A vast blue sky stretched overhead, dotted with white clouds drifting lazily with the wind. Endless grasslands spread as far as the eye could see, ending at the edge of a dense forest shrouded in a thin veil of mist.
Hidden among the bushes near the forest's edge, a young man lay unconscious.
A small blue bird with a long tail—unlike any species Noah had ever seen—perched on his chest and pecked at his forehead.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
"...Huh?"
Noah's eyelids slowly fluttered open.
"...Am I dead?"
His vision was still blurry. After a few moments, everything gradually came into focus. He pushed himself up and looked around.
Grasslands.
Trees.
A sky unlike anything he had ever known.
Before he could make sense of his surroundings, a synthetic voice suddenly echoed inside his mind.
Current location: The Supercontinent of Magnora. Year 202.
Noah immediately looked around.
"What was that?"
I am your Blessing.
The voice spoke again.
My name is Astra.
Noah fell silent.
His memories slowly returned.
The laboratory.
The portal machine.
The test chamber.
The explosion.
Every moment felt vividly real.
"...Are you some kind of program?" he asked quietly.
I am your Blessing.
Noah frowned.
The word Blessing meant nothing to him.
"Then... are you a spirit?"
I am your Blessing. My name is Astra.
The answer never changed.
Noah let out a long sigh.
"...Forget it. Maybe I've hit my head harder than I thought."
He stood and dusted off his clothes.
"Did the machine actually work? But... I never even got to choose a destination."
His eyes scanned the surrounding landscape.
Not far away, a rabbit-like creature was quietly nibbling on the grass.
Except...
It had a pair of small horns growing from its head, and its fur was bright pink.
Noah cautiously stepped closer.
He rubbed his eyes several times.
The creature didn't change.
"So... this really isn't a dream."
Suddenly, a massive shadow swallowed the grass before him.
Noah froze.
Slowly, he turned around.
A gigantic wolf stood upright on its hind legs.
Its body was several times larger than any ordinary wolf, and its gleaming fangs looked capable of tearing through steel.
The horned creature bolted.
Without thinking, Noah ran as well.
The enormous wolf chased them deep into the forest.
The small creature slipped into a burrow beneath a giant tree.
Noah...
Had nowhere left to run.
His back slammed against the trunk of another tree.
The wolf raised a massive claw.
Just before it struck—
"Arka Nova Terisla Lumina!"
A magic circle appeared above the wolf's head.
Trssss...!
In an instant, the monster vanished without a trace.
Noah stood frozen.
A young woman emerged from between the trees.
She had long purple hair.
In her right hand was a wooden staff topped with a red gemstone.
"You were only seconds away from becoming a Wolfrius's lunch."
Her voice was calm, almost casual.
Noah still struggled to process what had just happened.
"Th-Thank you."
The young woman looked him up and down.
Her gaze lingered on his black hair for a moment, as though she had never seen that color before. Then she studied his clothes from head to toe.
"A hunter?"
She shook her head.
"Hmm... no."
"A farmer?"
She shook it again.
"Your clothes are strange." She tilted her head curiously. "Are you one of the Cursed?"
"I..."
Noah hesitated.
"I'm lost."
The answer slipped out before he could think of anything better.
"Actually... where am I?"
She blinked.
"You don't know?"
She gestured toward the forest around them.
"This is Herkalus Forest."
"A place where monsters roam."
Noah swallowed.
Only now did he realize how unnaturally dark the forest was.
Thin mist hung between the trees, making the woods feel far more ominous than he'd first imagined.
Then something suddenly occurred to him.
"Wait..."
"You understand what I'm saying?"
The girl frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"You're speaking my language."
Noah's eyes drifted to the small badge pinned to her chest.
The letters engraved on it were unlike any script he had ever seen.
And yet...
He could read them.
"Nata Lee..."
He looked back at her.
"Thank you for saving me."
The girl smiled faintly.
"Just call me Lee."
"Besides, I wasn't exactly saving you."
She bent down and picked up a small gemstone lying on the ground.
"I was hunting that Wolfrius anyway."
"Monster gems like this sell for a good price."
Noah nodded slowly.
"I think..."
"I may have lost my memory."
He scratched the back of his head.
"Could you tell me how to get to the nearest city?"
"A city?"
Lee chuckled.
"The nearest village is already a full day's ride if you want to arrive before sunset."
She pointed toward a narrow dirt path.
"Follow that road north."
"You'll reach Araris Village."
"From there, you can continue on to the nearest city."
"...There's no taxi?"
Lee tilted her head again.
"A taxi?"
"What kind of animal is that?"
Noah could only force an awkward smile.
"...Never mind."
Lee slipped the monster gem into a small pouch at her waist.
"Magic gems are always in demand."
"See you around."
Without waiting for a reply, she disappeared back into the forest.
Noah watched until she vanished among the trees.
Once silence returned, he remembered the voice that had been with him all this time.
"Astra."
"Are you still there?"
Of course.
"Then..."
"Explain all of this."
Astra answered immediately.
I am a Blessing born from the anomaly that occurred when you crossed into this world.
In Magnora, a Blessing is a unique ability possessed by only a small fraction of humanity.
However, a Blessing like me has never existed in this world's recorded history.
Noah remained silent for a moment.
"That's all?"
"Can you explain this entire world to me?"
Information: I can only provide knowledge contained within my current data.
"So if the data doesn't exist..."
"You don't know either?"
Correct.
"Then what exactly do you mean by 'data'?"
Information: Data consists of all information that has been recorded, written, or successfully collected within this world.
Noah slowly nodded.
"So there are still plenty of things even you don't know."
Correct.
He let out a quiet breath.
"All right."
"Then I'll discover the rest myself..."
"...and expand your database."
Noah looked toward the narrow path Lee had pointed out.
Then, with slow but determined steps, he began walking toward Araris Village.