Takumi Yamazaki, a 17-year-old average student, was tired of his dull, repetitive life. Every day felt the same. Deep inside, he longed for something extraordinary — an adventure that would pull him out of the ordinary world he despised.
But fate had other plans.
As he sat daydreaming, imagining distant lands and grand battles, a sudden commotion erupted nearby.
"RUN! A CRAZY MAN HAS A GUN—HE'S SHOOTING PEOPLE!"
The screams echoed through the street. Takumi froze. His mind went blank. He didn't even think to move.
Then—
BANG.
Everything went silent. His breath stopped. His heart no longer beat. Takumi Yamazaki… was dead.
How much time had passed? Minutes? Hours? Days? He couldn't tell. There was only emptiness—until he felt a strange heaviness in his limbs. He tried opening his eyes but couldn't. He struggled, again and again, until—
Light flooded his vision.
He was in a bright, empty room. A faint hum filled the air. In the distance, he saw what looked like a simple living room—couch, table, and a TV playing softly. On the couch sat a faceless man, relaxed, watching television as if nothing were wrong.
When the man noticed Takumi, he turned and spoke casually.
"Oh, you're awake? You must be tired after what happened, huh?"
Takumi froze again. Not from fear—this time from shock. He had tried to sneak closer, silently, to understand what was going on, but the man spoke as if he had been expecting him.
"Takumi-san," the man continued, "you must be wondering where you are, what happened, and who I am. To put it simply—you've died. Wrong place, wrong time, I'm afraid. But it wasn't meaningless. You saved someone I hold very dear. You took the bullet meant for her. For that, I'm truly grateful."
Takumi's voice trembled, but he forced himself to speak.
"I see... but what I'm wondering now is—what happens to me after this?"
The man chuckled softly.
"That's where I was getting to. As gratitude, I want to offer you something—a chance to live again. I've read your mind, Takumi-san. I know you longed for something extraordinary."
Takumi gulped. The thought of his mind being read made him uneasy, but he still nodded slowly.
"I'll take that as a yes," the man said warmly. "The world you'll go to is called Mythrune. A realm of kingdoms and magic, untouched by technology. Peaceful in most places, but full of wonders—and dangers."
Takumi's eyes lit up with curiosity.
"That sounds amazing… but what's the catch? No one gives something this big for free."
The man smiled.
"You're clever. There is a catch."
"Let me hear it."
"You'll be reincarnated as an infant. You'll live again, but you'll have to start from zero—with your memories intact."
Takumi tilted his head.
"That doesn't sound like a catch. That's more of a gift."
The man laughed lightly.
"Please, Takumi-san, stop cutting me off. I was getting there."
"Alright, alright. Go on."
"As I said, you'll start as a baby in Mythrune. You'll live up to two centuries if you avoid dying early. I'll grant you my blessing—Geo's Grace. But it won't be all butterflies and rainbows."
"In your fourteenth year, when your magic awakens, you'll discover your affinity: Earth Magic—known in Mythrune as Dustcraft or Construction Magic. The weakest of the seven affinities."
Takumi frowned.
"Weakest, huh? So that's the catch."
"Not quite," the man said, his tone darkening. "Because of that, you'll be exiled. Cast out as a failure. Shunned by your own village. You'll end up in the wilds near the Elven Kingdom of Aeloria, where a being older than time itself dwells—a Primordial Elf. He's… bored to death. And you, Takumi-san, will be the one to entertain him."
The man smiled again.
"So—what do you say? Ready to make your life extraordinary?"
Takumi took a deep breath.A grin formed on his lips.
"Heh. If it means living the life I dreamed of… then bring it on."