Somewhere deep within the forest, I walked between the trees, thinking about how I could get stronger. Every step I took stirred the dirt beneath my boots, and the wind carried the faint scent of rain and pine.
I remembered something my uncle once mentioned—a place known as the City of Balance, where strong magic users gathered from all over the continent. It was said to be where one could learn, train, and become something greater. But only the lucky—or the rich—ever made it there.
"City of Balance, huh…" I muttered. "If I can just reach that place, maybe I can finally control this power to get stronger."
My stomach grumbled, interrupting my grand thoughts. I sighed. "But first, food… and maybe a job." There was a small village not too far from here—if I was lucky, I could find work there, earn some coin, and then plan my journey.
Just as I was about to continue walking, a scream tore through the air.High-pitched. Panicked. Human.
My instincts kicked in instantly. I sprinted toward the sound, branches whipping against my arms as I ran.
It didn't take long before I found the source—a large hole in the ground, wide enough for a few people to fall through. I peered over the edge carefully.
Something green moved below.
My heart jumped. "Is that… a goblin? What's it doing here?"
I squinted, trying to get a better look. The figure shifted, a faint groan echoing up. Then a voice—definitely not goblin-like—snapped back:
"Hey! Are you just gonna stare, or maybe help me out!?"
I froze. "Wait… what?"
The green "goblin" looked up—and I finally noticed the long hair tangled with vines, the sharp glare, and the furious expression.
"…It's a girl!?"
She crossed her arms even while stuck. "Brilliant observation. Now maybe help me before I become a goblin!"
Daiki knelt down and reached into the hole, grabbing the girl's hand. With one strong pull, he helped her climb up onto solid ground. She stumbled forward, brushing off dirt and leaves, clearly irritated.
She looked to be around his age, maybe a little older. Her long, golden-blonde curls glimmered faintly in the sunlight that filtered through the trees. Despite her elegant look, her face was twisted into pure frustration—like she'd just been insulted by the entire forest.
Daiki scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "So… what's your name?"
The girl glared at him as if he'd asked the most obvious question in the world."Yuzuru," she snapped, then straightened herself with a huff. "Yuzuru Kiko."
Daiki blinked, unimpressed by her tone. "Right. I'm Daiki Akumaji," he said, sighing.
She looked at him for a second—studying him with sharp eyes—then crossed her arms. "Well, Daiki Akumaji, you sure took your time. I could've died down there."
Daiki rolled his eyes. "You were only stuck in a hole."
"Yeah, with mud, bugs, and—ugh, never mind!" she groaned.
I raised an eyebrow. "So… what were you doing down there?"
She huffed, brushing dirt from her clothes. "I was trying to trap an animal for food. I'm far from home, so I have to do everything myself. And… I fell in."
I couldn't help but laugh "You fell while trying to catch food? That's… kind of funny."
Her face twisted into a glare, and she stomped her foot. "It's not funny!"
I grinned. "Well, if you want, you can come with me. I'm alone too, and it's probably better if we head to the village together. I can—uh—protect you."
Yuzuru crossed her arms, looking stubborn. "I don't need your help. I'm better off alone."
I shrugged, smirking. "Yeah… but remember earlier? You were stuck in a hole. You might've appreciated a hand then."
Her cheeks turned red. She looked away, flustered, and muttered under her breath, "Hmph."
After a pause, she finally said, "Okay… but not because of you or anything!"
I chuckled. "Sure, sure."
Together, we started walking toward the village.
"So… why are you alone?" Yuzuru asked after a moment.
I shrugged. "I live with my uncle in a poor village. My parents… they're dead."
Her eyes softened slightly, but I didn't wait for pity. "I want to explore the world, see what's out there. The City of Balance is where strong people gather, so I need to get stronger. But first, I have to earn some money, so I'm heading to the closest village to make a bit before continuing my journey."
She tilted her head. "Isn't that… a lot for someone your age?"
I smiled. "Not really. It's actually kind of fun. I've always dreamed of getting stronger and seeing the world beyond my hometown."
Yuzuru gave me a quiet nod, but I could tell she was still a little skeptical.
Just as we were talking, Yuzuru suddenly stopped walking, her eyes fixed on something ahead.
"Hey, what is it?" I asked, stepping closer.
