"Hmm…"
I opened my eyes with difficulty. My head throbbed painfully, and dizziness washed over me—the aftereffects of the earlier battle were still lingering.
How long was I unconscious?
I hoped it hadn't been too long, considering I was still inside the dungeon.
"Alright… time to check the loot."
I stood up weakly and immediately called out to the system.
"System."
"Ding!"
[Congratulations! You have gained +4 levels.]
[Strength +4]
[Agility +3]
[Mana +3]
[You have obtained +5 stat points.]
I could feel the corners of my mouth stretching into a wide grin.If anyone saw me right now, they'd probably think I had gone insane—laughing to myself like this.
But who wouldn't be happy after seeing their stats increase so dramatically?
Then—
[Congratulations! You have reached Level 10!]
[Feature Unlocked: "Quests"]
Just like in a game, the quest system unlocked upon reaching level 10.Quests provided rewards based on their difficulty—the harder the quest, the greater the reward.
[Main Quest!]
[Save This World]
[Reward: ???]
I froze the moment I saw my first quest.
"Oi—are you kidding me?"
"You want me to save a world that even the original protagonist couldn't?"
I cursed at the system.
Sure, in the original game, I helped the protagonists grow stronger—but I never intended to get directly involved in saving the world.On top of that, I planned to disrupt the original storyline, which meant countless unpredictable variables.
And now it was telling me to save the world?
Don't joke with me, bastard.
[…]
[I beg you, O wandering soul.]
[You alone are this world's remaining hope.]
[For since you entered this world, the fate of its end has begun to change.]
I fell silent.
For some reason, the presence behind the system felt… desperate.
Even so, I was nothing more than a side character with unclear origins and pitiful stats.
"Hah…"
"You know it yourself, don't you? I don't possess the power the protagonists have."
"If you really wanted me to save this world, you shouldn't have put me in such a weak body."
"You should've placed me in the body of that angelic main character from the start."
[I did not place you here.]
[Your soul merely returned to its original vessel.]
"…Huh?"
What did it just say?
Returned… to my original body?
"What do you mean by 'returned to my original body'?"
[Forgive me. That is the limit of what I can tell you for now.]
[But if you save this world, I will reveal everything I know.]
"..."
My head filled with questions, but I knew forcing answers out of it was pointless.
"Damn it… just what the hell is going on?"
All I wanted was a normal life after finally being given another chance.I didn't want to return to my miserable past.
I just wanted to live peacefully—even if this world was destined to end.
"…Fine."
"I'll try to save this world."
"But you'd better help me grow stronger too."
[Of course.]
[I will support you through quests that will strengthen you.]
"Good. Don't break that promise."
[Thank you.]
….
I left the dungeon in silence.
Countless thoughts swirled through my mind.
If I truly had to save this world, then I'd need to build connections with its key figures.
So in the end… I'll have to attend the academy as well.
It wasn't that I hated academies—but in this game's world, eighty percent of students were nobles, and only twenty percent were commoners.
The nobles always acted superior and bullied commoners.
Well… not all of them are like that.
Still, this might be my chance to save her.
I recalled a character from the game—someone incredibly strong, yet heavily nerfed by a time-limit curse.No matter how many times I played, I always tried to save her.
And failed every single time.
She was destined to die early due to the story.
"This time… I'll save you."
Just as you once gave me the strength to live—
Now, I'll save you. No matter what.
….
After walking for a long time, I finally exited the dungeon.Fortunately, it was still bright outside.
If night falls, nocturnal monsters will become active. That would be dangerous.
Grrrrkk—
My stomach growled.
Looks like hunger had taken over.
I decided to hunt something before heading back.
As I walked carefully, I spotted a white rabbit grazing nearby.
I picked up a stone, coated it with mana, and threw it.
KIKK!!
—!!!
I froze.
I hadn't expected my strength to be this powerful.
Even the ground where the stone landed had caved in.
I picked up the rabbit and continued on.
About forty minutes later, I reached the cabin just as evening fell.
I washed myself, cooked the meat, and after filling my stomach, collapsed onto the bed.
"Huff…"
"Even though it was only one day… it felt incredibly long."
"I wonder what the main characters are doing right now."
As I murmured those words, sleep finally claimed me.
….
Nilfheim
The land where the World Tree resides.The homeland of the elves.
Elves were known for their beauty—both male and female—with sharp ears as their defining feature.
