The morning sun warmed the rooftops of Velmira as Kenzo stood in the village square, a wooden staff in one hand and chalk dust on his shirt.
He looked over the small crowd of villagers gathered before him with a mix of farmers, traders, ex-refugees, and teenagers holding old broomsticks or makeshift spears.
"Alright," Kenzo said, drawing a rough circle in the dirt with his foot. "Today we start basic training. Not to make you soldiers but to make sure you can protect yourselves, your homes, and your families."
The villagers exchanged nervous glances. Some murmured doubts, others clutched their weapons tighter.
Akina stepped beside him, spear in hand. "Kenzo may not be from this world… but he's kept us safe. Let's trust him. And let's trust ourselves."
Encouraged, the villagers formed lines.
Morning Training Begins
Kenzo tapped into his old gaming and manga memories. He wasn't a real warrior but he remembered formations, stances, and tricks from countless strategy games and fantasy novels.
He drilled them in teams, starting with posture, simple blocks, and footwork. Marella joined in to demonstrate practical techniques, adjusting stances and reminding them of real-world weight and balance.
Even the youngest and oldest villagers tried.
By noon, sweat poured freely, but so did laughter.
"You actually can learn combat from video games," Kenzo muttered to himself, grinning.
The Festival Idea
That night, around a crackling fire, Rina leaned against Kenzo's arm. "We're making progress… but people are tired, and they're still scared. We need something more than drills."
Akina added, "They need hope. Something to celebrate."
Kenzo stared into the flames, a thought flickering. "There was this summer festival back in my world. Bonfires, paper lanterns, fireworks as it brought the whole community together, even in the roughest times."
He stood up, energized. "We'll host our own version. We'll call it the Festival of Firelights. Music, dancing, food and a lantern ceremony for the lives we've lost and the future we're building."
Three Days Later
The entire village came alive with preparation.
Akina and Rina oversaw decorations, stringing colored fabric across houses and painting glowing symbols with dye made from local herbs. Children crafted lanterns shaped like animals and stars.
Kenzo used Recreate to form dozens of floating platforms for lanterns and conjured sparklers from his memories of festival booths.
Marella organized cooking teams, grilling vegetables and meats. Rina baked sweet pastries from a new recipe Akina taught her with a twist on a childhood dish with a village flair.
As night fell, music began with hand drums, flutes, and clapping. Lanterns floated up into the sky like glowing prayers.
The Lantern Ceremony
Kenzo took a deep breath as he stood in front of the gathered villagers.
"This festival… it's not just to forget our pain as it's to remember why we keep moving forward. Every home rebuilt, every wall raised, every step we take that we are building a future together."
He turned to Akina and Rina beside him, then looked to the crowd.
"Let your firelight guide you. Let it remind you: you're not alone."
The villagers raised their lanterns as one, releasing them into the sky.
Dozens of lights drifted upward, painting the night in shimmering gold and red. Cheers, laughter, and quiet tears blended into a chorus of hope.
[Village Morale Increased]
[Unity Bonus Unlocked: Cooperative Growth Boost (5%)]
[New Visitors Expected Soon…]
As the celebration continued into the night, Kenzo sat between Akina and Rina, watching the lights fade into stars.
"From NEET to village head…" he muttered with a chuckle. "Not bad."
Akina rested her head on his shoulder. "You're building more than a village, Kenzo. You're building a home."
And for the first time in this new world as it truly felt like one.