Once he left the sacred grounds, Takeshi continued his journey through the forest. As he walked, he couldn't help but silently admire the untouched beauty surrounding him.
Moss-covered rocks and stones of varying sizes lay scattered across the forest floor, and ivy twisted and curled along the ground and up the trunks of ancient trees—trees that resembled towering bonsai, giving the forest an almost dreamlike harmony.
But then, something unnatural happened.
The ground beneath his feet began to tremble—not like any normal quake, but as if the world itself had been struck by the hand of something beyond comprehension. The very air grew heavy, pressing down on everything. The sky, once still and serene, twisted and rippled as if reality itself were straining to hold form.
An invisible force surged through the land, and every living creature—including Takeshi—felt it.
An overwhelming, primal instinct took hold, and without understanding why, all life bowed.
Heads lowered. Knees buckled.
Not out of fear... but reverence.
The sensation lasted only a few seconds. But when it passed, the forest was silent—eerily so.
Birds resumed their songs, leaves rustled once again, and the world pretended as if nothing had occurred.
But Takeshi knew better. Something had happened.
Shaken yet curious, Takeshi ventured down a winding path deeper into the woods. Up ahead, just off to the right, something caught his eye: a large stone statue. It was massive—far larger than any human—and had long since sunken into the earth, now leaning slightly as if time itself had tried to bury it.
Intrigued, Takeshi approached.
As he drew near, the full image revealed itself. The statue depicted a man—though Takeshi wasn't sure man was the right word. His face wore a permanent frown, solemn and cold. He had no pupils in his eyes—just blank, carved orbs—and a pair of horns sprouted from his forehead, curling and spreading outward to form a twisted crown woven through his long hair.
His presence exuded judgment, malice, and power—Takeshi felt as if he were staring at the devil himself.
He was clad in a strange mixture of armor and robes. Plates reminiscent of the samurai armor Takeshi once wore adorned his shoulders, waist, and legs, but his torso and arms were partially covered by flowing robes, as if he were both warrior and monarch.
Coiled around his limbs and torso was a snake, its body etched in stone with terrifying detail, as if frozen mid-slither.
Behind him rose a massive stone wheel, embedded with eight evenly spaced spokes, each slightly radiating outward like rays from a sun long forgotten.
Takeshi stood frozen, gripped by a mix of awe and dread. He had no idea what he was truly looking at—but it was ancient, divine, and terrifying.
Suddenly, he heard a rustling behind him.
He spun around instinctively, hand flying to his sword. There, wrapped around a tree directly behind him, was a large white serpent. It wasn't as massive as the skeletal beast Takeshi had seen in the Shadow Realm, but its mere presence sent a chill down his spine. Its pale scales shimmered faintly in the dappled forest light, and its unblinking eyes stared directly into his soul.
Takeshi slowly reached for his sword, ready to defend himself if needed—or retreat if he could.
But then, the serpent spoke.
Its voice was deep, yet gentle. Calming in a way that only made the moment more surreal.
"I wish you no harm, traveler."
The words struck Takeshi harder than a blade ever could. His breath caught in his throat.
The serpent then said, "I noticed you were observing the statue of the Lord."
Takeshi was taken aback by the statement and questioned both himself and the talking serpent.
"Lord?"
"Yes," the serpent replied. "What you are looking at is the statue of the God of Fate and Fortune. Couldn't you tell? The divine appearance, the Serpent of Faith coiled around his body, and the Wheel of Fortune behind him."
Takeshi took in the serpent's words, his amazement deepening—and so did his unease.
But then, a thought crossed his mind, and he asked, "How did whoever carved this statue know what the god looks like?"
The serpent's mouth curled into an uncanny smile.
"It comes from a drawing," it said. "One made over a hundred thousand years ago, according to the tales. From the time the god descended to Earth."
Takeshi was dumbfounded.
Over a hundred thousand years ago? That's ridiculous!
But then he caught himself.
Wait… I can't assume a year in this world is the same as mine—maybe it lasts a hundred, or even two hundred days. Still, even then, that's absurdly long.
Trying to calm the flurry of thoughts, Takeshi looked back at the serpent.
"How do you know all this?"
The serpent gave another eerie smile and said, "I don't know if you're aware, but this is the Forest of Fortune—the Lord's sacred ground. His worshipers are spread all throughout this forest. For someone like me, who calls this place home, it's hard not to stumble upon such knowledge."
Takeshi nodded thoughtfully and sank into momentary silence. Then, after a pause, he asked, "I'm searching for a place to settle for a while—a place where I can also grow stronger. Do you know of such a place?"
"Ah yes, of course," the serpent responded immediately. "As expected of a traveling warrior—seeking shelter, yet still carrying that ever-burning desire for strength."
After a short pause, it continued, "For someone of your ability, I suggest you visit Stormwind Mountain Range. There, seek out a great master—one who has lived since the Pale Era. He will help you grow stronger and provide you a place to stay."
Takeshi lowered his guard slightly and nodded. "Thank you. Can you point me in the right direction so I can leave this forest?"
The serpent nodded and extended its head and neck toward a specific direction. "Follow this path—you'll find a village shortly after leaving the forest. There, you can seek further guidance."
Takeshi bowed respectfully. "Thank you once more." Then, with renewed purpose, he turned and continued his journey.
Once Takeshi had left the area, both the serpent and the tree it had been coiled around suddenly erupted into a cloud of raven-black mist. Within seconds, the mist dispersed—and where once stood a serpent and a tree, now there was nothing. Nothing except the man who stepped forth from the swirling darkness.
He emerged slowly, as if formed by the mist itself.
His face was strikingly handsome—so beautiful and unnaturally symmetrical that it felt almost divine or deceptive. His skin held a slight pallor, yet it retained a natural hue that could blend seamlessly into any crowd. His jet-black hair was long, some strands draped over his shoulders while the rest cascaded halfway down his back.
One of his eyes was nearly pitch black, like a void, while the other shimmered with a deep, oceanic blue.
The man's build was lean and elegant. He wore a dark silver robe adorned with intricate black details, and beneath it, a finely crafted warrior's armor—sleek and refined, fitting him like a tailored suit.
As the last wisps of mist dissolved into the air, the man stepped forward, his boots barely making a sound on the forest floor. He muttered quietly to himself,
"Who would have thought he'd form another contract. And that with a man not even from this world. How troublesome."
He paused, his mismatched eyes narrowing ever so slightly.
"This will only bring us a headache," he added with a faint, annoyed sigh.
Then, just as silently as he had appeared, the man vanished—dissolving into the air like smoke caught in the wind, leaving no trace he had ever been there.
After his encounter with the serpent, Takeshi continued venturing through the forest, heading in the general direction he had been shown. Hours passed swiftly, and before he realized it, dusk had begun to settle over the treetops.
Accustomed by now to what came with nightfall, Takeshi approached a nearby tree and leaned against its trunk, preparing himself.
Within minutes, darkness fully enveloped the forest.
And just like that—without warning—Takeshi once again found himself in the Shadow Realm.