Kazuya stood alone in the vast, open field, the eerie silence of the land pressing down on him like an invisible weight. His mind was still reeling from the encounter with the winged creature. The dragon—or whatever it had been—had flown off into the distance, leaving him with more questions than answers.
Veiled Dominion. The name echoed in his mind, a strange and foreboding term that didn't make any sense. It wasn't like anything he'd ever heard before, but it felt important, as if it held the key to understanding why he was here.
He took a deep breath, trying to calm the racing thoughts in his head. The wind carried the scent of earth and grass, the air crisp and clean, unlike the city pollution he was used to. It was refreshing but alien. This place was nothing like his home—nothing like the world he knew. It was a different reality altogether.
Kazuya glanced down at his hands, clenching them into fists. The tingling sensation from the stats board still lingered. He wasn't sure if it had been a dream, but it had felt too real.
STATUS BOARD
Name: Kazuya Hiyotoshi
Race: Human
Age: 22
HP: Infinite
MP: Infinite
Strength: Infinite
Speed: Infinite
Durability: Infinite
Magic Power: Infinite
Skills:
Flight
Dash(Increases speed exponentially)
Autoheal(Instantaneous self-heal)
Healing Touch(Instantaneous healing of others)
Special Traits:
Immune to poison, toxins, and harmful chemicals.
Absorbs the powers of any enemy defeated.
The stats stared back at him, seeming almost too absurd to be true. Infinite in every category. He couldn't wrap his head around it. Strength. Speed. Magic power. Durability. It was all unreal.
He didn't have time to dwell on the implications of his new reality, though. He had to survive.
"Alright, focus," Kazuya muttered to himself. "I need to figure out what's going on."
He scanned his surroundings again. The city he had seen from a distance still lay beyond the mountains. It was his best bet for finding answers, but getting there wouldn't be easy. The vast wilderness stretched out before him, unknown and full of potential dangers. The creature's warning lingered in his mind—this world will test you.
Kazuya knew he had no choice. If he was to survive here, he would need to learn how to navigate this new reality. And the first step in that journey was to move forward.
With a determined nod, he began walking toward the mountains, each step taking him further into the unknown. His mind raced as he considered what he had learned so far. He had no idea how he had been transported here, but he couldn't afford to waste time dwelling on it. What mattered now was surviving. Thriving.
The field was quiet, the only sounds coming from the wind and the rustling of the tall grass at his feet. His boots crunched lightly against the ground, and the longer he walked, the more he felt the weight of the situation pressing down on him. He had no map, no guide, nothing to help him make sense of this place. But he had something else—something even more important.
His grandfather's teachings.
Be kind to all lifeforms, no matter how small or different. It's through kindness that you will find your happiness. Those words had stayed with him for as long as he could remember. They had shaped him into the man he was today. A man who valued people, who tried to understand others, who believed that every life had value. And now, here he was in a strange world, his kindness likely his only means of connecting with anyone or anything.
The sun overhead was now slightly higher in the sky, casting a warm glow over the landscape. The heat of the day had begun to settle in, and Kazuya's stomach growled with hunger. He hadn't eaten since before he was transported, and it felt like hours had passed since then. The last thing he wanted to do was waste energy, but survival demanded that he find food.
A rustling sound came from the edge of the field, snapping him out of his thoughts. Kazuya froze, instinctively reaching for anything he could use as a weapon, but his hands met nothing but air. He cursed under his breath. He wasn't exactly prepared for any kind of confrontation.
From the tall grass, a small creature emerged—a four-legged animal, covered in soft, brown fur with large ears and glowing eyes. It looked somewhat like a fox, but there was something distinctly different about it. The creature froze as soon as it saw him, its large eyes locking onto Kazuya with an intelligence that made his breath catch in his throat.
For a moment, neither moved. Kazuya wasn't sure if it was afraid of him, or if it was just sizing him up. Then, the creature let out a high-pitched noise, a squeak that sounded almost like a greeting. It took a few cautious steps toward him, sniffing the air as though it was trying to determine whether he was a threat.
Kazuya bent down slightly, making himself less intimidating. He remembered his grandfather's words—Be kind to all lifeforms. That simple lesson now resonated more deeply than ever. If he was going to survive here, he needed to build bridges, not burn them.
Slowly, he extended a hand toward the creature, hoping it wouldn't run away. "Hey, little guy. I mean you no harm," he said softly, his voice calm and non-threatening. "I'm not from around here, but I'm just trying to figure things out."
The creature tilted its head, clearly intrigued, and after a few moments, it cautiously stepped closer to Kazuya's outstretched hand. It sniffed his fingers before gently brushing its small, wet nose against his palm. Kazuya smiled, relieved.
"Good boy," he whispered, his fingers lightly grazing the creature's fur. It was soft, almost velvety under his touch. "Do you... know where I can find food?" He wasn't sure if it would understand him, but it was worth a shot.
The creature didn't answer, of course, but it seemed to consider his question. Then, it scurried off into the grass, looking back at him as though it expected him to follow.
Kazuya raised an eyebrow, feeling a sense of hope. It wasn't much, but it was a start. "Alright, let's see where you're going."
He followed the creature through the tall grass, careful to stay at a distance so he wouldn't scare it away. After a few minutes of walking, they reached a small grove of trees, their trunks thick and ancient, the branches heavy with fruit. The air around the grove smelled sweet, and Kazuya's stomach growled louder.
The creature bounded ahead, its small paws light against the ground, and in a flash, it had climbed up one of the trees, effortlessly reaching a branch with hanging fruit. It plucked one and dropped it down to Kazuya, who caught it easily. The fruit was round and golden, with a smooth, shiny skin. It glowed faintly, almost as if it were pulsing with energy.
Kazuya stared at it, unsure if he should eat it. The creature had eaten it, so it had to be safe, right? He took a tentative bite, and the fruit was surprisingly sweet, with a tart aftertaste that refreshed him instantly. His hunger abated, and he sighed in relief.
"This... this will do for now," he muttered to himself, smiling at the creature as it hopped down from the tree. It squeaked once more, then scampered off into the forest, leaving Kazuya to his thoughts.
As he sat beneath the tree, eating the fruit and resting for a moment, Kazuya couldn't help but reflect on what had just happened. It wasn't much, but it was a start. He had made his first connection in this strange new world. He didn't know where it would lead, or what dangers awaited him, but he knew one thing for certain: he was no longer alone. And that small victory, however insignificant it seemed, was enough to give him hope.
For now, it was enough to take things one step at a time. And Kazuya Hiyotoshi was going to do just that.