The transition to the new world was unlike anything I had ever experienced.
It felt as though I were being pulled through a vortex, hurtling through time and space.
Colors swirled around me, and I felt a strange sensation of being simultaneously everywhere and nowhere.
The journey was disorienting, to say the least, and I couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and trepidation about what awaited me.
After what seemed like an eternity, the swirling ceased, and I found myself standing on solid ground once more.
But this was no longer the world I knew.
The air was thick with magic, and I could see mystical creatures roaming in the distance.
Towering trees stretched towards the sky, their branches intertwined with glowing flowers that emitted an otherworldly luminescence.
I was in a fantastical realm that existed beyond the confines of my previous understanding.
"Welcome to the world of Elysium, Kazuto Kurogane," the goddess said, her voice now filled with a sense of authority that demanded attention.
"Elysium... It's incredible," I muttered, awestruck by the beauty and magic that surrounded me.
"Indeed it is," she replied.
"But do not be fooled by its splendor.
This world is plagued by darkness, and the forces of evil are relentless in their pursuit to consume it.
You have been chosen to stand against this darkness and bring hope to the people of Eldoria."
"I understand," I said, taking a deep breath to steady my nerves.
She looks easier to talk to now, seeing how calm she is. I guess I can ask that question now.
"Um...Goddess?..." I raised my hand slightly, indicating that I was trying to ask a question.
"Is there a question on your mind, Kazuto?"
"Yeah, it's been on my mind for a while now, and I just can't help but not ignore it..."
"Alright...go on, ask away."
Alright then....
"Um...why are you wearing a high school girl uniform?"
"Hm?" She raised her eyebrows in confusion towards my question, then she scanned her body to look at her attire. Afterward, she looked right back at me and giggled.
"I find this attire quite comfortable, and besides, it's not like it's bothering anyone... or is it that Kazuto Kirigaya is getting turned on by seeing me in this?"
She gave me a disgusted look and used her hands to cover up her body, as if trying to protect herself from a sexual harasser.
"Don't just start assuming such things. I'm not that kind of guy," though I can't deny I do find her petite body quite attractive.
"Sigh~ moving on, I'm going to brief you on this world....you need to know as much as you can about this world if you wanna be able to survive in it."
That is true!
Acquiring information about this world is something I must do anyway. It's not like things work the same way as my world.
"This world is suffused with a mystical energy known as the Ethereal Flux. This magical essence flows through every living being, object, and element of nature, connecting them in an intricate web of energy. The Flux is sentient and responsive to the emotions and intentions of the inhabitants, making it a dynamic and unpredictable force."
Hm...so this Ethereal Flux is like a network that joins everything together, huh? And being sentient makes it unpredictable.
I wonder...
"So understanding this Ethereal Flux is one step to learning how to activate it and use it at will, but... To use this, you're gonna need to possess the Affinity for it."
Affinity?!
"In a general sense, it refers to an individual's natural inclination or connection to Ethereal Flux."
Ah, I see. It's a requirement for gaining access to Ethereal Flux.
"But....since you're not from this world, you don't actually have affinity for it."
That makes sense, seeing as I wasn't even a being born in this world in the first place.
"But don't worry!" She suddenly slammed her palm against my face.
"What are you-"
I suddenly felt my body becoming warmer. It was a strange feeling.
"I'm giving you the affinity for Ethereal Flux...as a goddess, this is nothing beneath my power."
Ah, I see...
°°°
After about 2 minutes, she then took her palm off my face.
"Alright, it's done!"
She's done, huh?! But... I don't feel any different from before. I scanned my body to see if I could identify any changes.
"Um... goddess, how do I check if it worked?"
I asked.
"It's simple. Having affinity for Ethereal Flux is a gateway to unlocking different abilities. And in order to activate these abilities, you just have to call out its name."
"Ah, I see...then what abilities do I have?"
"Hehehe~ why don't you stretch out your hands over there?"
She pointed at a large tree and told me to stretch my hand toward it. So I did as she said and pointed my hands over to it.
"Good!...now call out [Unyielding Nova]."
Seems I have a skill called Unyielding Nova. But I'm curious about what it does. Let's give it a try!
I took deep breaths and uttered...
"[Unyielding Nova]."
Suddenly, I could feel something flowing into the hand I stretched out, and all of a sudden, I released a huge energy blast which sent me flying backward, hitting my head against a tree.
"Hey! Are you okay?"
I won't lie, my head does hurt. But I guess it doesn't matter.
"Don't worry, I'm alright-"
As I raised my head to reply to the goddess, what I saw was beyond shocking.
"N-No freaking way!"
Behind her, what I saw - no! It's what I couldn't see - that shocked me.
I was only aiming at a single tree, but instead... the entire forest landscape was completely wiped out.