You know those days that feel exactly the same as yesterday?
Yeah. That was today.
Classes had just ended, and I was walking home under a half-dead sunset, the kind that made the sky look lazy and tired. My bag felt heavier than usual, even though it was mostly empty. Maybe math problems weighed more when they were unsolved.
The streets were half-empty. Students in uniforms chatted about weekend plans. Salarymen in suits hurried past like they were allergic to free time. I shoved my hands in my pockets, pretending I had somewhere to be too.
A convenience store sat at the corner of the street. My usual stop.
I went straight to the vending machine outside, punched the button for black coffee, and waited for the familiar clunk sound.
When it dropped, I cracked it open, took a sip, and immediately regretted my life decisions.
"Still bitter as hell," I muttered, but I drank it anyway. That was just how my life went—bitter, but tolerable.
That's when I noticed something strange.
The reflection in the vending machine glass… wavered.
Not like my eyes were blurry, but like the air itself was bending.
I turned around. Nothing. Just the quiet street and a faint hum I couldn't place.
I shrugged. "Maybe I really do need sleep."
But then I saw it.
A thin line across the sky. Glowing. Like someone had drawn a scratch on the world with a blue marker.
I froze, watching as the line pulsed. The light spread—slowly, almost beautifully—before splitting wider, like the sky itself was opening up. Clouds twisted, colors bled together, and a deep vibration crawled under my skin.
"What the…" I whispered.
A few people around me finally noticed. Phones came out.
Some started recording, some laughing nervously, and one guy yelled, "It's probably some government project!"
Yeah, sure. Governments totally split the sky for fun.
The light grew stronger. The hum turned into a low, deep boom that shook the air. My can of coffee fell from my hand, spilling across the pavement. The ground trembled harder.
And then—silence.
Everything stopped.
The cars. The voices. Even the wind.
It was like someone had hit pause on the world.
Only me—and that glowing fracture above—seemed to move.
My chest tightened. My ears rang. I wanted to run, but my legs wouldn't listen. Then, without warning, the crack exploded in white light.
And I was gone.
When I opened my eyes, I wasn't standing anymore.
I was… lying on grass.
The smell of earth hit me first—fresh, clean, real.
I sat up slowly, blinking at the sky. It was too bright. Two suns hung above me. Two.
"Okay… yeah, I'm definitely dead," I muttered.
The grass under my hands felt weirdly soft, almost glowing faintly. The air itself shimmered, filled with tiny floating lights—like fireflies made of mana. My head spun. This wasn't Japan. Heck, this wasn't Earth.
I stood up, brushing off dirt from my uniform. At least that came with me. "Alright, Ryo. Either you've gone insane… or you've been isekai'd."
I half-laughed, half-coughed. "Guess all those late-night anime binges finally paid off."
A rustle came from behind. I turned, and my brain completely froze.
There was a creature—a wolf, but not normal. Its fur was deep silver, eyes glowing faint blue. It stared at me like I was dinner that had just walked into its territory.
I stumbled back. "Whoa—wait, hold on! I don't taste good!"
It growled. My heart jumped to my throat. Instinctively, I grabbed a small rock near my foot and threw it without thinking.
Big mistake.
—or maybe not?
The stone left my hand with a boom, slicing through the air like a bullet. Halfway there, it burst into flames—actual flames—and hit the wolf dead center. The explosion sent dirt flying, heat blasting against my face.
"…What the hell was that!?" I yelled, looking at my hand like it had betrayed physics.
The wolf whimpered, then bolted into the forest, leaving scorch marks on the ground.
My pulse was going crazy. My hand still tingled, faint red glow fading from my fingertips.
"I didn't… mean to do that," I said slowly, staring at the smoke.
I wasn't dreaming. The smell of burnt grass, the heat, the sweat on my forehead—all real.
Before I could process more, voices echoed in the distance. Human voices.
I turned toward the sound, spotting a small group—people, dressed in simple tunics and cloaks, carrying wooden staffs and baskets. Farmers? Villagers?
When they saw me, they froze.
One of them, a man with a short beard, whispered something I couldn't understand. But before I could respond, my ears… popped. Literally popped.
Suddenly, his words became clear.
"—A flame spirit? No, wait… a traveler?"
"What did you say?" I asked, confused.
The man blinked. "You… understand us?"
I hesitated. "I… guess I do now?"
The villagers exchanged glances. A woman stepped forward, eyes wide but kind. "You saved us from the mana beast. Thank you, traveler."
"Oh. Uh, sure." I forced a smile. "Glad my… rock helped."
The bearded man nodded, still eyeing me carefully. "Come, you must meet the chief. He will want to thank you properly."
And before I could say no, they were already leading the way. I followed, too dazed to resist.
We walked through a small village surrounded by forest and farmland. It looked straight out of a fantasy novel—wooden houses, mana lamps, even a couple of kids chasing each other with wooden swords.
I almost laughed. "This is unreal."
The chief's house was larger, made of carved stone and runes that faintly glowed. Inside, an old man with white hair and kind eyes greeted me.
"Welcome, traveler. I am Elden, the head of Althea Village."
He studied me for a long moment, then smiled softly. "The villagers say you fought off a mana beast with but a single strike. A rare gift indeed."
I rubbed my neck. "Uh, that was… an accident, actually."
He chuckled. "Accidents can reveal destiny."
Then he reached out his hand, placing it over my forehead. Warm light flowed through me. My body tensed, and a flood of words—languages, symbols, meanings—rushed into my mind.
When it stopped, I gasped for breath. "What… was that?"
"I have given you the gift of tongues," Elden said gently. "You now understand every language spoken in this world. Consider it our gratitude."
Every language? I blinked, staring at him in disbelief. That sounded… way too convenient.
But somehow, it didn't feel wrong. It felt right.
Outside, the two suns began to set, painting the world in gold and violet hues. I stepped out of the house, watching their light fall over the horizon.
The air shimmered faintly, the same way it had before everything changed.
I clenched my fist, still remembering that burning stone. "So… this is the new world, huh?"
A small breeze passed, carrying a whisper that almost sounded like a laugh.
For the first time in years, I felt awake.
Author's Note:
Hey readers! This is the first chapter of Worldshift. The real journey begins from here — magic, mysteries, schools, and a certain clueless guy who just threw a fireball by accident. Hope you'll stick around!