Kaizen Hikaru walked down a dirt road leading to the nearest village. The morning sun hung low in the sky, casting a warm golden glow over the fields. Birds chirped lazily, and the smell of fresh bread from the baker's shop drifted into the air. To anyone passing by, he looked like an ordinary traveler—a young man in simple clothes, hood drawn slightly to hide his face.
He adjusted the strap of the small satchel on his shoulder, thinking casually, *It's rare to get some peace these days.*
The village looked exactly like any other. Wooden houses with thatched roofs lined the streets. Villagers moved about their business, some carrying baskets, others sweeping in front of their homes. A few children played near the fountain in the center, tossing coins and laughing.
Kaizen's stomach rumbled. He hadn't eaten since morning. *Maybe I should grab something to eat… nothing fancy, just some snacks.*
He entered a small stall that sold bread, dried fruits, and sweets. The vendor, a plump woman with a friendly smile, looked up.
"Good morning, traveler! What will it be?" she asked.
Kaizen scanned the display, then chose a few small buns and a bag of candied fruits. As he paid, he smiled faintly. "Just these for now."
While he walked back to the fountain, nibbling on a bun, his mind wandered as it always did. He couldn't help thinking about the world he had been reborn into—a world dominated by magic, where power determined everything. People fought, conquered, and died based on their magical abilities.
*Let's see… the hierarchy of magic in this world,* he thought. *Weakest to strongest…*
* **Weak class:** Practically useless. People who barely cast a spell and die in battle without warning.
* **Common class:** Average adventurers or soldiers with some magical ability. They can defend themselves, maybe defeat a low-level monster, but nothing impressive.
* **Middle class:** Skilled fighters. They can command elemental magic, fight in groups, and take on moderate threats. Dangerous if underestimated.
* **Upper class:** Serious power. Usually leaders of guilds, commanders, or elite soldiers. They can destroy small towns if provoked.
* **General class:** A rare few. These are the people who change the course of wars, heroes of legend, or terrifying enemies. They command multiple types of magic and can fight almost anyone.
* **Guardian class:** Almost mythical. Said to guard entire kingdoms, reality itself bends for them, and people who face them die almost instantly. Their power is world-changing.
Kaizen finished chewing and smiled faintly. *Heh. I've seen all of them… and I don't even need to be serious to surpass most.*
Lost in thought, he didn't notice the shadow moving behind him. A figure stepped out from an alley—a bandit, dressed in ragged leather armor, dagger glinting in the sunlight. His eyes widened when he saw Kaizen's hooded face.
"You there! Stop!" the bandit shouted, raising his dagger. "Hand over your valuables, or you die!"
Kaizen tilted his head slightly. The man wasn't even a *middle-class mage*—probably weak class at best. He could tell immediately by the faint aura radiating from him. *A petty bandit thinks he can attack me in broad daylight?* Kaizen thought. *How… amusing.*
The bandit lunged, dagger aimed straight for Kaizen's chest. Villagers screamed and scattered, ducking behind barrels and carts. Some grabbed farming tools, hoping to intervene, but fear froze them.
Kaizen exhaled lightly. He didn't even bother moving. He raised one hand, just slightly, almost lazily.
The bandit froze mid-step, as if time itself had been paused. Then, with a soft *pop*, the dagger, his hands, even the man himself… ceased to exist. Not killed, not wounded—he simply **stopped existing**.
Kaizen lowered his hand, his expression calm as ever. The air smelled faintly of burnt ozone from the sudden disappearance, but the villagers were too shocked to notice.
A small child peeked from behind a cart, eyes wide. "Wh-who… who did that?"
Kaizen crouched slightly, smiling faintly. "No one you need to worry about," he said softly. Then he stood, adjusted his hood, and continued toward the fountain.
*Weak class, common class… middle class… Upper class…* he thought again as he walked. *This world… it's amusing. Even the weak think they can do something, yet they vanish in an instant if they get in my way. I wonder how long it will take before Heaven sends someone worthy.*
Kaizen sat on the edge of the fountain, dipping his fingers in the cool water while he ate the candied fruits. The villagers watched him from a distance, whispering among themselves. They didn't know his face, and they didn't know the danger he had just eliminated. They only knew that the village felt… safer somehow.
*I save people every day,* he thought, *and yet no one knows my name. Heaven thinks I'm a mistake. They call me an enemy. But that's fine. Let them think that. I'll enjoy watching them scramble when they finally meet someone who can actually challenge me.*
He leaned back, letting his hood shadow his eyes. The sun reflected off the fountain water, glinting like tiny stars around him. To the villagers, he looked like a simple young man enjoying a quiet morning. To Kaizen, it was another day, another life quietly saved, another display of the absurd gap between him and the people—or the gods—who thought they could threaten him.
After finishing his snacks, Kaizen stood and dusted off his clothes. He glanced once at the empty alley where the bandit had appeared. *Outversal-level enemies? They need to send stronger foes,* he thought again, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.
He continued down the village road, passing shops and stalls. He bought a few more small snacks—just enough to take with him for the next part of his journey. As he walked, he observed the villagers carefully. No threats in sight. No magic users approaching. Just simple, peaceful life.
And yet, Kaizen knew peace was fragile. Even here, in a quiet village, danger could appear at any moment. A single wrong enemy, a single misstep, and lives could be lost. But that wouldn't happen while he was around. Not while he existed.
He took a deep breath, letting the warm morning air fill his lungs. *This world… it's simple, yet complicated. People fight over magic levels, over power, over glory. And yet, all it takes is one person—one mistake of Heaven—to make the impossible simple.*
Kaizen adjusted his satchel and set off down the main road, heading toward the outskirts of the village. Villagers continued to whisper about the strange young man, but none dared approach. None could sense the immense power hiding beneath his calm exterior.
Kaizen chuckled softly to himself. *Let them guess. Let them wonder. They'll find out the truth soon enough.*
And with that, he disappeared down the road, a quiet figure in a world that had no idea how close it was to someone far beyond its comprehension.