An endlessly stretching sky.
On a ship floating somewhere unseen, with neither ground nor space in sight, five people who had just finished their tutorial battle were drifting through the clouds.
“Huff, huff…! My flames have returned!”
The voice of an old mage shattered the silence on deck.
Had he used his clear stat points to raise his mana from 1 to 2?
Though his magic’s power would still be somewhat lacking, simply regaining his abilities seemed to be a great relief to him.
“Hey, old man. You know something, don’t you?”
After a long silence, one of them finally spoke.
Pinenes turned toward the source of the voice.
The one who had spoken was a man with an impression that fell somewhere between a thug and a delinquent.
“Are you talking to me?”
“Everyone’s curious about who you are, so don’t just sit there—say someth—urk…!”
The delinquent swallowed hard.
The moment he met the man’s unwavering gaze, an indescribable pressure bore down on him.
Those cold eyes were different from when he had led them in battle just moments ago.
“How rude.”
“…!”
“Remember who it was that saved your back in that fight.”
For a brief moment, Pinenes was surprised—both by his own manner of speaking and by his thought process.
If this had been before he came to this world, he wouldn’t have even dared to meet the delinquent’s eyes, let alone talk back. He would have just tried to avoid conflict.
And yet now… was it the aftermath of battle? Or had he been completely consumed by the persona of this character?
He wasn’t sure why these words came so naturally, as if he had spoken like this his whole life.
“Haha… R-right. I almost forgot to thank you.”
Sensing the dangerous shift in Pinenes’ demeanor, the delinquent quickly backed down.
Given how easily he yielded, his initial rudeness may have just been a way to test the waters.
With that minor disturbance settled, the rest of the group fell silent.
Only the sound of the wind could be heard as Pinenes surveyed the others, assessing the survivors.
The rude delinquent.
The old mage.
A male student with a tattered school uniform.
A woman still trembling, green liquid smeared on her hands.
Including himself, a total of five had survived the tutorial.
“Well, I suppose everyone would be curious.”
Since he had taken charge earlier, explaining a few things now would save him some trouble later.
Pinenes decided to share a bit of knowledge about this world with the remaining four.
“To answer whether I was the one who brought you here—no, I wasn’t. I was dragged here just as suddenly as you.”
“……”
“But the reason I know more than you… let’s just say I have a sharper eye for things.”
He deliberately left out mentions of ‘test play’ or ‘Iron Sovereign.’
They might be allies for now, but there was no telling when they might turn into enemies. No need to reveal too much.
“Do you remember how the world suddenly changed the moment we passed through that warped light?”
Several nodded.
Everyone recalled how the sky had abruptly turned into a field, and how, the moment the battle ended, they found themselves back on this flying ship.
“That was what’s called a ‘dimensional rift.’ We just entered and exited another dimension.”
“Another… dimension?”
The schoolboy muttered in a daze, prompting Pinenes to elaborate.
“More precisely, it was a fragment of a destroyed dimension. This world is full of countless such remnants. If you’re lucky, you can obtain byproducts like ‘credits’ or ‘floating stones’ from them, like we did earlier. But if you’re unlucky, you’ll die without even knowing why.”
“……”
“In short, rifts are like random stages, and the byproducts are clear rewards.”
Most of them looked like they didn’t fully understand.
But no one asked any further questions.
Not that it mattered.
It wasn’t crucial knowledge for survival—if they lived long enough, they would naturally come to understand.
“Um, I have a question….”
The woman in the back cautiously raised her hand.
She was the only female in the group, having survived thanks to acquiring a dagger from a mercenary.
“Will we have to keep fighting like that in the future?”
It was a question on everyone’s mind.
If they had to go through just a few more battles like the tutorial, their chances of survival would plummet exponentially.
It was only natural to be worried about what lay ahead.
Pinenes searched his memory before answering.
“There aren’t many encounters as brutal as the tutorial in the early stages.”
“…Huh?”
“I’m saying it’ll be fine for now.”
His words were meant to reassure them, but instead, they only deepened their unease.
For now? Then that meant something terrible was bound to happen eventually. But when?
Oblivious—or indifferent—to their concerns, Pinenes turned and began walking.
“Follow me. I’ll explain a few more things.”
“…”
Descending the stairs from the deck revealed a vast interior.
Despite the ship’s rugged exterior, the inside was designed with the elegance of a grand, old European hotel.
“This is the crew quarters. That over there is the engine room.”
Pinenes briefly pointed out various locations, offering brief explanations.
