Morning arrived alongside the pleasant chirping of small birds taking flight to forage for food. The wild rabbits had long retreated into their burrows, and a serene stillness finally settled over the dense forest, washing away the chaotic tension of the previous day.
Inside a small tent at the makeshift campsite, Puluna—now officially bearing the name Puluna—slowly opened his eyes. He blinked against the morning light, his gaze immediately falling upon the shirtless torso of his alternate-universe older brother.
Lima, the mountain lion beastman, possessed a remarkably more chiseled and heavily muscled physique than the Lim he knew back home, a testament to a lifetime of rigorous swordsmanship. Looking closer, Puluna noticed countless faded battle scars crisscrossing the warrior's torso, silently telling tales of a long, brutal history of combat.
Puluna gently reached out, his fingertips lightly tracing the rugged marks on Lima's skin, recognizing them as proof of the strength that had kept this fierce warrior alive. Despite the horrific ordeal they had endured just yesterday, there was no denying that Lima was a master of the blade.
"Hey, kid. Just because I said you look like my little brother doesn't mean you can just touch me wherever you please."
Lima's low voice cut through the silence, startling Puluna. He snapped his head up to find the mountain lion staring down at him with an intense, unblinking glare.
"I-I'm sorry!" Puluna stammered, his ears instantly flattening against his head as he cast his gaze downward. A deep, burning blush crept across his cheeks, obvious to anyone looking.
Lima let out a low chuckle, gently patting Puluna's head before crawling out of the small tent. Stepping into the crisp morning air, he stood tall, stretching his aching muscles before looking back inside.
"Get your clothes on and pack your things. We're heading back to Aloxa," Lima instructed, adjusting his own gear.
As Puluna threw on his tunic, he peered out at the warrior. "Eh? Aren't we going to take a bath first?"
The young mountain lion looked completely puzzled, but the only response he received from his companion was a look of utter bewilderment. Puluna blinked, wondering if he had said something strange.
"Take a bath? Hmph. We felines only take a full bath once in a while. Normally, we just damp a cloth and wipe down."
Lima reached for his waterskin, pouring a generous amount over a piece of clean cloth. He wrung it out tightly before tossing it directly into the tent. "Here! Use my cloth to clean yourself up first. Once we hit the city, I'll buy you a fresh one along with some traveler's essentials."
"Thank you, Lima," Puluna replied gratefully, quickly wiping down his upper body, making sure to avoid the lower garments out of courtesy since it wasn't his clothes.
Addressing him by name still felt incredibly surreal to Puluna. It wasn't easy speaking to someone who looked exactly like his older brother with the casual familiarity of a friend. It felt bizarre, but for now, he decided to push those thoughts aside.
Once their gear was securely packed, the duo began their trek out of the deep woods. As they walked along the winding dirt path, Lima broke the silence.
"So... you really have an older brother who looks exactly like me, huh? What kind of guy is he?"
Puluna paused for a moment, his mind drifting back to his life in the other world. "Well, he's incredibly friendly. A bit rough around the edges, sure, but he's always been amazingly kind to me. He's charming, smart, and a total hit with the girls. Even though he used to get into a lot of fights when we were kids, it was always to protect me. He'd do absolutely anything for my sake."
As the words left his mouth, Puluna's voice trailed off, a wave of profound homesickness and sorrow washing over his face.
Seeing the boy look so downcast, Lima scratched his cheek awkwardly, entirely unsure of how to handle the emotional atmosphere. "Is that so? Sounds like he isn't much different from me then—aside from the charming and smart part, maybe. But I'll tell you one thing for sure: I could definitely punch your brother's lights out." Lima grinned, raising a confident fist and barking a loud laugh to shatter Puluna's melancholy.
The gesture worked perfectly.
"Haha! Please don't fight each other," Puluna laughed, reaching out to gently push Lima's arm down. "Consider it a personal request from Puluna."
As they walked and talked, the dense foliage began to thin out, revealing the forest exit. Eager to see what lay beyond, the young mountain lion pointed ahead and sprinted forward to catch his first glimpse of the outer world. Lima let out a heavy sigh. While the landscapes of Immerfest were mundane to him, he knew everything was completely new and wondrous to Puluna, so he simply allowed the boy to lead the way.
When Puluna burst through the tree line, he expected to see a quaint, peaceful medieval village. Instead, his breath caught in his throat.
