《Oblivion Saga》 A New Dawn I never believed the phrase people referred to as the ''Light at the end of the Tunnel''. Those rare occurences where people wake up from near death experiences and claim it as ''I saw the light at the end of the tunnel'' with sweat dripping from their faces. Yet, here I am in this supposed tunnel which I have no clue what it is. The last thing I remember is crying on my 16th birthday, staring at my childhood photos when I was still happy and unaware of the ugliness the world hides. I had crawled onto my bed, wishing for this day to end soon. As I felt asleep, a strange numbness crept over me. My body went cold. What happened to me? Did I...die? But how? Was I poisoned? Was I assassinated? I knew people wanted me dead but to think their wish actually came true. A part of me wanted to figure out how I died, but there was nothing I could do anymore. Since am already dead, there better not be some choir of babies with wings waiting for me and singing at the end. When I opened my eyes, I was surrounded by warmth and soft murmers. I couldn''t see well but I could hear muffled voices, full of joy. "Its a boy!" a voice cheered. As I felt myself cradled, I realized something was different. The voices weren''t speaking any language I know, yet I could understand every word they said. Memories from my past life flooded as I processed what was happening.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. "Arthur", the woman whose arms were holding me called out softly. "Arthur Varen. That will be your name my child." she said as tears came falling from her eyes to chin. Her smile radiated warmth and the kindness in her eyes was something I hadn''t seen for a long time. She was beautiful-beyond beautiful, actually with features that made her seem otherworldly. Her bright smile carried a genuine motherly love I couldn''t remember feeling in my past life. My mom used to smile like that too, but...I didn''t see what it was back then. Maybe I didn''t know how to spot real kindness until I learned it the hard way. "He has your eyes, honey" she said, handing me to a man with a strong jaw, fierce eyes and thick eyebrows. I bet that he is the type who''d be strict and unyielding but when he spoke all my assumptions shattered. "Hey, Little Art! I''m your dad. Can you say ''Papa''?" I take my words back. His tone was so cheerful that I almost laughed -mentally atleast. I guess the phrase ''Never judge a book by its cover still stands.'' "Ray, he was just born!" my mother scolded her tone playful. My dad let out a laugh of embarrassment, scratching the back of his head. For the first time in a while which felt forever, I felt...safe. The First Step Arthur Weeks slowly went by and I was convinced that I had been reincarnated into a much more archaic era, where people used magic and weapons like swords existed. I learned that my mothers name was Kiara Varen, a gentle and kind hearted person who gradually melted the walls I built around myself. She firmly rooted the family itself with her empathetic nature. My father, Raymond Varen was a dependable and charismatic man if you ignore his often goofiness. His personality made him quite the opposite of the image I had in my mind for a father. But whenever I looked at them, I couldn''t help but feel my new family was everything that my past family wasn''t. They felt real. I swore to myself that I''ll protect this family no matter what. While I was grateful to have been born into a loving family, my life was still full of difficulties that even I wouldn''t wish on my enemies. With very little control over my legs and unable to manage the basic function of the body, I often found myself embarrassed when I peed myself, only for my mother to clean it again and again. In my past life, when I slowly started to get treated as a slave, I learned to understand the harsh realities of life, even most adults might struggle with. I had always been interested in fantasy novels and I buried myself in manga and anime. So, from a young age, I adapted the attitude of a king, which was the only thing that kept me sane during my time in home which was no less than a prison. I even tried to learn a bit of swordsmanship and martial arts, in order to back up my fantasy. Of course, all that came to a halt on that cursed day. Months passed by and when I was 7 months old, I finally gained some control over my legs and my habit of peeing myself. My mother, for the first time took me out of the house and i was thrilled for my first day out. While my mom was buying stuff, I learned quite a bit about this world from the citizens. First and foremost, the continent I was on is named ''Essos'' and only 4 Kingdoms reside in Essos. Second, the people here have a power system known as ''Mana Core'', which determined the strength and level of an individual. Third, warriors here are classified into 2 types- Conjurers and Augmenters. Only this much important information I could collect from my first day out, rest all were bullshit. Upon returning home, I sneaked into my father''s room, where he kept all his books. My family wasn''t wealthy, but we earned enough to have 3 meals a day. We lived far from the capital of Essos due to circumstances. The reason I sneaked into my father''s room was because I was curious about the information''s I heard today. During my research, I discovered that there are 5 basic affinities- Fire, Water, Lightning, Wind and Earth. Out of the 5, Lightning was considered the strongest due it massive destructive power. It also said that once one masters an affinity, they naturally progress to a higher level of that affinity. They are known as ''Deviants''. Their higher forms are: Fire-> Inferno, Water-> Ice, Lightning-> Thunder, Wind-> Storm, Earth-> Gravity. Those who can combine 2 or more elements to create a new form of magic are called ''Weavers''. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. In normal cases, one could rarely learn more than 2 affinity depending on their lineage. However, there are also those whose magic affinity are completely unique, different from any affinity known. These rare individuals are known as ''Ethereal'' users and only 1 individual in existence can wield a power of that affinity magic. The next thing I read was about ''Mana core''. A mana core is essential for individuals to confirm whether one has awakened. It defied how much magicule energy one can hold in their core. The mana core is divided in 3 stages: Dark, Solid, Light. Everyone starts from dark stage and make their way to light stage. There are 6 different colors of mana core: Black, Red, Orange, Yellow, Silver, White. These mana core can evolve from Black to White depending on how much you cultivate. The lighter the core, the more easy it is to use advanced spells in short period of time for conjurers. A lighter mana core to augmenters meant better mana stabilization and control. When a human is born, tiny fragments of magicule exists within their body. Once these fragments come together they form the mana core. Normally, a person begins to form their mana core around at age 5 and acquires the mana core by age of 10. However, there is a possibility that if one tries to cultivate it early on with proper technique, they may form the core early which gives them to improve early. Next, I learned about Conjurers and Augmenters. Conjurers are mages who fought using spells and excelled in long range combat. However, they were vulnerable in close combat as preparing and casting spells took time. That being said, the longer the spell took to perform, the stronger its power will be. Augmenters, on the other hand excelled in close combat. They used martial arts and weapons to fight and used their affinity to boost their power and increase the damage they could deal. They are often pretty useless in long range combat unless there is a augmenter who uses a bow or a spear which is rare to begin with. Using bow or a spear means not being able to handle close range combat and augmenters are known for their exceptional martial arts. The mana core worked differently for each. For conjurers, their mana core absorbs magicule energy from the surroundings through their mana veins to replenish their mana core. Augmenters exert that energy from their core through mana channel which is at the center of the body. This often forms a thin wall for augmenters called ''Mana Layer''. Although, even conjurers can make one mana layer but they prefer not to as it requires fine mana control and multi-tasking which can affect their battles. Only this much information the book could provide me. As I was just about to close the book, my eyes fell on something interesting. A myth mentioned that there is a level beyond white core stage which is still unknown but only 3 existence had managed to reach this level. The mana core at that level was called --? Before I could finish reading, my mother spawned and scooped me up. "Art, did you wet your pants again?" she asked letting out a sigh. I asked in my mind slightly annoyed, as I still haven''t gained the ability to speak yet but it looks i did pee myself. Again. I initially thought I hadn''t peed myself yet, but it looks like I dived too deep inside the magical world that I didn''t even realize when I peed myself. Embarrassed, my mother gently took me away to clean me up. I love my mother. History of Essos Altar in Valeria( On the day of Reincarnation of Arthur) I stood in front of the altar, my fingers tracing the surface of Ancient runes. The power I was waiting for so long. I had prepared everything for this soul but it was nowhere to be seen. I had done everything right, everything was according to my plan. Yet, the soul never arrived. Perhaps, a miscalculation I thought, that was until I felt the Mana residue energy of Sylphira. "Yes, she must have done this. Her meddling was the only explanation." I mumbled to myself as I realized what was going on. I had planned for this soul to be a weapon, a key to my ultimate power. But now that it had been lost, I had to make a decision. "Your Majesty," a deep voice echoed through the altar. My strongest sovereign ''Kaldor'' entered accompanied by his 2 sentinels. "Why are you so focused on this....human child? He was born in a ordinary world with no magic or power. What makes him so important? Is he really worth all the trouble?" His voice full of curiosity and beneath that, a sense of concern. I met his gaze without hesitation. "This child, despite his lack of magic or any power, he possess something far more dangerous. He has the ability to adapt to any any situation faster than any being I have ever encountered. His mind can absorb techniques, power, knowledge with ease. If I could have him in my ranks, my army would be 10x times stronger. If he was born in a world with