◇
I was speechless.
My breath hitched in my throat as I watched Gaia-san and the man called Alteus face off. I couldn't tear my eyes away from their confrontation.
"Brat, don't look away from this fight for even a second," Iricobert muttered. "Memorize it. All of it. You won't see a battle of this caliber many times in your life."
"............Yes."
I knew I had to watch. Every single clash of their blades was a masterclass in skill, a concentrated mass of experience. Even if I couldn't fully grasp the nuances yet, I knew this battle would become the fuel for my own growth. I stared, forgetting to blink, engraving every movement into my memory.
"What's this? You've actually kept up with your training? Your skills haven't dulled a bit," Alteus remarked.
"I haven't even shown you my true depths yet," Gaia replied coolly.
"Gahaha! That smart mouth of yours brings back memories! ...Hm? How unfortunate. The noisy ones have arrived."
Three knights appeared from behind Alteus. They were clearly Dragonia knights, and their strength was evident at a glance. There was a large man, a smaller man, and a young woman.
"Lord Alteus! I turn my back for one moment and find you on the front lines? You could have at least given us a word!" the woman shouted.
"Good grief, you’re at an age where you should be taking it easy. What a pain," the smaller man added.
"You are the commander-in-chief of this campaign!" the woman continued, ignoring the other man. "You can't just abandon your post on a whim! It sets a terrible example for the troops!"
"But I wanted to fight... it’s been so long..." Alteus grumbled.
"Hah?"
"I’m sorry," Alteus apologized, shrinking back as the young, black-haired female knight glared at him.
He was surprisingly frank—or perhaps he was just exactly the eccentric old man he appeared to be.
Iricobert-san and several other high-ranking knights from Gaia-san's order stepped forward to meet them. The air was thick with tension, poised on a knife's edge. Every person standing there possessed strength that resided at a height far beyond my own.
And then, the tension snapped in an unexpected way.
"Well then, disperse! We're going home, you lot," Alteus announced.
""Hah?""
Alteus simply turned his back. Iricobert-san stood there with his mouth agape, tilting his head in confusion. The Dragonia knights looked just as bewildered.
"Lord Alteus! Scarlett is right under our noses! What about His Highness's orders?"
"Flute. His Highness ordered me to retreat at my own discretion. If I say we’re going home, we’re going home. Now that Gaia has shown his face, taking the Princess’s life would be a monumental task. If we were to engage them here, we’d need to be prepared for the consequences."
The knight called Flute looked like she wanted to protest, but she bit her lip and nodded.
"Gaia, you’re fine with that, right? Or did you want to settle this now?"
"No. If you're willing to withdraw, that’s fine by me. I’ll forbid my men from pursuing. However, keep in mind that many of our people died today."
"Gahaha, I know. I’ll be your opponent for the retaliation whenever you like. For today, we’ll leave it at a draw."
The end came in an instant. Despite the bloody life-and-death struggle that had preceded it, a ceasefire was declared. Both sides sheathed their weapons. Under the threat of strict punishment for anyone who dared draw a blade, the battle concluded.
Only men like Alteus and Gaia had the authority to end a war with a few words. Even Princess Scarlett seemed to accept the outcome without complaint.
"Gaia. I’ll leave quietly today. But you’d best be prepared... our new Dragon King is a truly formidable figure. He will far surpass your imagination."
"Valzard Dragonia... I heard he was only eight years old. Does that mean the rumors of a revolution were true?"
"Gahaha! I wonder. I won't be so kind as to give away all our secrets. But... don't fall behind, Gaia. If you let your guard down, even we, who survived the era of the Great War, will be swallowed up in an instant."
Alteus looked at Gaia-san, and then his gaze shifted to me.
"A new era is right around the corner, after all."
I didn't understand the meaning behind his look. Then, Alteus and his entourage vanished into the distance.
We began our own withdrawal. Princess Scarlett was to return to the royal capital, with Gaia-san’s knights acting as her escort until she reached safety.
"Iricobert-san. Do you know of a town called Secondary to the south?" I asked.
"Hm? Oh... yeah. About half a day from here by Emblem Horse. Just follow that river downstream and it'll take you right there."
"I see! My mother is waiting for me there, and she's injured, so I’d like to head out immediately. Thank you for everything!"
"That's sudden... fine. I'll have someone escort you. Wait a moment."
"Oh, it's okay!"
I closed my eyes and focused on the power circulating through my body. I visualized it, just as I had when I summoned my sword.
