The sun was setting over the rolling fields of Mirestead, casting warm, golden light across the rice paddies. Ren was knee-deep in mud, planting the last row of rice for the day. His muscles ached, and his hands were calloused from years of working the land alongside his family. Yet, as always, he found comfort in the steady rhythm of farming, each task a step toward feeding his village, supporting his family, and strengthening the community they'd built.
But today, something felt different.
Ren glanced up as he noticed a strange darkness looming over the horizon. Thick, swirling clouds formed, pulsing with flashes of light and shadows that danced as if alive. The air felt heavy, charged with a mysterious energy that made the hair on the back of his neck stand up. He quickly finished his work and scrambled out of the muddy field.
"Ren!" his younger sister Emi called, running from the house. "What's going on with the sky?"
"I don't know," Ren replied, his voice steady but laced with a hint of wonder. "Let's get inside. Storms like this… they don't just happen."
As they hurried toward their small wooden house, the storm intensified, and thunder rumbled across the village. Then, with a sudden crack, a bolt of lightning struck the ground—right in the center of Ren's rice field. The earth shook, and a pulse of energy spread outward, sending ripples through the water and mud.
Ren and Emi watched in awe. When the dust settled, they saw something peculiar glinting in the muddy water. Despite his sister's protests, Ren sprinted back to the field, unable to resist the urge to investigate. His curiosity overpowered any fear he might have had.
In the middle of the rice paddy, half-buried in the mud, lay an old, worn book. Its cover was inscribed with symbols he couldn't recognize—strange, swirling shapes that seemed to shift as he looked at them. The book looked ancient, its leather cover cracked and its pages fragile, yet somehow, it had survived the lightning strike.
Carefully, Ren lifted the book from the mud, feeling an inexplicable warmth radiating from it. He wiped the dirt off the cover, revealing a title written in a language he'd never seen before. His heart raced as he opened the first page, and to his surprise, he could read it as if the words were speaking directly into his mind:
Welcome to the Legacy of Legends.
Ren's brow furrowed. Legacy of Legends? He had never heard of anything like it. He turned to the next page, eager for answers, when suddenly, the book began to glow. A bright, blinding light shot out from the pages, and in an instant, it engulfed him. Ren felt the world spinning around him, and strange visions flooded his mind—images of people wielding incredible powers, controlling the elements, and using mysterious techniques in ways that seemed impossible.
As the visions faded, Ren stumbled back, feeling… different. His body felt lighter, as if he was brimming with energy he'd never known. Instinctively, he reached out his hand, and as if on command, a small swirl of water rose from the muddy field, coiling around his fingers.
His eyes widened in shock. "What… what is this?"
His sister, who had been watching from a distance, gasped. "Ren! Did you just…?"
Ren didn't know how to explain it. The book, the storm, the vision—everything felt like a dream. But the water dancing around his hand was real. With a shaky breath, he released his focus, and the water splashed back into the field.
He looked back at the book in his other hand, flipping through the pages with newfound urgency. They were filled with descriptions of powers he'd only heard of in legends: the art of jutsus, techniques for controlling the elements, and descriptions of Harvest Fruits, magical fruits that granted the eater extraordinary abilities—at a cost.
The Legacy of Legends was real. And somehow, he had become part of it.
The next day, Ren could barely contain his excitement. He woke up at dawn, heading straight to the field to test his newfound power. At first, he struggled to replicate what he'd done the previous night. The book spoke of techniques and disciplines that he had yet to understand. But he was persistent, and by mid-morning, he managed to control the water from the field to a limited degree. Small currents swirled under his direction, and he realized that his understanding of farming might change entirely if he could master this.
Just as he was lost in thought, his best friend, Taro, came stomping across the field, carrying a hoe across his shoulder. Taro was a towering young man with broad shoulders and a heart as big as his frame. "Ren! Heard you got caught in that storm yesterday. You alright?"
Ren tried to act natural, shrugging. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just… something strange happened."
"Strange? Like what?" Taro raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued.
Ren hesitated but decided he couldn't keep this secret, not from Taro. He glanced around to make sure they were alone, then stretched out his hand, concentrating on the water in the field. Slowly, the water began to swirl, forming a small whirlpool in the mud. Taro's jaw dropped.
"What… How…?" Taro stammered, eyes wide in astonishment.
Ren chuckled, a little nervous but thrilled. "I don't know exactly. I found this old book after the storm, and somehow… it gave me this ability."
Taro shook his head in disbelief, then grinned. "Ren, that's amazing! With powers like that, you could be… I don't know, a warrior or something!"
But Ren shook his head, grounding himself. "I'm still a farmer, Taro. This power… maybe it's here to help with that. There's no point in dreaming of battles and glory. We've got enough to handle just keeping the village running."
Taro shrugged, though his eyes sparkled with excitement. "Maybe so. But still, think of all the things we could do! If this book has secrets, maybe it can help me too?"
Ren held up the book, flipping through the pages again. The thought had crossed his mind, and he wasn't sure if the Legacy of Legends was meant for him alone or if it could be shared. But something told him that this discovery was only the beginning of a much larger journey.
A shout echoed across the field, and both boys looked up to see Aya, another friend and the village herbalist, running toward them. Her face was flushed, and she waved them over urgently. "Ren! Taro! There's trouble by the river—it's a wild boar attacking the crops!"
Ren and Taro exchanged a quick look. Wild boars were a constant threat to the village's crops, but this was different. Ren felt the weight of his new power in his hands, and he knew it was time to put it to the test.
As they sprinted toward the river, Ren felt the pages of the Legacy of Legends tucked in his belt, and for the first time, he understood the potential he held. This power wasn't just for himself; it was for the protection of his village, his family, and everyone he cared about.
With newfound determination, he called upon his inner strength, feeling the water respond to his will as he prepared to face the wild boar. His journey was only beginning, and he would see just how far the Legacy of Legends could take him.