The morning sun spilled golden light across the cobbled paths of Liora Village as Kenzo stirred awake in the barn loft Akina had insisted he use for shelter. The hay was itchy and the loft drafty, but it beat dying cold in a field somewhere. It had been three days since he woke up in this world with three days of slowly learning the basics, and three days of somehow not dying despite his complete lack of common sense.
Kenzo sat up with a yawn, brushing stray bits of straw from his hair when it happened.
[SYSTEM MESSAGE: Incoming Divine Communication]
A thunderous hum echoed in his skull, and time around him seemed to freeze. The light dimmed, and a voice that was neither male nor female filled his ears like a whisper from the stars themselves.
[Kenzo, Recreator of Memory, Chosen of Bonds…]
[A test now lies before you. A crisis looms over Liora Village.]
[The shadows stir beneath the forest's edge. You must protect them.]
[QUEST ACCEPTED: "Fangs Beneath the Roots"]
[Objective: Defend Liora Village from the incoming beast raid.]
[Time Remaining: 48 Hours]
[Reward: ???]
Kenzo blinked. "Wait, wait, wait a beast raid?!"
The vision faded, replaced by the warm smells of morning bread and livestock.
As he stumbled down from the loft, he saw Akina in the field near the barn, pulling weeds from the garden patch. The light caught her hair in warm glints of copper and ruby. She stood up, back slightly arched, and
Kenzo immediately looked away, cheeks flushed.
"Damn it," he muttered, mentally scolding himself. "Get it together, man. She's your friend. Your guide. A living person. Not a character in a sim game."
And yet, every time Akina leaned over to help him with a basket, or sat too close during dinner, or tied her hair back with a slight bounce to her… Kenzo's eyes betrayed him. He tried not to notice the gentle curve of her chest under her tunic, or how her skin smelled faintly like lavender from the soap she used.
But he noticed. Every time.
"You're spacing out again," Akina said, approaching. "You okay? You look like you saw a ghost. Or maybe you just haven't eaten enough again."
Her tone was light, but she was standing closer now as it was so close he could feel the warmth radiating from her. He tried to focus on her face, her eyes, dammit, but
"No! I mean yes! I'm good!" Kenzo said quickly, backing up just a little too fast and nearly tripping over a chicken. "All good! Just… just had a weird dream."
Akina tilted her head. "Huh. Well, weird dreams mean change is coming. My grandmother used to say that. What kind of dream?"
Kenzo hesitated. He wasn't sure how to explain a divine mission from the literal Creator without sounding like a lunatic. So, he danced around the truth.
"I think… something bad is coming. Like an attack. Maybe from the forest?"
Akina went still for a moment, the smile fading from her lips.
"…You heard that too, didn't you?"
Kenzo blinked. "Wait, what do you mean?"
She bit her lower lip. "Some of the hunters who went near the eastern woods haven't come back. And the dogs? They've been howling at night. We thought it was wolves, but… I don't think it is."
Kenzo's gut clenched. It wasn't just a quest. The threat was real.
That evening, as the sky dimmed, Kenzo sat outside the village gate with Akina beside him, staring out at the forest's edge. She had brought him a warm meat pastry and something like a mix between a dumpling and a calzone. They ate in silence for a while.
"Akina…" Kenzo said softly.
"Hm?"
"If something does happen…, can I count on you to help me?"
She looked at him, really looked at him this time. Her expression softened.
"You're not like the other boys around here," she said. "You're awkward. And weird. But… you care. You try."
Then she smiled.
"I'll help you. Just try not to die on me, alright?"
[Bond Expansion: Akina - Connection Level: 2 → 3]
New Passive Unlocked: Detection Boost when near Akina.
Kenzo smiled genuinely for the first time that day. And maybe, just maybe, he could be something more than a shut-in from another world.
Even if he still couldn't stop his gaze from briefly flicking downward when she leaned too close.
"…Eyes up, Kenzo," Akina said without looking.
Kenzo nearly choked on his pastry. "I... I…. wasn't!"
She laughed. "You're terrible at hiding it. But… I'll let it slide. For now."
The sun dipped behind the trees.
The clock was ticking. And Kenzo was starting to understand this world wasn't a game. But it might just be the one place where he could become the kind of man he never thought he could be.
If he could survive.