"There. An Emblem Horse... It feels more like operating a vehicle than riding an actual horse."
"Hah?"
A pure white, spectral horse emerged from the emblem on my left hand. I had been experimenting with how to summon one during our travels, and I had finally managed to pull it off.
"You... how did you... Hah? That usually takes an immense amount of training! What the—"
"Are you leaving, Leo?"
Gaia-san had approached from behind. I gave him a deep, respectful bow.
"Gaia-san! Yes! Thank you for all your help!"
"No, we are the ones in your debt. I would like to offer you a reward of some kind."
"I did what I did because I wanted to. I don't need a reward."
"Heh... then I suppose I'll just keep the debt on the books for now."
"Yes! Well then... Gaia-san, goodbye! Iricobert-san, goodbye to you too!"
"Yeah... see ya!"
With that, I parted ways with Gaia and the others. It was a rushed farewell, but my worry for my mother outweighed everything else. Besides, I had no more business here. I guided the spectral horse to the river and galloped toward Secondary.
"Is this really alright, My Lord? Letting him go like that?" Iricobert asked.
"Secondary is close. Our knights are stationed there. For now... this is fine."
"That kid... he's a monster. Not just his current strength, but his potential is terrifying. To be honest, he gave me the chills. Just who is he?"
"Heh... perhaps... he is the new era."
◇
I arrived at the hospital in Secondary that night. I went straight to my mother’s bedside and gripped her hand. I held it tightly, just as she had held mine so many years ago.
Early the next morning, she slowly opened her eyes. The morning sun streamed through the window, casting a warm glow over the room.
"Good morning, Mom."
"............Good morning, Leo."
I pulled her into a tight hug. She squeezed back just as hard.
"I could see it... just barely," she whispered. "I saw you take up the sword... I was so surprised. And... you looked so brave."
"Yeah... because I'm your son."
My mother looked surprised by my words, and she began to cry softly. I think she understood what I was trying to tell her. I was crying too, but I couldn't stop there.
"Mom... listen."
I looked her in the eyes, trying to find the words I had never been able to say. I was ready now. I could finally accept this world and my life within it. Even so, my heart raced and my voice trembled.
My mother gripped my hand and gave me her usual, sun-like smile. That gave me the courage I needed.
"I... I love you, Mom. More than anything."
"Fufu. And Mama loves you, Leo. So, so much."
She beamed at me.
It was on that day—or perhaps it had started the day before—that I truly began to live. I was alive in this world. I still didn't know the reason for it, but I decided to live with everything I had.
"I'll protect you, Mom. And I'll protect myself, too."
This life was a precious gift, saved by those who had risked everything. I wouldn't waste it.
And so, my first battle at the age of eight came to an end. The peace that had lasted for centuries was beginning to crumble, giving way to an age of upheaval.
But that was still a story for the future. For now, the wheels of destiny had only just begun to turn, driven by the kings who would define the new era—and a fate more cruel than anyone could imagine.
◇ At the same time, in Pendragon, the Capital of the Dragonia Dragon Kingdom.
In a chamber with soaring ceilings and ornate gold dragons, silence and tension filled the throne room of the Dragonia Royal Castle.
A single boy walked across the thick, blood-red carpet. The kingdom’s elite—including the Four Dragons—knelt as he passed. This boy was the ruler of Dragonia: Dragon King Valzak Dragonia.
He was only eight years old, but no one dared treat him like a child. He walked toward the throne with a regal, unwavering stride.
Dragonia had long groaned under the tyranny of the previous king. It was a stagnant nation exhausted by a millennium of war, its people weary, its slaves broken, and its knights hollowed out by a lack of purpose. It was into this world that he had been born.
And he had succeeded. He had led the revolution. In an instant, the kingdom had been reborn.
They called him a prodigy, a genius, a divine child. His strength already eclipsed that of a One-Star Knight Commander, and he was still growing. He possessed a face of haunting beauty, the sharpest intellect in the kingdom, and above all, he was kind. He was a wise king who looked upon every one of his subjects with compassion.
Valzak sat upon the throne, crossed his legs, and listened to Alteus’s report. When the old man finished, Valzak went perfectly still, as if time had frozen. Alteus tilted his head in confusion; it was rare for the ever-composed King to show such agitation.
"Did you... did you say his name was Sora?"
"It was a name I heard mentioned briefly. But the boy was definitely called Leo. I thought perhaps I had simply misheard."
"............I see."
