Tokyo, Japan – A Chilling Autumn Evening
The streets of Tokyo pulsed with life, bathed in the amber glow of streetlights and neon signs. Among the crowd, a weary salaryman in his late thirties trudged along, his briefcase heavy with paperwork and his spirit heavier still. His tie hung askew, and his shoulders slumped under the invisible weight of unspoken regrets and daily routine.
Then came the scream.
A child had broken free from their mother's grasp, chasing a red balloon across a busy intersection. The light turned green. A bus thundered forward. Time slowed to a crawl.
Without hesitation, the man hurled his briefcase aside and sprinted.
The mother's cries split the air.
He reached the child—just in time. With one desperate motion, he pushed them clear.
The impact came a heartbeat later.
Cold asphalt kissed his back. Distant voices blurred into static. The lights of the city dimmed. But his thoughts were clear. He saw his daughter's smile. Heard her laughter.
Would she remember me?
Darkness took him.
---
World of Magic & Swords: Astralis
Year 102, Divine Calendar – Near the Kingdom of Klyrode
Warmth. Light.
He drifted in a golden radiance, weightless, reborn.
The voices came first—soft, reverent. When he opened his eyes, unfamiliar faces greeted him. Ornate robes, bowed heads, and a silver-haired woman cradling him like treasure.
"A divine child..." someone whispered.
He tried to speak, but only a gurgle came out. Yet his mind raced. Tokyo... my life... my daughter... I died.
And yet—he was here.
His infant body trembled with confusion. He wasn't supposed to be alive.
"His eyes," an elder murmured, "they carry the burden of lifetimes."
Then came the voice that parted the silence like thunder. "Leave us."
The room emptied. Only the woman remained, tears of joy in her eyes. A man entered—tall, regal, with eyes that seemed to pierce the veil between souls.
"I am Kagura Buddha," the man said, kneeling. "Leader of the Buddha Clan. And you, though reborn as a child, are not new to this world. Are you?"
The baby stilled.
"I sense it," Kagura continued. "You carry memories from beyond this life."
His words weren't just accurate—they were truth itself.
Kagura placed a glowing hand on the child's forehead. "You are not my son by birth, but fate has placed you in my care. From this moment forward, you are Sakata Buddha."
The glow sank deep into the child's skin. In its warmth, he felt power awaken—a force greater than anything in his past life.
A second chance. A new path.
---
Years Later
Sakata Buddha grew quickly, both in strength and spirit. By the age of seven, he had surpassed grown warriors in mastery of elemental arts. The halls of the Buddha Clan whispered his name with awe—and fear.
But power alone was not enough.
One day, as the sun bled orange over the temple courtyard, Kagura Buddha approached his young disciple. "You wield power like a flame," he said. "But wisdom tempers fire. Come."
They entered a hidden sanctum beneath the temple—a chamber older than the kingdom itself. At its center rested a tome that shimmered like starlight: The Record of Prophecy.
"It tells of a foreign warrior," Kagura said, "one who will shape the fate of Astralis."
Sakata stepped closer, reading the ancient text. The words resonated with him, as if whispering from across time.
"Is it me?" he asked quietly.
"No," Kagura said. "You are not the chosen one."
Sakata looked up, startled.
"You were chosen for another purpose," Kagura continued. "To prepare the one who is."
Realization dawned.
He would not be the hero—but the mentor. The one who shapes destiny, not commands it.
"Then who is this warrior?" Sakata asked.
Kagura's gaze turned skyward, to a fate yet unseen. "In time, you'll know."
---
Year 500, Divine Calendar
Twelve Years Before Present Day
The clash of steel rang across the training fields.
Kaito Nakamura, panting, blocked Lyrae's blade as sparks flew. His arms ached. Sweat dripped down his brow.
"You're improving," Lyrae said, circling him. "Barely."
Kaito managed a smirk. "I feel like I'm still getting wrecked."
"You are. But you're learning."
He lowered his blade. "Not fast enough."
Lyrae studied him. "Strength is more than skill. It's conviction. What's driving you, Kaito?"
He didn't answer right away. Then, in a low voice: "My son. And the people I've come to care for in this world."
Lyrae nodded, her smile faint but sincere. "Then fight for them. Again."
---
Twelve Years After Kaito's Disappearance
Deep within the Buddha Temple, in the oldest chamber sealed from time, Kagura and Sakata Buddha stood before an ancient portal carved from celestial stone.
"The time has come," Kagura said.
Sakata stared into the swirling vortex. Destiny coiled in its depths.
"He's finally coming?" he asked.
Kagura nodded solemnly. "Yes. And with him, the fate of this world will be rewritten."
Sakata inhaled slowly, eyes gleaming with quiet resolve.
I am not the hero.
But I will forge him into one.
The light of the portal flared.
And the wheel of destiny began to turn once more.
---