《The Pathfinders: Eternal Voyages》


 The Beginning

    <h2></h2>


    The things that you cherish the most are the first to go....


    Humans aren''t the sort of creature that have a short life span, even with unhealthily and unfavorable conditions, a human is still built to live and last for at least ten years.


    So when we lose something we cherish, we can usually find something new pretty quickly. But some people aren''t so lucky to find those cherished things. And I''m one of those guys.


    But...


    Just when I started to think my life was looking up and I found a reason to get up in the morning, I had to go and get stabbed.


    As if this were some sort of cliched novel, I left my house for a date just to get stabbed by some deranged lunatic! I mean, he didn''t even stop to register what he did! He just kept going, running away like a damn madman.


    And now...everything is getting to be so cold. Ah...Just when I started to have fun...Damn...It''s cold...


    * TAP *


    <h2>CHAPTER 1</h2>


    "Damn...Such a basic isekai. I mean- the protagonist is always getting stabbed in the prologue...where''s the nuance?!"


    The loud and boisterous boy threw himself back in his chair, nearly falling back but catching himself just before his chair fully tipped over.


    A few of his classmates looked over at him and chuckled, loving the enthusiasm.


    "That''s just how that kind of thing goes, Haruo. You can''t really expect authors to want to do something different if that already sells."


    A more calm and quiet voice said, directly address the loud Haruo.


    "But that sucks man! It''s like all these weebtoons are just tailored to be copy and paste stories!!"


    "Then stop reading them..."


    Weebtoons were a kind of digital comic story that swiftly became popular with the youth. Everyone was reading at least one. The genres were simple and the plots all seemed similar as if they were mass-produced. There were some gems in the crowd but you''d usually have to fish for those.


    * SLIDE *


    The door to the classroom opened, a slight thud sounding out when the sliding door hit the frame.


    Through the recently opened door were two very popular kids, considered "idols" to the school.


    First it was the tall, slender, elegant, and rather charming Hikari Takumi, the kind of guy that the girls always fawn over. He always had a way with words and managed to make others feel kind of empowered through them.


    And just behind was the other "idol", Kurogane Ryota, a towering athlete with muscles that made you question if he was even really a junior in high school. He used to be seen as a sort of "delinquent" back when they were all freshmen but when the new wave of freshman came in that year, he was regarded as the cool and rugged senpai by the younger guys.


    "Hey-"


    Just as Takumi began to talk, he had been immediately cut off-


    "Taku-chan, don''t you agree?!"


    Haruo had swiftly shoved his phone toward Hikari, or as he called him, ''Taku-chan'', and asked for his opinion on the matter.


    And while Takumi was bombarded, Ryota walked past the two, straight toward the quiet and rather bored looking guy, slouching forward in his chair.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    "Sora, class is startin'' soon, right? Are we gonna be gettin'' borin'' ass Byakuya-san?"


    "Yeah...And considering what he said last time...he wants us to start learning quadratic functions...It''s a big pain having to learn something so complicated."


    Sora sighed, his body slouching forward more until he actually laid his head down completely against the desk he sat at.


    "Yes yes- Haruo-kun, weebtoons are so simple, I know..."


    Takumi waved his hands in front of his face in an attempt to not only push Haruo and his phone back a bit but to also dismiss and separate himself from the matter of the weebtoon entirely.


    Once Haruo finally let him pass by, a few words began to come from their classmates.


    *"Akahoshi-san is really passionate huh...While Yumeji-san somehow puts up with it."*


    And that wasn''t really too far off. Akahoshi Haruo had been the life of every party he ever went to in the sense that he wouldn''t be able to put a damper on his loud personality even if he wanted to.


    And Yumeji Sora was often called the drifting cloud of the classroom, just going along with everything.


    But despite their personalities being so different, they meshed together quite well.


    "Though, I think it''s quite interesting, y''know."


    "Waddya mean, Takumi?"


    Ryota asked with a bit of a turn toward him.


    "Reincarnation! Those isekai weebtoons always have the protagonist reincarnate into a super cool fantasy world, right? Isn''t that kind of cool?"


    Takumi sat down at his seat, just next to Sora''s, and continued.


    "I think it would be fun to have powers like that."


    "Don''t those sorts of stories usually have like- cheat powers or something...?"


    Sora asked as he raised his head, propping it up on his hand while his arm rested on the desktop.


    "Yeah, they''ve always got super busted powers! But the best kinds of guys always start as adventurers and climb the ranks!"


    Haruo exclaimed and sat down in front of Takumi, fully turning around in his seat to hang on the back of it.


    "Nah, the real badasses are the Demon King guys. They''ve got hella aura."


    Ryota spoke as he pulled his seat out and sat down with a bit of gusto, leaning back and propping up his legs on the desk.


    "Well for me the cushy prince life is what would do it for me. I''d get to live a life of luxury...Who cares about the powers at that point, right?"


    "Haha, you''re definitely that kind of guy, Sora. But for me, I''d rather be the Hero! I mean, you''d get to have the strongest powers AND you get to save the world. Isn''t that every kid''s dream? Especially if you watched Super Ultra Sentai."


