The sea of wheat swayed under the wind, rolling in golden waves. Olive trees caught the sunlight, their leaves flashing silver as they danced. At the far edge of the peaceful port town in the borderlands of the Kingdom of Nakatam, Endi walked along a dirt path, the scent of earth drifting up to greet him. For a wanderer in a strange land, the moment felt as though the world itself were holding him close.
Then a shout ripped through the calm.
"Don't run! Stand your ground!"
"Are you insane, Paulo? You run too!"
Endi's head snapped toward the voices. Beyond the vast wheat field, farmers were fleeing in a blind panic, kicking up clouds of dust. Nearly forty people ran for their lives, their faces locked in terror. He followed their gaze—and saw the cause.
A giant bear—no, something far beyond a mere animal. It loomed over five meters tall, its black-iron fur glinting in the sun, its fangs and claws as sharp as death itself. It tore through the wheat, ripping up crops, its roar shaking the air like a force of nature escaped from myth.
Before Endi could think, his feet were already moving.
Behind him, one man remained in the field—a white-haired elder, back bent with age, his long beard swaying in the wind. This was Paulo, a landowner whose name carried weight in the region. Frail as a dead tree, yet both hands gripped a sickle with stubborn strength, and in his eyes burned a fire that refused to die.
"Get back, old man! It's not safe!" Endi yelled.
"Shut your mouth, boy!" Paulo barked back without looking away from the beast. "This field is our life's sweat and soul! I won't let some beast take it from us!"
The words struck like the roar of the earth itself.
But the bear charged, fangs flashing, death bearing down on the old man.
In that instant, Endi leapt.
He closed the distance in a blink, his knee slamming into the monster's jaw. A thunderclap cracked through the field as the giant collapsed, unconscious before it even hit the ground. Its massive form sank into the waves of wheat.
Silence.
Paulo stood frozen, sickle still in hand. The farmers in the distance stared wide-eyed, awe and fear mingling in their gazes. Even Endi felt a ripple of unease at the force he had unleashed.
Four years had passed since he'd lost his memories and begun wandering the world without a name. He still had no clue who he was or what burden he carried. But he knew this much—his body was far beyond that of an ordinary man.
Once, when fishermen were plagued by a monstrous shark, he dove into the sea, holding his breath for over ten minutes as he swam through the depths. When he found the beast—twenty times his size—he strangled it barehanded and dragged it far out to sea.
Another time, seven armed war remnants attacked a town. Endi took them all down with his bare fists and handed them to the watch.
And now, a giant bear had fallen to him in a single blow. His reflexes, his strength, his fearless rush into danger—they weren't human.
Yet his heart remained calm. He was a boy who disliked violence, who acted not out of pride, but because when someone was in danger, his body moved on its own.
Am I… something more than human?
The thought surfaced often, but Endi never boasted, never sought praise. He simply kept walking.
At last, Paulo found his voice.
"…Boy. What in the hell are you?"
Endi gave a crooked smile and shrugged.
"Beats me, old man. I wish I knew."
But deep inside, he felt it—that his strength, his instincts, were no accident.
In dreams, he saw a wasteland soaked in blood and tears, a man's bitter regret, an endless blue sky. He knew they were connected somehow.
With each step through the wheat, he heard it faintly.
The pulse of the stars.
His journey had only just begun.