Chapter 1: A Forest Too Quiet, A World Too Loud
The Time I Got Teleported Into A Magic World Without Mana But Stronger...
Thud.
âOuch... That was definitely my butt.â
A teenage girl with black eyes, long black hair, sitting on the forest floor without a single piece of clothing. She was confused as the landscape changedâ¦..
Sayaka blinked, eyes squinting against the warm rays peeking through a green canopy. Her head throbbed. Her back ached. And worst of all...
ââ¦Why am I NAKED?!â
She bolted upright, only to immediately regret it as a dizzy spell knocked her right back to the soft patch of moss sheâd been laying on.
Donât panic, Sayaka. Deep breaths. Count to ten. Pretend itâs just a weird dream. A really vivid, suspiciously fantasy-themed dream.
Birds chirped above, the scent of damp earth and wildflowers filled her lungs. She could hear a nearby stream, but no sounds of cars, voices, or buzzing smartphones.
This... wasnât her room.
This wasnât her city.
This wasnât even Earth â probably.
âOh great. Iâve been isekaiâd,â she muttered. âAnd of course, I get sent here with no clothes, no magic, and not even a single stat screen. What kind of discount reincarnation is this?!â
Whereâs my overpowered cheat skill, huh?! Whereâs the cute goddess welcoming me?! Or at least a talking sword!
Her foot stepped on a thorn. She winced.
âYep. Definitely not a dream.â
She wrapped herself in some giant leaves â not fashionable, but they covered enough. Kind of.
Note to self: if I survive this, invent fantasy-world underwear. Get rich. Retire.
Then came the growl.
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It didnât sound like a dog. Or a wolf. It was deeper, hungrier. Rustling from behind the trees.
â...Okay, bad timing. Very bad timing.â
Sayaka turned slowly.
Three green-skinned creatures emerged â hunched, sharp-toothed, with beady red eyes and rusty knives.
âG-Goblins...?! No. Nope. Nope, Iâve seen enough anime to know where this is going!â
She ran.
They followed.
Branches whipped at her face as she sprinted through the forest, clutching her leafy outfit like her life depended on it. Because it did.
Just as one goblin leapt, a sharp whistle cut through the air â followed by the twang of a bowstring.
Thud.
The goblin collapsed midair, an arrow lodged in its skull.
âWhat theâ?â
Another arrow. Then a third. All clean shots.
The goblins hissed and fled back into the shadows.
Sayaka gasped for air, knees buckling. A tall figure in fur-lined leather stepped into view, bow still raised.
He looked... rugged. Wild eyes, scruffy beard, a real hunter-type. Definitely not from Tokyo.
âYou alright?â he asked.
Sayaka blinked.
âAm I... dead?â
âNo,â he replied with a chuckle. âBut you wouldâve been in a few more seconds.â
ââ¦Cool. Thanks for saving me. Also, um⦠do you have clothes? Asking for a friend.â
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Later, inside a warm wooden cabin...
Sayaka sat wrapped in a patched blanket, sipping hot soup like she hadnât eaten in days (she hadnât).
The hunter â named Coren â explained that sheâd been found in the forest near the northern ridges. He didnât ask too many questions, only offered to take her to someone he trusted: his distant cousin, Elara, who lived in a quiet village and ran a hunterâs academy.
âYouâll be safe there,â Coren said. âAnd maybe... find your purpose.â
Sayaka stared into her bowl.
My purpose, huh...? Yeah, Iâd settle for figuring out how to pee in this world without a toilet first.
Still, her heart beat a little faster.
She didnât know where she was, or why sheâd been sent here. She didnât even know if this world wanted her.
But for the first time in forever...
She wasnât just Sayaka, the failing student, invisible in crowds.
She was something else now.
Someone beginning a strange new story.
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To be continued...