I always dreamed of leaving a legacy behind... Doing something that would make the general population remember me.
It could've been anything. Maybe discover something unseen? It could've been an academic achievement... or maybe being a worldwide famous and revolutionary artist.
But I wasn't good at studying, and I just knew how to draw stickmen.
That's why I turned to sports. I wanted to be like Cristiano Ronaldo or maybe Kobe Bryant—leaving my mark on this world in whatever way possible.
One way to do it was to be a legendary athlete of unseen proportions.I was quite good at sports. All I needed to do was focus, work hard like no one else did, and let the results come.
But... Of course. Of course it would be me. Out of all the people you could've run over, you chose me! Not a kid with no future or an unassuming granny... but me!
I had a bright future, you prick!
As I lay on the cold asphalt, in inexplicable pain, I slowly closed my eyes. I stopped feeling my limbs, or anything for that matter, as the darkness enveloped me. I hoped that maybe, just maybe, I would be reincarnated, or that I would go back to when I was born.
I just wanted to keep going, to try one more time...
...
But nothing happened. Complete silence and darkness. I was aware of it—I was conscious—so it made it all the more disturbing. Mild panic started creeping into my mind. I thought that maybe this was it... That all those weird geeks that flaunted their atheism were right... Eternal oblivion, forever. But something stirred. I felt prickling across my 'body.' It was something akin to sleep paralysis, or your arm falling asleep. I felt as if my limbs were there... but I couldn't move them.
Everything felt warm. Too warm. Like a hot night in summer, struggling to fall asleep due to the heat. And then, brightness. My eyes were closed, there was no doubt about that, but instead of the usual darkness, there lay a vast sea of whiteness, as if the sun was in my face.
"Gah!" My breathing came back, and my eyes opened.
Gasping for air, I clutched my chest, my free hand feeling the coarseness of the sand below. Eventually, my breathing slowed and I calmed down.
I looked at my hands, noticing that my right forearm was covered in gray bandages that went up to the middle of my hand. Apart from that, and the sand below me, I noticed there was something next to my legs—a sword.
The blade was silver colored, and the handle was covered in gray bandages, just like my right hand.
After examining the sword and fiddling with it for a bit, I looked in front of me. The harsh light of the sun made my eyes involuntary squint.
"Shit, it's so hot..." I muttered, fanning my face with my hand.
Scanning my surroundings, all I could see was sand and, in the distance, the ocean. The slow, warm wind carried some sand along with the occasional tumbleweed. It was annoying, to say the least. I felt the sand getting on my skin and in my clothes...
Speaking of which, I slowly stood up and looked down. I noticed I was wearing some black shorts and a white T-shirt. My feet were thankfully covered by black sneakers, and I had a silver chain around my neck.
"A basic get-up, just how I like it," I said to no one in particular as I started to think about my situation.
So, I was run over by some drunk dude, I lost consciousness, and then I woke up in the middle of a desert with a sword and unfamiliar clothes...
This can't be a dream. It's impossible; it feels too real for it to be that. So that just leaves one choice...
I'm not in my world anymore.
I just stood there, looking at the ocean. The sun¡s reflection created a mesmerizing but blinding image that did nothing to quell my raging thoughts.
"I'm not in my world anymore..." I muttered, letting the reality of my situation sink in.
A lot of things went through my mind at that moment, but none stood out to me. I just thought about my past life, what I left behind, and the possibility of a new life...
I ran a hand through my hair and sighed deeply, pushing aside all those thoughts.
When presented with a big issue, as I always did, I pushed my thoughts aside and focused on solving the problem first. There's no use fussing over things; it's better to find a solution as quickly as possible... though I don't know if a 'solution' even exists for my particular problem.
So, I decided that my next course of action should be to get out of this hellish desert—if it was possible, that is.
I turned around and was met with a quite nice view. I spotted blue tents, orange-leaved trees, cacti, and massive rock formations across the sands. It all looked... oddly familiar.
Taking in the views, I spotted a pond nearby. Palm trees and other flora adorned the already inviting water formation.
Seeing as I had no other landmark close to me, I made my way there, slogging my feet through the thick sand. As I got closer to the pond, my breathing grew heavy.
