Found a Friend

"WHAT. THE. HELL."

Now, you’re probably wondering—why am I so shocked by the jungle when I already saw it on the map, right?

Well, let me clear that up real quick.

Sure, I knew what the jungle looked like from the map—trees, greenery, winding paths—but nothing could prepare me for the thick, suffocating mana that poured out of this place. It was horrifying. Like the air itself wanted to eat my soul.

Yeah, I’ll admit it—I was scared. Before you call me a coward, just remember: I came from a peaceful place. Sure, there were fights and drama and annoying bosses, but magic? That was pure fantasy. So yeah, being scared here makes sense.

Still, I couldn’t show it. I had to act tough—Main Character Energy and all that.

Even though I wanted to turn and run, I squared my shoulders, puffed up my chest, and acted like All Might reborn.

Mira, on the other hand? She was not doing great either.

I touched her shoulder, and she jumped like I was a ghost or some jungle beast.

“W-What did I tell you?! We still have time—we can go back and take the other route, right? RIGHT?!”

I shook my head. “Nope. We’re going through this forest.”

We entered the jungle.

The deeper we walked, the darker it got. After a while, I stopped and said, “It’s getting late. Let’s set up camp here.”

Now now, you might be wondering—when did I even get camping gear? Let me enlighten you.

Back in town, I stocked up—tent, food, tools, and all the essentials. Thanks to my Earth life as a photographer, I had plenty of field experience. Plus, I unlocked a super handy ability called Item Box, which lets me store unlimited stuff.

Yeah, I know. I’m cool. Just accept it.

After setting up the tent and gathering firewood, we sat down to rest.

I looked at Mira. “So… why did you decide to come with me, anyway?”

She pressed a finger to her temple and sighed.

“You’re asking that now? Should’ve asked before dragging me into a death jungle. But whatever, I’ll tell you.”

She looked into the fire.

“When you first found me… I was at my lowest. I’m an orphan. Abandoned on the streets. I’ve always had to fight just to stay alive. But when I saw you, I saw hope. You didn’t feel dangerous—you felt... real. And then when you saw that little girl lose her mother’s memories? You were angry. I saw that. And in that moment, I decided—wherever you go, I’ll follow.”

I was stunned. I didn’t expect that level of honesty.

Something about Mira always pulled me in—not romantically, okay? Don’t get it twisted. She looked cheerful on the outside, but there was sadness deep inside. She was like me. A broken mirror hiding behind a bright smile.

“So what you’re saying is…” I smirked, trying to lighten the mood. “You think I’m a good guy. Don’t tell me you’re falling for me. I mean, I am handsome, cool, and emotionally unavailable—basically the perfect package.”

WHACK!

She smacked me on the head with a stick.

“In love with YOU?! Not in a million years, mister! And cool? Handsome? Ugh, give me a break.”

I laughed, maybe too much. I kept teasing her… until she got fed up and stormed off into the woods.

I sat there blinking.

“...Did I go too far?”

I waited a few minutes. Then I got worried. The jungle isn’t exactly safe for a solo stroll. So I grabbed my camera and followed after her.

That’s when I noticed something in the distance.

A flickering light. Like a campfire.

Curious (and a little nervous), I crept toward it. And there, sitting alone by the fire, was a boy. About my age—or maybe younger. Pale skin, dark silver hair, elegant clothes that looked too clean for the jungle.

A noble? Out here? Alone?!

Before I could say anything, I stepped on a dry branch.

SNAP.

The boy’s head turned sharply. His eyes glowed—and the next second—

BOOM! A burst of flame exploded toward me.

“AHHH!” I dove to the side, panicked. “What the hell, man?!”

My finger slammed against the camera’s shutter by accident.

Click.

“Captured. Reality stored.”

The jungle froze.

Flames hung mid-air like a paused movie. Leaves stopped mid-fall. Even the sparks from the fire had stopped flickering.

“Holy crap... I just paused a fireball.”

I slowly exhaled and stared at the boy frozen across from me.

“Who the hell are you?”