The ruined village

The cave I was born in was by no means normal. The air felt light, and despite the lack of any light source, it was bright enough to see every single pebble and crevice along the walls.

As I walked through the tunnel, it seemed to expand the deeper I ventured. Strange rocks jutted out from the walls, their silver glow giving them an almost ethereal presence. They looked sharp enough to injure someone.

Thus, I decided to touch these peculiar stones with caution.

The moment my fingers brushed against them, an icy chill seeped into my skin, and for some reason, the energy within my body began to expand. A strange, primal urge rose from deep within me—urging me to devour the crystal.

And just like that, I began consuming the rock known as a mana crystal.

As I chewed, a rush of power coursed through me, increasing the amount of mana within my body. But that wasn't all. The taste—

"Delicious! Is this the taste of mana? It’s sweet, and the moment it enters my mouth, it melts."

I licked my lips, savoring the experience.

Exquisite. Although it couldn't compare to Earth's sweets, the texture alone made it worthwhile.

I ate a few more, then continued my journey—if you could even call walking in a straight line a journey.

After hours of uninterrupted travel, I finally encountered something intriguing—a small, ball-like creature.

Its body appeared to be made of iron, yet it wobbled like jelly.

And then, the foolish thing dared to attack me.

It spewed an iron-like fluid, pressurized and sharp. I jerked my head to the side, dodging just in time, but the liquid still managed to graze my cheek, drawing blood. Of course, the wound healed instantly, thanks to my skill, [Regeneration]

"You fool. Die in a heap of ash—Fire Breath."

A swirling inferno erupted from my mouth, engulfing the tunnel in an unrelenting blaze. The searing flames devoured everything in their path, and when the fire finally died down, the small creature was nowhere to be seen.

In its place, however, lay a strange orb—its surface shimmering like a miniature universe contained within glass.

I stepped forward, the ground beneath me still radiating heat from my attack. Picking up the orb, I tilted my head, trying to make sense of it.

"An orb? It seems to contain mana… Will it taste like a mana stone? Hmmm, interesting. I'll keep it for now."

With the orb in hand, I resumed my journey, feeling slightly disappointed. That creature had been far too weak.

I had expected this world to be fun—was I wrong?

Oh well. Perhaps things would be different outside.

One thing was certain: I was strong—far stronger than I had anticipated.

A hum escaped my lips as excitement bubbled within me, growing with each step I took toward the tunnel’s exit. And then, finally, I saw it—real light.

With a speed so fast it left sonic booms in my wake, I launched myself toward the opening, my sheer strength splintering the ground beneath me.

And then—I saw it.

The new world.

A vast, open expanse stretched before me. The ground was dark red—completely barren, devoid of grass or trees.

I looked up. The sky was a rich blue, untainted by clouds. Three full golden moons of varying sizes bathed the crimson land in their gentle light.

The air was fresh, crisp—surprisingly clean, despite the lack of greenery.

A smile colored my face as I took in the breathtaking sight.

But there was another reason for my excitement.

My wings.

How would it feel to fly?

With a grin, I steadied myself—then took off with a boom, soaring into the sky. I climbed higher and higher until I finally stopped, gazing down at the land below.

From this height, the crimson landscape looked even more mesmerizing.

However, something else caught my attention—a small village in the distance.

Curiosity piqued, I adjusted my course and flew toward it, reveling in the sensation of flight.

Would "steps" be the right word here? Or should it be "flaps"?

No—let's just call it a moment.

Yes, that sounded right.

As I arrived above the village, movement stirred below.

But… what happened to this place?

The wooden houses were in ruins, their once-sturdy frames now brittle skeletons barely clinging to life. Deep craters scarred the land, as if the earth itself had been wounded. And the people…

Their eyes were empty.

Some wandered aimlessly, their faces gaunt, their bodies frail. Others knelt in front of crumbling homes. The scent of blood clung to the air, thick and suffocating, mingling with the acrid stench of burnt wood and decay.

