Chapter 3: The First Encounter

  Lucien sat by the campfire, carefully roasting the last pieces of wolf meat, the savory aroma wafting through the air. Suddenly, a piercing, terrified scream shattered the forest’s stillness. He froze, his sharp eyes glinting, a low voice escaping his lips: “What the hell was that?” Despite being a seasoned assassin, Lucien couldn’t help but flinch at the unknown. The scream faded, dissolving into the silence, leaving an oppressive quiet in its wake. “Good thing it’s far off,” he thought, his heartbeat steadying. “Probably not coming to kill me.”

  Calmly sitting back down, Lucien took a piece of meat, chewing slowly, his eyes clouded with thought. He began piecing together what he’d learned about this world. “I’m in another world, brought here with my house by that shadow creature,” he mused. “This place isn’t normal—full of mythical and bizarre creatures, with danger lurking everywhere. This forest is unnatural, impossibly vast, and the trees… they’re unlike anything I’ve ever seen.”

  His gaze drifted to a nearby tree—3 to 5 meters tall, resembling a silver willow draped in mist. A name flashed in his mind: Wailing Willow, a level-7 entity. Not just its name, but its traits and how to destroy it were clear to him. “Damn, what the hell is this?” he cursed under his breath, his heart racing. But he quickly suppressed the panic, replacing it with a bold theory. “Hey, shadow creature,” he whispered, as if addressing an invisible presence within him, “you’re the one stuffing this info in my head, aren’t you?”

  It wasn’t just the Wailing Willow. Information about the entire forest—its trees, creatures, and dangers—flooded his mind, as if etched there long ago. A shiver ran down his spine, but Lucien soon felt gratitude. “The more I know, the better my chances of survival,” he thought, his eyes gleaming with resolve.

  Lost in thought, he organized what he knew about the forest, called the Despairing Black Forest. It lay on an isolated island, surrounded by an endless ocean with no land in sight. The forest was divided into three zones: the outer rim, near-center, and core. According to the strange knowledge he’d received, the island’s creatures were ranked from 10 to 1. Level 10s were mundane, easily killed; level 1s were terrifying entities with bizarre powers, nearly invincible. Lucien was about to delve deeper when a sound interrupted his thoughts—voices, and they were approaching.

  Instead of panicking, Lucien drew his twin pistols, his gaze cold and ready for a fight. He didn’t wait long. A figure burst through the bushes—a white-haired woman, followed by another girl and three young men. Lucien paused, surprise flickering in his eyes. “Humans… sooner than I expected,” he thought, observing them from a distance.

  Audrey and her group were equally stunned to see another human. But their shock quickly turned to wariness. This stranger—Lucien—was covered in blood, sitting by a fire with roasting meat, while nearby lay a gruesome scene of bloodstains and scattered entrails. It could only be described as horrifying. Annie, a girl with long black hair, stepped forward and whispered to Audrey: “Captain, he seems human.”

  Audrey replied, her voice steady but sharp: “I see that too. He’s not radiating hostility. Maybe we can negotiate to stay here for a day.” She glanced at her crew, giving a slight nod. They understood her intent instantly.

  Lucien noticed their gestures but stayed silent. Instead, he sat back down, resuming his meal, his expression calm. “They’re not planning to attack,” he thought, keenly sensing their intentions. “Looks like they want to negotiate. The white-haired woman is the leader… Audrey, I caught that name.” Oddly, their whispers were faint, yet he clearly heard Audrey’s name. Holding his meat, he chewed slowly, his eyes discreetly tracking them. The blond young man and Audrey began approaching, their steps cautious but determined.

  The blond man came closer but didn’t speak first. Instead, he stared at the meat, his eyes hungry, swallowing hard. Seeing this, Audrey stepped behind him and pinched his back sharply. Zim yelped in pain but quickly stifled it, not wanting to appear rude to their host. Regaining his composure, Zim stepped forward, placing a hand on his chest and bowing slightly: “Sir, I’m Zim. Behind me are Captain Audrey and our crew.”

  Lucien responded, his voice steady: “I’m Lucien Graye, a wanderer.”

  Seeing Lucien introduce himself, Zim and the others visibly brightened, though Audrey remained composed. Zim smiled and asked, “Sir, may we stay here for a day?”

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  Hearing the sincere request, Lucien didn’t want to make things difficult for the first humans he’d met in this world. He replied, his tone warmer: “Sure, stay as long as you like. This forest’s land isn’t mine, after all.”

  Relieved, the group approached the fire, where the tantalizing aroma of roasting meat filled the air. They stood there, watching Lucien bite into the meat, swallowing hard with envy. Even Audrey, the stoic captain, couldn’t hide her craving. Noticing this, Lucien gave a faint smile and gestured toward his ruined house: “My house is destroyed, but you can grab some stones to use as seats.”

