The sun in the afternoon cast golden fingers on the cobblestone street, setting the town in a warm light that brought back to Yukio something that he had not felt for a long time—peace.
The air was fresh, vibrant, and perfumed by spice aromas wafting from market stalls, the hint of wood smoke, and the delicious smell of bread fresh from the oven. The sounds were layered, a kind of chorus, with the sound of people haggling for goods, the shouts of children darting through the throng, and the tread of guards patrolling.
For once, Yukio felt like he wasn't pursuing the next fix, nor the aftermath of a wild gamble. This wasn't the empty silence that came after a big win at the casino. This was true silence, and it felt solid and stable.
He sat back and observed a dwarf beating his fist into his palm, offering his opinion on the cost of metal scraps to a stubborn vendor, while a tall elf glided by the both of them, her movement so smooth it almost defied comprehension, nodding at Yukio without speaking. But every face, every sound, every thing that happened in this world told him, again and again, that it wasn't a game.
Then, turning to Michibiki, he allowed a small, genuine smile to slip onto his face.
"This world seems peaceful to me,"
He said quietly, almost like a prayer.
"I think I might like it here."
The shape of MichiBiki's lips curved, although it wasn't reflected in her eyes.
"Only because this town is far from the battlefield,"
She reminded him gently.
"Don't let the peacefulness fool you. Demons are not the only dangers in that world. Monsters roam freely, and many are more deadly than anything you've conjured in your imagination."
Yukio felt his gut twist in response to her words. Cold water splashed on his warmer hopes. Right, he thought morosely. Life and death. No retries. No house credit. One bad bet, and it's game over. Already, he had lost a life. This time, he wasn't letting it happen.
They stopped in front of a nice-looking inn, its windows shining and its oak door highly polished from having had so many users. Yukio pushed it open, and a flood of warmth and sound spilled out. The scent of roast pork and beer enveloped his senses first, thick and somehow welcoming. The sounds of clinking tankards, marching feet, and bad singing filled his ears.
But then a voice rose above the tumult like a knife.
"You cheated me!"
Behind the bar, a huge, scarred man with a scraggly beard loomed over a smaller figure. He gripped his mighty axe, its handle scarred from hard use. The smaller man, a sweaty merchant, dripped so much perspiration that his forehead sparkled beneath the lantern light.
"We had an agreement!"
The hulking man roared, making bottles tremble behind the bar.
"Fifty gold for killing the goblins!"
The merchant stuttered, struggling with a coin purse.
"B-but they came back! You left survivors! My guards are overwhelmed! You get half for half a job!"
He pushed forward twenty-five shiny coins, his hand shaking.
The mercenary's face contorted into a snarl. His growl rumbled like a cornered beast. Then—with terrifying speed—he swung his axe in a lethal arc aimed straight for the merchant's skull.
Yukio's heart jumped into his throat. He stiffened, his body reacting on pure instinct to duck, to act, to DO something. But instead, his fists clenched, and he met Michibiki's gaze. He couldn't explain it, but he believed her. Utterly.
"Wall of Light."
Her voice rang clear, calm, unwavering.
With the speed of thought, a shining shield of pulsating energy erupted from her extended hand. The axe smashed home with a shriek of metal that shook the rafters. Flashes of light scattered like fireflies through the room, blinding and fierce.
He felt the pulsation of power energy buzzing through his body. Magic. Actual magic. The strength of it was almost suffocating. This is it, he thought, feeling his mind flood with wonder. This is the jackpot that I never knew I was searching for.
The mercenary backed up, stunned. His crazed eyes were fixed on Michibiki.
"Who cast that spell?!"
He bellowed, charging forward.
Yukio tensed—but Michibiki didn't even fl
"Dome of Light."
The words hung in her mouth, forming a sentence. Then, in the time it takes to blink, a shining ball encircled the man, stopping his raging advance dead in its tracks. He smashed hard against the wall of the barrier, like a fly on glass, his axe bouncing futilely. With a flicker of her fingers, Michibiki propelled the glowing orb backward. The man, along with his imprisonment, burst through the inn's front entrance in splintered wood, vanishing onto the streets.
