Darkness. Silence. And then... breath.
A sudden gasp tore through his chest.
Yuuji Amano's eyes snapped open to a world that didn't belong to Earth.
The sky above him was not blue—it was luminous, glowing with shifting streaks of gold and sapphire. The clouds sparkled like fragments of crystal, drifting lazily as if time itself had slowed down.
He blinked.
Once.
Twice.
Then he tried to sit up.
Pain rippled down his spine. His arms trembled as he propped himself on the glowing grass beneath him—grass that shimmered faintly with light, as though mana flowed through each blade. It wasn't Earth. That much he knew.
And somehow... he wasn't dead.
"What… the hell…"
His voice cracked as if he hadn't spoken in days. The air was cool but thick with a strange pressure—like a storm just waiting to explode. Far in the distance, gigantic trees with glowing trunks reached toward floating islands in the sky. Creatures with wings of light circled the horizon. And then it hit him—
He remembered the truck.
The scream.
The bone-snapping collision.
The blood pooling around him.
But now?
Nothing.
Just his breath and this impossible sky.
Suddenly, a blue translucent screen materialized in the air.
[Welcome, Yuuji Amano]
[World: Eloria – The Realm of Flame and Fate]
[Initializing Unique Class: ???]
[God-Tier Sharing System – Locked Until Synchronization Begins]
[Warning: You are currently Level 1 | Attributes: Dormant]
[Objective: Protect the Six Flames of Fate]
He stared at the words. They didn't make sense… and yet, deep down, they felt real. Like they were already part of him.
"A system…? Am I in a game?"
"No… it feels too real."
His clothes had changed—black robes, marked with glowing symbols stitched in silver thread. A faint red crystal hung around his neck, pulsing like a heartbeat.
Suddenly, another message blinked.
[Alert: Demonic Presence Approaching – Estimated Arrival: 2 minutes]
[Recommendation: Seek Cover or Protection Immediately]
"What?! Already!?"
Panic surged through him. He looked around but there were no buildings, no paths—only glowing fields and far-off trees.
And his body... was weak. He could barely stand.
He stumbled forward, dragging his legs, each step feeling like a thousand pounds. Was this really how his second life would begin? Dying again—pathetically?
"No… I won't let it end like this…"
He clenched his fists, even as they trembled.
And then…
He saw her.
Atop a hill not far away, a silhouette stood against the wind—tall, confident, deadly.
Her armor shimmered like polished obsidian with edges like dragon scales. Crimson hair flowed behind her, fiery and alive. In her hand, a greatsword rested, crackling faintly with embers.
She looked like she had walked straight out of a fantasy anime—and straight into a war.
She turned toward him, her violet eyes locking onto his.
M
"Hmph. So you're the pathetic excuse for a Summoned One."
Yuuji flinched.
"W-What?"
She didn't answer. Instead, she drew her blade from the ground, and pointed it toward the forest behind him.
"Get down."
Yuuji dropped instinctively. A second later, the ground behind him exploded.
From within the smoke, a creature emerged—a massive, four-legged beast, its skin cracked and steaming. Its eyes glowed green, its breath thick with decay.
A demon.
Yuuji froze in terror.
The girl dashed forward in a blur. Flames erupted from her boots as she launched into the air, spinning once before bringing her blade crashing down onto the demon's skull.
BOOM!
The demon howled as its head split open, fire searing through its core.
Ash scattered. Silence returned.
She stood above the remains, sword sizzling.
Yuuji's jaw hung open.
"Y-You… just—"
"I'm not done babysitting. Get up."
She walked toward him, expression cold as steel.
"Name's Seraphina Ignis. Captain of the Emberwing Squad."
He blinked. Her presence was overwhelming—like fire that demanded respect.
"I… I'm Yuuji. Amano Yuuji…"
She raised an eyebrow. "Tch. Doesn't sound like a warrior's name."
Another message flickered.
[New Flame Detected: Seraphina Ignis – Emberwing Captain]
[Synchronization Level: 2% | Locked Abilities: Fire-Bond, Mana-Link]
"Synchronization…?"
"You're part of a system, aren't you?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.
"Figures. All of you summoned ones are."
"You… know about this?"
"Of course. It's written in the Prophecies. 'The One Who Shares Power Shall Lead the Forbidden Flames.'"
"Looks like that's you, rookie."
She turned, starting to walk away.
"W-Wait! What am I supposed to do?! I don't know anything about this world!"
"I'm not even strong…"
She paused.
Then glanced back.
"You're not. Not yet."
Her eyes softened just a little.
"But you've been chosen, and that means you're not allowed to die. Not until your duty is done."
Another screen appeared.
[Quest Unlocked: Form the Emberwing Squad – 1/6 Flames Discovered]
[Primary Mission: Awaken the Forbidden Power and Stop the Demon Lord's Return]
Yuuji stared at the words, breath shaky.
"Six… Flames?"
"Six girls," Seraphina said. "Each bound by fate to you."
"Find them. Protect them. Or Eloria burns."
She began walking again, her sword resting against her shoulder.
"Follow me. You're about to enter a world of war, magic, and temptation."
"And if you mess up…"
She looked over her shoulder, a smirk on her lips.
"I'll be the first to kill you."
TO BE CONTINUED…