The morning sun shone upon the village of Palestra, a small settlement located at the foot of the mountains, about three days' journey from the city of Orario. This village was known for its resilient and skilled hunters, including those who hunted monsters that occasionally descended from the mountains. But the most famous figure from this village was a young man with black hair and sharp sapphire blue eyes who stood in the middle of the training arena.
"Finally, you've come, Kazuma!" shouted a muscular man with a thick beard. He held a wooden sword firmly. "This time I will defeat you!"
Kazuma Shinrai, the 16-year-old youth, merely smiled crookedly at the challenge. Casually, he twirled his wooden spear before taking his stance.
"Don't be too confident, Uncle Baros. Didn't I make you bedridden for three days just last week?" Kazuma said in a teasing tone.
Baros, a senior hunter of Palestra village who was already 40 years old, laughed loudly. "That was just luck! Today is different!"
The cheers of the villagers filled the arena. They had gathered to watch the weekly training match, which for the past two years had always been won by Kazuma.
"Begin!" shouted the village chief as the referee.
In an instant, Baros darted forward with amazing speed for his size. His wooden sword aimed directly at Kazuma's head. But the young man merely shifted his head slightly, letting the attack pass by him.
"Too slow," Kazuma muttered, before quickly spinning his body and sweeping Baros's legs with his spear.
Baros jumped to avoid the attack, but Kazuma had anticipated this movement. With one smooth motion, he twirled his spear and its blunt end struck Baros's stomach.
"Ugh!" Baros staggered backward but didn't fall. "You're getting stronger, kid!"
"Of course!" Kazuma laughed, taking a defensive position. "I will never stop training!"
The fight continued for several minutes. Baros repeatedly tried to break through Kazuma's defense, but the young man always managed to dodge or parry the attacks with his spear. Kazuma's staff and spear techniques were combined with strange movements—what the villagers didn't know was that these were Kyokushin Karate movements from his previous life.
Finally, Kazuma saw an opening. As Baros launched a powerful attack, Kazuma slipped to the side, twirled his spear with incredible speed, and in one fluid motion tapped the back of Baros's neck with the tip of his spear.
"Finished," Kazuma said calmly.
Baros froze, then slowly lowered his weapon. "I surrender."
The spectators' cheers filled the arena. Kazuma extended his hand to help Baros stand upright again.
"You're truly a monster, Kazuma," said Baros with a wide smile. "No one in this village can beat you."
Kazuma just shrugged with a pretend arrogant attitude. "What would you expect from someone as great as me?"
The spectators laughed at his joke. They were used to Kazuma's confident demeanor that often sounded like arrogance, though it was actually just part of his playful character.
---
That evening, Kazuma sat at the edge of a small lake on the outskirts of the village. He gazed at his reflection in the clear water. His jet-black hair fell covering part of his handsome face and sharp blue eyes. No one knew that behind that face resided a soul that had lived before, in a world far different.
"Orario..." he whispered softly. That name had haunted him for years, since he began to remember his past life around the age of 10.
In his previous life, he was an ordinary young man obsessed with anime and games. "DanMachi" or "Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?" was one of his favorite anime. And now, he lived in that world.
Reincarnation had caused him to be reborn as a baby in a small village, adopted by an elderly couple who had no children. Since remembering his past life, Kazuma had trained hard, preparing himself for when he would go to Orario and enter the Dungeon.
"Dungeon..." he muttered again, imagining the Babel Tower that rose high in the center of Orario city, with the monster labyrinth beneath it that was said to be endless.
"Daydreaming again, Kazuma?"
Kazuma turned and saw Lili, a village girl his age who had been his good friend since childhood. Lili sat beside him and also gazed at the lake.
"You're really leaving tomorrow, huh?" Lili asked in a quiet voice.
Kazuma nodded. "It's time. I'm 16 now, strong enough to begin my own adventure."
"Are you sure about going to Orario? There are many other cities that are closer and not as dangerous," said Lili.
Kazuma smiled faintly. "Only in Orario can I become a true adventurer, Lili. Only there is the Dungeon, and only there can I join a Familia and receive the blessing of the gods."
Lili let out a long sigh. "Familia... The gods who descended from the upper world to play with humans." She looked at Kazuma seriously. "You know they just consider us entertainment, right?"
"That's not entirely true," Kazuma replied. He knew well the nature of the gods from the series he watched before, but he also knew there were gods and goddesses who were sincere, like Hestia. That name made his heart beat a little faster. "There are gods who truly care about their Familia."
Lili tilted her head. "You speak as if you already know them."
Kazuma chuckled. "Just based on stories from merchants who visit our village." He picked up a pebble and threw it into the lake, creating beautiful ripples. "Besides, isn't it cool to gain abilities from the gods' blessing? Status, skills, magic..."
"You're already strong enough even without that," said Lili. "You've defeated all the hunters in this village without the help of the gods."