Valzak’s expression shifted, turning nostalgic and deeply sorrowful.
"Even if it’s just a coincidence... hearing that name brings back so much. The name of a friend I can never meet again... my precious, precious best friend."
The Four Dragons, aware of Valzak’s past, assumed he was speaking of a friend lost during the revolution.
But they were wrong. It was from a time much, much further back. No one in this world knew the truth. No one except for one person.
Valzak stood and walked out onto the balcony, looking up at the vast expanse above. He spoke directly to the sky.
"In the end, we never did win the Koshien, Sora. After you died in that accident, something inside me just snapped. My illness got worse, and I followed you shortly after. I thought I was the one supporting you, but I think it was actually the other way around. I never imagined I’d be reincarnated into a world of swords and emblems, though."
He spoke as if reminiscing with an old friend.
"I wonder... are you being loved this time? Are you living a happy life? That’s all I care about. If it’s possible... I truly hope you’re being loved by someone and that you’re spending your days laughing from the bottom of your heart."
He closed his eyes for a moment, wiping away a single tear where no one could see. When he opened them again, his gaze was firm.
"But... the past is the past."
He turned his back on the sky. He would not look back. He returned to his throne, focusing his will into his left hand.
"Let us begin. I will kill every king that stands in my way and become the one True King."
On the back of his left hand, a gold Regalia Emblem shone with a brilliant light.
Destiny would inevitably bring the kings together. They would meet on a battlefield stained with blood, even if they had once called each other brothers.
Four years later.
The seasons had turned, and the spring breeze had returned several times. I was now twelve years old—the age of a first-year middle schooler.
Four years had passed since the Dragonia invasion. My mother and I had moved permanently to Secondary. Our old village was too close to the border, and the ongoing tension with Dragonia made it a dangerous place to live.
Currently, I was in the middle of my daily routine. I sat with my eyes closed in a meadow on the outskirts of town.
This was a vital part of my training. I was reproducing battles in my mind—image training. Ryu always said that if you can’t visualize something, you can't perform it. So, I spent every day trying to perfectly recreate the movements of my emblem in my head.
Today’s mental sparring partner was Liberto. We faced off as equals. Years ago, I couldn't have beaten him head-on. Now... I knew I could. At least, in my imagination.
Gaia-san, Iricobert-san, Alteus... I fought the legends I had met that day, over and over again. Between the mental training and practicing with my actual emblem powers, my days were full. Being a King meant my emblem power was essentially bottomless, which made training much easier.
Since that day, Dragonia and Arcadia had been engaged in constant minor skirmishes. News of the conflict reached Secondary, but no major battles had broken out yet. I spent every day training to ensure that when the big war finally came, I would be strong enough to protect the people I loved.
My typical day went: wake up, train, hug Mom, train, eat, train, hug Mom, eat, train, hug Mom, hug Mom, hug Mom.
Okay, that’s a lot of hugs. But my life was fulfilling.
I swung my sword again.
Why? Because I wanted to be strong.
Why did I want to be strong? Because in this world, if you aren’t strong, you can't protect anything.
I had talent. I could finally accept that truth without reservation. And if someone with my talent spent their life in idleness and allowed everyone to die... I knew I would regret it for eternity. So, I refused to be conceited. I worked harder than anyone else.
"Hah!"
I swung the blade. I could perform feats now that would have been impossible years ago, but I still hadn't reached the level of Gaia or the others. Of course I hadn't. In the terms of my previous life, Gaia-san was a top-tier Major Leaguer. You don't close that gap in skill, physique, and mentality overnight.
But I would catch up. I was sure of it.
"I see... it's because I admire him."
The thought struck me suddenly. This was the first time in either of my lives that I had truly admired someone. In my previous life, I had no interests, no heroes. But after seeing Gaia-san fight, I wanted to be like him. I admired the strength that allowed him to protect what mattered.
He was cool. For a long time, I had lived without a goal or a dream, just drifting through life. But now, I had one. I wanted to be as strong as Gaia-san.
The Great Hero Ordained by the Stars. I still didn't know exactly what that meant, but I knew I wanted to reach that height. I think this is what people mean when they talk about chasing a dream.
"Leo!"
"Mom."
My mother came running toward me. Her leg still troubled her, but since I had been sharing my emblem’s power with her, she was much healthier than before. She reached me and snapped open a newspaper.
"They're... they're recruiting common soldiers," she said, her voice trembling. "It looks like a massive war is about to start."