As the countdown ended, the surroundings were enveloped in blinding light, and I couldn't help but shut my eyes.

　At the same time, a sensation of floating, as if the ground had vanished beneath me.

　Instinctively reaching out for something to grab, I flailed my arms, but there was nothing to grasp—helpless, I was falling somewhere unknown.

　In the next instant.

　I stood in a forest filled with tall trees.

　The rustling sound of trees swaying in the wind. The thick, dense scent of greenery.

　No other humans in sight.

　I realized the situation and gasped.

　――Random Transfer.

　Unluckily—no, perhaps inevitably—I had been transferred deep into a forest.

Just a short walk and you'd reach the town... that possibility isn't entirely impossible, but it's overly optimistic.

'Ping pong pahn! Welcome to another world, Transferee Number 1000, Kurose Hikaru. I'll give you a quick explanation of the status board! First, call up your status. You can say it out loud or think it in your mind—it's fine either way.'

The voice suddenly rang out inside his head.

There was no one around.

It seemed the gods were providing a simple tutorial for transferees.

"Status"

A translucent screen appeared in midair.

The size was fairly large, roughly similar to a computer monitor.

From this status board, you can check various information such as item and skill acquisition, gift exchanges, popularity rankings, real-time viewer counts, remaining points, and crystal holdings.

It seems that switching between tabs allows access to different types of information.

I ran out of time during point allocation, so I have 24 points left. It appears these points can also be used in the other world.

'Crystals can be exchanged directly for items, and once you collect 30, they can be exchanged for 1 point. Crystals can be obtained through viewer popularity and various events.'

I see—being popular makes it easier to earn points, which in turn reduces the difficulty of life in the other world.

To exchange items, press the exchange button on any item's page. If you have enough points, you can exchange them right now.

"But is this situation safe right now?"

I asked what I'd been feeling since the beginning.

After all, we're deep in a forest whose location we don't even know.

There's always a chance that monsters could suddenly appear and attack us.

We can't be sure a crisis isn't already approaching while we're doing this.

"During tutorials, safety is guaranteed. A barrier that keeps nearby creatures at a distance has been activated."

I see. That's probably why people who suddenly appear in towns don't startle the locals—consideration like that. And it applies to monsters too.

"Then, can I take my time choosing items?"

"You may."

The status screen displays your remaining points.

Twenty-four points. This will be my lifeline.

"I need clothes and shoes..."

Whether it's a divine service or not, I'm no longer barefoot—I've somehow ended up wearing sandals. My clothes aren't the hospital gown I wore in the white room, but a cotton shirt and pants instead. There's even underwear underneath the pants.

It's minimal, but still deeply appreciated.

With this, the priority item I need right now is something else.

After all, it's "Random Transfer." Without knowing my current location, I can't do anything.

I open the item menu and select a map.

"World Map – 1 point"

"High-Performance World Map – 3 points"

"Nearby Map – 1 point"

"High-Performance Nearby Map – 5 points" — four options total.

According to the description, every map seems to have a current location feature, so even a regular world map exchangeable for one point should suffice. As for the surrounding area map, since it covers only a ten-kilometer radius, I'll skip exchanging it for now.

The real decision is whether to choose the standard world map or the high-performance one.

The two-point difference is significant. For someone like me without the basic transfer pack, the remaining points are literally a lifeline.

It's better to think that wasting points brings death closer.

"Still, being stingy here won't help..."

I hesitated just before pressing the exchange button.

I realized there might be a town or village nearby. After all, it's a random transfer—while unlikely, it's not impossible.

When the stakes are high enough that a single point could mean tears, there's no way it's acceptable to recklessly spend points. I should have been more cautious. At the very least, I should've gathered as much information as possible—checking the surrounding situation, for example—before acting. It wouldn't have been too late. I decided to stop exchanging and instead confirm everything currently exchangeable right now. If I can't navigate the situation skillfully depending on circumstances, then certain death awaits. "Does this appear immediately after exchange? From thin air?" "Yes. It appears instantly on the status board. You'd probably be better off avoiding being seen by natives of this world." The voice casually offers a hint about surviving in another world. At the very least, it's unnatural for items to appear from nowhere in this world. It's common sense, but not common sense at all.

This isn't Earth—it's a mysterious other world.

