"Wow, that's certainly one hell of an adventure, huh?" Auren said, eyeing the three teenagers in front of him. The red-haired man lounged lazily on the sofa, his crimson eyes scanning them with mild curiosity.
They were inside a modest house nestled in the middle of a quiet green field. It had been generously lent to them while they assisted the local village with its problems. The house was cozy, furnished with warm rugs and a mix of mismatched knickknacks. Still, Erika and Alwyn hadn't gotten the chance to enjoy the comfort; they were quickly kicked out and sent off to complete the mission, while their so-called master stayed behind doing absolutely nothing.
"So," Auren said, "you two somehow stumbled onto an Elite Starfiend and survived. And not only that, you dragged a civilian into the mess. I can't decide whether that deserves a reward or a punishment."
"A reward, obviously!" Erika said with a grin. "We killed it, didn't we? And this idiot's still alive and fine!"
"Hmm… I suppose Lady Luck smiled on you," Auren mused. "From your report, the Starfiend barely qualifies as an Elite since its attack capabilities were limited."
"Elite is elite!" Erika insisted. "We should be getting a bonus for taking that thing down!"
As if to silence any further argument from Auren, she pulled a Runesnap Device from her spatial pouch. It was a circular tool crafted from matte-black obsidian metal, etched with intricate silver inlays. At its center was a slightly convex lens made of enchanted glass that shimmered faintly with a violet tint.
With a tap, the device came to life, projecting a glowing image into the air. The hologram displayed the Elite Starfiend they had hunted down. Its sheer size and presence made it appear intimidating, even in a still image.
"Han's cooperation helped us resolve the situation quickly," Alwyn added.
"Is that so?" Auren said, shifting his gaze to Han. The boy straightened instinctively under the man's scrutiny. Auren didn't move, didn't raise his voice, and yet something about him made Han instinctively cautious. Despite the man's relaxed posture, there was something in the air around him that warned Han to tread carefully.
Still, Han didn't hesitate.
"I'd like to join the Starvanguard, sir."
"Oh?" Auren raised an eyebrow. "And why do you want to join?"
"Because I want to help people!" Han said brightly, his eyes practically sparkling.
Erika scrunched her nose and covered her eyes like the light radiating from the two goody two-shoes was too much to bear.
Auren chuckled. "Well, that's going to be quite difficult."
Han's face fell, caught off guard by Auren's blunt refusal. "B-but why?! I can fight!"
"That you can," Auren nodded. "But fighting is only one part of what the Starvanguard looks for. What matters even more is character. There are plenty of strong people out there, but not all of them have the people's best interests at heart. That just won't do."
He gestured broadly, his voice rising with conviction. "The Starvanguard was formed to be the frontline against the Starfiend. The last hope of mankind."
Han's eyes sparkled even more at those grand words, while Erika made a gagging sound at the dramatics. Alwyn quietly turned away, as if wishing he could vanish from the scene.
"That's why every member must be the best of the best. Someone others can look up to. A symbol," Auren continued. "Tell me, Han. Do you think you can be that person?"
"I can, sir!" Han shouted, giving a firm salute.
"I can see your honesty and drive," Auren said with a small smile. "But I'm afraid my answer is still no."
"E-eh?! Why?!" Han looked crushed.
"I said character is important, didn't I?" Auren said, leaning forward. "One way we assess that is through a person's past. Their origins. And so far, you've said nothing about yours."
Under Auren's piercing gaze, Han tensed. His panicked expression slowly gave way to something quieter, more thoughtful.
"Ah… That's because… I…"
"Don't tell me you don't remember?" Erika asked flatly. "Didn't you say you're not an amnesiac?"
"I'm not!" Han insisted, although it was clear something was off since he didn't answer immediately.
Alwyn narrowed his eyes. Personally, he didn't believe Han's background was anything simple. He moved like a seasoned veteran and didn't show a hint of fear against the grotesque, massive Starfiend. That wasn't something someone could learn through talent alone. Han had clearly been trained and would no doubt grow even stronger over time. Yet, strangely enough, Alwyn couldn't recall anyone like him from the memories of his previous timeline before he regressed. He was sure that, regardless of what happened, Han would eventually climb his way up because of his nature. But perhaps he had been unlucky and died somewhere along the way. That wasn't unusual. Many geniuses had died as nobodies, crushed under the weight of fate and life.
