Looking through the fence that was taller than most trees, I was able to see a huge city. This city seemed to have changed a lot since I had last seen it, or perhaps I just remembered it wrongly. Either way, the closest way to describe what I saw was illogical.

As I looked at the place more closely, I noticed that the city, whose name I do not remember, had no people in it. Not a single life in sight. It was as if all the living were teleported away. The only reason I could think of why this was the case, was that this place for some unknown reason became uninhabitable. Having said that, seeing such big houses, yet no people feels weir-

Wait? I see someone...

With incredible timing a person had appeared in sight. While thinking on how to get the person's attention, I accidentally zoned out. After realising that, I glanced back at the boy walking far away from me.

WOAH?!

Almost screaming out loud, I jumped away from the fence. The person that was walking over a hundred meters away suddenly, and I guess, magically, appeared right in front of me. I mean, there is no way he ran such distance in such a short amount of time. I have heard that people at some point awaken their powers that they have inherited by DNA, so perhaps that was how he did such a feat.

"Hi! How did- Why are you on the other side of the fence?" He asked while looking at me with eyes filled with curiosity.

It was a fair question. I don't think it's even allowed to go over this fence, knowing that it is called an "inescapable forest" and all.

"Are you even from here?" The boy added another question after noticing my clothes. Though he was mostly staring at my bloody forehead, not my attire.

"..." Now that it came to this. I realized just how bad I was at speaking with other people, but is it really my fault?

It's not like I had many chances to talk to others.

The last time I came to this huge place was 3 years ago, but for reasons that I can not remember no matter how hard I try, I got banished. Kicked out not just from the school I was about to attend but from the whole city. I guess I caused some kind of trouble. Not like my parents mentioned anything about it.

After the boy's patience had finally ran out, he heavily breathed in and out, and like some kind of bird blitzed into the air passing through the top of the fence, landing right in front of me.

HUH?! Was that fire that came out of his hands? I swear...

The boy, not giving me the chance to realise what just had happened, introduced himself.

"My name is Huo Ban. Nice to meet you"

Ban, as he called himself, was a bit taller than me. He probably was also older. With fully pitch black hair, except for one big streak on his forehead being white. Having big round eyes, pupils being white, while the iris black, his stare felt eerie. His face being sharp and frame more on a muscular side. Wearing a casual black street-like jacket and a white t-shirt underneath as well as black pants and bright red shoes, he had an interesting atmosphere to him.

...I guess I can't stay silent after he introduced himself and all...

"My name is Sun Li." Finally managing to muster some words out of my mouth I also introduced myself.

After a short pause, which was presumably caused by me saying my name and Ban being shocked by it, He finally regained his composure. Still, he wasn't saying a word. Even though his face was screaming with curiosity, it seemed like something was holding him back.

"Can we move to somewhere else?" He finally, after a while asked. Not having a reason to decline, because It's not like I have anywhere else to go, I agreed to his request.

Immediately after hearing me say "Sure" he yet again heavily breathed in and out, and in a matter of seconds flew up into the sky while releasing fire from his hands. So it appears it was fire that he used to get over this tall wall-like fence.

Seeing fire didn't make me feel any positive emotions, but managing to control them, I moved forward. As he flew past the fence and as I climbed over it, we entered the seemingly abandoned place.