"Fuck, am I already out of breath?" I said, panting.
This is weird. Walking across some pesky sand shouldn't leave me breathless... Uh, don't tell me...
As I finally arrived at the pond, I looked at my reflection on the water. White, messy hair and onyx eyes stared right back at me, but what perplexed me the most was something that was right above me. A wheel of sorts.
I moved to the side, and the wheel followed. The desert wasn't the only thing that looked familiar, as this wheel also had that sense of familiarity like I had seen it before.
I racked my brain for answers, and after a few minutes of just staring at my reflection in the water... it all clicked. The sword, the bandages, the chain, and the wheel.
"There's no way, right?"
I sighed deeply once again, rubbing the bridge of my nose.
"Think about it later... Focus on getting to a safe place first," I muttered, repeating those same words in my mind over and over again.
As there was nothing more to do here on this pond, I just splashed some water on my face, trying to cool myself off a little, and started walking once again.
Once I walked for a few minutes or so, I spotted a path on the side. I had nowhere else to go or any other landmark to follow, so I just started following said path.
My legs started hurting, and between ragged breaths, I struggled to walk.
"Damn, what's wrong with this body?!" I exclaimed, hitting my chest in frustration.
I stopped walking for a moment and recalled the wheel I saw on top of me. I thought of trying something. Something that seemed far-fetched. But all that I had seen so far pointed to this working.
I just didn't know how to go about it. So I tried various things.
"Adapt!" I shouted, doing a silly pose.
Nothing.
I tried a few different things with no success. But it was simpler than that. I just thought about adapting to it, to my body instantly recovering from its exhaustion.
I felt something stir behind me. The wheel turned.
I started walking once again. Even though I still felt tired and sluggish, there was a slight improvement.
I wiped the sweat from my forehead, smirking a bit as I continued walking.
-•-•-•-•-•-•-•-
Yeah, so the wheel can disappear. It's good to know, I guess. It'd be a bit weird if it was following around at all times. I can summon it at will, and I'm guessing only when it's out I can adapt...
So, having Mahoraga's adaptation was... well, it was incredibly... I dunno, surprising? Exciting? Flummoxing? It was a wide array of emotions.
But if that wasn't enough, I came face to face with a small village of sorts. One that I had seen before.
I ran my fingers through my hair, feeling the dampness from my sweat and sighing in disbelief.
"The surprises just don't stop, huh?"
I just stood there, catching my breath and admiring the views, thinking about what I could do now...
If I hadn't recognized the views from the desert before, I know for sure where they are from.
Teyvat. The world of Genshin Impact.
Shaking my head and clearing my thoughts, I decided to approach the settlement. Of course, I already knew it was Aaru Village, but seeing it come alive was a weird feeling.
It was more lively than in the game, that's for sure. More people than I thought there would be walked around happily. Kids played and grannies tended to their clothes... It really felt like a place buzzing with life.
As I walked on the outskirts of the village, marveling at the views, I heard a slight commotion. A group of four people was standing near me, arguing fiercely.
Of course, as the ever-curious person, I decided to inconspicuously approach them and try to eavesdrop.
"It was his fault!" a man with slightly tanned skin shouted, clearly in distress.
He wore very distinct clothing. A green and white robe-like garment that fell to his ankles... It was the esteemed Akademiya uniform, the best educational establishment in all of Teyvat... I don't know how much of an achievement that is, though...
"How should've I known that something like that could explode?! Explain it to me!" another guy responded, equally angry. He also wore the Akademiya uniform, and he had glasses that made it seem like he was the stuck-up type.
"Alright, let's calm down..." another man with tanned skin tried to say. This one wore some typical desertic clothing, a red scarf hugging his neck. He was an Eremite...
"Shut up, you sand licker! Let them at it," one final man said, also dressed in his Akademiya uniform. He said to let them argue, but he impatiently tapped his foot on the ground, his arms tightly crossed. He seemed to be losing his patience...
The Eremite just crossed his arms, sighing deeply as he shook his head.
The two Akademiya students just kept arguing back and forth, and the one that snapped at the Eremite finally had enough.
