Daniel POV
The forest went quiet in that awkward, uncomfortable way it always does after something insane happens.
Bits of fur and mana-soaked flesh were still scattered around. The smell of ozone lingered in the air. And right in the middle of it all stood Julien Morvain—smiling like he'd just won a prize at a carnival instead of erasing a regenerating mutant bear from existence with flying cards.
I kept my spear lowered.
But I didn't relax.
This guy was dangerous.
Not in the loud, arrogant way nobles usually were. Not even in the cold, murderous way top-rankers felt.
He was dangerous in the way a cheerful lunatic holding a loaded weapon was dangerous.
"…Are you done?" I asked carefully.
Julien tilted his head, still smiling. "With the bear? Yeah. With life? Probably not."
Joshua peeked out from behind him. The kid looked fine now. No injuries. No tears. Just mild existential confusion.
"Big brother," Joshua whispered. "Is he a hero?"
Julien glanced at me, then shrugged. "Too early to tell."
Great. Even the seven-year-old was judging me.
I cleared my throat. "You're… welcome. For the boar."
Julien finally turned fully toward me. The strange pressure I'd felt earlier—the one that made my instincts scream—faded a little.
"Thanks for that, by the way," he said casually. "Joshua has a talent for finding danger like it's a side quest."
Joshua puffed his cheeks. "It wasn't my fault! The boar looked lonely!"
I stared at him. "…You tried to befriend a boar."
"It had sad eyes," he muttered.
Julien rubbed his temples. "We really need to stop letting him watch animal documentaries."
For some reason, that disarmed me.
Not completely.
But enough that my shoulders loosened.
"…You're not from around here," Julien said, studying me openly now. "Mangrave territory starts another few kilometers east."
I blinked. "You know that?"
"Yeah. My grandpa is very territorial. In the responsible, land-management way."
That didn't sound ominous at all.
Then Julien snapped his fingers. The black cards fluttered back into his hand like obedient birds.
He looked at me and smiled again—this time normally.
"So. Since you saved my brother and didn't immediately try to kill us afterward… want to join our picnic?"
"…Your what."
"Our picnic," he repeated. "Family thing. Food, drinks, mild chaos. Zero bears. Hopefully."
Joshua's eyes lit up. "We have sandwiches!"
I stared at them.
I had fought monsters.
I had survived a dungeon.
I had died to the Demon Lord.
This was still somehow the strangest invitation of my life.
"…Sure," I said slowly. "Why not."
The picnic site was only ten minutes away.
I kept expecting some kind of interrogation trap.
Instead, I got a blanket. A basket. And a woman who looked at me like I was a lost puppy.
"Oh! You must be the boy who saved Joshua!" she said warmly. "I'm Maria."
Before I could respond, a tall man with dark blue hair shook my hand firmly.
"David Morvain. Thank you for protecting my son."
Julien pointed at him. "That's Dad. He cries during sports movies."
"I do not—"
"And that's Mom," Julien added. "She will feed you until you physically cannot move."
"I will," Maria said proudly.
Then there was Helior Morvain.
Ash-blonde hair. Red eyes. Straight posture. The kind of presence that made your spine straighten without permission.
War hero.
He watched me silently as I sat down.
I pretended not to notice.
Lunch was surreal.
Joshua told an extremely exaggerated version of the bear incident. Julien corrected him every thirty seconds. Maria kept adding food to my plate.
David asked polite questions about my hometown.
Helior said nothing.
Then, finally—
"Young man," Helior said calmly. "Who are you, and where did you come from?"
The air tightened.
I straightened. "Daniel Mangrave. Young master of the Mangrave estate. I was… traveling alone."
Helior nodded. "Class?"
"Martial artist."
"Rank "
"…I know my potential rank is SSS."
Julien choked on his drink. "Casually dropping that like it's a grocery list item, huh."
Helior narrowed his eyes. "Then why haven't you opened your status window to show us?"
I froze.
I rubbed the back of my neck and thought 'In my previous life I barely used it. I trained, fought, survived, died… without relying on it. After regressing, I just… never opened it again. It felt weird to suddenly start.'
There was a brief silence.
I exhaled and focused inward.
Status Window Opened
Name: Daniel Mangrave
Age: 16
Class: Martial Artist
Potential Rank: SSS
Affinity: Fire, Lightning
Unique Trait: Quick Learner
– Skill growth rate increased
– Comprehension of combat techniques enhanced
Unique Skill: Heaven-Breaking Dawn (???)
Weapon: (Dormant)
Skills:
– Sixth Sense (Passive)
– Body Reinforcement
– Ki Circulation
– Basic Spearmanship
– Martial Arts Mastery (Beginner)
– Combat Intuition
– Flash Step
– Inner Flame Control
The table went silent.
Julien leaned over my shoulder. "SSS. Fire and lightning. Of course you're broken."
Joshua clapped. "Big number!"
David looked stunned.
Maria covered her mouth.
Helior closed his eyes slowly.
"…Heaven-Breaking Dawn," I murmured. "And a dormant weapon."
My chest tightened.
That skill.
The one I used to wound Xaldreth.
The one I died using.
Julien noticed immediately. "…You okay?"
I nodded. "Yeah. Just… remembering something."
Helior studied me. "Will you attend the academy?"
"…Yes," I said quietly. "That was always the plan."
He nodded. "You're welcome here anytime, Daniel Mangrave."
Julien grinned. "Congrats. You passed the picnic boss fight."
Joshua raised his juice box. "To Daniel!"
I raised mine too.
But inside…
I couldn't stop staring at one line.
Unique Skill: Heaven-Breaking Dawn (???)
'So… you came back with me too,' I thought.