The Ominous

Chapter 3 … "Reality"

—

Right, up, slash.

Louay waved the dagger around a few times, indulging his long-held desire to wield such a weapon. With his current physique, a blade like this felt perfectly suited.

'Amazing! All I need now is a monster to practice on. But this place seems empty… no one here but me. Isn't there a tutorial in this world? Something to test my skills on?'

He felt an unparalleled lightness and agility as he continued slashing in various ways, testing the weapon until he was out of energy. Finally, he sheathed the dagger and returned it to its designated spot.

"It seems I'm starting to accept my existence here…" the girl's face scrunched up slightly. Louay felt that the longer he stayed in this strange realm, the more he would become a part of it—risking the loss of his true self.

In truth, as time passed and thanks to the hyper-realism of this mysterious world, the idea of being "transported" here began to take root in his mind more than ever before. Yet, he continued to reject it, unwilling to fully embrace the possibility.

'Ugh, I feel a headache coming on! This place seems endless. It's like I'm walking in a loop. I've covered a fair distance, but the terrain hasn't changed at all.'

"-Sigh- I don't even know where I started. Every direction looks the same."

Glancing back, Louay let out a frustrated sigh. All he could see was an identical stretch of gray ground. If it weren't for the giant, unmoving planet looming before him, he wouldn't have been able to distinguish forward from backward, or right from left—he'd be utterly lost.

The planet served as a lone guide amidst the darkness, standing tall and prominent in the starless night sky.

His gaze fell to the ring on his finger, where the symbol of infinity glowed faintly on its surface. A thought crept into his mind: 'Could this symbol represent the world itself? A vast, infinite realm with no end? An eternal cycle of repetition?'

'Does that mean there's no escape for me?'

'Could this be the kind of magic that drives people insane? Am I, the "rational" one right now, just a crazy fool running through the streets, throwing rocks at people while my "consciousness" resides in this endless world of my own creation?'

In the place he grew up, all kinds of rumors and truths about magic were rampant, including the type that could drive someone mad. Louay wasn't sure if it was real or not, but he had heard countless stories about people who were once normal and suddenly lost their minds, their behavior inexplicably changing. Naturally, people would fill the gap of the "unknown cause" by assuming it was magic or possession.

'But that doesn't explain why I'm in the body of a girl I've never met in my life. Even my preferences are more straight than anyone else in the world...' Louay thought with a grim expression, feeling the frustration mount as he struggled to analyze the situation he found himself in. No matter how much he thought, no matter how he tried to connect the dots, he always hit a dead end.

Suddenly, an embarrassing idea crossed his mind. He glanced at the ring, deciding to address it as if there were a "genie" inside.

"Ahem, genie… can we come to an agreement? Or make a deal?"

No response.

"Can you at least explain what's happening to me?"

No response.

"Genie… uh… pretty please?"

Still, no response.

"You pile of dog dung! I'll pee on you if you don't answer! This is your final warning!"

Silence. Utter quiet… no answer, no reaction.

"..."

Louay felt his face flush red with embarrassment, even though no one was there to witness him. Just the thought of how ridiculous the situation was made him cringe in frustration.

"The owner of this ring is a pig with a crap-filled backside! You son of ten dogs!" he yelled, unloading a barrage of insults. Part of it was to vent his embarrassment, and the other part was a desperate attempt to provoke whoever—or whatever—might be controlling or watching him. But there was no reaction.

'Hah, here you are, trying to communicate with a ring? Are you serious?' Trying to console himself, Louay started mockingly conversing with his own thoughts. Having lived alone for so long, he had grown accustomed to this kind of self-dialogue, as though an alternate personality had emerged in his mind—a true companion.

'Heh, from the looks of it, I'm not in my right mind to begin with… starting with this depressing world, this bizarre body, and now I'm talking to myself. What a tragedy…' He covered his face with one hand, a wry smile spreading across his lips, the kind born of self-mockery.

"Haah, what a bore…"

"Screw it, man, I don't care anymore. Instead of wasting time thinking, I'll use it to explore this place further. Maybe I'll find a clue." Having exhausted every option he could think of, Louay decided to surrender to the unknown and seek another lead that might guide him to an exit.

Clad in her dark dress, one delicate hand resting on the golden hilt of her dagger, the girl made her way forward, heading toward the colossal planet looming above. She walked with a faint glimmer of hope—hope that she might escape this desolate world.