  Understanding his invitation, the group complied. Thomas, a burly man, volunteered: “I’ll get them for the captain.” Thomas was incredibly strong, effortlessly carrying five large stones from the rubble. Watching him handle the load with ease, Lucien was impressed. He knew anyone who could enter this forest wasn’t ordinary—they had formidable strength.

  Once seated, Lucien didn’t keep them waiting: “You’ve traveled far and must be tired. Try some of this meat.” No one declined. Each took a piece, eating with relish, their faces mirroring Lucien’s own delight at the first bite. “This flavor is irresistible,” he thought.

  After introductions, Lucien learned about the group. Thomas, the third mate, was a towering, powerful man. Kai, the second mate, was enigmatic and quiet. Annie, the first mate, was friendly and approachable. Zim, a mage and witch, was hired to handle spiritual creatures. Their mission was to collect Mythical Bio-Elixirs—rare ingredients and potions derived from the forest’s strange plants and animals.

  Zim suddenly spoke up: “Sir Lucien, I’ve been curious since we met. How long have you been here?”

  The question slowed everyone’s eating. Lucien, expecting this, replied casually: “Quite a while, maybe a year.”

  The group was stunned. Surviving a year on an island tainted by the Void was unthinkable. Annie couldn’t hold back: “Sir, this island is extremely dangerous. It’s cursed by the Void’s Curse of Empty Consciousness, which strips humanity from those who stay too long, driving them mad. How are you…?”

  “Hm, that dangerous? But I feel fine,” Lucien thought, surprised by the revelation. He asked, “How long does it take to lose humanity?”

  Kai, usually silent, answered: “One month.”

  “Oh, good,” Lucien exhaled, relieved. He replied, “Maybe I’m immune to the Curse of Empty Consciousness.”

  The five were shocked. No one, no matter how strong, had ever resisted the curse. Audrey spoke up, her voice eager: “Then, do you know about elixirs like Mother’s Tears or Dreamspring Leaf?”

  Lucien searched his mind. At first, there was only darkness, but mentioning the names triggered a flood of information, startling him. “They really exist?” he thought. He recited aloud:

  Dreamspring Leaf

  - Origin: Leaves of the level-7 Dreamheart Tree, growing near the bodies of those who died in their sleep, found near the forest’s center.

  - Harvest: Approach the tree, lie down, and fall into deep sleep. In the dream, collect the leaf before the tree notices.

  - Benefit: Creates potent sedatives, countering panic in tainted lands.

  - Risk: Addictive, with prolonged use trapping the user in eternal sleep.

  The group was floored by his knowledge. He continued:

  Mother’s Tears

  - Origin: Griefbloom Flower, sprouting from the eyes of corpses, blooming only in white mist.

  - Harvest: Wait until the mist nearly dissipates, snap off the corpse’s head to take the flower, and escape the mist within two minutes, or it will consume you.

  - Benefit: A lifesaver in chaotic mazes, soothing madness and curing heavy taint.

  - Risk: Causes 10-minute memory loss; overuse may lead to permanent amnesia.

  Lucien opened his eyes, inwardly thrilled: “This info is invaluable.” The group exchanged glances and nodded. Sensing something amiss, Lucien’s eyes twitched. Audrey spoke: “Lucien, can you help us find these flowers? I’ll pay you generously.”

  After a moment’s thought, Lucien replied evenly: “Fine, but after we’re done, besides the reward, you take me off this island.”

  They agreed instantly. With someone as knowledgeable as Lucien, they had no reason to refuse. “If everyone’s on board, we leave at noon,” Lucien proposed, adding, “We’re currently between the outer rim and near-center, between circles 1 and 2.”

  The group was again amazed by his grasp of the terrain. Thomas couldn’t resist: “How are you so sure?”

  Lucien pointed to the Wailing Willow: “That’s a Wailing Willow, a semi-spiritual tree that grows in the transition zone between the rim and near-center of the Despairing Black Forest.”

  They followed his gesture, awestruck. The Wailing Willow resembled a silver willow cloaked in mist. Its soft canopy draped like a young woman’s hair, swaying gently without wind. The dark, silvery trunk bore vein-like patterns pulsing faintly with light.

  “You can destroy it with Heavenly Fire or Purifying Light,” Lucien suggested. “Its leaves are edible and resist illusions. Try them. I’ll prepare, and we’ll head out.”

  Learning of its anti-illusion properties, the group was eager. Such abilities were rare and valuable, so they were determined to harvest it. Audrey ordered: “Zim, burn it down with all you’ve got. Stay back—Lucien hasn’t told us its abilities, so be cautious.”

  Zim nodded, and the group readied to assist. As Lucien stepped outside, he remembered something critical: “I forgot, that tree is level 7, pretty dangerous, everyone…”

  Before he finished, he saw Zim lying unconscious. The others shook their heads, chuckling at Lucien’s late warning. In the distance, the Wailing Willow was incinerated, leaving only ten leaves. “Haha, guess we wait a bit,” Lucien said, slinging his backpack and sniper rifle, joining his new teammates.