Yuuto Kurohata never expected to die that day. One moment he had been walking home from school, headphones in, lost in thought about his upcoming exams. The next, everything was a blur—screeching tires, blinding headlights, and then nothing but cold darkness.
When Yuuto opened his eyes again, the world had changed.
He blinked, confusion clouding his thoughts as he stared up at a sky that wasn't the one he knew. Gone were the familiar city streets and skyscrapers. Above him stretched an endless canvas of vibrant purples and oranges, streaked with wisps of ethereal clouds that pulsed with faint magic. Birds—or at least things that looked like birds—flew overhead, their wings shimmering with unnatural light.
"Where... am I?" Yuuto muttered to himself, struggling to sit up. His body felt strange, heavier than usual, as if weighed down by an invisible force.
The first thing he noticed was the sound. The world around him was filled with noises that were entirely unfamiliar: distant roars of beasts, the rustle of thick leaves in the forest, and the faint hum of something... powerful. Everything seemed alive, charged with energy that buzzed at the edge of his awareness.
He pushed himself to his feet, his mind racing. This isn't Earth.
His clothes were still the same—his school uniform, now dirtied and torn. But the ground beneath him was unfamiliar. Soft, moss-covered rocks and strange, glowing plants surrounded him, giving off an eerie light. In the distance, towering trees stretched into the sky, their trunks twisted and ancient.
Panic started to creep in. He had no idea how he had gotten here. Had he died? Was this some kind of afterlife? But if so, why did it feel so… real?
Just as he was about to take a step forward, a faint sound echoed in his ears—a low chime, like the ringing of a bell. Then, a voice spoke, clear and mechanical.
"Initializing System... Welcome, Yuuto Kurohata."
Yuuto froze. His heart pounded in his chest as a translucent screen materialized in front of his eyes. Words and symbols filled the screen, shifting rapidly before settling on a simple message.
[The Ascendant System has activated.]
Yuuto stared at the floating text, completely bewildered.
"The... Ascendant System?" he whispered, reaching out to touch the screen. His fingers passed through it like mist. The words shifted again, now displaying something new.
[Tutorial Quest: Survive the Day]
Objective: Stay alive for 24 hours.
Reward: 10 EXP, Basic Spell: Mana Bolt
Failure: Death
The blood drained from Yuuto's face. Failure: Death. It was a simple message, but the weight behind it was unmistakable. This wasn't a dream, and it wasn't a game.
"What the hell is going on?" Yuuto asked aloud, his voice trembling. His heart raced as panic surged through him. "Survive for 24 hours? What does that mean?"
As if in response to his question, a low growl rumbled from the bushes nearby. Yuuto snapped his head toward the sound, his heart thudding in his chest. The bushes rustled, and from the shadows, a creature emerged.
It was unlike anything he had ever seen. It resembled a wolf, but its fur was dark as midnight, and its eyes glowed with a sickly green light. Tendrils of dark mist coiled around it, and its growl was low and menacing.
Yuuto took a step back, fear freezing his limbs. This can't be happening.
The wolf-like creature snarled and lunged.
Instinct kicked in, and Yuuto scrambled backward, barely avoiding the creature's razor-sharp claws. He stumbled, hitting the ground hard, his breath coming in ragged gasps. His body was screaming for him to move, but the fear kept him rooted in place.
"Use the System," the voice in his head echoed suddenly, cutting through the panic. "Access your status. Defend yourself."
Yuuto's eyes flicked back to the translucent screen still hovering in his vision. Desperately, he focused on it, willing it to change. More information began to fill the display.
[Yuuto Kurohata: Level 1]
Health: 100/100
Mana: 50/50
No weapons, no abilities—he was completely powerless. But as the System's message repeated in his head, he knew there was only one option: to fight back, or die.
The wolf-creature circled, preparing for another attack. Yuuto's heart raced, but he forced himself to focus. If this really was some kind of game-like system, then maybe… just maybe…
He concentrated on the word "Mana Bolt," the basic spell the System had promised as a reward. His mind latched onto the term, and suddenly, he felt something. A flicker of warmth, deep inside him, like a spark of energy ready to be unleashed.
The creature lunged again, and this time, Yuuto didn't back down.
With a shout, he thrust his hand forward, willing the energy inside him to surge outward. Blue light erupted from his palm, a crackling bolt of mana that shot straight toward the wolf-creature.
The spell hit the creature in the chest, knocking it back with a yelp. It wasn't enough to kill it, but the impact gave Yuuto the time he needed to scramble to his feet.
His hand trembled, the lingering sensation of magic still buzzing in his veins. Did I just do that? he thought, wide-eyed.
The wolf-creature, wounded but not defeated, snarled again, its green eyes glowing brighter as it prepared for another charge.
Yuuto steadied himself. He could feel the exhaustion creeping in, the spell having drained a chunk of his limited mana, but he knew there was no turning back now. If I don't fight, I'm dead.
He focused again, calling forth the spell once more. The Mana Bolt crackled to life in his palm, a faint but steady pulse of power. The creature lunged one final time.
Yuuto released the spell with a shout, and this time, the bolt struck true. The creature howled in pain before collapsing in a heap, its body dissolving into wisps of shadowy mist.
Panting heavily, Yuuto stumbled backward, his legs giving way as he fell to the ground. He stared at the spot where the creature had fallen, the reality of the situation finally sinking in.
[Quest Complete: Survive the Day (First Encounter)]
Reward: 10 EXP, Basic Spell: Mana Bolt unlocked.
The message flashed in front of him, but Yuuto barely registered it. His mind was spinning with questions, fear, and disbelief. He had survived his first encounter, but he knew this was only the beginning.
Staring up at the unfamiliar sky, he took a deep breath.
"Wherever this is… I have to survive."
With the first challenge behind him, Yuuto realized that this new world—this Aetheria—wasn't going to let him rest. But he wasn't going to give up. Not now. Not after coming this far.
He glanced at the shimmering screen in front of him once more, determination slowly replacing the fear that had gripped him. If this was his new life, then he would face it head-on.
And thus, Yuuto's journey in this new world began.