Chapter 5: Tutorial boss (5)

And then, the girl’s eyes fluttered open.

Her gaze swept across her surroundings, searching for any clue as to her whereabouts.

It was utterly impossible to discern her location.

The landscape was nothing more than an endless expanse of trees, a dense forest stretching as far as her eyes could see.

“Here is… huh?”

As she pushed herself upright, something clattered to the ground.

It was a strange necklace, not one she remembered ever owning.

It was a beautiful accessory, adorned with a cerulean gem. She turned it over in her hands, examining its intricate details, when a sudden tremor resonated through the earth beneath her feet.

–Thump!

A jolt of fear shot through her; was it an earthquake? She scanned her surroundings, but the tremor had ceased.

Instead, she noticed the sudden gloom that had descended upon the forest, as if a storm were about to break.

“Ah.”

The sky above remained clear.

Yet, why had such a profound shadow been cast?

–Thump!

The ground shook once more.

A chilling premonition gripped her, compelling her to whirl around.

There, before her, stood something truly colossal.

“?”

It was as if a gigantic beast from a forgotten film had materialized before her very eyes. Overwhelmed by the guardian’s staggering height, easily tens of meters tall, the girl simply crumpled to the ground.

Why had she fallen into such a place?

One thing, however, was disturbingly clear: the fragments of memory leading up to her arrival here offered no comfort whatsoever.

The girl had been crossing the pedestrian crossing.

Then, from the opposite side, a traffic accident had erupted.

From that chaotic scene, the wreckage of a car, slightly larger than her own body, had flown through the air, engulfing her entirely… The memory was vivid, horrifying.

“Ugh!”

Recalling it again only brought a fresh wave of nausea.

Yet, there was no luxury of time to succumb to the horror of that nightmare.

–Thump!

The ground trembled.

The sight of the colossal giant, a creature that inspired immediate, bone-chilling dread, took another heavy stride forward.

It was an enigmatic titan, forged from pristine white stone.

Its eyes, twin beacons of crimson light, fixed upon the girl with an unyielding glare.

―Intruder… eliminating…

“P-please, save me.”

The girl trembled in fear, her voice barely a whisper, speaking to the monster she had never seen before.

Her tiny, trembling voice could not possibly bridge the chasm to the behemoth.

Even had her desperate plea somehow reached the colossal guardian, its unthinking, programmed mind would never have comprehended its meaning.

The giant would simply eliminate everything that invaded its master’s garden, as commanded by its creator.

“P-please…”

She pleaded earnestly.

But the giant lifted its enormous foot.

It intended to crush the girl beneath its immense foot, snuffing out her life.

“Ah.”

Any attempt to flee would prove futile; it was already too late.

No matter how swiftly the girl might run, that colossal giant could surely overtake her in a single, earth-shaking stride.

More than anything, her legs refused to obey, paralyzed by terror.

Finally, the girl squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for the inevitable.

‘Please, don’t let it hurt.’

It was the moment she resigned herself, clinging to that sole wish.

–CRASH!

Suddenly, a deafening sound ripped through the air.

It was the distinct, violent sound of solid rock being utterly sundered.

―G-R-R-R-R-R-R!

“…Huh?”

A strange sensation prickled the girl, prompting her to cautiously open her eyes. What she saw made her gasp: half of the giant’s colossal frame had been utterly obliterated.

She had no idea what force had wrought such destruction, but the titan’s body, cleaved in two by a single, devastating blow, now rained down in massive fragments.

And where the girl stood, the giant’s head plummeted.

Its sheer size dwarfed even the largest of trucks.

To be buried beneath such debris would undoubtedly mean instant annihilation.

Someone, or something, had evidently vanquished the monstrous entity before her, yet the grim outcome for her remained unchanged. Her fate, it seemed, was sealed.

–CRUNCH!

“…That was a narrow escape.”

Had that silver-haired woman not materialized before the girl, her demise would have been certain.

Despite her slender frame, which seemed as delicate as the girl’s own, the woman had effortlessly caught the giant’s head—a mass far larger than herself—with a single hand.

Then, with an almost dismissive gesture, she set the colossal debris aside.

No matter how one looked at it, the fragment clearly weighed tens of tons, yet the silver-haired woman handled it with an unsettling ease, betraying no hint of its immense weight.

“Ah… Th-there, who are you?”

Witnessing such an impossible feat, the girl instinctively recoiled, her voice trembling as she posed her question.

No answer was forthcoming.

‘Who is this woman? And are those… horns?’

