— Rank 1750, Ren Dover. Package delivery.
The delivery man held a large box under one arm while balancing his tablet with the other. Ren signed quickly, took the package, and closed the door with a dry clack!
Curious, he ran his finger along the tape and began opening the box. The first thing he saw was a white letter, carefully placed on top of the contents.
He opened it and skimmed through the text.
===
Hello, Ren!
How's school? Have you made any friends yet? When are you coming home? Come visit us when you can — your little sister asks about you every day.
Oh, and I sent you a few things you might need.
Kisses from your one and only wonderful mom. 💋
P.S.: Your father sends his regards (and complaints about your training).
===
Ren let out a sigh.
Yeah… he really had reincarnated into a family of overly protective parents.
During his time at Clayton Ridge, he constantly received messages — and every time he replied, an answer came back within seconds, as if they were watching their phones nonstop. Sometimes they asked if he was eating properly. Other times, they complained that the "heir of the Dover family" needed to train harder to someday succeed the guild.
As suffocating as it could be, Ren couldn't bring himself to hate that feeling of care.
He began taking the contents out of the box, instinctively sorting everything into two piles.
Useful.
Useless.
After only a week, he already knew what to expect.
He picked up a pink shirt with golden embroidered letters:
"Mommy's Little Boy 💕"
Ren stared at it in silence for three seconds… then tossed it straight into the useless pile.
The "useless" pile grew at an alarming rate: plush toys, flashy clothes, a heart-shaped pendant, even a set of "cutlery for refined adventurers."
Still, there were good things — reinforced cloaks, food supplies, a first-aid kit. When he finished, he rubbed his forehead.
— Phew… that should be everything.
He was about to head out to eat when something at the bottom of the box caught his attention.
A small object, almost forgotten.
— A book?
He picked it up carefully. It was a scarlet-red notebook, no title, no illustrations — just the rough texture of leather and the faint scent of new paper.
He opened it.
Completely blank pages.
— Must be a diary… — he muttered, shrugging.
Without giving it much thought, he placed the book on the table and left, his stomach growling loudly.
Beep.
The door locked automatically behind him.
For a moment, silence.
Then, the abandoned book began to glow. A faint light traced its edges, and golden letters slowly formed on the red cover.
"The Luminous Swordsman."
———
— Rank 2055, Kazehara Yuto. Package delivery.
The same routine repeated itself throughout the dormitories: freshmen receiving boxes filled with personal belongings, now that they would officially be living at Lock.
Yuto's package was far too big for his small frame, yet the weight seemed insignificant in his hands. The box carried a faint scent of tea and bamboo — enough to make him smile already. On top, a scroll sealed with a red ribbon rested neatly.
He placed everything on the table and, before anything else, unrolled the letter. The elegant handwriting and warm tone carried a comfort that passed straight through the paper.
===
Hello, my dear!
How are your studies going? Are you adjusting well? You know how much I didn't want you to follow such a dangerous path, but I can't hold you back forever.
Just promise you'll keep us informed if anything happens.
Come visit whenever you can. Your father can't wait to train with you again and see how much you've improved.
Oh, and I sent you a few things you might need.
With love,Mom. 💌
P.S.: Turn the letter over. Let's play it together next time you come home.
===
A smile escaped his lips.
It was comforting… and a little painful. Even before transmigrating, Yuto hadn't felt this kind of affection — the feeling of a true home.
He turned the paper over, curious, and his eyes lit up.
On the back was sheet music for an ocarina.
The title: Zelda's Lullaby.
He remembered it clearly — Yuto had loved that game as a child. His mother had apparently learned the melody just so she could play it with him.
That… was simply wonderful.
He lifted the small ocarina hanging from his neck and began to play. Soft notes filled the room, creating a moment of pure calm, as if the outside world had stopped for an instant.
When he finished, he took a deep breath, overcome by a peace he couldn't quite put into words.
Back to reality, he opened the box and began organizing his belongings.
