Chapter 2: A New World
Darkness.
That was the first thing I saw after being struck by lightning. My body felt weightless, as if I were floating in an empty void. My limbs refused to move, and a strange silence surrounded me.
Was I dead?
I had always imagined heaven to be peaceful, full of soft clouds and golden gates. But this? This was just… nothingness.
Before I could make sense of it, a bright light appeared above me. My body moved on its own, drawn toward it like a magnet.
"Oh, shit—"
The pull became stronger, and before I knew it, I was being sucked into the light at terrifying speed.
"AHHHHHH!"
My scream echoed as I shot through the blinding void. Then, suddenly, I felt something new—a rush of cold air against my skin. My body felt heavy again, gravity pulling me downward.
I opened my eyes.
And nearly had a heart attack.
I was falling from the sky.
"WHAT THE HELL?!"
The world below me stretched endlessly—vast green forests, winding rivers, and creatures I had never seen before. Some of them flew gracefully through the sky, but my eyes widened in horror when I noticed their sheer size.
They were massive.
A bird-like creature with four legs and wings the size of a truck glided beneath me. On the ground, I saw colossal beasts with multiple heads, resembling mythical creatures straight out of fantasy books.
"This isn't Earth… is it?"
For a brief moment, excitement surged through me. If this really was another world, then…
"No more office work! No more deadlines! I can finally relax!"
I threw my hands into the air, ready to celebrate my new life.
BAM!
Something slammed into my head mid-air, and everything went dark.
When I woke up, my whole body ached. I was lying on the ground, face-first in dirt.
"Ugh… my head…"
I spit out a mouthful of soil and slowly got to my feet. The air was fresh, and the scenery around me looked almost too beautiful to be real. Towering trees, exotic plants, and the sound of distant waterfalls filled the landscape.
It was like paradise.
But something was off.
"Wait a second… I fell from the sky, but I don't have a single broken bone? How am I still alive?"
As I pondered this bizarre fact, an eerie sensation crawled up my spine.
Something was behind me.
Slowly, I turned my head—and my blood ran cold.
A massive beast stood just a few feet away. It looked like a lion, but it was at least three times bigger. Sharp fangs protruded from its mouth, and its glowing yellow eyes locked onto me like I was its next meal.
"…Hey there, buddy."
The creature let out a deafening ROAR, shaking the very ground beneath me. My survival instincts kicked in, and I ran.
"WHY DOES THIS ALWAYS HAPPEN TO ME?!"
The monster crashed through trees as it chased after me. It was fast—too fast. No matter how much I ran, I could hear its heavy footsteps closing in.
And then—I reached a cliff.
My stomach dropped.
Behind me was a giant death beast. In front of me was a deadly fall.
"Oh, come on! I JUST got here! Is this how I die?!"
The lion-like creature lunged at me, raising a massive claw to strike.
In a last-ditch effort, I raised my arms in front of my face and screamed:
"I'M TOO YOUNG TO DIE LIKE THIS!"
BOOM!
A loud crash echoed through the air.
I opened my eyes and gasped.
The monstrous beast had been slammed into the ground, a deep crater forming beneath its massive body.
Standing on top of its head was… a goblin?
She was short, no taller than my chest, with emerald-green skin and sharp golden eyes. Her pointed ears twitched slightly as she looked me over with a calculating gaze. Despite her small size, she carried herself with confidence, her posture radiating strength.
She crossed her arms and frowned. "What are you doing here, little human?"
I could only stare in shock.
A goblin. A real, living goblin.
Just what kind of world had I ended up in?