    They all joked around with their preferred role in an isekai world, coming up with their own reasoning.


    The four boys were something of a quartet, always seen together for the most part. Though, it wasn''t always like that. Back when it was their freshman year, they had all seemed rather hostile in a way.


    It was even to the point that other students called those that respected and adored them the ''four factions''. People seemed to really like to sit in the background and make jokes about just how different they were.


    Takumi was considered the goody two-shoes that didn''t have a shred of rebel in him. That gained him points with the girls and the moral compasses. And that made him a direct target of Ryota''s inability to keep his mouth shut.


    Often students would get dragged into their spouts, forced to separate them. But now, whenever they''re around, people can''t help but smile at the progress.


    Some girls even fawn at the idea of them being a gay couple.


    While the class went about their morning, some girls fixing up their makeup, some guys still playing on their handhelds, and the four students in the front still laughing about their preferred isekai tropes-


    A bespectacled man with slicked black hair walked to the front podium and rested his books down, immediately beginning to speak about formulas. It was as if he had no time to waste at all to start the lesson.


    Originally guys like Ryota would''ve been told to put his feet down and pay attention but with how intimidating Ryota''s piercing glare was and his striking tattoos on his arms, peeking out from under his uncuffed sleeves, the teacher simply ignored it.


    And with Ryota right in front of Sora, he had the opportunity to do his favorite thing during that class. Sleep.


    Haruo was far too ditzy and out of it to keep up and so he slipped right into a boredom induced slumber.


    But the most surprising thing to happen during that class happened just after Haruo had nodded off. Despite his usually amazing class participation, Takumi laid his head down on the desk after noticing his friends had started sleeping themselves.


    "You guys are too much..."


    He softly said before falling asleep himself.


    The teacher had noticed all four of them had fallen asleep and with a few attempts at it, he tried waking Haruo up. To no one''s surprise it didn''t work. And he hadn''t even tried Ryota or Sora, knowing they would never wake up until the bell rang.


    But he made a few spirited attempts at waking Takumi up, hoping at least one of the four would learn the work so that he wouldn''t have to deal with any extra tutoring. However, despite all the calling of his name from both the teacher and the student behind him, Takumi just wouldn''t wake up.


    And eventually, the teacher gave up.


    Just as the teacher had given up trying to get them awake, a light began to faintly come from Haruo''s neck. Just at the nape, a mark began to form, giving off a strong golden glow. It was as if his neck had been branded.


    Ryota began to glow as well but not in the same way.


    The bits of his tattoos peeking from under his uniform started to glow, leaving one to assume the rest were also glowing that same bright color. However, despite this, there was no movement from him at all.


    Sora too started to glow, his fingertips taking on that same color, soon his palms being completely enveloped in the golden glow.


    And Takumi soon followed, his pale blue hair starting to turn into a strong golden glow, his hair even lifting a bit as if some sort of invisible force acted upon it.


    Each of their glowing parts had started up at nearly the same time, causing the teacher and students to all gasp in surprise and genuine curiosity for what had been happening to all four of them.


    However, before the teacher could call their names to get them awake, they vanished into thin air. Nothing being left behind at all. As if they hadn''t even existed. They were gone.


    Completely gone.


    The teacher adjusted his glasses and with a soft-


    "What was I saying?"


    Continued teaching as if nothing had happened.


    CHAPTER 1 END

 Newborn

    <h2>CHAPTER 2</h2>


    It''s warm. I can feel myself moving, but I''m not going anywhere. It''s...cramped. I can open my eyes yet see...nothing. Though, even in this warm darkness and tight restriction, my body still moves. My arms spread out, my body contracts, and my head squeezes through. As if guided by a mysterious force that acts beyond my will, I fall. My arms flare out, my physical stature so tiny that all movement is tight and foreign, and any attempt at "catching" myself is reduced to a futile struggle.


    * THUD *


    That...didn''t hurt. Though I felt my body crash against what I could only presume to be the ground, I hadn''t been hurt. However, the blinding light that forced my eyes shut had been quite damaging. Though, of course, it was only a matter of time before my eyes adjusted. My pulsating and slick thick and wet fluid body lifted and my eyes began to open. And in front of me, it was a horrid sight.


    It had been a woman. She had red skin with marks of deep blue appearing in spots along her collarbone and neck. Her eyes were shut with tears seeping from them as if she had been crying for so long without ever having wiped the tears. Resting upon her small head had been white tufts of hair, in some parts ratty and rough yet still, elegant in an undefinable manner. The hair stretched down her neck yet hadn''t been long enough to reach her back. With such dirty hair and bruised skin, you could assume she had lived quite a rough life. And her tattered and ripped clothes didn''t do her any favors in changing that perception.


    However, what struck me hardest was not her red skin, not her bruised blue patches, and not even her ratty appearance. No, what stood out most was the fleshy cord that stretched from under her dress...and right to my belly. Reasoning and logic had not formed within me yet, however, as if it were a simple instinctual response, I knew this woman had been my mother.


    And the wet fluid that coated my body...had been her blood.


