Chapter 3: First

[Whooosh—!]

My vision turned white.

With a sensation like I was being sucked into a giant vortex, I felt my body floating.

It was a different feeling from the one I had when I awakened earlier.

Something much more fundamental seemed to be pulling me elsewhere.

Wow.

When I came to, I was standing in a space with no end in sight.

“…This is insane.”

The surroundings were filled with a mist that emitted a soft glow.

Beneath my feet, sparkling crystals covered the ground, as if the night sky’s stars had been laid out before me.

In the far-off horizon, faint, indescribable structures loomed in the distance.

A mysterious and dense aura hung in the air—strange, yet fascinating.

‘…Where am I now?’

Overwhelmed by the suffocating atmosphere, I looked around nervously.

Then, from the fog ahead, someone slowly walked toward me.

It was a middle-aged man with neatly arranged platinum-blonde hair, gentle eyes, and a warm smile.

Despite clearly being older, his face had a soft, androgynous beauty.

The pure white robe he wore reflected the starlight underfoot, emitting a mystical glow.

Wow, he’s seriously cool.

When our eyes met…

His deep, clear pupils seemed to look straight through me.

It felt like he was reading me down to my core.

And strangely enough,

Even though I was seeing him for the first time, he didn’t feel unfamiliar.

There was a sense of harmony and peace about him.

He approached me with a gentle smile and spoke.

“Welcome, new Deliverer, Lee Dam. We’ve been waiting for you.”

His voice was like a finely tuned instrument—pleasant to the ear.

Just as I was about to be overwhelmed by it, he winked playfully and added cheekily:

“Wow, seeing you in person, you’re even fresher than I expected. Looks like our community’s average age is going to drop quite a bit.”

In that moment, all my tension melted away.

That kind of tone with that kind of appearance?

What kind of gap-moe is this?

“Ah, yes. Hello. I’m Lee Dam,” I said awkwardly with a small bow.

He waved his hand with a chuckle and said,

“Haha, no need to be formal. I’m called the Guide of Harmony. You can just call me Harmony if that’s easier. I’ll be helping you get settled in here in the Akashic Record.”

Guide of Harmony?

That sounds like a name straight out of a video game.

As he spoke,

He lightly gestured in the air.

Then, two transparent crystal glasses suddenly materialized in his hands.

…Seriously.

They just appeared out of nowhere.

Inside each glass was a golden liquid that gave off a gentle fragrance, even from where I was standing.

“Here, have a drink. It must’ve been a long journey getting here. Consider this a small welcome gift from the Akashic Record.”

He handed me one of the glasses.

I took it, still a bit dazed.

Strangely, the glass held a warm heat.

“Uh… thank you.”

I wasn’t sure if it was safe to drink something in a place like this, but I couldn’t exactly refuse his kind gesture either.

I cautiously brought the glass to my lips and took a sip of the golden liquid.

……Huh?

The taste that spread through my mouth… was indescribably blissful.

…Delicious!

It was like the concentrated essence of thousands of fruits—sweet, yet refreshing enough to snap my mind awake.

As the liquid slid down my throat, a warm sensation spread through my entire body, and all the fatigue I had felt seemed to melt away.

And then—right at that moment:

[Ding!]
[You have consumed “Dew of the World Tree.”]
[All attributes slightly increased!]
[Mental power greatly increased!]
[Status effects: Fatigue, Confusion have been removed!]
[Special Effect: “Resonance of Story” temporarily enhanced. (Duration: 1 hour)]

“…!”

I nearly dropped the glass at the sudden system message that popped up.

…Attribute increase?

Just from drinking it?

What kind of drink is this?

Before I even had time to check my status window,

I looked at Harmony in shock, and he just smiled gently and raised his own glass lightly.

“I’m glad it suits your taste. Now then, shall we get to the main topic? I’m sure you have plenty of questions.”

…This guy is ridiculously cool.

Seriously charming.

As he grinned and showed his dimples, he began his explanation.

“Deliverer—as the title suggests, your role, Lee Dam, is to deliver stories to us Transcendents. To those who’ve grown weary across the endless span of time, who wish to reclaim forgotten emotions, or who crave new inspiration. That is your mission.”

Mission, huh? Sounds a bit dramatic.

“Of course, we’re not asking you to sacrifice for us without reward.”

Harmony smirked and raised his hand into the air.

Then, with a dazzling light, all kinds of gemstones poured out onto his palm.

…What!?

Rubies blazing like suns, sapphires that looked like the deep sea, diamonds that sparkled like crushed starlight…

And even strange, writhing crystal forms that seemed to be alive.

Whoa. That has to be worth a fortune.

My eyes widened.

