Milky Way Galaxy, Unnamed Planet
Yan’an City District, Z Nation
[Ding, 4000 deposited by XX Bank, remaining balance 4300.]
A figure, etched with the weariness of time, felt utterly out of place amidst the city’s clamor, as if detached from the world itself – a truth that resonated deeply within him.
‘Hah, just got paid, and now it’s time for rent again. What’s the difference from before?’
Aya Tone tucked away his phone, gazing up at the starry expanse, his eyes clouded with a profound sense of uncertainty about the future.
He did not belong to this world, or rather, his soul did not.
Three years prior, an unforeseen accident had thrust him into this seemingly similar parallel world.
Yet, to claim the two worlds were identical would be a grave mistake, for in this realm, humans awakened extraordinary abilities upon their eighteenth birthday, their Coming-of-Age ceremony.
Aya Tone was no exception; he had successfully awakened his own ability a year ago.
However, the ability he awakened was, to put it mildly, rather ineffable, leading him to unilaterally seal it away.
Without the use of his powers in this world, he found himself barred from higher education, thrust directly into society.
Otherwise, he would not be fretting over a meager sum for rent.
After completing systematic training during their university years, becoming an adventurer was an undeniable path.
Adventurers gained access to teleportation arrays, leading to what were known as ‘Dungeons’.
For humanity, these teleportation arrays represented both peril and opportunity.
They teemed with an abundance of peculiar monsters, unlike any species found on Earth, yet they also harbored resources entirely absent from the planet.
Among these were ultra-high purity metal materials, potent healing herbs, and mana sources capable of replacing electrical energy.
Such resources were exceedingly precious; a single mana source could easily fetch the equivalent of his entire month’s wages.
Furthermore, the resources within these teleportation arrays were renewable.
Under national oversight, both monsters and valuable metals within each array remained in a stable state, allowing for a continuous, steady acquisition of resources.
Nevertheless, smaller teleportation arrays would occasionally emerge.
To manage these minor Dungeons, the nation had established administrative bodies known as ‘Guilds’.
Upon shattering a Dungeon’s core, the teleportation array would dissipate within a short period, with all its proceeds going to the affiliated Guild, creating a mutually beneficial arrangement.
“Look quickly! Our nation has another newly awakened S-rank ability user! Before long, they will undoubtedly become another grand figure, guarding a region as one of the Heavenly Kings.”
“Truly! It’s already trending number one on the hot search list.”
“Heaven bless our Z Nation!”
“…”
Aya Tone lowered his gaze, choosing to disregard the clamorous voices around him.
S-rank ability users, the peak powerhouses of this world.
‘Hmph, who says I’m not one too?’
****
Leaving the bustling city behind, the road ahead was illuminated solely by the streetlights, standing sentinel on either side, with hardly a soul in sight.
This area was already the outskirts, where most residents had long since moved away, leaving behind only the elderly and children; nightlife was entirely nonexistent here.
One significant advantage, however, was the cheap rent, costing only five hundred yuan a month.
Moreover, his workplace was merely an hour’s walk away.
‘Hmm? Why is there a child crying at this hour?’
Just as he inserted his key, Aya Tone faintly heard the distinct cries of a baby echoing from a nearby alley.
He recalled that particular alley led to an empty house.
‘Forget it. I can barely take care of myself; why bother with that?’
The key turned, and with a soft click, the door swung open.
****
‘Ah, ah, ah, what was I thinking? Why did I even go over to look?’
Aya Tone leaned back in his chair, while beside him, a baby girl blinked her swollen, bright eyes, gazing with innocent curiosity at the unfamiliar man before her.
In the end, Aya Tone could not shake his unease and ventured into the alley, only to discover the infant girl.
The village elders had once recounted how people frequently abandoned children there in the past, but after government reforms, such incidents had ceased.
He never imagined such a thing would befall him.
‘Fate, you cruel mistress.’
“Don’t fuss, alright? Tomorrow, I’ll take you to the police station.”
With night fully descended, leaving the infant outside would surely lead to her being carried off by stray dogs.
He resolved to care for her for just one night.
The infant, unable to comprehend, simply watched Aya Tone with delight, her tiny hands constantly grasping at the air.
‘…So cute. Since she’s only staying for one night, why not…’
And so, Aya Tone spent a joyful night experiencing what it was like to be a father.
How to describe it? Utterly exhausting, a double burden of physical and mental fatigue.
The very next morning, Aya Tone, cradling the infant, sought out the nearest police station.
He was determined to discover what kind of parents could be so heartless as to abandon their own child!
“Uh, I’d like to report something. I found this child yesterday when I returned home; she might have been abandoned. Could you please help me find her parents?”
Upon hearing of an abandoned child, the police station immediately went into a state of alert.
This was a significant matter; years ago, the city had launched a major operation concerning such cases, and many individuals had been implicated then.
“Please wait. We need to record the full account of events. We will then cross-reference biological information to locate the child’s parents as quickly as possible.”
“…Um, I’m going to be late for work. How about you take the child, and I’ll come back later?”
Aya Tone’s face showed his difficulty.
He was already on the verge of being late; if he were detained to give a statement, his perfect attendance bonus for the month would be gone.
“I apologize, but this concerns child abandonment, so we must ask you to remain here for now.”
The police clearly had no intention of letting Aya Tone leave.
He was the only known witness; if they allowed him to go, and something went awry with the case, where would they find him again?
“…Then, could I step out to make a call to request leave?”
“I’m truly sorry.”
“…”
Having finished his call, Aya Tone walked back into the police station with a dejected expression.
His perfect attendance bonus was gone.
“Sir, please follow me.”
Aya Tone, cradling the infant girl, followed behind a female police officer.
He had initially handed the baby over to the police, but while he was out making his call, the infant had cried incessantly, only calming down once he held her in his arms again.
Thus, after tissue samples were extracted from the infant, this became the current situation.
“Alright, Mr. Aya, we appreciate your cooperation with our work. We’re truly sorry for the delay. Please wait outside for a bit; we should have news for you shortly.”
‘You, you little one, you cost me my perfect attendance bonus.’
Gazes at the child’s playful giggles in his arms, Aya Tone felt a pang of helplessness.
Before long, the female police officer who had taken his statement returned with a file, asking with a peculiar expression, “Mr. Aya, if I may be so bold, are you truly certain you have no relation to this child?”
Aya Tone: “Huh?”
Having arrived in this world three years prior, he possessed no memories of his predecessor.
However, he had learned from his high school homeroom teacher that he was an orphan, his tuition subsidized by state allowances, making the existence of any relatives utterly impossible.
Immediately afterward, the female officer stated, “The tissue information we obtained from the child’s body, when cross-referenced with the Yan’an City database, shows the closest match to yours. It is highly probable that this child is related to you by blood.”
Upon hearing the female officer’s statement, Aya Tone stared at the giggling infant in his arms, completely dumbfounded.
‘Me? Her? Blood relation?’
“No, I’m an orphan! How could she be related to me by blood?! Haven’t you made a mistake?”
“We were equally surprised. From your records, we understand you grew up in an orphanage. However, after multiple tests, the results remain consistent. Still, please don’t worry; we will continue our search for the child’s biological parents.”
“What about this child, then?”
“You may choose to have her reside in an orphanage, or you could apply to become her temporary guardian.”
‘…’