What pain… That blow was far too strong. I can barely move my body. If I take another hit like that, I'll surely die.
I need to check the system and increase my parameters as soon as possible. Only then will I have any chance of facing that thing.
—System.
—…
What's going on? Why isn't it appearing? Can't I open it?
Even though I try again and again, nothing happens. It's as if I no longer have it… or worse, as if the connection I had has been destroyed.
—How interesting. I suppose you still don't understand what I just did.
The words of the creature that had struck me shattered my thoughts and pulled me back to reality. That statement only deepened my doubts.
—What do you mean I don't understand? Are you the one responsible for all of this?
—Exactly. After all, my job is to eliminate beings who have been blessed with a system. And to be honest, I also enjoy breaking the connection that makes them feel special.
—Is that even possible? I don't believe it. You're lying.
Even though I refused to accept it, deep down his words carried a certain logic. If I couldn't access the system, then perhaps he was telling the truth. But… the idea wasn't that absurd either. I could barely move and my body felt completely shattered.
—Believe it or not, it's still the truth —he replied calmly—. Achieving something like that is nothing extraordinary. After all, systems are fleeting tools, insignificant… and far less valuable than you imagine.
—What do you mean by "fleeting" or "less valuable"? I don't understand what you're trying to say.
The creature let out a brief laugh before continuing.
—I'll explain it simply. Imagine a person born without arms. That is their reality, their natural limit. But at some point, their desire to change their fate becomes so intense that it manifests as an external force. That force takes shape… and becomes what you call a "system."
He paused briefly before finishing his explanation.
—That system grants them the ability to grow, become stronger, and even recover what they never had. In other words, it alters a destiny that was already written.
His eyes gleamed with unsettling coldness.
—But in the end, it is nothing more than artificial assistance. Something borrowed. And everything that is borrowed… can also be taken away.
—In simple terms, all you do is cut that connection… destroy the bond with whatever gives them power. But there's something I don't understand —I muttered with difficulty—. I don't have many memories… and I don't even have something I could call an identity.
The creature tilted its head slightly, as if analyzing my words.
—That is strange. A being without identity is an anomaly. In theory, such an existence shouldn't even be able to remain standing. Before we continue, explain what exactly you mean by "identity."
I remained silent for a few seconds before answering.
—I don't know who I really am. The only thing I know is that my name is Kazuki. I don't remember where I come from, what my purpose was, or why I ended up here. It's as if I appeared out of nowhere.
I took a deep breath, trying to organize my thoughts.
—If I think about it carefully, identity isn't just a name. It's everything that defines a person: memories, decisions, desires, even the goals one pursues. Those are the things that give meaning to existence.
The creature watched me with a gaze that was difficult to decipher, as if evaluating every word that left my mouth.
—Even so, think about it. I barely struck you once and left you in this state —he said calmly—. Listen to something, boy. Even though many consider me a monster, I'm not truly one.
He remained silent for a moment before continuing.
—It's true that my race comes from a place different from yours, and that humans tend to fear us. But that doesn't mean we are monsters by nature. My function is simple: to cut the connection between a person and their system. Nothing more.
His wings shifted slightly as he spoke.
—If someone loses that bond and still decides to keep fighting, then that is their choice. But if they stop fighting… I see no reason to kill them.
I barely managed to push myself up a little, enduring the pain that ran through my entire body.
—Then… take me with you —I murmured with difficulty—. To your world, or wherever you come from.
I drew a strained breath before continuing.
—After all, I came to this place to complete a mission… or at least that's what the system said. But now that it's gone, I suppose it no longer matters. Besides, with the condition my body is in… I doubt I can do anything else here.
—Even so, thank you —I said weakly—. If I ever appear somewhere else again… I hope we can be good friends.
After speaking those words, my eyelids closed completely.
Even while unconscious, the smell of fire and ruins reached my nose. In the distance, explosions echoed along with the desperate screams of people. Yet something strange was happening: instead of unsettling me, those sounds seemed to slowly drift away from my mind.
At that moment, I felt an enormous wave of energy surround my body. Gradually, I began to rise into the air. That force carried no hostility or danger; on the contrary, it radiated a warm and comforting serenity, a sense of calm I had never experienced before.
Then it happened.
A storm of light engulfed the entire place.
My body vanished within that radiance.
I do not know how long I remained like that. When I tried to open my eyes, my vision appeared fragmented at first, as if reality itself needed time to reconstruct before me.
What I saw next left me speechless.
I was standing at the summit of a mountain. At my feet stretched an immense field of flowers swaying gently in the wind. In the distance, majestic mountain ranges rose beside vast forests of deep green, while crystal-clear rivers wound through the valleys, reflecting the light of the sky.
Everything looked as though it had come straight out of a fairy tale.
The purity of the landscape, the harmony of the colors, and the tranquility of the atmosphere formed a scene of beauty that was difficult to describe.
And as I gazed at it… some memories returned.
Before arriving at that place, before being defeated by that winged creature, I was just an ordinary teenager. My eyesight had always been somewhat weak, and the world always appeared blurry to me.
But now…
Now everything looked different.
The colors were more vivid, the shapes sharper, as if reality itself had gained a clarity I had never imagined possible in my life.