Unlike Ren's, nothing here felt useless. Comfortable clothes neatly folded, small Japanese figurines, and several books — many of them classics he recognized immediately. Yuto had always loved reading, and he was genuinely happy with how many books there were.
With almost ceremonial care, he cleaned each item with alcohol and a clean cloth before putting it away. Apparently, Yuto had also inherited a mild germophobia — the habit of cleaning everything he touched was stronger than him.
Among the last items, he found a cobalt-blue book. No title, no illustrations, and completely blank pages.
Probably a diary.
He gently placed it on the shelf, planning to use it later.
After finishing, he stretched and glanced at the clock.
— Cafeteria… yeah, I think I've earned a meal.
Beep.
The door closed behind him. The room sank into silence — broken only by a faint glow coming from the bookshelf.
The blue book began to pulse softly, until golden letters slowly appeared on its cover.
"The Chained Swordsman."
———
The cafeteria was so large and comfortable that it was obvious how much had been invested into it. Cutting-edge technology, talented chefs, and such a wide variety of food that choosing felt almost impossible. Everything looked delicious — and the prices were surprisingly affordable.
I had spent 20U on the tray I was eating now: a massive slice of chocolate cake surrounded by three scoops of strawberry ice cream. Unsatisfied, I added sprinkles and a generous amount of syrup on top. So sweet it would be unbearable for most people… but as I'd said before, I was completely addicted to sweets.
While I was absorbed in my meal, another tray landed heavily on the table in front of me. A beautiful salad with grilled chicken and a glass of natural juice. Looking up, I met a familiar face — short brown hair, crystal-blue eyes staring at me with curiosity.
— You're going to die like that, you know?
I glanced at my nutritionally horrific meal. Yeah. That reaction was very on-brand for Emma. I continued eating in silence.
— I wanted to thank you for what you did back in Ashton, — she added, taking a bite of her salad.
— No need. I was just paying for the ice cream.
Emma stared at me in disbelief, clearly thinking: "Does he seriously think buying ice cream and saving someone from harassment are the same thing?"
— Anyway… you have no idea how surprised I was when I saw you in class, haha. Like, I thought you were a kid, but then finding you he—
And she kept talking.
Emma never seemed to notice how much she talked. She commented on everything — the incident in Ashton, me arriving late to Donna's class, my weird training, and before I knew it, she was already rambling about branded clothes and games.
She really doesn't shut up…
About five minutes passed like that. While I ate my cake, I probably absorbed only thirty percent of what she said. Eventually, she finally stopped — just to ask a question.
— By the way, what's your name? I'm Emma, but you probably already knew that, hehe.
She spoke with such confidence. After all, her name was well-known among the freshmen. That slightly stuck-up tone was… honestly, kind of funny.
— Kazehara Yuto.
I said it as I stood up, tray already empty, and headed toward the exit, back to the training grounds, without looking back.
— H-hey, wait! Where are you going?! — Emma jumped up, trying to keep up.
———
When I arrived at the training field, I couldn't help but feel impressed all over again. Even though I'd been here earlier, I was so exhausted that I hadn't really taken the time to look around.
How much did they spend on this place?
I couldn't even imagine it. The amount of money invested here had to easily reach billions of U. The gravity rooms alone cost around 50 million U each — and they had five of them. Five massive ones.
In hindsight, it made sense. Even though we were still teenagers, we were the future pillars meant to protect humanity from demonic invasion. Why wouldn't humanity invest in us? If they wanted to maximize everyone's potential, facilities like this were essential.
It was around 7:00 PM, and the place was nearly empty. But just because it was empty now didn't mean it would always be.
In the future, many more people would use these facilities. Today was only the first day — most freshmen were still getting to know each other or resting after the hectic schedule.
Because of my low ranking, few people wanted to approach me, but…
— Oh, is that Kevin over there? — Emma said beside me, shading her eyes as she looked into the distance.
…Why did she follow me again?
