At first, I was just staring at the sight in front of me. A moment ago, I was standing at the edge of the road, and suddenly I felt very dizzy, and my eyes started tearing up. And then I blink, and here I am. Standing in the middle of nowhere. I thought it was some sort of illusion from spending the night gaming video games. Then I just blinked a few times and scratched my eyes.

"What exactly... where am I?" Subaru started looking around, slightly panicking. He was in the forest, and the coldness of the wind shivered his whole body. It felt like the middle of spring. The trees looked different from where he is from. Could someone be playing a mean prank on him? Or maybe he's just seeing things? No, this can't be it; the breeze of the wind and the coldness are too real.

He decided to check his belongings. In his right hand was a plastic bag with the food he just bought a few minutes ago in the convenience store: a bag of chips and ramen. In his left pocket was a cellphone. He quickly decided to call his parents but soon was disappointed to find that's impossible. Nervousness and panic started to slowly kick in as he was more frankly looking around. There was nothing besides the trees. No road, no civilization, and unfamiliar surroundings. He quickly and lightly slapped his cheeks.

"Alright, Natsuki Subaru. Remember the Rule of 3. Ahem. 3 seconds without oxygen, 3 minutes without maintaining your body temperature, 3 days without water, and 3 weeks without food. Oxygen is checked. Shelter and water are my number one priorities." Instead of panicking, Subaru decided not to waste his time. He was sure it's just a matter of time before rescuers find him. But as for now, he needs to survive and wait.

Actually, it was his first time out in the forest. Well, his father tried to get him to the walk, but Subaru was just staying in his room all day. But fortunately, he watched some TV shows about survival in the forest. Well, not the TV shows, but the ads for them. For example, he knows one way to find drinkable water is through dew collection. It has to be done early in the morning with a clean cloth. However, Subaru quickly dismissed this idea and just hoped to find some sort of river. He was walking towards the north, as he thought. He really never had a chance to enjoy the beauty of nature. The birds were happily chirping. The blooming of the flowers. The sound of breaking branches under his foot. Despite the situation, he tried to think positively. After he gets home, he will just laugh this off—a good story to tell everyone. Or maybe right now he will just wake up in his bed from this surrealistic dream.

As he keeps walking, he wonders if his parents are worrying over him like crazy. Maybe they called the police and startedlooking for him. Or maybe they just forgot about him, forgot him like an unwanted child. He always tried to live up to the expectations of his father, Natsuki Kenichi. But over the last few years, he has failed miserably. School, grades, sports—everything. And right now, he is reduced to this state. He wonders if his parents truly hate him and just hide their emotions behind the masks. What's he thinking? Of course, they do.

As self-deprecating thoughts started to creep into his mind, he heard the familiar sound of running water. Going right, the sound was getting louder and louder until he saw a river. A fast-flowing river. That's perfect. If the river stayed still, there might be dangerous bacteria in it. But not in the flowing one. Also, he could find food in the river. Mostly fish and crabs, if he's lucky enough.

"Unlimited water source is check. The food source is... check? That's the way to go! The only things left are shelter and fire." He quickly decided that he would build a shelter near the river, but the serious problem was fire. He had no way to make a fire. But he was soon interrupted by the growling sound coming from behind. He quickly turned around and faced a bizarre creature. A hybrid of the wolf-dog with a horn on its forehead. His fur was black with brown spots everywhere, and it seemed to be covered in dried blood. Its fangs were looking very sharp, as it could easily tear anything apart. The eyes were red and filled with bloodlust, and they were directed towards the boy with scary eyes.

Subaru, remembering the rules of nature, decided to maintain eye contact and slowly back away. But the creature's growling only intensified. It seemed that it only made things worse. In the next moment, The wolf dog pounced, and Subaru barely managed to dodge it.

"Screw the rules of nature!" cried Subaru, almost shitting himself. He decided to make the best decision he could make. Run, and run as fast as possible. But the creature seemed to follow its prey. The branches of the trees were hitting Subaru's face and body, leaving bruises and scratches. "Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! It's still after me!" But soon another one appeared right in front of him. and then another one to his right and left, and then he was surrounded by 10 wolf dogs.

Is this how I die? Eaten alive by this thing? Why? Why? Why? I want to live. Please. Someone. Help me. "A-anyone! Please! Save me!" Subaru cried out as the creatures started to make their way to him. He felt as his head started spinning and feeling dizzy from the sheer terror and fear of the thought of being killed in such a horrendous way, but then he heard something...

"Minya!"

As Subaru was about to accept death, he heard the voice of a man, and then something purple struck the creatures, turning them into purple statues and popping them like a balloon. Subaru watched in horror at the spot where seconds ago there were standing wolf dogs. "It's not wise for a civilian like you to wander in a forest filled with magic beasts. What exactly are you doing here? ... Hello?" Subaru just stared at the man in the cloak in horror. His mind tried to comprehend things that just happened during this hour. appearing in the forest. The so-called magic beasts. And then there was this purple thing, which literally obliterated these beasts. His mind was running a million kilometers per second, trying to give a logical explanation to all of this. And the only thing he could mutter is " ...I don't know what's going on anymore now." Due to sheer stress and exhaustion, Subaru passed out.

***

As Subaru slowly awoke, he could feel the numbness of his limbs and a slight pain in his chest. "I don't recognize this ceiling" Subaru said, staring at the unfamiliar ceiling. He tried to get up, only to be interrupted by a familiar voice. "I don't recommend moving much; you are very exhausted and have broken ribs. I managed to heal them, though, but my healing magic is not good enough." Magic... This particular word was stuck in Subaru's mind. Was he joking? Or did he call his medicine like that? "Is that so?" Subaru muttered "What's this place? Where are we?"

"Currently, we are in my temporary inn. But you didn't answer my question. You don't look like a mage or a warrior. You don't have any gear with you. So what were you doing in that forest?." The man in the cloak asked. Now Subaru could fully see him. His white cloak with golden stripes and his white long hair, which was tied, he was about the same height as Subaru, yet his eyes were the same color as his hair.

Did Subaru hear him right? Did he say mage or warrior? Could this be true? He was summoned to a different world. The thought of it might had excited him at the start. But now, after experiencing a near-death situation, he just couldn't find excitement. "I don't know... I just appeared in the middle of the forest." Subaru answered.

The white-haired man just blankly looked at him. Subaru could swear that he saw a glimple of understanding and pity in his eyes. If only he knew that the man was in the same situation as him. "Then answer this question... What's this?" He pulled out Subaru's cellphone and put it on the table near the bed. Subaru just blinks a few times before answering. "It's a cellphone. In my country, these are popular these days." Subaru picked up the cellphone and checked it to see if it's still in good condition.

"Popular in your country? What country are you from?" the white-haired man stared intently at Subaru.

"I believe my country is from the east. It's called Japan. Also, I have to thank you for saving my ass back there. Without you, I'd drop dead!" Subaru answered and thanked him.

The man in the cloak just gave out a short laugh. "It's not a problem, buddy; why wouldn't I save an otherworlder like myself? It's kind of rare to see one anyway."

Subaru just stared at the man in confusion. "What did you just say" Did he hear this right? Otherworlder like himself? Does it mean the man was summoned as well?

"Oh, by the way, my name's Flugel. The current Great Sage. And yours?"