Xue Ji, an ordinary high school student who had crossed into another world, had spent years striving to reach the pinnacle of magic—becoming a Sage.
Now, he stood deep within the Demon King’s castle, fighting alongside the Hero’s party to bring an end to the tyrant’s reign.
After three days and nights of grueling battle, victory was within their grasp. With Xue Ji’s dismantling of the Demon King’s immortality, the final blow was struck. The Hero’s party had triumphed at last.
But it was too soon to celebrate. Against an entity as formidable as the Demon King, letting their guard down before ensuring his complete annihilation would be foolish.
Just as the group began to relax, the Demon King—despite his lifeless body—lashed out one final time.
With a maniacal laugh, he roared, “Hahaha! Say goodbye to your little brother!” In his last moments, the Demon King’s soul transformed into a cloud of black miasma that engulfed the Sage.
“Ugh—ahhh!” Xue Ji’s body convulsed as agony wracked his form. His companions’ desperate cries faded as darkness swallowed him whole.
…
Xue Ji stumbled forward through the void, drawn toward a single point of light. As his vision adjusted, he found himself standing in a tidy, familiar room.
Before him was his old computer desk, adorned with a Gunpla model of the Avalanche Exia. On the wall hung a poster of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End. His gaze lingered on the white-haired elf—proof that he’d truly returned home.
“To think I’d come back like this…”
The joy he expected was muted. His otherworldly adventures now felt like a fading dream, leaving an inexplicable hollowness. He’d imagined countless homecoming scenarios, but never one so absurd.
Did the Hero finally confess to his childhood friend? The monk still owes me a spirit beast. What was the priestess trying to say after the battle? And how did that tsundere elf ranger react to my disappearance?
“Well… the Demon King’s dead. They’ll be fine without me.”
After a moment of melancholy, Xue Ji steadied himself, ready to embrace his new life.
Then he noticed the changes.
His once-fitted robe now pooled on the floor like a stretched-out sweater. His hands were smaller, softer—were his fingers always this delicate? Walking felt off-balance, as if he’d lost weight down there while gaining it up top.
A strange pressure on his chest made him freeze. Tentative fingers brushed against unfamiliar softness—a memory flashed of the priestess teleporting into his arms during a magic lesson. Though nowhere near as ample as that incident, the implications were undeniable.
“No. No no no—”
He bolted for the bathroom, tripping repeatedly on his robe before faceplanting into the door. “Ow! Why does this hurt so much?!” Tears welled up unbidden as a dreadful suspicion took root. Anime tropes flashed through his mind—particularly a certain oniichan’s transformation into a white-haired girl.
Heart pounding, he faced the mirror.
Azure eyes, wide with alarm, stared back. Snow-white hair framed delicate features so flawless they seemed unreal. The girl in the reflection was straight out of an anime—and she was blushing.
“I’m… kinda cute?” The words slipped out before he could stop them.
“Wait, NO! Why am I getting charmed by myself? What kind of narcissist—”
With trembling hands, he conducted a thorough inspection. Ten minutes later, he emerged flushed, splashed cold water on his face, and croaked, “I need a drink.”
…
Before he could mourn his lost “little brother,” a phone alert blared:
[EMERGENCY: Giant wolf-like creatures spotted near City A’s southern forest. Extremely aggressive. Southern residents—STAY INDOORS.]
…
One Hour Earlier – Forest Perimeter
Gunfire and screams painted the battlefield in horror.
Arriving at the scene, Xue Ji surveyed the carnage. Soldier’s bodies littered the ground—some mangled, others frozen in agonized expressions. Blood-soaked earth mixed with shattered weapons and wrecked vehicles, a testament to the slaughter.
Raising his staff, Xue Ji cast a silver wave over the battlefield.
“[Requiem of the Styx].”
“At least grant them peace in death. I’ll handle the rest.”
As he marched toward the forest’s heart, another notification popped up:
[SOUTHERN DISTRICT UNDER FULL LOCKDOWN.]
Online forums buzzed with footage of car-sized wolves—crimson-furred, green-eyed, their corrosive drool eating through concrete. Military blockades formed as special “Awakened” units deployed for rescue ops.
Drones failed to penetrate the unnatural fog shrouding the south. Yet reports confirmed one four-man squad had reached the forest’s edge.
Through the mist, the squad spotted a slender figure darting between trees—a white-haired girl, pursued by a snarling wolf. Its claws grazed her robe as bullets riddled its body. A grenade sent the beast fleeing, allowing the girl to escape.
“You’re safe now, kid,” said the scarred captain, sheathing his flaming sword. “We’re Awakened Corps.”
(So superhumans exist here too?) Xue Ji noted internally.
A tall female soldier patted his head. “Why are you out here, little sister? Weren’t evacuation orders clear?”
Xue Ji activated [Deception Magic], delivering Oscar-worthy deadpan: “I… was looking for my mom.”
The squad saw things differently: a trembling child, voice choked with tears, braving danger for family. The men looked away, fists clenched. The woman hugged him—too tightly.
“Can’t… breathe…!”
Then ten more wolves attacked.
Flames engulfed the captain’s blade while vines erupted beneath the female soldier’s stomp. Two others hurled wolves like ragdolls. Yet the pack kept coming, herding them into exhaustion.
After an hour, the battered squad collapsed. Just as jaws closed in—
A white-robed figure stepped forward.
…
Arcane light haloed Xue Ji as winds carried the wounded to safety. His voice echoed in their minds:
“Fear not.”
Then, with a voice sharp as steel:
“[Heavenfire Judgment].”
Meteoric flames rained down. Wolves became living torches as the earth turned to quicksand. Xue Ji snapped his fingers—compressed wind detonated the fire, carving a smoldering trench through the forest.
As the smoke cleared, the squad gaped at their savior. The delicate girl now radiated the aura of a war-hardened veteran. She turned, azure eyes crinkling in a smile that made the female soldier’s heart race.
Years later, they’d still recall this moment—the day a saint walked through hellfire.
But deep in the flames, a crimson phoenix-like creature watched Xue Ji with disturbing glee, tears of twisted joy streaming down its face.
“Found you~.”