The city lights of Tokyo blurred into streaks as Riku Aoyama sprinted across the street, heart pounding with the rhythm of a hundred chaotic thoughts. The usual noise of the city was muffled by adrenaline as he darted between pedestrians, eyes locked on the silhouette of a girl a few steps ahead. She was distracted, headphones in, scrolling on her phone — completely unaware of the speeding car that had lost control just meters away.
"No—wait!" Riku's voice barely pierced the rush of the wind.
In a split second, time slowed. His body propelled forward, instincts overtaking reason. He lunged, grabbing her arm and pulling her just enough to avoid the crash.
Then came the impact.
A crushing force, a blinding flash. Pain surged through every fiber of his being, and then—darkness.
---
When his eyes finally opened, the world around him was unrecognizable.
Instead of the cold concrete and neon signs of Tokyo, he found himself lying on soft grass beneath a sky painted in hues of violet and gold. The clouds drifted lazily but shimmered with an iridescent glow. Far above, massive floating islands hovered serenely, their edges sparkling like fragments of shattered crystal.
A gentle breeze carried a scent unfamiliar yet strangely comforting — a mix of jasmine and something electric, like the hum of power itself.
Riku pushed himself up slowly, still disoriented. He looked down and noticed something strange. His hands glowed faintly with a soft blue light, pulsing in tune with his heartbeat.
"What… is this place?"
His voice sounded clearer, stronger, as if every word was charged with newfound energy. He rubbed his eyes, trying to shake off the fog clouding his mind.
"Welcome back, Riku Aoyama."
The voice startled him. Turning around, Riku saw a tall figure approaching. The stranger wore silver robes embroidered with glowing runes that flickered like stars across the fabric. Their eyes were kind but held the weight of ages.
"Velveran," the figure said softly, gesturing toward the sprawling cityscape beyond. "The world between worlds. You have been summoned here for a reason—to rewrite the fate that was lost."
Riku's heart hammered. His name, spoken with such certainty in this alien place, sent a shiver down his spine. How did they know?
"Who are you?" he asked, voice trembling slightly.
The figure smiled faintly and extended an arm. A raven with feathers shimmering like polished silver landed gracefully on their hand.
"I am Alaric, a guardian of this realm," they said. "You carry the soul of another— a man who lived here once, a hero who died two years ago under mysterious circumstances. His name was also Riku Aoyama."
Riku blinked, confusion swirling in his mind. "What do you mean? I'm from Tokyo... I died saving a stranger."
Alaric's eyes softened. "You were chosen because you share the same soul. Fate brought you here to finish what was left undone. Velveran is a world where magic and technology coexist, but darkness threatens to consume it once again."
The city before him was a breathtaking fusion of gleaming skyscrapers entwined with towering castles, their spires crowned with flames and crystals. Roads shimmered with cobblestone that pulsed with mana, and airships dotted the horizon, lazily drifting between islands in the sky.
Riku stood, awe-struck but uneasy. "Why me? Why did I come back like this?"
"Because only you can save this world... and uncover the truth behind your own rebirth," Alaric said, voice grave.
Suddenly, a sensation washed over him—a flood of memories that weren't his own. Faces flashed by: a noble girl with fierce eyes, a dark guild cloaked in shadows, whispers of betrayal and sacrifice. And beneath it all, a profound loneliness.
Riku clenched his fists, feeling power surge beneath his skin. "I don't understand any of this. I just… I just want to know who I really am."
Alaric stepped closer, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You are both the boy who saved a life in Tokyo and the hero who fought for Velveran. Your past and present are intertwined. Here, at Arcanum Academy, you will learn to control your power, uncover secrets long buried, and face enemies both old and new."
Riku's mind raced. A new life? A school for magic and warriors? It sounded like a dream—or a nightmare.
But beneath the swirling chaos, a spark of hope ignited.
He was alive again.
Not just alive — given a second chance.
---
The next morning, Riku found himself standing at the gates of Arcanum Academy, the legendary institution that trained the "Awakened" — gifted warriors who wielded magic and technology in harmony.
The academy was unlike any school he'd ever known. Its architecture was a breathtaking blend of ancient stonework and sleek futuristic design. Floating lanterns hovered over gardens filled with glowing flowers, and students walked by in robes embroidered with symbols that pulsed faintly with power.
Riku clutched the pendant Alaric had given him—a silver shard etched with runes that thrummed softly against his palm.
"Remember," Alaric's voice echoed in his memory, "the answers you seek lie within these walls. But be warned — not everyone here welcomes your return."
As he stepped forward, the crowd of students parted to reveal a girl with piercing green eyes and raven-black hair. Her gaze locked onto him with a mixture of surprise and something harsher — resentment.
"You're him," she said coldly.
Riku met her stare, heart pounding. "I'm... Riku."
Her lips curled into a faint, bitter smile. "Not the one we knew."
That was Princess Elyra — a noble from one of Velveran's oldest families, brilliant and proud. She had known the original Riku intimately... and now, the past was returning in a new form.
---
As days passed, Riku struggled to balance the ordinary challenges of school life with the extraordinary burden of his destiny.
He trained in duels where spells collided with the crackle of electric rifles, navigated the tangled politics of magic guilds, and discovered the mysterious bonds that connected him to those around him — including Kaela, a fierce beastkin girl from the slums who saw beyond his title and past.
Though confusion and danger loomed, one thing was clear:
Riku's new life in Velveran had only just begun.
And love—complicated, fragile, and real—was waiting in the wings.
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End of Chapter 1
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