Inside a massive tree, a boy stood still, leaning his shoulder against the warm inner surface, staring at the stars through the tangled gaps of roots that served as both walls and doorway.
"They're… beautiful," he muttered quietly, almost afraid to speak too loudly. "Even if this world isn't friendly… it still feels worth living in."
He took a deep breath.
The air felt… wrong.
Too clean.
So clean it almost burned his lungs with its cold freshness.
"No pollution… no radiation… nothing…" he frowned slightly.
He inhaled again, slower this time.
"It feels like there's more oxygen here than normal… or…" his eyes narrowed as he remembered the giant bees. "Is this because of magic?"
The word sounded strange, unfamiliar.
But it made sense.
He sat down closer to the opening, where the night sky was still visible between the roots.
The tree beneath him shifted slightly.
He froze.
"…Huh."
He ran his hand along the inner surface.
"Not wood… not stone…"
It felt strange. Like gold—solid, but slightly yielding. Strong, yet alive.
"If a tree like this can be cut…" a thought flickered in his eyes, "then what could I make from it?"
He looked back at the sky.
The stars felt closer here.
Brighter.
Cleaner.
And for the first time in a long while, a thought appeared in his mind… not about survival.
But desire.
"I want one…" he whispered. "At least one."
He let out a quiet laugh.
"If magic exists here… then it should be possible."
…
As the adrenaline faded from his body, exhaustion hit him all at once.
He had slept before arriving here… but sleep after being chased isn't rest.
When zombies are after you… when you trip over the claws of those damn Plantera children… your body burns through everything.
He lay down where he stood.
"Just a short rest…"
His eyes began to close—
FLASH.
A blinding light struck his vision, as if the sun had risen for a single moment… and vanished just as quickly.
He shot up.
"What the—?!"
Not far from the tree, something faintly glowed.
A small light.
Soft… but noticeable.
And near it—
A couple of zombies.
He froze.
"…Damn."
Risk it? For some unknown light?
He clenched his jaw.
"Not worth it."
If he had known it was a star…
He wouldn't have hesitated for even a second.
But he didn't.
So he turned away.
"Tomorrow…"
He lay back down, forcing himself to ignore the curiosity.
After a brief struggle with his thoughts, sleep finally took him.
Morning — Erlingor Forest
He woke up abruptly.
For a moment—nothing.
Then everything came back.
Another world.
Zombies.
Falling.
The tree.
He sat up.
…and smiled.
For the first time in a long while.
"…Heh."
This was real.
Slowly, he peeked outside—first with his eyes, then carefully leaning his head out.
Silence.
No footsteps.
No growling.
Only—
Rabbits.
Squirrels.
The world looked almost… normal.
"Hard to believe…"
He stepped outside, gripping his axe.
Marked the tree with a cut—his return point.
Then walked forward, scanning the surroundings.
"This world…" he smirked slightly. "I like it more and more."
Not because it was safe.
No.
Safety didn't interest him.
If there were zombies…
If there were Plantera children…
If there were giant bees…
"Then magic must exist."
And that—
That was what mattered.
…
As he walked past one of the trees, he noticed a faint glow.
The same one.
But now—no zombies nearby.
He approached slowly.
Then stopped.
"…What is this?"
Lying in the grass was something impossible.
A star.
A perfect five-pointed shape… like something drawn on paper and pulled into reality.
Three-dimensional.
Glowing.
Alive.
"Wow…" he breathed.
His eyes reflected its light.
He reached out… and picked it up.
Warm.
Real warmth.
"…It's warm," he said quietly. "Like a freshly cooked burger."
And then—
[Suitable item for exchange detected]
A voice.
Inside his head.
He spun around.
No one.
His heartbeat quickened.
"Who's there?!"
Silence.
No answer.
He didn't wait.
He turned and ran straight back to the tree, tightly gripping the star.
…
Inside, he leaned against the wall, breathing heavily.
And then—
Something flickered in his vision.
"…No way…" he whispered. "Did it finally—"
A grin spread across his face.
"My golden finger… activated?"
He straightened up.
"System. Open."
Silence.
"…System?"
Ding.
You have unlocked: Blueprint Shop — Masks.
He froze.
"…What?"
"What kind of masks?!"
No response.
He clicked his tongue.
"Fine. I'll check myself."
"Open shop."
A massive interface unfolded before his eyes.
Complex.
Wide.
And… completely black.
"…You've got to be kidding me."
Like in games—everything locked.
No names.
No descriptions.
Nothing.
"What the hell?! I can't exchange anything!"
He clenched his fist.
"You said it was suitable!"
Silence.
But then—
He noticed something.
At the bottom.
Bars.
Under each blueprint.
"…I see."
Two of them were around ten percent filled.
The rest—barely anything.
"Progress…"
His gaze shifted to the star in his hand.
"So it's not about the item itself…"
A pause.
Then a slow smile.
"It's about quantity."
He sat down, leaning back against the tree.
His eyes gleamed.
"Then I just need more."
He looked toward the forest beyond.
At the unknown world waiting for him.
"Much more."