Not knowing how long it had been or where he was, Riku opened his eyes the way a baby would to a new world. It was his first time seeing this sky, breathing this air, existing in this realm.
The first thing that struck him was the silence, deep, unmoving, eerie. The second was the pain. His body screamed as if it had been shut down for months. Every joint protested, every breath felt foreign.
"Ugh... ow... the pain feels like I've been sleeping for a long time," he groaned, pushing himself up slowly. His arms trembled beneath his weight, and his head throbbed with a dull ache. When he finally stood, the world tilted for a moment before settling.
All around him was darkness. The faint gleam of pale minerals glowed from jagged rock walls, forming faint outlines of a cavern. A low mist drifted across the ground like breathing smoke.
"Great," Riku muttered, rubbing the back of his neck, "she sent me to a place I can't see... and I don't even know where this is. Great start."
He crouched down, pressing a hand to the ground. The surface was cold and rough, but through his touch, he could feel faint traces of energy. Mana. The pulse of the world beneath.
Remembering the last thing before waking here the Goddess, her voice like starlight, her words still echoing in his skull he closed his eyes and focused.
"Right… she said the system would help me… so…" He took a slow breath. "System analysis."
For three seconds, nothing happened. Just silence and his own impatient heartbeat. Then, suddenly, the cavern echoed with a faint hum.
> [System Activation: Recognized.]
[Environment Scanning…]
A rush of azure light surged outward, coating the entire area in a digital glow. Countless floating boxes, lines, and symbols appeared in the air, mapping every corner of the cavern. Labels and readings blinked into existence above each mineral, root, and stone.
Riku squinted as text appeared before him:
> [Dark Stone] — "Can be used to craft various things."
As he moved, more data appeared small nodes of material, potential crafting blueprints, and terrain indicators.
Riku scratched his chin. "So this is the scan output. Huh… Dark Stone, common ore, doesn't sell for much… but maybe I can use it for arrows, or a makeshift bow if I can find some string."
His thoughts drifted to his talk with Tsukuyomi before his transfer. The calm tone of the moon goddess, the way she'd spoken as if she'd known him forever.
With a small sigh, Riku reached into his pouch and pulled out a weathered book. The cover was dark leather with silver runes faintly glowing along its spine. As soon as his fingers touched it, a flash of information surged through his head.
> [Old Book on Mana, Aura, Mana Beasts, and Methods of Cultivation.]
He flipped it open. The first page depicted a person meditating, surrounded by swirling elemental symbols: fire, water, earth, wind, and light. Before he could react, knowledge flooded his mind, burning like sunlight against his thoughts. His breath quickened, but he steadied himself and sat cross-legged on the cold floor.
"The book says… to think about the mana around me," he whispered. "The elements. Their properties. Imagine using them… controlling them… befriending them."
He closed his eyes and began to meditate.
At first, nothing. Only darkness and the faint drip of water from the cavern ceiling. Then threads of light began to appear. Wisps of mana lines, intertwining, shifting colors as he focused on each element. Blue became red, red became green, then gold. The more he focused, the faster they twisted, forming circuits that pulsed through him.
He didn't know how long he'd been meditating, but the energy within him began to swirl faster, denser until suddenly, at the center of his mindscape, a silver sphere appeared. It shimmered, cracks spreading across its surface like breaking glass.
And then —
A massive dragon burst forth. Silver scales like moonlight, eyes glowing with intelligence, its roar shaking the entire void.
Riku's eyes shot open. "AHH—hah… ha… What was that? A dra—"
Before he could finish, a small light appeared in front of him, floating gently. It shimmered, coalescing into a shape. Riku blinked, startled. The figure took the form of a small creature with silvery wings and bright, curious eyes.
"Dragon," a voice echoed softly. "That's what you saw, right?"
Riku slowly looked up. The creature's eyes met his. It smiled — innocent, almost childlike.
"Hello… Papa."
"...Papa?" Riku stared, confusion plastered across his face. "Wait, you're talking about me?"
The creature nodded enthusiastically and began fluttering around him in small circles.
"Um… ah… so you're that big dragon I saw, but…" He eyed it skeptically. "You don't look like it at all."
The creature giggled, hovering near his shoulder. "Well, that's what I could be if I had my strength. But it took all my power to find you, Papa. So I need your help to recover it."
"Wait—you were looking for me? And why are you inside me? How do I even help you get stronger? And why do you keep calling me 'Papa'?"
The creature giggled again and floated closer, hugging his cheek with its tiny arms. "Because you're the reason I exist. I'm your Beast Will — your soul gave me life when you awakened your mana. I was looking for the child of those who helped Tsukuyomi… and saved me. When you awakened, I felt your call."
"So… I gave birth to you," Riku said dryly.
"Exactly!" it chirped, smiling. "And my name's Mercury now, right?"
Riku blinked. "I didn't even name you yet."
"Well, you were going to," Mercury teased, still hugging him. Riku chuckled faintly and patted its head.
