A Not-So-Familiar Face

Retsugo Yuushin was working overtime that day.

He was but one among the many illustrators summoned by their team leader that Evening, tasked to finish the current animation within the deadline. A position he had held for the past four years. Something that, like many other things, was just one more part of his mundane, cyclical life.

And like all other days he had to stay overnight at the studio, Yuushin stared at the screen in front of him with apathetic, exhausted eyes.

“Retsugo-san, here.”

Yuushin didn’t turn to see what his colleague had brought. Somehow, it felt like all his progress would disappear the moment he blinked.

“Thank you very much, Morinaka-san…if you could ask those guys if they finished the storyboard to send it to us, I would be super grateful to you, Morinaka-san.”

There was a faint chuckle before she replied. “They are really stressing you out, aren’t they?”

He half processed her words, throwing back a question without thinking. “…why? Did they complain to you? I didn’t hit anyone this time, cross my heart.”

“That’s not it.” Her voice was somehow amused, a laughter echoing in her words as she spoke. “You’ve been mumbling to yourself since you came back, and your accent is showing. It’s actually cute, you know.”

 That word awakened something in him, a spark. A realization. Yuushin nodded, that one word echoing in his mind like a chant as he spoke in a semi-conscious state.

“Hm, yes, yes…that’s it, indeed, their eyes need to be cute. No, not cute—cuter, way more cuter than they are now. Sparkles, we need more sparkles… You are truly our Creative Genius, Morinaka-san…yes, more sparkles.”

Beside him, there was a sigh. “I will go talk to them. Hang in there, Retsugo-san.”

Soon enough, he was alone again. Sleep-deprived, having skipped both lunch and dinner, 23-year-old Retsugo Yuushin. Making sure the characters in front of him had the most sparkly and adorable eyes he had ever drawn.

And as he was adjusting the brightness of their gaze—

A light. One that came from nowhere, yet that blinded him from all possible directions. A light so hot and fierce, it was as if it was piercing and burning through all the layers in his body. Yuushin felt weightless for a second, before his stomach dropped and nausea overwhelmed him.

He only closed his eyes once.

And as soon as he opened them again, he found himself lying down in a place like nothing he had ever seen.

Did I fall asleep in front of the computer again…?

All he could be certain of was that he was in a forest, a small glade. Yet those trees…that vegetation…it shouldn’t exist. Trees that were not only tall, but grand. In size, width, even in presence. Plants that didn’t possess a single shade of green, but that varied from tones of purple and orange. Bushes that looked like monsters, flowers that could wrap a grown man as if he were an onigiri.

A nervous laughter left his lips, the sound spreading around with reluctance and uncertainty. “This…is certainly a dream, right?

Even if Yuushin could not even remember the last time he had an actual dream, that was the only explanation he could come up with.

One that was extremely short-lived.

*rustle rustle*

In less than a heartbeat, the man was on his feet. From within the tall bushes and mighty trees, the first thing Yuushin noticed was not the glowing eyes but the bloodthirsty filling its gaze. The morbid scent carried through the chilling breeze.

And later, the faint screams being carried by the wind.

“Hah, not a dream…a nightmare, then?”

How many times had he drawn those creatures? In how many different ways? From companions, to monsters, to funny mascot-pets. He used to make fun whenever he had to draw a cute version of the monster, but…

I certainly wouldn’t mind this thing wearing a dress now.

Standing right in front of him, a single monster. With grayish green skin, being barely a meter tall, showing all its sharp teeth and long fangs. With a thick fur trailing down from the top of its head to its spines, wearing a strange dark fabric around its waist.

Goblin.

Yuushin could hear his heartbeat. Racing faster, louder, more desperate by the second, as each one of the small creatures got closer to him. That wasn’t real, was it? Yuushin had been working on such stories and concepts for so long, maybe he was hallucinating.

He gave half a step to the side—

 And the goblin jumped, disappearing from his sight until it was right on top of his shoulder, crawling to his neck while sinking its claws into his back. Yuushin let out a cry, the rotten stench of the creature’s breath making his stomach revolt as he tried to grab it by its neck.

“Damn it…!”

Dream or not, Yuushin losing his mind or not, did it matter? Losing to a goblin in his own dream, in such a pitiful way, was far too embarrassing. And if that was actually real…

Then he had to stay alive, no matter what.

He grabbed the creature by its waist, trying to pull it away. It dug its nails even deeper, a sharp pain running through his body.

“Guess you never learned about personal space, huh?!”

If that thing wasn’t going to let him go on its own, then Yuushin just had to force it. With a scream, he closed his hands around its neck and squeezed with everything he had. The second the goblin’s grip on him got looser, he threw it as far away as he could. The goblin flew, crashing against one of the trees.

And did not move again.

Yuushin widened his eyes for a moment. Should goblins be this light?

…am I this strong?

Not even three seconds passed before he heard more rustling, and before he could blink again, they started to surround him. Almost fifteen goblins, their skins going from shades of blue, green, and purple, with frenzied famine reflecting their glowing eyes.

One of them charged, grabbing Yuushin’s leg as it tried to sink its teeth as if his leg were a chewing toy. Before he could react, without any warning, something sharp landed right in his right shoulder, sending him back due to the impact.

These things, seriously…!

Yuushin was about to let anger wrap itself around his heart, but then he stopped. An idea. Without wasting time to let his brain process the pain, he pulled the arrow in one go. Black dots filled his eyes for a second as Yuushin bit his lip, sinking the arrow into the goblin’s head a second later, with all his might. The creature’s arms became flaccid before it fell to the ground.

As Yuushin took a defensive stance, one that was almost too nostalgic, trying to pay attention to the other goblins around him. Yet from all directions, instead of monstrous sounds, all he could hear were desperate, soul-crushing screams.

Cries that carried the foul stench of Death.

His gaze kept shifting from one goblin to another, his heart restless, his mind uneasy. None of them were charging. In fact, they kept glaring at him and smiling, salivating even, as if they were waiting.

Hah…I won’t start hearing boss music, will I?

Loud screeches and groans forced him to shift his gaze. From within the forest, wearing plums and crystals, a new goblin appeared—different. Slightly taller than the rest, with the darkest blue skin out of them all, its fur had braids and dreads all over. Not only that, the goblin carried a staff made of bones and a large skull, and had two archers by its side.

Aiming straight at Yuushin’s head.

Yuushin clenched his fists, his muscles aching to be put to use. For him to recall those old moves and put them to use again, like he had done so many times in the past.

After avoiding it for so long…

Yeah, that really made him mad.

A laugh escaped his lips, the sound hollow and exhausted. Is this guy those goblins’ chieftain? It looked like a shaman.

“But even if you are their boss…isn’t things a bit unfair here?”

There should be no reason for those creatures to understand what Yuushin said. Yet what else could he assume when the shaman stared at him and giggled?