Chapter 1
Chapter 1 — In the Beginning and the End
(Isekai • Action • Harem-ish but not harem • Adventure • Seinen • Comedy)
The barn smelled of fresh hay, children laughed in the distance, and New Year’s fireworks painted the night sky with color. It should’ve been a joyful evening—yet one man lay in the snow, bleeding out as two figures cried over him.
A mother and her young daughter.
Their tears splashed onto his fading vision.
“…Why… are you crying… for someone like me?”
His voice shook, weak and fading. “Heh… still… what a beautiful view before dying…”
Hiroshi Takeda, age 27—manga addict, silent hard worker, invisible office ghost. A man who lived quietly, without courage or joy.
And now, quietly… he died.
Everything faded to black.
Then—
Warmth.
A heartbeat.
A tiny body wrapped in fabric.
Light flooded his eyes as he blinked lazily. He wasn’t outside anymore. He was inside a crystal-lit cavern, where glowing ores pulsed along the walls like living chandeliers.
A dwarven couple stared down at him with wide smiles.
It took him four slow minutes to realize it.
He had been reincarnated.
His memories as Hiroshi remained, but his new name shimmered faintly at the corner of his vision:
Name: Azure Valken
Level: 1
Status: Unknown
Abilities: Potential, Adaptable, Magical Affinity
He tried to move his tiny hand—it was fragile, pale like moonlight. His hair was pure white, streaked with blue like frozen lightning; his eyes, bright blue with dark pupils; eyelashes snow-white and long. Even the dwarves whispered:
“He’s too beautiful… like a crystal-born oracle…”
Azure, freshly reborn, simply blinked.
---
Life in the Dwarven World Begins
Days passed, and Azure grew into the world of the dwarves—
a massive underground kingdom known as Iron Valley, connected to the Iron Labyrinth, an ancient dungeon-like fortress carved by generations of dwarven smiths.
No humans.
No elves.
No beasts.
Only dwarves, ores, runes, and magic-infused metal.
The tunnels glowed with giant crystals harvested to forge legendary weapons. Sparks of molten steel lit every corner. Laughter echoed through the halls.
Azure’s dwarven parents welcomed him with warmth unmatched by anything in his past life.
---
His Father — The Rank Plus Blacksmith
His father, Valken Olica, a forge master, placed him near the anvil while hammering a radiant blade.
“Azure,” he grinned, sweat mixing with the firelight,
“in this world, weapon ranks go from E up to Plus. Rank Plus is the ceiling for mortals. Anything above—SS, SS+, SSS—is for legends, gods, and madmen.”
He winked.
“But when you’re older, boy… we’ll craft the impossible.”
---
His Mother — The Magical Artisan
Azure’s mother was soft-spoken but fierce when working. She created enchanted pastries, potions, healing drinks, infused breads—food that held magic.
Cake that restored mana.
Cookies that boosted strength.
Bread that could melt ice in your veins.
She wrapped Azure in warm hugs, kissed his forehead, and whispered,
“Grow strong. Grow happy. You belong to us.”
Azure, even as a baby, felt something he had never known:
family.
---
The IronRabbit and the Seven Magics
Life wasn’t just cute dwarven chaos. Azure discovered strange, adorable creatures roaming the tunnels—IronRabbits.
Rabbits with metal fur, unicorn-like hair, and gentle personalities. Some were ranked E, others B, A, S, and even rare SSS-rank IronRabbits, capable of breaking stone with a hop.
One IronRabbit, curious and brave, approached baby Azure… and never left his side again.
Magic, too, flowed naturally to him.
Fire. Water. Wind. Earth. Ice. Light. Darkness.
He tried all seven as a baby—just tiny sparks, little glimmers—but he mastered their basics in a month.
His level didn’t rise.
But his potential burned brighter.
---
The Kingdom Above and the Dungeon Below
Azure learned that Iron Valley belonged to the Grand Shannon Empire, a mighty kingdom aboveground. But the dwarves kept their underground civilization hidden, protected by tunnels and rune-barriers.
Azure’s father brewed dwarven honey-wine every week and laughed loudly:
“One day, Azure! We’ll drink together like men! For now, stick to milk!”
His mother hugged him tightly, feeding him enchanted pastries to heal minor bumps he got from trying to crawl into the forge.
Azure’s cheeks puffed.
He cooed.
The dwarves teased him endlessly.
And life was… fun.
Truly fun.
---
Twelve Friends, One Future
In Iron Valley, Azure would eventually meet twelve young villagers—each with their own quirks, talents, and chaotic personalities. The twelfth girl, fiery and mischievous, always teased baby Azure:
“Come on, crystal boy! Smile for me!”
She was older, stronger, and already fond of him—but only in the sweet, teasing, older-sister way dwarves show affection.
Azure was just a baby.
He couldn’t fight, forge, or cast big spells.
He mostly crawled, cried, laughed, and tried not to fall into barrels.
Everything stayed realistic, though magical.
---
Azure’s Growing Abilities
New text glimmered beside his vision:
Appraise — Identify rank, power, and origin of items.
Forge — Imbue and shape metal with magic.
Magic Casting — All basic 7 elements unlocked.
Companion Bond — Strengthens magical creatures who join him.
And deep inside…
Something else.
A small voice.
An AI fragment from his past life, whispering with relief:
“Good. Your humanity is intact.”
Azure giggled.
Not understanding a thing.
---
A New Life, A New Beginning
He had been reborn.
Not into a world that wanted him to disappear.
But into one where every day meant laughter, adventure, and the forging of something greater.
The hum of magic.
The glow of crystals.
The warmth of dwarven arms.
Azure Valken smiled for the first time.
This was only the beginning.
> “I was reborn… so I’ll live this new world to the fullest—
with no regrets, no fear,
and no holding back