He spoke as if he had been aboard this ship for years, knowing every nook and cranny.
Eventually, the group stopped in a circular lobby.
“This is the ship’s control center.”
At the center stood a odd structure—perhaps a table, or a cut-off pillar.
The moment Pinenes placed his hand on it—
Woooom— Woooom—
Engraved patterns lit up, rising into the air as a three-dimensional hologram unfolded before them.
It was a miniature projection of a section of the Sky Islands.
“This is….”
“A sky map.”
Everyone’s mouths fell open.
Despite the ship’s medieval-inspired design, it possessed a navigation system more advanced than anything found on modern vessels.
Even without an explanation, they immediately recognized it as a map.
On the three-dimensional display, a glowing arrow marked their current location, projected course, and final destination.
“Don’t touch anything.”
“Ah…!”
The woman who had been reaching out to the hologram quickly withdrew her hand.
“The ship is on autopilot. If you mess with the coordinates, we’ll end up as ghosts wandering the sky forever.”
“S-sorry… I didn’t know….”
“If you don’t know, then don’t touch.”
“Y-yes….”
Pinenes checked the map and control panel again.
Time remaining until arrival at the first island: 340 hours.
Just over two weeks.
In the mobile game, days would pass in an instant.
But in reality, they would have to spend a significant amount of time on this ship.
“So, two weeks until we arrive. That’s quite a wait.”
“Then… can we return to Earth?”
“No.”
Pinenes shook his head at the boy’s question.
“That’s when the real hell begins.”
“……”
“If you want to survive, it’s best to forget about your old world.”
With a strange air hanging over them, Pinenes led the group through the rest of the ship’s facilities.
The interior was far more comfortable than expected.
Beyond the cabins, there was a lounge for conversation and a training hall for physical activity.
Most of the ship’s design, aside from the magic-based elements, resembled modern architecture familiar to everyone but the old mage.
“Lastly, I’ll show you how to use credits.”
Between the cabins and the lounge stood a grand statue of a goddess.
It was clear at a glance that it wasn’t just an ordinary statue.
Or rather, the statue itself was ordinary—but the phenomenon surrounding it was not.
A soft, green ghostly flame flickered around the goddess’s form, as if embracing it.
Noticing this, the old mage gasped in astonishment.
“Could it be… a spirit?!”
“Yes. A lesser spirit.”
“Oooh… To see one with my own eyes….”
“They’re common here.”
Spirits were a core part of the Sky Islands’ system.
“This will be easier to show than explain.”
As Pinenes reached out, the gentle green light coiled around his hand like a living being.
Then—
[You have spent 10C to purchase ‘Vitality Recovery Steak!’ (Balance: 990C)]
“W-what…?”
“Huh?”
“Whoa…!”
Various exclamations burst out.
Seeing food appear midair, plates and all, was nothing short of magic.
But all he had done was use credits to make a deal with a spirit.
[Vitality Recovery Steak]
- Quickly alleviates accumulated fatigue.
- Eating it will keep you full for the entire day.
“Spirits don’t just sell food. They offer tools, potions, equipment useful in battle, and even abstract things like stats or skills.”
Pinenes continued his explanation, but no one was really listening anymore.
Sizzle!
The tantalizing aroma of steak sizzling on a hot iron plate was enough to captivate their senses.
Noticing someone drooling over the sight, he extended a plate and asked,
“Want to try it?”
“…Is that okay?”
“I allow it.”
At those words, the thug cautiously reached for the fork on the plate.
But at that moment—
“Huh? What the…?”
The thug flinched in surprise.
His hand passed right through the plate as if he were touching a hologram made of light.
While everyone was still bewildered, Pinenes explained,
“As you can see, you can only use your own credits for yourself. That’s the spirit’s rule.”
“……”
“It means you take care of your own needs.”
For a moment, the thug’s eyebrows twitched.
He realized he had been played.
Though having already been burned once, he didn’t bother complaining.
“I’m going to get some rest.”
There were a total of ten rooms—far more than necessary for just five people.
With that final explanation about credits, Pinenes walked toward the cabins.
“Make sure you get some rest. There won’t be anything else happening today.”
Clunk.
He disappeared behind the door of the innermost room.
Even after several hours passed, he did not return to the lobby.
The small cabin had all the necessary things.
After eating, taking a shower, and changing into spare clothes, Pinenes began sorting through everything that had happened today.
This isn’t a dream, is it?
It still didn’t feel real that he had entered a game world.
