1. Dragon in the City
"I’m really sorry, but we're not hiring at the moment..."
"I understand, thank you."
In the office of a certain small-town factory.
After bowing to the president, who looked apologetic, I left the place with heavy steps.
This marked the fiftieth consecutive rejection.
I had heard that the economy was bad everywhere, but I never expected to be turned down this many times.
"This is rough... Looks like I'll have to get by with part-time jobs."
Three months had passed since I graduated from high school.
I, Sakuragaku Amaheto, was caught up in the storm of a severe recession.
The savings I had built up through part-time jobs during school were finally starting to run low.
It seems that, not so long ago, high school graduates were almost guaranteed jobs through school recommendations, but...
Now, with everyone seeking employment, it was unfortunately a distant dream.
This situation had come to pass because of one thing...
"Oh, if it isn't Sakuragaku! Long time no see!"
As I walked down the street, looking down, someone suddenly called out to me.
Ugh, I ran into a troublesome person...
When I turned around, I saw my former classmates from high school, along with a few other guys.
Unlike me, dressed in a shirt and slacks, they were all wearing black, wetsuit-like tactical gear.
It was the uniform of the modern-day winners, the "Slayers."
"Ah, how've you been?"
"Of course. More importantly, are you okay, Sakuragaku? You looked pretty sick."
"…I haven't been able to land a job."
"I see. I hear it's tough for the regular folks. You've got no parents, so you better keep at it."
With just that, my classmate Akai and the others quickly walked off.
Had they just finished a job, I wondered?
I could overhear them talking excitedly about going out for yakiniku, their spirits high.
"...Sigh."
As I watched Akai and the others walk away, I let out a deep sigh.
It wasn’t that they mocked me or made fun of me.
However, the stark difference in our circumstances stirred up an indescribable, dark feeling inside me.
"I was born in the wrong era..."
The appearance of the unknown realm known as a dungeon in Japan happened thirty years ago.
A massive gate suddenly appeared in the middle of Tokyo, the capital at the time.
Monsters flooded out from it, and the country was soon on the brink of collapse.
Firearms proved ineffective against the monsters, and the defense lines crumbled quickly.
At one point, there were even talks of retreating from the entire archipelago.
But just in the nick of time, a weakness in the monsters was discovered.
Later, humans who awakened special abilities, known as "Slayers," appeared, and Japan narrowly avoided extinction.
In the years that followed, the economy, which had collapsed due to the unknown resources brought by the dungeons, slowly began to recover.
Ironically, the dungeons, which had driven the country to the brink of destruction, became the key to its recovery.
That said, the loss of over ten percent of the population and the capital city was immeasurable.
Even after thirty years, those wounds have not healed, and aside from industries related to dungeons, the country remains in an unrelenting recession.
To make matters worse, public safety has deteriorated drastically, and for ordinary, powerless people like me, life is extremely difficult.
Long before I was born, Japan was said to have the best public safety in the world, but...
Given that armed robberies make the news almost every day now, it's hard to believe that was ever the case.
"...Well, no use thinking about it. More importantly, I need to focus on finding work."
I opened my wallet and checked the contents once more.
Just a little over twenty thousand yen.
This was all that remained of the wealth we had.
I live with my younger sister, so we probably have enough to last for about three more weeks.
If I don’t manage to find a job by then, my sister and I will end up starving together.
For now, I need to get home quickly and make sure I start looking for work first thing tomorrow morning.
"Ow!?"
I was lost in thought and ended up bumping into someone.
Thinking that, I immediately lowered my head to apologize... but what I saw wasn’t a person.
What filled my vision were black scales with a metallic sheen, blocking the alley like a wall.
What in the world is going on?
The suddenness of it all confused my brain, and I couldn’t think clearly.
Nervously, I lifted my gaze, and immediately, I saw sharp white fangs and golden eyes.
This... is...!!
"No way... a dragon...!?"
I couldn’t help but choke on my words.
––Dragon.