    Not long after realizing that my mother had been dying before me without truly comprehending the concept of "death", I acted as if off a simple internal instinct. My body was small, yet, it was for some reason bigger than what I "remembered". But what did I remember? What did I originally assume newborns should look like?  And why did I for some reason "know" what a newborn was?


    Questions I didn''t have time to answer or get answered swirled around inside me. I''d die if I didn''t find shelter. No matter how big and capable I had been, I was still fresh out of the womb. Tch...such a pain in the ass.


    "Pain in the ass"? Why did I think that sort of thing? Just as I thought that any potential answers slipped away.


    Tugging along the cord that connected me to my unconscious mother, I managed to pull along her weight. It was a miracle honestly...I mean, to produce such strength in these tiny little arms? If only I still had my muscles...But even without them, the power I was able to produce was enough to drag my mother behind me deeper into the darkness of where we had been. I strayed away from the light that led to other "people" solely on instinct.


    Everything inside me told me that would not go well.


    Eventually, after what seemed to be truly forever, my small body gave out.  I fell as I lacked the strength to continue pulling and slipped in the blood that dripped from my body. Though, as if a miracle by whatever sort of god blessed me with this horrific situation, I fell in front of a door with a bright light coming from within. And with all the power inside of me, I raised my little fist to bang against the door. The thuds were minimal, barely even recognizable. But they were distinct.


    Distinct enough for someone to come to the door. The door opened and before I could see the insides of the place and have the light wash over me, a shadow was immediately cast upon my body. A tall, muscular, and rather burly man stood over me. With a simple,


    "Huh..?"


    In a gravely, unrefined, and bothered tone, he grunted at me. However, by then, I didn''t have any strength to do anything let alone try and respond with any sort of "coherence." And so, I passed out, covered in blood and still connected to my mother''s womb.


    Hours passed, no, maybe even a full day, I couldn''t truly tell. My body had been lifted, lowered, bathed, clothed, and even fed and changed before I would regain consciousness. However, when I did and I had the strength to lift my body, I found myself in front of a mirror. Sitting in a bed, there I was. And despite still being a newborn, I knew "who" I was. It was there in my own eyes. Before I could even take note of my appearance, my small mouth moved, words forming.


    " Ry...o...ta. Ku...ro...gane. Kurogane. Ryota Kurogane."


    I was Kurogane Ryota. And I was in class, was I not? I mean, I couldn''t remember anything beyond talking with the boys...but...I swear I had been in class. So why...why was I, Ryota Kurogane, sitting in an unknown bed staring at a mirror, looking into the eyes of a...monster?The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    My skin had a pale hint to it but the color was red. My hair was a pale white that barely even gave me a hairline, rough and spiky. The eyes I looked into had black sclera with red pupils, a combination you''d only see in some sort of...fantasy novel. Is that what they were called? My body couldn''t be any bigger than 24...no...26 inches...But even as small as that had been, I was still quite big. And I understood that. Though, my size wasn''t what had me most confused. Not even the red skin. No, it was something right smack dab in the middle of my forehead, something like a stub. However, it was pointed and sharp at the end. Even grazing it with my finger left a bit of a prick.


    A horn. I had a horn growing out of my forehead.


    * CLICK¡ª CREAK *


    Right as I had been still touching the horn, the door opened. Defensively, I jumped from the bed I had been in, my body surprisingly springy and sturdy, landing in a corner of the room, near a window as if I were prepared to dive right out of it.


    "Woah kid, calm down. The fact you can even jump around is impressive."


    The language that had been spoken seemed odd. It was as if it were some sort of Germanic and Latin mixture. However, as I heard the words leave his lips, it was as if they were automatically translated into the language I had been most aware of. Walking in, it was the same man from before my consciousness faded. That burly man. Though, this time I could get a good look at him. He wore simple clothing that suggested a modest lifestyle if not a bit grungy. His skin wasn''t like mine, it was a pale blue and he sported black hair. His eyes were also nothing too special, actually being more similar to the eyes I had been used to seeing.


    What did they look like again?


    "Your mother is resting. She''s lucky- as are you."


    "Now are you going to sit? Or am I going to have to make you?"


    In his hand had been a bowl of sorts with some sort of utensil sticking out of it. Food. That''s what it probably had been. Logic and reasoning again slipped from my mind as I sat down and held my hands out as if demanding the food. I couldn''t see my gaze yet I just knew I had been making quite an aggressive face. However, he complied. He handed me the bowl and immediately, I scarfed it all down. It was a sort of mush, yellow and pasty, and yet, it was delicious.


    The mush coated my tongue with its rich and creamy texture, a flavor only comparable to a sort of porridge that had been properly cooked thoroughly with some semblance of care. It managed to taste iron out of my mouth in one fell swoop. And before I knew it, I had finished the whole bowl.


    Wiping my mouth, I held the bowl up to him, feeling my face unwillingly lessen in tension.


    "Thank...you."


    My own words were in my native language, its name eluding my recollection. However, he seemed to understand. And maybe even be a little surprised. He nodded and took the bowl, scratching the side of his face.


