The stone door slammed shut behind him, and Haruto froze.
Laughter echoed from the other side, cold and distant.
"Sorry, Haruto," Sōta said without hesitation. "Someone had to wake the dragon."
For a brief moment, everything went silent.
Then a deep rumble spread through the chamber, vibrating through the ground beneath his feet. From within the darkness, a pair of massive golden eyes slowly opened, glowing with an overwhelming presence.
Haruto's breath hitched. Panic surged through him as he rushed toward the door, slamming his fists against it again and again.
It didn't move.
"No… open it…!" his voice trembled, but no one answered.
Behind him, the dragon shifted.
Its massive body rose, scales scraping against stone as a low breath escaped its mouth, hot enough to distort the air. The pressure alone made Haruto's legs weaken.
"…They really used me," he muttered, his voice barely audible.
The dragon lowered its head and stared directly at him. For a moment, everything felt still—until flames began gathering deep inside its throat.
Haruto's eyes widened.
A fireball shot forward.
He reacted on instinct, throwing himself to the side, but the heat still caught him. Pain burned across his left arm as he hit the ground hard, rolling across the stone floor.
Behind him, the attack slammed into the door, shattering it instantly. But before relief could reach him, the ceiling above collapsed, blocking the exit completely.
Dust filled the air.
The path was gone.
Panic flooded his chest as he scrambled behind a large piece of broken stone, trying to steady his breathing. His entire body trembled as the reality of the situation settled in.
"Why…?" he whispered. "Why is it always me…?"
Tears blurred his vision, but he forced himself to stay quiet. Then, without thinking, he grabbed the bag from his shoulder and threw it across the chamber.
The dragon's attention shifted immediately.
A second later, another blast of fire shot out, completely erasing the bag midair. Not even ashes remained.
Haruto froze as he watched.
That single attack… could erase anything.
Slowly, he pulled himself deeper into cover, his fingers digging into the stone beneath him.
"How did I forget…?" he muttered.
A bitter thought surfaced in his mind.
I don't want to die here…
His breathing slowed slightly as memories began to rise.
"I made a promise…"
His eyes closed.
Eleven years ago, the entire city had been filled with noise.
Shouts of anger echoed everywhere as people gathered in a wide circle, their faces twisted with hatred.
"Kill them!"
"Burn the witch!"
"They deserve to die!"
Stones flew toward the stage, striking the figures kneeling there.
Haruto stood at the edge of the crowd, his small body trembling as he tried to push forward. He was only six years old, far too weak to move through the mass of people.
On the stage… were his parents.
"N-No…" His voice broke as tears filled his eyes. "Please… stop…"
But no one listened.
The crowd only grew louder, their hatred spilling out without restraint. Someone shoved him back, and he stumbled, nearly falling as his vision blurred.
He couldn't reach them.
He couldn't stop it.
All he could do was stand there and watch as everything was taken from him.
Something inside him shattered that day, replaced by a single burning thought.
A promise.
One day… he would make them pay.
Haruto's eyes slowly opened.
"I won't die here…" he whispered, his voice weak but firm. "Not before I take my revenge."
His grip tightened.
In this world, strength was everything and he had been born without it.
A beast tamer.
A useless existence.
A faint, bitter laugh escaped him as memories resurfaced—Sōta offering his hand, the brief illusion of belonging.
"It was all fake…" he said quietly.
"They planned it from the start… used me as bait…"
The realization settled heavily in his chest.
"I really am an idiot…"
A heavy step echoed behind him.
The dragon was moving again.
Before he could react, another wave of fire crashed into his cover, shattering the stone and sending him flying across the chamber. His body slammed into the wall with terrifying force, breaking straight through it as the impact threw him into a hidden room beyond.
He hit the ground hard, the air leaving his lungs.
For a moment, everything went black.
When his vision slowly cleared, he found himself lying in the middle of a shadowy room. His body was in terrible condition burns covered his skin, his breathing was weak, and a sharp, unbearable pain shot through his legs.
He tried to move, forcing his body to respond, but nothing happened.
A massive piece of broken stone had collapsed over his lower body, pinning him in place.
A faint groan escaped his lips. "…No…"
His vision trembled as he forced himself to look up.
The dragon was coming.
Each heavy step echoed through the chamber, shaking the ground beneath him as the distance between them disappeared little by little. Haruto's heart pounded wildly in his chest, fear tightening around him like a cage.
This was the end.
Then, suddenly, a faint green light flickered beside him. His gaze shifted weakly, landing on a small stone lying near his right hand, glowing with a soft, pulsing light. His thoughts barely worked through the pain as he stared at it.
"What… is that…"
He didn't have time to think.
The dragon was already above him, its massive head lowering until it hovered just inches from his face. A wave of scorching heat poured from its breath, hot enough to burn his skin even without touching him.
