Ethan blinked as he opened his eyes, sunlight filtering through the leaves above him. He lay on the ground, feeling strangely light. Pushing himself up, he took in his surroundings and realized he was in a lush forest, unlike anything he had ever seen in his ordinary life. The air was filled with the sweet scent of blooming flowers, and the distant sound of a babbling brook reached his ears.

"What the hell?" he muttered, feeling a rush of excitement and confusion. One moment, he had been on his couch binge-watching a fantasy series, and now he was in a magical forest.

He stood up, brushing off dirt from his clothes. Wait a minute. These clothes… They were strange—a tunic with ornate stitching and sturdy pants that looked like something out of a medieval fairytale. He looked down at his hands and noticed a delicate silver ring adorning his finger. "Am I... in a fantasy world?"

Before he could ponder it further, a sudden rush of memories flooded into his mind—Nico. He had been reincarnated as Nico, a level 1 adventurer in the land of Elysium, known for its powerful mages and legendary heroes. But despite the glory of this new identity, the memory that struck him the hardest was the grim reality of it all: Nico was a complete nobody.

Ethan sighed, glancing around. "Alright, let's see what I can do," he said, feeling a surge of confidence. He remembered the extensive knowledge of spells and skills he possessed from his previous life. This world had a system where people were ranked by levels, and apparently, he was starting at level 1. But that doesn't mean I'm weak!

With determination, he set off deeper into the forest. He didn't have a plan, but he figured any hero worth their salt would find some trouble to get into, right? After wandering for a while, he stumbled upon a small clearing. In the center was a training dummy, looking worn but still upright.

"Oh, this will be perfect!" Ethan exclaimed, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. He stepped up to the dummy, feeling a mix of excitement and nostalgia.

Time to show off!

He channeled his energy, readying a simple fire spell he had mastered in his previous life—Fireball. It was a basic spell, but he remembered how devastating it could be when wielded by someone with his experience. He focused, feeling the warm energy build in his palm.

"Fireball!" he shouted, thrusting his hand forward.

The fireball shot from his palm with incredible speed, striking the dummy directly in the chest.

Boom!

The explosion sent splinters flying everywhere. The training dummy was utterly obliterated, reduced to a pile of charred wood and ash. Smoke filled the air, and for a moment, Ethan stood in stunned silence, marveling at the display of power.

"What the—"

Suddenly, a group of three adventurers, all wearing matching blue cloaks, emerged from the treeline. Their expressions shifted from confusion to horror as they surveyed the smoldering remains of the training dummy.

"Who did that?!" shouted the tallest of the group, a muscular guy with wild hair and a heavily scarred face.

Ethan froze, trying to mask his panic. "Uh... me? I mean, it was just a practice spell."

The trio exchanged glances, disbelief evident in their eyes. "A level 1 novice just smashed a training dummy? Impossible!" one of the others, a petite girl with bright green hair, exclaimed. "You must've cheated!"

"I swear I didn't! I just—" Ethan began, but the muscular guy stepped forward, his expression shifting from disbelief to aggression.

"Enough of your lies, noob!" he barked, clenching his fists. "You think you can just show off like that? I'll show you what real power is!"

Before Ethan could respond, the muscular guy lunged at him with surprising speed, a fist cocked back and ready to strike. Ethan's heart raced as he instinctively raised his hand, ready to defend himself.

"Wait, don't!" Ethan shouted, but it was too late.

The moment the muscular guy closed the distance, Ethan reacted without thinking. He focused on his instincts, channeling the immense power he possessed. "Fireball!" he shouted again, but this time, he unleashed it at point-blank range.

The fireball erupted in a dazzling blaze of heat and light.

Boom!

The explosion engulfed the muscular guy, sending him flying backward like a rag doll. He landed hard on the ground, the wind knocked out of him and his body scorched. The other two adventurers stood frozen in shock, their eyes wide as they processed what had just happened.

"Wha—how did he do that?" the green-haired girl stammered, staring at the smoking remains of what had once been their comrade.

Ethan stood there, heart pounding, wide-eyed at what he had just done. "I... I didn't mean to—"

But the muscular guy groaned, struggling to get up, singed and bewildered. "You... you're a level 1?! How could you have that much power?"

"I told you, I'm not a noob!" Ethan protested, the adrenaline still coursing through him. "I just have a lot of—uh—experience!"

The green-haired girl stepped forward, eyes narrowed. "You're lying! No one could take down Magnus like that unless—"

"His name is Magnus?" Ethan interrupted, not caring about the details. "Listen, I swear I didn't mean to hurt him!"

As Magnus struggled to rise, his eyes filled with disbelief, Ethan realized that he had the chance to turn this situation around. "Look, I'm not just some random novice. I've got skills—seriously!"

But before he could explain further, Magnus finally pushed himself to his feet, swaying slightly. "You'll pay for that!" he shouted, rage in his eyes.

Ethan instinctively raised his hands again, ready for another spell. "Wait! I don't want to fight!"

However, this time, Magnus didn't wait. He charged at Ethan, fists swinging wildly. Ethan braced himself, knowing he had no choice.

"Fireball!"

This time, he concentrated even harder. The spell erupted forth with a brilliance that lit up the clearing.

Boom!

The second blast sent Magnus hurtling backward once more, this time landing in a crumpled heap, unconscious. The other two adventurers stared in utter shock, their expressions a mix of fear and awe.

Ethan couldn't believe it. He had obliterated a supposedly powerful adventurer with ease.

"Uh, guys?" he said, feeling a mix of triumph and dread. "I really didn't mean to hurt him!"

The green-haired girl took a step back, wide-eyed. "W-what are you?"

"I'm just a level 1 adventurer!" Ethan insisted, waving his hands frantically. "Well, technically, I'm a reincarnated guy with a ton of skills, but that's not the point!"

The girl looked back at Magnus, then at Ethan, realization dawning on her face. "You're serious… You're not lying?"

"Not at all!" Ethan said, heart racing. "I promise, I'm just figuring things out!"

The third adventurer, a slender guy with a crooked smile, chuckled nervously. "I think we've just met the most dangerous level 1 in Elysium."

As the tension began to dissipate, Ethan felt a strange mix of relief and excitement. If only they knew how powerful he really was!

With a grin, he looked at the two remaining adventurers. "So, what do you say? Want to join forces? I have a feeling this noob has a lot more to offer!"