Haruto's lungs burned.
The battlefield around him was chaos given form dragons shrieked overhead, their wings blotting out the sky as torrents of fire rained upon the ruined plains. Legions of armored elves and humans clashed in bloody combat, swords ringing against twisted steel. Blackened earth cracked beneath his feet, spreading like a spiderweb as if the land itself rejected the corruption that poisoned it.
Haruto stumbled back, clutching his new half-elf body. His emerald eyes reflected the crimson glow of burning villages in the distance.
"This… this is too real. I can smell the blood."
He gagged, heart hammering. This wasn't just a flashy cutscene. This was war.
Then—time froze.
Flames halted mid-flicker, arrows hung in the air, dragons were frozen in mid-roar. A crystalline chime echoed in the void, and a holographic blue screen unfolded in front of Haruto's vision.
[System Initialization Complete]
[Identity: Haruto Sato — registered username: "Sunlight"]
[Race: Half-Elf / Male / Age: 13]
[Synchronization: 100%]
[System Online]
Haruto blinked. His heart leapt. "Oh my god… this is it the legendary System! Just like in all those web novels! Status screens, hidden missions, OP protagonist package here we go!"
Another window slid open, glowing with neat icons:
Status (Unlocked) Inventory (Unlocked) Skills (Locked) Quests (Unlocked) Map (Locked) Shop (Locked) Guilds & Parties (Locked) World Archive (Unlocked)
Haruto's gamer instincts screamed with joy. "So it's like a gacha system I've got to unlock features by leveling up or completing missions. This is sick!"
Before he could tap further, the battlefield lurched back into motion.
The clash of gods resumed.
At the heart of the chaos stood two towering figures.
On one side: Alexander, the Sunlight Knight. His silver armor blazed like the morning sun, his golden hair flowing as though touched by divine wind. His sword was no ordinary blade it burned with four elements fused together, each swing igniting firestorms, tidal waves, gales, and sprouting roots from the earth.
On the other side: the Dark Elf King. Cloaked in shadows that writhed like living serpents, his crimson eyes glowed with ancient hatred. Every movement of his hand summoned waves of corruption, twisting fallen soldiers into grotesque beasts that turned against their comrades. His magic blackened the very ground, spreading like a disease.
The armies collided around them—elves chanting spells of light, humans charging with banners raised, dragons locked in aerial duels against shadow wyverns. Fire met lightning, steel met claw. The sky was a canvas of destruction.
Haruto stood in the middle of it all, trembling. "This… isn't a tutorial. It's a trailer. A memory."
The System's voice confirmed, calm and emotionless:
[World Archive Accessed]
[You are witnessing: The First War — Year 0]
[Narrative Playback Mode: ON]
The voice narrated as the vision deepened:
[One thousand years ago, peace shattered. The Dark Elf King rose from the abyss, wielding forbidden magic, and sought to enslave both elves and humans. His corruption spread like wildfire. Nations burned.]
[But one warrior rose to challenge him—Alexander, the Sunlight Knight. Chosen of the four elements, he bore the last hope of the mortal races.]
Haruto's eyes locked on Alexander. For a moment, time slowed, and he could almost feel the man's presence—his burning determination, his willingness to sacrifice everything.
The two titans clashed. Each strike of Alexander's blade illuminated the battlefield like dawn itself. Each counter from the Dark Elf drenched it in abyssal night.
Finally, Alexander lifted his sword high and roared words that shook the heavens. The ground trembled, rivers of lava burst open, cyclones tore through the skies, and vines erupted from beneath the earth. The four elements converged, forming radiant chains of light.
The Dark Elf King howled, struggling against the seal. "This will not last forever, Alexander! A thousand years, and I shall rise again! Your descendants will inherit only despair!"
Alexander slammed his sword into the earth, driving the seal into being. The elements roared as one, binding the Dark Elf beneath the earth, imprisoning him in eternal darkness.
As the chains tightened, Alexander's body began to dissolve into light. Soldiers screamed in grief, but his face was calm. His sacrifice was absolute.
When the battle faded, only silence remained. The armies of elves and humans wept as the elemental powers split into four directions, scattering across the continents: Fire to the West, Water to the East, Wind to the North, and Nature to the South.
The scene froze again. The battlefield blurred into darkness, leaving only Haruto standing before the glowing System screen.
[Narrative Playback Complete.]
[The seal weakens. One thousand years have passed.]
[New Main Quest Available.]
A quest window unfolded before Haruto's eyes:
Main Quest: The Return of Darkness
Objective: Master the Four Elements. Objective: Discover the truth behind Alexander's legacy. Objective: Defeat the Dark Elf King once and for all.
Reward: ???
Haruto swallowed hard. "…So that's it. I'm supposed to finish Alexander's story."
Before his doubt could take root, the System chimed again.
[Tutorial Mode Activated.]
New windows popped up one by one, explaining themselves:
Status Page: Shows his name, race, level, health, mana, stamina. Right now: all laughably low. HP: 100/100. MP: 30/30. Strength: 5. Agility: 4. Intelligence: 6. Endurance: 3. Luck: 1. Inventory: Empty, save for basic starter clothes and a wooden dagger. Skills: Locked. "Complete beginner quests to unlock skill usage." Map: Locked until he visits a town or acquires a compass. Shop: Locked. "Reach Level 5 to access trading." Guilds & Parties: Locked. "Meet other players/NPCs." Quests: One active (Main Quest), and one tutorial quest.
A small notification blinked:
[Tutorial Quest Unlocked!]
Objective 1: Hunt 3 Forest Rabbits. Objective 2: Gather 5 Healing Herbs. Objective 3: Reach the nearest village.
Reward: Skill Menu Unlock + Novice Healing Spell.
Haruto's jaw dropped. "So it's not just about killing bosses. I have to earn the System features? That's actually… genius."
He clenched his fist, excitement bubbling in his chest.
"No more being useless. No more being a burden. This time I have a clear quest, a path. This time, I'm not just Haruto Sato. I'm Sunlight."
The battlefield memory dissolved fully into golden light. Haruto felt himself pulled down, spiraling through the void until he landed softly.
When he opened his eyes, he was lying in a moonlit forest. Crickets sang, and fireflies blinked between the trees. For the first time, the air wasn't heavy with blood and smoke it was fresh, alive.
The System chimed gently:
[Tutorial Complete.]
[Welcome to Year 1000. Player Sunlight, your journey begins now.]
Haruto sat up, the grass soft beneath his palms. A grin spread slowly across his face.
"Kenji… Mom… everyone who laughed at me. Just wait. I'll prove myself in this world. I'll become the greatest damn hero you've ever seen."
And with that, his true adventure began.