"So, where exactly is this place? Is there a village nearby?"

"I cannot answer that."

"Can I at least get a hint?"

"Hints can be obtained by using a crystal, but only after this initial explanation ends and the adventure begins."

"So it's still considered pre-adventure, then?"

"Precisely. Not everyone who arrives here has prior knowledge of interdimensional transfer."

Checking the status screen once more, despite having been transferred here for a considerable amount of time, the real-time viewer count remained stubbornly at zero.

So, either the stream hasn't started being viewable yet, or it's being watched but the numbers aren't updating. Perhaps I was never actually selected as a transferee to begin with, and no one even realizes I exist.

...Well, I wouldn't exactly want to be seen much.

『How would you like to proceed with the item exchange?』

"Let's hold off for now."

『With that, we conclude our explanation of the status board. And finally, as a special bonus for your first transfer, we have randomly granted you one ability from either the physical enhancement or resistance category.』

Surprisingly generous.

Upon checking, my physical attribute 'Poison Resistance' had increased to Level 1.

"Poison resistance? That's probably a good one, isn't it?"

It's a 3-point boost.

If the jackpot was the 5-point variety, this would be a mid-tier result at best.

Since the senses upgrades only gave 1 point each, I might as well say I've effectively gained 2 points.

Anyway, this should have slightly improved my chances of survival.

"How you live in this world is up to you. The viewers are always with you. With their cooperation, you'll find greater fulfillment in this world. Good luck."

The voice spoke, wishing fortune one-sidedly, then faded away.

At the same moment, the forest's presence seemed to grow denser, thick with unease.

A strange sensation, as if something unseen was continually brushing against your skin.

Indeed, just moments ago, it had been "before the start."

And now, the start had come.

There was no time to spare.

I kicked off my sandals and began climbing the large tree nearby, already marked in my sights.

Fortunately, it was a peculiar tree with complex, sprawling branches and considerable height, its surface resembling that of a beech. It looked like I might just manage to climb it.

There was concern about poisonous insects, but I'll trust the poison resistance I just received to see me through.

Above all, speed is crucial right now.

"Guh, yoo, hah!"

Though I've hardly ever climbed trees before, I'm pushing myself to the limit now. Looking down, my lower abdomen flutters, but I manage to climb up to a fairly high spot.

And then—

"Haha... Seriously?..."

The view stretching out in every direction is nothing but forest and mountains.

There's no sign of civilization within sight.

A vast, untouched wilderness with no trace of human presence anywhere, 360 degrees around.

Of course, there might be a settlement somewhere, and it's not impossible that a town lies beyond just one mountain.

But I clearly understood that crossing even just one mountain through this dense, oppressive forest would be a life-or-death adventure.

I stepped down and sat on a thick branch split into two, then called up my status screen and exchanged "High-Performance World Map" for three points.

The tab section of the status screen glowed, and the "World Map" option appeared.

The high-performance map didn't physically appear in my hands—it was simply an extension of my status ability.

"Well... this will decide whether I live or die."

My hand trembled as I pointed at the map tab.

Yet strangely, I felt oddly calm.

How far from civilization would I need to be to have any chance of survival?

Having spent three points, I now had twenty-one left.

What could I possibly do with just that few points remaining?

I have no physical buffs whatsoever—just an ordinary person gifted with some mysterious power called "Spirit's Favor" and the ability to see in the dark.

I suppose I'm somewhat resistant to poison, less prone to illness, and age more slowly.

I don't know survival skills, nor can I run fast.

Naturally, I have no combat ability either.

"Please...!"

Praying to the gods, I opened my map.

"...f-fufu... Random teleportation is just comic relief in the early game, huh? Haha..."

A dry, almost resigned laugh escaped me.

The high-performance map was truly high-performance.

It didn't just show me the location of the nearest town—it even told me the distance. There was no greater help than that.

But precisely because of that, it had more than enough destructive power to shatter any hope.

The place I'm currently in is the "Ringpil Continent - Eastern Demon Realm."

The population density around me is 0 out of 10.

The danger level is currently rated at 4 out of 6.

The nearest human settlement is "Eastern Fortress," located 373 kilometers away in a straight line.

　

I was teleported right into the middle of a deep, deep forest.