a power system, he could have reached the level of a God." My voice was filled with a bit of frustration yet composed. The sovereign raised an eyebrow from behind his mask, "But he''s just a human." "Precisely," I replied, my lips curving slightly. "He has no advantages, no magic or power to rely on and yet, in that very limitation, he has the potential to be as strong as us. His mind is sharp and his body, if trained, would be indestructible. For that, I had planned to bring his soul here and reincarnate him in the perfect vessel, to make him a part of my army. But Sylphira, that overgrown lizard...had to ruin everything". Upon realizing I lost a valuable asset, I clenched my fist as if to control my anger. The Sovereign looked thoughtful but I knew he understood why I went to such lengths. "And now?" he asked. I didn''t need to say more. The answer was obvious. "I have another plan." a grin escaped my lips as I said it. "It''s not as powerful as my original plan but it''s still worth it. Let''s see, Sylphira if you can stop this." Just as I got up to prepare the ritual, I felt an immense Mana residue energy. That energy was so vast it made the entire ''Valeria'' shake. But it was nothing compared to my power or ''Zereth Vaelric.'' "Let''s go, Kaldor" I ordered my sovereign "Looks like there is a intruder here desperate to be devoured by darkness." When we reached outside the altar, we saw a human or rather a ''Returnee'' took out all my guards. Interesting. Arthur I crawled out of my cradle making my way to father''s library. I had to understand more about this world. Since, my mother was sleeping right now, it was the perfect opportunity to gather some more information. I slowly opened the door trying my best not to wake my mom up. As soon as I entered, the room was filled with the smell of old books. I had read almost every book here in last 7 months. Only 1 book remained now. My tiny hands finally reached the book, I was left to read. This book was about the world of Essos and its history.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. The world Essos was divided in 4 kingdoms:
Vallaris, The Kingdom of Humans, in the East Lorianor, The Kingdom of Elves, in the North Durakan, The Kingdom of Dwarves, in the South Tethys, The Kingdom of Fishmen, in the West
I turned the page and read on. A dispute for power among these Kingdoms had caused a great war in the past. The Dwarves and Fishmen had always been in good terms. When the war broke out, they allied with each other. Both the kingdoms opposed Vallaris, however, Lorianor was a peace loving kingdom and decided to stay out of conflict. The King of Fishmen at the time thought that if the Elf Kingdom had a change of heart, they''ll be in trouble. So, in between the war the Fishmen made a plan to assassinate the King of Elves and launched a full out attack. However, they''re plans couldn''t succeed. That was when the King of Elves, Caius Everlune of Lorianor stepped in. Under his leadership, the Elves managed to corner both the Dwarves and the Fishmen, and the Humans had taken advantage of this chaos, managed to defeat both sides. Lorianor took the least amount of casualties and Caius Everlune was declared as ''Hero of Elves'' but during his time on the battlefield, his was wife was assassinated by a Kingdom which is still unknown to this day. This news broke him and after the war, he stepped down as a King. His last words as a king were, "I couldn''t even protect my family, I have no right to be called a King. A king who can''t protect their family is not worthy to be a King." Caius had passed down the crown to his son, Alarion Everlune who was only 28 years old. The Elves had closed themselves off from the rest of the world other than their kin. They showed no interest in alliances, no desire to share their wisdom or power. However, they shared 1 common thing, The Capital of Essos ''Velnor'' and every 10 years there is a summit between the Kings and Queens of the 4 Kingdom. I closed the book after reading everything, lost in my thoughts. I, then suddenly heard the familiar voice of my father, Raymond. "Daddy''s home! How''s my little Art doing?" he came running, lifted me and tossed me up. My mother woke up from her sleep from the sudden noise and hurried with a look of concern. I was tossed again and thankfully, i landed on my father''s arms. When I landed on my father''s arms, I realized that my body is so frail, that I may die if I fall down. "Haha! My father did the same when I was younger! Look, dear I think Art is having fun!" his words were filled with excitement and laughter. I exclaimed waiting for my mom to help me. He then started spinning me and I felt pukish. "Ray! What are you going to do if you drop him?" my mother asked her voice was worried and scared. Just as she asked, it didn''t even take 1 sec and I hit my leg on the book shelf nearby. Although, I was mentally 16, my fragile body made it hard not to scream. "Ray--" my mom glared at my dad who started sweating and couldn''t do anything other than apologize again and again. My mother came up to me and healed my wounds in an instant, I wondered what kind of magic it was. The book''s didn''t say anything about this kind of magic. Ever since, I was born in this world, I believed knowledge is power and I tried my best to understand my surroundings over the last 7 months to the fullest and I was confident that I had a firm grasp of this world and what to expect after reading so many books. But after seeing my mom''s magic, I realized I spoke too soon. Perhaps I still know nothing about this world after all. "Don''t worry, Art. Mom is gonna make you all better." she said while giving a soft and warm smile as she healed me. Sealed in Darkness After 400 years of endless battles and wars in another dimension, I finally stepped through the portal created by the Outer Gods. Feeling the tug of air against my skin, I returned. The world where I was originally born...yet, upon arriving this wasn''t the home I remembered. Instead, I found myself in a place filled with blood, jagged cliffs and a thick layer of fog which smelled like rotten blood. It wasn''t long before a legion of masked figures surrounded me, their armour shining in moonlight. Their gaze were cold as if they weren''t humans. As they focused on me, one of them asked, "Who are you?" I didn''t feel the need to answer. My murderous intent was answer enough to them. They lunged at me, their weapons gleaming in moonlight. In a blur of movement, a flash of my blade and in minutes, over a hundred bodies laid motionless on the ground. Their strength was laughable but their numbers and their intent to kill hinted something inhumane and someone greater. As the last bunch of them fell, a man stepped out from the shadows of altar. His long black hair flowing like shadow down to his neck. Two sharp, curved horns crowned his head and his cold and calculating eyes met mine, stripping all my defenses and instilling fear in me. Draped in a sleek black coat, his presence radiated a chilling authority, commanding both fear and respect. "Impressive," he said with a slow clap, his voice dripping with mockery. "To take out my guards so quickly...you must be something special. If you agree to work under me, I''ll turn a blind eye to this mess you''ve created. What do you say? Interested?" his gaze was unwavering as if to tell me, this wasn''t an offer but an order. I didn''t lower my blade and asked "Who are you? Where am I?" He smirked and answered. "You stand in Valeria, under my domain. I am Vragor Valtazar, ruler of this land and soon much more. And you?" He tilted his head. "You seem different. Not from here, are you?" his eyes looked at me saying ''Don''t try to lie to me''. He already knew who am I. I thought to myself and chose to ignore his question. I narrowed my eyes and asked "Where is my lineage? What happened to my family?" At that question, his smirk turned into something sinister. "Ah, the past. Your predecessors were...unworthy. Weak, frail and a bunch of idiots. I ruled on them for last 200 years but their extinction was inevitable, though it''s a shame I couldn''t massacre them myself." His words struck like a dagger, but I held my ground. My chest burned with anger, but I refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing my despair. "You know nothing about strength if you think power lies in conquest alone." I jumped at him, enveloping my blade with ''Blue Flame Magic''. "Strength?" he chuckled darkly. "Strength without control is nothing but chaos." Before I could reach him, another figure emerged- a man clad in dark armour with a presence as imposing as a storm. He dropped to one knee beside Vragor. "Your majesty, allow me to handle this pest." he requested, his voice a deep rumble. Vragor nodded, stepping aside. "Do try to keep him alive, Kaldor. I want to see if he is willing to submit to me and become a part of my army."This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. "I thought you were just a floating armour, until you kneeled and stepped in to fight." I said to Kaldor, mocking him and hoping he falls for my trap. "Am surprised, you can still talk shit in a situation like this. It really looks like you don''t know your place." he answered and it looked like he didn''t fall for my trap. Kaldor then wasted no time, charging at me with speed that no one would''ve imagined looking at his massive dark armour. His sword clashed against mine with a force that sent shockwaves cracking down the land we were fighting itself. I barely matched him blow for blow, our battle creating waves of clashing steel and roaring winds. Kaldor was relentless, his strikes precise and devastating but I refused to give up. My body slowly adjusting to his speed, honed by centuries of war. ''Black Lightning'' crackled around me as I used my magic. ''Black Lightning magic: Carnival of Lightning''. aiming to overwhelm him. Bolts of lightning danced across the battlefield, carving deep scars in Valeria. Yet, Kaldor stood firm as if nothing happened. His armour absorbing the brunt of the attack and his laughter echoed in the chaos. "Is that all you''ve got, intruder?" I wondered. I gritted my teeth, pushing myself harder. This wasn''t just a fight- it was more like a test to my powers. A reminder that I was alive, that I had survived the horrors of another world and I would survive this too. All of a sudden, Vragor''s voice cut through the battle. "Enough!" In an instant, Kaldor stepped back and Vragor descended from the altar. His presence made the air heavy and I felt a chill crawl up my spine. "You intrigue me," he said, his tone but his eye''s calculating. "A returnee...one chosen to fulfill a mission in another dimension and left his home planet for centuries. Tell me, how does it feel to come