    "Say kid...do you know how old you are?"


    "...No."


    It was the truth to say that, right? While I knew my name had been Ryota Kurogane, given to me when I looked less like a monster, I knew deep within me that I had been "freshly born". I couldn''t even come up with an idea of how that worked and yet, it did.


    His face scrunched up, it was obvious he was coming up with some sort of conclusion. It didn''t particularly matter to me though.


    "Eh...doesn''t matter. You''re young enough to still shit on yourself."


    My face flushed, feeling the heat in my cheeks rise. Damn, this old asshole...


    "Anyway...About your mother...She won''t be waking up for a little bit."


    "But, you''re up now. So you''ll be helping me out¡ª as payment for hosting you two."


    The concept of giving him payment for his hospitality wasn''t foreign to my confused mind. However, I didn''t have any "money" to give him.


    "What do you want?"


    My little voice, foreign and new to me, spoke out. Though, in response, his face showed genuine curiosity.


    "Able to understand what that means huh? I like you. Come on, get up and follow me. Don''t be slow."


    He had fed me and judging from the clothes I had been wearing, he had gone out of pocket to get me clothes that fit. So, I got up promptly. I owed him a little bit, right? Following behind him closely, I nearly clung to his leg. Everything around was still so "fresh" to me. Even with my ability to walk and talk, I still felt like a "baby".


    Maybe he noticed my apprehension and, out of kindness, slowed down. But whatever he did allowed me to grab onto his pants leg and keep up, following behind him as he walked down a pair of stairs, leading me to the floor below where we had been. And despite my willingness to follow, I was still taken aback by what I had seen.


    * CHATTER ¡ª CLANK ¡ª CHATTER *


    There were all sorts of people and every one of them had features that made them drastically different from the typical body types and attributes that I had remembered. Or at least, I thought I remembered. There were also other parts of them that I knew of. Armor, weapons, even alcohol, and good meals. This was some sort of...bar...No, in this sort of setting, it was a tavern. The man that led me down had taken me behind to the back, into the kitchen. Kicking over a stool toward me, he pointed toward it, smirking a bit.


    "You''ll be washing some dishes for me, kid. I''ve been needing a little helper."


    "Dishes? Damn it..."


    For some reason, the idea of sitting around washing dishes after seeing all sorts of interesting things in just the room over had me agitated. It even made me curse. Something I didn''t fully understand but felt was normal. And maybe he thought it was normal too, considering he chuckled hearing me speak.


    "You seem to understand then. I''ve got a place to run so don''t go screwing up."


    My face tightened in agitation yet I stepped up, reading to wash. I did eat his food...


    "If you need help, just call for Ragnor. I''ll get to you when I can. Now get to work, kid."


    Was that his name? ''Ragnor''? It was an interesting one. It was like some sort of medieval knight''s name that came from an underbelly family with no real status. And yet, it had a warm feeling to it¡ª the way he said it anyway.


    "Ok...Ragnor."


    Looking at where the dishes had been, it looked very familiar. A metal object sticking up over a basin of dirty dishes. This was a sink, right? That''s what I had thought at the moment anyway. Reaching forward, my tiny body nearly tipping into the basin, I turned on what could only be a faucet, and just as I had thought, water came out.


    "Water piping..."


    My brain once again began to whirl around. This was all too weird. Most of everything was unfamiliar to me, I could feel it in my very being. And yet, so much felt natural. Even the idea of knowing I had been a newborn felt weird. And yet, it''s natural to know. But why?


    My mind swayed and I constantly thought about it all while my infantile hands scrubbed away at dishes.


    CHAPTER 2 END

 Finally Leaving

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

 The Blacksmiths

    Fantasy worlds are a concept that, in Japan, was considered the peak of fiction for young people and some older audiences. In my case, I had quite the enjoyment for them. While not outwardly being the novel type, I read quite a bit in my free time. And I even had the luxury of having good friends with whom I could share interests.


    They were the best.


    Being transported into a fantasy world was never a dream or goal of mine...But...If I knew I''d be coming to one...I''d want them here with me.


    And now that I''m here, in one, there''s been something I''ve wanted to see myself. Swords. While I''ve been in the tavern, I''ve come across many people who, despite their relaxed demeanor and simple clothing, carry a blade of some sort with them. Be it an axe, a sword, or even a spear. Back in Japan, getting a sword was easy but brandishing and using one was near impossible.


    Well, unless you practiced a sport of some sort.


    Because of my disposition and stature, sports and I didn''t mix, which led me to not ever pick up a sword besides the one time I was shown one in my senior year of Junior High. This time, however, I plan to not only purchase a sword...but also train with it. Something inside me says it''s the right thing to do.


    And that desire has led me to the shopping district. As relatively close as it is to the tavern, having only been born just a few months ago, despite how large I am, I wasn''t too keen on venturing out this far, especially with no coin. But now that I''ve finally made some money, even if it was from an annoying task, I''m confident enough to go out.


