"How long have we been walking for?" Noah asked, dragging his feet.
"Thirty two minutes and fifty three seconds," Yuki replied.
Noah stared at her. "…Are you sure? Because it feels like thirty two days."
Yuki just kept walking.
"By the way… where are you taking me?" Noah asked.
"There is a city a few miles from here," she replied.
Noah sighed in relief. "Great. I can finally get something to eat… I might die before we even reach there."
He glanced back at the man walking behind them.
The man walked slowly behind them with his hand on his sword.
Noah scratched his head. "I had no idea people could turn into dragons."
"Not everyone," Yuki replied. "Only those of the dragon clan."
[Noah's Thoughts]
So Yuki is a dragon aslo… that explains how she stopped that monster.
But seriously… that guy looks so weak in human form.
Noah blinked as his vision blurred.
"…Hey… can we take a short break?" he said,before losing consciousness .
Thud.
He dropped to the ground.
Yuki stopped and looked down at him.
She bent slightly and poked his cheek.
"…He stopped moving."
"My lady," the man behind said. "You shouldn't touch people's face without permission."
Yuki slowly looked at him.
"You will be punished once we get home, Hikamaru," she said.
Hikamaru chuckled nervously. "Understood, my lady."
Yuki leaned Noah against a tree.
A few minutes later…
Noah's eyes opened slowly.
"…What happened?" he asked.
"You were unconscious," Yuki replied.
Noah placed a hand on his chest.
"…I'm having a hard time breathing."
Yuki looked at him then sighed.
"I can fix that," she said. "But before I do… tell me who you truly are."
Noah looked at her. She stared back at him.
"If you lie...I will leave you here to die." she said
Noah sighed. "…You don't play around, do you?"
Yuki didn't answer.
"…Alright," he said. "I'll tell you."
He took a deep breath.
"I almost died fighting a guy named Kizaru," Noah said.
Hikamaru's eyes widened slightly.
"Kizaru…?" he repeated..
"I don't know how I survived," Noah said. "Only thing i know is that i got teleported to this white world. Then I met someone… calling himself the god of worlds. Or… the author."
Yuki stayed silent.
"He said something about giving me two options, I picked one and then he sent me here," Noah said. "I think…"
He looked at the sky.
"…I think I got sent 800 years into the past."
The wind moved through the trees. The place felt peaceful.
Yuki stares at him.
"So… you are from the future," she said.
Noah nodded. "Yeah."
Hikamaru crossed his arms. "That sounds insane."
Noah looked at him. "I know."
Yuki stepped closer.
"…You are not lying," she said.
Noah blinked. "Wait—you can tell?"
"Yes." Yuki replied.
"…That's useful." Noah said.
Yuki knelt in front of him.
"I will help you," she said.
Noah let out a small breath of relief. "Thanks…"
"But," she added, "you are weak."
Noah froze. "…You didn't have to say it like that."
"It is the truth," Yuki replied.
"…Still hurts." Noah said.
Yuki raised her hand and placed it lightly on his chest.
A soft energy flowed into him.
Noah's breathing steadied and the pain faded.
"…Okay," Noah said. "That actually helped."
Yuki stood up.
"If you want to survive here, you must learn," she said.
"Learn what?" Noah asked.
"Haki."
"You can teach me?" Noah asked.
"Yes." Yuki replied.
They moved deeper into the forest. Tall trees surrounded them. The trees around them felt heavier than before.
Yuki stopped walking.
"Listen," she said.
Noah frowned. "To what?"
"The trees."
Noah blinked. "…The trees?"
"They are alive," Yuki said. "They breathe. They move. They react."
Noah looked around.
"I don't hear anything."
"That is why you are weak," she replied.
"…You really like saying that."
Yuki ignored him.
"Close your eyes," she said.
Noah hesitated… then did it.
"Focus," Yuki said. "Feel the air. The ground. The life around you."
Noah stood still but nothing happened.
Then…he started to sense the nature.
"…I think I feel something," he said.
Yuki nodded. "Good."
Suddenly a branch snapped toward him.
Noah's eyes flew open.
"HEY!"
SMACK.
He got hit and fell back.
"…Ow," he groaned.
Yuki stood still.
"You reacted too late," she said.
"You attacked me!" Noah replied.
"I am teaching you," she said.
"…That felt personal."
Yuki raised her hand again.
More branches moved.
"This forest will attack you," she said. "Adapt… or fall."
Noah slowly stand up.
"…Alright," he said, cracking his neck.