Deep within the earth, far from light and sky, a dimly lit mine stretches endlessly into darkness, its narrow tunnels carved roughly through stone that glistens faintly under scattered, flickering lamps.
The air is thick.
Heavy with dust.
Each breath carries the taste of metal and dirt, scraping against the throat as if the mine itself resists being inhaled.
Figures move within the tunnels.
Men and women dressed in ragged clothes, their garments worn thin and stained from years of labour, their bodies bent under exhaustion yet still moving with mechanical persistence.
The sound of mining fills the space.
Pickaxes striking stone.
Clang.
Clang.
Clang.
The rhythm echoes endlessly, layered with the grinding scrape of tools, the dull crack of fractured rock, and the occasional cough breaking through the suffocating air.
Sweat drips.
Hands bleed.
Yet no one stops.
They continue.
Because they must.
Then,
A horn.
Its sound pierces through the tunnels.
Long.
Deep.
Commanding.
The mining stops.
Instantly.
The echo lingers for a moment before fading into silence.
One by one, the miners lower their tools.
No one speaks.
They know what it means.
Without hesitation, they gather themselves and begin moving.
In lines.
Orderly.
Disciplined.
They walk toward the exit, their footsteps slow but steady as they leave behind the darkness of the mine.
The light outside greets them harshly.
Blinding after hours in the shadow.
They squint.
Blink.
Adjust.
Outside the mine, a wide clearing stretches before them.
Dust swirls across the ground, carried by dry wind.
At the centre stands an elevated platform.
Upon it,
A man in a golden robe.
His clothes are clean.
Untouched by dirt.
Untouched by labour.
He stands tall, looking down at them with calm authority.
The miners gather below, forming rows instinctively, their eyes lifted toward him.
Silence falls.
Then the supervisor speaks.
"Your five years of mandatory service are complete."
A ripple moves through the crowd.
Subtle at first.
Then spreading.
"You will be returning home tomorrow."
The silence breaks.
Murmurs rise.
Whispers.
Disbelief.
Relief.
Hope.
Some look at each other.
Some lower their heads.
Some simply stand still, letting the words sink in.
The supervisor raises his hand slightly.
The murmurs are quiet.
"You may return to your quarters," he continues.
"Tomorrow, before departure, you will receive your reward."
No further words.
No explanation.
He turns.
Leaves.
The platform empties.
For a moment, the miners remain still.
Then,
Movement.
They turn.
And begin walking back.
But now,
Their steps are different.
Lighter.
Faster.
Smiles appear.
Quiet.
Uncertain.
Yet real.
Hope has returned.
Among them walks a man.
Wang Hui.
His clothes are no better than the others'.
Dust-covered.
Worn.
His face was calm.
Unreadable.
He moves with the flow of the crowd, neither excited nor slow, his eyes steady as he walks.
They enter a settlement not far from the mine.
A cluster of crude structures built from wood, stone, and scrap materials.
Dust hangs in the air.
The scent of waste and decay lingers heavily, mixing with the smell of sweat and unwashed bodies.
Narrow paths wind between the huts.
Water trickles through shallow channels, murky and foul.
This is where they have lived.
For five years.
As the group moves deeper into the settlement, some begin to split away, heading toward their own quarters.
Wang Hui continues forward.
Then turns.
Walking toward a quieter path along with a few others.
One of them moves closer.
Sliding beside him.
Lowering his voice.
"Towa…"
Wang Hui does not react outwardly.
The man leans in slightly.
"I found someone…"
A pause.
"…who can get us a complete Blood Warrior technique."
Wang Hui's steps slow just a fraction.
His eyes shift toward the man beside him.
"Kento… are you speaking the truth?"
Kento nods immediately, his expression serious, his voice kept low despite the growing noise of the settlement around them.
"But the man asked for five thousand Kinka."
Wang Hui falls silent.
Five thousand Kinka.
The currency of the Burning Sun Empire.
Gold coins.
A heavy amount.
His thoughts move quickly.
He had not meant to come to this world.
It was a mistake.
An accident born from desperation.
Five years ago, deep underground, chased by a First Stage Lava Snake, he had fled blindly through a portal that appeared before him.
He had not hesitated.
And in that single step,
He left his world behind.
