Chapter 04: A New World

When I came to, I saw the sky.

White clouds scattered across the crystal blue sky were moving slowly pushed by a warm breeze. At the same time, I could also hear birds singing from a nearby tree.

The sun was shining directly in my face and I felt a slight burning in my pupils. I was also very thirsty.

When I got up, I did not feel any pain. However, my limbs felt a little stiff, as if I had not moved from my bed for many days. As I looked down, I realized that this was not my body.

For so many years, the disease had left me weak. I was always called "noodle" or "little stick" because of how thin I was. I never liked that nickname...

Now, however, my arms were covered with a firm and compact musculature. I was not very muscular, but well proportioned in a slender way, but very far from the flabbiness to which my illness had accustomed me. This body looked more like that of an athlete than my own.

'Since there is no point in resurrecting you to die immediately, I will grant you a boost to your basic and physical abilities, among other things.'

At first I thought that the goddess Astraia had made a mistake and brought me to this place with a different body. But then I remembered her words.

I looked up and saw distant mountains, beautiful grasslands and trees scattered everywhere as I looked around. It looked like a countryside landscape, but at the same time it felt different.

In the distance, I saw a really huge tree. But huge didn't do it justice! It was SO big I couldn't believe it. I recognized it as the famous giant oak tree from Windrise, but seeing it in person looked even grander than it did in the game.

Mondstadt. This place looked very familiar to me since in the game you could always go here from the start. Also, if I managed to see the giant oak from here, that meant that the Mondstadt City must not be too far away.

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While walking towards the big tree, suddenly a dimensional rift appeared above Kaito as the sunlight was completely swallowed up.

Slowly a stone came out of the crack floating in the air. As soon as it appeared, the sky and earth fell into a deep silence.

A few miles away, in Mondstadt City, all the people seemed to have suddenly become still. Those walking stopped halfway, those inside the tents froze as they chatted or ate and drank, and even the fires and food at the stalls came to a complete standstill.

Everything was very quiet, as if time had stopped in that instant. It was strange, but the small stone the size of a finger that floated by seemed to scare even the sky, as the lightning that began to strike also stopped.

As soon as Kaito laid his eyes on the stone, it quickly sank right between his eyebrows, causing him a pain that although great, he was able to endure. It felt like very cold ice working its way into his head until it reached his brain.

No one in Mondstadt City seemed to notice that time had stopped a few moments ago. Everything returned to normal when the stone entered Kaito's forehead.

Although time did not stop for him, he did not understand what happening either. When everything moved again, he put his hand to his forehead with a pale face.

The most miraculous thing was that not a drop of blood came out when the stone pierced his head. Nor was there any mark or scar left. There was not the slightest sign that anything had penetrated his head.

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I was really surprised and confused — what had just happened? Feeling no pain as a side effect, I let out a relieved sigh. For a moment, I thought I would die again.

The pressure brought by that small stone was like a big mountain crushing my whole body.

Suddenly, at that moment, my vision went blurry and then completely dark. In the midst of the darkness, a bright light fell from above. It was like being inside a theater, with the spotlights pointed at the protagonist... And that human silhouette in the center of the stage looked exactly like me...

The silhouette, who seemed to want to show me something, relaxed his body completely and little by little his breathing calmed down. At first it was rhythmic, suddenly, when he opened his eyes, from under his feet and him as the center, a figure emerged on the floor, the size of about 10 meters.

It was like an hourglass drawn, illuminated on the floor like a magic anime circle.

At that moment a word appeared in my mind, although it was written in letters I didn't know. It felt as if it had always been engraved deep within me, and I could read it clearly:

"Clock of Eternal Resonance."

The silhouette bowed as if finishing a magical demonstration in the theater. Then everything became a blur. When I regained consciousness, I realized that I had returned to the real world.

'Was that a skill?'

I looked up at the sky not knowing what to think. In this new world, as in all worlds, there were concepts that were difficult for a mere human like me to understand.

Concepts that were the lifeblood of the universe...

And according to everything I had read in novels and seen in anime, those abilities that directly embodied the concept of 'Time' were the most OP. It only took one glance at that silhouette's performance to make me realize that. Time!

'She said she would give me something when I revived... Is this skill the gift promised by goddess?'

With a small bow I expressed my gratitude. I am sure she is watching from that lonely place. Whatever her intention is in granting me such a powerful skill, I am grateful.