    Takoragami was quite advanced. It had roads and even vehicles moving down them. They weren''t cars like in Japan, however, they functioned very similarly. They had large casings that housed small compartments to store people within them, however, unlike cars having a streamlined appearance, the vehicles here in Takoragami were much more grandiose and quite large. It led me to believe they were for the very wealthy to own.


    As I already knew from the tavern, electricity was commonplace, meaning street lights, signs, and other such things that ran on power were quite common to witness. However, the shopping district was much like those that you would read about in fantasy novels. Vendors line the streets and open-air stalls hosting an array of fruits and vegetables for the buying. But I hadn''t walked out for anything like food or simple jewelry. No, I came for something with much more class.


    Right across from a fruit vendor was a brick building with an obvious sword and shield insignia. If anyone had even half a brain, they could tell that it was the designated blacksmithing shop open to the public. It was across the way though and so I began my walk in that direction. The crowded and busy nature of the district makes it hard to get by without bumping into someone but simultaneously easy to blend in and hide my presence. I wasn''t afraid of getting attacked or anything like that, however, my appearance still wasn''t typical.


    My dark eyes and my horn stood out among the crowds of people with rather bland white sclera and no visible horns sticking out of their skulls. I had my hood up, my horn hooking it so it stayed in place while I moved through the crowd. Eventually, with enough rubbing up past people, I made it out of the busy section and around the fruit vendor and the blacksmithing shop. Paying no mind to the fruit, I dipped off in the direction of the blacksmith.


    " Hey! Hey you! "


    Many people were talking and chatting it up in the district so it wasn''t out of the realm of possibility to hear those words among the mixture of babble. However, anyone can tell when such words are directed toward themselves. I paused for a moment, which prompted another call out to me. However, I didn''t want to get caught up¡ªI just wanted to spend my Zen and leave. And so, before another word could leave the vendor who called out to me, I went into the shop, shutting the door behind me swiftly.


    And immediately I was embraced with the scent of iron. It had a very distinct smell, especially in a place chock full of it. Turning around from the door, my eyes were filled with all sorts of armaments. Shields, chest plates of steel armor, spears, and even bows. But most importantly to me, swords. I wasn''t the type to nerd out over swords and the like, however, I knew a thing or two.


    There were shortswords, longswords, and even blades that resembled massive cleavers. Knowing the body types of the common Demon that resided within Takoragami, having such weapons wasn''t outlandish. A fair amount of Demons were large, bulky, and had definite and expressive muscles. It was impressive, to say the least, just how built some Demons were.


    And it seems I, at not even a year old, was approaching that as well.


    Scanning the shop, there was plenty among the shelves and walls, however, there wasn''t a single shopkeeper in sight. No one was at the front desk and not even anyone was tending to the items that lined the shop. It was quite convenient, meaning I didn''t have to show my face to anyone just yet. And as such, I began to peruse the shelves. Some of the blades were quite sharp already, prickly to the touch. Others not so much. The quality varied from sword to axe and axe to spear. However, nothing particularly looked shoddy.


    But...it was all so basic. Simple silver swords and armaments meant to protect you but not provide much more than that. It was surprisingly normal¡ªthough I don''t know what I expected. Armor is armor and swords are swords. There''s no reinventing the wheel with these sorts of things, right?


    Picking up one of the swords that was freely hanging on the wall display, I raised it into the air and brought it down. It was hefty, heavy enough that it lifted some dust particles when I brought it down. It was a simple longsword, nothing too special, however, it certainly left an impression on me. Swinging a sword like this for the first time, even if I was just replicating movements I saw in media, was exhilarating. The weight of the blade, the scent of the metal, and even the pump I felt in my muscles all elicited a response that could only be born in this scenario. All my young fantasies about wielding a blade had come rushing forth and my mind was inundated with countless forms I had seen in anime, manga, and weebtoons I wanted to act out.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    And before long, I was swinging the sword around in the shop, narrowly avoiding the carefully crafted weapons.


    " Hey...Kid. "


    I kept on swinging. My form resembled a certain clad-in-black swordsman from a popular series I once used to read. The way he used his sword-wielding skills to perform symmetrical cuts that seemed to simultaneously appear within the virtual space got my imagination going.


    " ...Kid.... "


    My hands started to grip the sword''s handle tighter, feeling the roughness of the leather wrappings. It was hard to stop, the feeling of the handle digging into my hand and leaving marks as I swung fervently, wanting to unleash all the repressed fantasies.


    " Oi...Stop ignoring me!! "


    Coming to a sharp halt, in the middle of my swing, having worked up a deep sweat, I looked over in the direction of the voice. I hadn''t heard it the first few times but right there at the end, it pierced my ears. My hood had come down from my excessive swinging of the blade and my excited face probably wasn''t too hard to spot.


    I could feel the corners of my mouth turn upward and my heart pounding with exhilaration. Trying to catch my breath while looking for the source of the yelling was difficult. It was the first time I had ever done anything that strained my body and I wanted to do more.


    " Who''s there...? "


    Spoken between gasps for air, I called out.