Auren sighed dramatically as Han continued to stay quiet. "How unfortunate. Here I thought you were a perfect candidate, but your unwillingness to speak about your past is troubling."
As if finally making up his mind, Han shouted, "Please wait! It's not that I don't want to tell you, I just don't think you'll believe me."
"Just spit it out already," Erika said, tired of all the vague talk.
"The truth is… I… I'm not from this world!" Han exclaimed.
Auren, Alwyn, and Erika stared at Han in stunned silence.
"I called it. He's crazy," Erika muttered.
"No, no, let's hear him out first," Auren said with growing interest.
Alwyn crossed his arms and waited for Han to explain.
Seeing two curious and one skeptical face staring at him, Han swallowed before speaking again. "It's true. I was just reading in my room when I suddenly got struck by lightning. When I woke up, I found myself in a strange village I had never seen before. In a world that wasn't mine."
"You got struck by lightning?" Auren asked.
"You woke up and just decided to walk into the Wastes?" Erika asked.
"What did you do before you came here?" Alwyn asked.
Auren and Erika looked at Alwyn with surprise at the question, but Alwyn kept a neutral expression. "I just find it interesting that Han has this level of fighting skill. Were you a soldier or something? That would definitely help convince Master that you're a good candidate."
"Ah… no… I wasn't," Han admitted. "I worked... I worked as a programmer. Yeah."
"Pro… pro what?" Erika asked, confused by the unfamiliar word.
"I made programs? I guess instead of magic, my world has technology. My job was helping to make that technology... sort of," Han said, scratching his cheek.
"There's a lot that doesn't add up in your story," Erika said, still staring at Han in disbelief. Struck by lightning and sent to another world? Yeah, right. If traveling between worlds were really that easy, she would've skipped off into the sunset ages ago and never looked back at this crumbling excuse of a world. "Honestly, I say we just throw him out."
"Hold on, Erika. I don't think Han is lying, at least not to us," Auren said with a slight smile. "But now I'm curious about your fighting skills. How about a short spar so we can see what you're capable of?"
Han's expression lit up at the suggestion. It was obvious he would rather jump into a fight than deal with more talking. Auren stood from his seat and headed outside toward the open green field. A few farm animals were grazing lazily, and as Han passed them, he looked at them with quiet wonder.
They looked like a strange mix between alpacas and goats. Their bodies were wrapped in fluffy wool, but they were short and stout like goats, with two long horns growing from their heads.
"That's a Capalune," Auren said. "Don't get too close or they might spit on you."
One nearby Capalune glared at Han as if daring him to try petting it. Han was tempted to ignore the warning and do it anyway, but his brain reminded him to focus. Auren was going to test him.
Eventually, the man led him farther into the field, where fewer Capalunes roamed. Erika and Alwyn settled under a nearby tree, watching as Han and Auren faced each other.
"Alwyn said you can fight, but let's start with the basics," Auren said, placing a hand on his hip. "Show me your Aether Art."
"Aether Art?" Han tilted his head in confusion.
"You know, the sword and fire you used," Auren replied.
"Oh!" Han finally understood. He stretched out his hand, trying to summon the sword. But nothing appeared.
"Eh?" He blinked, confused. Back then, when he had fought that monster, he had instinctively known how to summon that black blade and fire. It had felt natural, like a memory buried deep in his body. But now he couldn't even feel a flicker of it.
"I did it before…" Han mumbled, closing his eyes and trying harder. A flicker of light appeared in his palm, but the sword refused to form.
"That's not surprising," Auren said, watching him calmly. "It's pretty common for someone to use their Aether Art by instinct during a life-or-death moment. But if you want to become a Starvanguard, you need to be able to use it on purpose. You can't rely on luck."
"Please give me a chance. I'll definitely do it," Han said quickly, his voice tense. He looked desperate, worried that Auren would turn him away. He couldn't explain it, but he felt like he needed to become a Starvanguard. Like it was something he had to do.
The Starfiends had to be stopped. He didn't even fully understand what they were, but just looking at their twisted shapes made his skin crawl. He knew they were evil.
And wasn't that the whole point of being a transmigrator? To save the world?
Meeting Alwyn and Erika in the Wastes wasn't just luck. It was fate. He was sure of it!
"Calm down. I can see you just need a little push," Auren said, motioning for Han to come closer. "Here, let me lend you a hand." He gently took Han's hands and began channeling his aether into him. "Do you know what aether is?"