"Pests should be handled promptly,"
She whispered, as if removing a speck from her sleeve.
The merchant—the innkeeper, it turned out—was frozen for an instant, then lurched toward them. His eyes were wide, and his face was etched with gratitude.
"Thank you—thank you both for saving my life,"
He breathed.
"I am Miyato. This is my inn. Please, let me provide for your stay in my home, for free. The least that I can do,"
Yukio grinned.
"Free room in a new world? That's what I call a winning streak,"
He gave a quick look at Michibiki.
""Guess having you around really is my lucky charm,""
They bowed politely before Michibiki could say,
"We appreciate it, Miyato. But we also need to continue on. Our next destination is the Adventurers' Guild."
Miyato's face brightened in comprehension.
"Ah! So you are registering. Just head south, can't miss it,"
The streets were becoming busier as they proceeded. The eagerness could almost be felt resonating inside his body. This, for Yukio, marked the start. The stalls were overflowing with weird fruits that were glowing softly in the setting sun, weaponry sparkled inside the blacksmith shops, and the population was also a mix of various races consisting of dwarves, elves, half-orcs, and more. Seeing tired adventurers making their way back from their assignations made his mind recall that this wasn't merely a world inside a book.
When they arrived, the guild building loomed before them, immense. The emblem etched onto its front—a sword slicing through a dragon skull—towered proudly above the oak entrance. Yukio's heart rate began to accelerate. This was the big leagues. And he was ready to ante up.
Inside, the hall was alive with noise. Adventurers were drinking, laughing, and trading tales of battle scars. Quests hung from a board in the middle, overflowing with tasks: hunting wild boar, foraging for herbs, and dungeon delving.
The receptionist, a woman whose skin was a warm, earthy brown, and whose ears were pointed, smiled brightly and made eye contact. She had flowing green hair that resembled dappled sunbeams filtering through leaves, and a lithe, athletic form. She wore a white tunic and an embroidered vest over it, her eyes shining like a forest glade.
"Good afternoon,"
She greeted, voice melodic.
"My name is Emera. How may I help you today?"
Michibiki answered smoothly,
"We're here to register as adventurers,"
Emera's face lit up when she adjusted her glasses.
"Please, follow me."
The appraisal chamber was quieter, thick with mana that clung to the air. The big purple crystal, pulsating weakly with light, dominated the middle of the room.
"This crystal will measure your attributes,"
Emera explained reverently.
Michihiki led the way. The instant her fingers made contact with the crystal, golden light burst forth, so bright it was blinding. Yukio covered his eyes, his face flushed with wonder. Emera gasped, her shaking hand pulling parchment from the stand, glowing letters searing onto it.
"You… you have divine talents,"
She whispered.
"Control over all four elements… and Light too. A prodigy."
Michibiki only offered a small, knowing smile and motioned for Yukio to take her place. With a shrug, Yukio moved forward and laid his hands on the crystal.
The moment his palms touched the crystal, energy burst through his body, wild, disordered, and almost too much to handle. His teeth vibed, his bones vibrated. The golden energy exploded, and then intense green burst forth, churning tumultuously through the golden. Fire, water, earth, air, light, and darkness pulsed through his blood.
Emera almost dropped the parchment. Her hands shook forcibly, and the words formed on her lips, unspoken.
"You… you have all six elements…"
The papers shook in her hand as she looked at Yukio, her face overflowing with disbelief and amazement. She jammed the documents away in her breast vest.
"This, this must be reported immediately!"
With no words, Emera shoved the documents deep inside her vest, turned on a heel, and ran. The door to the testing room banged shut behind her, her terrified steps echoing down the hallway as she sprinted for the third floor, abandoning Yukio and Michibiki completely alone inside the dimly lit, glowing room.
The room was silent. Yukio's eyes were fixed on his hands, his mouth spreading gradually into a grin. The shock, the disbelief, were lost. They were replaced by something else: certainty. This wasn't luck. This was a stacked deck.
For the first time since coming into this world, he wasn't merely a player.
He was the dealer.