Feeling a heavy sense of loss, Max sat quietly, replaying his conversation with Zhavrik in his mind. He couldn't help but feel sorrow for the poor boy's tragic fate.
But along with sadness, another feeling crept into him—killing intent. His body faintly radiated it as he thought about the people who might have caused Zhavrik's suffering.
"Whoever you are… wait for me. I'll purge every single one of you responsible for Zhavrik's death," Max swore, his voice low but resolute.
Shaking his head, he muttered, "Now… I need to get out of here. Zhavrik said with this new power, I should be able to escape. Since I've gotten some idea of how to use it, I just need to figure out the way."
Pushing himself up from the spot where he had been sitting, Max began scanning his surroundings more carefully, forcing his eyes to notice any trace of change.
"Damn, this miasma is so thick. Just how many people were killed here for it to linger even after a thousand years? I can't see anything beyond this endless black fog. Instead of standing around, I should at least keep moving in some direction."
A small chuckle escaped him as he scratched his head.
"Hopefully I don't run into more ghosts… Man, even remembering how I reacted when I first saw Zhavrik makes me want to die from embarrassment. If my friends back home saw that, they'd never let me live it down."
The thought of his friends dampened his mood again. Still, he pressed forward, step by step, eyes searching for even the smallest clue.
After what felt like hours in this timeless domain, Max finally noticed something. Not far ahead, the atmosphere shifted. The concentration of black miasma was thinner there. No… not thinner—something was actively pushing it back.
His pulse quickened.
"There's definitely something here… This could be my way out. But how do I confirm it? I don't see any portal, no door. Should I just… jump in?"
Acting on impulse, Max leapt toward the anomaly. Nothing happened. He even tried reaching out with his hands and tugging at it, but it yielded no result.
"Maybe I need a spell? … Open sesame? Abracadabra? Gili gili sim sim?"
Silence. The anomaly didn't respond.
Max groaned, running a hand down his face.
"Damn it! Ever since I came to this world, my brain seems to be working backwards. Am I actually getting dumber? … No, wait. Could it be the miasma messing with my head? If I don't get out soon, I'll lose more than just my way—I'll lose my mind."
With renewed determination flashing in his eyes, Max reconsidered.
"Should I try using magic instead?"
He placed his hand on the anomaly and slowly infused mana into it.
"…Hmm. That did something. I definitely felt a reaction. I should push more mana into it."
This time, as he poured in energy, he felt the anomaly expanding. The hole's size increased gradually, confirming his suspicion. Excited, Max pushed even harder.
The more mana he fed it, the bigger it grew.
"Don't tell me this thing's a black hole… Why is it devouring so much mana? At this rate, I'll pass out. Who knows how long I'll sleep if I collapse in a place like this."
Noticing his mana reserves depleting rapidly, Max pulled his hand back and rummaged through his storage ring for something to replenish himself.
"From the looks of it, this must be some kind of portal. But it's way too greedy. After a certain point, the growth even slowed down… At least the size isn't shrinking. Maybe it's on a timer. I'd better refill my mana quickly before it shuts completely."
As if mocking him, the hole began to shrink. Slowly, but noticeably.
"…Of course. I jinxed it." Max sighed. "My luck's already rock bottom—I should stop expecting good things."
He quickly gulped down every mana potion he could find, then pressed his hand back against the portal, channeling energy again.
After nearly exhausting himself once more, he managed to expand the hole to the size of a dwarf.
"Seriously? Do I have low mana capacity, or does this thing just have a bottomless stomach? … Well, this is better than nothing. I'll just have to squeeze through. Even if I break a few bones, I can heal later."
Taking a deep breath, Max cast one last look around the miasma-filled domain. Then, like a circus performer attempting a ridiculous act, he twisted and bent his body until he finally managed to squeeze through the dwarf-sized portal.
"FINALLY!"
Tears of relief welled in his eyes as he stumbled forward, gasping with excitement.
But when he looked around, his excitement faded into confusion.
"…Where am I now?"
From Zhavrik's memories, this didn't look like the human domain at all. Max groaned.
"Why can't I just go home, lie in bed, and sleep? Why do I have to keep suffering—even before the story's real plot has even started? Damn my luck!"
He cursed under his breath, but forced himself to observe the new place.
Unlike the death-filled land he had just left behind, this world was vibrant—so much so that it felt like stepping from a blank sheet of paper into a vivid painting.
He stood on the peak of a towering mountain. The sun bathed the world in golden warmth, its light making plants and animals flourish below.
The green grass swayed like dancers under a gentle wind, and thick, majestic trees covered the vast expanse beneath the summit. Behind him stretched a narrow path down the mountainside, radiating a welcoming warmth.
"How I missed this feeling…" Max whispered, smiling faintly. "This sense of adventure—it's what made me who I am. And now, seeing such beauty in this new world… I can't help but feel excited again."
But before he could soak in the moment, a strange vibration stirred in his ring finger. Curious, Max opened his storage and pulled out a thin metallic device.
"…A phone? Wait, what the hell? It's so thin! 'Sapple' would sell their soul to get their hands on this tech."
Marveling at the futuristic design, he raised it to his ear.
"He—"
"WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU, ZHAAVVIKKKKKKKKKK?!"
A furious scream erupted from the other side before Max could even speak.