Among Monsters (Tensura)

Chap 1.

James Tanaka was just about to take the first bite of his late-night noodles when the world seemed to twist. He had just finished playing Elden Ring, immersing himself in the intricate world of runes, bosses, and landscapes—his favorite way to unwind after a day of college lectures and endless study sessions. The instant he closed the game and stood up to make himself a simple snack, it happened.

His small Tokyo apartment, the cramped but familiar space that housed his desk cluttered with textbooks, manga, and gaming paraphernalia, seemed to fade away. The walls, the faint buzz of the refrigerator, and even the hum of traffic from the street outside—all vanished in an instant.

In their place was a dense, oppressive stillness.

James froze.

One moment, he had been standing by his kitchen door, ready to step out and grab the pot of noodles he'd been dreaming of for hours. The next, he found himself standing in the middle of an unfamiliar forest. Tall, gnarled trees rose around him, their leaves thick with the shadows of an unseen sun. The air was fresh, but it carried the scent of earth and something wild, like a world untouched by time.

Confusion flooded his mind, and panic set in. "What the hell...?"

His heart raced, and his breath came in shallow bursts. He reached up instinctively to rub his eyes, as if he could blink away the strange vision before him. The forest was real, too real, as though he had stepped out of one world and into another entirely.

James staggered back and nearly tripped over something at his feet. His hand shot out to steady himself. That's when he noticed something even more disturbing: the clothes he was wearing.

The soft cotton t-shirt and sweatpants he had worn not minutes ago were gone. In their place was a black tunic with a simple clasp at the neck, fitted trousers, and a thick cloak that hung loosely from his shoulders. The material was rougher than anything he'd worn before, yet surprisingly comfortable. His feet were clad in sturdy boots that had clearly seen some wear.

James instinctively touched his face. His fingers brushed over the rough stubble that had accumulated over the past few days—something that felt real but out of place for the usual clean-shaven look he kept. As he examined his surroundings, the panic didn't subside; it only grew.

He felt light-headed and dizzy, his senses disoriented by the strange environment and the dissonance between his usual life and the one unfolding around him. "What the hell is going on?" he muttered under his breath, trying to make sense of it all.

That's when it happened.

A voice, calm and neutral, cut through the chaos of his thoughts.

"Acknowledged. Individual James Tanaka has acquired the unique skills 'Annihilation Creator' and 'Sovereign's Sanctuary,' as well as the common skill 'Perception.'"

James flinched, his heart nearly stopping in his chest. He blinked rapidly, staring at the empty air around him. "What the…?"

It wasn't a voice he could point to, not someone speaking directly to him. It was more like a sudden realization, as if the words had formed in his mind without warning.

Am I… losing my mind? James wondered. His eyes darted to the thick forest around him as if expecting someone to appear from the trees. But there was no one. Just the eerie silence of nature.

Still breathing heavily, James closed his eyes, trying to push past the panic. The voice—it didn't sound hostile, but it was far too precise and cold to be comforting. "This isn't real," he whispered to himself. "I have to be dreaming, right? Maybe I'm still playing Elden Ring…"

But the texture of the rough cloak against his skin, the smell of the forest air, and the strange weight of something attached to his waist felt all too real.

Slowly, he moved his hand to his side and felt something hard and metallic. A sword. It was sheathed in a leather scabbard, a simple weapon, but it felt heavy in his grip. He hadn't noticed it before, but now it was an undeniable fact—there it was, attached to his waist as if he had been carrying it for hours.

"Okay, okay," James said aloud, trying to calm himself. He took several deep breaths, focusing on the present moment. He wasn't in his apartment anymore. This wasn't a game, and there was no magical save file to reset. No, I'm not crazy. I need to figure out what happened.

His gaze fell on the dirt road that wound through the forest, a small patch of earth worn by frequent use. A glimmer of hope stirred in him. Maybe he could find someone—someone who could explain what was going on.

If this is some kind of time travel… James thought, his mind grasping at anything familiar, anything that made sense. He stepped forward cautiously, his boots crunching on the dirt beneath him.

As he walked down the path, the dense forest began to thin, revealing a stretch of road that seemed to open up toward a distant horizon. In the distance, a shape loomed—a large, overturned cart. James quickened his pace, his curiosity getting the better of him. The sight of it made him stop dead in his tracks.

A carriage.

A medieval-looking one, with large wooden wheels, its frame bent and broken as if it had been hastily abandoned. There were barrels scattered around, and what looked like goods spilled from inside the cart. His mind worked quickly, trying to make sense of the scene.

This can't be a coincidence. A medieval carriage in the middle of nowhere?

As he approached, James felt the weight of the sword at his side and the pouch of coins he hadn't even thought to inspect. The coins inside were unlike anything he had seen before—copper and silver, some with strange markings he didn't recognize. He reached into the pouch and found a few more items scattered about: a set of dried herbs wrapped in cloth, a few empty flasks, and a simple map of the area—though it seemed to be written in a language he didn't understand.

But what really caught his attention was the horse.

The horse was still tied to the wreckage, its head low as it grazed on what little grass remained in the clearing. It seemed calm enough, but there was something unsettling about the whole scene. The way the cart had been left behind suggested the people who had owned it had fled in a hurry, possibly running from whatever had caused the wreck.

James carefully approached the horse. He'd never ridden one before, but it didn't hurt to try, right? He could already feel the weight of the sword and the pouch at his waist, and he figured it was better to keep moving than stay in one place.

He spent the next half hour struggling to mount the horse. The animal was gentle, but James was clumsy. Eventually, after several failed attempts, he managed to settle himself on the saddle, gripping the reins with a mixture of hesitation and determination.

As he nudged the horse forward, he thought about his next steps.

If he was indeed sent back in time, there had to be an explanation. And somehow, he would figure it out.

His mind raced, trying to piece together the puzzle. This doesn't feel like time travel… but then, what is it?

The road stretched out before him, and with no clear destination in sight, James pushed onward.

End of chap.