She pointed. A few horses were pulling a wooden cart loaded with equipment, moving along the road—but something was wrong. Grey-clad figures were swarming the cart, clearly bandits attacking it.
A grin spread across my face. 'Finally… a chance to test myself.'
Without hesitation, I started running toward the fight.
"Daiki! Come back! It's dangerous!" Yuzuru shouted, trying to grab my arm, but I didn't stop.
I focused, feeling the familiar surge of energy. "Spirit of the Forsaken," I called.
One of the bandits noticed me and lunged forward, knife in hand. Before he could even blink, my fist slammed into his chest, sending him flying backward. A grin crept across my face.
Three more bandits, who had been looting the cart, turned toward me and charged. I dodged the first swing and countered with a solid side punch—but before I could recover, a kick caught my leg, dropping me to one knee. I rolled aside just in time and dashed back in, slamming my fists into the heads of the last two.
I stood there, breathing heavily, and smirked. "That was easy."
The cart's drivers were tied up nearby. I hurried over and untied them, trying to catch my breath.
Yuzuru caught up seconds later, frowning. "Next time you run off like that," she snapped, "you'll be fighting me instead of bandits."
I laughed awkwardly—but then noticed the drivers staring at me in fear.
"What's with them…?" I muttered—before I felt a sharp impact against my back. The force sent me flying a few meters forward, hitting the dirt hard.
Groaning, I pushed myself up and turned around. A much larger man stood there, muscles tense, eyes burning with rage.
"Who the hell are you, kid?" he growled.
I dusted myself off, forcing a cocky grin. "Me? Just your friendly neighborhood hero… sent by the gods to teach you manners."
"This is no playground for kids like you!" the larger man roared. In one swift motion, he grabbed a sword strapped to his back and charged at me with terrifying speed.
I barely rolled out of the way, feeling the wind of the blade graze past me. 'This is going to be hard…' I thought, my heart racing.
I instinctively reached for the dagger at my belt—but I had no intention of killing him. With a frustrated sigh, I shoved it back. "Guess my fists will do," I muttered.
The man swung again, his movements brutal and precise. I ducked, rolled, and jabbed at his side, forcing him to stagger. Each hit I landed wasn't deadly—it was just enough to disrupt him. The Spirit of the Forsaken pulsed faintly within me, guiding my senses, nudging me toward openings I couldn't fully explain.
Another swing, another dodge. I weaved, sidestepped, and landed a few well-timed punches that had him growling in irritation. He overextended, and I seized the moment—grabbing his arm, twisting, and throwing him to the ground.
He scrambled to rise, but I charged forward with everything I had left, landing a final pair of punches to his shoulders. The man froze, exhausted, and then slowly collapsed, unable to continue.
Panting, I stumbled back, wiping blood and dirt from my face.
"Daiki!" Yuzuru's voice rang out as she came running toward me.
I turned to her—and a glowing text appeared before my eyes:
[Enemies defeated]
[Level up]
[Level up]
Character Info:
Name: Daiki Akumaji
Level: 3
Class: None
Resources:
HP: 110MP:
65Fatigue: 35
Core Stats:
Strength: 10
Vitality: 10
Agility: 10
Intelligence: 10
Perception: 10
[Usable points: 6]
I blinked, staring at the glowing status window floating before me. My heart raced. 'I can actually get stronger… I can control this… I can do something!'
I thought carefully. Two points on Strength—to hit harder. Two points on Vitality—for more endurance. That left two points… I added one to Intelligence, and the last one to Perception.
With each point in Vitality, I felt stronger than before. I grinned. This was just the beginning.
I turned to Yuzuru and gave her a thumbs up. "I'm okay," I said wit an unserious face.
One of the cart drivers approached, bowing slightly. "Thank you for saving us. How can we repay you?"
I considered for a moment. "Where's the closest village to the north?"
The man smiled. "Funny you should ask, we're heading there now. Hop on, and we'll give you a ride."
I nodded eagerly. Yuzuru and I climbed onto the cart, settling in as it rolled down the forest path.
I stared at the passing trees, my mind racing with possibilities. Adventures, battles, discoveries… the world was far bigger than I had imagined. And for the first time, I felt ready to face it.
The cart continued along the path, carrying us toward the unknown, and the next chapter of my journey began.