Even if This World Were Some Kind of Fabrication…
In this world, there exist supernatural abilities called Skills.
These are distinct from Gifts. Like magic, they consume mana to activate, but they’re slightly easier to master.
The Holy Kingdom of Sunglaire claims they are powers bestowed by the gods, while the Kingdom of Harpelia—though less dogmatic—views them as humans mastering the techniques of the divine realm… or something along those lines. Even in Harpelia, where people aren’t overly fixated on gods, Skills are still associated with the divine, which tells you they’re treated as something special everywhere.
One defining trait is that the user’s eyes glow upon activation. The color varies by person and Skill—red, blue, yellow, pink—a phenomenon unique to this world called magic light. During the day, the glow isn’t very noticeable.
In contrast, magic doesn’t make the eyes shine. Instead, the staff or hand casting the spell emits light. It’s a minor distinction, but it’s there.
A minor thing, sure, but when you run into a Skill-wielding criminal, it suddenly becomes very important. If the opponent tries to use a dangerous Skill, you’ll know—so keeping an eye on them (literally) is crucial to avoid getting blindsided. In prolonged fights, the way their eyes glow can even hint at their next move. Shut-ins who can’t make eye contact will get wrecked instantly if targeted! Stay sharp!
The frequency of Skill acquisition? Hard to say.
Common wisdom says it takes ten years to learn one, but some manage it in five, while others take fifteen and still barely scrape by.
Individual differences are huge, so there’s no definitive answer, but as a rough estimate, someone like me could reasonably have three Skills by now. Not that mine are anything to go by—they’re far from standard.
Oh, and just to clarify, this only applies to guild members and soldiers.
Plenty of ordinary folks have no Skills. Why? Probably because most Skills skew toward combat.
From what I’ve seen, Skills don’t develop unless you fight. And not just animals—it has to be monsters. To put it crudely, you need to accumulate something like experience points or proficiency.
So, even if you’re a butcher by trade, Skills won’t just sprout overnight. You’ve gotta battle uncontrollable monsters to even have a shot at learning one… or so I’d guess.
As a result, there are no Skills for daily-life magic.
No blacksmithing Skills, no carpentry Skills. Personally, I think the world would be more peaceful if those existed…
…Or maybe it’d just end up ruled by violent types. Hard to say.
Skills are combat-exclusive. But there’s still variety.
Swords, daggers, staves, spears, bows, blunt weapons, shields—or martial arts, support techniques… The guild’s archives have a whole list of Skill names and effects, which makes for interesting reading when you’re bored. Since you’ll inevitably fight Skill users someday, you’d better memorize them fast. I’m the type who reads strategy guides for games I’ve never played, so I drilled this stuff into my head the moment I joined the guild.
But apparently, plenty of Skills aren’t documented, so no matter how much you memorize, it’s endless. The key is staying ready for anything.
Supposedly, these Skills level up a proficiency gauge when you wield the corresponding weapon in battle.
Once you reach a certain threshold, the Skill’s name and activation method click in your mind.
Use swords long enough, and you’ll unlock [Heavy Slash]. Shields? [Shield Bash]. That kind of thing.
So if you keep switching weapons haphazardly, you’ll struggle hard. Learning bows, swords, and spears? Sure, you might be versatile, but you’ll end up narrowing your combat options. Beware.
This world has no Inventory or Infinite Storage—no game-breaking stuff like that. Nobody carries around every weapon at once.
Skills demand specialization: pick a weapon, fight, and master it.
…This growth system, built on raising proficiency, feels exactly like a game.
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Honestly, I’ve often wondered if this is a game world. But if so, it’s… lacking flair.
That manufactured fantasy sparkle, the narrative grandeur—sure, there are monsters, even classic dragons, but they’re not the apex species. Harpelia’s strongest monster is a lion. I mean, yeah, it’s strong, but… come on. Meanwhile, Sunglaire’s top threat is a giant jellyfish. Is that even strong? If this were a game’s source material, it’d be a snoozefest.
Another continent has an intelligent race called demonkin, who look just like humans. Rumor has it they once clashed with humanity… but their diets were too incompatible. They couldn’t eat human crops, and their own wouldn’t grow on our soil, so now they just trade sparingly. Besides, humans are too busy fighting among themselves, and the demon continent has its own nightmare monsters—hardly peaceful enough to meddle with distant humans. For all its grand worldbuilding, nothing happens. Oh, and the demon continent’s so far away that ships sink like idiots trying to reach it. A new frontier with zero appeal.
There are elves—the classic long-eared fantasy kind—but their lifespans aren’t even that impressive. Twenty years longer than humans, maybe? Feels more like a fluke of diet or lifestyle…
They don’t live in forests, don’t exclusively eat veggies, aren’t especially skilled with bows, and don’t have extra mana. What even are you guys? Elf merchants pop up occasionally, but nobody cares. They’re background noise. If anything, their long ears make them less attractive, so even prostitutes charge less. I’ve never seen elves get such a raw deal.
It’s like a game… but not.
What is this world based on? And do gods exist? Is my reincarnation tied to them?
Are there other reincarnators? Have there been others like me in the past?
Are there gods? If so, what’s their goal?
Is this purely another world? A different planet in another galaxy? A game? A light novel? An anime? A manga? A web novel?
If this is a story, am I the protagonist? An NPC? If popularity tanks and it gets axed, does this world just… end?
“…Damn. Still raining.”
Outside, rain falls.
While relaxing at the inn, I can’t help but think about various things.
my mind wanders to thoughts I can never share—things I should keep locked inside.
Through the window, a cloaked guard hurries toward the barracks.
Just another passerby. A city guard.
But he has a name. A life spanning decades, with stories he could tell. And decades more ahead.
That’s no fabrication. No anime or manga could capture its weight. No mere background character.
Even if this world is built on some framework, its reality isn’t something I can dismiss.
At the very least, it’s real enough that I can’t casually beat a thug half to death without hesitation.
“…Anime, huh?”
If this were an anime, and I were a character…
“Who’d I want voicing me…?”
A legendary voice actor, no question. Someone whose voice alone could win fans—calm, with a touch of grit. Perfect.
And while we’re at it, make me handsome. And polish up my bastard sword a bit more.
Do me proud, studio. My yet-unknown legendary VA…
Then let my character blow up. Top the popularity polls. Give me more screen time, better treatment. At least secure me a spot where I won’t get unceremoniously killed off.
And in some modern-day spinoff, have me attend school—no, teach there.
Then… then let me live in that modern parody world.
Even a low-tier spinoff is fine… Please.
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