One day, though I'm not quite sure what I was doing, I lost my footing and went tumbling down the mountain. I expected agonizing pain, but by some stroke of luck, the spot where I rolled was covered in lush green moss. The place where I finally landed was a vacant clearing, with trees forming a circle around it as if it were a space designed for someone. Thinking it a relief that I wasn't hurt, I placed my hands on the ground to push myself up.

'Step, step.'

The sound of someone walking through the overgrown forest echoed from a distance. I stopped mid-rise and turned my head toward the sound. Peering closely, I saw a figure dressed in high-quality fabric harmonizing black and red, with vibrant orange hair.

For a moment, I thought, 'Is it a local official?' But that thought was shattered within seconds.

The figure drew closer, narrowing the distance, and with every step, the air seemed to change, heavy with pressure. Gradually, the silhouette of a man with a massive physique came into focus in my eyes.

The man had tiger ears and a tail; his appearance was surreal, far beyond human. He didn't seem like a person at all.

The man smiled as he approached and came to a halt right in front of me.

I looked up at him until the back of my neck ached. Then, a single thought flashed through my mind.

'Ah, so this is the mountain god I've only heard stories about.'

The mountain god had appeared before my eyes. Stunned, I sat there with my mouth half-open, staring up at him in the same posture for several seconds. Then, the mountain god's lips moved slightly. He seemed to be about to say something.

Finally, his mouth opened, and a low voice flowed out.