Crossing the Portal

Ethan stood in front of the imposing building of his new company, which had just been completed. Although the private villa and other facilities were not yet finished, the main building of his company was ready to operate. It had been a long journey of planning and construction, but finally, his vision was beginning to take shape.

Standing next to him were Yassmin, Yassir, and Sara, his closest allies. The new headquarters was equipped with the latest in technology and magical protection. And in one of the most private and hidden rooms, with the highest security, lay the portal that Ethan had received from Malakai. The time had come to cross into that new world, to explore the unknown and expand his horizons. Ethan was not going to wait any longer.

"It's time," Ethan said, looking at his companions with determination.

Yassmin, with her serene and resolute expression, nodded. She was going to accompany him at Ethan's request; he knew her experience and skills would be crucial in this new adventure.

Sara, on the other hand, received specific instructions from Ethan. She was to manage the company in his absence. She was the one he trusted the most, and he also asked her to keep an eye on Aria. Although she had decided to work with them, her relationship with Yassmin remained tense. Ethan couldn't fully trust her yet.

"Sara, take care of everything while I'm gone. Keep an eye on Aria and make sure everything runs smoothly. Yassir, I leave you in charge of protecting Sara and Aria. We can't afford for anything to happen to them," Ethan said, giving Yassir a firm look.

"Don't worry, Ethan. I won't let anything happen to them," Yassir replied confidently, crossing his arms.

Neith, for her part, stayed with Ethan. She warned that she wasn't going to let him go alone, as if she did, he might run away and not fulfill his promise to kill Teti. Although this was only part of the truth; the other part was that Ethan was somewhat likable to Neith, and in her peculiar way, she wanted to take care of him. However, she would never admit this or tell anyone.

With all the preparations in order, Ethan and Yassmin approached the portal. The room was dimly lit, with glowing magical runes on the walls, providing an almost ritualistic atmosphere. The portal emitted a low hum, a constant reminder of the energy contained within.

"Here we go," Ethan said, taking Yassmin's hand. The magic flowed around them, and in an instant, they were transported to a new world.

The air was dense and filled with the fragrance of vegetation and moist earth. They found themselves in the middle of a dense forest, with tall trees and leaves forming an impenetrable canopy overhead. The sunlight barely managed to filter through the thickness, creating a mysterious and enigmatic environment.

Ethan couldn't help but vomit after crossing through the portal; it was a very strange sensation to experience. Yassmin, who had already gone through it a couple of times, patted his back gently. In any case, he quickly recovered.

"We're here," Ethan said, observing his surroundings with sharp eyes. Yassmin nodded and began to move quickly. She took several magical artifacts from her bag and started working on concealing the portal. They couldn't afford to have anyone find it.

"This portal can't be moved from where it is. We need to ensure it stays hidden and that we can find it easily when it's time to return," Yassmin said as she placed a series of enchanted stones around the portal.

"I'll use this magical compass to record the exact location of the portal. It will always point towards it, no matter where we are," she explained, showing a compass that glowed with a soft, steady light. Ethan nodded, trusting Yassmin's expertise in these matters.

With the portal secured, their next objective was to gather information about this new world. So far, all the B-rank worlds they had encountered were medieval societies, but Ethan hoped they might find a technologically advanced world. Uncertainty was part of the adventure.

They walked through the forest for hours, staying alert for any signs of life. The terrain was rugged and covered in dense vegetation, making it difficult to move quickly. The sounds of nature surrounded them: the crunch of leaves underfoot, the distant song of birds, and the constant murmur of the wind among the trees.

Suddenly, an arrow fell at their feet. Ethan stopped abruptly and looked up. The tension in the air was palpable. Yassmin quickly took cover, carefully examining their surroundings.

"They could be elves. If so, we're in luck. Elves are very useful as slaves," Yassmin said with a calculating tone. But when they looked around, it wasn't elves who appeared.

A group of humanoid creatures emerged from the trees, advancing cautiously. They were ratkin, beings about 1.4 meters tall, with slender bodies covered in short fur. They had pointed ears, fangs in their snouts, and long tails with little or no fur.

Ethan considered his options. He could attack them immediately and obtain the information he needed by force, but a different idea occurred to him. He could pretend to be friendly and try to gather information about their society and surroundings peacefully. He decided that pretending to be a couple lost in the forest could be a good tactic.

"Let's follow my plan," Ethan whispered to Yassmin, who nodded almost imperceptibly. He stepped forward with a puzzled expression and raised his hands in a gesture of peace.

"Hello! We don't want any trouble. We got lost in this forest. Could you help us?" Ethan said in a friendly voice. Yassmin, by his side, adopted a relaxed posture, though she was ready to act at any moment.

The ratkin looked at each other, evidently surprised by Ethan's friendly demeanor. One of them, who seemed to be the leader, stepped forward, observing Ethan and Yassmin with bright, cautious eyes.

"Lost? This is not a place to get lost, humans. What are you doing here?" the ratkin leader asked in a sharp voice with a suspicious tone.

"We wanted to take a shortcut, got off track, and ended up here. Can you help us find our way out or at least tell us where we are?" Ethan replied, maintaining a cordial smile.

The ratkin leader frowned, assessing the situation. After a moment of deliberation, he nodded and pointed further into the forest.

"Follow me. But don't try anything funny. We don't like humans wandering through our lands," said the ratkin, starting to walk.

Ethan and Yassmin followed the group of ratkin through the forest. The path was winding and dark, but after a while, they arrived at a clearing where there was an improvised settlement. The structures were simple, made of wood and mud, but the place was bustling with activity. Ratkin of all ages moved about, busy with their daily chores.

"Welcome to our home. We don't usually get visitors, so don't be surprised if some of us are a bit wary," said the ratkin leader, observing Ethan with a mixture of curiosity and distrust.

Ethan thanked the ratkin and took a moment to observe his surroundings. The settlement wasn't small; there were thousands of ratkin, but they all seemed to contribute to making everything functional. They appeared to live in harmony with the surrounding nature. Ethan knew he had to take advantage of this opportunity to learn more about this world.

"Thank you for your hospitality. Could we learn more about this place?" Ethan asked courteously, hoping to obtain the information he needed.

The ratkin leader nodded slowly and began to explain about their society. They were a matriarchal community living in the forest, away from the large human cities. The ratkin were known for their herb-gathering skills and high birth rates. They led a mostly peaceful existence, although they were always on the lookout for potential external threats.

As he listened, Ethan couldn't help but think about the potential opportunities they might offer. He had come in search of power and resources, and it seemed this place, at least, had something to offer in the latter aspect. Although the technology didn't seem advanced, the botanical knowledge and the ratkin themselves could be very valuable.

"Is there a large human city or settlement nearby?" Ethan asked, trying to gather more information about the surroundings.

"There's a human city about two days' journey from here, to the north. It's called Darathor. It's a place where everything is traded, from common goods to magical artifacts. But be careful, the humans there aren't very friendly to outsiders," the ratkin replied, looking at Ethan seriously.

Ethan nodded, grateful for the information. He knew Darathor could be his next destination. He needed to explore more and find all the resources and secrets that would allow him to strengthen himself in this new world. However, that was for later; now was the time to learn more about these ratkin.

As night fell and shadows lengthened in the ratkin settlement, Ethan and Yassmin prepared to rest.