Hayato Reiko's childhood dreams often felt indistinguishable from reality, especially the one about the golden-haired elf girl.
Even now, her image remained etched in his mind: the mystical glow in her sapphire eyes, the sharp points of her ears against porcelain skin. He could almost feel the phantom touch of her outstretched hand.
"Morning, Hayato!"
A classmate's voice snapped him back to the present. Turning, he saw his friend grinning, schoolbag slung over his shoulder.
"You okay? Spacing out before first bell."
"Just remembering an old dream," Hayato replied as they passed through the high school gates.
After parting ways in the hallway, Hayato took his seat. Sunlight streamed through the window, sharp and blinding.
'What did that elf mean?' The question lingered, accompanied by a quiet foreboding that had smoldered in his chest for years.
"...What in the—?"
Hayato froze. Their classroom pulsed with searing light.
"Stay calm, everyone!" The teacher's shout came too late. A glowing magic circle erupted from the floor, swallowing the entire class in a vortex of light.
When Hayato opened his eyes, he stood in a grand palace hall. Intricate runes glowed beneath his feet, and armored knights lined the marble walls.
"Success!"
A crowned young man rose from the throne, arms spread wide. "Hark, heroes from beyond the stars! You are the chosen!"
Chaos erupted among the students. Hayato stood motionless, his classmates' panicked cries fading into white noise.
'Transferred to another world?' Echoed in his mind as the blonde elf's face flashed before him. 'Could that dream have been... a premonition?'
"Welcome!" A middle-aged king in jeweled robes descended the dais. "I am Alfred Gracis III, ruler of this realm! You stand in Gracis Kingdom!" He raised an obsidian staff.
"Darkness devours our lands. Monsters ravage villages. Thus, we summoned heroes from beyond known worlds!"
Knights knelt in unison. Students held their breath.
"Each of you bears special power," the king declared. "Now, reveal them!"
As the knights stepped forward, presenting glowing crystal orbs to each student. One by one, his classmates touched the spheres, their innate abilities flashing to life.
"Fire magic affinity!"
"Swordsmanship mastery!"
"Healing magic—"
Murmurs of awe filled the hall as extraordinary talents were revealed. When Hayato's turn came, he hesitated before pressing his palm against the crystal.
A blinding white light erupted, brighter than any before it. The orb trembled violently before shattering into glittering shards.
"T-This power—!" The king's face paled.
"It's the mark of a demon!" His voice shook with barely contained terror. "This abomination could bring ruin to our kingdom!"
Steel sang as knights unsheathed their swords, surrounding Hayato Reiko in an instant.
"Lies! I've done nothing wrong!"
"Silence! Seize him at once!"
Hayato's body moved before his mind could catch up. Dodging grasping hands, he bolted through the palace corridors, the thunder of armored boots close behind.
"After him! Don't let the demon escape!"
His lungs burned as he sprinted, the king's accusations ringing in his ears. 'Is this connected to the elf from my dreams? Or just cruel fate?'
Rounding a corner, Hayato spotted an open window overlooking the palace gardens. Without hesitation, he leapt—
"Ghk—!"
Branches tore at his uniform as he crashed into the shrubbery below. Gasping, he pressed deeper into the foliage, but the shouts of his pursuers grew ever closer.
"There! In the bushes!"
Moonlight glinted off drawn blades as soldiers surrounded his hiding place.
"No sudden moves! Submit quietly!"
"I'm innocent! I didn't do anything!!" Hayato's voice cracked. Cold sweat trickled down his spine as the reality of his situation set in—these men meant to execute him.
The lead knight raised his sword. "For the safety of the realm... this ends now."
Hayato's muscles locked in terror. The blade reached its apex—
Then—
A black shadow suddenly appeared before him—a figure clad in a hooded black cloak. Their face was hidden, but in their hand was a sword as dark as the abyss.
"Who are you?!"
Ignoring the captain's demand, the shadow closed the distance between them and the soldiers in an instant. The next moment, blood sprayed through the air.
"Guh—aaagh!"
With the captain's scream, his body collapsed to the ground. One by one, the remaining soldiers fell to the black blade's swings—each strike too fast, too merciless.
"Im… possible…"
The last soldier choked out those words before collapsing, lifeless.
The scent of blood hung thick in the air, and Hayato could do nothing but tremble in terror.
"Another one from another world… Leaving him be would cause trouble. I'll have to dispose of him."
A cold voice reached his ears.
The hooded figure pressed the blade against Hayato's throat, unmoving. Fear rooted him in place, his body frozen.
"W-wait… I… I didn't do… anything…"
His voice shook, breaking mid-sentence. Just as he braced for death, Hayato caught a glimpse of piercing blue eyes beneath the hood.
At that moment, a childhood dream flashed vividly in his mind.
"You're…"
Words failed him. Something unbelievable was happening. The person standing before him—
"Alpha."
With that name, the identity of the hooded figure became clear.
It was the elf from his childhood dreams.
"No way… I thought it was just a dream. Why…?"
Alpha, too, seemed unable to believe Hayato's existence.
The sword was sheathed, and her gaze lingered on his face.
Her golden hair shimmered under the moonlight, the tips glowing faintly, like a shooting star against the night sky.
Her pointed ears were distinctive, their smooth curves accentuating her otherworldly beauty.
Her blue eyes, filled with immeasurable wisdom and strength, studied him intently.
Even beneath the black hood, her refined features carried an ethereal elegance.
Her outfit was a practical black ensemble, yet her dignified presence was unmistakable.
"I have one question for you," she said.
"Wh-what is it?"
"When were you summoned to this country?"
Hayato swallowed hard before answering.
"T-today…"
"…I see. Then you haven't done anything yet."
Alpha's expression softened slightly, relief flickering in her eyes.
"…Regardless, I'm taking you with me. Don't resist."
"B-but if I stay here, I'll just end up dead—"
"I know."
Before he could protest further, Alpha pulled him into her arms.
"H-hey—?!"
"Quiet! This place is swarming with enemies!"
With those words, Alpha leaped into the air with inhuman agility.
As Hayato looked down, the reality sank in.
This was truly another world.