"That's different," Kazuma shook his head. "The monsters in our mountains are nothing compared to the monsters in the Dungeon. To truly become strong, I need Falna—a blessing from a god."
They fell silent for a moment, enjoying the view of the setting sun.
"I'll miss you," Lili finally said.
Kazuma turned, seeing the sad face of his friend. Behind his confident demeanor, he deeply cared for the people in his village, especially Lili who had always supported him. For a moment, his mask of cheerfulness and arrogance faded, replaced by a gentle expression he rarely showed.
"I'll miss you too, Lili. Miss you and everyone in this village."
---
That night, the residents of Palestra village held a farewell party for Kazuma. A large bonfire was lit in the center of the village, food and drinks were abundant, and traditional music played merrily.
"To Kazuma Shinrai! The greatest fighter of Palestra village!" The village chief raised his glass high.
"To Kazuma!" everyone exclaimed, following suit.
Kazuma stood, smiling broadly seeing the familiar faces that had accompanied him during his 16 years of life in this world.
"Thank you all," he said in a loud voice. "But you know, you're actually lucky I'm leaving. Now you all have a chance to become the strongest in the village!"
The villagers roared with laughter at his joke. They were accustomed to Kazuma's confident attitude that sometimes sounded arrogant.
"Honestly," Kazuma continued, this time in a more serious tone. "I wouldn't be who I am now without all of you. My late adoptive parents, Uncle Baros who taught me how to fight, Aunt Mira who always healed my wounds after training, the Village Chief who always gave wise advice..." Kazuma took a deep breath. "And Lili, my best friend."
The atmosphere turned quiet. No one had ever expected that Kazuma, who always joked around, could speak so sincerely.
"I promise I'll return someday. And when I come back, I'll be a famous adventurer who makes Palestra village proud!"
Cheers once again filled the village. The party continued until late at night, with villagers taking turns giving mementos and advice to Kazuma.
Toward the end of the party, Uncle Baros approached Kazuma with a long package.
"This is for you, kid," he said, handing over the package.
Kazuma opened the package and was surprised to find a beautiful real spear, not a wooden training spear. The spear was made of high-quality metal with intricate carvings at its base.
"Uncle..."
"I ordered it specially from the best blacksmith in the nearest town," said Baros. "Its name is Crimson Fang. Perfect for your fighting style."
Kazuma gripped the spear, feeling its perfect weight. "This... is too valuable."
"Nothing is too valuable for my best student," Baros patted Kazuma's shoulder. "Use it wisely. And remember everything I taught you about a fighter's honor."
Kazuma nodded, too moved to speak. Behind his confident demeanor and jokes, he deeply appreciated the people who had raised him.
---
Dawn had not fully broken when Kazuma stood at the village gate with a backpack full of supplies and Crimson Fang firmly in his grasp. He was already dressed like an adventurer: sturdy long pants, a shirt with light chest protection, and boots for long journeys.
Most of the villagers had gathered to say their final goodbyes.
"Remember to always be careful on your journey," Aunt Mira gave him a package containing herbal medicines. "And don't forget to eat regularly!"
"Yes, Aunt," Kazuma accepted the package with a smile.
"This is the latest map to Orario," the Village Chief handed over a parchment scroll. "Follow this route, and you'll arrive in three days if you walk without much rest."
"Thank you, Chief."
One by one, the villagers came forward to give farewell hugs. Finally, only Lili remained standing before him.
"So... this is goodbye," Lili said softly.
"Only for now," Kazuma replied. "I will definitely return."
Lili smiled sadly, then removed the necklace from her neck and placed it around Kazuma's. A simple pendant shaped like a leaf with an emerald green color.
"To remind you of home," said Lili.
Kazuma touched the pendant, feeling a strange warmth flowing from the object. "I will take good care of it."
They embraced briefly, and Kazuma turned to face the path that would take him into the wide world. With firm steps, he began to walk, leaving the village that had been his home for 16 years.
"Goodbye everyone!" shouted Kazuma, raising his spear high. "Prepare to hear the name Kazuma Shinrai throughout the world!"
The villagers laughed and waved, entertained by Kazuma's confidence that never changed.
As his figure receded into the distance, Kazuma allowed his smile to slowly fade. Behind his confident demeanor, he felt a little anxious. The outside world was full of dangers, especially Orario and the Dungeon he was heading for. But his determination was unwavering.
"Orario... I'm coming," he whispered to himself, while gripping Crimson Fang tightly.
In his heart, Kazuma knew that this was just the beginning. A journey to the city of gods and adventurers, where a new destiny awaited him. And perhaps, somewhere in that city, a goddess with black hair tied in twintails with blue ribbons was waiting for the first adventurer for her Familia.
Kazuma smiled at that thought. Somehow, he felt that this was a destiny already written.