The morning sun peeked over the horizon, painting the forest in golden light.Pramit sat on a flat rock outside his cave, lazily roasting a fish over a small fire. The air was peaceful, filled only with the gentle crackle of flames and birds chirping in the distance.
"Ahh… breakfast of champions," he murmured, flipping the fish with a stick. "And by champion, I mean me — the guy who does absolutely nothing productive."
He leaned back, closing his eyes in satisfaction.
But peace never lasted long.
A sudden crash echoed through the forest — followed by frantic footsteps and desperate breathing.Then came shouting.
"Catch that elf! Don't let her escape!"
Pramit cracked one eye open, annoyed. "...Really? This early?"
Branches snapped, and moments later, a figure burst out of the bushes — a girl with long silver hair, pointed ears, and torn clothes, clutching her arm. She looked terrified, darting glances behind her.
Before Pramit could react, she tripped over a tree root and fell — sliding across the dirt right into his campfire area.
He blinked. "Uh… good morning?"
The girl gasped, eyes wide. "P-please, hide me! They're coming!"
Pramit tilted his head, still holding his fish. "Hide you? From who?"
Before she could answer, several rough-looking men emerged from the trees — armed, dirty, and clearly up to no good. One of them shouted, "You! Boy! Hand over that elf!"
Pramit sighed deeply. "Can't even finish breakfast in peace…"
The bandit leader sneered. "Move, kid, or we'll cut you down too!"
Pramit scratched his head. "You know, I'm way too lazy for this kind of drama. But fine—let's make it quick."
He flicked his wrist absentmindedly. The ground beneath the bandits shook, and in an instant, earthen pillars shot up, flinging them into the air before collapsing into a pile of dirt.
Silence.
Dust settled.Bandits groaned somewhere in the bushes.
Pramit looked at his hand. "...Oops. Guess that was the new Earth skill. Handy."
He turned back to the girl, who stared at him in disbelief — mouth open, eyes wide.
"W-what… what are you?" she stammered.
Pramit shrugged. "Just a guy trying to eat breakfast. Want some?" He offered the half-burnt fish like it was the most natural thing in the world.
The elf blinked, confused. "You… saved me?"
He frowned. "Did I? Oh. Yeah, I guess I did."
She looked torn between gratitude and confusion. Finally, she bowed slightly. "Thank you, stranger. My name is—"
"Wait," Pramit interrupted, waving his hand. "You're not gonna faint, right? 'Cause the last girl I helped kinda did that."
The elf frowned. "No! I'm perfectly fine!" Then her legs gave out, and she did faint right into his arms.
Pramit stared at her limp body, sighed, and looked up at the sky.
"Why does this keep happening to me? I'm not running a rescue center."
The system chimed softly in his head.
[New Quest: Save the Mysterious Elf | Reward: ??? | Status: In Progress]
Pramit sighed again. "Figures. Another quest. And I still haven't finished my fish."
He carried the elf girl into the cave with one hand, the roasted fish in the other.
"At least I saved breakfast," he muttered.
Inside the cave, Pramit gently set the unconscious elf girl down on the bed.She looked fragile — pale skin, long silver hair glimmering faintly in the dim light, and a faint bluish glow tracing across the wound on her arm.
He sighed, sitting beside her.
"Why do I keep collecting injured girls like some weird hobby?"
The system chimed softly:
[Quest Complete: Save the Mysterious Elf][Reward Granted — New Skill: Water Manipulation (Rank: S)]
Pramit blinked. "Wait, what? Already complete? I didn't even try this time."
Another chime followed:
[Skill Description: You can control and purify water. Healing, shaping, and defensive abilities unlocked.]
He leaned back against the stone wall, processing that.
"So… I save one girl, get Earth powers. Save another, get Water powers. If I save a baker next, do I get bread magic?"
He raised his hand lazily, testing the new ability. Tiny droplets formed from the air, swirling gently in a small circle before falling onto the girl's wound.
Instantly, a soft light glowed around her arm — the injury began to close, her breathing steadying.
Pramit stared. "Huh… that actually worked."
He yawned, lying down beside the campfire. "Well, at least now I can take proper baths without boiling water. That's progress."
A faint smile touched the elf's lips as she slept, the water's glow fading away.
The system chimed again:
[Skill Fusion Potential Detected: Elemental Harmony (Locked)][Requirement: Obtain Fire, Wind, and Lightning Attributes]
Pramit groaned. "Oh no. That sounds like… effort."He turned over, pulling the blanket higher. "Nope. Not today. Maybe next week."
Outside, the forest was calm — the sunlight spilling through the trees, the sound of running water echoing faintly from a nearby stream.
And deep within the cave, the laziest isekai hero in the world accidentally became one step closer to mastering elemental magic — all while napping beside the girl he just saved.