Entering

An unknown universe.

Earth, in the mountains outside City J.

Lightning flashed and thunder rolled. A bolt struck a tree, turning its lush green canopy to charcoal in an instant.

Drip, drip...

Torrential rain swept over the forest and open hills. Birds hid in their nests, bees huddled inside their warm hive, and raindrops battered the leaves and grass.

In the wind and rain, all that remained of the burning tree was a wisp of smoke.

But that lightning strike had also brought a soul from another universe. The charred trunk began to grow roots and sprout again. Drawing on the abundant rain and the elements in the surrounding soil, it soon became a towering tree.

It stopped its rapid growth only when it reached about thirty-five meters tall.

The rain kept falling.

It stirred up the earthy smell of mud, then washed it away.

In the forest, there was only the patter of rain and the rustle of wind through the plants, broken now and then by the cries of beasts, insects, and birds.

Two days later, the first heavy rain of early summer ended.

Everything seemed peaceful again. The forests and hills, the cities and villages, looked much as they always had.

A bird darted through the clear blue sky, searching the vegetation for a plump insect. Then a sparrow landed on a branch of the towering tree and cocked its little head curiously.

Why was there another big tree here?

At that moment, the ground beside the tree silently split open. The sparrow stared into the pitch-black opening with its tiny eyes.

A figure emerged. He wore a plain gray robe, and beneath his tousled blond hair were ruby-red eyes. A silver ring on one hand was attached to a fine metal chain.

The newcomer was Kurapika.