airbrushed him with divine care.
His fingers lingered, then slid down over his colrbone and chest.
The texture of his skin felt… different. Denser? Tougher? Hard to describe. But whatever it was — it wasn't the skin of a normal human anymore.
"It's not just that I'm stronger. My whole body… it's been remade. This isn't training. It's like someone redesigned me from the ground up."
He gnced again at the reflection.
A stranger. That guy's not me.But if he isn't… who is he?
His hand curled into a fist.
Muscles tensed, as if waiting for a command.
"…What happens if I punch a rock right now?"
A mix of curiosity and dread twisted in his gut.
Kano raised his fist — and with all the force he could muster, smmed it into the nearest stone.
CRACK!
"AAAAAAAAAARGH!!!"
Pain.White-hot, skull-rattling pain.
His knuckles collided with the solid surface, and a blinding fsh exploded in his mind — pure agony, searing and immediate.
Kano yanked his hand back with a hiss, clutching it tightly with the other as pain shot through his fingers and up his forearm like wildfire.
"DAMN IT! What the hell did I just do?!"
He started hopping in pce, cradling his hand against his chest as if that could somehow soothe the searing agony pulsing through every joint and knuckle.
"Son of a—! What kind of idiot punches a rock? I thought I was some kind of supersoldier, not a brain-dead moron with anger issues!"
Teeth clenched, eyes narrowed, he inspected his trembling hand—pale, throbbing, and furious.
No bones broken, as far as he could tell. But the pain? The pain was very real.
Somewhere in the back of his mind, a sarcastic voice chimed in: Brilliant move, Kano. Welcome to a brand-new world full of wonders and magic—and you've already found a way to injure yourself. Bravo.
He dropped into a crouch, breathing hard, rubbing his bruised knuckles like a sulking child.
"I'm such an idiot… I really thought I'd unlocked some hidden strength or something. Turns out—punching stone? Still hurts. Who would've guessed, right?"
His eyes wandered back to the rock.
Not a crack. Not a scratch.
The only damage? His hand—now raw, stinging, and scraped.
"Well, the verdict's in. No superpowers. Just a fancy dragon mark and zero idea what it actually does. And I've officially earned the title of 'World's Dumbest Wilderness Survivor.'"
With a heavy sigh, Kano rubbed the bridge of his nose.
"Okay. New rule: think first, then act. No more punching random things. Especially rocks. And definitely no testing immortality through blunt force trauma."
His gaze drifted toward a nearby stream.
Water.
That's what he needed.
Still muttering curses under his breath, he trudged over and plunged his injured hand into the icy current.
A sharp sting greeted him— then a welcome coolness.
He shut his eyes and listened to the gentle sound of water flowing over stones, letting the rhythm wash over him. Slowly, the chaos in his chest began to settle.
Step one of survival: achieved.
Kano exhaled deeply, lowering his head.
His hand still throbbed with a dull ache, a throbbing reminder that he wasn't a superhero. Not some prophesied warrior sent to save the world.
Just a guy.
A guy who punched a rock.
"Alright, Kano. Let's keep it simple. Don't die. Don't punch any more rocks. And find some damn food. Sounds like a solid pn."
He lifted his head and took in his surroundings.
Forest.
Towering trees stretched endlessly into the sky, their interwoven branches forming a thick canopy above. Light filtered through the leaves in narrow shafts, scattering ghostlike patterns across the forest floor.
Silence.
No roads. No buildings. No people.
"…Of course," he muttered. "Out of all the pces to wake up in a fantasy world, it had to be the middle of a forest. Naturally."
He scratched his head, irritation bubbling in his chest.
"If this were a proper fantasy novel, an elven maiden would stroll out of the bushes right about now and expin that I'm the chosen one. Or I'd stumble onto a path leading straight to a nearby town. But nope. Real life? You wake up naked, alone, and hungry in the woods. Perfect."
He rose slowly to his feet.
His body still felt heavy, but the ache in his muscles had dulled. He wasn't stumbling anymore. Wasn't colpsing every time he tried to move. He was even starting to get used to this… new form.
"Alright. Let's start with the basics. What do you need when you're dumped in the middle of nowhere? Food. Water. Shelter. Water's covered. Next stop—food."
Kano scanned the trees.
No fruits.