"Enough! I swear, for a couple of Akademiya stuck-up bastards, you sure have become a pair of whiny, desert-dwelling douchebags!"
"What the fuck is wrong with the desert?!" The Eremite snapped as well, clearly fed up with this guy's comments.
"Oh, nothing, I love it here! Everyone's so numbed by the sun that if you use a three-syllable word, they think you're a professor!"
"Why are you guys arguing so much? You're noisy," I finally interjected, crossing my arms as my sword pressed against my chest.
Ugh, I'm always so impulsive... Though this could end up being beneficial. I mean, I do need money to survive, right?
"What's it to you?" the tanned Akademiya student said, clearly not in the mood for any strangers coming up to talk to him.
"Oh, I'm just a mercenary passing by. Maybe I could help you guys out with whatever you seem to be... arguing about," I said, uncrossing my arms and holding my sword out to them.
The stuck-up student did a quick once-over at me, nodding slightly as he rubbed his chin in thought. "Yes... I think you'd do better than this subhuman," the absolutely and clearly not racist guy said, gesturing with his head at the Eremite. "Alright, pay attention..."
The Eremite just sighed heavily, rubbing the bridge of his nose, trying not to lash out at the Akademiya student.
"Our research has shown that there is a concentration of ancient relics and artifacts in a nearby part of the desert, buried in the sand, waiting to be unearthed..." the student said, rubbing his hands like he was a goblin with his treasure.
"Ancient relics from Deshret's time... That for sure will let us pass our thesis and allow us to graduate!" he continued, excitement evident in his voice.
"I see, I see. So, what's the issue then?" I asked.
"Listen, you don't have to know. All you have to do is bring us anything that could be of value." He crossed his arms, lifting his chin arrogantly as he waited for an answer.
Thankfully, I'm a patient person... otherwise, I probably would've lashed out. This guy is just annoying...
"I guess I can do it," I said, shrugging my shoulders. "Where to? And how much would I be paid?"
"That depends on how well you do... Now, get to it!" He waved his hand dismissively, turning to the other men to continue with their... discussion.
I let out a deep sigh. The guy didn't even tell me where it is... Guess I'll have to ask around. I'm not about to intrude on their arguing. I don't want more trouble.
After asking some of the locals, I could pinpoint the relative position of where the relics were supposedly buried. It wasn't too far away, and I more or less remembered the layout of the desert. It was way bigger than it was in the game, but it wasn't too much of an issue.
Or it wouldn't have been if not for my horrid stamina. I walked, pausing almost every minute to take a breather. The wheel turned every once in a while... I have to be exposed to a phenomenon for some time for me to be able to adapt.
In this case, the phenomenon would be... exhaustion. Probably.
I still didn't know just how much I adapted though. The adaptation process took longer than I thought, and I didn't completely adapt to the phenomena. Instead, it seemed to adapt partially to it, each time a bit better.
Still, the process was... horrendously slow. Of course, I would get this power with a gazillion restrictions. Better than having nothing, that's for sure.
After patiently walking for a while, I arrived at my destination. Looking around, I could see there were various relics and machinery buried around. Even some of those constructs from Deshret's time, mostly destroyed, were buried in the sand.
"I just need something valuable, right?" I asked myself.
Of course, I wouldn't know what counts as valuable or not...
Kneeling, I dug a bit until finding a device of sorts. It looked quite familiar.
"What, this can't be..."
I picked it up and turned it on. It started whirring and slightly vibrating. It's a trimmer...
I immediately turned it off and put it in my shorts pocket. I don't know if it counts as valuable or not, but it's certainly useful. That's got to count for something, right?
I looked around for a bit more, and something caught my eye. It was a device of sorts, similar to the constructs. This was smaller in size, and it had a triangular shape with a blue crystal in the center.
Pushing the sand aside, I picked it up and fidgeted with it.
"This doesn't seem too—"
Before I could say anything more, the device sprang to life, floating in the air as the gem started glowing.
"Get me out of here!" A somewhat muffled and robotic voice came out of the device, startling me. It sounded feminine...
