Kun slowly opened his eyes.
The sky above him was alien—deep blue with two golden suns casting overlapping shadows on the grass. His head throbbed, and his limbs were stiff. He sat up, blinking as the warm wind rustled the tall blades of grass around him.
Where was he?
His last memory was the black hole. The blinding pull, the noise vanishing into silence, and then… darkness.
Now, he was lying in the middle of a vast grassland, no stars, no spacecraft, just wilderness and the chirping of strange birds.
His once-advanced space suit was tattered. Most of the systems were fried. Even the helmet was gone. Only the chest panel flickered faintly before giving out a final beep.
"I… survived?" he whispered.
From afar, he spotted smoke curling into the air. Civilization. Or something like it.
Gripping what remained of his supplies, Kun began walking.
---
The village was simple—stone huts, wooden fences, goats, and villagers dressed in roughspun tunics. It was like something out of an old Earth history file—Europe's medieval age, minus the technology.
But this world was not Earth.
As Kun approached, several villagers noticed him and shouted in alarm. Children scattered. Men reached for crude spears and bows.
Before panic could spread, a voice called out.
"Wait," said an old man, stepping out from behind the crowd. He leaned on a twisted staff carved with runes and wore a weathered cloak that shimmered faintly with magical threads. His silver beard blew gently in the breeze. "Let me see him."
The villagers parted.
"You are… different," said the old man as he scanned Kun from head to toe. "Your clothes, your eyes… you are not of this world."
Kun hesitated. "I guess... not."
The man nodded. "Come with me."
---
The mage's hut was filled with strange smells—burning herbs, ink, and old parchment. Bottles glowed faintly on shelves, and a single orb of floating light hovered in the ceiling's center.
The old man motioned for Kun to sit on a low stool. He placed both hands on Kun's shoulders and chanted a slow incantation.
The room dimmed, and a warm current surged through Kun's body.
After several minutes, the light orb above flickered and cracked.
The old mage let out a breath and opened his eyes. "Hmm."
Kun raised a brow. "What was that?"
"A magical affinity test," the mage said calmly. "You carry mana—barely. You have fire-type aptitude, but nothing impressive. Low potential, perhaps a candlelight spell if you're lucky."
Kun frowned. "That's it?"
The mage nodded with a tinge of disappointment. "Your presence is unusual, yes, but your talent is... underwhelming. Still, we do not turn away wanderers. You may stay in the village for now."
Kun managed a tight smile. "Thanks… I guess."
But inside, he was more confused than ever.
If I don't have real power, why am I here?
---
That night, Kun lay alone in the hay of a quiet barn. The village was peaceful, and above him, stars glittered—but not ones he recognized.
As he turned over restlessly, a strange light shimmered outside the barn window—soft, golden, and floating just above the grass.
Kun got up and quietly stepped outside.
There, hovering in the air, was a figure. Genderless, radiant, with robes woven of starlight and eyes like the universe itself.
Time stopped.
"You're awake," the being said, its voice both everywhere and inside his mind.
Kun instinctively stepped back. "Who… are you?"
"I am a Watcher. A celestial steward. A 'god,' by your world's standards, though that word is… heavy."
Kun stared.
"I have been observing your realm for centuries. I did not intend for you to come here, Kun. But in my watching, I made a mistake. I touched a dormant portal crystal tied to this world's leyline… and it resonated with your vessel."
Kun narrowed his eyes. "So… you pulled me here by accident."
The god-like being nodded. "And for that, I owe you a gift."
In a motion both simple and eternal, the being reached out—and placed a finger on Kun's forehead.
A warm flood entered his body. Stars, heat, pressure, visions of constellations and power far beyond flame or light. Then it was gone.
He gasped, stumbling backward.
"I've given you power beyond this world's comprehension. But be cautious. Its source is tied to what lies beyond the sky—and others will sense it soon."
"Wait—what kind of power?"
But the being was already fading. "You must choose how to use it, Kun. And how much to reveal."
Darkness returned.
---
Kun stood alone under the stars, his heart racing.
He clenched his hand—and for a second, blue starlight flickered across his palm.
He exhaled slowly, then turned back toward the barn.
Tomorrow, he would wake and pretend.
Pretend he was just a weak, fire-attuned outsider.
No one needed to know. Not yet.
Not the mage. Not the villagers.
Not until it mattered.