Rain bled through the night.
Each drop shimmered under the pale light of the city's streetlamps before vanishing into the dark pavement.
Ethan Ward trudged through it, shoulders hunched, a paper bag of takeout tucked under his arm. Another late shift, another night alone. The world always seemed too fast for him — like everyone else had found their direction while he was still circling the map, searching for purpose.
He was twenty years old, neither successful nor particularly gifted. Just one more face in a city of millions.
He sighed. Another ordinary day… another ordinary me.
Then he saw the child.
A small boy, no older than six, had wandered off the sidewalk chasing a bright red ball that rolled into the street. His mother's scream was lost in the downpour.
The screech of tires cut through the rain. A truck roared around the corner, headlights flaring white.
Ethan didn't think.
He dropped the bag, sprinted forward, and shoved the child out of the way.
There was a deafening horn—
A flash of light—
Then, weightlessness.
He hit the ground hard, and everything went silent.
For a moment, he saw the boy's tear-streaked face framed in rain and headlights. Then everything faded into black.
Warmth.
Not pain. Not the harsh glow of hospital lights.
Just warmth.
Ethan opened his eyes to sunlight filtering through leaves of silver and green. The air was so pure it almost sparkled when he breathed. Birds — or something like them — chirped from unseen branches.
He sat up quickly, heart pounding. The world around him was alive with color. The sky was impossibly blue, and the air hummed with an energy that felt… alive.
Where am I?
He glanced down. His body was smaller — leaner, hands calloused yet young. Maybe fifteen at most.
"Okay… either I'm dead or dreaming."
He reached for his phone — it wasn't there. Instead, his clothes were rough-spun linen, his boots worn and patched.
Across the meadow, a dirt road wound toward a small village of stone cottages and thatched roofs. Smoke curled lazily from chimneys, and laughter echoed faintly in the distance.
It felt like every fantasy RPG he'd ever played.
He stood, brushing off grass. His mind buzzed.
"Did I… reincarnate?"
A flash of memory hit him — the truck, the child, the light. His breath caught.
So… I really died.
A cold breeze swept over him, carrying the scent of earth and blooming flowers. Despite the calm, something inside his chest pulsed — faint, rhythmic, almost like…
A heartbeat made of light.
He looked down. A circle of glowing runes shimmered briefly beneath his skin — then vanished.
"What the hell—?"
A chime echoed in his ears. A voice — mechanical yet clear — rang out in his mind.
[DING!]
Initializing… Soul Synchronization Complete.
Welcome, New User: Ethan Ward.
Adapting identity to host world parameters…
Name registered: Aiden Valen.
Class: Undefined.
Starting Attributes Generated.
A translucent blue panel blinked into existence before his eyes.
Status Screen – Aiden Valen
Level: 1
Race: Human
Class: None
Title: The Transmigrated
HP: 100 / 100
MP: 100 / 100
Strength: 10
Agility: 10
Endurance: 10
Intelligence: 10
Wisdom: 10
Elemental Resonance: Unawakened
Skills: None
System Functions Unlocked: Basic Interface, Map, Quest Log
Ethan — no, Aiden — stared at it, slack-jawed.
"Okay. Either I've gone insane, or I've woken up in an RPG."
He waved his hand experimentally. The panel flickered, then minimized into a faint symbol at the corner of his vision.
"System?" he tried hesitantly.
[Voice Command Recognized.]
Tutorial Mode Activated.
Another chime.
[Primary Quest Unlocked: Awaken Your Elemental Resonance]
Description: All citizens of Aetheria possess one elemental affinity. Attend the Resonance Ceremony at the village square and discover yours.
Reward: Elemental Awakening | +1 Skill Slot | +50 EXP
He blinked. "So… this really is like a game."
But there was one problem.
The people he saw down the road — farmers, merchants, children — were real. The wind on his skin, the dirt beneath his boots, the faint ache in his muscles… all real.
"This isn't a dream."
He glanced up at the sky again. A hawk-like creature soared overhead, leaving a trail of glowing blue feathers behind it. Somewhere far off, a distant thunderclap rumbled, but no storm followed — just the echo of energy itself.
Magic.
The thought sent a thrill through him. If this world had a system, stats, and elemental magic…
Then maybe he could finally be something more than average.
A cart rattled by on the road. A bearded farmer eyed him curiously.
"Hey, lad! You on your way to the village? Ceremony starts soon!"
"Ceremony?"
The farmer grinned. "Aye — Resonance Day! When young ones your age find out which element they belong to. Fire, water, wind — whatever the gods fancy. Best hurry before the Magister packs up."
Aiden nodded quickly. "Right. Thanks."
As the cart rolled away, he whispered under his breath, "Resonance Day, huh?"
The system chimed again.
[Quest Reminder: Attend the Resonance Ceremony – 0/1 Completed]
He tightened his fists, heart pounding.
He didn't know why fate had brought him here — or what he was supposed to do — but for the first time in years, he felt purpose humming in his veins.
The boy who had lived an ordinary life on Earth was gone.
Here, he was Aiden Valen — and somewhere deep inside, seven faint lights pulsed in rhythm with his heartbeat, waiting to be awakened.
He looked toward the village, eyes shining with determination.
"Alright, System. Let's see what kind of world you've thrown me into."
Luck: 10