"Uh... you can talk?" I asked, watching as the device floated around erratically.
"Of course I can, you idiot!" the voice responded, clearly distressed.
My mouth was agape, and I just stared at the thing. This couldn't be like an... advanced AI or something, right? I'm pretty sure Deshret's civilization didn't have this kind of stuff.
"Why are you not speaking?!"
"What are you?" I asked.
"What am I?! It's 'Who are you,' not 'what,' you imbecile!" The device floated around animatedly as it spoke. "Hmph. I'm Widad, you better remember it."
"And I'm..." My mouth hung open as I went quiet. Actually, what is my name?
I'm not the same me from my world... and I don't have a name here. Well, there is an easy solution.
"I'm Mahoraga," I said, smiling as I leaned on my sword, burying it in the sand.
"What kind of stupid name is that? Whatever, I guess I'll stick to you in the meantime," Widad said.
"Uh-huh. You didn't answer my question, you know?"
"Ugh, it doesn't matter. I'm just trapped in this... thing, and I have no way of getting out!"
I raised an eyebrow as I asked, "So you're an actual person?" Widad seemed to almost twitch when I asked that.
"O-Of course I am! I used to be a very beautiful and alluring woman, you insensitive brat!"
"Right, and now you're a triangle that floats." Widad shook in what I could only assume was indignation, but before she could retort, I heard voices approaching.
I grabbed my sword and turned around, frozen by the sight that welcomed me. Two Eremites, and between them, a tall tanned woman.
She had long brownish hair with some yellow streaks. Some strands fell from the top of her head in what almost looked like cat ears. Her blue, borderline predatory eyes narrowed once they spotted me. I had seen her before... through the screen that is.
The 'Flame-Mane' Dehya.
I could feel Widad get behind me, floating slightly over my shoulder to peek at the newcomers.
"Hello," I said, waving at them.
"Hey," Dehya said, walking closer to us with a confident stride. "Have you by any chance, come across a... floating triangular device?" she asked, a knowing smile playing on her lips.
"Not at all," I replied, moving slightly to cover Widad.
I didn't even know why I tried to hide her. It's not like Dehya's evil or anything. But the way she hid behind me...
"Really now? And what's that floating behind you?" she asked, pointing past me with a smirk.
"A fly."
"A fly?" she asked, her lips twitching upwards, holding back a chuckle.
"Yeah, a very big fly."
"I'm not some fly, you brat!" Widad interjected, floating up to my face.
I just grabbed her and hid her behind me once again.
Dehya let out a hearty chuckle. "Wow, it really does speak, huh?" she asked, crossing her arms.
"Let me go!" I heard Widad say, her voice muffled somewhat.
"So, what do you want her for?" I asked, looking at Dehya and the Eremites behind her. Their faces were impassive, and they just looked between Dehya and me.
"Let's say that some rich Akdemiya brat wants me to bring 'her' back to him," she said, shrugging her shoulders. "It's not my business what he wants that thing for."
"Well, sorry to say, but I found her first. Finders keepers," I said, taking a step back.
Dehya's eyes narrowed, and she took one step forward as I took another step back. "I'm sure we can negotiate."
I looked around me, trying to find a way out. Buried beneath my foot, there was a spherical object with a blue button on top.
'Wait, that's...'
"Sure, I guess we can."
"Good. Seems you're a reasonable guy," she said, smirking. "You give that thing to us, and in exchange, you get to keep your bones intact."
"Oh, well." I immediately crouched and picked the spherical object, pressing the button on top and throwing it at Dehya.
I turned around and made a run for it.
"Hey, you—"
BOOM! A big explosion occurred, throwing sand everywhere. The sound left my ears ringing, and sand got in my eyes.
'Holy shit, it actually was a grenade!'
I just kept running. I ran, even when my legs screamed for respite, even when my lungs felt like they were on fire...
But then, my legs gave out, and I fell face-first onto the sand. I panted heavily, clutching my chest in frustration. I turned around, and instead of being met by the harsh sunlight, a figure towered over me.
"Are you serious?" Dehya asked, putting her hands on her hips.
'Ah, I'm screwed.'