"The world has seen countless eras, but this one has brought great changes.
A catastrophe—or could it be a blessing? Only oneself can know."
I read the lines in my mind as my eyes flicked through the history book on my desk. I raised my head and surveyed the classroom from the last seat.
It has been a year since I came to this world through a portal that pulled my soul in, leaving behind my body on Earth.
Somehow, I, in my soul form, managed to replace a young teenager's soul and reside in his body. I watched his memories flash before my eyes like a movie.
Yes, I killed the boy's soul. I feel no regret, though. It was me or him—a struggle for survival.
At first, it felt strange, but after a few weeks, I grew accustomed to the new body. It wasn't weak or unhealthy, though far from ideal.
This world is called Gazzile, a place vastly different from Earth, where I once lived. Technology here, alongside certain aspects of human biology and weapon arts, was remarkably advanced.
And now, the very catastrophe I was reading about in the history book of Surruk...
---
The Dark Age
Ninety-three years ago, across many locations on Gazzile, space itself tore apart, forming transparent rifts that led to a mysterious dimension. From these rifts emerged twisted creatures.
These creatures, with their completely alien biology, were violent and savage, showing no capacity to communicate with humans.
Killing them proved to be nearly impossible. Bullets, at best, could penetrate their bodies but failed to deal substantial damage. Bombs worked on the smaller ones, but the larger ones withstood explosions and fought back even more ferociously.
In just a few weeks, the world reached a critical point. If a solution wasn't found to stop these creatures, humanity would face total annihilation.
Nuclear power was, of course, an option. But how many times could they use it before dooming themselves?
The rifts brought an endless wave of creatures. What could humanity do?
---
"Aura," I answered aloud.
Miss Rami, the class teacher, flipped her book and spoke in a clear voice to the students.
"That is correct. Aura—a manifestation of our soul power. This was the solution humanity discovered just one month into the Dark Age, which lasted for fifty years.
The dimensional rifts not only brought forth the dark creatures we now call Crawlers, but they also produced a high-density energy that helped humans unlock Aura.
Aura can be used in a variety of ways: to enhance weapons, protect the body, or as a direct offensive force.
In every form, it is a lethal power."
Miss Rami continued the lecture, but my thoughts drifted to a more pressing matter.
I lowered my head and stared at my left hand. A faint red energy pulsed from my palm, radiating a warm sensation.
This was Aura.
Normally, humans could only release Aura after the age of eighteen, as absorbing the energy in the atmosphere was extremely challenging.
There were fifteen known methods of meditation to help absorb this energy, but only five were accessible to the public—and these five were the least effective.
I tried all five methods and found them nearly useless. So, I attempted to create a new method for myself.
As easy as it sounded, it was a painstaking and mentally exhausting process. Yet, I succeeded in crafting a technique that was, at the very least, better than the public methods.
A year of meditation using my method had culminated in the red energy now swirling in my palm.
I controlled it carefully, guiding it toward my index finger until it formed a tiny sphere of energy.
Sensing movement from a male student to my left, I dispersed the ball instantly. I had to keep my abilities concealed—for now.
Until I accumulated enough Aura and turned eighteen, I had to remain unnoticed. All of this was because of an incident I witnessed shortly after arriving in this world.
---
A Year Ago
In the night sky, a small rift—no larger than a basketball—opened briefly before closing.
In that fleeting moment, an unfortunate soul was expelled from the rift. It drifted slowly down from the sky toward the ground.
It was Olson, a 30-year-old soul. A silent but intelligent man, Olson lived alone after losing his family to a flood.
He had been left with nothing but a small piece of countryside land. All his certificates, achievements, and identification had been destroyed in the disaster.
Facing hardship, Olson had no choice but to work as a laborer to survive.
---
The lonely soul floated through a forest until it stumbled upon a group of humans.
Despite lacking eyes or ears, Olson could somehow see and hear. Despite lacking a brain, he could think.
He watched as four adult men, fully armed, brutally murdered two boys no older than fifteen. The men's faces showed neither mercy nor hesitation, as though such acts were routine.
