Chapter 2.0 - The Template Event

✧⭑★⭑✧

I’m already twelve years old, while the “Dragons” just turned five. In three days, my sister Catherine will be leaving the Seido palace to attend some pompous academy for the rich. Just like in those flashy light novels and anime.

And of course, in such anime and novels, there has to be a protagonist who dramatically gazes out the window, but instead...

“You’re in my way,” I said to Luiza, who was blocking the hallway.

“Forgive me, but Freya asked me to inform you of the results of our secret mission.”

“What secret mission?”

“Boss, we finally located the first Elemental Sphere,” Luiza declared proudly.

“So that’s it. I knew you’d manage to dig up information out of nowhere,” I replied.

Although honestly, it felt strange. I was certain they’d been staying in the village the whole time without leaving behind my back.

“You can return to the village. I’ll come shortly.”

The village had long since stopped being abandoned. Entering Freya’s house, I knocked softly.

“May I?”

“My lord, you may enter whenever you wish. How many times must I repeat this?”

I always asked permission just to avoid stumbling into some random fan-service scene. Sure, it would probably double the story’s rating, but I had no interest in that.

“The first Elemental Sphere lies at the border between the Delanor and Seido counties, inside an abandoned dungeon,” Freya explained.

“That’s pretty far. And how did you find out it’s there?”

“Trade secret.”

I see. So they really had been doing things behind my back. On the one hand, that was good—at this pace, I’d gather all the spheres before turning thirty. But on the other hand...

BANG!

A loud crash echoed outside. We ran out and saw Otto, who had managed to topple several crates of supplies. As always, he somehow tripped over a perfectly ordinary stone. I considered him second strongest, but first in clumsiness. Actually—no. Second strongest, first in uselessness.

Lustful, foolish, clumsy, and sly—that’s Otto in a nutshell. The girls never missed a chance to tease him. Honestly, who could resist?

“I’ll clean it up!” he shouted, scrambling to gather the scattered apples with his hands.

Freya was already rolling her eyes. Of course, she could’ve tidied everything with telekinesis, but I had ordered them to use their powers only when absolutely necessary.

“Remember, with great power comes great responsibility.”

I don’t recall what movie that’s from, but it sounds cool, so I kept repeating it. They always listened, though I never understood why. Maybe my stories about my previous world sounded just as strange to them as theirs did to me.

❖ ❖ ❖

By evening, we had already arrived. The dungeon was guarded by Delanor county soldiers.

“What the hell are they doing here?” Luiza frowned.

“My intel suggests that Count Delanor is also after the Elemental Spheres,” Alice replied.

“Interesting. Boss never mentioned that others were hunting for them.”

“He didn’t need to. We should’ve realized it ourselves. After all, our lord is the strongest of the strong. Of course there’d be obstacles in his way.”

“So what do we do now?”

“We fight. But carefully—don’t let the dungeon collapse.”

Luiza stepped forward first. Her magic, Dissolver, corroded everything within its radius.

“Hey, Skippe, what’s wrong with your armor?!” one of the guards shouted.

A dagger pierced his chest the next instant—thrown by Nika, our master of light weapons. With the path cleared, the entrance was ours.

I emerged from the forest shadows behind them, slowly applauding.

“Well done, girls. You too, Otto. From here on, we go together.”

Descending into the dungeon, we came across a fork in the passage.

“We should split up,” Otto suggested.

Ah yes, my favorite cliché: the heroes split up, and then start dying one by one.

“I’ll go left. You all take the right. That way, our chances of securing the Sphere are higher.”

“My lord, but—”

Freya didn’t finish. I placed a finger against her lips, turned dramatically, and walked off without a word.

The corridor stretched on endlessly, with empty rooms lining both sides. I was already regretting my choice when suddenly—

“What language is that?” a voice came from a chamber ahead.

I entered. The room looked like an arena: amphitheater seating, balconies for spectators, and at its center, a throne fit for an emperor. Behind it stood a sealed door, which two guards and Count Bayron himself were trying to pry open.

“Perhaps we should try Drought magic to weaken the door?”

“Do whatever it takes. We must enter the throne hall tonight.”

I watched silently from the shadows. Of course, I could’ve destroyed the door with a single touch, but I wanted to fight the dungeon boss. So I waited—nearly an hour—until they finally managed to break through.

“Bayron, we did it!”

They entered. And so did I. If my “Dragons” arrived, they’d steal my boss fight.

The throne hall was massive for a dungeon—its ceiling stretched fifteen meters high. And then—

BOOM!

A shockwave tore through the chamber, parts of the ceiling collapsing. From behind an arch, I saw Bayron holding a dark green sphere.

“At last… IT’S MINE!”

The perfect timing for the protagonist’s entrance.

“You’re mistaken. That Sphere belongs to me,” I declared dramatically.

“A child? What are you doing here?”

“I came to claim what’s mine. Hand it over willingly.”

