HideLand

🟠 chapter 07 :

I paused for a second. 

Did he just say what I think he said? 

Did someone finally... get me?

I smiled maybe for the first time since I arrived in this world.

Oh yeah. The story was finally starting to get interesting.

In Porridge Prison, I found a tiny spark of home.

"Yes, I'm Japanese. What about you?"

"I'm Japanese too. Seems like fate brought us together within the walls of this dark fortress. I'm called the warrior Ren Kurosawa. And you?"

I did feel a bit happy he was Japanese… 

But the way he talked started to confuse me. 

Was this guy… suffering from chuunibyou ?

"I'm Takeru... Takashi Takeru."

"Takeru-dono! That means you shall be my companion on this journey!"

Alright, that confirmed it he definitely has it. 

I asked him why he ended up here.

"What made you come here?"

He took a dramatic pose, like he was about to drop a deep backstory.

"Well, it all started when I was watching anime at home on a cold day. 

The heater had broken and wouldn't turn on. 

So I decided to go out and buy a hot drink to warm my heroic spirit. 

On my way back… a heater fell on me from the top of a home appliance store. 

That cursed machine! But I didn't die from it. 

Actually, it wasn't even the reason I ended up here 

That's what a man named Nuul told me in a completely empty white place

He told me I had to go explore a place called HideLand, to fulfill my wish. 

And my wish… is to save this world."

…Did you hear that?

He told the exact same story I lived 

except his had winter vibes instead of summer. 

Looks like he's been here for months. 

And more than that… they summoned him. 

Unlike me I was just some weird accident.

After Ren finished telling his overly heroic saga, 

I decided to ask something more serious.

"Alright Ren. When you first got here… 

what did you actually have? 

I mean, the first day, the first week how did you end up in... this porridge-filled prison?

He gave me a half-smile, kind of sad.

"Oh, it's a bit complicated... but sure. I'll tell you. 

When I arrived in Valoris, I had nothing. 

No money. No connections. Not even the slightest idea about how this world worked 

All I had was my deep heroic dream. 

So, I decided to look for a job. 

Simple enough, right?"

I nodded. "Totally normal."

While searching, I met a man. He seemed nice. He said he helped newcomers.

Said he knew quick ways to get work. 

He was… a bit too friendly. But I was excited, so I said yes right away."

I felt a shiver crawl up my spine. 

This story was starting to knock on some very familiar doors.

"He told me he found a job for me at a store, and gave me a few coins to cover initial expenses. 

He really felt like a savior. But then…"

He paused. Then continued:

"The coins he gave me were fake. I had no idea, of course. 

I bought something small from the market… and not long after, I got arrested. 

Charged with using illegal currency."

My eyes widened. 

My blood started boiling.

This… this is exactly what happened to me. 

Same setup. Same tone. Same offer. Same damn charge.

"Wait. Ren… the guy you met was he bald? 

Had a light beard? Talked way too politely?"

"Yes! That's him exactly! 

Did he also tell you he was an 'independent guide'?"

I could barely keep myself together.

It's him. 

Same scammer. Same trap. 

And now I'm… just another number on his list.