A regiment of heavily armored human soldiers and tailed beastmen stood in a defensive formation directly ahead, easily numbering over ten warriors. At the vanguard of the small army, a figure riding a majestic black stallion trotted forward. The rider dismounted gracefully, removing his heavy helmet to reveal a yellow-furred wolf beastman. A striking arrow-like scar or marking was branded over his left eye. He wore full, polished brown knight armor layered over a black tunic with sharp red trims, completed with heavy armored poleyns over his knees. He looked like an absolute knight—a stark, regal contrast to Lima's rugged attire.
Before Puluna could even process the sight, the wolf knight drew a beautiful blade crackling with brilliant blue electricity, driving the tip straight toward Puluna's throat. The young mountain lion froze in absolute terror.
"I would like to introduce myself properly," the wolf knight spoke, his piercing eyes locking onto Puluna with ruthless resolve. "But it would be wise for you to surrender and come with me immediately... World Tree Guardian."
Staring down the glowing blade, Puluna's mind went blank, his throat dry. He swallowed hard. Suddenly, a violent vortex of wind slammed into the yellow wolf's sword with a deafening screech, the sheer force of the impact knocking Puluna off his feet.
When the dust cleared, Lima stood defiantly in front of him, his dual steel blades enveloped in a howling aura of green wind.
"I wondered what kind of fool would dare trespass into this territory," Lima growled, his eyes narrowing. "So it's the legendary Lightning Knight. The elite warrior rumored to have perished in battle against the Demon King long ago. Our spies' confidential reports claimed you had defected to the domain of darkness. Seeing you in the flesh, you're just as imposing as the stories say."
Lima leveled his swords. To point a weapon at someone directly under his protection was a blatant declaration that this rogue knight no longer served the realm of Blått Himmel.
"To utter my old title so freely... You are either remarkably brave or utterly foolish to stand against me," the yellow wolf replied smoothly.
The two warriors clashed, their blades blurring in a furious exchange of wind and lightning. After a tense stalemate, the wolf knight executed a short leap backward to reset his stance. Lima immediately fell back, dropping into a protective guard over Puluna.
"Are you hurt anywhere?" Lima asked over his shoulder. Puluna quickly shook his head in response.
"My name is Roline Densi," the wolf knight declared, his voice echoing across the clearing. "Surrender, and I give you my word that no harm will come to you or the one you protect. We come in peace. We simply wish to escort your little brother back to our domain."
While Roline had initially fought with a standard sword, he now reached back and unclasped a colossal greatsword, leveling it at Lima in a blatant display of intimidation.
"I refuse!" Lima snapped back without a shred of hesitation.
Roline let out a heavy sigh, looking genuinely disappointed that his attempt at peaceful negotiation had been cut short. "And here I was, truly wishing to avoid unnecessary bloodshed between fellow beastmen brothers."
The wolf's condescending sigh sent a surge of irritation through Lima. He bared his fangs and barked back fiercely:
"I don't claim kinship with traitors! I only have one brother!" Lima interrupted, casting a brief, subtle glance back at Puluna.
Hearing those words, Puluna couldn't help but let out a small, secret smile, feeling deeply touched to be included as family. Wait, no... he means the real Puluna of this world, Puluna reminded himself, vigorously shaking his head to clear the silly thoughts from his mind.
"I do not mean to disparage your deep brotherly love," Roline shouted, his tone shifting into one of pure, terrifying aggression. "But that boy is coming with me!"
The wolf knight raised his greatsword, chanting a booming incantation:
"Bleskový veľký meč!"
Vibrant arcs of crackling lightning violently enveloped the massive greatsword. Roline raised the weapon high, preparing to unleash a lethal, electrified strike upon them.
Lima quickly assessed the situation. Roline was an elite adversary, and fighting him while simultaneously guarding Puluna would be nearly impossible; his only option was to absorb the incoming blow.
"Puluna, I'm going to hold him off for about five minutes—no, probably less. Save yourself and run as fast as you can!" Lima ordered, bracing his dual blades defensively as he gritted his teeth. Blocking an electrified greatsword with wind-infused steel was going to hurt immensely, but he had to steel his resolve to protect the boy behind him.
"So, you have prepared yourself," Roline noted, adjusting his grip. "State your name, warrior. I shall carve it upon my blade."
Lima spat on the ground in defiance, his glaring eyes serving as his only answer. He extended his arm firmly across Puluna's chest, ensuring the boy wouldn't be caught in the magical crossfire.
"Splendid. Then I shall jasp your memory as a nameless hero who fell before me."
The Lightning Knight tilted his greatsword, aiming to cleave his foe in two. Lima held his ground, fully locked into a defensive stance. To ensure the safety of the boy behind him, he had to take the full force of this catastrophic blow.
