What is he?
That was the only thought I could mutter as I watched Noa fight against the soldier.
He was summoned with us at the same time. He had a normally good-looking physique, lean and balanced, but not one that should be capable of something like this. Furthermore, his status showed he had no skills, no system—nothing.
I didn't understand what was happening, but somehow it felt like almost everyone here wanted him gone.
Honestly, I never believed he was that much of a bad person. If left alone, he would stay quiet like always and live peacefully.
That's what Aoi, who held a neutral feeling toward Noa, believed.
But Noa's nature was far more chaotic than she imagined.
The proof came when the battle between him and the soldier ended.
plshh
The blade cut cleanly. The body fell.
"???"
What was that?
It lasted less than a second, but she saw it clearly.
The smile on his face.
It wasn't relief. It wasn't rage.
It was enjoyment.
As if killing was natural to him—
No.
As if he had enjoyed it.
He enjoyed fighting.
"Aoi, hurry up! We were summoned by His Majesty!"
Hana—Aoi's friend—shouted at her from across the castle training ground. Aoi stood with her usual sharp posture, black hair tied into a high ponytail, amber eyes steady and alert. She wore a white long-sleeved shirt tucked neatly into black trousers, leather boots fitted tight around her calves. A belt rested around her waist, several knives secured in place. This was the official training outfit for everyone.
"Coming."
…
Inside the hall where they had first arrived in this world, the students gathered once more.
Unlike last time, they now stood in perfect formation. Four years had passed since they came here. Their bodies had hardened, their gazes sharpened. They had been trained ruthlessly and could now call themselves proper warriors.
No idle chatter echoed among the twenty-nine of them.
"I have summoned you to congratulate you all for surpassing the knight ranks. As a reward, you will each receive a Mid Relic Grade weapon of your choosing."
"R-Relic grade?"
"Wow…"
Relic Grade weapons—named weapons passed down through generations. Items of that rank could only be wielded by high-ranking knights or above. Weapon grades differed from Common to Eclipse: Common, Refined, Relic, Mythic, Eclipse.
Some rejoiced at being granted weapons that only a handful within the kingdom possessed. Others grew cautious.
Like Mina.
Does this mean the postponed war will continue?
<
The voice of her system answered in its usual mechanical tone.
Meanwhile—
[Analyzation Failed!]
I still can't read the king's status.
Status!.
[Name: Aoi Misora]
[Race: Human]
[Age: 21]
[Affiliation: Otherworlder]
[Titles: —]
[Essence Fragment: Active]
[Synchronization: Deep Sync]
Attributes
• Strength: 34
• Agility: 27
• Endurance: 17
• Mana: 13
• Intelligence: 45
• Authority: ???
• Existence: ???
Skills
[Clairvoyant Insight (Rare)]
• Sharpens senses to a supernatural level
[Fate's Whisper (Uncommon)]
• Instinctively senses when an event holds significance
[Calm Mind (Common)]
• Stabilizes thoughts under stress
[Low Mental Resistance (Common)]
• Minor resistance against fear, pressure, and mental interference
[Mind's Eye (Unique)]
• Assess attributes, skills, and state of a target
[Reverie (Unique)]
• Read thoughts and emotional states of a target
• Duration: 60s
• Cooldown: 12h
If the skill information is correct, it can't be because he is stronger than me.
She tried to piece it together.
It must be either that he has a skill above Unique… or he possesses a mental resistance skill beyond my reach.
Aoi was still trying to grasp the king's true strength when the announcement continued.
"Shun Aoyama, Kurose Hana, and Aoi Misora will receive High Relic Grade weapons."
As stated, weapon ranks had sub-ranks—Low, Mid, High, Peak. The difference might appear small on paper, but in battle, it was the line between survival and death.
Hearing this, each reacted differently. Some cheered. Some envied. Some silently formed rivalries.
"Elear."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The head mage stepped forward and began explaining the mission.
"From now on, based on your contributions, you will be assigned roles. After that, you will dispatch to the Thalaor Kingdom to deliver a spatial artifact. You will be teleported a distance away from Thalaor's borders. The artifact attracts high-class monsters. Protect it and deliver it safely."
After four years of training, they understood this world's culture well. As warriors who had surpassed high-ranking knights, they proudly accepted.