No familiar pnts.
"But what the hell am I supposed to eat?" Kano muttered, scanning the underbrush. "I don't even know what's edible here. This is a magic world—we're probably talking about berries that make you vomit your soul out. Or mushrooms that'll have me seeing tap-dancing elves in top hats."
Cautiously, he ventured deeper into the woods, hoping to stumble across something useful.
A few steps in, he spotted a bush—its branches trembling with movement. A small flock of birds pecked eagerly at the berries. Like a true survivalist who'd watched exactly one episode of some wilderness show, Kano shrugged, picked a handful for himself, and kept moving.
His legs, surprisingly, carried him with smooth, almost effortless precision."Well, at least I've still got my shoes. Could be worse—I could've rubbed my feet bloody in the first five minutes. Though these things are definitely starting to pinch…"
He pressed forward.
The forest felt endless.
The shadows between the trees twisted and merged, forming a kind of natural maze. Roots cwed at his feet, making him stumble now and then. Each time he paused, gnced behind him, tried to remember the way he came.
But the path had long since vanished.
He was lost.
"…I'm an idiot. A full-fledged, certified idiot. Smashed my hand on a rock like a caveman. Didn't scout the area. Just marched into the woods like some brave adventurer. And now? Welcome to Lost in the Forest—starring your host: a clueless jackass."
He stopped and wiped the sweat from his brow.
"Okay, Kano. Deep breath. Yes, you're in another world. Yes, you're completely lost. But you've got…"
He looked down at his hands.
One was still aching from the rock incident.
The other… was clutching a stick he'd picked up along the way.
"…Right. The ultimate survival toolkit: one stick, and two fists. Well—one and a half. 'Cause this one's still throbbing like hell."
His stomach grumbled in betrayal.
"Perfect. Hunger. Because of course, why not? Let's just tick starving to death off the bingo card."
He looked around again.
Trees.
Bushes.
Not a single edible thing in sight, aside from a few suspect berries.
"If this were a game, I'd have an inventory full of apples, roast meat, maybe even a sandwich or two. But nooo. Real life's got nothing but trees, thorns, and a big fat middle finger."
Something bright caught his eye in the grass.
Kano stepped closer, cautiously.
A mushroom.
Red.
With white spots.
He knelt, examining it like it might bite.
And sighed. Loudly.
"Of course. Of course. Cssic fantasy world mushroom. Let me guess—first rule of survival? The more colorful the fungus, the quicker you drop dead."
He started to turn away… then hesitated.
"…But what if it's not poison? What if it's like, I don't know—some magical energy booster? Local version of a protein bar? A mana mushroom?"
His hand crept toward it on reflex.
But then his imagination kicked in—a vivid, horrifying vision of himself writhing on the ground five minutes ter, hallucinating fire-breathing squirrels or, worse, foaming at the mouth like some downed RPG character with zero HP.
Kano jerked his hand back.
"Nope. Nope nope nope. Not that desperate yet."
He stood up straight, scratched the back of his head, and gnced skyward.
The trees loomed above him, their thick canopies blotting out nearly all the sunlight.
"Okay. Mushrooms are a bad idea. So what's next?"
Suddenly, something rustled in the grass nearby.
Kano spun, heart in his throat.
A rustle.Soft. Almost inaudible.Kano's heart skipped, then sped up.
He raised his stick slowly, as if it were a sword, not a broken branch.
"Please… let it be something small. Something harmless. Not teeth. Not cws. Definitely not fangs."
From the grass emerged...
Something fluffy.
Kano froze.
A rabbit.
Just a rabbit. A rge, fuzzy creature with long ears and fur that shimmered strangely under the dappled light.
It stopped.Its beady bck eyes met his.
His stomach growled again—loudly.
The rabbit twitched.
So did Kano.
For a moment, they both stood still, locked in some kind of primal, silent standoff.
"…Okay," he whispered. "That's dinner. That's definitely dinner. If I catch it, I might actually live through this day."
He slowly raised his stick.
The rabbit tilted its head.
Kano stepped forward.
The rabbit hopped back.
And then— like someone had fired it from a goddamn catapult—it vanished into the bushes with a single, explosive leap.
Kano blinked.
Stared at the empty grass where it had stood just moments ago.
"…It's gone."