Among the countless monsters that appear in dungeons, the dragon is renowned as the strongest species.
It’s said that the dragon swarm was responsible for burning Tokyo to the ground in just a few days.
With scales tough enough to deflect artillery shells, claws that can slice through buildings, and a breath that reduces everything to ash.
Its combat power is said to surpass not only ordinary people like me but even high-ranking Slayers.
"W-what’s it doing here…?!"
Even though public safety in modern Japan has worsened, you'd expect the only threats in the city to be something like armed robberies.
Why is such a formidable monster here...?
If there had been an anomaly in the dungeon, there should have been an emergency alert issued immediately!
At that moment, the image of Akai and the others flashed through my mind.
Even though they were Slayers, they didn’t always wear their tactical gear while going about their daily lives.
At the time, I was too consumed by jealousy to think about it, but that outfit was probably a sign that a dungeon had appeared nearby.
Damn it, I should have been more cautious...!!
But, normally, if a dragon appeared, there would be a lot more commotion, right...?
While I was deep in thought, the dragon, which had been lying down, leisurely stood up.
"H-huh!!"
It's gaze pierced through me, and immediately, I felt my legs give out, leaving me frozen in place.
The overwhelming difference in status as a living being.
My instincts rejected the idea of fighting, and my gaze frantically searched for an escape.
...I’m going to die, I’m going to die, I’m going to die, I’m going to die!
Fear took over my mind, and my whole body began to tremble.
––Grrruuullraaa.
Soon, the dragon's mouth approached me as if it were mocking my helplessness.
Its warm breath instantly brushed against my entire body.
At the same time, the stench of rotting flesh filled the air around me.
"A-ahh...!!"
The raw smell and sensation made me let out a pathetic sound.
But in that instant, the dragon seemed to lose interest and turned its gaze away from me.
...Did I survive?
Relieved that I wasn’t eaten, I felt my entire body relax.
I need to escape from here as soon as possible.
As soon as that thought crossed my mind, I realized that the dragon was heading in the direction of my apartment.
"...Why, of all places, is it going that way?!"
At this time, my sister Nami should already be home from school.
I quickly pulled out my phone and tried to call her, but it wouldn’t connect.
She’s probably in the kitchen, putting her phone down to prepare dinner...!
At this rate, the dragon will reach the apartment in just a few minutes.
What will happen then?
There’s no guarantee that it will conveniently overlook Nami.
"……I have no choice!"
The image of Nami collapsing flashed through my mind, and my body moved on its own.
Clenching my fist tightly, I began to run after the dragon.
Then, with all my strength, I swung my bag at the dragon's back.
––BANG!!
The leather bag immediately deformed, and the two tablets inside flew out.
Ah, the tablet I bought with my hard-earned savings...!!
I widened my eyes involuntarily, but the sacrifice had been worth it.
The dragon, which had lost interest in me once, slowly turned back around.
"Hah, hahahaha...! Come on, bring it on! I'll take you on...!!"
I had to provoke it and get it to change its course, no matter what!
With a dry smile, I raised my middle finger.
Then, grabbing the remains of the tablet that had rolled to the ground, I threw it directly at the dragon's eyes.
Of course, there was no way it would cause any damage if it hit.
But at the very least, it seemed to find me annoying.
The dragon, after taking the hit to its face, lazily raised its front leg and casually swatted at me, as though brushing away a mosquito.
"Ugh!?"
It was just a light hit.
Yet it effortlessly sent my body flying.
What is this...!?
The impact crushed my lungs, and I couldn’t even manage to scream.
As I helplessly rolled on the ground, the dragon turned and began walking toward the apartment again.
"My life... is worth only this much...!!"
How much time did I even manage to buy with that?
Ten seconds? No, it might not have even been five.
For risking my life, the result was nearly nothing.
The absurdity of it all made me acutely aware of my own powerlessness.
"At least... if I had an <Idea>..."
The special ability known as <Idea,> which awakens in the chosen ones.
