One second, he was standing outside the book store waiting for the bus. Clutching his newly bought book while reading Fairy Tail manga on his phone. Just the usual.
Just as he was reading, a strong gale passed by making him squint his eyes.
"Arc of Embodiment, hmm?"
The next, the book store was gone. The people disappeared. The entire block vanished before his eyes. Suddenly everything changed leaving him flabbergasted and confused.
[Unique Skill: Arc of Embodiment acquisition successful.]
"Who!?" He turned, only to see no one
'Where am I?'
He looked around only to see towering trees all around.
'Where is this?'
Baffled and confused. The last thing he remembered was standing outside the book store, waiting for the bus, while reading. Then–a strong gale passed by making him squint his eyes.
Then, this.
He looked down at his clothes–still his hoodie, jeans, shoes. No blood, no wounds. His phone was working, but there's no signal, and the time seems to have stopped working, and the book he was holding seems to have vanished.
"Huh?"
Feeling a sting on his right arm. There it was, an unfamiliar tattoo of a book.
"What? When did I–"
[Unique Skill: Akashic Records acquisition successful.]
"What the, there it is again! Who!"
Rustle
This time a different sound came from his right. He turned, only to see a woman in white and black. Her dark hair fell in waves, but it was the mask that caught his eye – a strange, but oddly familiar mask.
But before he gets a closer look, a suffocating pressure suddenly engulfs him.
"S-stop, d-don't come any closer!"
Wary and scared from the seemingly visible pressure that was coming out of her, he stopped her from moving any closer.
"Alright, then can you tell me what you're doing here?" the woman said soothingly
Seeing that there was no response and that the guy was still afraid, she realized that she's still exuding pressure due to her earlier fight. Slowly, she relaxes, and takes off her mask as a way to show that she meant no harm.
The moment their eyes met
Thud
He faints...
He seems to have dreamt of someone else's life.
A life of a child
from being caught in a bombing raid, to being forcibly summoned
from getting unwanted powers, to using them to help others
from being a servant of a demon lord, to becoming a hero herself.
The Conqueror of Flames, Shizue Izawa
~
"Hmmm"
The crackling of a small campfire and the chirping of distant insects stirred him awake.
"Hnggg"
Feeling the suprising softness beneath his head. Rhythmic breathing. Something warm... steady... a heartbeat?
He blinked slowly, vision blurry as the rays of the sun clouded his eyes. When the haze cleared, the first thing he saw were eyes – gentle, black eyes – watching him with quiet concern.
"You're awake" the woman said softly, her voice calm and almost distant, like the echo of a dream.
He jolted upright halfway before freezing – his head had been in her lap.
"A-ah, Shizue-san sorry–!"
"Don't strain yourself, you've been unconscious for a while... but–"
"How did you know my name?" she tilts her head cutely while asking in a questioning tone
"A-ah, th-that is beca–"
"You're not an adventurer since you don't have an Adventurer Card, I've also never seen you before. Also... no one calls me Shizue anymore"
"Ugh!"
Seeing her like this, he gets reminded of his dream.
'That wasn't a dream, it was... Shizue-san's past. As for why I saw it... If I have to guess, it was probably due to a skill.'
'So, I'm in Central World? Tensura huh...'
Seeing her questioning eyes while patiently waiting for an answer, he hesitated.
'I don't wanna lie'
"Sigh..."
After a few minutes.
"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."
"No... I-I'll tell you"
"Hmm, go on." She responds softly
"Uhh... Shizue-san, i-it's probably because of my skill." He looks at her apologetically. "I-I saw your past, that's why."
"Hm?" She raises an eyebrow as if to question the authenticity of what she just heard.
"Yeah..." He looks at her softly.
"I see" She nods, then tilts her head again. "So, are you an otherworlder?"
"Yes, I think so. A while ago I was outside a book store, waiting for the bus, and was about to head home." He takes a deep breath. "and then the next second I was here."
"Then you appeared, Shizue-san"
"I see, a stray..."
"Yes, based on your memories I guess I'm a stray." He chuckles awkwardly.
"Shizue-san... are you not angry? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to look into your past..."
After a few minutes with no response.
'Is she angry? But I guess it's understandable. Well who wouldn't be, when a stranger suddenly learns about your past... Ugh'
Just as he was about to speak again.
"Let's go, it's almost nighttime. We also need to do something about you Identity."
"Y-yes, I'll follow you Shizue-san."
"Just call me Shizu."
"Alright... Shizu-san."
"Hmm." She nods, then looks at him apprehensively.
"What is it?" He tilts his head in confusion.
"We need to do something about your clo–" She gasps. "Ah! You, you're changing!"
"Ah? What's wrong? Changing what?" Worried, he instinctively used his skill to make a mirror.
[Arc of Embodiment]
What he saw was shocking. His jet-black hair shimmered as if caught in moonlight, strands fading to a luminous white in a slow ethereal ripple. At the same time, his deep brown eyes brightened, shifting hue like thawing ice until they settled into a piercing light blue, each iris now etched with a faint diamond pattern that glowed with otherworldly clarity.
"Uh? What?" Baffled, he looks at Shizu to look for an answer only to see her baffled as well.
After the transformation.
"Hmmm, maybe it's because of your skill as well?" She said hesitantly.
"Uh yea, maybe..."
"Well, we still need to do something about your clothes."
"I got it." He says, as he uses his skill to alter what he's wearing.
[Arc of Embodiment]
Turning the hoodie into a white cloak, and the jeans into dark pants that are similar to Shizu's, and turning his shoes into leather boots.
"Is this okay?" He contemplates. "Oh should I add a mask as well?"
"No, that's already fine" She nods, a little speechless. "Let's go."
"Alright..."
"Name." She whispers softly
"Huh?" He tilts his head in confusion.
"Your... name." She says clearly, a bit hesistant.
"Oh." He smiles softly. " Yūgen."
"Tsukimori Yūgen."