Elys Solvaris Arcanor glided over the Black Canyon like a ghost of light, the wind whistling past his ears with a sharp whooooosh. The massive scar in the earth stretched for mile—jagged walls of black rock, glowing faintly with Aether veins that pulsed like veins of a wounded giant. Below, the canyon floor was a graveyard of broken weapons and old bones.
Still alone. Still bored. But at least this place looks like a dungeon crawl.
He'd been flying for hours after leaving the slum city. The rumors about Ariel Voss—silver haired wind mage, summoned hero fighting for humans, had stuck in his mind.
Weeks here already? She must be grinding hard. Maybe she's got that protagonist energy.
He descended slowly, landing on a ledge of overlooking the canyon floor. The scene below hit him like a truck-kun special: a desperation standoff.
A small group of adventurers—mostly humans, with a couple of demihumans ( a fox-eared girl and a burly orc ) were backed against a cliff wall. They were battered, bloodied, weapons shaking in their hands. Surrounding them was a pack of dire wolves—twenty, maybe more...eyes glowing red from some curse, fangs dripping with venom. Behind the wolves, a few goblin archers perched on rocks, arrows nocked.
In the center of the fray stood a silver-haired woman: Ariel Voss. Her longsword gleamed with green wind runes. Her clothes were torn, blood streaking her arms, but her stance was unyielding. Wind swirled around her like a living cloak, pushing back the wolves with gusts that howled through the canyon.
There she is. Looks like she's been at this for a while. Tired but still fighting. Peak.
Ariel slashed—slashhh—a tornado of wind blades carved through two wolves, fur and blood exploding in sprays. But more lunged. One would clamped onto her leg—crunch—she grunted, stabbing down with a shunk that pierced its skull.
The humans behind her cried out.
"Miss Ariel! We can't hold much longer!"
The fox-eared girl fired an arrow—twang—hitting a goblin archer in the throat.
The orc swyung his axe—thwack—cleavung a wolf's head, but another leaped onto his back, tearing at his shoulder.
Ariel's voice cut through the chaos. "Stay behind me! I won't let them take you!"
She's protecting them. Weaklings, but she's going all out. That's...kinda cool.
Elys watched from above, arms crossed. This is the moment in every anime where the hero's about to get overwhelmed, and the OP MC swoops in.
But I'm not swooping yet. Let's see how far she goes.
A wolf pack leader—twice the size of how the others, with scars and glowing red eyes, roared and charged Ariel.
She met it head-on: wind magic surging—fwooooom—blades of air clashing against claws. The wolf's paw raked her side—rip—blood sprayed. She staggered, but drove her sword into its throat—shlick—and twisted.
The leader fell, but the pack pressed harder.
A human adventure, a young man with a broken shield shouted. "We're done! Run, Miss Ariel!"
Ariel spat blood. "No one runs. We fight or die together."
Elys tilted his head. Damn. That line. Straight out of a shonen. She's got spirit.
One goblin archer nocked a poisoned arrow, aiming at Ariel's back. She didn't see it.
Elys sighed. Fine. Time to step in. But not all the way.
He flicked his wrist.
A single Light Sword blade shot down like a meteor—whoosh—impaling the goblin through the chest before it could release.
The arrow dropped.
Goblin gurgled and fell.
The pack froze. Ariel spun, eyes wide. "Who—?"
He dove. The Light Sword streaked down again—vrrrrrm—impaling a wolf mid-leap. It exploded in gore. Elys landed lightly beside her.
Ariel Voss—spun, sword raised. "Who the hell are you?"
"Elys Solvaris Arcanor. Summoned too. You're Ariel right? The wind girl everyone's whispering about."
Ariel's eyes narrowed. "Another hero? The oracle said only a few would come."
Elys shrugged.
"I'm the glitch. Nice moves, by the way. Kinda like Yuno's wind magic in Black Clover."
Ariel froze. "Black Clover? You...know Black Clover?"
Elys's grin widened. "Of course. Astra's the goat. No magic, all grit. Peak protagonist."
Ariel lowered her sword slightly, shock in her eyes. "So you're you're from Earth?!"
"Japan. You?"
"Same. Otaku to the core."
Elys laughed.
"Finally! Someone who gets it. This world's been trash without references."
Ariel smirked, but her stance stayed guarded.
"Don't get cozy. I don't follow anyone. I was summoned to save humanities, not join some kid's party."
Elys floated closer. "Kid? I'm mentally 17. And I'm not asking you to follow. I'm building a team. Twelve apostles. Super strong ones from every race. You'd be number one. Interested?"
"Why me?"
"Because you fought for these weaklings even when you were exhausted. That's rare. And I'm bored of solo mode."
Ariel looked at the adventurers—exhausted, grateful, alive because of her. Then at Elys, the kid who'd just wiped a pack of monsters like they were nothing.
She exhaled. "Then, I need to see your strength first. If you're the real deal—if you're stronger than me—i'll follow. As an equal."
