The knife pierced through the man's left hand and into the mortal's skull. Warm blood streamed down the mortal's face, sliding past his eyes in trembling streaks.
He stared upward, frozen, his expression twisted between disbelief and terror.
This should have killed him instantly—yet he was still alive.
He tried to scream, to move, to do anything, but his body refused to respond. Every muscle felt locked, trapped in a nightmare he couldn't wake from.
The mysterious man let out a slow breath. He closed his eyes… then opened them again.
His eyes shifted—white, then black, then white—changing every second. The colors flowed like liquid, swirling inward only to be replaced by another shade leaking from the corners.
Handsome or not, he no longer looked human. With his white hair and the dark tattoo stretching across his forehead, he resembled something that stepped out of a realm far beyond mortal comprehension.
After several breaths, the transformation stopped. His eyes returned to their original grey.
"Done," he said softly, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
He slid his hand back. The knife came out of the mortal's skull—and still… there was no blood.The only blood that was flowing was from the the man's left hand.
The wound sealed instantly. Smooth. Perfect. As if the blade had never touched him.
The mortal blinked, dazed, until the reality hit him in a single, crushing wave. He scrambled backward in sheer terror, limbs shaking violently.
"W-Who… who are you!?" he choked out. "Y-You're not human—what did you do to me!?"
"Shh."
The man raised a finger to his lips. His narrowed gaze locked on the mortal, cold and unreadable.
"If you yell like that, they'll find you. I only took the information you carried. Unfortunately… it was far too little."
His voice carried disappointment, as if the mortal's knowledge had failed to meet his expectations.
The man's thoughts drifted.
"This world is the Mortal Realm. Of the seven elements, five exist here—Fire, Water, Earth, Lightning, and Wind. Each Element Bearer commands only one."
His eyes sharpened with quiet resolve.
"And that is the rule I must overturn."
But that ambition would have to wait. There were more immediate concerns.
"We need to leave this cave," he said. "It won't be safe once daylight comes."
Staying here until the sun rose was practically suicide. The killers would regain their vision, their senses. Hiding would become impossible.
"W-Why should I follow you!?" the mortal shouted, voice cracking. "Who knows what you'll do to me!?"
"Then stay here… and wait for death," the man replied calmly.
"If you leave, you might survive. If you stay, you won't."
He motioned toward the rabbits and plants.
"I didn't harm you. You're still alive, aren't you?"
His voice softened, but only slightly.
"If you doubt me, take these and leave before I do. I won't follow."
"But I don't even know this place…" the mortal whispered, shaking.
"When you exit the cave, turn right. Walk straight until you find a small camp. Take what you need, then keep going. You'll leave the forest."
His tone was flat, detached.
"The choice is yours."
Trembling, the mortal inspected the plants and meat. Once convinced they were safe, he snatched them and ran—taking the right path without a single glance back.
The mysterious man stepped out of the cave shortly after, watching the fleeing figure with a faint, unidentifiable smile.
The forest was vast, its ground slippery with damp mud. Fevered and exhausted, the mortal forced himself onward, stumbling through the uneven terrain. Each step felt heavier than the last.
But he had no choice.
He had to keep going.
"Once I'm out… I'll leave this entire region," he muttered between ragged breaths. "I can't survive here…"
After enduring what felt like an endless struggle, he finally reached the camp. Food, water, medicine, clothing—everything he needed to live another day.
He let out a shaky sigh of relief and sank onto a nearby log, devouring the food as if starved for days.
Strength returned slowly. He gathered supplies—when heavy footsteps crashed through the trees.
The killers had arrived.
This was their camp!
The mortal froze. His mind went blank.
The group emerged from the shadows, bloodied and enraged from fighting the mud tiger. Their losses had been severe. Their fury now aimed fully at him.
"Bastard!"
"We finally found you!"
"Walking right into our camp… you saved us the trouble!"
They encircled him, eyes burning with murderous intent.
And in that moment, the mortal realized—
He had survived the impossible… only to land in a fate even worse.