A breathless silence fell over the forest as the two warriors locked eyes, entirely focused on each other's movements. Remarkably, none of Roline's subordinates moved to interfere, a clear sign of the absolute respect and discipline the knight commanded from his troops.
Just as a solitary crow spread its wings and took flight from the canopy, both men unleashed a deafening battle cry. But before their blades could collide, a majestic, glowing sword plummeted from the sky, piercing the earth directly between them. The shockwave forced both Roline and Lima to leap backward into their original positions. The mysterious sword radiated a brilliant, blinding aura of yellow and white holy light.
"The White Kingdom!" Roline snarled, gritting his teeth in pure fury as he glared at the uninvited guest who had dared to disrupt his duel.
"Forgive my terrible manners," a smooth, stern voice resonated from the trees. "Your battle was moving enough to bring tears to one's eyes. However... your little duel ends right here."
Emerging from the shadows was a silver-armored cat beastman, his face set in a fiercely serious expression. Puluna's jaw dropped in absolute shock.
It was Charles—his best friend from the real world. But this version of Charles was vastly different; he was considerably larger, visibly older, and beneath that heavy silver armor, he clearly possessed a massive, muscular build. Puluna inwardly lamented not having his smartphone with him to capture a picture of this terrifyingly mature version of his friend.
"C-Charles?" Puluna muttered under his breath.
The silver knight's gaze snapped toward him. Puluna felt a cold shiver run down his spine; he had never seen his friend look so menacingly stern.
"So, this is the fabled World Tree Guardian? Hmph. I initially ventured into these woods to apprehend a common thief, but it seems I stumbled upon a grand jackpot instead," Charles smirked deviously. He cleared his throat, shifting his stern gaze toward Roline's deployment.
"Foul dogs of Chern Zamoroz, withdraw at once. Consider this an act of mercy from the Holy White Kingdom. We shall be taking custody of the World Tree Guardian... and he will be executed to manifest the divine will of our God!"
Executed?! The word echoed in Puluna's mind. He had barely been in this alternate world for a day, and he was already facing a death sentence! The voice belonged to Charles, but the personality was a complete nightmare.
Roline was equally incensed. He pointed his greatsword directly at Charles's face. "You insolent hypocrites of the White Kingdom! You dare flaunt your high morals and righteousness? In the end, you are nothing but vile wretches hiding behind a self-righteous deity!"
The venomous retort caused the newly arrived White Kingdom soldiers standing behind Charles to look slighted.
As the explosive tension between the two armies reached its boiling point, Lima leaned back, whispering softly to Puluna, "When I give the signal, grab my hand tightly and shut your eyes."
Puluna nodded quickly, understanding that Lima had a plan, though he had no clue what kind of magic his protector was about to pull off.
The two commanders locked eyes. In an instant, crackling lightning and holy light erupted from their respective blades as they charged. The two armies clashed violently, swords and spears colliding in a chaotic, desperate melee.
"O wind, pierce through the enemy! In the name of Lima Vietor Pomlčka!"
Instinctively recognizing the cue, Puluna squeezed Lima's hand tight and clamped his eyes shut to shield them from the flying debris. A localized tempest wrapped around them, blasting the duo right through the center of the chaotic battlefield and throwing them deep into a thicket far outside the armies' perception. Both Roline and Charles caught a glimpse of the blindingly fast movement, their expressions darkening significantly as they realized their ultimate prize had slipped right through their fingers.
Lima stuck the landing perfectly, but Puluna completely lost his footing, faceplanting hard onto the mossy ground.
"Ah, my bad, Puluna," Lima scratched his head, letting out an awkward chuckle at the sight of the clumsy boy.
"I'm okay, Lima... Whew, that scared the life out of me," Puluna groaned, pushing himself up. As he looked up, he froze.
Standing right before him was a young cheetah beastman. He wore a blue tank top with a distinct red trim along the hem, paired with matching athletic shorts. Equipped with twin daggers and a polished recurve bow, he had the undeniable look of an agile rogue or a seasoned hunter. But more importantly, he was someone Puluna recognized instantly.
"Benkei..." Puluna blurted out, immediately clapping both hands over his mouth. He knew it was him, but in this world...
"Who the heck is Benkei? My name is—"
"Betax," Puluna cut in simultaneously.
Puluna remembered vividly that Betax was his friend's racing alias back in the motorcycle circuit, just like his brother went by Lima. It wasn't hard to piece together, though he found it incredible that they used those exact names in this world.
"How do you know my name?!" the cheetah demanded, snapping a sharp dagger right in front of Puluna's nose. Puluna squealed, quickly ducking behind Lima's back for safety.