Arriving here.
A foreign land.
A newly discovered world under the control of the Burning Sun Empire.
According to Kento, a decade ago, hundreds of such portals had opened across the empire's home world, linking it to this place.
A land rich in resources.
And danger.
And opportunity.
Wang Hui's thoughts return to the present.
Tomorrow,
He will receive his reward.
Five thousand Kinka.
For five years of mining.
His entire savings.
His entire effort.
And for a complete Blood Warrior technique,
It is worth it.
Without it, he cannot reveal his strength.
Cannot move forward in this world.
Cannot survive what lies ahead.
He is about to speak.
To agree.
But Kento continues before he can.
"I've thought of a way," Kento says, glancing around briefly.
"I'll find three more people. Five of us together, each pays one thousand Kinka."
"We share the technique."
Wang Hui pauses.
His decision shifts.
He nods slowly.
"That works."
Then he adds,
"I heard Itsuki is also looking for a complete Blood Warrior technique."
Kento's eyes brighten slightly.
"I'll go find him."
Without wasting time, Kento turns and disappears into the narrow paths of the settlement.
Wang Hui continues walking.
Toward the bath area.
The structure is crude.
Wooden walls.
Stone floor.
Water stored in large containers, slightly murky but usable.
He washes himself.
Dust.
Sweat.
Five years of labour feel as though it never truly leaves the body.
After cleaning, he changes into a simple grey shirt and pants.
Clean.
Plain.
He exhales softly.
Then leaves.
Returning to his quarters.
The room is small.
Bare.
Three beds.
Rough wooden frames with thin bedding.
He shares it with Kento,
And another man.
Taiga.
But Taiga is not here.
He arrived only two years ago.
Still has three years of mandatory service remaining.
The room feels quieter without him.
Wang Hui sits down on his bed.
His gaze lowers slightly.
This world,
Is not the home world of the Burning Sun Empire.
It is new.
Unstable.
Full of unknowns.
And tomorrow,
His five years here end.
But what comes after,
Is far more uncertain.
His fingers tighten slightly.
A complete Blood Warrior technique.
Talon's voice echoes within his mind, light yet carrying a sharp awareness that never fades.
"So, tomorrow we finally get to see the home world of the Burning Sun Empire."
Wang Hui's gaze remains fixed ahead, his expression calm as he replies inwardly.
"Looks like it."
For a moment, silence follows, then Talon speaks again, his tone more thoughtful this time.
"Then how are you going to act with Towa's family?"
Wang Hui leans back slowly on the bed, the rough wood creaking faintly beneath his weight, his eyes lifting toward the ceiling as memories surface.
Not his own.
Towa's.
When he first arrived in this world, he found Towa dying, his body broken, his life slipping away in silence.
Wang Hui had not saved him.
There had been no time.
No reason.
Instead,
He read his memories.
Every fragment.
Every experience.
In that moment, he understood two things.
He was no longer in the wizard world.
And this world operated under completely different rules.
With Talon's guidance, he made his decision quickly.
He absorbed Towa's blood.
Refined it.
Transformed himself.
His aura.
His appearance.
Even subtle habits.
All reshaped to match Towa.
From that moment,
He became Towa.
A perfect replacement.
No one questioned it.
No one noticed.
Wang Hui exhales softly, his voice calm as he answers Talon.
"You've read his memories too," he says.
"You know what his family is like."
A brief pause.
Then,
"I'll cut all ties with them."
Talon responds without hesitation.
"Good decision."
Wang Hui's gaze remains steady, his thoughts cold and clear.
"They haven't seen him for five years," he continues.
"They won't notice any behaviour change."
In Towa's memories,
There was no warmth.
No affection.
No place to return to.
He was born to a maid.
A stain in the family's eyes.
Treated not as a son,
But as a servant.
A burden.
Even though he was weak,
Even though he had no strength,
They still sent him here.
To the mines.
For five years of mandatory service.
They never cared whether he lived or died.
That indifference,
That neglect,
Gave Wang Hui the perfect opportunity.
To take his place.
To erase him.
And now,
There is no reason to maintain that connection.
For his identity to remain hidden,
The past must be cut cleanly.
Wang Hui closes his eyes slowly.
Tomorrow,
Everything changes.