-

"In a strange world we have landed, dun dun dunnn, In a maze of numbers we are stranded dun dun dunnn… Where is the way out, where is the way~ Show me the paaath~♪"

"A world so odd and undefined dun dun dunnn, We face the dangers we resist it dun dun dunnn, Hmm hmm hmm hmm hmmm~♪"

"Oh wa wa wa, wa wa waaa, hmm hmm hmm hmm hmmmm~♪"

"Oh wa wa wa, wa wa waaa-"

Suddenly, as he walked ahead, Louay spotted a slight change in the terrain, finally breaking the monotony. As he advanced further, the image started to become clearer to his naked eyes.

He didn't know exactly how much time had passed, but based on his limited experience, he estimated it had been over two hours, perhaps even three or more. He felt bored, exhausted, fatigued, and hopeless. Occasionally, he would take out his dagger and wave it around a bit to entertain himself before resting briefly and continuing his journey.

As he got closer, he saw a group of withered, scattered trees with an enormous, stout tree standing at their center. He had never seen a tree of such colossal size before.

The dead tree, barren of leaves, had large, numerous branches with an uncountable number of ravens perched atop them. It looked terrifying, like something that might be revered by devil worshippers—a symbol of death itself.

A primal instinct warned him not to approach, but his curiosity forced him forward. He had already spent so much effort and time to reach this point. Now that he had finally found a glimmer of hope, how could he give it up so easily?

From his observations, the temperatures in this world were incredibly low, with icy winds that chilled him to the bone. Gusts of freezing wind often assaulted him unexpectedly, and coupled with the girl's inadequate clothing for winter weather, he tasted the full force of bitter cold. It felt like walking naked through a snowstorm. His only refuge was to sit and curl into himself to generate some warmth.

'How can women wear clothes like this in cold weather? Do they have furnaces inside their bellies or something...' he wondered sarcastically.

As he walked through the ominous forest, he saw various kinds of trees—some of ordinary size, others massive in scale. Standing before the latter, he felt like an insect trespassing in a house that didn't belong to it.

After a while of walking quietly through the deserted forest, he spotted something ahead. A massive spider web stretched between the nearby trees, blocking the path.

At the center of the web sat a dark gray spider the size of a truck. A hairy, terrifying creature with long, razor-sharp legs.

Its head wasn't facing Louay; it appeared to be in a dormant state.

After a brief moment of shock, Louay drew his dagger and approached quietly. Despite the intense fear coursing through him, excitement and adrenaline took over. Fighting a mythical monster—what a dream! He felt like he was in a Souls game, sneaking up behind a boss for a backstab aimed at its rear.

One step, two steps, three steps… He advanced with extreme caution, keeping his eyes locked on the path ahead to avoid stepping on anything that might make a sound and alert the terrifying giant in front of him.

Though only a few minutes passed, they felt like hours—a blend of fear and exhilaration, of sweat and dryness, of heat and cold. As his heartbeat quickened, his body began to feel ablaze, as if an inner furnace had been ignited.

Then, the wind rose again!

A shiver unlike anything he'd ever experienced raced through him. He froze in place, unmoving, his gaze fixed on the silken web ahead, ready for any sign of movement. But nothing happened.

After a silent stream of curses in his mind, he resumed his cautious advance…

There were only about five meters between Louay and the spider's back. At that moment, he felt something brush against his arm. Glancing down, he noticed a thin, nearly invisible thread, detectable only after intense focus.

Immediately, he realized he had ruined the entire situation. Whether or not the thread would alert the spider, he wasn't sure, but hesitation was not an option. He had to act now!

The girl darted forward toward the hairy spider, clutching the edges of her elegant dress. Raising her hand high, she gripped the dagger, aiming for a surprise strike.

In a flash, the spider turned its head with unbelievable speed, its eight imposing eyes locking onto her. Louay could see his reflection in what looked like eight crimson mirrors, terror rippling through his entire body.

The girl's face, soft and delicate, gave the impression of someone in her early twenties, with eyes as dark as black holes, ready to devour everything.

"Graaaaagh!" The spider opened its enormous mouth, letting out an ear-splitting roar, accompanied by a downpour of saliva and an unbearable stench!

Fear… Fear… Fear!

Yet despite the terror, the girl's beautiful face remained eerily calm, her pale skin adorned with a mocking smile that was even more terrifying.

In a stunning turn of events, the prey appeared to be the predator.