Inside the Elf Queen's palace—
A female elf walked quietly through the corridor.She had silver hair and green eyes resembling polished copper.Her expression was cold and emotionless, yet it only enhanced her elegance.
She stopped before a door and knocked.
Tok. Tok.
"Enter."
A calm, gentle voice answered.
"Excuse me."
Thit—
As the door opened, another female elf appeared—remarkably similar, yet more mature, and possessing an entirely different level of grace.
"Did you summon me, Your Majesty?"
Elf Queen Floryn
"Oh my, haven't I told you already? Call me 'Mother' when we're alone."
"Don't be so stiff, Elise."
"…Hah."
"So what is it, Mother?" Elise asked."It's unusual for you to call me at this hour."
"The World Tree has delivered a revelation."
—!!
Elise stiffened.
The World Tree only sent revelations during times of extreme crisis.
The last revelation was three hundred years ago… the one that foretold the world's eventual destruction.
That prophecy existed before Elise was even born.
And now—
"What did it say, Mother?"
Floryn replied calmly.
"The world's fate has finally changed."
—!!
"Does that mean… the world will be saved?!"
After a moment of silence, Floryn answered:
"I don't know."
"…Huh?"
Floryn continued.
"The World Tree said the world's fate has changed—but even it does not know in which direction."
She spoke softly.
"A human who will decide the world's fate has returned."
"He brings uncertainty."
"Depending on his choices, the world may be saved… or destroyed."
"That is what the World Tree said."
Elise fell silent.
The idea that the fate of the world depended on a human felt absurd.
"Elise."
She startled and looked up—her mother was standing right in front of her.
"Yes, Mother?"
"When you turn seventeen, go to the human world."
"There is an academy that accepts students of all races."
"I want you to find that human there."
Elise froze.
She carried trauma related to humans—when she was young, she had nearly been kidnapped by one.
Though the races had agreed to peace, such humans still existed.
—!!!
Elise gasped as her mother suddenly hugged her.
"I'm sorry, my child."
"I know this is difficult… but we have no other choice."
"You're the only one I can trust with this task."
Elise couldn't respond.
Her mother was right.
And only she—blessed by the World Tree—could enter that academy.
"…Alright, Mother."
"I will go to the academy."
"Thank you, my child."
"With your current abilities, no one your age can rival you."
Floryn's true intention was to help Elise overcome her trauma—and to see that not all humans were as she feared.
"Yes, Mother."
….
Three months passed since I cleared the dungeon.
Woosh—!Woosh—!
My body had finally developed—no longer resembling that of a ten-year-old.
My muscles were firmer, more defined.
But the greatest change was my status.
"Status."
Status Screen
Name: Shion
Condition: HealthyLevel: 10
HP: 100MP: 25 ▲
Strength: 31 ▲
Agility: 28 ▲
Luck: 100
Skills
Strong Will
Absolute Overdrive
Mana Manifestation (C) ▲
Items
My growth had been faster than expected.
I'd be turning eleven soon.
'Oh right… when is my birthday?'
Well, it didn't matter.
I decided to set my birthday the same as in my previous world.
During these three months, I finally obtained Mana Manifestation (C) while training my mana control.
Mana Manifestation (C)
Description: Condenses mana into a weapon of the user's choosing.Weapons created from mana deal +50% additional damage.Mana Cost: 3 MP per second.
I formed a sword from mana.
A dark crimson blade appeared.
"Damn… this is so cool!!"
Back in my old world, there was a scene where a character formed weapons out of mana—and I always thought it was incredible.
I never imagined I'd be able to do it myself.
Another world truly was the best.
Shing—!
I swung the blade at a tree.
It collapsed in a single strike.
Terrifying power.
And this skill could still grow stronger.
"…It's probably time to leave this forest."
I needed money and connections to enter the academy.
I packed my things and prepared to go.
...
I looked back at the old cabin.
It hadn't been long—but it was a place I had come to call home.
"Hah…"
I exhaled softly and stepped forward.
"My destination lies beyond."
"I'll come back after everything is over."
I smiled at the cabin, then turned away.
After wandering the forest for three months, I finally stumbled upon a path leading outside.
Following it, I reached the forest's entrance.
The wind blew strongly.
Endless green fields stretched before my eyes.
At last—
I could say it.
I had truly arrived… in a fantasy world.