'... Wait. Her intention?'

''Uhmm... When I think about it, this skill... Doesn't it make me the protagonist of some weird doujin?"

I sat up and looked up at the sky. "Will the goddess Astraia have somewhat strange tastes after living for so long? I don't judge her..."

"But I must admit, I'd be a bit disappointed if she expected me to use my powers for weird stuff, like harassing some heroine... I'm not a hentai protagonist! Sorry great goddess, but you'll have to settle for my heroic-"

The sky suddenly flashed.

BOOM! Lightning struck close to me and I jumped in fright.

"Waah, you almost hit me with that! I was just kidding, don't get mad. If you were nicer, we could be friends..."

BOOM!, another lightning bolt. I think she got angrier.

"Hahaha~!"

I couldn't help but laugh loudly as I imagined the goddess's face.

Maybe it was the happiness of being reborn or the relief of no longer being bedridden in a hospital. The truth is that at that moment I felt quite happy.

I think that having died left me with a couple of screws loose. Or did I just not fear death anymore? Laughing at a goddess who could erase me with the blink of an eye wasn't the best idea.

"Anyway, I'm grateful for your gift. Thank you, I promise to use this skill to the fullest. I hope you have fun watching me, though I can't assure you how entertaining I will be. I'll do my best."

BOOM, that lightning struck closer.

"Okay, okay, I got the hint. I'll be good, I promise. So please stop throwing lightning at me."

Since the goddess was no longer throwing her lightning bolts, I decided to walk towards the big tree. Although I wanted to test my new skill, my throat was crying out for water urgently.

Before long, I saw the path.

That's certainly a path through the grasslands. I could tell that this path had been used for years, as if the grasses had been pushed aside with the passage of time, leaving only dirt.

As I walked I could not help but admire the scenery. The birds flying free and singing, the soft sound of the leaves swaying in the breeze, the colorfulness of the place... It was very different from the Earth, which was already quite polluted.

After walking for about twenty minutes, I finally arrived under the big tree. The landscape that opened before me was really wonderful.

I looked up and could see small butterflies shining as if they were crystal made while they fluttered from flower to flower. There were flowers of different colors that perfumed atmosphere.

Large roots that belonged to the giant oak tree were sticking out of the ground. And some ducklings were grooming their feathers nearby. When they saw me they got scared and flew away, just like the butterflies that disappeared in the air.

Under the tree huge shadow, which seemed to stretch for tens of meters, I heard water sound. I ran over and saw a beautiful crystal clear lake, not very deep or large, but clear enough to see the colorful fish swimming below.

The water looked very clear and clean, but I wondered if it would be safe to drink.

Perhaps it had been stagnant there for a long time. I came from another world where water is purified before consumption, so I had my doubts.

There could be monsters or other animals nearby doing their business... just thinking about it made me... Besides, I had no way to purify it.

I looked towards where Mondstadt City was supposed to be according to the game, but I couldn't even make out a shadow in the distance. It was obvious that since it was a real world, the distances were extended and it wouldn't take me just minutes to get there like in the game, but in a couple of hours.

"I guess I'll drink it... The worst that will happen will be a stomach ache... I guess".

I had no choice so I decided to take a chance. At least it would quench my thirst for the time being.

I bent down and scooped up water with my hands to bring it to my mouth. Upon contact with my dry throat, I opened my eyes abruptly. Without a second thought I drank without stopping, like a camel finding water in the desert.

It was very refreshing and even a little cold. It didn't taste funny or anything.

"Hahhh~. This is nice."

After quenching my thirst, I looked around. I felt a strange call, as if someone was speaking directly into my mind, no voices.

Almost instinctively I walked to the huge tree other side. There I could see a monumental stone statue, a few meters away from the thick trunk.

The statue showed the figure of someone, but not an ordinary person. It looked like an angel. It wore a dress that covered it entire body and fell down to the pedestal that served as a base for the sculpture. In its hands it held a sphere as an offering while its wings gently curled forward, sprouting from it back.

I approached slowly to observe details, but as I looked at the face, I could not see its eyes. It didn't have a distinctive feature either, however... I could recognize what this statue was and what it represented.

The statue of one of the Seven.

In the game they say it was sculpted in the image of Anemo Archon.

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If we reach 100 power stones there will be an extra chapter <3< p>