Atiyama opened his eyes to silence as the last droplets kissed his cheek and vanished into nothing. For a long moment, he didn't move. Even breathing felt like it might shatter whatever fragile peace he had stumbled into. His body didn't ache. There was no stabbing pain in his side, no crushing weight on his chest.
Only warmth… and wind. He sat up slowly. Beneath him wasn't wet asphalt or the grimy floor of a city alley—it was grass. Soft. Cool. Alive.
As he shifted, he noticed each blade gave off a faint luminescence, a subtle glow that ebbed with the rhythm of his heartbeat. Mist drifted low across the ground, glowing faintly where sunlight broke through the trees above. He blinked hard.
"What the hell…?"
He turned in a slow circle. A forest. Dense. Ancient. Every leaf seemed to hum quietly, as if the world itself was holding its breath. The air smelled sharp, with a hint of pine and damp soil. Somewhere nearby, unseen birds cried out, their songs strange and hauntingly beautiful.
A sudden rustle occurred as a gentle breeze passed through, causing the leaves to tremble briefly. It was as if the forest was acknowledging his presence, silently waiting and watching. The birds hushed momentarily, a brief pause that hinted at something more—a silent understanding or expectation from this vast new world.
He looked down at his hands, half-expecting to see blood. But they were clean. His wounds were gone. Even the tears in his shirt had vanished, replaced by rough, handwoven fabric that clung comfortably to his frame.
"What is this…?" His voice cracked as he spoke.
"A dream? Did I—did I seriously pass out and wake up in some nature documentary?"
He pressed a trembling hand against his ribs. No pain. Just the steady rhythm of a heartbeat that shouldn't exist. Too steady. Then he saw it. The bracelet.It pulsed faintly, spirals etched along its beads glowing with golden light.
The same one Sister Hana had given him years ago. The same one that had flashed in the alley, right before everything went black. Only now, it was alive."What the hell are you doing…?" he muttered, lifting his wrist. "You weren't glowing before."
Before he could think further, the air itself vibrated—then a voice filled his mind, soft but clear, like sunlight whispering through water.
[System Initialization…]
[Soul synchronization complete.]
[Bearer recognized: Atiyama.]
[Welcome, Heir of the Ten Thousand Suns.]
Atiyama froze. His breath hitched. "The what now? Heir of the—wait, hold on—" The light from the bracelet expanded outward, weaving intricate patterns in the air. Spirals. Stars. Symbols that twisted and shifted faster than his eyes could follow. Then, as quickly as it appeared, it faded. Silence...
He swallowed. "Alright. Either I'm dead… or I'm inside the world's weirdest hallucination." Still, he could feel it—something profound under his skin, humming like power waiting to be touched.
"Okay… let's test this," he muttered. "Status?"Nothing.
He frowned. "Uh, System? Menu? Inventory? Skills?"Nothing again."Great. Guess the voice only works when it wants to talk. Figures."He stood carefully, brushing his hands off on his new clothes. The texture was coarse but real. Everything was real.
He crouched and pinched a blade of grass between his fingers, feeling its cool, slick texture. Out of pure desperation, he plucked one and popped it into his mouth.
The bitter taste made him gag. "Yeah, that's definitely real. Disgusting, but real."He exhaled, rubbing a hand down his face. "Okay, think, man. You died. You were bleeding out in that alley. And now…" He looked up again, eyes widening. "Now you're in a damn forest with magic jewelry talking in your head."
A long pause. Then, dryly: "Sure. Why not?"He started walking aimlessly. The forest was calm, with only the occasional rustle of leaves to break the silence. It felt as if every sound was heightened, but he focused on the whispers of the wind through the trees.
The air was crisp, sharpening his awareness as he moved. As he stepped over a patch of moss, the ground beneath his feet thrummed faintly, reacting to him. Startled, he stumbled back. "Okay… nope. Not normal. That's not—"
[Environmental Resonance Detected.]
[Soul frequency compatible.]
He flinched. "You again?"
[Calibration in progress.]
[Spiritual alignment: stable.]
A faint warmth spread through his chest, like sunlight filling his lungs. He gasped. The sensation wasn't painful, but it was overwhelming—like the forest itself had recognized him.
"What are you doing to me?" he demanded, glancing down at the bracelet.
No reply."Figures." He sighed, dragging a hand through his hair. "If I'm supposed to be some… 'Heir of the Ten Thousand Suns,' I'd really appreciate a tutorial right about now."
Silence, just the whisper of leaves. He let out a shaky laugh. "Alright. Yeah. Talking to myself in a magic forest. That's normal. Totally fine."He looked around again, and that's when he saw it.
Far beyond the trees, a mountain rose—taller than anything he'd ever seen, its peak swallowed by clouds that shimmered gold. Rings of light drifted lazily around it, pulsing like a heartbeat.
Atiyama stared. "Holy Shit this damn mountain is huge!"
He took a step forward. Then another. Something deep inside him stirred—a pull, faint but undeniable.