back only to find everything you fought for and cared for gone?" I froze at his words but I wasn''t surprised. I had a hunch, he knew my identity. He smirked seeing my uninterested look. "Oh, and that ''Pegasus Beast Will'' of yours- why don''t you use it against me? I can feel its immense energy pulsing within you." His provocations stoked the fire within me. Without much thought, I entered my ''Second Phase'' of my Pegasus beast will. My body enveloped in a radiant aura, my strength surged and I jumped towards him and sent a bunch of serialized formed attacks. The fight that followed was unlike anything I''d ever faced. Vragor moved with impossible speed, countering every strike with precision. His power was beyond anything, yet I refused to give up that easily. Hours passed, our battle carving destruction all over Valeria. Every strike, every spell, every ounce of energy seemed futile and yet, I kept going. Vragor raised his 2 fingers and pointed them upwards to the sky, a grin forming on his face. "Let''s see if you can handle this." As I looked up and saw a massive meteorite descending from hell itself. It''s fiery glow illuminating the battlefield. "You bastard!" I roared, channeling the last of my strength. Using ''Carnival of Lightning'' on Vragor, I momentarily distracted him, ensuring he wouldn''t interfere. With my sword in hand, I leapt toward the meteorite. The impact shook the planet itself as I cut it in half, the sheer force of my strike left me exhausted and bleeding. I landed heavily, barely able to stand. Vragor approached, untouched and unimpressed. "Am surprised you''re still standing," he said, his voice laced with mock amusement. "Perhaps you are stronger than I predicted. Sorry, I underestimated you." "Are you making fun of me?" I asked, panting heavily. "Not at all. This is my first time fighting a returnee so I held back as much possible. But cutting such a big meteorite is not everyone cup of tea." A wicked smile crossed his lips. "This...this is fun. But unfortunately, all good things must come to an end." Before I could respond, he raised his hand casting a sealing spell. "The heaven and hell grows silent and binds this restless flame. Seal his strength, chain his will, let darkness devour and time stand still." As the words echoed across the battlefield, the air around me ignited with an unbearable heat. The ground beneath my feet began to bubble and glow as if consumed by lava. As my body collapsed, I could see the darkness enveloping my body and sealing my powers. And I was sealed in darkness which had no end. ''This isn''t over yet, Vragor!" I mumbled and my eyes shut. A Pawn and A Prodigy Vragor As the echoes of our battle started to fade, the intense mana waves lingering dispersed across Valeria, a result to our battle. I thought to myself as I made my way back to the altar to put my backup plan into action. The altar was dimly lit, the air heavy with the scent of blood and flesh, a fitting environment for the ritual I was about to conduct. Kaldor followed behind me, still processing the events that followed. It looked like he wanted to ask something but hesitated. As I started activating the runes in the altar''s surface, he finally mustered the courage to open his mouth. "Your Majesty, forgive me for questioning your decision, but why did you chose to seal him rather than killing him? Even sealed, his powers still remain formidable." he asked while kneeling before me. I let out a small chuckle before answering his question, "Killing him would be a waste, Kaldor. He is more valuable to me as a pawn." Kaldor still kneeling, asked further, "Pawn? How do you plan on using him that way? A man of his potential-" "That seal is not only meant to confine him and seal his powers but also strip him away from his sanity and his sense of self." I cut Kaldor off before he could continue. "In due time, he will be nothing but a cold killing machine." Kaldor''s eyes grew wide as I allowed myself a small chuckle. "Imagine it Kaldor, a force of nature serving under only me as a pawn. A pawn that will cut down any enemy without hesitation." "I understand that he has a lot of untapped potential and will be a valuable asset. But why him? First, the human child and now him?" he hesitated to continue any further, afraid he might over step. "The power he wield is unlike anything. That beast will of his is no ordinary power. It holds the fragment of a Pegasus power, a race tied to one of the 3 creators of the universe. The first Pegasus to ever exist who is all the ancestor of all Pegasus, is said to have the power to control time and maintained balance when the universe was created." I answered his question making myself clear why he is important to my plans. Kaldor slightly tilted his head, his confusion evident. "The Pegasus is one of the creator of the universe? Do you truly believe such a power can be controlled?" "That''s just the power of the the first Pegasus. It doesn''t mean all Pegasus has the same power. Besides, I don''t plan on merely controlling it rather that power will become mine." I let out a cold laugh, the very thought of wielding such power sent a thrill to me. "With that power coursing through my body, no one- not the gods, not the deities and not even the creators will dare mess with me." The silence that followed was thick, broken but the spark of flames around us. Kaldor lowered his gaze, his hesitation and uncertainty now replaced by reverence. "You are truly second to none, Your Majesty." he murmured his gaze down. As I turned my focus back to the altar, I moved my hands with precision and each stroke of glow on the runes drew mw closer to my goals. The substitute souls i required would arrive in few days and this time not even Sylphira would be able to stop it. It wouldn''t be long before the pieces fell into place and when they do, the whole world will bow before me. Arthur It''s been a year now since I was reincarnated in this world. In my past life, I took pride in my capabilities to remain at top in both academics and sports. However, none of them compared to the moment of pride am feeling right now. As I took my first baby steps on my own two legs, my parents felt proud. "My Art can finally walk now!" my father shouted from behind, his proud tears steaming down his face. I thought, suppressing the urge roll my eyes.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. I started to make my way toward the large mirror, staring at my reflection for the first time. Until now, I could only catch glimpses of myself while crawling or laying down. But now, standing on my own, I could finally see myself clearly. Dark brown hair, soft and slightly messy, framed my small face- a trait inherited from my mother. And my sharp bright azure blue eyes, were undoubtedly inherited from my father. My facial features were still under developed and babyish, but I could see myself being refined and handsome in the future. I smirked to myself, admiring my ! year old reflection. "Aw, Art is looking himself in the mirror. How cutee!" my mother screamed excitedly, catching me smirking. The rest of the day passed as usual. My mom had developed the habit of tucking me into bed each night, her soothing voice which I never grew tired off. "Good night, sweet dreams, Art." she whispered, pressing a soft kiss on my forehead. Her warmth was comforting and I fell asleep each night feeling safe and loved. The next day was the day of our outing to the local town of Essos. The bustling streets and lively atmosphere were always a thrill to experience but something particular caught my eye. I spotted a woman healing a injured man, her hands glowing faintly same as my mother when she healed me. Unable to contain my curiosity, I pointed at her and managed to mumble "That...?" my mother noticing my interest, smiled and explained "She''s a healer, Art just like me. It''s a rare and unique form of magic that allows someone to restore mana and heal injuries. Unlike conjurers or augmenters, healers don''t have any elemental affinity." I thought absorbing her explanation. After returning home, I couldn''t stop thinking about what I experienced. Magic existed everywhere in this world. I wanted to use magic soon too but to use magic, I needed a mana core first. The problem was that none of the books I read so far explained how to create one. They all stated it formed naturally but how? Suddenly, a memory from my past life surfaced. An anime I''d once watched showed how the main character learns magic through meditating and sensing the flow of energy within their body. I sat cross-legged on the floor, closed my eyes and focused on my breathing and flow of my body. At first, I couldn''t sense anything but as time passed, I began to sense faint fragments scattered within my body. The more I concentrated, the more these fragments started gathering toward the center of my body. I realized, a surge of excitement coursing through me. The process was painfully slow. Thousands- no, maybe millions of fragments needed to gather. I sighed inwardly. Determined not to give up, I focused more harder, hoping the fragments move faster. Suddenly, the atmosphere around me changed. A cyclone like force seemed to erupt in the room. Sparks of Lightning crackled from my fingers and droplets of water swirled around my body. The mana was uncontrollably overwhelming, leaving me no choice but to snap out of my meditation. The room was a mess- books scattered, the furniture''s upside down and even if I didn''t have a mana core yet, I could feel the air thicker than before with the mana leftover. "Art!" my father barged in the room, his voice in panic. His eyes got wide with concern as he scanned the room, "What happened here?" I mustered my best teary eyed expression and answered, "Don''t know...wind...strong.." My puppy eyes worked like a charm as always. No one would suspect a 1 year old kid causing all this mess. "Thank goodness you''re ok," my father sighed in relief as he pulled me for a hug. "Next time, if anything like this happens, leave the room and don''t hesitate to call for me. I''ll always protect you and Kiara, Art." His voice held a hint of regret, as if haunted by a past failure. I wondered briefly but I nodded obediently, playing the part of an innocent baby. As he started investigating the damage, I sat amidst the pile of books, wondering what had just happened. I didn''t have the answers yet, but one thing was sure- this was only the beginning and the answer lied within me just waiting to be revealed. Beginning of a new start It had been 5 months since Arthur first sensed mana, even though his parents remained unaware. From that day on, whenever Arthur tried to form his mana core, the strange phenomenon and sensation followed. It did strangely improve his progress in forming the