"Alright, fine. Mercury it is."
The small dragon sparkled happily. "Yay!"
Riku leaned back, letting out a slow breath. "So, if you're my Beast Will… that means I can use mana, right?"
Mercury nodded. "Not just mana, Papa — you've awakened your Aura Paths too!"
Riku tilted his head. "Aura paths? I wasn't trying to do that yet, but… I guess I skipped a step."
He stood, brushing off his coat. "Well, since I apparently gave birth to a mana dragon, I might as well see what I can do. Let's start with my element."
Mercury circled around his head. "You've got all the basic ones!"
"All?" Riku raised a brow. "So you're telling me I can use fire, water, wind, earth, lightning, light, and dark?"
"Yup! You've got proficiency in all of them — and you can channel them through aura too!"
Riku smirked. "Alright, let's test it out."
He extended his hand and visualized a fireball forming in his palm. In seconds, a small orb of orange flame appeared, swirling lazily in his hand. "Wow, that was… easy."
Mercury gasped. "Papa! You didn't use an incantation!"
"Oh yeah…" Riku said, scratching his head. "Let's try it again."
He spoke aloud: "Fireball."
The same spell formed — slower, weaker.
Mercury tilted his head. "Why'd it feel weaker?"
Before Riku could answer, a flood of data shot into his mind. The system had fully analyzed the book. His knees buckled slightly from the overload. "Woah… okay, that's a lot…"
When he straightened up, his eyes sharpened. "I get it now. Incantations help stabilize the flow of mana, but those with pure control don't need them. That's how people in ancient times cast instantly."
Mercury flew in slow circles. "Okay, Papa, what do we do now?"
Riku smiled faintly and raised his hand. "We light the way."
A surge of mana burst from his palm, flooding the cavern with light. "Shining Lantern!" he declared. The glow expanded, revealing hundreds of tunnels and crystalline walls glittering like night stars.
Mercury's jaw dropped. "Papa… that's a third-stage level spell already!"
Riku smirked. "Not bad for my first try."
As he walked deeper into the tunnels, he began shifting different elements between his fingers — rotating between flame, wind, and earth. His movements became natural, instinctive, the power responding like muscle memory.
But suddenly — he stopped.
His entire expression changed. The playful smile disappeared, his eyes turning sharp and cold.
Mercury froze midair. "Papa?"
Riku didn't answer. His gaze was locked forward, body tense.
Out from the mist emerged a hulking green shape — an Orc Warrior, easily a B–A Rank Mana Beast. Its tusks gleamed with drool, and its crude stone axe dripped with blood.
"Not good," Mercury whispered. "That thing's dangerous."
Riku drew his sword silently. Aura flared from his body, silver-white like moonlight. The orc roared and charged, shaking the ground with each step.
In an instant, Riku vanished.
To Mercury, it looked like teleportation — but it was speed. Pure, raw aura movement.
A single slash echoed.
The orc stopped mid-swing. For a heartbeat, silence — then its head slid off, rolling across the stone floor.
Riku exhaled, lowering his blade. The body collapsed beside him.
"Well," he muttered, "that was simpler than I expected."
Mercury floated near him, wide-eyed. "Papa… that was incredible! You didn't even hesitate!"
Riku crouched and began removing the horns and hooves. "Every fight's a tournament. Lose once, and it's all over." He placed the materials into his pouch. "And I don't plan on losing."
They continued through the tunnels, encountering more beasts — shadow wolves, magma bats, and stone crawlers. Each encounter grew faster, more brutal, Riku's control becoming cleaner. The air around him shimmered with elemental residue — embers, frost, and crackling static.
By the time he reached the cavern's exit, a dozen corpses littered the floor behind him.
Outside, the world opened into a moonlit forest. The night air was crisp, alive with the sounds of distant creatures. Riku stepped forward, squinting as the wind carried faint voices — human voices.
He crouched, narrowing his eyes. "Mercury. Hide your light."
The small dragon dimmed immediately, tucking itself under his cloak. Together, they crept toward the sound.
Down in a clearing below, torches flickered. Chains rattled.
Dozens of people — humans — were bound in cages and carts, surrounded by armed men. The slavers wore black armor with crimson insignias, their laughter cold and cruel as they traded coins and inspected their captives.
Riku's expression darkened.
"So this world isn't all beasts and mana, huh…" he whispered. "It's rotten too."
Mercury peeked out, whispering, "Papa… what are you gonna do?"
Riku's eyes glowed faintly under the moonlight. His aura began to ripple, silver and calm — like a storm waiting to break.
"First," he said quietly, "I watch. Learn their numbers, their movements."
He crouched behind a rock, expression unreadable. "Then…" His hand brushed against the hilt of his sword. "I'll decide if this world deserves mercy."
The moon above reflected in his Eyes twin silver mirrors burning with quiet purpose.
And for the first time since waking in this world,
Riku Tenma truly smiled.