The only reason he had managed to act so composed in such a bewildering situation was because his mind had been forcibly kept calm.
No—now, he wasn’t even sure he could maintain that composure any longer.
Pinenes placed a hand on his chest.
Thump, thump.
Every time he recalled that moment, his heart pounded violently.
It was an emotion of an intensity he had never felt before—so unfamiliar, so foreign.
I still don’t understand anything.
There was another thing that baffled him.
Who are you?
Resting both hands against the wall, he stared intently at the full-length mirror.
On the other side, a stranger glared back at him with the same eyes.
The Iron Sovereign, Pinenes Bledian.
His commanding presence that could instantly boost morale, the overwhelming atmosphere he exuded, the noble and refined speech—these were likely all part of the innate power of a ruler.
Ending up in another dimension was one thing, but why had only his appearance changed?
There was no comprehending it.
“Hah… This is complicated.”
No matter how much he pondered, there were no answers.
Pinenes collapsed onto the bed.
Would his sister be able to provide him with an explanation?
The memory of the last time he saw her, just a few weeks ago, felt like years had passed since then.
—Then, little brother, let’s meet again at the summit. By then, I should be able to tell you everything.
Even without his smartphone, he could vividly recall the message his sister had sent him.
His memory had improved significantly—it was likely another one of Pinenes Bledian’s abilities.
“Hah, the summit, huh.”
A hollow chuckle escaped him.
He wasn’t even certain he’d make it to the first island safely.
Right now, he was struggling just to survive.
There was no point in worrying about the summit.
As much as he wanted to see his sister again, it was best to put that hope aside for now.
If he was lucky enough to survive for a long time, maybe one day, they would meet again.
For now, I should rest.
Pinenes lay down on the cabin bed.
If this was a nightmare, he would wake up.
If it was reality, then he needed to rest his body.
He had a dream.
The same sky as always.
But today, for some reason, there was no sword embedded in his back.
And unlike before, instead of plummeting, he was standing firmly on the ground.
A question crept into his mind.
If the only thing around him was an endless sky, then what exactly was this ground he was standing on?
To confirm, he approached the cliff’s edge.
Thunk!
A gleaming blue blade suddenly pierced through his stomach.
It was the same sword that was always lodged in his body in these dreams.
There’s someone behind me…! Who—?!
But he couldn’t turn his head.
Thunk! Thunk!
Two more swords stabbed into his back in succession.
The blades twisted in his wounds, and he felt the sensation of air escaping from his lungs.
“Kh… Ha….”
Overwhelming pain forced his body forward.
He stumbled off the cliff, just like before.
As he fell through the clouds, his blood stained the blue blades a deep crimson.
He glanced up mid-fall.
Three figures stood at the edge.
They were the ones who had stabbed him.
He couldn’t make out their faces, but he could sense their demeanor.
One was laughing at his predicament.
Another gazed down at him with a look of utter disdain, as if he were an insect.
And the last one—the tallest, with the longest hair—simply nodded to himself.
“…!”
The instant he saw them, something inside Pinenes surged.
For the first time ever—pure, unbridled rage.
…
…
With a start, Pinenes shot up from the bed.
His hands, clenched into fists, had pressed his nails deep into his palms.
He stared blankly at his injured hands, then shook his head, trying to collect his thoughts.
What the hell was that?
Dreams always faded quickly.
He knew instinctively that his dream had changed.
But beyond that, he couldn’t remember anything clearly.
Which only made it all the more confusing.
Why was he breathing so heavily?
Why was his body trembling?
Why did this nameless emotion keep surging and dissipating inside him?
“The summit…”
He suddenly muttered.
“I have to reach the summit.”
It was an unconscious thought.
Even he didn’t understand what he meant.
His mind soon calmed.
With time, Pinenes found it hard to believe his own actions.
Was I hypnotized or something?
Why had he murmured about the summit when he was barely surviving as it was?
I don’t know.
His thoughts were a mess.
He needed to clear his head.
Pinenes stepped out of his room.
The stairs leading to the deck were dark.
Time had passed in this world too—sunset had come and gone, and now, night had fallen.
Looks like everyone’s asleep.
The ship quietly cut through the midnight sky.
Only the occasional sound of stone clashing could be heard.
It was the friction of floating stones fueling the ship’s engine.
No… not everyone is asleep.
Pinenes narrowed his eyes at the presence he sensed in the lounge beside the circular lobby.
Footsteps echoed down the corridor.
The moment he turned the corner, his gaze met those of two others.