Haruto's vision blurred, his mind going blank.
His hand moved on instinct.
He reached out—and grabbed the stone.
The moment his fingers touched it, the glow intensified, spreading rapidly until it illuminated the entire chamber. The dragon opened its mouth, flames gathering deep within its throat, ready to strike.
But before the attack could be released
The light swallowed everything.
Haruto's body went limp, and his consciousness faded into darkness.
Haruto lay sprawled across the grass in the middle of a wide forest clearing, his body unmoving as the wind brushed softly against him. For a moment, everything was quiet.
Then his fingers twitched.
Slowly, his eyes opened.
A dull pain throbbed through his head as he forced himself up, one hand pressing tightly against his temple.
"…Ouch…" he muttered, his voice weak. "Why does my head feel so heavy…?"
His vision was still blurry, but as it cleared, confusion began to set in. He looked ahead, trying to make sense of his surroundings.
…Wait…His brows furrowed. I… was supposed to die in the dungeon…
The memory was still fresh the dragon, the flames, the crushing heat.
Then how…? He tightened his grip on his head, trying to steady himself, when suddenly, something moved above him.
A shadow passed across the ground.
Haruto froze for a second before slowly lifting his gaze toward the sky.
And then he saw it.
A massive red dragon soaring high above the clouds, its wings spreading wide as it cut through the air.
Haruto's eyes widened in shock.
"…What the hell…" he whispered. "Why is a dragon… outside the dungeon…?"
He quickly pushed himself to his feet, ignoring the lingering pain in his body, and looked around.
Forest.
Endless forest.
But something about it felt… wrong.
The trees were different—taller, darker, and unfamiliar. The air itself felt heavier, almost unnatural.
Haruto's expression slowly darkened.
Don't tell me… A thought crossed his mind.
I… got teleported…?
His heart began to beat faster.
But where was he ? His gaze moved again, scanning the surroundings, searching for anything familiar—but there was nothing.
"I've never seen a place like this before…"
Then suddenly, A voice echoed inside his head.
[Congratulations. Teleportation successful.]
Haruto froze.
His body stiffened instantly.
"…What…
He turned his head sharply, looking around.
"Who's there?" he shouted, his voice filled with tension. "Show yourself!"
Silence.
No one answered.
His breathing grew uneven as fear slowly crept in.
"…Don't mess with me," he said, his voice lower now. "I know you're hiding somewhere."
Still nothing.
A strange thought crossed his mind.
…A ghost…
He immediately slapped both sides of his face.
"Idiot… it's daytime," he muttered. "There's no way this is a ghost… and I'm not dreaming either…"
Then
A soft blue light flickered in front of him.
A holographic window appeared.
The same voice echoed again.
[Beast Tamer Re-Awakening Activated]
[Hidden Class Unlocked]
[Unique Skill: Absolute Domination]
[You can tame intelligent beasts.]
[Level Up] x3
Haruto stared at it, completely stunned.
…What… is this…
His voice trembled slightly.
Am I dreaming? How am I seeing this without a magic item?
He narrowed his eyes at the glowing words.
"And what the hell is… 'Absolute Domination'…?
The voice responded calmly.
[Do not worry. As you grow stronger, you will understand.]
Haruto clenched his fist slightly.
"…Then answer this first," he said. "Where am I"
A brief pause followed.
[You have been teleported to another world.]
His eyes widened.
…Another world…?
His mind struggled to process it.
"Then… I died back there…"
[Negative. You did not die. You were transferred.]
Haruto fell silent for a moment, recalling what had happened.
"…That stone…" he muttered. "When I grabbed it… it started glowing…"
"That means it was some kind of teleport item, right"
[Incorrect]
The response came instantly.
[The green stone you refer to is a common object found within dungeons. It possesses no teleportation ability.]
Haruto frowned.
…Then how did I end up here
There was a brief pause before the voice spoke again.
[During a summoning ritual conducted by this world, an error occurred.]
[You were summoned by mistake.]
Haruto's expression stiffened.
…Summoned…
So I'm some kind of hero…
[Negative.]
The answer was immediate.
[The intended hero was summoned successfully. You are an unintended result.]
Silence.
Haruto slowly lowered his gaze.
…So I'm just… a mistake…
The words felt heavier than he expected.
Then suddenly, something clicked in his mind.
"If they summoned people from another world…" he said slowly, "then that means they can send them back too, right"
A short pause followed.
Then
[Unable to confirm.]
[This world does not possess a system similar to mine.]
[Magic is the primary force here. Humans, demons, demi-humans, and various creatures coexist.]
Haruto frowned.
…Then how are you here
[When you were transported, your system was transferred along with you.]
[Individuals from other worlds may occasionally obtain unique powers.]
[You are the only known being in this world capable of using a system.]
Haruto fell silent.