This is the last base of the demon scum! Keep your heads up, men!"

The old man's voice cut through the eerie quiet of the charred forest like a blade, rising above the swirling wind that carried the scent of ash and death. His armor was battered, scorched from countless battles, but he wore it with pride. The once-proud knights marching behind him, however, had long since abandoned any notions of glory. Their faces were hollow, eyes sunken with exhaustion, and their breaths came in ragged gasps as they trudged forward, little more than ghosts of the warriors they had once been.

Their noble oaths, once sacred, were now distant memories—cast aside in favor of survival. Murder, theft, kidnapping—no act was too low for them now. They had become mercenaries, desperate men fighting for their lives in a war that had lost all meaning.

The charred remains of trees, twisted and blackened like the hands of the damned, lined their path as they approached the demon's fortress. The sky above was an ominous shade of gray, the sun struggling to break through the thick layer of smoke and clouds. The air itself seemed alive, thick with tension and foreboding.

As they neared the castle, the wind grew stronger, howling like a wounded animal. It was as if the land itself was screaming at them to turn back, to abandon this doomed crusade before it was too late. But the warning came too late.

The first sign of the ambush was a low growl, barely audible over the wind. Then, out of the shadows near the eastern gate, a horde of enemy forces descended upon them. They moved with terrifying speed, their weapons gleaming in the dim light as they tore through the knights' ranks with ruthless precision.

Chaos erupted. Steel clashed, blood sprayed into the air, and the ground beneath their feet turned slick with the dead. The soldier could hear the screams of his comrades, the desperate shouts for help that were quickly silenced by the cold bite of steel. The knights, once a formidable force, were now little more than prey for the demons that swarmed them.

The soldier swung his sword wildly, the weight of it almost too much for his trembling arms. He fought with every ounce of strength he had left, but it wasn't enough. The demons were too fast, too strong. Around him, his comrades were cut down one by one, their bodies crumpling to the ground like discarded toys.

He didn't know how long the battle lasted—minutes, hours, it was all a blur. All he knew was that when it was over, the once-proud army lay in ruins. Only a handful of knights remained, bloodied and broken, their eyes glazed with shock and disbelief.

In a village near the demon continent…

"Kid! Grab the crystal and get out of here, now!"

The man's voice was rough, but steady. He stood in the middle of the burning village, swinging his axe with wild desperation as he fought off the attackers. His armor, once gleaming and proud, was now stained with blood and dirt, barely holding together under the strain of battle. He was buying time—time for the boy to escape.

The boy watched in horror as two swords suddenly plunged into the man's chest, piercing clean through his armor. The man's smile faltered, blood spilling from his lips as he crumpled to the ground.

"No... NO!" The boy's voice cracked with despair, but there was no time for grief. He had to run.

With tears blurring his vision, the boy sprinted down the stairs of the burning building, stumbling over the bodies of his fallen comrades. His heart pounded in his chest, his lungs burned, and his mind raced with frantic thoughts.

"I'm sorry... I couldn't save any of you. Please, someone… save us!"

But there was no one left to save them.

He burst through the door, only to find the village gate locked, trapping him inside the chaos. Desperation clawed at his throat as he looked around frantically for a way out. That's when he saw it—a shadow moving in the corner of his vision. A lizardman crept toward him, dagger raised, its eyes gleaming with malicious intent.

Before the boy could react, the creature lunged.

Schlck!

The sound of a blade sinking into flesh echoed through the air. The boy blinked in shock, only to see the old man in tattered armor standing behind the lizardman, yanking his sword free from the creature's corpse.

"Go, kid! Get out of here! This isn't a playground!" the old man barked, shoving the boy toward a small gap in the wall.

The boy hesitated, his fear keeping him frozen in place.

"H-Hey, old man! Come on, we have to get out of here!" The boy shouted, his voice breaking as tears streamed down his face.

But the old man just smiled—a sad, weary smile that spoke of battles fought and lost. "I'm sorry, kid. I can't come with you. You've got to keep running. Don't look back. I'll find you… once this is over."

The boy's heart clenched with fear and uncertainty, but he had no choice. He turned and ran, the sound of battle fading behind him as he slipped through the narrow gap in the wall.

He didn't know how far he ran—hours, maybe days. His legs burned, his lungs ached, and his tears had long since dried. All he knew was that he had to keep going, had to survive, even if it meant leaving everything he knew behind.

Dreams Are Dreams

Kael woke with a start, his heart still racing from the nightmare.Who were those two people? Why did they keep appearing in his dreams, night after night, for the past month? "Why, just why?" Kael thought to himself still shaken up. He sat up in his tattered bed, running a hand through his sweat-drenched hair as he tried to calm his breathing. The room around him was dim, the cracked and mold-covered walls barely visible in the faint light that filtered through the broken window.

He stretched, his muscles aching from the cold night. The air in the room was thick with dampness, and the stench of decay and mildew filled his lungs with every breath. The house was barely standing, its wooden beams warped and rotting from years of neglect.

Kael stood and walked to the door, the floor creaking beneath his feet as he moved. He didn't know why he stayed in this place—it was a ruin, a shell of a home that should have been abandoned long ago. Most people would have fled, unable to stomach the filth and decay. But Kael had nowhere else to go.

