Prologue — The Kick That Ended Everything
"Stay sharp, Kai!"
Aria's foot cut through the air before I could react. Her heel connected cleanly with my ribs, and my world went white.
For a heartbeat, I thought I'd hit the mat.
But when I blinked—
the gym was gone.
In its place stretched a blood-red sky over a field of corpses. The air reeked of ash and iron.
That was the first time I was summoned to Niamor.
And from that single kick, I lived five long years.
I fought demons.
I ruled as a viscount.
I loved.
I lost.
And then—just as suddenly—I was back.
The smell of gym floor polish replaced smoke and blood. Aria stood over me, scowling, unaware that I had aged half a decade in an instant.
"Hah! You're spacing out again, Kai!"
I laughed weakly. My voice sounded wrong—too deep, too tired.
To her, only a second had passed.
To me, it had been five years.
Chapter 1 — Three Months Later
It's been three months since that day.
Every morning feels like a dream I can't wake from.
The morning sun spills over the high school courtyard, and laughter drifts through the halls. Ordinary sounds. Ordinary life. I lean against the fence, watching them all like a ghost out of place.
Five years in Niamor… yet only a blink here.
My wives. My friends. My land.
Was it all just a dream?
For a moment, I see it again—me in armor, standing atop a mountain of flame, sword gleaming as it cuts through the Demon Lord's final roar.
Over there, I was their strongest hero.
Over here, I'm just another student pretending he's fine.
Aria's voice yanks me back to reality.
"You're zoning out again."
We're sparring in the gym, but I can barely focus. She drives a punch toward my chest; I sidestep on instinct, just as I did countless times in real battle. Her eyes widen in surprise.
"You've gotten fast."
I shrug, forcing a smile. "Guess I've been practicing."
She laughs, but her brow furrows. "You've been… different lately. Like you're somewhere else."
If I told her the truth—that I fought demons, ruled a land, and watched people die in my arms—she'd think I'd lost my mind.
"Just tired," I say instead.
And maybe I am.
The Day Everything Changed — Again
Three months later.
"Oi, Kai! Over here!"
Aria waves me over at lunch, her smile as bright as ever. I slide into the seat across from her, unwrapping my lunchbox. Just another normal day.
Or it should've been.
The hum starts faintly—so faint I almost mistake it for the air conditioner. Then the entire cafeteria floor begins to glow.
"What the hell?!"
"The floor's glowing!"
A sigil burns itself into the tiles, lines of light racing outward in an intricate spiral. Students scream and stumble back, but there's nowhere to go.
Aria grips my sleeve. "Kai! What's happening?!"
My heart stops.
I know that light.
That power.
No way… again?
I look down, and for the first time in months, I smile.
The world explodes in white.
The Return to Niamor
When my vision clears, the air tastes of incense and magic.
We're standing in a vast throne room, marble floors and gilded pillars stretching toward a vaulted ceiling. Knights and nobles ring the hall, staring down at us.
"W-where are we?!"
"This isn't Japan anymore!"
Students fall to their knees, trembling.
But me?
I just breathe in the air, the mana, the familiar scent of Niamor.
So… I really am back.
Aria grabs my arm, eyes wide. "Kai… you don't look surprised at all."
Before I can answer, a herald steps forward.
"Rejoice! You have all been summoned as heroes to save our world!"
Confusion ripples through the students.
"Heroes?!"
"Send us back!"
Then, the King rises from his throne, voice echoing through the chamber.
"Young heroes, a great threat looms once more. The true Immortal Demon Lord and his five princes have risen. We ask for your strength!"
I step forward.
"Wait. I already defeated the Demon Lord."
The room falls silent.
The King studies me, then nods slowly.
"Yes… Hero Kai. You vanished two years ago after your victory. But in your absence, the true threat emerged."
Two years…
So time flows differently here too.
I've been gone only three months in Japan—
but in Niamor, two whole years have passed.
The Hero's Land
"As tradition dictates," the King continues, "you shall be ranked and trained by my royal knights!"
The students whisper anxiously. "Trained? We're just high schoolers!"
Royal knights? They'd be lucky to last a week.
I step forward again. "Your Majesty, I have a request."
"Speak, Hero Kai."
"My land—the Viscounty of Kailand. Does it still stand?"
The King's eyes soften. "Indeed, though it has gone without its master."
"Then send them there," I say. "Within Kailand lies my dungeon—one built by my allies. It's safe, efficient, and will train them better than any knight."
Nobles murmur in disbelief.
"A dungeon—safe?!"
"Preposterous!"
"If you want results," I say, meeting the King's gaze, "this is the way. I'll take full responsibility."
Silence hangs heavy. Then the King nods.
"…Very well. Hero Kai, I shall trust your judgment once more. They will train in Kailand."
Whispers ripple through the hall.
"His land?!"
"What kind of guy is he?!"
I bow. "Thank you, Your Majesty."
Aria watches me from behind, her expression unreadable.
This Kai… isn't the same one I knew.
The Journey Home
Carriages wait outside the castle gates, crests of the royal family gleaming in the sunlight.
And so… we set out for the land I once ruled.
As I climb into the carriage, the wind carries a familiar scent—steel, magic, and memory.
Glacira, Yumi… if you're still there… wait for me.
Aria sits across from me, arms crossed. "You've got a lot of explaining to do, Kai."
I smirk faintly, watching the city fade beyond the window. "Yeah… I know."
The carriages roll into the open plains.
Ahead, banners flutter atop distant walls—
the walls of Kailand.
Two years since I vanished from here. Three months since I returned there. And now, both worlds are calling me again.
I rest my hand against the window glass, eyes narrowing.
This time… I won't let it slip away.
The sun sets behind us, and the carriages roll on toward the Hero's land.
Kailand awaits… and with it, my past.
End of Chapter 1: "Summoned Again"