He inhaled sharply.Exhaled even harder.Then looked up at the sky and shut his eyes.
"Right. Okay, Kano. You're a warrior. A hunter. A predator. And you just lost… to a rabbit."
He lowered the stick, dragged a hand down his face, and let out a bitter sigh.
"Fantastic. Just perfect. What's next? Gonna lose a poker match to an apple?"
His mood was spiraling.
Hunger.Exhaustion.A creeping sense of despair.
He'd been wandering for what felt like hours, and all he had to show for it was a stick… and one rabbit-shaped hole in his meal pn.
Then— another sound.
A rustle again.But deeper.Heavier.
Kano froze.
"…Okay. That's definitely not a rabbit."
He tightened his grip on the stick.
And from between the trees…
An enormous deer stepped out.
Graceful. Powerful. Regal, even.It moved like it owned the forest.
It gnced his way—and then looked past him. As if he wasn't even worth acknowledging.
Kano blinked.
"…No, I mean, I'm gd it's not some bloodthirsty monster, sure—but come on! Why is every creature here acting like I'm invisible?! I'm on the verge of starvation, people!"
The deer lingered a moment longer, then casually turned and walked away, antlers brushing past low-hanging branches like it ruled this forest.
Kano exhaled, defeated.
"I'm not even seen as a threat. Just… a nothing."
He gnced skyward again.
"Hey, universe? Can we make a deal? I'm not asking for much. Just something edible. Something that doesn't come with teeth or hallucinations. Please."
His stomach groaned in protest.The sun dipped low.
Night was coming.
His first night in a new world.And Kano had absolutely no idea how he was going to survive it.
The forest thickened with gloom.What little light remained barely slipped through the leafy canopy, casting long, warped shadows that shifted like ghosts across the forest floor.
Kano stood in the middle of a small clearing and exhaled slowly, deeply.
"Alright, Kano. No proper food. Lost the stream, so no water either. It's gonna get cold real soon. But that's fine, right? Totally fine?!"
His eyes darted around, scanning for even the most pitiful hint of shelter.
Trees.Bushes.Rocks.
No cozy inn. No bed with a fluffy bnket. Just trees and dirt and the creeping certainty of frostbite.
"Wonderful. Just amazing. Where's my VIP tent with heated floors and breakfast in bed?"
His arms wrapped instinctively around himself, trying to conserve warmth.
"Okay, stop whining. You need shelter. Anything that'll keep the rain off, the wind out, and the monsters from chewing your face off while you sleep."
He trudged toward a rge tree with thick, gnarled roots pushing up through the ground. There, between the roots, was a shallow hollow—barely enough space to curl up in, but it was better than nothing. If he added branches, leaves, whatever he could find… maybe it'd be enough.
Kano looked around, rolled up his sleeves.
"Alright. Tonight, I'm an architect."
He grabbed the first long branch. Then another. And another.
Ten minutes ter, he had something that—if you squinted, tilted your head, and used a bit of imagination—resembled a shelter. A pile of twigs leaned uncertainly against one another like drunkards at closing time.
He wiped sweat from his forehead, examined his work… and frowned.
"Well… I mean. It's still better than sleeping out in the open."
He stepped back and admired his crooked creation.
"Look at that! A true masterpiece! Pure genius! If this thing makes it through the night, I'm officially decring it a world wonder."
With a resigned grunt, he began gathering dry leaves to line the inside—just enough to soften the cold, hard ground.
"There we go. Welcome to the Bear-Adjacent Inn. Amenities include a drafty breeze, soul-chilling cold, and a constant sense of impending doom!"
He plopped down inside, curling his arms around his knees.
The western sky still glowed faintly red, but night was falling fast.
Kano listened.
The rustle of leaves.A distant, eerie cry.Then another.
His skin went cmmy with cold sweat.
"Oh great. Here we go. Was that… an owl? Or some kind of demonic forest predator that just picked up my scent?"
He hugged himself tighter, every muscle tense, ears straining for the next sound.
He closed his eyes.Breathed in.Breathed out.
"It's fine. Just the night. Just a forest at night. I'm not in a horror movie. I'm not in a monster trap. I'm just… surviving."
Rustle.
His eyes snapped open.
Something moved in the bushes.
Kano clenched his fists, heart pounding, ready to swing the stick like a sword if he had to.
