My footsteps echoed softly through the unfamiliar forest, each one laced with caution. I had just been "reborn" into this world, and the system hadn't wasted a second before warning me:
> [Zone Level: 150+ | Survival Rate: 4%]
"…Perfect. Just spawned in, and I'm already about to die."
Suddenly, the bushes ahead rustled. A flame-fanged beast lunged at me—massive, wild, and giving me zero time to think.
My hand moved on instinct.
And then it appeared—the sword.
Not just any sword. This was a living weapon. Its blade shimmered a brilliant blue, and a dragon's head was engraved into the hilt. A voice echoed in my mind, calm and ancient:
"At last… I've found my master."
> [Weapon Unlocked: Dragonbound Blade – Partner Summon Activated]
Power surged through me like lightning.
With a single slash, the beast exploded into particles of light. The ground trembled. A dragon's roar reverberated around me.
"…Is this... Balance Breaker?"
Before I could make sense of what just happened, a figure emerged from the mist.
A girl.
Her dark crimson hair flowed like silk, eyes sharp and glinting like rubies. She wore sleek black-silver armor, marked with the crest of an ancient kingdom.
"I've been watching you," she said flatly. "You're not from this world… are you?"
I tilted my head. "And who are you? A beautiful NPC with an attitude?"
She sighed. "My name is Aurelia Noctis. Princess of the Arcane Kingdom and guardian of this realm. If you truly are a High Human... I can't allow you to roam free."
I chuckled. "Didn't even get a chance to breathe before being labeled a threat."
Aurelia drew her sword. "Then prove you're not like the others who came before you... or I'll end you right here."
And just like that... our first meeting began.
Not with a smile—
But with sparks of conflict…
and a curiosity I couldn't shake.