The evening sky blazed with hues of gold and crimson. A warm coastal breeze whispered through the swaying grass, carrying with it the scent of salt and sun-drenched leaves. Atop a small hill overlooking the distant sea, a boy sat alone—silent, still, and staring toward the horizon.
He looked ordinary enough—about twelve years old, with neatly parted jet-black hair and a small mole under his left eye. But behind those dark eyes hid something far from ordinary: calm... deep and calculating.
His name was Nara Akira.
"Three hundred... eighty-five. That should be more than enough for a quiet life. Yet, why does it feel like I'm still waiting for something?"
His words were vague, muttered as if to himself. Most would think he was daydreaming—or worse, just odd. Akira had a habit of speaking ambiguously, often leading others to completely misunderstand him.
"Akiiiiraaa! Dinner's getting cold!"
A voice called from below the hill. A girl's voice—cheerful, maybe a little bossy. Akira simply glanced toward it and offered a faint smile.
"This world... feels too peaceful for a lie this big."
...
Flashback – At Age 5
From the moment he was born in this world, Akira had been aware.
He knew this wasn't just any world—it was the world of a game: World Craft. But as a newborn, all he could do was listen and observe. Until the day he turned five, and then—everything came flooding back.
"Skill names. Build combinations. Map exploits. Even old bugs. I remember... everything."
He wasn't just a player. He was the final player—the one who defeated the legendary world boss, Erebos, a feat no one had ever achieved in the original game.
As a result…
"All of it came with me. Power that doesn't belong here."
Now, Akira possesses:
Level 100 – A concept nonexistent in this world where people don't see levels, only ranks.
All SS-Rank Skills, active and unrestricted.
Shadow Aura, an ominous power inherited from Erebos himself.
A Hidden Inventory, packed with:
Enchanted +3 weapons
Rare potions
High-tier spell scrolls
Limited event items from the original game
But Akira wasn't reckless. His young body couldn't handle the full scope of his power. He knew: one mistake could tear his very soul apart.
"This world's system is a mess… There's no reason to rush."
In this world, people only understand Ranks—from F to SS. But to Akira, the entire system was broken. Even those praised as B-Rank elites were laughably weak—equivalent to Level 8 by his standards.
"No need to stand out yet. Let them think I'm ordinary. Let them underestimate me."
Back to the Present
The sky had deepened into a calm lavender. The last rays of sunlight slipped beyond the ocean. Akira slowly rose to his feet, dusting off his simple clothes.
"Same day. Different world. But maybe... it's time I started moving."
He began walking down the hill. His pace was slow, relaxed.
But as he stepped beyond the light, a dark aura crept around him—faint, like smoke trailing the twilight, whispering danger.
The Shadow Aura he inherited began to stir again. Calm yet untamed. Like a beast that had merely been resting.
"I've returned. And this world… will never be the same."