A thought crossed her mind that this person was incredibly beautiful, yet the sight of the horns protruding from her head ignited a profound wariness within her.

No matter how closely she observed, the woman simply did not feel human.

Perhaps this woman was another one of those monstrous creatures, perhaps even vying for the same prey, when suddenly…

–Slide

“?”

Without uttering a single word, the woman drew the girl into a silent embrace.

“Oh, ah?”

The girl was momentarily caught off guard by the abrupt gesture. It took her a considerable moment to process the bewildering sequence of events: waking in an unknown forest, being assailed by a terrifying monster, and now, being held by a complete stranger. Yet, despite her bewilderment, she did not pull away.

“…A person, and a living human at that.”

She simply could not bring herself to push the woman away.

For all her apparent strength, the woman was now silently weeping, tears tracing paths down her cheeks.

****

An hour later.

I walked through the tranquil forest, the ‘girl’ I had just encountered quietly by my side.

Our destination, I presumed, lay somewhere indicated by the Crystal of Guidance clutched firmly in my hand.

▶Item – Accessory

『Crystal of Guidance』

※Wearing it prevents you from getting lost.

※A necklace made of Soul Stone (靈魂石).

Soul Stones were, in essence, one of the primary materials for crafting equipment within Novel Online.

To forge enchanted weaponry—that is to say, weapons imbued with supplementary effects—Soul Stones were an absolute prerequisite.

They were, effectively, a type of enhancement material.

Even within the game, they commanded a considerable price.

“Excuse me, who are you?”

Well, putting that aside for now.

I believe I may have been a touch impetuous earlier.

In my elation at encountering another human after half a year, I had, without conscious thought, impulsively embraced her.

When sanity returned, a wave of concern washed over me: had I, perhaps, embraced her with such force that I’d fractured her spine?

Fortunately, my strength control appeared to have been adequate, yet…

“Call me Cyan.”

Nevertheless, it remained an undeniably impolite action.

Had I behaved in such a manner in my original world, I would have been instantly reported to the authorities. For the first time, I felt a strange gratitude for my current predicament.

Of course, that was a joke.

For the moment, revealing my true name felt awkward, so I simply offered ‘Cyan.’ After all, in this form, I *was* Cyan.

“…Then, Ms. Cyan. Do you happen to know where this is?”

“The Twilight Forest,” I recited, “a domain severed from the world. It is known as the Forest of Exile, where those who enter are said to be forever trapped.”

I repeated what I had read in a book.

To be frank, my thoughts were in a rather tangled state.

The realization that had just dawned upon me was that this girl was not, in fact, the ‘player’ I had anticipated.

‘Novel Online? What’s that?’

Of course, she possessed the Crystal of Guidance.

But strangely, she knew nothing of a game called ‘Novel Online’.

Furthermore, she conversed with such natural ease. It was inconceivable for a mere game character to possess such autonomous speech.

This meant she, too, had been pulled into this realm, much like myself. Although, the precise method of her arrival seemed to differ…

“Does that mean we can’t get out of here?”

“Normally, yes, but there’s a way.”

The Crystal of Guidance.

Originally, in the game, it was an item that showed the way to different stages.

While its efficacy was nullified within labyrinthine areas and it offered no other supplementary benefits, it proved invaluable for traversing immense, otherwise impassable fields such as this Twilight Forest.

Even possessing a map, the distinction between a flat representation and a direct, illuminated path before one’s eyes was considerable.

Consequently, this accessory was made undroppable during the tutorial phase. Yet, it appeared capable of being transferred.

If that were the case, then perhaps this, too, was feasible…

–CRACKLE!

“Take this.”

From my outstretched hand, I willed forth the ‘Devil’s Blessing’.

Though the precise method eluded me, by envisioning the ‘true’ Devil’s Blessing I currently wore and channeling my mana into a concentrated point, I found I could replicate it at will.

This was, in all likelihood, an ability inherent to a tutorial boss.

The fact that it could be bestowed in this manner, despite originally being an untradeable item, confirmed my suspicion.

Indeed, Cyan, the tutorial boss, would present this very Devil’s Blessing, accompanied by simple words of encouragement, to any player who managed to endure her merciless assaults.

Naturally, I already possessed superior alternatives and had no intention of undertaking such a task. However, a lost wager with another user had ultimately compelled me to clear it as a penalty.

“Huh? What’s this?”

“It is identical to the one I bear. It will aid in the recovery of wounds and alleviate fatigue. Should you find no use for it, you are at liberty to sell or discard it.”