But instead of some nightmare beast…
A small fox stepped into the clearing.
It stopped a few meters away, head tilted, as if trying to assess the strange creature huddled in twigs and leaf-bedding.
Kano blinked.
"Wait. You're… a fox? Not a demon? Not a shapeshifter?"
The little creature sniffed the air, ears flicking.Then, with almost royal calm, it padded closer—unbothered, unafraid.
Kano froze.
"Is this… normal? Why isn't it scared? Why is it acting like this is its campsite and I'm the guest? Is this some local breed of overly confident woodnd critters…?"
The fox sat down right in front of his makeshift shelter, staring at him intently.
Kano gnced at the only food he had—his pitiful handful of berries.
The fox followed his gaze.
"You hungry? Want to share?" he asked, his voice softer now.
The fox's little nose twitched.It looked at the berries.Then at him.
Kano sighed.
"Well. Guess I've officially lost it. Talking to a fox. Sharing dinner. Fantastic. But hey… why not."
He picked out a few berries and gently tossed them forward.
The fox sniffed, took a cautious step, and began eating with zero hesitation.
Kano watched, somewhere between amazement and exhaustion.
"No suspicion? Not even a taste test? Do I really look that pathetic? Like, 'Don't worry, he's not a threat—just a lost idiot with no food or future.' Is that the vibe I give off?"
Once the berries were gone, the fox sat a while longer… then curled up beside the shelter, a soft ball of fur against the creeping chill.
Kano looked at it.Then at his sad little lean-to.Then back at the fox.
And sighed.
"Well. Guess I have a friend now. Fuzzy and shameless, but… a friend."
He rubbed his face, fatigue catching up with him like a slow tide.
The sounds of the forest—the rustling leaves, the snapping twigs—no longer seemed so ominous.The shadows no longer felt like threats.Even the cold had dulled, softened by the quiet presence of the sleeping fox.
Kano nestled into the leaf bedding, exhaled deeply, and let his eyes fall shut.
"I'm still alive. That means I've got a chance."
His mind drifted.
The forest continued breathing around him—alive, vast, untamed.
And then, in sleep… he dreamed.
A city.Familiar streets.Home.
Everything was just as it used to be. Calm. Ordinary.
And then— a plunge.
Darkness.Soundless.Scentless.Shapeless.
Only falling.
Endless.
Kano was falling—no, flying—his body dissolving into the void, while around him, like stars born of memory, fragments of his past spun by.
The smile of a stranger as he held a door open.A boy he'd once given his st coins to for a bus fare.The ughter and cruel shouts of cssmates mocking him— while he said nothing… and still helped others.
And then—that final moment.A ptform. A girl slipping.Kano lunging forward.The fsh of a train's light.
"I died…""I never accomplished anything…""I wasn't worth anything…"
And then— the world stopped.
Space drew in, tight as lungs before a scream.Darkness thickened, heavy and viscous like oil.And then—eyes.Two.Enormous.Burning with a cold, piercing blue.Pupil-less. Emotionless.But they saw.
Everything.
And Kano knew—they weren't simply watching.They knew.His fear.His shame.His pain.His truth.
A voice echoed in his mind.Calm. Deep.Like something he had always known.A sound older than thought.
"Look."
The world shattered again.
Visions tore through his consumed by fme.Skies devoured by fire.Blood mingling with mana.Races destroying each other.Children screaming over the bodies of their parents.Gods who no longer heard prayers.A world writhing in its death throes— a world that no longer begged for salvation.
"You will either save them…""…or finish the destruction.""You have the right to choose."
And in that instant— everything compressed.
Аура. Прост?р. Час. Здавалося, що весь Всесв?т звалився всередину — в нього.
Було боляче. Йому було боляче, наче в його нервах палахкот?ла тягар ус??? людсько? ?стор??. Сльози лилися з його очей непрохано, але нав?ть плач в?дчувався як б?ль. Крик не вирвався з його горла — в?н був вирваний ?з само? душ?.
— Аааааа
А пот?м — все зникло.
Оч? Кано розплющилися. В?н ахнув, наче вирвався на поверхню п?сля того, як потонув. Л?с. Струмок. Холодний. Темрява навколо нього знову була простою... темрява.
Але в?н уже не був той.
