The forest was too quiet.
Even the birds had gone silent.
Kenzo stood near the village's wooden gates, flanked by two nervous men holding rusted spears. Sweat rolled down his neck despite the cool night breeze. Every muscle in his new body was coiled, every instinct screaming that something was coming.
And then it did.
A shriek tore through the dark like a dying animal. Trees snapped. The earth trembled. From the forest shadows emerged shapes that was twisted, hulking things with pale eyes and matted fur. Their fangs gleamed in the moonlight like jagged glass. Beasts.
[QUEST OBJECTIVE: Defend Liora Village – Commencing Raid]
There were dozens and it was too many for a village militia armed with pitchforks and barely any training. The beasts lunged forward like a tidal wave of muscle and fury.
"Hold the line!" someone yelled.
Kenzo gritted his teeth. He couldn't summon weapons from games or machines of war as he barely had any real memories outside of anime tropes and food. But he had one thing.
One real thing.
He raised his hand.
[Skill Activated: Memory-Shard Blades]
[Memory Used: "I liked you in middle school… but I was too scared to say anything."]
Glowing daggers of translucent light formed around him, like spectral petals swirling in a storm. Each one was a memory of an echo of emotion, vulnerability, love. Kenzo flung them forward.
The air cracked. The shards zipped through the dark, slicing through fur and bone with precise, haunting beauty. The beasts howled, staggering. One collapsed, then another.
But more surged in.
Screams erupted deeper in the village. Kenzo turned just in time to see a beast vault a broken fence and lunge toward a red blur that was Akina.
"AKINA!!"
Time slowed.
He didn't think. He didn't hesitate.
Kenzo threw his arm out again.
[Memory-Shard Blades – Emergency Overload]
Memory Used: "I wanted to be with you forever… even if you never noticed me."
The largest blade he'd ever seen formed mid-air, pulsing with a deep violet glow. It was shaped more like a spear than a dagger, forged from aching nostalgia and unspoken love.
Kenzo screamed, thrusting his hand forward.
The memory-spear roared through the air and struck the beast mid-pounce. A deafening shockwave burst outward as the monster was launched backward, torn apart in a flash of shimmering shards. Akina fell backward, eyes wide in shock but untouched.
The battle ended soon after. With Kenzo's overwhelming force and the villagers rallying behind him, the last of the beasts fled back into the woods.
And then… silence returned.
He stood there, panting, covered in sweat and light bruises, his hands trembling from overusing his ability.
[QUEST COMPLETE: Fangs Beneath the Roots]
[REWARD UNLOCKED: Unique Skill – Eternal Devotion]
Kenzo staggered back and collapsed near the old well. The screen appeared before his tired eyes.
[Eternal Devotion (Unique)]
You may mark any individual who falls genuinely in love with you. Once marked, their bond with you deepens infinitely. They will remain devoted to you, and their feelings cannot be swayed by others. Marked individuals experience increased synergy with your abilities and gain emotional resonance with your heart and soul.
He stared at it for a long moment.
A skill that could seal someone's love. Make it last forever.
His first thought selfishly was of Akina. She had risked her life for him. Nursed him through confusion. Never treated him like a burden or outsider. And those eyes… the way she looked at him tonight… it wasn't just friendly anymore.
It was something more.
With one mark, he could make that bond eternal.
And yet… a gnawing hesitation pulled at his chest. Would it still be real if it was sealed by magic? Would Akina still choose him of her own will? Would the warmth in her voice be love or enchantment?
Kenzo clenched his fists.
"I don't want to trap you," he whispered, gazing toward the moon. "I just… want you to choose me. Freely."
The option floated silently before him, waiting.
[Mark Akina with Eternal Devotion?]
[Yes / No]
Kenzo hesitated… then closed the window.
[Decision Deferred]
That night, as the village began rebuilding and fires were lit to ward off the dark, Akina found him sitting near the gate, gazing at the forest.
"You saved my life," she said, kneeling beside him. "I owe you more than I can say."
Kenzo smiled faintly but said nothing.
Akina reached out, gently brushing some dirt from his cheek. "You're different, Kenzo. Not just from here. But… different in a way that makes me feel safe."
He turned to her, meeting her eyes.
And for now… that was enough.
But in the quiet of his heart, the mark still pulsed and waiting.