“Oh, no! It’s really beautiful… And to conjure it from your hand, as if by magic, is truly astonishing…”

…As expected, she’s just a human.

A normal human.

Not someone who had traversed through a game, as I had, but merely a victim, plucked from her ordinary life and thrust into this reality.

In all honesty, if she were to depart now, she would likely perish instantly.

If this realm was not merely Novel Online but an entirely separate world, then survival would prove exceedingly difficult.

She would likely fall prey to monsters upon exiting, or perhaps be seized by brigands and sold into slavery or a brothel.

Yet, considering the tasks that lay before me, I could not remain by her side indefinitely.

Nevertheless, she had been instrumental in my departure from this place. Thus, I offered her the item, intending to rescue her from peril just this once.

Furthermore, the Devil’s Blessing I had conjured was virtually indistinguishable from its original counterpart, and would undoubtedly render her stronger than most Earth-bound humans.

“Should you ever find yourself in a truly dire predicament, shatter it. It will yield effortlessly to your will, but be warned: my aid will extend only once, so employ it with utmost discretion.”

“Huh? Oh, okay. It’s a waste to break it.”

“If it’s more precious than your life, then that’s fine.”

“Okay! I’ll break it right away if it’s really dangerous!”

She was endearing.

From her appearance, she seemed to be either a high school or college student, at best in her early twenties.

Above all, when I had embraced her moments earlier, a pleasant scent had wafted from her. This was not indicative of any perverse inclination on my part, but rather the refreshing aroma of shampoo or soap.

All this time, I had been forced to cleanse myself solely in natural streams.

Once I escape this place, a proper bath is the first order of business.

“Hmm.”

At any rate, it appeared we had reached our destination.

It had been a considerable time since I last beheld it.

“Huh? What’s that?”

“It’s a transfer gate. The sole passage out of this accursed forest, though currently sealed.”

Transfer gate.

In Novel Story, it functioned as a portal, allowing passage between distinct stages.

However, to activate this specific transfer gate within the tutorial stage, the Crystal of Guidance was an absolute necessity.

It served as a form of qualification.

The transfer gate itself resembled a grand entrance, as if torn from a temple that belonged solely to the realm of myth.

To unlock this sacred threshold, a specific qualification was required, and that qualification was none other than this Crystal of Guidance.

Should this be inserted into the pillar adjacent to the transfer gate, the portal would activate, allowing passage beyond.

But before that.

“Soon, we can leave this place.”

“Then can I go home now?”

“No, the world beyond this portal will be vastly different from the one you know. It will likely be a realm teeming with unimaginable horrors and the most depraved of humans.”

“R-really?”

“The giant you encountered moments ago was, by comparison, rather benign.”

“Such…”

The girl’s expression darkened.

It was an unavoidable truth.

Not only was she unable to return to her former world, but the realm beyond was one overflowing with grotesque monsters and humans harboring the darkest of intentions.

Perhaps this very place was safer for her. Even with Level 100 guardians roaming, as long as she avoided the magic tower, an incident like the one she just experienced wouldn’t recur.

Incidentally, why had that particular guardian been there…?

Hmm, let’s consider that later.

“At any rate, this is where we part ways. I have my own purpose to fulfill, and you, no doubt, have yours.”

I bid her farewell.

It had been a welcome reprieve, however brief, to encounter another living human.

Thanks to her, I could now depart from this place. Therefore, knowing her name seemed only fitting.

“…Yes.”

“Therefore, before we bid farewell, tell me your name. I can discern that you are a stranger from another world.”

Her attire, for one, was clearly of Earthly design.

And such intensely black hair was hardly common.

“Oh, my name is Lee Seeun. Now that I think about it, I only heard your name, Ms. Cyan, and never offered my own.”

Lee Seeun, then…

It confirmed her Earthly origin beyond doubt.

This implied that ‘Earth’ existed, in some form, across all worlds.

The world I had inhabited, my beloved homeland where my parents and friends still resided, indeed existed.

“Lee Seeun… I understand. I shall depart first. While you may remain here for a time, be cautious; the portal will eventually close if you linger too long.”

I returned the Crystal of Guidance to Lee Seeun.

This, I believed, would prove immensely beneficial as she navigated the treacherous world awaiting her.

It had certainly been so for me; I trusted it would be for her as well.

“Thank you for worrying. Please be careful, Ms. Cyan.”

With a brief exchange of farewells, I turned and took my leave.

At last, farewell to this accursed tutorial.