Nine o'clock at night, in a dark alley of City A
"You old scoundrels, let go of that girl!"
He grabbed a brick and charged forward.
Seeing this, several nearby thugs picked up discarded steel pipes and batons and rushed him. One of them swung without warning. By the time he realized what was happening, the steel pipe was already crashing toward his head.
Half an hour later
"Oh my god, he's not dead! You scared me to death… What the hell happened here?"
"I don't even know them," another thug said nervously. "They ran up with a brick and started hitting me… I thought they were your enemies, bro."
The gang leader frowned, searching his memory for any such person.
"Scumbags!" the boy spat.
The thugs sneered.
"Hey, kid… do you even know who I am?"
Another henchman stepped forward arrogantly. "Yeah. Do you?"
"You're harassing that girl. I don't care who you are!"
The thug burst out laughing. "Wait, wait—what is this? A hero saving the damsel in distress?"
He suddenly threw a punch.
"Listen carefully," he sneered. "I'm the boss here. I'm not being a thug — I'm being romantic."
With that, he pulled out a dagger. His men rushed forward with their weapons.
Seeing he was outnumbered, the boy grabbed an empty bottle from a nearby trash pile and smashed it against the wall. Holding the jagged glass, he glared fiercely.
"Let the girl go and get out of here. Now."
The gang leader laughed.
"Get your facts straight. There are three of us… and only one of you. Why aren't you the one running? You think you can beat us with that broken bottle?"
He stepped forward confidently.
The boy didn't back down.
"…Wanna try? Worst case — we take each other down."
They clashed again.
In the end…
It was a trade.
"Is this what they call… a revolving lantern?"
Memories flashed through his mind at the moment of death.
— Inside a vast and magnificent palace —
"Hm? I didn't expect someone to arrive…"
The man shot forward like lightning. When he saw the figure, he paused in surprise.
"…Just a child? How did he get here?"
He examined the boy more closely — and his eyes suddenly widened.
"Holy—! Such talent at this age? I've struck gold while digging for herbs! The future is bright! Hahahaha!"
He quickly composed himself.
No, no. I finally found one. I can't let him slip away.
The child was still unconscious.
"I should restore his strength first."
A stream of black energy with a blue core flowed from his hand, hovering over the boy before slowly merging into his body.
Once the fusion was complete, the god carried the boy back to the palace.
Half an hour later…
The boy slowly opened his eyes.
Looking at the magnificent palace around him, he muttered:
"…Where am I? Heaven?"
A majestic voice echoed.
"Hello, little one."
"What do you mean, little— wait! Where am I? Who are you? And where are you?"
The figure appeared before him, hands clasped behind his back.
"I am Poseidon, God of the Sea. This is my kingdom — Atlantis."
"…Atlantis? Poseidon?"
The boy suddenly panicked.
"Where's Dad?!"
Poseidon's lips twitched slightly, but he maintained his composure.
"I am not joking. This is indeed Atlantis."
"Then why am I here? Did you bring me?"
"I don't know how you arrived," Poseidon replied. "When I sensed life entering this realm, I found you barely alive. Do you not remember?"
"…I saw some thugs harassing a girl. So I fought them."
"Did you win?" Poseidon asked.
"…No."
"Stupid pig-headed child."
They continued talking like this until evening.
Finally, Poseidon asked:
"Is there anything else you wish to know?"
"Yes. How can we understand each other if we speak different languages?"
"That is because when I infused you with divine power," Poseidon said calmly, "I also granted you universal comprehension."
"Divine power? What's that?"
"It is divine power, not a thing. Sit cross-legged and feel it."
…Two and a half minutes later…
The boy stared at his body in shock.
"…What am I now? A gourd that sprays water?"
Poseidon's eyebrow twitched.
"This is magic. Water magic that controls nature. And what nonsense is a water-spraying gourd?"
"…Magic… Where's Dad?"
A vein popped on Poseidon's forehead.
"You ignorant child! This is the world's first magic — God-Slaying Magic!"
The boy froze.
Archmage… God-Slaying Magic… Isn't this like Fairy Tail…?
After a long silence, he finally spoke.
"…Lord Sea God… please give me a moment. I need to process this."
After thinking it through, he bowed deeply.
"Lord Sea God, I am just an ordinary commoner. I don't understand magic. But… if what you said is true…"
He looked up with shining eyes.
"…please teach me."
Poseidon tried to look calm, but the corners of his mouth were already rising.
"You have good judgment, young man."