A calm night in Tokyo. Neon lights reflected on the wet pavement as Kiyotaka Ayanokōji stepped out of a small convenience store, a plastic bag with light drinks swinging gently from his hand.

  Tonight was ordinary. Or so I thought.

  Then... darkness. No noise. No motion. No warning. Just an abrupt void.

  No summoning circle. No screams. Just... emptiness.

  A sudden shift — cobblestone beneath his feet, ancient buildings surrounding him, a primitive market bustling with voices. People passed him by, none noticing him.

  Ayanokōji stood still, silent, observing.

  “The air smells different.”

  “The sky’s clearer... no artificial lights.”

  “No cars. No signal.”

  He knelt and touched the ground, then rose and looked at his palm.

  “Stone pavement... The sun’s warmth doesn’t match the night I left.”

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  “Preliminary deduction: I've been transported to another world.”

  A scream.

  From a nearby alley — a silver-haired girl being attacked by a thief.

  Ayanokōji watched, unmoving.

  “She’s fast… not helpless.”

  “But he’s armed. Intervention required?”

  He walked forward, no shouting, no rush.

  One strike.

  A precise knee blow to the thief’s leg. He fled.

  The girl stared at him, shocked.

  “Thank you… I didn’t even see you coming.”

  “I wasn’t planning to appear. But the noise was irritating.”

  She asked his name. A pause.

  “Kiyotaka.”

  “I’m Emilia. You’re not from around here, are you? You look... unusual.”

  “The questions begin. I must choose my words carefully.”

  They walked through the market. His eyes moved constantly, unreadable.

  “If this is a new world… I must understand its rules before it plays me.”

  Evening deepened.

  Emilia pointed to a narrow alley.

  “We can cut through here to a nearby inn.”

  Ayanokōji eyed it.

  “…Tight corners. Limited visibility.”

  “Don’t worry, I know it well.”

  “She’s confident… but that doesn’t eliminate danger.”

  Halfway through.

  Footsteps echoed behind them.

  A man with a weapon stepped out.

  “Hand over what you’ve got!”

  Ayanokōji stood still, scanning the shadows.

  “One exit… no room to dodge.”

  “Can I neutralize him? Low probability.”

  A second man.

  Appeared from behind.

  A stab — straight into his back.

  “Kiyotaka!!”

  Emilia’s scream.

  “I missed the second one... critical error.”

  “Is this… death?”

  White. Silence. A single drop of blood falls.

  A void.

  Ayanokōji floated in complete darkness.

  Then — his eyes opened.

  Same cobblestone. Same market noise.

  Same moment.

  “So… I’m back.”

  “Death reset the moment.”

  “Then this world has rules… and I can learn them.”

  He walked slower this time.

  From afar, he looked at the alley.

  “The mistake... won’t happen again.”