“Most of us Transcendents have surpassed the limits of our dimensions and been reborn as something new. If they’re satisfied with a story, or even show the smallest bit of goodwill… it’ll be an immense benefit to you. Things like fragments of their power, or pieces of their essence.”

Fragments of power…
Pieces of essence?

Well, I mean, even just the drink I had earlier…

In that moment, I thought of the powerful Hunters I’d seen on TV or the internet.

Even S-rank Hunters drank elixirs like water.

“So would it be accurate to say these beings are like the Hunters from my world? When I read the community posts, none of them seemed that intense…”

At my words, Jowa’s expression seemed to stiffen subtly—only for him to burst into hearty laughter.

“Hunters? Hahaha! Ah, I’m sorry. That was such a fresh comparison—I haven’t heard that in ages.”

He wiped tears from the corners of his eyes as he spoke.

“Dam-nim, please don’t misunderstand. On Earth and its neighboring dimensions… there are no Transcendents whatsoever.”

“…Huh? Oh, really?”

…So Earth is a scrub-tier dimension?

I gave an awkward laugh.

And just now…

His mouth was smiling, but his eyes weren’t smiling at all.

Wait—did I say something rude?

“If I offended you, I apologize.”

“Oh, no! Not at all! You’re from a world where no Transcendents have emerged, so it’s only natural. Heh.”

Even though he was smiling warmly…

I could feel it.

That overwhelming presence that filled the vast space.

It hit me full-force—

Is this what they mean by ‘aura’?

“Then… when you say to tell stories, what exactly do you mean by that?”

“Haha, there’s no need to overthink it. You can talk about anything you want. Things you’ve experienced, knowledge you possess, fictional creations from your imagination… anything is fine.”

His tone was soft, as if to ease the burden.

But I didn’t miss the subtle glint of expectation in his eyes.

…What if I really do just say anything that comes to mind?

“I only awakened today. I’m just an average person. Do you really think I can do this?”

To my honest question,

He looked at me with a very different, deeply serious expression than before.

“Dam-nim. There must be a reason the Akashic Record—and we—chose you. Believe in yourself. Your stories undoubtedly hold special power.”

There was something strangely convincing in his voice.

Like he truly regarded me as someone significant.

I’d never been treated like this before.

And strangely, I felt my confidence rising.

“Ah, okay…”

But, then—when exactly am I supposed to start?

“So! You must be wondering when this important role begins, right?”

…Is he a mind reader?

“Oh, right. Don’t worry—I don’t actually read minds! It’s just that I’ve guided many Storytellers before, so I’m kind of good at this.”

…What a spooky guy.

Jowa gave me another sly smile as he spoke.

“Everything is up to you, Dam-nim. Who you meet, how often, how long the conversations last… It’s all entirely the Storyteller’s choice. We don’t force anything.”

His expression was as friendly as ever.

But I sensed something faintly hidden behind that.

Like he had something he wasn’t quite saying.

“…But~”

There it is. Jowa’s eyes sparkled as he continued.

“Despite that, we do have one individual in mind—someone we Transcendents carefully selected as the ideal first client for Dam-nim. Of course, the choice is entirely yours.”

First client, huh.

What am I, a door-to-door salesman?

“Ah, sure. I don’t really mind whoever. Is it someone I saw in the community earlier, by any chance?”

“Hmm… I’m not sure who you saw, but that person probably isn’t very active in the community. He’s a Transcendent from a martial arts dimension—his name is Chunma.”

…Chunma?

That name sounds terrifying.

Isn’t that like the default villain in wuxia novels?

I frowned slightly at the thought.

“He’s a bit blunt, but he’s one of the few Transcendents who still has warmth left in his heart.”

Jowa added.

…One of the few remaining, huh?

As I mulled over the meaning of those words, he clapped his hands together with a crisp sound.

“Well, that’s enough explanation for now. As they say, seeing is believing. It’ll make more sense when you meet him yourself.”

“Ah, alright.”

“Then, when would you like to begin your first story? Of course, you’re welcome to take as much time as you need. We have plenty of time.”

Jowa asked me gently.

I thought it over for a moment.

I mean, I’ve come all this way—it’d be lame to back out now.

And honestly, I am curious.

I’ve always liked talking anyway.

Now I’m hosting a talk show for dignified beings from across dimensions?

How could I say no?

“Hmm… Well, I think I’m okay starting right now. I’m curious too.”

He said it was all up to me anyway.

If I don’t like it, I’ll just not see them again, right?

At my answer, Jowa’s eyes widened slightly before forming a satisfied smile.

“Excellent~! As expected, the new Storyteller is different! Then, shall I send you right away?”

“Yes, please.”

…Chunma.

What kind of Transcendent will he be?