Elys's eyes lit up, a maniacal grin spreading across his face. "Oh? You want a test? Perfect."
"But, what if...I decline your...offer?"
Elys's smile widened, transforming into something genuinely unsettling. A dark chuckle rumbled in his throat.
"Oh, but that would be... problematic. Wouldn't it? For everyone." His gaze flicked over the adventurers behind Ariel, a predatory gleam in his eyes. "I might just lose my temper... and accidentally… eliminate a few… unnecessary elements."
A ripple of fear ran through the adventurers. They shrank back, their earlier gratitude replaced by terror.
Ariel's hand tightened on her sword hilt.
"Threatening innocent people? That's exactly the kind of behavior I despise." She glared at Elys, her resolve hardening. "I refuse to be a part of any team that uses intimidation as a recruitment tactic."
Elys threw his head back and laughed, the sound echoing off the canyon walls. It was a light, almost childlike laugh, but it sent shivers down everyone's spines.
"Oh, come now, Ariel! You take things far too seriously! Especially you," he said, grinning at Ariel. "I'm not that bad… mostly. Just a tad… eccentric. Surely you can appreciate a bit of playful… persuasion?"
His eyes sparkled with manic glee. "So, where were we? Testing my strength, you said? Excellent! Let's not keep our audience in suspense, shall we?"
The canyon shook.
Ariel attacked first—whoosh—summoning a tornado that ripped toward him. Elys rode his Light Sword through it, blades of light countering her gusts with zing-zing. He appeared behind her in a blink, sword at her throat.
"Yield?"
Ariel spun, wind blasting him back. "Not even close!"
They clashed—sword on sword, magic on magic.
Clang! Boom!
Wind carved craters.
Light warped space.
Ariel's blade glowed, sending razor gusts that sliced Elys's hoodie. Blood trickled from a shallow cut on his arm.
Elys licked the blood, grinning wider. "You actually scratched me. Cute."
Ariel panted, wounds from the wolves reopening. "You're holding back."
Elys nodded. "Half-trying. You're fun. Most things die in one hit."
Ariel charged again. "Then stop holding back!"
Elys's aura flared.
Reality bent—crackle—a dome of light trapped them both. He raised a hand.
"You want full power?"
Ariel nodded, eyes fierce.
Elys snapped. The dome collapsed inward, crushing wolves outside. But Ariel stood firm, wind shield holding.
She smirked. "Not bad. But I still don't kneel."
Elys's grin turned sharper, colder—almost sadistic.
"Kneel? I don't need that. I just need to see if you're worth keeping around."
Ariel laughed bitterly.
"You? Worthy? You're just a bored kid with too much power. Heroes like me were summoned to protect humanity from races that treat us like vermin. What are you fighting for?"
Elys tilted his head, voice dropping to a dangerous whisper.
"Protect? Sure. But only the ones who aren't completely useless. Weaklings who stay weak deserve to be stepped on. That's how this world works. But you… you're not one of them. You fight. You survive. That's why you're still breathing."
Ariel froze.
While they fought, the remaining dire wolves had broken through her flickering barrier, lunging toward the adventurers.
One wolf was mid-leap at the young boy from earlier. But the wolf never reached him.
A swarm of light blades—Elys's blades—had silently intercepted, slicing the beast apart in a spray of gore.
Squelch. Thud.
The adventurers were unharmed, shielded by a faint barrier of light that Elys had woven without her noticing.
Ariel's eyes widened. "You… you protected them?"
Elys shrugged, that manic edge still in his smile.
"Of course. I hate weaklings who give up. But I hate bullies more. Humans might be pests to everyone else, but they're my pests. And I don't like sharing my toys."
Ariel stared at him—really looked.
The boy floating there, blood on his hoodie, golden eyes glowing, a smile that was equal parts cruel and protective.
He wasn't just strong. He was… twisted, but in a way that made sense in this broken world.
She lowered her sword completely. "You're insane."
Elys laughed—genuine, thrilled. "Takes one to know one. So… still want to join?"
Ariel exhaled, looking at the adventurers she'd fought for.
Then back at Elys. "Fine. But as an equal. Allies. And if you ever start treating humans like trash, I'll cut you down myself."
Elys's grin softened—just a little. "Deal. Welcome to the apostles, Wind Sovereign."
He extended a hand.
No glow this time. No immediate upgrade. Just a simple gesture.
Ariel took it.
The moment their hands touched, she felt a faint pull—like something ancient connecting.
"What was that?"
Elys smiled. "You'll feel it later. Apostles get stronger when they're with me. I'm the source. But you earn it. No handouts."
Ariel nodded. "Fair."
The adventurers cheered weakly, tears in their eyes.
Elys looked up. "Now let's get these people somewhere safe. Then… number two."
In the distance, a dragon roar echoed—closer, deeper, hungry.
Elys's eyes gleamed with that familiar, unhinged excitement.
"Looks like the next episode's starting early."