It's been six years since I reincarnated in Rosemary Village, but only today do fragments of my past life finally surface in my mind…
Sigh. My old life… best to let it go. It wasn't anything significant anyway. As for where I've ended up—
"Ram… Ram…"
I jolt out of my thoughts. "Hm? Erza?"
The five-year-old girl stands in the doorway, her red hair tied back in a messy ponytail as she clutches a woven basket with a warm smile. "I brought you food! Aunt Carla gave it to me~"
"To you? Why?"
"Because I helped her sell her bread this morning! I sold every last loaf!"
I chuckle, ruffling her hair gently. "Haha, you really are a hard worker, aren't you, little one?"
"Of course I am! If we work hard, we'll never go hungry—even if I'm a year younger than you!"
"Alright, alright, you win." I pull out a wooden stool for her as she sets the basket down. Steam rises from bowls of hearty vegetable stew and fresh, crusty bread. I take a bite, and my eyes widen. "Ehm… this is delicious!"
"Right? Aunt Carla said it's her special recipe for helping hands!"
Only then does it fully click. I really did reincarnate into the world of Fairy Tail… in Rosemary Village… and Erza Scarlet—one year my junior—is my childhood friend.
Past Life
I remember now—I was out shopping in a crowded street, browsing for groceries, when something slammed into me from behind. One moment I was reaching for a carton of milk, the next… everything went black.
Sigh. So that's how I died. I never even saw what hit me.
"Ehh?! Ehh!!" I'd cried out in that void after death. "Why am I still thinking to myself? And where in the world is this place?"
All around me stretched endless darkness, dotted with dozens of glowing light orbs that floated silently in the air. They all looked identical—soft, warm, and pulsing with faint energy.
I took a step forward, drawn to them without knowing why. When my hand was just inches from one orb, a sharp instinct stopped me cold. Choosing the right one matters more than anything.
But how? They all seemed exactly the same. I hesitated for what felt like hours, until my hand moved on its own, reaching toward the orb that glowed with a deep emerald and gold light—its energy twisting and coiling like a serpent soaring through the sky. The moment my fingers made contact, it burst into brilliant light.
A Little Earlier—Inside His Mindscape
"Wait… isn't this the orb I chose back then?"
I reach out and touch the glowing sphere floating in the space within my mind—but it's no longer an orb. It has solidified into a shimmering emerald-and-gold lacrima, pulsing with the raw power of Rayquaza itself. The moment our skin meets, a tidal wave of knowledge floods my brain.
This is it. Rayquaza's essence has adapted to this world's magic system—its powers of sky, wind, and dragon energy are all here. But I recall that Wendy Marvell will one day be known as the Sky Dragon Slayer, so I need a title that honors Rayquaza's true nature while setting me apart. As I feel the lacrima's energy surge like a meteor streaking through the upper atmosphere—one of Rayquaza's signature domains as a guardian of the ozone layer—I decide: I'll call myself the Meteor Dragon Slayer.
My powers stay true to Rayquaza's core abilities: I can harness fierce dragon wind that cuts like blades, manifest scales as tough as meteorite rock (a nod to Rayquaza's association with space debris), summon dragon ascension blasts that spiral upward like the creature's own flight path, and tap into the raw destructive force of hyper beam—adapted here as my signature "Meteor Burst Cannon."
But there's a heavy catch—using even basic spells demands immense magical reserves and physical fortitude I simply don't have yet. After all… I'm only six years old.
I clench my fist, feeling a faint emerald glow spread from my chest to my fingertips. A small gust of wind swirls around my hand before fading away. That's more like it—pure Rayquaza power.
Present
"Ram? Ram, you're spacing out again—and did you just make wind spin around your hand?" Erza waves a hand in front of my face, her eyes wide with curiosity.
"Ah—nothing! Just… testing something new for practice," I say, forcing a smile as I hide my hand behind my back.
"Ooh! Are you finally going to show me that high jump trick you've been working on?" Her face lights up with excitement. "Come on—we're going to be late! The other kids from the village are already at the clearing!"
"Right! Let's go!"
Hand in hand, we run down the dirt path toward the open field on the edge of Rosemary Village—the same spot we've trained in every single day since we could walk. Wildflowers dot the grass, and in the center, a few other children are going through their forms under the watchful eye of old Man Tobias, who teaches all the village kids basic self-defense.
From a distance, we can already hear them calling out in unison:
"One… Two… Three…!"
As we reach the group, I feel the Meteor Dragon lacrima pulse in rhythm with my heartbeat—its energy humming like a dragon ready to take flight. I look over at Erza, who's already rolling up her sleeves and grinning with determination. This village, these people… even with the weight of my past life and the power of Rayquaza sleeping inside me, I know this is where I'm meant to be. And one day, when I'm strong enough, I'll use my true Meteor Dragon Slayer magic to protect them all.