Ravihiro stirred, his body aching as he slowly regained consciousness. The air felt thick and heavy, different from anything he had ever known. As his eyes fluttered open, he found himself lying on damp, cold ground. Towering trees surrounded him, their leaves rustling in the faint wind. But something else caught his attention—a figure lying nearby.
A corpse.
His breath hitched as he scrambled back. The body was dressed in strange, ancient clothing, robes embroidered with intricate golden designs that shimmered faintly under the muted light. The figure's hand, pale and lifeless, clutched a silver ring, the only thing untouched by time.
As Ravihiro slowly pushed himself up, he felt a strange energy in the air—something unfamiliar, something powerful. He wasn't on Earth anymore. He could feel it in his bones. Panic surged through him, but his curiosity overpowered the fear. He reached out, almost instinctively, and took the ring from the corpse's finger.
The moment his hand touched the ring, a chill ran down his spine. He stood up quickly, his eyes darting around the unfamiliar forest. He didn't know where he was, or what had happened to him, but he needed to find help. He began looking frantically for any signs of life, calling out into the dense trees.
"Hello? Is anyone there?" His voice was shaky, but all he received in response was silence.
Then, a voice echoed around him.
"You're looking in the wrong direction."
Ravihiro froze, his heart pounding in his chest. He spun around, trying to find the source of the voice, but saw nothing. The wind had stopped, and everything seemed unnaturally still.
"I'm here," the voice spoke again. "Not out there, but here. In the ring."
His eyes widened as he stared at the silver band now wrapped around his finger. Before he could react, a figure began to materialize from the ring, a faint, ethereal glow illuminating the form of a man. Ravihiro stumbled back, fear gripping him as he stared at the floating figure before him.
"W-Who are you?" Ravihiro stammered, his voice trembling.
"I am the spirit of the ring," the figure said calmly. "And you, young one, are now its new master."
Ravihiro's mind raced, struggling to comprehend what he was seeing. He wanted to believe this was a dream, but everything felt too real. The cold air, the earthy smell of the forest, the weight of the ring on his hand—it was all too vivid.
"W-Where are we?" Ravihiro managed to ask, his voice barely a whisper.
The spirit's gaze shifted slightly, surveying the dense forest around them. "This place is called the Beast Forest, a dangerous region in the world of cultivation. And you, Ravihiro, are far from the world you once knew."
"Cultivation?" The word felt foreign on Ravihiro's tongue, but a sudden realization struck him. This wasn't Earth. He had somehow been transported to a different world. And not just any world—a cultivation world. His heart raced with excitement, the fear momentarily forgotten.
Spiritual energy... the spirit had said.
"So that's what this energy in the air is... spiritual energy?" Ravihiro asked, piecing together the knowledge he had gleaned from years of watching anime and reading donghua. The spirit nodded.
"Yes. This world thrives on it. And now, so can you."
Ravihiro's heart pounded with a mix of fear and exhilaration. This was the world he had only dreamed about—the world where he could cultivate, grow stronger, and live the life of a hero, just like in the stories he had always admired.
A grin spread across his face as the realization sank in. He was no longer bound by the constraints of his old life. Here, in this world, he had a chance. A chance to become strong, to carve out his own destiny.
"Then... I can cultivate here?" Ravihiro asked, his voice filled with a newfound determination.
The spirit smiled faintly. "Yes. You have entered a world where strength rules, and the path of cultivation lies before you. But be warned, this world is as dangerous as it is wondrous. Only the strong survive."
Ravihiro nodded, excitement bubbling within him. This was it. His chance to start anew, to become someone he had always dreamed of being. He clenched his fist, feeling the weight of the ring on his finger.
For the first time in his life, Ravihiro felt like he had the power to take control of his destiny.