Torifu's head spun, and he lost consciousness amid the clouds and mist, crumpling to the ground.
When he woke again, everything around him seemed so wondrous.
Torifu now found himself in a vast galaxy, with stars twinkling across the heavens and countless celestial bodies being born and destroyed.
He drifted along with the current of the galaxy, passing a black hole and nearly getting sucked into it.
The countless wonders dazzled Torifu. The galaxy's splendor was impossible to behold while gazing up from the ground.
Only by being here in this vast expanse could he truly experience it.
Yet Torifu couldn't tell whether any of this was real or fake—or perhaps it was just a dream?
To figure it out, Torifu tried the most straightforward method.
He pinched his cheek, though not very hard.
He could feel pain, which meant this wasn't a dream.
But everything around him seemed utterly surreal. He'd closed his eyes and opened them again—how had he ended up in space?
"Damn it, did that Dog System kidnap me?"
But no matter how he thought about it, there was no reason for it to. He had nothing to offer right now, so why kidnap him?
Just then, a massive meteorite hurtled toward Torifu. In a panic, he raised a hand to block it.
But the instant he touched the meteorite, the scenery around him changed again.
When he opened his eyes, the galaxy had turned into a courtyard shrouded in clouds and mist.
The clouds and mist concealed the courtyard, making it impossible to see inside. Three green pines grew outside, and several cranes circled overhead, calling out now and then.
"Come in, child."
A familiar voice rang out. Its gentle yet cool tone dispelled every distracting thought in Torifu's mind.
After straightening his clothes, Torifu