As he exited the room, a loud ding abruptly rang within my head, as if someone had struck a tuning fork within my brain.
> [Analyzing Presence…]
[Displaying Information]
Once more, the same pale blue screen appeared before me, floating softly in the air as if waiting for this very moment. My breath caught as my gaze scanned the glowing letters.
>[Character Information]
Name: Jiro Hazarika
Age: 431
Strength: Level 54
Agility: Level 36
Stamina: Level 65
Mana Type: Water
I short-circuited in my head.
Four hundred and thirty-one?! Typo? System glitch? Perhaps he was born during the dinosaur age or something. No way this old-man-looking dude could be four centuries old and still be able to walk upright without a cane.
I snatched a wary glance at Elder Jiro.
He did look old, sure—his white hair flowed like silver rivers, his eyebrows arched with eternal curiosity, and his beard could probably hide a small squirrel—but nowhere near four-hundred-old-man old. His body wasn't frail. He stood tall, his presence radiating a quiet storm of calm authority. The lantern's soft light shimmered off the edges of his long robe, revealing embroidered symbols that pulsed faintly like ripples in a lake.
Is he. immortal?" I muttered to myself. "Or do people here simply. age like good wine?"
This was indeed an isekai. A complete, unabashed RPG fantasy world with creatures, mana, strangely courteous dialogue screens, and now immortal water grandfathers.
Brilliant.
Ryoji let out a deep throat-clearing cough, his arms crossed, expression as tough as carved stone. Frankly, the guy looked like he could hoist a mountain.
"Hiroshi, was it?" His tone was slow, measured—like a teacher preparing to unveil some ancient secret scroll. "There's something you need to know about this land."
I restrained a sigh. "Ah, here comes the tutorial," I grumbled under my breath, getting a swift glare from Kaito, who still hovered by the doorway like a curious squirrel.
Ryoji scowled at the room. "Everyone, a moment. I'd like to speak to Hiroshi in private."
The room fell silent. Even Elder Jiro drew an eyebrow before nodding and departing. Aoi gave me a stern, motherly look that yelled "Don't be a fool," before escorting Kaito out by the ear.
Kaito grumbled, "But I want to hear the secret ninja thing!
Nope," said Aoi, smiling. "Go see if your room's still a mess."
When the room cleared, Ryoji strode over to a wooden chair near the fireplace and collapsed into it with a grunt, the chair protesting like it was trying to resist the mass of pure raw muscle.
He motioned to a chair across from him. I hesitated, then sat, still very much conscious that this man had literally punched me into a tree earlier today.
He leaned forward a little, fingers interlocked.
"You might not get it yet," he started, "but this world… Lytopiea… has been ruled by the powerful for a long time."
I nodded slowly, trying not to be a total noob even though I absolutely was.
"There are strong fighters, mages, beasts. but throughout all the history of Lytopiea, there have ever been only six of these humans. Six of these creatures with such huge amounts of power that they would be able to wipe out whole armies by themselves."
I almost gagged on my own air.
"Wait. Six humans… who can kill entire armies? By themselves?" I breathed, eyes wide open. "That's not power. That's anime final boss level."
He didn't even blink. "Each of them was born with a special gift, then trained relentlessly. They broke human limitations. Their powers warped reality. They were the Six Unrivaled Beings."
He paused, allowing the impact of those words to settle into the space between us.
And then…
"I think my son will be the seventh one."
The declaration struck harder than his tree-punching earlier.
"Wait, what?" I blurted. "You mean Kaito?! That Kaito?! The kid who crashed into a tree after a butterfly two hours ago?"
Ryoji did not smile. On the contrary, he was even more serious than before. "All indications lead to it."
My lips opened, then shut, then opened again. I was not sure whether to cry or laugh.
"He's only a child," I ended up saying. "And I… I'm the one who killed the Direwolf.
There was a pause of silence.
"You don't believe me," Ryoji said matter-of-factly.
"No offense, but… yeah," I grumbled, massaging my temples. "I don't know what to believe anymore. This world has horses-sized wolves, grandma grandpas who live forever, and now you're telling me that I've met the next god-level human?"
Ryoji's expression gentled a little. "He doesn't know his power yet. But I have seen it… The potential of him. Someday, he might even rival the Six."
I was silent. Then, for some reason that I didn't know, words spilled out of my mouth before I could catch them.
"I'll take him there, then. I'll be with him to the end."
Wait what the heck, me?!
Ryoji's eyebrows rose marginally, as though he were slightly impressed.
"Even if you don't know this world… you accepted the vow. That is strength."
I sat back in my chair and let out a sigh.
"This is either the stupidest thing I've ever signed on for, or the beginning of the wildest tale of my existence."
Ryoji smiled—barely. "Perhaps both."
He rose to his feet, looming over me like a giant in armor.
You don't know it yet, Hiroshi… but his journey will start one year from today. Would you still take him to his destination?"
My fists were bunched under the table.
I had no idea what tomorrow was going to bring. Or even how I was going to make it through tonight in a world with mana beasts and 400-year-old elders. But I did know this much—
Kaito was going to be at the center of something huge.
And somehow… so was I.