It began with a tremor.
A subtle quake beneath Bristhaven that barely stirred mugs of ale or sleeping children—but to Kazuki, standing alone on the hilltop under a half-moon sky, it felt like a shift in gravity itself.
> SYSTEM NOTIFICATION: [Spatial Distortion] detected 71.2 km northeast. Source unknown.
Celestia: …That's not normal.
Kazuki: Thanks for the scientific analysis.
Celestia: Smartass. But seriously—this wasn't caused by nature. Or humans.
A cold wind swept across the grass, and Kazuki's coat flapped behind him as he narrowed his eyes in the direction of the disturbance.
Somewhere out there, a new piece had moved onto the board.
---
The next day, Bristhaven was unusually quiet. Market chatter seemed dulled. Whispers spread between townsfolk like smoke through cracks.
Aria met him at the plaza, arms crossed. "You felt that quake too, right?"
"Yeah," Kazuki said, glancing up at the sky. "And the sky shimmered for a second. Like the world flinched."
"Three adventurers vanished northeast of here yesterday," she added. "Veterans. Not a trace of them left."
Kazuki nodded grimly. "Guess it's time for a walk."
---
[Mission Unlocked: Echoes of the Rift]
Objective: Investigate the anomaly in the Shimmering Glade
Rewards: Unknown
Danger Level: HIGH
> Celestia: I'd protest, but this might be your only warning shot. If the Demon Emperor's forces are involved…
Kazuki: Then hiding's no longer an option.
Celestia: Or maybe... it's the first move of something worse.
---
By late afternoon, Kazuki stood at the village edge, backpack slung over one shoulder, [Soulcut] secured at his waist. Aria, ever stubborn, waited with her arms crossed.
"You know I'm going with you, right?"
He smirked. "Wasn't going to try stopping you."
Their journey northeast began with laughter and winding forest paths, but after the second night... the air grew still. The birds fell silent. And then they found the first sign.
A village, half-swallowed by the earth.
Houses collapsed into sinkholes. Roads warped into jagged stone ridges. No bodies—just silence, like the people had never existed.
> SYSTEM ALERT: Ambient magic levels rising
Celestia: This is starting to feel less like a demon problem and more like… something ancient.
At the heart of the ruined village was a strange glyph carved into the ground. Aria knelt beside it, brushing away dirt.
"This isn't a demonic mark. It's older."
Kazuki stared at the symbol. It pulsed with violet light, almost like a heartbeat.
> SYSTEM UPDATE: Unknown script detected. Translation unavailable.
Kazuki: I don't like mysteries that glow.
Suddenly, the mark surged with energy—and from the shadows emerged something... wrong.
Not a demon.
Not a monster.
But a human... twisted. Flesh spliced with crystal. Eyes empty.
Kazuki's instincts screamed.
"Aria, move!"
The corrupted being charged with inhuman speed. Kazuki's hand shot to his blade. [Soulcut] flashed.
A single, clean arc. The thing's body fell in silence—but didn't dissolve. It just... froze, mid-motion. Like a puppet cut from its strings.
Then came the voice.
> "So... this is the one they reincarnated."
It wasn't heard through ears. It bypassed sound entirely, pressing straight into Kazuki's mind.
He spun, sword raised. Nothing.
> "Tell your gods... they should have left well enough alone."
The glyph cracked, disintegrating into dust. And with it, the twisted corpse crumbled into black ash.
> Celestia: …Kazuki. That wasn't the Demon Emperor.
Kazuki: I didn't think it was.
Celestia: This is something older. Something the gods themselves tried to bury.
Kazuki's jaw tightened. He looked out beyond the forest, toward the horizon.
"So much for a peaceful life."
> SYSTEM NOTE: New mission unlocked. Major arc path activated: [Ancient Threat – Prologue Phase Initiated]