"Is that where you want me to go?" he asked quietly.
"That mountain?"The bracelet pulsed once in response, a faint golden flicker.
He exhaled slowly. "Guess that's a yes."
The wind shifted then, carrying with it the faintest trace of something familiar—the sterile sting of orphanage halls, the metallic tang of blood, Elijah's laughter echoing somewhere far away.
Atiyama's chest tightened. The memories surged like a flood—cold floors, Sister Hana's warm smile, the sound of his alarm clock, the microwave's countdown, and then… the alley. The rain. The knife.
He dropped to his knees, fingers digging into the grass. His breath shook."…I died," he whispered. The words trembled in the air, fragile and final. It wasn't a question anymore. It was true. The bracelet pulsed again, soft and warm.
[Awakening complete.]
[Your path begins anew.]
He looked up at the mountain again. His heartbeat steadied.
His hands were still trembling—but not from fear this time."…Alright," he murmured. "If this is real… then fine. I'll find out what you are. What this world is. I don't care what it takes, but ima do things my way." He said with a smile.
He stood, the wind sweeping his hair aside as sunlight broke through the canopy, lighting his path. A flicker of understanding sparked deep inside him. A whisper that felt like both a promise and a warning.
Whatever this place was... it had chosen him.
He was ready.
Atiyama exhaled, forcing his legs to move. Step by step, he entered the forest, letting his senses drink it all in. The ground was soft underfoot, moss springy like a carpet.
Light filtered through the canopy, scattering in golden beams that made the air shimmer.
"…Alright," he muttered, "let's see what we're working with."He lifted his wrist again, squinting at the pulsing bracelet. "System… show stats. Inventory. Danger… whatever you got."
A translucent panel flickered into existence before him, shimmering like heat over pavement, but solid enough to read.
[Name: Atiyama]
[Stage: Stage 1: Mortal Tempering (Beginner)]
[Health: 100/100]
[Mana: 50/50]
[Abilities Unlocked: Instinctive Focus – Detects all nearby danger in a 2-mile radius, sharply heightening focus. (Can only affect people of the same power and below, also people one stage above)]
"…Stage 1. Mortal Tempering. Beginner," he muttered,
Voice flat but incredulous. "Okay. Beginner. That's… something. But the real question is, is it enough to make it through this damn mountain?"
He flexed his fingers experimentally, and the shimmer in his vision expanded. Suddenly, every movement of life around him—small animals, insects, even the rustle of trees—registered in subtle pulses. Danger, neutral, harmless. It all flashed faintly like a map.
"Whoa… that's actually… kind of terrifying." He raised his hands, palms forward, almost talking to himself.
"So, anything within two miles I can see it. Great!! So I'm like some wizard or something." Atiyama said while laughing.
After that, the first creatures appeared. Tiny, glowing insects with wings like stained glass flitted around. One landed on his shoulder. He froze.
"Yo… you're cute. Hopefully you don't kill me," he whispered nervously. The insect then clicked its wings and zipped off, leaving a faint sparkling trail. " The lil guy zipped off like a fairy, ain't that something?" he says with a chuckle.
"This place is more magical than I thought. I'm enjoying this," Atiyama says with a huge grin.
He's beginning to feel something he hasn't felt in a genuinely long time.. Happiness. Since he got here, it's all been like a fairy tale, and every step leaves him surrounded by beauty and wonders. It's all breathtaking, really; all of it leaves him wanting to take more & more steps. "Let's continue getting to that mountain now, shall we"
Then he noticed flowers. Some glowed softly, petals like spun gold. Others… shivered and twitched, like they were aware. He tentatively reached for a golden bloom, only for it to snap back like it had a spring in its stem.
"Okay… that one is safe welllll maybe. But that one is definitely safe." He then looks at a flower that looks like a sunflower made of flesh, "okayyyyy that's not safe. Definitely not safe." He recoiled, backing away. But then he heard a rustle from a nearby bush, which made him spin.
A small, horned, squirrel-like creature leaped out—but then sprouted wings and dove straight at him.
"Wait! Wait! Wait—what the—holy hell!!!" he shouted, stumbling backward. He tripped over a root and landed in a prickly bush."DAMN IT!!"
"That got god damn creature when I CATCH IT!" he yells before hearing something running at him "HEY HEY I WAS JUST PLAYYINNN!!!" He yells on the ground while covering his face, just as the creature bounced off his back like a cartoon and flew away.
He lay there for a moment, tangled in leaves, muttering, "…I… I'm fine. Totally fine. Nothing happened. Nothing at all. Solid survival skills, Atiyama. Solid."
He pushed himself upright, brushing leaves from his hair.
"…Alright. Note to self: Instinctive Focus is good. Pay attention. Avoid attacking flora. Avoid flying horned squirrels."
The forest continued to reveal wonders. Streams with water that shimmered like liquid crystal. Trees with bark that faintly glowed in veins like molten silver. Tiny floating lantern-creatures drifted between branches, harmless unless provoked.