    " Finally¡ªright here, kid. "


    In the center, there was a display case. It was so expensive looking that I naturally avoided it, especially during my little fun. I didn''t want to accidentally knock it over and cause any problems. And what was inside was so extravagant looking that I didn''t look at it for any longer than a passing glance. I knew for a fact I couldn''t afford that kind of thing.


    Besides, it was just a...dagger.


    It had a special design, sure, with its red and black markings and the curved blade that had a glowing ridge upon it. Not to mention the handle that seemed to call for your hand. It had perfect grooves in it as if it was made exactly to a specific hand that was built to wield it.


    And the voice that I had heard...was coming from the dagger.


    How did I know? Well, any child could tell that a voice had to come from something, right? And if there wasn''t another person in sight and the voice still originated from the direction of the obvious centerpiece, then, well...That centerpiece is what made the sound.


    Though, maybe that line of logic only works on someone so used to plot conveniences from fiction...


    " A talking dagger? "


    " Ah- you''re quick to catch on. Not as much of a dullard as I thought. "


    " Dullard? I''ve heard of dagger-dick but never a dagger that''s a dick. "


    " Though I am curious, you can hear me. "


    ''Huh? The dagger called to me without even being sure I could hear it or something?''


    Immediately my mind found it hard to believe. Was the dagger constantly calling out to people in the hopes of finding someone who could hear it? And if it was, how many people did hear it but decided to ignore it because they attributed it to their imagination?


    " Well...yeah. If I''m responding to you¡ªI can hear you. "


    " Right...Well, come on, get closer. Let me get a good look at you! "


    Having no intention of simply turning away from it, as it was far too interesting to do so, I approached. Close enough to raise my hand and put it near the glass the dagger resided in.


    It was a beautiful piece of equipment. And the blade was much longer than I initially took it for in my passing glance. It wasn''t as long as a shortsword but definitely not the average length of a dagger, right? My knowledge of swords was limited but even I knew it was beyond the average length.


    " You''ve got a sturdy body. "


    " So the dagger says...But hey, I''ve got a question for you. "


    " Then ask it, no need to be shy. "


    " How are you talking? I mean- is it...magic? "


    Right as I had finished asking my question before the dagger could even reply, I heard the sound of a door clicking before swinging open. Right from the back, someone had come out.


    " Hmm...Hey. "


    A hand came down onto my shoulder, shocking me enough to look up. I heard the door but I was so locked in on the dagger, I didn''t fully register it. I turned slightly to look up at the person touching me. It was a woman. She was wearing the traditional looking blacksmith attire, black overalls sort of deal with an off-white shirt, obviously stained from all kinds of materials from her work. Her golden hair that complimented her soft white skin was put up in a bun, goggles resting upon her forehead. She had already gotten so close but for some reason, I didn''t take my eyes up from the dagger when I had first heard the door. It was as if I was stuck there, staring at it.


    My eyes turned up, looking directly into her eyes. And in that same moment, I felt odd.


    Her eyes were just like mine. She had black sclera and piercing blue eyes that seemed to even glow a bit. For a moment, I felt validated. As though, finally, I could get some idea of an explanation for what I had become.


    " What''s a young Oni doing here? "


    " Oni? "


    It looked as though my confusion had made her perplexed as well.


    " Yeah, Oni. That is what you are, right? "


    I didn''t know how to respond. I knew about Demons, the race that lived within Takoragami, but I didn''t know much more than that. I was still extremely new to this world and its inhabitants. She looked at me for one second and immediately deduced I was an Oni...So...does that mean she''s one?


    " Then are you an Oni too? "


    " No, of course not. How could I be? I don''t even have a horn, see? "


    ''So it was the horn.''


    The horn had tipped her off to what I had been. That meant all Oni must''ve had a horn or something of the like. However, when she had said that, she looked at me deeper, this time I could tell she was looking at my eyes.


    " Oh...black and red? Then you must be a Demon too¡ªa hybrid. You''re lucky to be here, y''know. "


    " What do you mean, ''hybrid''? "


    " Your parents never told you? Well, considering your nature...maybe... "


    " Hey! Why am I being ignored?! "


    So quickly I had gotten a bunch of answers as to what I was. But with those answers, I had only developed more questions. But before I could ask anything and right as she had begun to fall into thought, probably from the fact I had just been revealed to be a hybrid, the dagger had yelled again. It made me snap my head in its direction, grimacing slightly. It was a loud weapon and it was the second time it had yelled in my ear.


    " Pipe down, will you? "


    " Wait, you can hear it? "


    Immediately the blacksmith had asked me about my ability to hear the dagger. I nodded. She put a hand to her chin and glanced over to my hand gracing the glass. She smirked a bit and lowered her hand, asking for a handshake.


    " I''m Anna. How would you feel about taking that pesky spirit weapon off my hands? "


    I looked at her hand and then at the obviously expensive weapon. And then right back to her.


    " What? "


    CHAPTER 4 END

 An Explanation

    " It''s simple, I''ll give you that weapon, free of charge. "


    Anna, the woman who was seemingly the owner or lead blacksmith of the establishment, held her hand down to me.