Oh.

There were dead bodies.

They lay scattered like discarded dolls—limbs twisted unnaturally, expressions frozen in agony. Some were charred beyond recognition, while others bore deep gashes, their wounds cruelly inflicted.

I descended, my first thought being that a war had taken place.

The moment my feet met the ground, it cracked beneath me, sending tremors through the already fragile village.

A mistake.

The remaining villagers flinched at the sound, their gazes snapping to me in an instant. Then, in a blur, five figures surrounded me—wooden spears trembling in their hands yet pointed at my chest nonetheless.

They weren’t human. Their thin black horns set them apart—some had more than others.

One of them spoke, his voice frail, quivering.

“W-What do you w-want with our village? H-Haven’t you taken enough?!”

I tilted my head, raising a brow.

(What is this person talking about?)

I voiced my thoughts aloud.

“What are you talking about? I only arrived here today.”

“D-Don’t lie!” His grip on the spear tightened, but his hands betrayed him—they trembled. “We know w-what your kind does!”

(My kind? So I have a kind, huh? Interesting. Let’s see where this goes.)

“So, my kind attacked your village? This tiny place? For what reason? There’s nothing here I’d want.”

Silence.

And then—hatred.

It burned in their eyes, raw and unfiltered, swallowing their fear and twisting it into something sharper.

A smile tugged at my lips.

(Did those few words anger them? What if I said more? Would they attack me?)

Just as I was about to test my theory, a woman stepped forward.

She was different.

Dressed in worn-out armor, she had deep blue eyes and jet-black hair tied in a ponytail. Unlike the others, she had three horns.

Her voice was cold, harsh—yet not a hint of fear wavered in it.

“Stop.”

At her command, the spears withdrew. The men obeyed instantly, stepping aside as she approached.

Her gaze locked onto mine, burning with something beyond hatred.

Grief.

“What are you doing here?” she demanded. “Do you want to start another war, even after taking everything?!”

(So a war did take place between them and my ‘kind.’)

I met her stare, unblinking.

“Why do you assume I want to attack this village? It has nothing. What would I even take?”

Something in her expression cracked—just for a second.

She wanted to answer. But she didn’t.

Instead, her hands clenched into fists. Her shoulders trembled ever so slightly, though she forced herself to stand tall.

The others weren’t as controlled. Their gazes burned with the desire to kill me.

Amusing.

I decided to push further, eager to see what they would do next.

“This worthless village would have fallen even if there was no atta—”

A sharp smack struck my cheek.

The force of it barely moved me, but the intent behind it…

The woman’s face was twisted in rage, tears slipping down her cheeks despite her best efforts to hold them back.

For a moment, I simply stared at her.

And then—

I laughed.

It bubbled up from within me, unexpected yet uncontrollable. Their expressions, their grief—it was all so raw, so beautifully ugly.

My sides ached as I laughed, as if the sheer intensity of their pain was the most exhilarating thing I had ever witnessed.

The woman’s face contorted further, and I half-expected her to strike me again.

But she didn’t.

She simply watched.

As if trying to understand what kind of monster stood before her.

Wiping away a stray tear—of amusement, not sorrow—I raised my hands, the orb still clutched in my left.

They tensed, expecting an attack—

But instead, I grinned.

“I surrender. Take me to your leader.”

Confusion flickered across their faces, but the woman’s glare remained unwavering.

Of course, she would look at me like that. I did mock their village, after all.

But everything I said was true.

Sooner or later, this village would have fallen.

For some reason, there wasn’t a single trace of mana lingering in the air—as if something had drained it completely. Even now, I could feel a small portion of my own mana being siphoned away.

Despite their hesitation, they eventually obeyed, escorting me toward the largest house in the village. It was in better shape than the rest, yet still ruined beyond repair.

With a gleam of curiosity in my eyes, I strode forward.

(Now, let’s see what kind of leader failed to protect his people.)