Without wasting a second, the girl acted with lightning speed, thrusting her sharp dagger toward the crimson eye in front of her!

Slash!

Blood sprayed everywhere, and the girl quickly leapt backward, keeping her focus locked on the spider, which was now staggering in pain.

She had gouged out its eye!

"Kraaaaaagh!!" The spider roared in fury as blood poured from its eye like a fountain. One of its eight eyes was gone in an instant!

Clad in a black dress now stained with red, her stunning face resembled a crimson masterpiece. Her body trembled as her heart raced uncontrollably.

Thrill… Thrill… Thrill!

Louay felt energy coursing through every part of his body, a mix of terror and exhilaration, a mix of courage and fear. For the first time in his life, he experienced a rare and intoxicating sensation, like an addict taking their first hit.

He already knew that a single stab from a small dagger wouldn't do much against such a giant. But he didn't care. None of this felt real to him anyway, so he chose to throw caution to the wind and enjoy it to the fullest—like playing a game... a hyper-realistic game.

Seizing the moment while the massive hairy beast was still reeling, Louay dashed forward again, determined to land another strike before it could recover!

Slash! Slash! Slash!

With graceful precision, Louay delivered a series of slashes, creating multiple wounds on the spider's legs. His limited reach against the towering giant meant this was the best he could do.

The dress slightly restricted his movements, so he adopted a strategy: lifting its edges while running (keeping the dagger in his right hand) and letting them drop during attacks. It might have looked somewhat ridiculous, but the tactic was effective.

Bam!

Suddenly, the spider stomped in the girl's direction, but she evaded the attack with incredible agility, countering with another swift stab before retreating!

Advance and retreat!

Unparalleled agility!

As he moved, he resembled a feather drifting effortlessly. Even Louay couldn't help but marvel at his newfound nimbleness.

Despite his exhaustion, he was utterly consumed by the addictive thrill—an exhilarating sensation he was experiencing for the first time.

He didn't care about anything else and pressed forward, intent on taking down the massive insect before him at any cost.

What he didn't know, however, was that this wasn't just another game...

Thwack!

As he closed in, four silken threads appeared from nowhere and wrapped around him. He quickly swung his dagger, slicing through the first three, but the last one remained securely attached to his left leg.

Before he could cut himself free, the thread suddenly tightened, and the spider yanked him with immense force. It felt as though he were being dragged by a speeding truck!

BOOM!

The spider flung him violently against a massive tree. Upon impact, Louay felt an unimaginable pain—pain he never could have envisioned in his life. It was as if his shattered back had been forcibly realigned without warning.

The girl coughed up a mouthful of blood, her body now pinned against the tree trunk. The spider wasted no time; it pulled her in again and slammed her to the ground with overwhelming force!

BAM!

"Krraagh!"

At that moment, her once-beautiful face was completely disfigured, reduced to a chaotic mess.

Pain… Pain… Pain!

Louay had never imagined he would endure such excruciating agony in his life.

He had always assumed this was merely a dream or a fleeting illusion—something that would pass, allowing him to return to his normal, mundane routine.

But heh… fate had other plans.

Looking at the beast before him, Louay felt regret, fear, and despair. He was on the verge of giving up. But something deep within him refused to yield—his buried pride refused to surrender so disgracefully.

'Face it. Face it. Face it!'

How many times had you given up easily? How many times were you humiliated because you refused to stand your ground? Dozens? Hundreds?

How much longer will you keep living like this? Won't you change? Don't you want revenge? Why keep bottling up your grievances when you can release them at any moment?

Why are you this weak?

Even the weak possess the courage to face their fears.

Face it to the very last breath of your life. Fight until the end, no matter how hopeless it seems.

For the weak who fight are stronger than a thousand mighty who refuse to confront their challenges.

Several voices echoed in his mind, urging him to persevere. They stemmed from his will to live, to keep going.

'Face it!'

Clenching his teeth to endure the unbearable pain, Louay placed his bloodied hand on the strange glass vial, waiting for the spider to approach.

He had no idea what the liquid inside was or how effective it might be, but it was his last remaining hope. He had lost his dagger during the first collision, and nearly every bone in his body was broken—he could barely move. The only thought occupying his mind was to deliver one final blow, no matter the outcome.

Even if it was utterly futile... he'd be satisfied.

Feigning death, he held his breath and waited patiently.

The spider, closing the distance between them, stood silently, examining the seemingly lifeless girl before it.