    Already so much was happening and it was taking me a bit to wrap my head around it. First off, she had just revealed to me I am sort of a hybrid mixture of Demon and Oni. That in and of itself was news to me. There was no library, loose books, or anything else I could use to get more information about the races of this world and so I hadn''t even known Oni were a thing.


    Of course, I knew about Demons since they were so commonplace in the Tavern, but Oni huh...


    Then past that, I''m being offered a weapon that is capable of talking? She referred to it as a "spirit weapon", which I assume means it has a soul inside of it. That makes it a living weapon, right?


    " Wait a minute¡ªHold on! You''re not making any sense here. "


    " I second what the kid says, I''m not getting handed off to some brat. "


    " What was that, you slab of metal? "


    Turning to the dagger that dared to refer to me as some brat, it wasn''t too long into the glaring before Anna put her hand between me and the dagger and spoke up.


    " Fine fine, I''ll clear all the confusion up with this. Go ahead and open the case. Grab ''em. "


    " ''Grab ''em?'' You mean the dagger? "


    " What else could I mean? "


    I turned to look at the dagger inside the display case. There was an easy way to open it, you could even see the seam if you looked hard enough. But I didn''t want to get too close to it just yet. As cool as it looked, it was still a weapon that was way out of my budget.


    And it talked.


    " And how do I know you won''t scam me into buying it? "


    " If I wanted to scam you, I would''ve charged you for swinging around my sword without purchase. "


    I gulped. Back in Japan, it was fine to test out some merchandise before buying it...but...here it may be different. I can''t contest that. I steeled myself for a bad reaction and approached. The dagger was completely silent. Why? It didn''t speak up at all despite just earlier saying it didn''t want to end up with me.


    I pressed my hands against the glass case, opening it up with a clack and a click. The seam split and the top opened, the dagger''s handle available for me to grab. And I reached for it.


    My fingers wrapped around the slender black handle, it was smooth but had this gripping feeling to it that made it near impossible for it to slip, even as I lightly held onto it to draw it out. The glass acted like some sort of sheath, preventing it from coming out swiftly, instead sliding against it. However, once I got the tip of the blade up and out of it, I felt this rush. It was just like when I held that sword from before. My mind was clouded.


    * SWISH¡ªSLICE *


    My arms were carried off with vigor and the cuts I made upon the air were deliberate. My entire body was filled with overwhelming energy and power, making me feel as though I could do anything¡ªcut anything. I tossed the blade up in the air and jumped for it. My lunge carried me up into the air and I witnessed an explosive growth in my reaction speeds. Glowing slashes came from the blade as I cut against the air with vicious intent. I hadn''t even landed yet and I managed to create over 20 arcs in the air with the blade.


    And once I touched down to the floor, I paused. Looking at my hand, the blade seemingly looked back into me. I don''t know why I was able to move like that...But something came over me. Something was welling up deep in the pit of my chest...And it only left my body when I struck the air.


    " I''m Utanna. "


    " Raksha, that''s my name. "


    I felt something new forming.


    " You two are getting along, huh? Good! Now you get why I''m giving it to you, yeah? "


    " ...If you''re giving it away for free...Then I''ll take it. "


    " I was against it before but this kid''s got something special. And I want to see where it goes, for now anyway. "


    I had originally come around expecting to buy a simple straight sword and leave without any more money to work with. But now I''ll be leaving with a living dagger named Utanna. But...Something wasn''t clicking.


    " Anna, you spoke like you knew I''d be able to wield Utanna before I even picked it up. Why''s that? "Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    She stopped smiling for a moment and looked at me seriously. She then sighed and closed her eyes, shrugging.


    " You really are in the dark¡­Come with me. "


    She turned and walked back toward the door she had come from before. She opened it and waited for me to walk by. I didn''t know the woman from a hole in the wall but she had already given me a weapon that far outclassed any of the others I had seen in the shop. And now, she was willing to give me some answers.


    So I walked forward.


    Once I moved past her, she closed the door behind us and took to the front, following behind her I could begin to hear the sound of metal banging against metal. This truly was a blacksmith''s shop. However, it was all behind doors to the side, the corridor we walked down led to a back room. Once she had opened up and led me inside, I immediately recognized the office decor. She pointed to the seat in front of the desk that sat by the window and went around, sitting in the big chair behind it.


    " I''m assuming you don''t know the whole truth about your race, do you? "


    " No...I''m lost. "


    " Then I''ll start from the beginning. This continent is split into three domains. The ''Human Territory'', the ''Arcane Territory'', and...the ''Demon Territory''. Many beings and species are living in each of these territories and within the Demon Territory reside the Demonic races. "


    " Demonic races? Like Demons? "


    " Of course. But there are many others. Goblins, Lizardmen, Orcs, and Oni. Goblins and Lizardmen are rather reclusive and Orcs are barbaric...But Oni...They''re special. "


    She shifted in her seat, leaning down and grabbing something. I simply watched, waiting for her to continue on these "Oni".


    She brought her hand up and then down onto the desk, placing down a horn. Any sort of relaxed air chilled. She postured herself more forward, folding her hands up on the desk. The woman Anna looked dead into my eyes.


