Torikaze's head spun, and he lost consciousness amid the clouds and mist, collapsing to the ground.
When he woke again, everything around him was wondrous beyond belief.
Torikaze found himself drifting through a vast river of stars. Countless stars twinkled overhead, while innumerable celestial bodies were born and destroyed.
He floated along in that galaxy, passing a black hole and nearly being swallowed by it.
The countless marvels left Torikaze dazzled. The splendor of the stars was something one could never see while gazing up from the ground.
Only by standing amid such vastness could one truly experience it.
Yet all of this left Torikaze unsure whether it was real or false—or perhaps merely a dream of his own.
To distinguish reality from illusion, Torikaze used the most direct method.
He pinched his own cheek, though not very hard, of course.
He could feel pain, which meant this was not a dream.
But everything around him was unbelievably fantastical. He had merely closed and opened his eyes—how had he ended up in space?
"Damn it, did that shitty system kidnap me or something?!"
But after thinking it over, there was no reason for it. He had nothing now, so why bother kidnapping him?
At that moment, an enormous meteor came hurtling toward Torikaze. In his panic, he raised a hand to block it.
Yet the instant he touched the meteor, the scenery around him changed once more.
When he opened his eyes again, the galaxy had become a courtyard shrouded in clouds and mist.
The mist obscured the view within the courtyard. Outside stood three green pines, while several cranes circled above it, occasionally crying out.
"Come in, child."
A familiar voice rang out. Its gentle yet cool tone swept every stray thought from Torikaze's mind.
After briefly straightening his