mana core, but the side effects were disastrous. Because of this, the room was always followed by a mess often the the bookshelf falling down or the furniture''s upside down. His parents were worried about him getting injured, so during the day they started keeping an eye on him and started spending more and more time with him to ensure their only child was safe and sound. The only time Arthur could progress in forming his mana core was when his parents were busy, went to sleep or went out, even for a brief moment. Arthur always had a habit of sneaking out of his room, whenever his parents were asleep to know more about this new world in order to adapt to it. Being in a magical world is every child''s childhood dream and he was living that dream right now. He couldn''t help but be excited everyday to learn and experience something new. __ On a bright sunny day, Arthur was looking out of the window as he noticed his father training. His expression was curious, as it was his first time seeing his father actually training or using magic. Even in a world where people used magic in their daily life for even a small thing, Raymond barely ever used magic in his daily life. Arthur began to wonder as Raymond took a deep breath and pulled all the air around him into his lungs. Arthur was curious seeing his father''s chest getting bigger as he continued to suck in the air. But to Arthur''s surprise, Raymond released probably the longest sigh ever, releasing all the air he sucked. Raymond started chanting a spell. His concentration so hard that the atmosphere around him became a vortex of fire. Arthur questioned as his eyes started shining, hoping to see something interesting. As soon as Raymond stopped the chant, he raised both his arms as if he wanted to conjure a giant fireball, but in the end, he couldn''t even move a small rock. "Isn''t your daddy just awesome?!" Raymond squealed as he caught Arthur watching him from the window. Raymond is a very cheerful and a family man who always loved to spend his time with his beautiful wife Kiara and his precious son, Arthur. "You see, your father is a fire affinity Augmenter. He''s been trying to conjure some low level spells for his mid-range fighting style but I don''t think it''s working." Kiara came up to Arthur who looked curious and told him why his father was trying to do something Augmenters aren''t capable of. Raymond uses his ''Gauntlets'' as a primary weapon. Although, they were very useful in close range combat, it''s almost impossible to fight in mid range or long range combat. This was the sole reason why Raymond tried to conjure some spells despite being an Augmenter. During Arthur''s progress to form his mana core, that strange phenomenon made his mana more flexible and easy to flow. That''s why even as an infant, Arthur could sense mana around him despite him not having a core yet. He could tell that his father was at peak of ''Light Red'' core stage and soon he would break through the ''Dark Orange'' stage. "Ray! It''s time for a break now!" Kiara called out, almost shouting to Raymond to come for snacks and a short break. Arthur''s admiration for his father grew even more. Reaching ''Light Red'' stage was an achievement itself, that even most seasoned warriors would struggle with and Raymond would soon breakthrough the ''Dark Orange'' stage at just the age of 25. This made Arthur even more motivated to form his mana core as soon as possible in order to use magic and be strong enough to protect his family. As he turned, he noticed that he was standing on a table while being amazed by his father''s skills. Even though, he had countless experiences of climbing up and down, his small, fragile and immature body made it difficult for him to climb down. To Arthur, it felt like someone told him to jump from the 25th floor as a prank.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. After motivating himself for few minutes, Arthur finally gathered the courage, closed his eyes and jump from the table. As Arthur got up from his fall and ignored the pain he got, he went into a deep thought. Apart from his ability to walk and control his habit of peeing his pants, he was quite proud of his progress in forming the mana core. He spent the last 5 months working on forming his mana core whenever he was left alone. He could feel that he was almost there. The strange phenomenon that always occurred during his meditation was a huge reason for his rapid progress. The strange phenomenon always caused mana to flow more freely within him, accelerating the progress of forming his mana core. Normally, the tiny fragments of mana gravitate towards the center of the body which is slower than the speed of a turtle in land and this process of forming mana core often took more than 5 years. Yet, here was Arthur, barely 2 years old and on the verge of completing it. It was a remarkable achievement for sure but Arthur couldn''t afford to let his guard down just yet. Sitting cross legged and letting the sun rays inside his room, Arthur began forming his core once again. As he concentrated more, his breathing became more steady and the fragments moved towards the center, as if guided by an otherworldly power. BOOM!! A violent shockwave was produced as soon as Arthur''s mana core fully formed. The blast shook the entire house and the surrounding area causing a fire breakout. Outside, Raymond and Kiara were enjoying each other company, sharing laugh over Raymond''s goofiness, when they suddenly sensed the mana fluctuation like a tidal wave turning their joyful face to serious expressions. Raymond turned back and his expressions got more tense. "Kiara, get back!" he shouted, positioning himself infront of her. The flames from the explosion surged towards them, but thankfully, Raymond being an experienced adventurer, his instincts kicked in managing to counter the flames from the explosion by augmenting his own body and gauntlet with his Fire affinity. Even so, he wasn''t able to counter all the flames while protecting Kiara at the same time. A part of the explosion hit his chest leaving a painful burn and it started to bleed from the burned chest. "Arthur!" Kiara cried, her voice trembling with fear. Tears filled her eyes as she tried to rush towards the burning house. After all, a mother is the most worried when their child is in danger. "No!" Raymond grabbed her hand, stopping her to enter the house. "Wait! It''s too dangerous-" Before he could finish, Raymond felt something strange and powerful. A presence he never sensed before. A new ''Mana Signature'' which was so strong and immense that it made Raymond tremble. He narrowed his eyes as he turned toward the source. In the midst of the burning wildfire, Arthur stood at the center of the wreckage. Flames raged around, but Arthur hands glowed with a blue aura as he controlled the ''Water magic''. Controlling such tremendous mana when you have just formed the core and so young was unheard of. Streams of water burst forth, extinguishing the fire and pushing back the destruction. After the flames calmed down, Arthur was barely conscious. His body trembling from exhaustion. The mere act of forming his mana core and using magic for the first time had drained every ounce of his energy. Yet, despite his fragile state, a weak smile graced his lips as he looked up and saw his parents standing in distance. Before he could collapse, Raymond augmented his legs and dashed forward, catching Arthur just in time. "Arthur!" Raymond called, his voice thick with both relief and worry. "I-I''m sorry, Father...It''s all...my fault..." Arthur stammered weakly, tears spilling from his eyes as he noticed the burn scar on his father''s chest from before. Raymond looked down at his son with pride and concern. "Don''t apologize, Art. You are safe and sound, that''s all that matters." Arthur fainted in his father''s arms, completely drained from the ordeal. Raymond gently lifted his son and turned towards Kiara, whose eyes were still wet with tears. "He''s alright, just exhausted." Raymond reassured her as he handed Arthur to her. Raymond was shocked and couldn''t believe what he just saw. "Kiara.." Raymond called out her name in a serious tone and she met his gaze,"...looks like Art has formed his mana core already." he confessed with a small smile forming his lips. Kiara''s tearful expression shifted to disbelief, "That''s...impossible.." Raymond gave a shaky laugh. "And yet..here he is. Our little Prodigy." Despite the destruction of their home, both parents were overwhelmed with relief and pride. Their son was safe, that''s all mattered to them. The Memories of the Past Life After Arthur formed his mana core, his fragile body struggled to handle the backlash of its immense power. His limbs felt heavy, his breathing unstable and every fiber of his muscle ached from the strain. Restricted to his bed, he could barely muster the strength to move. His parents, worried sick, sat beside him with their faces lined with concern. Kiara with her healing magic worked tirelessly, her hands glowing with soft light as she poured mana into Arthur''s core to stabilize him. But even her efforts couldn''t do much. The explosion had left a lingering strain on his body that even Kiara''s rare and strong healing magic couldn''t entirely heal. Raymond, despite the burn wound on his chest, refused to rest and instead stayed by Arthur''s side, constantly trying to motivate him but his expression a mixture of guilt and helplessness. "Am fine, father. Everything will be fine. Don''t worry, am just exhausted." Arthur comforted his dad before drifting into an uneasy sleep, his mind clouded with exhaustion. ARTHUR VAREN POV As I fell asleep from the exhaustion, for the first I recalled my past life in detail ever since reincarnating. Although, it was something I wished to forget, I couldn''t. And that past came back...haunting me. My name used to be Alex Lokhart. From the very beginning, I had everything a guy could wish for. Wealth, intelligence, a strong body and admiration from everyone around me. My father, who was obsessed with status, power and money, never came back home as he was always going around countries for business trips. My mother was kind and affectionate but little did I know it was just a mask to hide her true self. At school, I was no less than a celebrity. Everyone from school, even teachers admired me. But the most important to me was my best friend, Rowan. He was more like a brother to me, than my older brother. Rowan was born with a weak body and couldn''t fight and so, he was an easy target to get bullied. I couldn''t just stand and watch as my best friend gets bullied. I always rushed to help him before anyone and eventually, end up beating all the guys who dare trash talk him. "Alex, you don''t have to protect me