After burying the bodies, the men discussed quietly, but Olson overheard a terrifying secret.
These men were part of an organization that hunted children capable of releasing Aura before the age of eighteen.
The purpose behind their actions was unclear, but Olson understood one thing: this organization was evil.
He memorized their faces carefully.
"I feel strange," one of the men muttered. "It's as if someone else is here."
The others glanced at him before suddenly releasing deadly Aura. The sheer force caused the grass to wither and burn to ash.
"There's no one here," their leader said after scanning the area. "It must have been your imagination."
The group resumed their work, but Olson fled, his soul barely escaping the suffocating pressure of their Aura.
---
Eventually, he reached a large city that wasn't much different from one on Earth. Olson wandered aimlessly until he found a luxurious mansion.
Something about it drew him in.
Drifting through its walls, Olson entered the bedroom of a sleeping boy.
"Sorry," the soul seemed to whisper before plunging into the boy's mind.
---
The boy's memories flashed before Olson's eyes. A battle for dominance ensued.
When it was over, the boy's chest heaved as he gasped for air. Olson had succeeded. He now inhabited the body of Victor Kal, a 14-year-old boy.
Sitting at a study table later that night, Olson—now Victor—searched the internet for answers.
His suspicions were confirmed.
Dark Age. Aura. Soul Power. Gazzile.
The pieces were falling into place.
---
After the school day ended with the ringing of the bell, I picked up my bag and stepped out of the classroom.
"Victor! Are you coming to play football this evening?"
A boy jumped in front of me, his face lit with enthusiasm. His cheerful energy was almost infectious, but I shook my head and walked past him, uninterested in wasting my time.
I had more important things to do.
"Come on!" he called out, jogging to keep up with me. "Everyone's coming today! You're the only one who hasn't joined in yet. It'll be fun!"
"I can't," I replied flatly, my tone leaving no room for argument.
He sighed dramatically but eventually gave up, falling behind as I made my way through the bustling corridors. My mind was already elsewhere, focused on what awaited me at home.
At the main exit, the area was crowded with parents coming to pick up their children. Students called out to each other, laughter and chatter filling the air. Amidst the noise, I spotted the butler waiting for me near the car. He greeted me with a polite nod as I approached.
I handed him my school bag without a word and headed toward the white luxury car parked nearby. It gleamed in the afternoon sunlight, standing out starkly among the more modest vehicles around it.
As the car pulled onto the road, I leaned back in my seat and gazed out the window, watching the city pass by. Skyscrapers lined the streets, their glass windows reflecting the warm orange glow of the setting sun. Crowds of people bustled along the sidewalks, moving with a purpose I could no longer relate to.
'I feel like this is all a dream,' I thought, staring blankly at the passing scenery.
'Every time I wake up in that mansion, surrounded by luxury, it feels surreal. I'm no longer the man who struggled to make ends meet. I'm not the man whose life was weighed down by hardship and failure. Now, I live in wealth and comfort. My family is rich. I don't even need to study if I don't want to. I could spend my days doing nothing and still have more than enough.'
I closed my eyes and leaned back further, letting the warmth of the car's interior lull me into a brief sense of peace.
But peace didn't last.
The moment I thought of the forest, my chest tightened, and I opened my eyes abruptly.
The memory was still vivid, as if it had happened just yesterday.
The four men. The cold-blooded murders. The terrifying burst of Aura that could have annihilated me if they had detected my presence.
My hands clenched into fists in my lap as the scenes replayed in my mind. The power they unleashed was overwhelming, almost godlike. And the way they drained the life force from the bodies... It wasn't just horrifying—it was unnatural.
It was a reminder that this world wasn't a dream. It wasn't the paradise I sometimes fooled myself into believing it was. Beneath the surface of wealth and comfort, there was darkness.
I couldn't afford to waste time. The more Aura I gathered, the better prepared I would be. I wasn't going to let myself become another victim of this cruel world.
As the car continued down the road toward the mansion, I turned my gaze back to the window. My reflection stared back at me from the glass, and for a moment, I barely recognized it.
'I don't belong here,' I thought.
'Not yet.'