It noticed no movement. Assured of her demise, the spider stepped closer, ready to devour the body in vengeance for its stolen eye.

'Wait. Wait. Wait... Hold on. Hold on. Hold on...'

Fully aware that he couldn't see anything, Louay pushed his senses to their limits, trying to gauge how close the spider was.

'It's coming closer... just a little more…'

The spider's leg landed near the shattered body. As its terrifying maw opened and filthy drool dripped onto her, Louay realized the time had come to strike.

'One, two…'

'Now!'

The girl's dark, pitch-black eyes shot open, locking onto the crimson ones staring back at her. This time, though, one of the eight eyes was gone, and the reflection in the remaining ones revealed a pitiful figure lying helplessly.

Then, with her trembling hand gripping the vial of black liquid, she mustered all the remaining energy in her broken body and hurled it with every ounce of strength she had left!

Her aim was perfect: straight into the spider's gaping mouth!

Bam!

As the glass shattered upon the rough surface of its maw, a small black explosion followed, enveloping the area in an eerie silence for several seconds.

Suddenly, a raging black flame erupted, engulfing the fuzzy monster from head to toe!

"GYEERRAAAAAA!!!"

The massive spider let out an ear-splitting scream. It was consumed by an agony unlike any other.

The agony of being burned alive!

"Baraghaghgh," writhing everywhere, it seemed to be trying to transform or molt, but it failed and continued to burn tragically.

Staring at the weeping creature before her, a mix of shock and terror appeared on the girl's face. She felt something strange happening inside her body, as if her heart were igniting!

Louay clutched his chest, screaming in pain. This was unlike anything he had ever experienced before! He felt an overwhelming urge to smash his chest and crush his heart with his own hands just to end this torment!

In that moment, both predator and prey endured a double agony! A chaotic and horrifying scene of two beings wishing for death by any means, yearning for release.

The screaming and wailing continued for three whole minutes, passing as though they were three long years.

'Haaah, haaah...' Gradually, and after some time, Louay began to recover, and the pain gripping him eased. Even his old wounds had almost completely healed, though his headache persisted. Meanwhile, the spider staggered frantically in every direction.

'Damn this world!' He didn't even want to question the reason for his sudden healing. After regaining some strength, he struggled to his feet, wanting to distance himself from the maddened beast, only to collapse pathetically.

'Damn, damn, damn!' Supporting himself on the ground, he got up again, then walked in a zigzag pattern, dragging his left leg behind him in an attempt to find his dagger.

He felt intense exhaustion overtaking his entire body—a psychological strain, spiritual fatigue, and physical lethargy. He was utterly shattered, yet he persevered to rise. Surrender and rest were not options in this situation.

After some time, Louay found his dagger and regained some control over his crushed leg, allowing him to step on it again. He sheathed the dagger, then followed the same path he had come from initially, contemplating retreat. He faced reality and lost interest in the place.

He was weak, utterly weak.

-

Inside the forest, within a small, dark cave hidden inside the colossal tree, a slender figure with pale skin and long black hair awoke. His upper body was bare, exposing his lean, gaunt frame.

Rising from his silken seat, numerous spider-like claws emerged from his back—eight in total, four on each side.

With an unknown purpose and empty, hollow eyes, the tall man slowly began to move forward, heading toward the cave's exit.

-

Outside the desolate forest, a girl in a black dress stained with red walked with a somber expression.

Her body had fully healed as if she had never been in a battle, though the crimson hue covering half of her figure suggested otherwise.

The sharp cawing of ravens and the shrill cries of burning insects echoed in her ears, unbearably loud.

Looking back, she saw a dead forest engulfed in pitch-black flames, consuming everything in their path!

The entire forest was ablaze!

The scene was indescribably terrifying—haunting wails and screams, a withered forest set aflame, and a massive, unmoving planet looming behind a colossal tree burning in dark, oppressive fire.

It was a heart-wrenching sight.

A living nightmare.

'The literal meaning of devouring everything green and dry!' Louay thought with a trembling heart, feeling as if his soul would be stripped away if he stared any longer. He turned his head and kept walking, refusing to look back again.

Suddenly, a burning black raven fell beside him. Startled for a moment, he quickly calmed himself and continued on his way.

Above, a flock of burning ravens flew through the sky, plummeting one after the other like meteors to the ground.

Without glancing back, Louay walked among the scattered corpses of the ravens, his face devoid of emotion.

He has certainly realized that the world is real.