Another dream from my list, checked off.

“Ha-ha-ha-ha! GUARDS, SEIZE HIM!”

Steel rang out as they charged. Time to reveal my acquired magic.

My acquired magic—Phantom Katana. A spell that instantly reshapes mana into matter.

It looked like a real katana, but in truth, it was only my mana given the form of a blade. And with it, I could play a real-life game of Fruit Ninja.

Clash! Their swords met mine—but I held the advantage. The katana’s speed and perfect edge meant one precise slash could kill instantly.

“Slice!” I roared.

Spinning sharply, I hurled one guard with telekinesis straight into Bayron, while my right hand severed the other’s head clean off. His body collapsed, and in my left hand, a glowing mana sphere was already forming.

“Now it’s my turn!” Bayron shouted.

I’d heard that line countless times in my old world. The cool hero always said it. Why was it him this time, and not me?

Vines burst from the floor and ceiling, trying to ensnare me. I cut them apart with swift, precise strikes. Dodging another wave of thorns, I hurled my mana sphere.

Explosion! Part of the chamber crumbled, though Bayron shielded himself with a wall of plants.

One vine lashed around my leg, slamming me into the ground several times. Breaking free, I shouted:

“Now it’s MY turn!”

I activated Sprint—a burst of speed that allowed me to cross vast distances in an instant.

In a single dash, my blade cut clean through him. His torso hit the floor, while his legs stood for a moment longer before toppling.

The boss was down. And I had my first Elemental Sphere.

But a new problem arose—I had to escape the dungeon before it buried me alive.

❖ ❖ ❖

Climbing back to the surface, I spotted the Dragons. They were waiting for me. And right at that very moment, the dungeon collapsed behind me. Of course—not sooner, not later. That’s just how it works. After all, I’m the protagonist.

“Boss!” Sonya tackled me to the ground.

“My lord, we never doubted you would survive,” Freya said proudly.

“Chief, we’re so glad! We heard the explosion, and the dungeon started to collapse. So… we retreated. With the gold, at least,” Otto added.

Gold? Seriously? They chose the treasure over me? …Then again, if I’m honest, I probably would’ve done the same. So, I forgive them.

“I’m fine,” I said, standing up and pulling a sphere from my pocket.

It glowed brilliantly, the light reflecting in their eyes.

“Boss, it’s beautiful!”

“Maybe beautiful, but dangerous. We need to return to the village and figure out how to handle it.”

We headed back. But when we arrived, our home village was already in flames.

“Noooo!” Freya screamed.

The others stood frozen, unable to hold back their tears. Only Otto kept his composure.

“Our home… it’s burning,” he whispered.

“Whoever did this will pay,” Freya added, trembling with rage.

Well, this was an interesting twist. While we were gone, the village had been torched. And judging by the smoke rising in the distance, the palace was under attack too. But who would dare…? Was this just a diversion?

“Forgive me, but I need to check on my palace,” I said.

I was never good at comforting people. But barging in dramatically at the height of battle? Now that was my specialty.

Twenty minutes later, I reached the palace. The courtyard was in chaos, flames everywhere. Perfect timing to showcase my new spell.

“Moon Strike!”

A beam of light descended from the heavens, obliterating half the courtyard. I charged inside.

The interior was pure disorder. I sprinted through the corridors until I reached my father’s office. He lay there, wounded. It was the first time I had ever seen him like this. If he was here… then where were Mother and Catherine?

A scream. Mother’s voice.

I bolted upstairs. Her bedroom door was locked.

“Sorry, Mom…” I kicked the door down.

And froze.

Mother lay on the bed, her clothes torn. Three masked men stood around her.

“Hey, bastards… today’s the worst day of your lives. I’ll personally beat you within an inch of death.”

I lunged forward, slamming one man’s head into the floor so hard that cracks spread through the tiles.

“I’ll break a hundred and three bones…” I muttered.

My fists rained down like hail. Bones shattered with every blow, reduced to dust. In five seconds, nothing remained of him but a mangled heap.

“Next!” I pointed.

The second man went flying through the wall. I leapt after him, crushing his face under my weight. Bones crunched like brittle crackers.

The third froze. Terror filled his eyes. “Please…” they begged silently. But my fury had no mercy.

I grabbed a brick and smashed it down again and again. Each strike snapped another bone.

“This is for my mother. And for the fan-service,” I exhaled, standing up.

They were done. But then—my sister. I rushed to her room… only to find it empty.

She had been taken.

Oh, perfect. Was this the moment when I was supposed to drop to my knees and scream into the sky?

“Noooooo!”

Flawless. Another item checked off my bucket list. But what about Catherine?

I had to call on the Dragons. If we didn’t find her in the next few days, my parents’ reputation would be shattered, and the press would turn it into a circus.

By the way… where was Lilia?

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《END of Chapter 2.0 - The Template Event》