"Um... magic?" Han guessed. That was another common word for mana, wasn't it?
"To be precise," Auren replied, "aether is the building block of life. It is what makes everything exist. It is the energy exuded by the Root of Origins. Those who can use Aether Arts must first be able to notice and feel the presence of aether itself. So, can you feel it?"
Han wasn't sure what Auren meant. Frankly, he wasn't very good at using his brain. But knowing he had to pass this test to join the Starvanguard, he tried his best. Closing his eyes, he focused on the aether Auren was gently guiding into him. At first, he felt nothing. Then, as he tuned into his senses, he slowly felt a gentle stream pouring into him. The flow started from the contact with Auren's hands, climbing up his arms, merging in his stomach, and then spreading through his entire body. As it passed his chest, something inside him resonated. Han gasped and opened his eyes wide.
"Think you've got it now?" Auren asked, quickly releasing his hands.
Han nodded and stretched out his hand again. This time, he tried to remember the flow and poured all his focus into the center of his chest, where he had felt the resonance. Sparks appeared in his palm, and a few seconds later, a dark longsword materialized, flickering with flames along its edges.
"Well, well. Seems like you're quite a quick study," Auren said, impressed by Han's rapid progress. Most people would struggle for months, if not years, to do something like this. Yet Han was already wielding his Aether Arts so well at such a young age. Calling him a genius wouldn't be far-fetched.
"All right, if you're ready, go ahead and attack me," Auren said with a smile, watching Han swing his sword lightly. He looked like a child who had just discovered a shiny new toy, clearly thrilled by his newfound power.
"Are you sure? You might get hurt," Han said with a frown. He remembered the fire he had unleashed on the Starfiend and how quickly it had burned everything down. Though he doubted he could pull off something like that on purpose, he was still afraid he might accidentally hurt Auren.
"Oi, are you underestimating me?" Auren asked with a grin. "I may not look like much, but I'm pretty strong. Come on, give it a try. If you can land a hit on me, I'll not only let you join but make you my first disciple. Then those two will have to call you senior. Of course, the test will end if I manage to land a hit on you."
"Hey, don't drag us into this, you no-good master!" Erika shouted, absolutely refusing to drop lower in the pecking order. She already had to consider Alwyn her senior since he joined first. There was no way she would let this idiot climb over her.
Unfortunately for her, Han's eyes sparkled with excitement and he lunged toward Auren. With a series of sharp slashes, he tried to land a hit, but Auren dodged each strike with ease.
"Come on, I said you have to be serious. If this is all you've got, you won't be able to touch me," Auren said before kicking Han back.
It was just a simple kick, yet the sheer force behind it made Han's arms tremble. But instead of fear, it only steeled his resolve. He charged forward again, this time channeling the flames through his blade. Pouring his aether into it, he focused on that familiar sensation: heat, fury, the hunger for destruction. The aether surged within him, sparking violently until it ignited into a blazing inferno. He had only intended a small burst, but instead, a massive wave of fire erupted and roared toward Auren.
"Watch out!" Han shouted, eyes wide with horror.
But Auren didn't move. The flames swallowed him whole. Han's face went pale as he rushed forward, desperately trying to dispel the fire. When the blaze finally faded, all that remained was a pile of ash.
"Nooo!" Han cried out.
"Oh, he's dead," Alwyn said flatly.
"Should we celebrate?" Erika added.
"You two are terrible students," came Auren's voice from behind.
Han jolted and spun around to see Auren standing there, completely unharmed. Before he could react, Auren flicked him on the forehead.
"You lose," he said with a smirk.
Han was too relieved to be upset. The image of Auren being swallowed by fire had shaken him more than he expected. "I-I... but how?"
"What you hit was just an illusion, a fake copy of me," Auren explained. "It's a simple trick, but it's a good reminder that what you see isn't always the truth."
"Oh... I see... that's good..." Han mumbled, still reeling from the relief. Then his face fell. "Wait, does that mean I failed? Are you going to reject me? Please, let me try again!"
"No need for that," Auren said. "You've got potential. We definitely need to work on your control, but there's no doubt you'll become a great fighter. Welcome to the team, Han."
Han stared at him in disbelief for a few seconds before breaking into a wide grin. "Yes! Thank you for having me!"