He experimented, swatting at one lightly. It zipped up and out of reach, leaving a trail of sparkling dust."Okay… okay… this is safe. Safe, mostly. Safe until proven otherwise."
He walked further, the bracelet pulsing. The system detected faint movement ahead.
[Instinctive Focus Activated.]
[Nearby Danger Detected: Moderate.]
He froze. The hairs on his neck stood. A low growl echoed from the underbrush. Something huge moved—he couldn't see it yet. He raised his hands & ready himself. Whatever was out there wasn't gonna eat him without a fight.
"…Alright. Let's be calm, the system can sense it, so it can't be too strong. Don't panic. Don't panic. Don't panic. You're… prepared. Definitely prepared. Totally ready."
The thing leaped. Atiyama rolled just in time, narrowly dodging a set of massive claws. He scrambled backward, nearly falling into a patch of flowers that began biting at him.
"WHAT THE HELL!!! Why is everything tryna eat me!!!" he shouted, flailing his hands like he was trying to swat a swarm of angry bees, and then began sprinting through the forest.
His pulse hammered—but the bracelet hummed steadily, guiding his senses, marking danger zones as red pulses.
He ducked behind a thick tree and peeked out. The creature—a horned, reptilian beast with too many teeth—sniffed the air, frustrated. But then saw him as he was rushing through some bushes & leaped at him.
Atiyama also noticed and crouched, holding his hands up like a scarecrow. "Please leave me alone, I'm not interesting or tasty at all!!. Definitely not tasty. Not even a little."
And then… something happened. The hand he had raised—the one with the bracelet—blazed with a terrifying, golden aura. Not a soft glow. This was a pulse of pure menace, so sharp and oppressive that the air itself seemed to warp around it.
Shadows twisted, the forest stilled, and the ground vibrated faintly as if it recognized a predator far beyond the creature's comprehension.
The monster froze mid-leap, teeth bared, eyes wide in sheer terror. A low, guttural growl trembled in its throat, then it squealed and bolted, scrambling through the underbrush like a terrified child.
Atiyama blinked, heart still hammering. Slowly, he got to his feet and dusted off his pants, squinting at the empty space where the creature had been. "…Hah! That's what I thought!! You're lucky I'm letting you go today!" he shouted, a grin tugging at his lips. "…Really, I should be thanking you."
He looked down at the bracelet, still glowing faintly, spirals etched in golden light now calming back to normal. "…Whoa… this damn thing is badass. Who the hell is Sister Hana, and why did she give me something like this? None of my training—none of it—prepared me for… whatever that just was."
He lifted his wrist, twisting it to catch the light. "…Yeah. I'm definitely keeping you around. Don't go showing off like that again, okay?"The forest remained silent.
The wind shifted, carrying away the faint scent of fear the creature had left behind. Atiyama took a deep breath, a hollow laugh escaping his lips. "…Well, that's one monster down. Hopefully, it remembers that fear and no other monsters try to eat me." He said with a nervous grin while scratching his head.
Atiyama exhaled shakily, muttering a hollow laugh. "…Okay… that was too close." He Pats himself off "Survival 101: passed!" He got to his feet, brushing more moss from his pants.
"…Instinctive Focus… huh. Yeah… you're useful. Noted. Don't die. Don't get eaten. Don't touch everything in the forest."
He got to his feet, brushing more moss from his pants. "…Instinctive Focus… huh. Yeah… you're useful. Noted. Don't die. Don't get eaten. Don't touch everything in the forest."
As he walked, he noticed strange plants. Some glowed faintly, some hummed, some had teeth. A flower with pale-blue petals lunged for him when he tried to pick it. He yelped and jumped back. "…Okay… maybe leave that alone. Definitely leave that alone."
He continued through the forest, marveling at the magical life around him. Small, luminescent creatures followed him like curious pets. A flower opened when he approached and closed when he stepped back.
Tiny vines twitched like sentient fingers. He ducked to avoid a falling branch that seemed to anticipate his moving beneath it. He paused at a clearing. The bracelet pulsed warmly.
"Alright… system… anything here?"
[Instinctive Focus Activated.]
[Nearby Danger Detected: Low.]
He laughed softly, a hollow, amused sound.
"Finally. Safe enough to breathe. Maybe. For five seconds. Don't get cocky."His eyes lifted toward the mountain in the distance. Golden clouds glowed like molten metal around its peak.
Something ancient and powerful pulsed from it, drawing his gaze, demanding he keep moving.
"…Ten Thousand Suns," he muttered, tapping the bracelet. "…Let's see what else you've got."
I muttered about the damn bracelet and kept moving. The forest thinned out, trees twisting into weird shapes with leaves that glowed colors I couldn't even name.
Little creatures darted around, some bold, some stupid—but they backed off quickly. The ground started climbing, and that mountain ahead looked even bigger up close, its golden clouds pulsing like it was breathing. When I finally stepped out of the last grove, I stopped and stared.
The air was thick with energy, humming as if daring me to move. I cracked a grin. "Alright… This should be fun!"