everytime. I owe you everything and I promise to pay you back someday." Rowan was cheerful as he said that. He was always that kind of a person. Our peaceful days like that continued but it was just the calm before the storm. I often went to Rowan''s house to meet him and his parents. His father was in army and a high-ranking one at that. He had achieved many awards and had done a lot of services for his country. I admired his strength and discipline. He was my role model. Being a soldier, he was barely at home but that day, he came back home from his duties and joined us at dinner. After the dinner, me and Rowan had went out to a grocery store to buy few things. But when we returned, the house was in ruins. The door broken, windows shattered and the walls in the house marked with bullets and as we stepped inside, the room was filled with stench of blood and we found Rowan''s parents body lying down lifeless on the floor. As I processed, what happened here, a deep voice came from behind. "Boss, looks like there are few kids here." As we turned behind, we saw a group of armed men with guns and bombs. It took me only 1 glance to know that they were terrorists. Rowan and I ran for somewhere to hide but as I turned back, but I noticed Rowan wasn''t with me and when I looked around, I realized that he had already been caught by the group of scums. He tried to break free but it was useless against them. His eyes locked with mine as he shouted, "Alex, run!!" My mind went blank and I froze. I wanted to go back and help him but my legs didn''t moved the way I wanted it to. It wasn''t long before the boss of the scums, shot my best friend through chest. As I looked at his face while he fell, I was reminded that next turn is mine if I get caught. My natural instincts kicked in as I made a run for it. I ran and ran for hours, cursing myself that I couldn''t save him when it mattered the most. His face before getting shot was something I could never forget. It haunted me and became a nightmare.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. I kept on running until I heard the siren of police and the terrorists retreated. I didn''t felt relief, rather I was filled with guilt. As I made my way back to place, where he was shot I noticed him still breathing barely. I could tell even if I take him to hospital, it''s too late. "Alex..am glad you survived. Thanks...for..a-always protecting me and being with me. I am sorry that I couldn''t keep my promise," tears fell down as I saw him in such a state where he could barely speak. "Stop talking, idiot! Nothing will happen to you! Stay with me!" I tried to give myself false hope that everything will be all right but he didn''t think twice to give me a reality check. "Alex, w-wait...it''s fine. My life ends here, but your life will continue. I''ll be always thankful, I got a friend like you. I-I''ll pray for you that we again meet someday in future but till then please d-don''t forget me.." he took his last breath as he closed his eyes, his body grew cold in my arms. I was now holding a lifeless body of my best friend and begged him not to leave me. I cried, not ready to accept this as reality. The news of Rowan and his parent''s death spread around the whole city like wildfire and I was left with nothing but grief. The weight of guilt bore down on me, knowing I couldn''t save him. But this was just the beginning of hell of my life. My life again took a turn for worse, after 6 months of his death when I woke up, my body feeling...different. My body felt heavier and slower. At first, I brushed it off, thinking it was nothing but as the days continued, I no longer could ignore the changes. My body grew fat and ugly uncontrollably, no matter if I ate or not or how much workout I did. After getting a checkup from the city''s best doctors, even they gave up saying that the disease that struck me was unknown and could not be treated with the current technology. Admiration from others turned into mockery. Whispers followed me wherever I went, stinging like thousand needles. My peers who once looked up to me with respect turned into disgust. The respect I had earned over the years disappeared in an instant, replaced by cruel taunts. It made my longing for Rowan even more. How I wished him to be alive and stay by my side. My father, who had been away on one of his business trip for years, finally returned home after getting the news of my disease from mother. When he finally saw me, he came up to me and slapped me across the face. It was the first thing he''d done after years of absence and seeing his own son. From that moment on, I realized how superficial the world truly is and my life became hell itself. My father, a man who once ignored my existence, now found every opportunity to berate and beat me up. His words cut more deep than his beatings. "You''re pathetic. A disgrace to the family." his words became a reminder to me, how much of a failure I was. My mother, who once showered me with affection, stopped looking at me. Her kind smile was gone, replaced by a cold glare. They pulled me out of school, locking me inside our house as if I were some shameful secret they needed to hide from the world. They started treating me like a slave, to the point they snatched all my freedom and gave me a small space in the storeroom. On my 16th birthday, I sat alone in my so-called "room", staring at my childhood photos. The boy was unrecognizable to me now and I wished I could go back in time. That same night, my older brother, Asher returned from his trip abroad. My parents threw a grand celebration for him, the kind of celebration I used to have on my birthday''s. No-one even remembered today was my birthday. Just as I was adapting to my life as a slave, I couldn''t hold back anymore and I cried myself to sleep that night, wishing for everything to end. And it did end. When I tried to open my eyes, my eyes felt heavy and my body went cold. It didn''t take me long to realize that I was now dead. And when my eye''s really did open, I was reincarnated as Arthur Varen in another world. The memories of my past life ended but the emotions it stirred still lingered in my heart. The betrayal, the loneliness, the despair- they felt as fresh as the day it happened. "Honey, why are you crying? Does it still hurt?" as I opened my eyes, I saw my mother hovering above me, looking at me with concern as her eyebrows furrowed and my dad''s burned chest was now covered with bandages. Now, my body felt better than before. I got up from my bed and went to hug my parents. I determined myself as my parents returned my hug with a hearted kiss on the forehead as a sign of relief and love. "I managed to stabilize your core with my healing but you are not allowed to move for few days." my mother ordered me, with concern all over her face. Strangely, I didn''t feel sad at her order, rather I was happy. I sighed to myself as I just gave a smile and nodded at her order. This is my life and its in my hands, how I wanna live it. A New Path Arthur lay in bed, staring at the wooden ceiling as he was lost in thoughts. It had been more than two weeks since he formed his mana core but his body still ached from the backlash. Ever since he gained consciousness, his mother rarely left his side and his dad who was usually goofy had become more protective. They kept a close eye on Art so that he can''t use any magic until he fully recovers. However, Arthur would secretly train his core at late night and it wasn''t long before he entered the ''Solid red stage'' It was during one of these quiet nights that he overheard his parents talking in muffled voices. "The Valthor family..." Kiara murmured. "I still can''t believe they''re no more now." For some reason, the name Valthor piqued Arthur''s interest. "They were one of the strongest families in whole Essos and even among nobles in our kingdom," she continued. "Their family were known for their unmatched skill in combat, second to none....it''s hard to believe they were massacred." Raymond let out a deep sigh, "A massacre that wiped out the entire bloodline. It''s a mystery to even the King of Vallaris as to who was strong enough to massacre the entire bloodline," after a brief pause, Ray added "Apparently, there''s a rumour that there was 1 survivor of that family but no one has seen him yet. Not even the special forces of the king." Something about this incident piqued his interest but he couldn''t exactly put his finger on it. The following morning, Arthur sat cross legged on his bed, his eyes closed and as he focused on his breath and mana core, he suddenly felt his mana move with an electric sharpness. It was different to the phenomenon he experienced before. This felt more warm and natural and it evenly spread around his body and suddenly- his fingers flickered sparks of Lightning. "Lightning magic...?" Arthur was confused knowing his first affinity to awaken was lightning. In this world, lightning magic was said to be rare and is next to impossible to achieve it as their first affinity but he also felt thrilled knowing he can now use magic. Raymond who was waiting outside for a long time, finally opened the door with a knowing smile on his face. "You are finally ready. Took you long enough." Before the young prodigy could say anything, the proud dad tossed something like a bag at him. Arthur caught it, his hands moving as he felt a smooth wooden surface. As he took out the wood from the bag, it revealed a sword. Arthur stared at it, running his fingers all around the sword. It wasn''t just a toy- it was a well made and balanced weapon for a beginner who will just learn swordsmanship. "You''re still young but you are many years ahead of kids your age," he said in a serious tone, "As your father it''s my duty to train you, so that you can make us proud."Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Arthur''s chest tightened with something unfamiliar seeing his gift. "I won''t let you or mom down, father." He gripped his sword tightly as he let out a small laugh. During the evening, Arthur sat on the floor of his room, flipping through the pages his mother had given him to learn how to circulate mana if the core is unstable. But this peace was short lived. BANG! The front door slammed open, making the walls shake and revealed his over-excited father. "Art! It''s time to train now!!" The strong wind from outside rushed in, sending Arthurs notes fly away, while some just smacked onto his face. Arthur let out a slow sigh as he got up feeling both annoyed and excited for his first duel in this new world. They stood at the yard just beside their house. Ray taught Arthur how to take a opening stance while wielding a sword but it was uncomfortable for his new body. His memories of his previous life surfaced again. Since, Arthur used to take Swordsmanship lessons way before he was stuck with the disease, his mind remembered how to move. The only problem was that he was still not accustomed to his new body, which felt more weak and fragile than his previous body. Ignoring everything else he jumped on his father tightening the grip of his sword, wasting no second. "All right, kiddo. Let''s see what you got." Raymond said with a easy grin. Arthur swung his sword with precision like he was taught but his body failed to keep up. Ray dodged all his attack unbothered to even block. Arthur took a step forward in order to close the gap but Ray countered his attack by rotating to his side and using his son''s motion of attack against him and sent him flying with just his elbow to his chest. Arthur got up from the attack but his face was smiling as he enjoyed his first fight in this world. "C''mon, kid. You are too slow~" the experienced father said provoking his son with a slight smirk. "Is that the best you can do?" "Not at all....I have a few tricks up my sleeve too.." Arthur answered sounding confident, with a plan in his mind. He understood that at his level he can''t beat his father through just brute force that''s when the idea to use his lightning as a way to boost his speed came to his mind. It was a gamble, knowing very well he still wasn''t used to his new body but it was worth it. If it meant his father would let him go for dinner if he can make his father use his affinity. The young prodigy quickly enveloped his entire body with lightning and in an instantly, he sneaked up on his father''s back. Raymond couldn''t process when did Arthur sneak up on him, it seemed more like teleportation to him rather than just speed. But Raymond being a seasoned adventurer quickly blocked his attack through sheer instincts before it could land on him. Arthur retreated a bit at the sudden change of tide in battle. Arthur was once again forced to use his lightning magic but this time only on his legs increasing his speed even further. While Arthur struggled to control his speed, in a matter of seconds he closed the distance between him and Ray. Arthur lifted his fists to give a uppercut to seal the fight but Ray wasn''t the one to be easily defeated. He covered his fists with fire in order to counter his son''s punch with lightning cloaked. The sheer impact of their punches colliding each other managed to destroy half of the area and burned the surrounding trees and grass to ashes. Arthur fainted again as he went overboard with his weak body and Ray stood there dumbfounded as he processed what happened here. Raymond looked at Arthur in both awe and concern of his power. Raymond was excited to see his son''s growth as a warrior and was willing to go back to the capital city of Essos for his son''s sake. Even if it meant going back to his nightmares den. Raymond was hesitant. More than his nightmares, he was more scared of how to approach his wife regarding this matter. He sighed, stretching his arms as a smile slowly crept into his face. With a content smile, Raymond carried Arthur back to their home. The Conditions Arthur exhausted from his friendly spar with his dad now tried to sleep off but due to the fatigue and pain his muscles felt after using lightning magic, the after-effects still lingered which made it difficult for him to sleep it off. "You aren''t getting me, Kiara." Suddenly Arthur heard noises coming from the dining table as if his parents were fighting, which was a rare case for him. Normally, Raymond and Kiara would always talk to each other, their voice coaxed with love and empathy but this time Raymonds voice seemed...annoyed as if he was on the verge of shouting but tried to hold back. Arthur with his muscles still sore woke up from his bed and made his way to the hallway. "Ray, you know right that Capital city of Essos ''Arcia'' is very dangerous. Even for a adult that place can be dangerous as it''s in the middle of all 4 kingdoms and it''ll be the center of battlefield if a war were ever to take place. And u want to send Arthur away there for studies? He is not even 2 years old." Kiara kept her point out, her voice filled with worry but her eyes clearly said that she wanted to send Arthur there too. Such is a mothers love for their child. "Arthur is different from other kids. It''s true he is not even 2 yrs old but he already has a mana core and is already proficient with lightning magic. On the contrary, I''ll be more worried for the person who messes with my son." Raymond answered her with confidence overflowing in his words. "That''s true...but.." Kiara''s voice was shaky as if she was at a loss for words. At that time, Raymond felt the prescence of Arthur was eavesdropping from behind. "Ah~ Arthur! Perfect timing!! Tell me my son do you want to go to Arcia to learn more about magic? With your talent, you can even be the strongest fighter of the continent!" Raymond expressed with a big grin on his face. Hoping Arthur would answer in his favour. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Arthur thought as he decided the answer. Of course, Arthur wanted to explore more about this world and learn magic but he also didn''t want to worry his mom... although his father had no problem. Arthur reached out, gripping Kiara''s apron as he looked at them with wide puppy eyes. "Can''t both mommy and daddy come along with me?" It was a dirty trick to use but noone can blame it. The situation calls for it. Both Raymond and Kiara looked at each other and started laughing off. "Why didn''t I think of this before?" Raymond answered laughing. "We were too focused on whether to send Art away or not that we didn''t even think of it. Hahah~" Kiara mentioned as she also laughed. Arthur was excited to learn magic and hone his skill in the capital of Essos, but he understood why his mother was so worried. Being in the center of all 4 kingdoms is a problem but also since it''s the capital of Essos, Royal families are worshipped as Gods and normal families as peasants and since they lived in the outskirts, there are chances they may get targeted. "Alright, I accept your conditions, mother." Arthur answered, his eyes filled with resolve and determination. "All right, kid. It''s time to train now!!" Raymond grabbed Arthur and continued to drag him to the garden. "But father, it''s still midnight and my body is sore! Please, let me sleep!!" Arthur begged his father to leave him and give him a break already. And so, the days of training started in Arthurs life. Raymond made him do all sorts of workout to strengthen his body and continued to spar with him on his days off. The Beast Core ARTHUR Four years went by in a flash, and I had finally met all my mother''s conditions in that time. Just yesterday, I celebrated my fifth birthday, and now, at the age of five, I had reached the ''Solid Red'' stage¡ªone step beyond what my mother had asked for. My skills with both swords and magic had grown significantly over the past few years, and I had even managed to master a few elements. When I first awakened my mana core, I was able to use water magic, but only for a short period. After that incident, I couldn¡¯t control my water magic quite like I did that day. But after four years of relentless training, I was finally able to control both Water and Fire magic. Not to brag, but this is an achievement that even the most seasoned adventurers would struggle to match¡ªmastering three elements in their lifetime. And just like that, the promised day of our departure had arrived. "How are you feeling, Art? Excited?" My dad asked before we departed for our trip. "Yes", I replied. I tried to keep my cool, but I was just too excited to calm down. This was finally my time to make my own path in a world of magic. Throughout our way, me and my parents were making small chats to pass the time until we reached the capital. "And you know, your mom and I met during--?!" My dad paused talking as his face became tensed. Shortly after, I understood the reason behind his now tensed face. We were ambushed. As we made our way out of the cart, we saw men with mask covering half of their faces standing atop of a mountain. They were all very well around ''Solid Red'' stage. The same level as me. "Art, take your mom to somewhere safe quickly", my dad ordered. It was the first time, I saw my dad so serious. "Dad, I can fight them too. I''ve grown strong too in these past 4 years. Let me fight alongside you." I revolted my father''s order, I was desperate. I didn''t want to lose someone close to me again, just because I wasn''t strong enough. I swore to myself that I''ll become strong enough to protect my family this time and that wasn''t an empty promise. The only reason why I worked so hard over these 4 years was to grow strong, explore this world more and protect my family. "I know, so that''s why hurry up and get your mom to safety. Join me when you have completed your first mission given by your dad." My father smirked while saying it. It was as if he read my mind. With those words, my father wore his gauntlets and dashed towards the bandits. Those words of my father were probably the most comforting words I''ve heard recently. The fact that someone trusted me and was depended on me made me happy beyond what I could express. While my father distracted the bandits, I took my mom''s hands and ran for a shelter. Luckily, I found a broken house in the middle of mountain which was enough for my mom to hide. The only problem is my mom would be defenseless if a mana beast were to attack. My mother wasn''t a combat type mage. The only magic she could cast was healing magic. I clenched my fist, knowing that I would be leaving my mom in this suspicious and defenseless place and I won''t be able to do anything if she were to get attacked. "Art, I''ll be fine here. Go help your dad." My mother pressed my hands as she snapped me back to reality. I asked myself. I didn''t exactly like when people could figure out my thoughts and actions. That part of me will never change. "Art, no matter what, be safe. You are a strong boy now and you can protect yourself, but still be safe. And protect your father too." My mom sent me off with worry all over her face. No matter which universe, a mother will always be worried for their child. "Alright," I gave my mom a kiss on the forehead before I departed to assist my dad. By the time I reached the place, it looked like my dad who was in ''Solid Orange'' stage had nearly used up all of his mana and was now getting pushed back. My father had defeated many bandits in the short time, I left. His gauntlets glowing with fiery Orange aura and a vortex of fire surrounded my dad''s hand''s. His fighting style looked to similar to ''Boxing'' from my previous world. Without giving much thought, I used a new technique which I developed myself in these 4 years. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Lightning Magic: Thunderclap Speed A technique where I envelop all my muscles with lightning and it boosts my speed by threefold. This is a technique I first used against my dad during our first friendly spar. Back then, I didn''t have complete control over my speed and new body. Now, with my improved control over my speed and body, I blitzed through all the bandits surrounding my father. Judging by their expressions, it seemed like they didn''t expect a child to possess mana core and use lightning magic like this. Well, I wouldn''t blame them, I would be pretty shocked if I were them to. But their surprise didn''t come to an end there. Water Magic: Water Vortex Rainfall I used my Water magic to create a giant vortex in the air and as soon as it bursted, the droplets of Water fell on everyone like rain. I used my lightning magic, and everyone on whom the water droplets fell got fried by my lightning magic. It wasn''t long before almost every single one of the bandits fell with charcoal skin. I looked back to check if my father was injured, but a thick fog surrounded my father as he walked out of the mist with few scratches here and there. "Phew! You really went all out, son. That combo magic could have burned me." My father appreciated my tactic as he walked and continued to talk. "If I didn''t protect myself with Fire vortex at the last second, I would have had the same fate as them." My father said, as he looked around the fallen bandits. "Dad, are you-?!" I paused, before I could speak anything. "Hm? Son, are you all right?" My father asked, tilting his head like an owl. Maybe, he can''t feel this overwhelming energy coming from the bushes. The presence was too powerful to even think of. I hadn''t sensed this much mana residual energy coming from someone before. That''s when, a figure with dark, rugged skin emerged from the shadows, his short white hair and yellow eyes complemented his deep tone of complexion. His skin, almost scaled texture as if shaped by centuries of wars. With each step, he took, the air grew heavy and the fins extended from his forearms grew larger and sharper as if responding to his huge amount of mana which surged within him. Ever since my reincarnation, I''ve never met a person with such intimidating presence and huge amount of mana. It made my mana core, which I poured all my 4 years into seem like a joke. It was difficult to even breathe, just by seeing his way of walking. He made his way to the unconscious bandits, as a wall of Water surrounded him as if to protect him from any attack we might make. But it was impossible. Even if we tried, we couldn''t possibly land a fatal hit to him. Just that thought made my heart excited and any feelings I had before vanished before I knew it. Fishmen are said to possess incredible physical strength second only to Dwarves when fighting on land but once they start fighting underwater, they are invincible. None could hope to match their speed and power under the water. "What happened here?", the Fishman asked in a soft yet intimidating voice. "We were just passing by to make our way to the Capital of Essos, Arcia. That''s when these scums jumped on us with weapons." My father answered his question not showing a hint of fear. Despite the level between these 2 adults, my father didn''t back down and he very well knew if we were to fight this guy here, we won''t make it out alive even if we fight together. "...I see. I apologise for my foolish comrades behavior," the Fishman bowed his head, his apology sounding genuine. "And who are you? Boss of these scums?" My father asked, anger completely taking control over him. "You could say that...I guess. My name is Aegis Leviathan." The Fishman revealed his name in a very calm manner. "Wait! Aegis Leviathan?! The Head of the Fishmen Royal Army?!" My father was in utter disbelief seeing someone of his caliber in a mountain like this. Of course, I''ve heard of his name before but I never expected I would meet him like this. Aegis Leviathan is the sole successor of Leviathan Household. A family who was famous for being contracted to the ''God of Sea'' Leviathan and the power of Leviathan is passed down to the successors through generations to generations in the form of Beast core. The reason why this household are the only ones who can contract with Leviathan lies within their perfect Fishman body and their talent both in land and under the water. Aegis Leviathan was famous for controlling Tydorin ocean and creating a giant storm all by himself when humans tried to invade the Fishman Kingdom, before he even received the power of Leviathan. Tydorin River is said to be the second largest ocean which connects both the Human and Fishman kingdom. He is someone who thinks rationally and doesn''t harm anyone without any reason. He is not the type of person who let''s other people influence his choices. "Yes, but it would be better for me if you don''t tell anyone about meeting me." Aegis requested, his eyes seeming dead. "That''s not a problem but what is a person like you doing with these scums?" My father asked, his face now confused. Looks like his anger has went away by the big reveal. That''s honestly a relief. "...These people are former bandits who went around stealing any adventurers who passed through here, but am training these crooks to become a part of the special force which am being assigned to by the King." Aegis answered with tint of anger in his words for the bandits and annoyance for the king. "Looks like we got the wrong people son, hehe." My father looked at Aegis with a ''I apologise'' expression. "...This is your son? Your child seems...special" Aegis looked at me with calculating eyes, pausing for a second before he made a comment. I tilted my head in confusion. At first, I thought he was referring that despite my young age, I was able to form my mana core and already master 3 of the elements. But it seemed like I was wrong. His dead eyes lightened up for a split second just as he locked his eyes with mine. "Would it be too much if I ask to speak with your son for a while?" Aegis asked, his eyes still locked with mine. "...Uh, sure? I need to find my wife now anyway. Arthur, be nice to Aegis." My father left his few words of wisdom before departing. Just as my father left, Aegis made his way to me. His guard still up. It felt like even if I move a muscle, he would instantly behead me with his sharp fins which was overflowing with mana. Aegis stopped just inches away from me and kneeled down. "You have finally returned, my lord." His gaze on the floor. "Whats is your name, human child?" Aegis asked his eyes now softened. "It''s Arthur Varen....sir." I replied, still confused as to what''s going on. "Arthur, judging from your expressions it still seems like you don''t know the power which is surging within your core." Aegis commented, his eyes now back to the same. "Uh, does this have to do something about the weird phenomenon I experienced when I tried to form my mana core?" I asked, hoping this would be a chance to know about the weird phenomenon which took over me during those days. "I don''t exactly know what you are talking about, but from you I sense the presence of Sylphira, the ancestor of all Dragons." Aegis dropped another bomb on my plate. I know I''ve been reincarnated in a fantasy world, but this is still too much. "What do you mean?" I asked. "Have you perhaps heard about ''Beast core''?" Aegis asked, his voice steady as usual. I''ve read about Beast core in the books my dad often bought. A Beast core is an extremely rare type of core, which can be either only be obtained by those who are naturally born with it or someone who has contracted with the beast. Normally, only an A+ rank beast can form a contract with the vessel. Those who make contract with it face some kind of side effects. Some face life span drain when using a beast core powers, while some get possessed by the beast and end up getting killed by the Magic council of Essos. In the case of Aegis, he had to put shackles on his emotions, if he crosses that line, he''ll be taken over by Leviathan for few minutes. Atleast, that''s the reason given in the book as to ''Why Aegis Leviathan doesn''t show any emotions''. "Arthur, did you know that Leviathan are one of the branch species of Dragons. They were originally the same, but they evolved differently." Aegis sudden response brought me back to reality. "Where Dragons took over skies and space, Leviathan took over water earning the title as God of Sea." Aegis continued to speak. "However, Leviathan consider Dragons to be a superior race because a Dragon is one of the 3 masters of this universe. And you, give off the same presence as Sylphira, The Ancestor of all Dragons and one of the 3 creators. Maybe that''s why, my beats core is reacting to you in this way. I feel this instinct to just follow you for all eternity but my pride as a warrior is refusing to just accept anyone as my master, moreover a kid. Prove yourself worthy to be my master." "Arthur Varen, I, Aegis Leviathan challenge you to a duel." No!!!!! Faceoff ARTHUR POV "Uh...sir? I am just 5. You really think I can fight you?" I tried to calm down the imposing man infront of me. Even if I were to master all elements right now I couldn''t possibly defeat this guy. Calling him one of the strongest in the entire kingdom won''t be an exaggeration. I still don''t have the proper grasp of this world and Aegis is years ahead of me. I was hoping that if I managed to make Aegis realise that I was still a child, he would drop the idea of fighting me, but to my dissappointment his eyes didn''t show a hint of dropping the idea to fight. "That''s right." Aegis sighed as he continued to speak, "That''s exactly why I have to hold back my strength, in order to not kill you." "Please calm down and think-?!" I gave one last attempt to reverse his mind, that''s when I suddenly felt a blade of mana approaching me. I instinctively cloaked my body with lightning in order to dodge. But even then, it managed to graze my cheeks causing a small cut. Aegis walked towards me. Subtle yet confident. The dark Fishmen fins around his arms grew larger and sharp depending on how much mana he poured into it. "Good decision on dodging it. As expected, you have quick reflexes and judgement." Aegis said, his voice genuinely surprised. I looked back and the sight I saw made me shiver in fear. All the trees behind me had been slashed cleanly and that blade of mana left a huge crack in the mountain walls. If that attack had hit me directly, I would be in God''s arms right now. "If you have realised what''s going on now, then prepare to prove yourself, successor of Sylphira." Aegis cracked his knuckles as he got ready to test me. In my previous world, very few individuals used this stance. Only people who have high flexibility could manage to pull this form of. And this man infront of me probably had the perfect Serpent Stream stance, I''ve ever seen. His body low in a crouched position with one foot forward and the other grounded for stability. His arms loose and flexible like a snake but the muscles in his body made it look even more threatening. This stance was specifically made for people with high flexibility. It''s a stance which allows an individual to dodge attacks with minimal movement and counter them from unexpected angles. "You ready, kid? Here I come." Aegis announced before he could attack. In just a blink of an eye, Aegis had manage to close the distance between us. Even with my body still cloaked with lightning was not fast enough to keep up with Aegis speed alone. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. I barely had any time to grab my wooden sword before Aegis closed the distance. Fire magic: Ember shot I shot countless small balls of fire from the tip of my wooden sword but Aegis managed to dodge all of them with the bare movement. I smirked knowing what kind of danger, I had put myself into While I was lost in my thoughts, again in a flash Aegis spawned infront of me and gave me a Jumping Knee strike right to the side of my stomach. With just 1 kick, I was sent flying miles away until I was blocked by a large tree. When that kick connected, I could feel that Aegis holded back alot of his strength and yet, I was sent flying. "Pathetic." Aegis called out as he walked out of the bushes. I hated this feeling of someone looking down on me. I thought I had gotten used to it but I guess that was not the case. I got back up on my feet and clenched my sword as I dashed towards him to strike with my sword. Aegis blocked my sword with his fins alone. To him, his fins were his strongest weapon. Water Magic: Tidal Slash I sent a wave of blade like arc of water with the swing of my sword but even that wasn''t enough. This magic was on the intermediate level but it just took a stroke of his palms to completely dissipate my attack. I got more and more desperate. I still couldn''t even land a hit on him while he continuosly managed to negate all my attacks. I had forgotten this feeling. This feeling of complete hopelessness. Ever since, I reincarnated I thought of myself as some main character straight from anime but this is reality. Its just by luck that I managed to reincarnate here in this world and managed to recover all my memories from the past world. It''s just by luck that I was born with this so called Beast Core that Aegis spoke of. The truth is, I am just a character who happened to be born. Up until now, I was just protecting my parents as if I am the main character but in reality, am just some random character who was struggling to even survive. That''s exactly why I need to change myself. I am not special. That naive thinking can only get me so far if there are beings even stronger than him. I need to get stronger and stronger until noone can dare to mess with me. "Do you give up, kid?" Aegis asked snapping me back from my thoughts. Water Magic: Geyser Burst I enchanted another intermediate spell on Aegis while his guard was still down. A wave of water vapour cracked and rose from the ground just below Aegis. Aegis was said to be a prodigy even among the 4 kingdoms and he is one of the strongest Fishman in history despite his young age of just 18. He obviously sensed that a wave of water vapour was coming. But I didn''t use it with only desperation. I had a plan. Lightning magic: Lightning Kris I conjured a bolt of lightning in the air which immediately attacked Aegis but the fishman had caught my lightning with just his bare hands in the mid air. "Boring." Before I could react, Aegis appeared behind me. Crack!! A devastating punch to my spine sent pain ripping through my body, as I felt my bones shattering under the force. "Aaghhh-!!" I screamed in pain as my left hand was now immobile with that last punch. But I didn''t want to give up just yet. Sometimes even a 1% chance is enough to defeat someone who is much powerful and experienced than you. "Am surprised you mastered 3 elements already at just at the age of 5." Aegis walked, his eyes dissappointed and angry. "Get up," Aegis ordered his voice now deep as if he was giving me a last chance to prove myself. I knocked my head on the ground as I got up to take my stance. Sweet Breeze Stance. This is a stance which I learned from my previous world when I used to take my swordsman tutoring. A very versatile stance which allowed me to transition between offence and defence. "That''s a unique stance but in all honesty, am more surprised at the fact that you mastered 3 elements already. I wonder if that''s your own talent or is it the power of Sylphira?" Aegis asked, with a tiny of curiosity in his eyes despite being dissappointed. "Try to find it out on your own." I replied, my eyes now serious than ever. "Then shall we put an end to this fight, Arthur Varen?" Aegis asked, as he crouched down fueling his fins with mana more. "Sure." I replied, as I launched forward, flames wrapping around my damaged sword. Trial by Combat ARTHUR POV I rushed forward, my sword still wrapped in flames. Aegis remained still for a moment to see what trick I was gonna use next. With just a flick of fingers, he created a huge wall of water. I wasn''t ready for this trick. But if I slowed down my speed now, I will just waste my mana. I quickly cloaked myself with lightning again. My mana was running low, so I had to make sure that I use my spells at the bare minimum now. I clenched my sword tighter, ignoring the pain in my body. With a deep breath, I barely managed to get past the wall of water and continued to dash forward, aiming my rugged sword towards Aegis. Aegis patiently watched as I pushed myself, flames and lightning still forming around me. The mere act of using both the elements at once took a huge toll on my body and mana reserves. ¡°Not bad,¡± Aegis whispered as he closed the gap between us, ¡°But still not enough.¡± Aegis punched me right through my stomach but this time his eyes widened as he showed his surprise to me. I finally managed to block his punch with my sword. Although, he was holding back his strength, the fact that I managed to block him was a achievement in itself. ¡­.but despite that, I was still sent flying away. Now, my only weapon had been broken into 2 pieces and my mana reserves were almost over and yet, I wasn''t even close to beating him. ¡°You hesitate a lot for someone who has lots of potential,¡± Aegis again came out of the bushes. It seemed like an endless loop where Aegis would send me flying, I would reach my breaking point and Aegis would appear out of bushes with his lifeless and disappointed eyes. ¡°Do you want to give up now?¡± Aegis asked. I got up with a smirk, my resolve still not broken. ¡°No, let''s keep going. I don''t plan on giving up this easily.¡± I answered, my smirk growing even larger. ¡°...I see¡± Aegis was definitely taken aback with my answer. I ran towards the fishman with all the speed I could gather without lightning cloak. Believe it or not, I had trained myself in lots of field in my past life. One of them, being martial arts. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. As the battle dragged on, I found my body and senses getting sharper and sharper. Seeing my rapid growth, Aegis also started smiling. His lifeless eyes now coming to life. But I wasn''t the one who was dictating the pace of the fight, it was Aegis. I managed to find a slight opening in Aegis attack patter and took full advantage of it. I gathered a small amount of mana in my fist and gave a punch right in the middle of chest where most of the mana cores are located. But with my current body, Aegis didn''t even budge despite taking the full blunt of my punch with Fire magic. I widened the gap between us and I found Aegis smiling a little to himself. But he soon snapped out of his happy thoughts and this time, he took the initiative of dashing towards me, his body cloaked with mana. Just then, I found the world around me getting slowed. Surprisingly, I could see all of Aegis attacks and was able to counter them with my bare hands. Seeing Aegis surprise reaction, it made me sure that the world getting slow was just from my perspective, while in reality, the world flowed the same. I asked myself, feeling confused than ever. Aegis attack pattern wasn''t that complicated now that I am seeing it in slow motion. It''s just that Aegis foundation and flexibility is at an insane level and the speed he uses just makes it look like he is using some high-level technique. There''s hardly any opening in Aegis defence, no wonder he is one of the strongest in whole Essos. I wonder how many people can hold their own against Aegis. As I countered and dodged Aegis attacks, there was a split moment where Aegis was lost in his thoughts. While lost in thoughts, Aegis body still moved the same. He gave a roundhouse kick, if it wasn''t for this new ability there''s no doubt I would''ve broken my arms atleast. But with the time slowed down, I ducked his roundhouse kick and I finally got an opening. Seeing how Aegis was distracted, it was the perfect moment for me finish this fight. I had barely any mana left and I didn''t know what happens when a human is depleted of mana. This was the first time I was ever driven to a corner. Lightning Magic: Sword of Light This is my strongest spell in my arsenal right now. This spell can create a sword of pure lightning from thin air and can destroy half of this forest. Since this is one of the original magic I learnt in this world, it requires a very high amount of mana. I can only use this spell once in a battle with my current level but this should be more than enough right now. I prayed that I emerge as victor after using all my last bit of mana. I could feel my body growing weak and my left arm getting numb which Aegis broke. I was strengthing my arm with mana so it didn''t hurt as much during the fight. But now that, am using this spell, the pain I felt was immeasurable. *Booom!!!!* A tiny bit of hope emerged from me that I won, but as the smoke cleared out I could see the dark skin fishman standing safe and sound with just a scratch on his cheeks as he holded the sword made of pure lightning. But something seemed different about him. His face had some weird scales now and his white hair had now turned black and his nails and fins grew even larger as if there were a weapon in itself. I cursed to myself, as I fainted my body getting weak with each passing second and my chest paining. I told myself as my eyes closed down. ¡°Congratulations, Arthur Varen. You have passed the trials.¡±