The cool morning breeze brushed against my face as I stepped outside.
I am still trying to wrap my head around the situation I am in. The fact that I have transmigrated into a novel still feels unreal, like a funny dream that I will wake up from any moment. No matter how many times I think about this whole situation, it sounds absurd.
As I glanced around me, I met with a breathtaking view.
The world around me was like something straight out of a science fiction movie. Everything around me was futuristic. Flying cars, holograms projected all around the area.
It was like stepping into a whole new world. Well, in reality, I am in a whole new world.
To navigate my way, I activated the GPS on my watch and set the destination for the train station. Right now, I am in Reddison City, the capital of the human domain. And to reach my goal, I need to head towards the Forest where that relic lies.
***
As I arrived at the train station, I bought a ticket to Sector 91, it is the nearest station to the Forest of Forgottens.
I checked the platform where my train would arrive and waited. After about five minutes, the hover rail arrived.
It looked nothing like a train should. It glided in without a sound, suspended above the rail.
As the doors slid open, I stepped inside and made my way to my designated seat.
The moment I settled in. An automated female voice echoed through the cabin, asking all passengers to be seated. A low hum followed. The doors slid shut.
There's no jolt. No rocking. No clatter of wheels on tracks. The train simply rises and begins to move, and the sensation is so smooth it feels like floating like the world outside is moving, not us.
While the inside of the train stayed calm and quiet, outside, the world passed by in a blur.
I thought I would enjoy the scenery while sitting in the train and take in the sights of this new world.
But the superspeed of the train threw water on plans, everything became too blurry. The outside passed by in a dizzying rush and I found it nearly impossible to take in the sights.
With nothing better to do until we arrived. I leaned back, folded my arms, and closed my eyes. Before I knew it, I had fallen asleep.
***
Next Station, Sector 91.
The automated female voice pulled me from my sleep.
I blinked a few times, stretched and looked out the window.
The train had slowed down a bit, I could see the forest at a certain distance from here. Countless trees stretching endlessly.
"That's the place I need to reach."
Reddison City was divided into ninety-two sectors. Ninety-one of them were exactly what you would expect residential districts, business centers, industrial complexes. But the last one was different. Sector 92 belonged entirely to the Forest of Forgottens. It covered an area equivalent to four sectors combined, making it one of the largest untouched forests within the Human Domain.
As the train came to a stop and the doors slid open, I stepped out onto the platform and headed straight towards the forest.
After a few minutes, I have reached the boundary of the Forest of Forgottens, my eyes fell upon a massive, shabby wall that surrounded the area.
It appeared that the wall had not received any attention in quite some time, let alone been maintained. Cracks run along the concrete, weeds push through the base and sections of the upper edge have crumbled entirely. The reason for this was rather straightforward there had been no pressing need for renovations or repairs.
The Forest of Forgottens was divided into two regions: the Outer Zone and the Inner Zone.
Inner Zone of this forest is very, very, very dangerous. The kind of place where only C-rank or above can survive. It is filled with powerful and menacing creatures.
But the Outer Zone, on the other hand, was far less dangerous. It was inhabited by weaker mutant creatures and most of them are not even dangerous.
Well, fortunately, I do not need to go near the inner zone. The relics were somewhere in the outer region only.
Despite this place is one of the most dangerous places, filled with monsters. None of them has ever crossed the forest boundary and attacked outside of the forest. That's one of the reasons the wall looks this shabby.
As I approached the entrance to the forest. I noticed there was no one in sight, no one was there to guard the gates.
This is convenient for me.
Now I could enter inside the forest without attracting anyone's attention.
***
"Seriously"
I couldn't help but curse the author. It was the first time I genuinely wanted to punch the author. Would it have killed him to mention the exact location?
Two hours.
I had been wandering in this forest for over two freaking long hours and the only thing I had was my growing irritation.
My only clue to find the relic is a single sentence from the novel.
A giant tree whose leaves are shiny white.
At first, I thought I could find it easily because of how different this tree is. But in reality, it's different, it feels like I am finding a needle in a haystack. There are countless trees around me and finding it feels nearly impossible.
So far, I hadn't encountered any mutant animals or monsters, as I am still near the boundary. But I still shouldn't push my luck too hard.
I do not know what might happen a dangerous monster might appear. I need to find that tree as quickly as possible.
If I had possessed the [Compass of Desires], finding the tree would've taken minutes. However, in the novel, the protagonist used it to find the relic. Sadly, I didn't have such a convenient cheat.
Fortunately, there was one useful detail I remembered. Since he found the tree within half an hour which means the tree isn't very far from the entrance. I just need to search the area around the entrance much more carefully.
As I continued my search and suddenly a gust of wind swept through the forest. A stray leaf drifted down and landed on my eyes. I frowned and pull it and just when I was going to throw it away.
My eyes widened. The leaf wasn't green, it was white.
I looked towards the direction the leaf came from and without any time wasting I ran in that direction.
After 5 minutes, I found myself standing before a large tree which has countless white leaves shining under the rays of the sun.
It was looking exactly the same as it was described in the novel.
Now half of the task is completed. Well, now comes the part I don't like. I dislike getting hurt, but according to the novel, this tree requires a blood offering.
I hate this part very much.
But if we compare it to relic, I think sacrificing a little blood was completely worth it.
Taking a deep breath, I reached into my backpack and pulled out the dagger. I extended my left hand forward and made a cut on it.
"…"
It does not hurt that much. It felt more like a sharp pinch than actual pain, I was thinking.
Now my palm was full of blood. I stepped closer to the tree and pressed my hand against the tree. I left a crimson red handprint on it.
This was like game as how you need to need to register yourself as a player to participate. In this case, I had to register myself to this tree.
Suddenly, the space near the tree started to crack. I couldn't believe my eyes, but then again, I was in a fantasy world, anything could happen. I could literally see cracks that resembled the shattered surface of glass happening in the air.
The space itself was breaking apart.
Then the cracked parts suddenly turned white.