He stepped outside, the cool morning breeze bringing a momentary sense of relief from the oppressive atmosphere inside the house. The village was quiet, the streets empty. Kael walked to the nearest convenience store, paying little attention to the monotone greeting from the cashier as he bought his cigarettes.

As he stepped back outside, Kael checked his phone. Another notification—his debt had increased again. His parents had taken out yet another loan from some shady group, adding to the already insurmountable mountain of debt that weighed on Kael like a curse.

"Could this day get any worse?" Kael muttered under his breath as he trudged back home, his mind heavy with frustration and despair.

Then, out of nowhere, his body gave out. His knees buckled, and he collapsed onto the cold pavement, his head slamming against the ground with a dull thud. The last thing he heard before everything went black was the distant sound of a car horn.

When Kael opened his eyes, the world around him had changed. He was no longer in the city. Towering trees, as tall as skyscrapers, loomed overhead, their branches casting strange, shifting shadows on the ground. The air smelled fresh—too fresh, as if the world itself was untouched by the pollution and grime of modern life.

Where the hell am I? Kael's mind raced as he looked around, trying to make sense of the strange forest surrounding him. He had never seen anything like this before—the vibrant colors, the sheer size of the trees—it was like something out of a dream.

Or a nightmare.

The ground trembled beneath him. A low, guttural growl echoed through the trees, sending a jolt of fear through Kael's body. Something was coming. Something big.

Kael's heart pounded in his chest as he scrambled to his feet, his eyes darting around frantically for a place to hide. He had no idea what was coming, but he knew he didn't want to find out.

Then he saw it—a hulking figure moving through the trees, its massive form barely visible through the thick underbrush. It had the head of a pig, its snout flaring as it sniffed the air, searching for something.

Searching for him.

Kael's breath caught in his throat as he dove into a nearby bush, praying the creature wouldn't notice him. His hands trembled as he clutched a stick, the only weapon he could find.

As the pig-headed monster drew closer, Kael's fear turned to something else—something strange. A flash of confidence, of determination. "This is an isekai, right? I'm the main character, aren't I?"

With a surge of adrenaline, Kael leapt out of the bush, swinging the stick at the monster with all his might.

SCREEECH! The pig-headed creature roared with fury, its massive form barreling toward Kael like a freight train. He barely had time to react before the monster's full weight slammed into him, knocking him off his feet. The impact sent Kael flying through the air, his body crashing into the dirt with a sickening thud. He gasped for breath, pain shooting through his chest as his lungs struggled to function.

For a moment, everything went dark. Blood filled his mouth, its metallic taste mixing with the cold dirt beneath him. Kael's mind raced in panic. He wasn't supposed to die like this—not after everything he had endured. This was an isekai, right? He was supposed to be the protagonist! The one who wins against impossible odds, who discovers hidden powers just in time! But now, reality was a cruel slap in the face. No powers, no miraculous save. Just pain.

The pig-headed monster loomed over him, snorting and drooling, its eyes gleaming with a twisted mixture of malice and hunger. Kael scrambled to his feet, his body trembling from the effort. His vision swam, but he had to keep moving, had to fight. He had to live.

But the monster was relentless. It let out another roar, the deafening screech echoing through the forest, and lunged at him again. Kael's legs buckled beneath him, betraying him at the worst possible moment. He gasped for air, his chest burning with every breath, but desperation forced him forward. He swung his fist in a wild, desperate attempt to defend himself, his hand colliding with the creature's thick, muscular stomach.

Thud.

It was like punching a wall of solid stone. The monster didn't even flinch. Instead, it glanced down at Kael, its grotesque snout twisting into a snarl of confusion, as if baffled that this pitiful human dared to strike it. Kael's heart sank. His hand throbbed in pain, but the creature seemed unharmed, almost amused by his futile attempt to fight back.

Kael stumbled backward, crawling on the ground as fear gripped his heart. "Shit! This isn't supposed to happen!" he wheezed, his back pressing against the trunk of a massive tree. His mind raced, searching for a way out, for something—anything—that could save him from this nightmare.

The pig-headed monster towered over him, its hulking body casting a long shadow across the forest floor. Its beady eyes gleamed with cruel delight as it reached down and grabbed Kael by the shirt, lifting him effortlessly into the air like a ragdoll.

Kael kicked and thrashed, panic flooding his senses. "Please... I don't want to die!" he screamed, his voice cracking with fear. Tears blurred his vision as he struggled, but the monster's grip was unyielding. The creature's fangs glistened with saliva, and its hideous laughter filled the air.

"Die?" the monster's voice was a low, guttural rasp, thick with mockery. "Oh, no... not yet, little human. I have much more in store for you." Its words sent a chill down Kael's spine.

"Wh-what do you mean?" Kael stammered, his heart pounding in his chest. "Let me go! Please, let me go!"

The pig-headed creature chuckled darkly, its snout twitching in amusement. "Oh, you'll wish for death soon enough. But for now... we play."

With that, the monster tossed Kael over its broad shoulder as if he weighed nothing, dragging him deeper into the forest. Kael screamed, his voice echoing through the trees, but no one came. No hero swooped in to save him. He was alone, utterly alone.