"Yes, sir!"
These were gems forged through blood and sweat. Teachings from knights, experience from dungeons, resources from the kingdom, and the power of their systems combined. Together, they stood among the strongest forces within Cyradis.
If they were hired for this task, the artifact was far from ordinary.
***
Back to the present.
It's peaceful.
Too peaceful.
Four years have passed since I came to this world. I'm 21 now. Lina is 10. Mother is 45 but she looks around 27. People live longer lives here. I've grown to around 180 cm, Lina around 135cm and mother around 170cm. My body is more muscular compared to before. It was always in decent shape even without training back on Earth. I still wonder why.
I heard some high-ranking knights from another kingdom came here and left. People treated them like celebrities—rare existences. Considering Thalaor's low-ranking knights are at least three times stronger than the old me, those foreign knights must be monsters.
"You two, stop playing and come eat breakfast. Although, Noa—"
"Mmm?" I had a bad feeling.
"Those twin tails look good on you. Let's try other styles later."
"…"
"Even mom agrees. Heheh."
"…"
I will endure this humiliation.
"Hey, what is that pendant?"
"Huh? This? The church father who came yesterday gave it to me."
The church. From Dukedom Viremont.
The church is always bad news.
"Put that thing away. I smell trouble."
"Bleeh, don't get jealous."
This kid never listens.
As I sat down, I asked, "So we're leaving tomorrow?"
"Yes. Pack your things before sunset," Mom replied while placing the meal on the table.
"cough—cough."
Mmm?
"Here, eat slowly, idiot." I handed Lina some water.
But when I turned to her, she hadn't touched her food.
There was blood on her hands.
More followed.
"H-Hey… what's happening?"
Mom rushed forward. "Lina!"
Her small hands trembled as she stared at the blood.
"Uh… my head hurts…"
She clutched her head and screamed. The pendant began to emit a pure white glow—soft, holy, suffocating.
tsk. I knew it. But not this fast.
blshh
I tried to grab it. It burned my arm.
Lina screamed louder. Mom held her tightly, panic rising in her voice.
Something. I need something to stop this.
In moments like this. When I can't think of any solution, only one answer comes to me.
Destroy everything.
"Hold on. I'll be back."
---
Inside the grand church hall, sixteen priests stood in a circle. Stained glass windows cast golden light across the marble floor. Incense drifted through the air.
"Today, the descendence of our god, Aria, will be completed," declared the head priest, a man with long golden hair and matching eyes. His white robes were embroidered with sacred script that shimmered faintly.
"The lost glory of Thalaor shall be revived," said Duke Viremont, who stood proudly with nearly forty of his finest knights. His black hair was pulled back neatly, and a short, well-trimmed beard framed his stern expression. His navy coat bore silver insignias of his house.
creak…
The church doors opened slowly.
Everyone turned.
A figure stood at the entrance. Around 180 cm tall, his countryside clothes stained with blood. In one hand he held a sword.
His black sclera and purple irises made him look almost unreal under the candlelight.
A chill ran down the duke's spine. He understood immediately what had happened outside.
"Knights, prepare yourselves."
The young man spoke coldly.
"I don't have time to play around. Stop this… before you are erased from this world."
The duke was taken aback by the boldness. Though unease crept into his chest, he was surrounded by priests and his highest-ranking knights. The best of the best.
"You must be here thinking to save the children. I advise you to turn back. This is a divine oracle to allow a god's descent. It is for the nation's own good. A few children cannot compare."
Silence filled the hall.
Noa stepped forward.
"I don't care about god or whatever. I don't care if you take children or anyone else." His voice remained flat. "But don't try to touch people inside my fence."
"What?"
The duke stiffened.
There was no hesitation in his eyes. No righteousness. No hypocrisy.
Just a line.
Noa originally wouldn't have cared if someone died in front of him. But after meeting Lina and Mara, he had drawn a boundary between his world and the rest.
Those inside his world would receive salvation.
Those outside would remain strangers.
And Noa kept walking forward.
The priests' chanting intensified. A radiant circle inscribed with ancient sacred text formed in the center, spinning slowly as golden light flooded the chamber.
Thus, a god's descendence had begun.