It is said that, at times, it transcends the laws of physics and has the power to rewrite reality itself through the will of the person.
That ability, essential to becoming a Slayer, was something I never awakened to.
But strangely enough, I wasn't that disappointed about it.
Was it my small-town mentality? Or was it the mindset of a loser?
There was a sense of resignation, a cynical, almost adult-like thought that reality was just like this.
But now, it’s different.
I want power. Just enough to stop that dragon.
I need... power... in my hands...!!
I don’t care if it’s exchanged for my life; I have to save Nami...!!
If <Idea> can rewrite reality with the will of the person, then why isn’t it manifesting now?
I’ve wished for it this much...!
"...................?!"
In the fading consciousness, something snapped.
Then, suddenly, an unfamiliar scene appeared before my eyes.
Is this... a village that was burned down...?
A massive swarm of dragons flew leisurely through a smoke-filled evening sky.
For a moment, I thought it was a scene from Japan, but it wasn’t.
The crumbled buildings were old, brick-made, and the people fleeing seemed to be of European descent.
What is this? What’s going on here?
What am I being shown?
If this is a life review, why am I seeing something unfamiliar?
Amidst my confused thoughts, my right hand slowly stretched out in front of me.
It felt as though it were being guided by something.
An invisible force, somewhere nostalgic, gathered there, and my lips formed words.
"<Inferno>"
Flames erupted from my palm.
The concentrated crimson flames, forming into a massive sphere, pierced through the dragon’s scales.
––BOOM!!
With a deafening roar, a hole was torn into the dragon's black, glistening body.
In an instant, the dragon, deprived of its life, slowly collapsed to the ground.
"...That's right, I remember now. I was a Sage."
Staring blankly at the dragon’s corpse, I murmured to myself.
In my mind, memories of living as a sage in another world vividly resurfaced.
––〇●〇––
In the other world, Venolind.
Once, I had been a great mage known as the Sage of All Magic.
The days I spent delving into the study of magic, fighting powerful foes, and the memories with my companions.
If I closed my eyes, I could recall everything as if it had happened just yesterday.
How had I completely forgotten about all this?
Now, the memories of my past life were so vivid, it was as though I had never forgotten them.
The only thing missing was the memory of my death... that part was entirely gone.
Perhaps I had died in a way that was so unbearable I couldn’t remember it?
"…Wait! That’s not important right now!"
I stopped myself from sinking further into the memories and snapped back to reality.
With all the commotion, the police and Slayers will probably be here soon.
I need to get away quickly or things are going to get troublesome.
In the worst case, I might end up in trouble with the police.
Luckily, monsters can’t be recorded unless special equipment is used.
If I can escape from here, the chances of any record being left behind are low.
"<Ix Heal>. This should work."
I cast a healing spell, and my body started moving again.
My entire body warmed slightly, and the intense pain in my muscles quickly faded away.
I used a rather strong spell just to be safe, but maybe I went a little overboard?
My ribs had been broken, but even that had healed completely.
"Now, then..."
I carefully collected the remains of the tablets scattered around and immediately ran toward home.
I’ll think about the rest when I get home.
I also have things I need to talk to Nami about.
––〇●〇––
A few minutes of running while deep in thought.
Before long, I arrived in front of my apartment.
A two-story wooden building that had been around for forty years.
It’s a rare property in this day and age.
Ideally, I’d want to live in a place with better security for Nami’s safety, but unfortunately, this is the only property around here that costs less than forty thousand yen in rent.
I avoided the washing machine placed on the outside walkway and arrived at the front of the room, knocking lightly before unlocking the door.
"I'm home!"
"Welcome back! ...Wait, what happened to you!? What’s with that outfit?!"
As soon as I opened the door, I saw Nami, who had been cooking in the kitchen.
She immediately stared at me in shock when she saw how torn up I was.
Then, she rushed over and hugged me, patting me all over as if checking for injuries.
