The direwolf collapsed with a heavy thud.

  I stood over its body, my breath ragged, my heart pounding in my chest like a war drum. My hands trembled as I clutched the broken remains of the wooden sword. The rush of battle, the fear of death, and the strange energy that had surged through me just moments ago—it was all too much to process.

  I just killed something.

  The thought made my stomach twist, but at the same time… I had no choice.

  “You… you saved me!”

  A small voice snapped me out of my daze. I turned to see the young boy, his wide eyes filled with awe and relief. He looked no older than ten, with messy dark hair and dirt-streaked cheeks. He was still trembling, but his expression had shifted from terror to admiration.

  “T-Thank you, mister!” He bowed deeply, his tiny hands clenched into fists. “I thought I was going to die…”

  I took a shaky breath and forced myself to stand straight. “It’s… nothing. Are you hurt?”

  The boy shook his head quickly. “No! But you—your clothes are all torn, and you look hurt! You should come to my house! My village is close by!”

  I hesitated.

  This boy—his clothes were simple, almost medieval in design. His speech was unfamiliar yet somehow understandable. And then there was the system, the direwolf, and my newfound ability to move like the wind itself.

  This wasn’t just another country or some hidden part of the world.

  I was somewhere entirely different.

  “…Alright,” I said after a pause. “Take me to your village.”

  The boy beamed. “Follow me! I’m Kaito, by the way!”

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  I nodded absentmindedly, still lost in thought. “Hiroshi. My name is Hiroshi.”

  ---

  A Strange Land

  We walked through the dense forest, the moonlight barely piercing through the thick canopy of leaves above. The night air was crisp, and the ground felt oddly soft beneath my feet—almost too natural, too untouched.

  As we moved, I started noticing things. The trees were massive, their trunks easily three times the width of any tree I had ever seen on Earth. Some of the plants had a faint glow, pulsing softly in the darkness. And the air… it carried a strange energy, something I could feel deep in my bones.

  I clenched my fist, recalling the surge of power from earlier.

  [Do you wish to use the Element of Wind?]

  The system had asked me that. And when I accepted, my body moved in ways it shouldn’t have been able to.

  That wasn’t normal.

  That wasn’t human.

  Kaito turned to me, his face still bright with excitement. “Mister Hiroshi, you’re really strong! I’ve never seen anyone fight like that before!”

  “I just got lucky,” I muttered.

  “No way! You even used wind magic! Only trained warriors can do that!”

  Wind magic.

  That confirmed it. This was no ordinary world. This was a place where magic existed.

  I exhaled slowly, trying to remain calm. This wasn’t a dream. I was here, in this unknown world, and there was no guarantee I could ever return home.

  “…What is this place?” I finally asked.

  Kaito blinked. “Huh?”

  “This land. This world. Where am I?”

  The boy tilted his head, clearly confused by my question. “You’re in the western forests of Eldoria. Our village is just past this hill!”

  Eldoria. A name I had never heard in my life.

  There was no denying it now.

  I wasn’t on Earth anymore.

  ---

  The Village of Beginnings

  After a few more minutes of walking, the dense forest finally cleared, revealing a small village nestled between rolling hills. Wooden houses with thatched roofs lined the dirt pathways, and in the center, a large bonfire burned brightly, casting warm light over the village square.

  I could hear laughter and conversation—people gathering around, sharing food, living their lives as if monsters didn’t lurk just beyond the trees.

  “We made it!” Kaito cheered. “This is my home—Rivermill Village!”

  A few villagers turned to look at us as we entered. Their gazes landed on me, their expressions shifting from curiosity to wariness.

  A stranger arriving at night, with torn clothes and bloodstained hands. Yeah, I couldn’t blame them for being cautious.

  Kaito didn’t seem to notice. He ran ahead, waving toward a small house near the edge of the village. “Mama! Papa! I’m home!”

  Two adults—a man with a rugged face and a woman with kind eyes—rushed out of the house. Their faces were a mixture of relief and pure panic as they saw Kaito.

  “Kaito! You—where have you been?!” the woman cried, dropping to her knees and pulling the boy into a tight hug.

  “There was a monster in the woods, but Mister Hiroshi saved me!”

  At those words, the parents turned their eyes to me.

  The father’s hand immediately went to the axe strapped to his waist, his stance shifting defensively. “Who are you?”

  I raised my hands, trying to appear non-threatening. “Just a traveler.”

  Silence.

  The mother looked between me and Kaito, her eyes softening slightly. “You… saved our son?”

  I nodded. “Yeah. A direwolf attacked him. I killed it.”

  The father’s eyes widened, his grip on the axe loosening slightly.

  “A direwolf…?” he muttered. “You… killed it?”

  Their reactions told me everything I needed to know.

  Direwolves weren’t just common threats.

  They were powerful monsters.

  If killing one was supposed to be impossible, then the power I awakened… was far greater than I reali

  zed.

  For now, I kept my mouth shut.

  I needed answers.

  And this village might be the key to understanding this world.