Hikaru manfisted into this world.
The first thing he noticed about the Small World was that time here was… odd. But he didn't dwell on it. There were far bigger concerns.
He found himself in a forest larger than any continent he had ever known—the Forest of Death. This forest wasn't merely vast; it was colossal, isolated from the planet itself by a mysterious barrier.
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I had manifested into this small dimension, yet the forest stretched endlessly. It was massive—truly incomprehensible in scale.
Hmmm… I could sense something. Something dangerous. Perhaps a demon?
Before I could react further, an arrow streaked toward me. But this was no ordinary arrow. It was infused with magic, and by my initial estimate, it had the power to destroy a small asteroid. But as it struck, I realized I had severely underestimated it. Its destructive potential rivaled the largest asteroid known to mankind. A small planet might have been obliterated instantly.
This forest survived somehow.
This forest… no, this entire planet… it wasn't small. The forest alone spanned nearly a light-year in both length and width.
"Who are you?" I asked.
"No one… except the one who is going to kill you," said a voice, soft but deadly.
I looked up, and I saw her.
A vision of beauty—no, of something beyond beauty. Her hair, whiter than freshly fallen snow, danced in the wind. Her eyes were a deep, burning crimson, like fresh blood, contrasting sharply with skin pale enough to seem unreal. Her shadowy gown obscured more than it revealed, yet her presence radiated a force that no human could comprehend. Anyone who gazed upon her could feel it instinctively—she belonged to a realm far beyond their own.
Get your thoughts straight, Hikaru. Now was not the time to admire her beauty… though who could deny that she was mesmerizing?
I steadied myself, focusing. Time to remain calm.
"Chaotic Magic: Raining Fireballs."
Balls of fire erupted from my hands, raining destruction upon the forest. My magic, the embodiment of the laws of chaos, was powerful enough to annihilate entire cities.
Yet she dodged effortlessly, moving with a grace that defied all expectation.
"Death Magic: Death Streak."
Her turn. Her magic embodied the very laws of death itself. With it, she could destroy any living creature in her field of view. Her arrows were infused with this lethal force.
I dodged every arrow. They moved faster than light, disappearing and reappearing in mere nanoseconds.
What is magic? I reminded myself.
Magic is the embodiment of the world's laws. It can transform abstract concepts into tangible reality. Humans may think infinity is impossible in the physical sense—but through magic, infinity could exist for them.
For higher-dimensional entities, infinity can exist in a tangible, physical sense.
The force of her attack slammed into me, sending me flying.
"Can you dodge this?" Her voice taunted me.
Oh no. Oh no no no! A thousand arrows rained down, and I was struggling to regain my posture while she unleashed them relentlessly.
Fine. I would respond.
"Chaotic Magic: Dragonic Breath."
Flames erupted from my mouth, igniting with enough power to erase a planet from existence. The attack moved faster than light, atoms disintegrating in its path. The forest itself seemed to shiver under the heat, threatening to be wiped from the planet entirely.
She couldn't evade it. Her resistance allowed her to survive, but part of her clothes were burned away, and bruises began to appear across her body.
Her voice was ragged as she spoke.
"Aren't you going to kill me? Or… take advantage of me?"
I shook my head, stepping back slightly.
"Why would I? You are beautiful, yes… but I have no such interests. What is your name?"
"My name is—"
And then…