October X772 — exactly five years before the present day.
Through the dense forest, a figure moved like a shadow between shadows.
Leaping from one tree to another, a woman of average height cut through the canopy with effortless precision. Her lean, athletic build spoke of years spent honing her body through relentless training and real combat.
Her long black hair, slightly shaggy in texture, was tied into a high ponytail that swayed with each movement but never once disrupted her balance.
Her eyes were darker still. Yet they were deep, unyielding and black. They carried no warmth, only a cold, constant awareness.
Cradled securely in her arms… was an infant.
'The chief will probably want my head for this', she thought, her gaze fixed forward as she landed silently on another branch.
'I betrayed the village… and abandoned my mission the moment I killed the others.'
The wind rushed past her as she pushed off again, clearing several trees in a single, fluid leap.
She glanced down at the child sleeping in her arms. "…But it was worth it," she murmured quietly. "For you, little one."
This woman was a shinobi of Metsugakure—a hidden village so rare that its existence was closer to rumor than fact. Villages like it could be counted on one hand across the entire world.
Yet here she was…
A traitor to it.
"I won't raise you to be loved," she said quietly. "I'll raise you to be feared."
"Albion."
After some time, her movements slowed.
She descended from the trees, landing lightly on the forest floor before approaching the mouth of a cave hidden between layers of rock and overgrowth.
Her eyes scanned the area.
Dark and quiet, no presence or movement.
'This will do for now.'
She stepped inside.
The cave was dim, the light from outside barely reaching its interior. Still, she moved without hesitation, her senses guiding her more than her sight ever could.
After a moment, she knelt down and gently placed the infant on the ground.
"You stay here," she said, her tone leaving no room for argument, despite the child being asleep.
"I need to head into town for a bit." Her gaze lingered on him. A faint crease formed between her brows.
"He slept through all of that traveling…?"Her eyes narrowed slightly as she observed him more closely.
"I wonder if those experiments weakened his body…" she slowly exhaled and shook her head.
"…It doesn't matter. He'll probably just end up shorter than most."
Turning away, she began walking toward the cave's exit. But just before stepping outside she stopped.
Without another step, her body lifted smoothly off the ground.
She drifted forward, exiting the cave and rising into the air before accelerating in a single direction, disappearing into the forest without a trace.
Metsuri moved through the air with effortless control.
She was using Floating Mahō or floating magic, a Caster-Type technique.
It allowed her to levitate and travel freely through the sky without wings or any external support.
By channeling Mahō through her body and releasing it beneath her, she created an unseen force that pushed against gravity itself.
In simple terms, She manipulated the surrounding currents of magical particles, bending them just enough to keep herself suspended.
To an observer, it would look as if she were gliding through the air, supported by nothing at all.
She could hover, ascend or even drift. All with quiet precision.
Among support techniques, it was easily one of the most practical a Mage could learn.
'José will probably think I ran off', Metsuri thought, her eyes fixed ahead as the wind brushed past her.
'And if he does he'll want payment. Or what he likes to call "debt."' A faint smirk touched her lips.
'I could always sell Albion to the guild…But not yet. I need to wait until he undergoes an Awakening.'
Her eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
'If he does he'll gain an Innate Magic. Something I can make use of later…'
Her thoughts were cut short as the landscape below began to change.
The dense forest thinned out, giving way to open land. And soon, her destination came into view.
Nestled along a quiet coastline was a small, open settlement where land met sea.
There were no towering walls. No guarded gates.
Its borders were defined instead by swaying grass, scattered fences, and well-worn dirt paths shaped by years of travel.
The village itself was modest, but not cramped.
Homes stood spaced apart rather than clustered together, built from pale wood and stone, their structures weathered by ocean wind and time.
The scent of salt lingered faintly in the air.
Metsuri slowed her descent, hovering just above the ground as she took it all in.
"I recognize this place…" she murmured. "The Village of Darry."
Her eyes flicked toward the horizon, confirming her bearings.
"Good. I'm still in Fiore."
Descending slowly, Metsuri eased herself toward the ground, the invisible force beneath her fading as her feet touched down without a sound.
Her attire was built for silence.
A form-fitting stealth bodysuit clung to her frame, the matte black fabric hugging her body. Draped over it was a short, white hooded cloak.
Sleeveless and cut to end just above her waist, it left her arms and legs completely unobstructed. The stark white stood in sharp contrast against the darkness beneath it, making her silhouette striking even in low light.
The hood rested over her head, slightly oversized, its structure casting a natural shadow across the upper half of her face.
Below it, a matte black cloth mask concealed her nose and mouth, leaving only her cold, watchful eyes visible.
Both of her arms were guarded by long black forearm protectors, extending from her wrists to just below her elbows.
The bodysuit flowed seamlessly into reinforced stealth leggings.
And on the back of her cloak rested the mark of her origin.
A clan crest, carefully embroidered into the white fabric. The design centered around a perfect circle.
Within it were three identical circles arranged in a triangular formation, one at the top, and two at the bottom corners. Each touched at the center, forming a tightly bound cluster.
Encasing them was a thick outer ring.
The ring curved inward between each inner circle, creating three sharp, triangular gaps that pointed toward the center.
Every segment of the design was spaced evenly at precise 120-degree intervals.
Currently, Metsuri stands at the heart of Darry, its modest center of activity.
An open food market stretched along the shoreline, where rows of wooden stalls lined the coast. The ocean breeze carried the scent of salt and fresh catch through the air.
