Versatile: Alternate World

There is no doubt I am still in the game since this place didn't exist in the real world. But I can't open the menu to open my inventory and my stats panel. I tried calling for my followers but they are also not there. I tried casting magic but nothing happened. It was like I can't use it at all. That should have been impossible as I can use magic both in the reality and in the game so why can't I use it?

I turned to look at the distance where the only noticeable thing is the giant tree that seems to be branching out to the sky like it has its branches attached to the night sky. And even though it is nighttime, it is strangely bright here that I don't need any source of light to see where I am going. I looked around to see if there are any noticeable buildings or any landmarks that seems interesting to wherever this place aside from the big tree. However, there seems to be not a single one that caught my eye.

Also, this doesn't look like a void space or something like that, I can still see some grass and flowers around. Not only that but I think there are some boulders and trees as well. It is kinda weird but I don't even think I am in a forest. More like it was an isolated place that seems to be made by a virtual program.

Due to the lack of any landmarks that sparks interest in me, I decided that the only place that I can go to is the giant tree, which reminded me of the Yggdrasil, the world tree. But I doubt I would see the world tree here, after all, this is not the game and I doubt the World Tree exists in the real world either. I am more leaning that this was just a dream of some sort.

It took a few minutes before I reached the vicinity of the big tree. Now that I approached it, the smaller I felt after seeing it up close. It was so massive. It was so big that the Mistfall Turtle of the Damned is not even close to its size. Looking at the tree, it looks like I was an insignificant ant on its roots. It didn't look this big when I was just in a distance and I was so surprised it was this big.

Just as I was marveling at the big tree, someone suddenly snapped me out of my trance.

"Who is there?!"

I was startled as I didn't even detect the presence of this person. When I turned to look, it was a girl wearing a white kimono. I instinctively step back after seeing her. For some unknown reason, just being near her feels a bit unnerving. I feel uncomfortable.

She looks like she is the same age as me but she is taller than me and her hair reaches the ground. It was so white that it looks like it was shining. It was like she is the real embodiment of the name "Snow White" as she is just wearing a motif of a white outfit partnered with her pure white kimono. I also noticed that she has quite clear aquamarine eyes. It was like if you stare at it for prolonged periods of time, you will be lulled to sleep.

"Who are you?! How did you get in here?! Humans shouldn't exist in this realm!"

"Huh? Aren't you a human yourself?"

"No. And how did you even get in here? This place should be off-limits to all creatures and living beings that exist in the mortal plane. Just who are you and how did you manage to arrive here?!"

She started to release a threatening aura. I tried to suppress it but for some unknown reason, I can't even do it. Did my ability to even suppress it is also gone?!

The sheer pressure is not good enough and I was forced to fall down to the ground, pinned by an invisible force. All of my abilities to even endure it is also gone. It was like it got stripped away from me.

"Now...Answer me truthfully. How did you get in here? Are you here to destroy the Yggdrasil?"

"GUH... I-"

The force pinning me down is too great I have a hard time trying to speak. It sucks that I felt weak but it's not my fault I am feeling like this. The woman before me is pressuring me and is forcing me into this strong force that I felt like I will die at any moment. I tried to exert all my force and try to resist but I failed.

"I... j-just woke...up in here... ugh...I... don't know... a-anything..." I mustered all my energy just to say those words.

As I was thinking about how to escape and release myself from this pinning force, that same force slowly lightens up and disappeared a few moments later and I managed to move back again. This time, I felt like my body was squished temporarily. It is still painful but I managed to get myself out of that situation.

"I apologize for my behavior. I just read your memories after your arrival here and it seems you were saying the truth. I apologize for acting like that, especially to a person who was also confused about what is happening."

"My bad...I didn't mean to be suspicious but I am at a loss here. Just where the heck am I?"

"This is the domain of the Ygdrassil Tree. Everything around this place exists due to the power of the mighty world tree, allowing a possible manifestation of living beings. As I told you before, I apologize for my behavior earlier. I was just like that due to the fact that there were never any cases of a human slipping through this place. This is the first case of that."

The Ygdrassil Tree... So my assumption was right that this was the Ygdrassil Tree but from my knowledge in the game, the Ygdrassil Tree isn't this big in  Alternate World and according to the legend, it was cut down due to the war of the two gods causing the tree to break into pieces and scattered around the world, spreading the forest to all the places where the giant branches landed.

"Your case is unique and I don't think you are meant to slip through your reality and this reality. As I said earlier, your presence here is a big abnormality but it was an abnormality that didn't pose any threat. If you have posed any sort of threat, the surrounding plants will devour you immediately. Seeing you were able to arrive here means that you are not someone who is not seen as a threat which is also a surprise to me."

"Can you send me back to my reality?"

"I can do that, but it will take a bit of time to do so. After all, I am just the guardian of the tree and I am not someone in charge of having humans tour around the world tree and escort them around. I needed to create something that will allow you to return to your reality where you belong."

"I can wait as long as I will be able to return to where I should be."

"If that is the case, then please wait for a while. As much as I want you to relax around here, I can't let you wander around. Despite looking desolate and empty, this place is not a very forgiving place to someone who doesn't belong to this realm."

As much as I wanted to explore the place, she is right for me to stay right next to her. With my abilities failing to even manifest, I can only stay here beside her while she is trying to create something for me to go back home.

Even though I agreed that she help me return to where I should belong, I still can't help but not trust her. I can't keep becoming gullible just because she is a girl. She herself tells that the place is full of danger. If she is the guardian. doesn't that mean that the whole place is under her control? I might be trying too hard to not trust her but there is only one way for me to know whether she is still planning to kill me or not. If she can threaten me in my normal state, then I am going to be in deep trouble once she gets really angry.

I decided to spark a conversation with her. "Just who are you and why are you guarding the tree? Are there any enemies that are planning for the tree to disappear for you to be this wary against me?"

"Yes. As the guardian of the divine World Tree, it is my responsibility to take care of everything. That also includes your safe arrival back to your world."