———
Walking down the corridor, Donna checked the time on her tablet.
She had just left a meeting and was exhausted. Thinking back on the last two hours, she couldn't help but mentally curse those old foxes who insisted on wasting her time with pointless meetings.
Most of it had been an ego war — arguments over budget, priorities, and who deserved more investment. After listening to the same nonsense for over an hour, Donna had excused herself and walked out.
As she walked, her eyes drifted toward the panoramic window overlooking the training grounds.
The first thing that caught her attention was a delicate-looking boy moving with almost unreal grace against one of the training dummies. It was genuinely mesmerizing.
Even Donna found herself watching for a few seconds before snapping back to reality.
…Interesting.
She couldn't explain it, but every time she watched that boy fight, she felt drawn in. From the very first moment she'd seen him, she knew — that child would become someone important.
Swiping her access card, she entered the training sector. Watching her students work hard always pleased her, so she decided to approach the boy and offer some guidance.
But before she could, she noticed two people arriving first.
One was a beautiful girl with short brown hair and blue eyes — Emma. Donna recognized her immediately; lately, she'd been constantly glued to Kevin Voss.
But the other… Donna narrowed her eyes.
Kazehara Yuto.
That boy from earlier. A strange case. He didn't have Kevin's natural talent, yet carried far too many unanswered questions to ignore. Donna decided to observe from a distance.
Kevin attacked the training dummy fiercely, putting power and intent into every strike. His speed and precision were impressive for a freshman — he was clearly giving it his all.
Then, a childish voice echoed beside him.
— Your stance is wrong!
???
Emma, Donna, Kevin — and even Ren, training quietly on the other side of the room — froze in shock.
Rank 2055 had just corrected Rank 1… out of nowhere.
Was he picking a fight?
— Excuse me…?
Kevin asked, confused, sweat dripping down his face. But he didn't seem irritated. Kevin was never arrogant, nor did he believe he deserved first place. If I'd said that to Melissa or Jin, they'd probably already be foaming at the mouth.
— Here. Your initial stance is affecting the angle of your strikes.
Grabbing a wooden sword from a nearby rack, I positioned myself beside him, adjusting my grip.
— Ah… sorry, little buddy, but I don't think—
Even though he was polite, Kevin found it strange that someone who looked like a child — and ranked last — was trying to teach him. He swallowed his words seconds later.
Swoosh! Swoosh! Fwoosh!
With a light, flawless stance, I repeated the exact same sequence of attacks Kevin had just performed. But at the same time… they weren't the same. The angles, the precision, the flow — everything was absurdly perfect, hypnotizing. No movement wasted energy. The sword seemed weightless in my hands.
I finished the sequence and remained still, not a drop of sweat on me — a stark contrast to Kevin's drenched body. I tried to sheathe the sword into an imaginary scabbard, then realized my mistake.
— Here. Try again.
I tossed the wooden sword toward him. Kevin caught it on reflex, his other sword still lying on the ground — right next to his dropped jaw.
From there, training continued normally. Despite the initial shock, things eventually settled. Kevin repeated the movements, and with my guidance, managed to improve several attacks, though he still had many flaws.
Emma looked genuinely stunned by my sudden mastery with the sword — and of course, she didn't stop talking for even a second.
Donna, on the other hand, finally understood how someone with Mana Leakage Syndrome had managed to enter Lock, even at last place. It was a monstrous talent in swordsmanship, something she had never witnessed before.
Ren watched from afar, one eyebrow raised. He definitely didn't remember any character like this… and yet, this guy was interacting with the main cast.
While the training hall buzzed with curiosity, a certain room in the elite dormitory remained silent and empty.
Kevin Voss's room — vastly superior to those of ordinary freshmen, as expected of the top-ranked student.
Then suddenly, a bright light filled the space.
Above the perfectly made bed, a strange book appeared — emerald-green cover, its title softly glowing in gold.
"The Lazy Swordsman."