The use of magic should amount to something beautiful.
Something that brings joy, not sorrow.
That was my intention when I created the method to manipulate mana and induce a supernatural phenomenon, one I later named magic.
Yet, a part of me foresaw the destruction it could bring. With sufficient mana and refined control, it would be possible to craft magic so powerful it could erase an entire kingdom from existence.
If only I had not been so hasty in sharing my achievements with the world.
I, the progenitor of magic, Ariel Luminion—was truly a fool.
***
"Run!"
"It's a dungeon break! Everyone, take shelter!"
Those were the first words I heard the moment I opened my eyes. A metallic scent filled my nostrils, mixed with the damp stench of rot.
Where am I? An alleyway? Didn't I die…?
My neck was intact. My heart was beating wildly. Yet something felt wrong, my body… it was smaller.
And this strange energy…
"Hey, kid! Take shelter!" an armored man shouted, five wolves charging straight toward him.
No, those weren't wolves. They were something else entirely. Jet-black fur. Saber-like teeth. A creature I had never seen before.
"Kid!! Didn't you hear me?! Go!!"
I didn't understand what was happening, but I followed his instructions and ran the other way.
As I sprinted through empty streets, human screams and the cries of beasts echoed through the burning night. Dark smoke swallowed the sky, blotting out the moon.
Hell… Is this hell?
"Kid! Over here!" an armored woman called out as she stood guard in front of a building.
I ran toward her. She grabbed my hand and pulled me inside before stepping in herself and slamming the door shut.
Inside, countless people huddled together—some trembling in fear, others crying openly. Only four armored individuals carrying weapons appeared calm enough to speak.
"Is that the last one?" a man with an eyepatch asked, leaning against the wall.
"I think so. Mason's still outside searching for more survivors," the woman holding my hand replied.
While they spoke, I used the moment to gather my thoughts.
Those monsters… what were they? Is this a dream?
No. This isn't a dream. Everything feels too real, the smells, the warmth of this woman's hand…
Then… reincarnation? That's a stretch. Yet it could be possible.
But I definitely died. I could never forget that excruciating pain.
Just thinking about it made my hand tremble as I clenched my teeth. A death born of betrayal.
The woman seemed to notice. She crouched down, placing her cold palm on my shoulder.
"Are you okay? You're not hurt anywhere, are you?"
"N-No—"
I was interrupted by a sudden commotion.
A man wearing glasses had grabbed one of the armored guards by the collar, shouting in fury.
"What the hell did you just say?! Because of you damn Adventurers, so many people died!!"
"So what?"
The man being held by the collar looked at his assailant as though he were an insect—something to be crushed underfoot. His gaze was cold, utterly indifferent.
"You…!!"
"Let go of me. Unless you want to lose an arm—"
"Jack!" the black-haired woman beside me shouted. "And you too, sir. If you intend to fight, do it outside."
Her voice sharpened. "Just know I won't be responsible for your deaths."
"Especially you—the civilian."
It wasn't only her. Every Adventurer in the room fixed the man with a lethal glare.
He released Jack immediately, sweat dripping down his face, before retreating to sit on the stairs leading to the second floor.
What's going on…? Something feels wrong.
The crying stopped. The room fell silent as distant howls pierced the air.
Something was definitely wrong. The atmosphere grew heavy.
My body began to tremble. No—not just my body. The entire building quivered.
This terror… it was unmistakable.
The kind you feel right before death.
Screams erupted. Panic spread as the Raiders desperately tried to calm everyone down.
"Everyone, stay calm! It's just a monster stampede! It'll be over in a few—"
Bzzzt—BOOM
A white beam of light erased the roof, and the entire second floor, instantly. A thunderous roar followed as debris rained down.
"No..." The woman beside me collapsed to her knees, trembling.
"…Black Dragon." She whispered under her breath.
Violent winds swept across the sky, tearing away the smoke. Against the brilliant moon, the shadow of a massive winged creature hovered—its eyes glowing silver.
Am I… going to die again?
That night marked both a new beginning, and the beginning of the end.
It was the day I arrived in a world roaming with terrifying beasts.
[End of Prologue]
[Scenario: The Black Dragon Emerges successfully recorded.]
[Do you wish to reincarnate into the world of Astrya?]
[Yes/No]
Those words appeared before a man bleeding out beneath a flickering streetlight. Blood spilled from his stomach as his trembling finger reached toward the glowing screen before him.
[Yes]
The moment he chose that option, the light in his eyes faded. Cold wind swept over his lifeless body, the moon illuminating his figure as the shadow of a winged beast loomed above him.