I followed Elder Jiro through the dimly lit hallway of Kaito’s house. The wooden planks creaked under my steps, the air thick with an unspoken tension. Kaito’s father trailed behind us, his expression a mix of wariness and curiosity.

  As we entered a separate room, a sharp ding echoed in my mind.

  [Analyzing Presence…]

  [Displaying Information]

  A transparent blue screen materialized in front of me. My breath caught as I read the details.

  ---

  [Status: Jiro Hasiraba]

  Age: 431

  Strength: Level 54

  Agility: Level 36

  Stamina: Level 65

  Mana Type: Water

  ---

  My body tensed.

  Four hundred and thirty-one years old?

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  I stole a glance at Elder Jiro. He looked old, sure, but nowhere near that old. He had a commanding presence, his face weathered but strong. His robes shimmered faintly under the lantern light, and his piercing gaze held wisdom beyond comprehension.

  Was this some kind of immortality? Or just absurdly long lifespans in this world?

  I clenched my fists.

  This was no longer just some game-like experience.

  This world had real monsters. Real warriors. And now, real living legends.

  Elder Jiro’s voice pulled me from my thoughts.

  “Hiroshi,” he said, his tone slow, deliberate. “There is something you must know about this land.”

  ---

  The Six Unrivaled Beings

  He walked over to a wooden chair and lowered himself into it, motioning for me to sit as well. I hesitated before taking a seat across from him.

  “You may not understand yet,” he continued, “but this world… Eldoria… has long been governed by the strong.”

  I kept quiet, listening intently.

  “There are many powerful warriors, mages, and beasts in this land. But in the entire history of Eldoria, there have only ever been six humans who possessed power beyond reason—beings who could single-handedly decimate entire armies.”

  His words sent a chill down my spine.

  Six humans capable of wiping out entire armies?

  “Each of them,” Elder Jiro went on, “was born with a gift. Strength beyond human limits. Abilities that defied logic.”

  He leaned forward slightly.

  “And now… I believe the seventh one has been born.”

  I froze.

  The weight of his words sank in like a stone.

  My voice came out quieter than I expected. “You think… that’s me?”

  Jiro studied me for a moment before nodding.

  “All signs point to it.”

  ---

  The Seventh One

  I swallowed hard, my thoughts racing.

  This couldn’t be right.

  I wasn’t some chosen warrior. I was just an ordinary guy who had been thrown into this world by accident. Sure, I had somehow killed a direwolf—an elite monster—but that was because of the system.

  Wasn’t it?

  Jiro must have seen the hesitation on my face because he sighed.

  “You don’t believe me,” he said simply.

  I rubbed my temples. “I don’t know what to believe.”

  Jiro’s expression softened, but his voice remained firm.

  “Then tell me, traveler… how do you explain what happened earlier?”

  I had no answer.

  I thought back to the fight. How I had moved faster than I should have. How the wind had answered my call. How my blade had struck with unnatural precision.

  That wasn’t normal.

  And yet, I had accepted it in the moment.

  Like it was meant to be.

  Jiro sat back, his gaze never leaving mine. “You may not realize it yet, Hiroshi… but your journey is only just beginning.”

  I clenched my fists under the table, feeling the weight of his words press down on me.

  Who was I in this world?

  Was I truly… the seventh unrivaled one?

  I had no answers. Only confusion.

  And a creeping feeling that this was only the beginning of something much, much bigger.