Half of the stalls displayed fish hauled in just hours ago, their scales still glistening as they rested on beds of crushed ice.
The others offered simpler, homely goods, fresh bread, dried meats, preserved foods. Warm, earthy scents drifted from them, wrapping the area in a quiet sense of comfort.
It was the closest thing Darry had to a crowd. The one place where the village felt alive.
Metsuri walked forward, her presence cutting cleanly through the atmosphere.
She approached one of the nearest stalls. With her hood shadowing her face and the mask concealing the rest, the vendor couldn't even make out her features.
Still, they tried.
A smile, a greeting. Finally they attempted small talk.
Metsuri didn't respond.
Instead, she reached into her cloak and placed exactly 700 Jewels onto the wooden surface.
Without a word, she lifted her hand and made a series of small, precise gestures, pointing to what she wanted.
The vendor blinked, a bit thrown off, but quickly complied.
Within a minute, Metsuri held a small basket filled with fruit, along with a sealed bottle of milk.
She turned to leave only to pause shortly after.
"…Brago…? That's where Deliora sleeps," one villager muttered nearby.
"The Demon of Destruction…" another added, voice tense. "It doesn't just kill, it erases everything."
"That place used to be full of life," someone else said quietly. "Now it's nothing but ruins."
A brief silence fell.
"If it comes here… there won't be anything left to save."
Metsuri stopped.
For the first time since entering the village her eyes narrowed.
'Deliora…?'
'The Demon of Destruction… that Deliora?' A faint tension settled into her expression.
'…I hope it doesn't come here.' Her grip on the basket tightened slightly.
'I'm not arrogant enough to believe I could face something like that… and live.'
Without another glance, she stepped away from the market.
Moments later, her body lifted from the ground. Floating Mahō activated once more as she rose into the air, leaving the quiet village behind.
'Only a Wizard Saint… 'she thought, eyes forward as she accelerated into the sky,
'…could deal with something like that.'
As Metsuri cut through the sky, her thoughts refused to settle. Her gaze drifted down to the bottle in her hand.
"…Can he even drink this?" she muttered. "He's a baby… right?" Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"…How old is he?"
The memory of the facility surfaced in her mind. "I don't even know how long he was in there… or when he was brought in."
She exhaled quietly, giving a small shrug. "…Guess I'll just decide it myself."
"It's not like he has parents who'd object."
Not long after, the cave came back into view. She descended, landing softly at the entrance before stepping inside.
"Wake up, Albion," she called out, her voice echoing faintly through the dark. "I brought food."
She lifted the basket slightly. "There's fruit too… in case you're too old for milk."
"…Though I could just eat it myself."
She took a few more steps then stopped.
'…Something's off.' Her eyes sharpened.
'It's been hours since I took him from the facility. He should have at least woken up from hunger by now.'
Her instincts screamed, for danger was coming. Without moving her hand, her eyes flicked to the left.
Even in the darkness, she saw it: an inhumanly large, fur-covered fist hurtling toward her from her blind spot. It was already in motion.
THOOM—!
The air shivered as the punch slammed to a halt. No—it hadn't just stopped. It had been blocked, mid-swing.
Metsuri's arms rose instantly, intercepting the blow before it could land. The impact rippled through her body, but her footing held.
"Who are you?" she asked coldly, locking the strike in place.
"Uhohohohooo!"
A loud, almost mocking laugh echoed in response. Metsuri didn't hesitate.
She kicked off the ground, sliding back several feet in one smooth motion. The basket and bottle were set aside without a second thought.
While her hand lifted. "Light Magic: Luminosity."
A radiant sphere bloomed into existence near the cave's ceiling.
Encircled by faint, rotating rings, it cast a steady, luminous glow that washed over the cavern, driving back the darkness in an instant.
And with it, the creature was revealed.
A massive, humanoid beast stood before her.
Its proportions were grotesque, elongated chin, extended ears, and a pointed head rising like a crude horn. Its upper body was enormous, built with thick muscle and oversized arms that hung like weapons at its sides.
In contrast, its legs were smaller, giving it a top-heavy frame. A long tail extended behind it, swaying lazily.
Its fur was a deep green.
But its chest, arms, face, and ears were coated in a vivid purple. The lower half of its body darkened in tone, creating a layered contrast.
Its eyes lacked pupils entirely. They glowed faintly, unnervingly.
And along its arms, five small pink heart-shaped markings ran in a clean pattern down each limb.
"Uhohoho! You're fast, pretty human!" the creature grinned wide, its expression exaggerated and unsettling. "Faster than the last one, at least!"
Metsuri's gaze didn't waver. "…A Vulcan," Her eyes sharpened. "What did you mean by the last one?"
The Vulcan's tail shifted. Slowly, it curled forward. Revealing what it had been holding.
A baby that was wide awake, yet wasn't crying at all. He was staring.
Wrapped tightly within its grip was Albion.
Metsuri stared for a moment then exhaled.
"…I was hoping I was wrong." Her hand moved. From her side, she drew her weapon.
A blade slightly shorter than a katana, straight-edged and refined for precision.
The hilt, wrapped in black cloth, settled firmly in her grip. The matte-black sheath hung empty at her side.
While her stance lowered.
"And you already know where we are…" she added quietly. Her eyes locked onto the Vulcan.
"Vulcan." A faint shift of her blade. "You die today."