Guts jolted awake and instinctively reached for his power sword and the Volkite Pistol he'd just swiped from the Salamanders.
Unfortunately, he grabbed at empty air! All he felt was the cotton pajamas on his body.
Midnight starlight spilled into the room. Through the window, Guts saw the brilliant starscape outside, untouched by Warp taint. Alicia had rain for much of the year, so clear weather like this was rare.
But the calmer and more peaceful things were, the more uncomfortable Guts felt.
Habit had become instinct. Just as Guts was about to call for his brothers' support, he suddenly noticed the calendar on his desk, marked 2007. A memory surfaced in his mind.
"Father, are you sure I won't die if I jump in?"
"Absolutely! Do you even know who I am? If this world could fit me, why would I leave it to you? That's the third time you've asked me. Keep yapping and I'll chop off your ass and feed it to Rambo!"
"But Rambo doesn't eat human flesh."
"You're still going on about your ass? Are you jumping or not? Remember, keep a low profile over there and focus on protecting yourself. Kill every last one of them for me.
"One more thing: this time, I implanted a super-miniature pocket dimension in your soul. It contains the basic gear you'll need for your early missions, as well as the materials to make a small Dark Portal.
"Once you get there, set up the Dark Portal first. Go wild after it's fully charged. If you run into something you can't beat, call for backup. I'll stake my own child on it—whoever I send will come back with its head.
"Keep your spirits up. Don't embarrass me! I want to see lizard meat on the dinner table someday."