"I'll explain everything later," Lima intervened, lowering Betax's hand. "Bottom line: he's with me, and I trust him. Let's save the stories for when we're safely back at the guild. Betax, cast your invisibility spell. We need to slip away from these bastards."
Betax sheathed his dagger and nodded, understanding the gravity of Lima's words.
"Conceal our forms and slip into the shadows! In the name of Betax Neviditelnost!"
When the incantation ended, Puluna didn't feel any physical change. However, a moment later, an armored scout from the battlefield wandered into their thicket, scanning the brush for any sign of the fugitives. The soldier walked directly past them, staring right through their positions without noticing a thing. Betax smirked, motioning for the two mountain lions to follow him silently.
Once the trio had successfully navigated clear of the military perimeter, the battle behind them naturally ground to a halt. However, the icy standoff between the two commanders remained unresolved.
"It appears our shared target has completely vanished," Roline Densi spoke, breaking the silence as he sheathed his greatsword. "Let us call a temporary truce, Charles De Vendoux, son of the White Kingdom's Lord. Why not join forces with Chern Zamoroz? After all, our ultimate objectives align perfectly." The yellow wolf seized the opportunity to propose an alliance to the holy silver knight.
"My, how incredibly generous of you," Charles replied, his tone dripping with heavy sarcasm. "As the proud son of the ruler of the Holy White City, perhaps I would have accepted your offer... if I were an absolute moron!"
Roline's face darkened in displeasure.
"I know the history of our neighbor, Chern Zamoroz, all too well," Charles continued, his voice growing dangerously cold. "A wretched, trash kingdom built on rot. And I know exactly what foul rituals your domain intends to perpetrate with that boy." He drew his holy sword once more, pointing it squarely at Roline's chest.
"The Holy White Kingdom rejects the invitation of low-born demons. No matter how great a warrior you once were in the past, Roline... those who wallow with trash are nothing but trash themselves!"
With a sharp flick of his wrist, Charles slammed his blade back into its scabbard, turning his back on the wolf knight. The atmosphere left behind was suffocatingly tense. Charles signaled his troops and departed without another word.
"Arrogant little prince," Roline growled into the empty air once Charles was completely out of sight. He turned to his remaining vanguard, his voice echoing with cold authority. "Withdraw! Back to the city!"
Safely away from the heart-stopping encounter, the trio walked along a paved brick walkway bordered by sprawling, open grassy fields. Though they were out of immediate danger, true relief was still far out of reach.
"So, you're telling me this squirt is the legendary World Tree Guardian? He looks way weaker than I expected," Betax remarked, eyeing Puluna's slight frame and lack of armor.
It was a harsh but undeniable truth; Puluna had zero combat experience.
"That's exactly why we need to protect him. Keep this a strict secret, Betax," Lima ordered, keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings as they walked.
Betax turned his gaze to Puluna. "By the way, kid... how did you know my name? We literally just met."
Puluna scratched his head awkwardly. "Well... you look exactly like a close friend of mine back in the world I came from."
"Is that so? What's that world of yours like anyway?" Betax asked, his curiosity genuinely piqued.
"I can't say too much about it," Puluna replied, before a mischievous thought popped into his head. "Oh, but wait! In my world, you and Charles—I mean, the guy who looks like that silver knight—the two of you are actually secretly in love with each other!"
Betax's face completely dropped, turning a hilarious shade of pale. "Me?! With that stuck-up White Kingdom prince?! Are you insane? He's a rule-obsessed, daddy's-boy fanatic! Yuck! I'd rather be fed to the demons than be caught dead with a guy like that!" The cheetah shuddered in pure disgust.
Puluna let out a dry laugh. It seemed Charles's rigid personality in this world had thoroughly ruined any chance of romance.
"Actually, it makes perfect sense," Lima chimed in with a smirk. "Given how often you break into their vaults, you practically live in their dungeons. You probably see that crazy prince more than anyone else. By the way, how the hell did you even get out of jail this time?" Lima asked, recalling that Betax was supposed to be rotting in a White Kingdom cell for at least a month.
"Ah, please. I break out of that place all the time. Escaping is my specialty!" Betax boasted, proudly puffing out his chest. "Once I slipped past the guards, I went straight to that bearded old dwarf barkeep to ask where you went. That's how I managed to track you and your little bro down just in time."
"He's not my brother, dammit! We aren't related by blood!" Lima barked defensively.
Both Puluna and Betax burst into a shared fit of laughter at Lima's explosive reaction. Once the rowdy mountain lion calmed down, his expression turned deeply serious. He looked squarely at the cheetah.
