Elys Solvaris Arcanor sliced through the night sky like a blade of Dawn, the Light Sword humming beneath his feet with a low, resonant.
The wind whipped his black hair and tugged at the faded hoddie from Earth—the last piece of his old life clinging to his cursed 13-year-old body. Below, Aetheria sprawled in cuel splendor: glowing Aether veins pulsing blue through the earth like veins of a dying god, jagged mountains clawing at the twin moons, and villages that looked more like slave pens than homes.
Alone. So damn alone.
No system ping. No cheerful "Welcome, Hero!" voice. No party chat. Just him, a teenager's mid trapped in a kid's frame, and power so absolute it made everything taste like ash.
This is the worst Isekai ever. Where's my status screen? Where's the cute companion who says "Ara Ara" or "Master~"? Trash. Absolute trash.
He angled downward, landing silently on a rooftop overlooking the slum city carved into the canyon wall. Elf banners snapped in the wind. Dwarven forges belched black smoke. Guards in silver armor patrolled, whips coiled like snakes.
Time to see how bad it really is.
He dropped to street level, light aura cloaking him. The scene hit like a punch: humans chained in lines, necks encircled by iron collars etched with glowing runes. A young boy—maybe 10, stumbled, the collar tightening with a crack of magic.
Blood trickled from his neck. An elf overseer laughed, whip cracking across the boy's back.
Elys's golden eyes narrowed. Collars. Like dogs. This world really treats humans as vermin.
A guard spotted him. "Hey! You—stray kid! Get in line!"
Elys stepped forward, Light Sword materializing with a soft shing. "Nah. I'm more of a free-range type."
The guard lunged, spear thrusting. Elys sidestepped—whoosh—and flicked his wrist. The blade extended in a streak of light, slicing clean through the spear, the arm, and half guard's torso.
CRUNCH
SPLATTER
Blood sprayed in a hot arc, painting the ground red. The guard's scream cut off in a wet gurgle.
Messy. But satisfying.
The other guards charged—six of them, swords drawn, shouting curses.
Elys yawn. Tutorial mode.
The sword split into ten blades with a sharp zing-zing-zing. They whirled like a storm of dawn. One guard's head rolled—thud—eyes wide in shock. Another's chest exploded in a spray of ribs and gore.
Squelch. Crack.
Limbs flew. Blood pooled, steaming in the cool night air.
Elys floated above the carnage, untouched. Too easy. They die like NPCs.
The auction halted. Chains rattled. Humans stared, some vomiting at the gore.
A dwarf overseer stomped forward, hammer raised. "You dare spill blood in the iron Guild's domain, whelp?"
Elys grinned. "Spill? I'm redecorating."
The dwarf swung—whoosh—hammer whistling. Elys dodge, then raised a hand. Reality bent with a crackle. A dome of blinding light trapped the dwarf inside. The hammer smashed against it—boom—but the dome held.
Elys floated closer. "Last chance: Best anime opening song?"
The dwarf roared. "I don't know your human nonsense!"
Elys nodded. "Correct. You really don't."
He clenched his fists. The dome crushed inward—crunch-squelch-snap.
The dwarf vanished in a burst of light and red mist.
The street was silent except for dripping blood.
Elys turned to the chained humans. The young boy from earlier knelt, collar glowing, eyes wide with terror and awe.
Elys knelt beside him. "Hey. Kid."
The boy whimpered.
Elys touched the collar. It glowed defiantly—runes flaring. Elys's eyes narrowed. Arrogant little enchantment. Thinking it can defy me?
He channeled power. Light poured from his fingers—shhhhh—and the runes shattered with a high-pitched crack-crack-crack.
The collar dissolved into ash, falling away.
The boy gasped, touching his neck. No mark. No pain.
Elys stood. "Better?"
The boy nodded, tears streaming.
Elys looked at the others. "Anyone else want this trash off?"
Hands rose—shaking, hesitant. Elys walked the line, touching each collar. Crack. Shatter. Ash. One by one, they fell. Humans rubbed their necks, stunned.
A woman whispered, "You... you're a god."
Elys laughed. "Nah. Just bored. And collars are lame."
He turned to leave, but paused. This world needs more than collars removed. It needs a rewrite.
In a nearby tavern, he pushed through the door. The room froze—humans, a few demihumans, a goblin bartender.
He sat. "Ale. Or water. Vibes matter."
The bartender poured with trembling hands. "On the house... savior."
Elys sipped. "Not a savior. Just passing through."
Whispered filled the room.
"...the elves will come for revenge..."
"...but there's hope. A new summoned hero—silver hair, wind magic, fighting in the Black Canyon. Ariel Voss. Weeks here already. Says she'll save us."
Elys's eyes lit up. A summoned hero? And she's been grinding longer than me? Now that's a plot twist.
He stood. "Thanks for the drink. Tell your friends the Light Sword Sovereign dropped by.
Outside, he summoned his Light Sword and rose.
First candidate. Let's see if she's Apostle material.
A distant dragon roar echoed—deeo, hungry.
Elys grinned. "Soon."
The world was brutal. Bloody. Oppressive.
But the hunt was on.