"Did you get attacked by a thug? Or maybe you got hit by a car? Could it be... a dungeon outbreak?!"
"Ah, I’m fine. I got attacked by some unsavory people, but I managed to drive them off."
I reassured Nami, who was frantically worried about me.
Though she seemed unsettled for a moment, she eventually relaxed when she realized I wasn’t injured and looked relieved.
"Well, that’s good, but you really should be careful with how bad the security is."
"I know, I know. Sorry about the clothes though, they got ruined."
"Don’t worry about that! As long as you’re okay, that’s all that matters!"
A smile spread across my face, and Nami, looking completely relieved, let out a deep breath, as if all her worries had melted away.
I had really made her worry, hadn’t I?
But now, everything will be fine.
"Nami, I need to tell you something, and it's a bit sudden, but... listen."
"…Did you get rejected again from another interview?"
"Yeah, but no, that’s not it. I’ve decided... I’m going to become a Slayer."
When I said this with complete seriousness, Nami looked at me with a puzzled expression.
Maybe she couldn’t quite process what I’d said, because she stood still for a while, frozen.
Then, after a few seconds, she rushed toward me with alarming speed.
"Onii-chan, you need to go to the hospital! Something’s really wrong with your head!"
"No, no, there’s nothing wrong with me!"
"Then why are you suddenly saying something like that? You gave up, right?"
Nami said with an exasperated look on her face.
The <Idea>, which is essential to becoming a Slayer.
It’s supposed to manifest by the age of fifteen.
For me, who’s already eighteen, it seemed like something completely out of reach.
But now, things are a little different.
"The <Idea>... it manifested."
"Come on, you’re just trying to escape reality because your job search isn’t going well. That’s not good."
"I’m serious. Look."
I concentrated my magical energy and lit a small light at the tip of my finger.
The moment she saw it, Nami rushed toward me with incredible speed.
Then, she grabbed my arm and looked at me with a face as if she had seen a ghost.
Even if it was a faint light, something that couldn’t be explained physically could only be the <Idea>.
...Although mine was a fake <Idea> created by magic.
In modern Japan, there’s supposed to be dungeons, but no magic.
"No way!? Onii-chan, you have an <Idea>!?"
"I'll finally be able to become a Slayer now—"
"We have to celebrate! Red bean rice? No, wait, let's order sushi!"
Nami was even more excited than I was when she heard about me awakening the <Idea>.
Although it's not truly the <Idea>, I can do something similar, so I figured it wouldn’t be a problem.
If I were to honestly say that I can use magic because I remember my past life, she’d never believe me.
I want to avoid being looked at like a suspicious person by my own sister.
"We'll celebrate once I start earning. I haven't made any money yet."
"Ah, right! Sorry, sorry!"
"Well, I'll make a lot of money soon, so look forward to it."
"Yeah! But don’t overdo it, okay? Your health is the most important. If you’re gone too... then I..."
Suddenly, Nami’s face became sad.
Maybe she was remembering the day when Dad and Mom were gone.
Her expression tugged at my heart, but I quickly pulled her into a hug and gently rubbed her back.
"I know. But I have to make sure I secure your tuition."
"Yeah..."
Nami is extremely talented.
She could easily get into a good university.
That's why I have to make sure I earn enough for her tuition and living expenses, no matter what.
I don’t want my cute Nami to go through the same struggles I did.
For that, I’m more than willing to take on any amount of danger.
"…Please really be careful."
"Of course. I won’t do anything reckless, not even for your sake."
"Mm, okay, I’ll bring the food then!"
After hearing my answer, Nami seemed a little relieved.
With a little bounce in her step, she headed to the kitchen to prepare.
Soon enough, she came back to the room carrying a large pot.
"Here it is, bean sprout rice! A lot of bean sprouts grown right here at home!!"
"Oh, there's hardly any water in it today!"
"Hehe, the bean sprouts have been growing really well! I’m so thankful for nature’s blessings!"
And so, that night passed quietly and peacefully.
——.