"Listen, Betax. We have to protect this kid no matter what. If we fail, this entire world could fall into absolute ruin." Lima briefly explained the gravity of the global situation. Protecting Puluna was now their ultimate priority.
"But I don't work for free," Betax countered, shrugging his shoulders. "Did you forget you're just a mercenary adventurer too, Lima? We need coins to survive."
It was a grounded, harsh reality. Puluna cast his eyes downward, feeling a heavy wave of guilt for dragging them into his mess without any reward.
"Of course I care about paid contracts," Lima asserted, his voice soft but unwavering. "But this job is infinitely more important than any coin. Besides..." Lima stopped, reaching out to gently pat Puluna's head, fulfilling a protective brotherly role he hadn't been able to provide for his own missing companion. "I've got his back."
The tender gesture caught Puluna completely off guard, making his face burn with embarrassment as he tried to hide his blushing smile.
"Alright, alright, I get it," Betax sighed, waving his hands dismissively to cut off the emotional display. "Let's just get back to the guild first so we can debrief and find a proper place for the kid to stay."
Before long, the sprawling gates of Aloxa materialized before them. As the economic beating heart of the northern realm of Blått Himmel, Aloxa was a thriving merchant city driven entirely by trade and commerce. If anyone was looking to make a fortune or find lucrative work, this grand hub was always the premier destination.
The city was beautifully adorned in a classic European medieval style. For Puluna, it felt exactly like stepping directly into a grand fairy tale—though he constantly had to remind himself that this world was his new reality. Magnificent, intricately carved stone fountains graced the plazas, and the streets were paved with beautifully color-coded cobblestones, neatly separating pedestrian walkways from the heavy carriage lanes. It was a remarkably advanced and civilized metropolis.
As they navigated the bustling streets, walking past vibrant stalls overflowing with exotic street food, beautiful garments, and glittering trinkets, Puluna looked around with wide, longing eyes. Lima had to physically grab the back of the boy's collar and drag him away, muttering that he was entirely broke—he could afford a hot meal, but weapons, magical gear, and fine accessories were completely out of his budget. Meanwhile, Betax casually showed off his expert rogue skills, slickly pickpocketing two or three silver coins from passing wealthy merchants without a single person noticing.
Soon, the trio arrived at the Adventurer's Guild tavern, The Grilled Lizard, easily identifiable by the prominent wooden sign of a roasting reptile hanging over the entrance.
Stepping through the heavy wooden doors, they were immediately welcomed by the comforting, ambient warmth of the crackling stone hearth. The tavern was packed with adventurers of various fantasy races, many browsing the massive quest boards or sharing drinks. Behind the grand wooden counter, the burly dwarf barkeep—his reddish-brown hair tied into a neat topknot and his thick beard swaying with his movements—was busy wiping down glass tankards.
As his sharp eyes locked onto the approaching trio, he called out merrily:
"Well, look at that! The cat's back. But why are there three of you now, Lima?" The dwarf pointed a thick finger at Puluna.
Puluna offered a nervous, sheepish chuckle, while Betax immediately looked away, casually whistling to avoid the conversation. That left Lima to handle the explanation. Massaging his temples in exasperation, Lima ushered the two felines to the bar stools.
"He's... my younger brother," Lima hesitated for a fraction of a second before settling on the lie. It was by far the easiest way to grant Puluna a safe, legal identity in this world. "He wants to register as a member of the guild. We can handle his membership card after we discuss the emergency quest. By the way, where is the client?"
The dwarf barkeep stroked his thick beard, a low chuckle rumbling in his chest. "He'll be here any minute now, don't you worry."
Before the dwarf could elaborate, the heavy iron-reinforced doors of the tavern swung open with a resounding thud.
A figure stepped into the warm light, his striking appearance instantly causing a hush to fall over the patrons. He was a grey wolf beastman, his long silver fur tied back with a prominent crimson ribbon that contrasted sharply against his coat. His sharp, calculating eyes glowed a vibrant yellow, and his deep brown robes were embroidered with intricate, glowing silver arcane symbols—the unmistakable mark of a high-tier sorcerer.
He was a face Puluna recognized instantly; he was the enigmatic mage who had opened the cosmic gateway to this world.
The wolf mage glided toward the counter, a faint, knowing smile playing upon his lips as his gaze swept over the trio.
"A true pleasure to meet you—both the faces I have recently encountered, and the ones I have met once before. I am Chiron Lycoris... and I have come to provide the answers to the mysteries you seek."