    " The Oni have such strong life energy, life energy called ''Vitality'', that they are feared. So much so that some are hunted and their horns taken as a badge of honor. The potential for war and combat they have is far beyond any other race in the whole continent. Such strong life energy makes them unsuitable for any sort of mixed race. The non-Oni mothers are incapable of providing enough nutrients to the mixed fetus. And the fathers don''t have the vitality strong enough to fertilize the eggs of an Oni. "


    My mother was not an Oni. She didn''t have a horn. My eyes widened and I thought for a moment. I had been brought here via reincarnation, right? Does that mean...whoever was in this body before I came around, had died inside...and I was reborn?


    And to that end, just how much did my mother suffer?


    " Raksha you are a Demon and Oni combination. And it doesn''t end there. You''re no normal Demon either. "


    " ...What...? "


    Already reeling from the revolution that my birth alone wasn''t even biologically sound...I was then confronted with this.


    " Demons are a race that can wield both potent life energy called ''Vitality'' and a warrior''s energy called ''Aura''. Aura can typically only be used by the races of Humanity, those that dwell within the Human Territory. While Vitality can only be utilized by those of a Demonic nature. However, Demons have roots in Humanity and therefore have the blood to use Aura. Though, it''s weak, far weaker than the natural aptitude we hold for Vitality. But you? You''re filled to the brim with Vitality, that much is certainly true. However, your eyes indicate that the sheer amount of aura within you is producing physical changes. "


    All at once I''m filled with more and more knowledge that I wasn''t able to acquire anywhere else. Vitality, life energy demons can wield...And Aura, just like in so many fantasy stories, seems to be the energy swordmasters use to gain more power. It must''ve been that sort of Aura, right?


    And here I am being told I wield both this Vitality and Aura in such high quantities it''s changing me? Then...that''s the explanation for my eyes...


    " You''re a Demon of Noble blood that has the blood of the Oni coursing through your veins. "


    " You''re an anomaly, kid. It''s why you''ve got such talent with the sword with such obvious amateur tendencies. Your blood rules you. You''re a being made for war and born with a talent for the sword. "


    Utanna interjected at the end. I suppose the dagger would know best about any sort of natural sword skills I used considering I was wielding it. Though, listening to both Anna and Utanna speak, I couldn''t help but feel overwhelmed. All at once I was told these things that made no sense to my natural common reasoning. I tightened my grip around Utanna, looking into it and back at my reflection. I stared into my dark eyes and then looked up into Anna''s.


    " So you''re just like me¡ªa noble Demon, right? "


    " Yeah. "


    It took me a moment, a while to wrap my head around it. That energy I felt welling up inside of my body when I grabbed onto Utanna, was that Vitality? Or was that Aura?


    " Then tell me...I''ve been experiencing pain, sharp and searing pain in my arms and legs, so much so I wear pain inhibitors. "


    I raised my free hand that wasn''t holding Utanna, showing off the ring that cuffed my wrist.


    " Ah, of course...You''re rapidly growing, that''s why. The vitality within you is far too much to contain within the small body of a Demon. So you''re growing, adapting. The Oni are a war race. With such blood deep within you, your body will grow to adapt to whatever hardships you face. Even if that includes a frail body. If I were you...I''d take those off and let it happen. The sooner you suffer it, the sooner you''ll come into your own. "


    Looking at the cuffs, I thought about it. Now I finally understood what I was. What I had come to this world as. Almost as if on autopilot, I set Utanna down and began to unhook the band around my left wrist. It clicked open and almost immediately, raging pain shot up my arm. I could feel it all at once, the pain coursing, surging.


    " Kid! I''ve got an idea! "


    Just a moment after watching me nearly collapse to the ground from the pain of unhooking just one of the clasps, Utanna called to me.


    " Grab onto me. Your body''s expanding with Vitality and Aura all at once¡ªI can see it! Take hold! "


    Without even thinking about it, I listened. I snatched Utanna off the desk, feeling the surge come again. Pain shot up from my arm but relief flowed from my chest. It came from my right side...The side I held Utanna in. I could feel a battle raging within me. This was Vitality and Aura all at once within me. The pain at first was unbearable...But now...the pain was beginning to turn into invigorating energy.


    Before long, I closed my eyes, almost instinctively. I focused on the feeling welling up in my chest. It felt like two waves, two forces meeting in the middle. When I felt more pain, my left side took over the right. And when I was relieved, the two sides were just about in the middle, a mixture being created. I focused heavily, sounds blocking out from all around me.


    " Good work, Utanna. I leave him in your hands. "


    " ...This kid...he truly is special... "


    I slowly opened my eyes, and the sound came back to my ears. The pain was still there but...I could think. Looking up to Anna, I felt much better. These two...


    " Thank you, Anna. "


    It had always been...hard for me to show gratitude with words. Saying thank you was just too chummy. But...in this case, there was nothing else I could say. I was being given a way out of this unbearable pain...And I had been given not only a weapon but something far more valuable, information.


    " And you, Utanna. Thank you too. "


    I spoke down to Utanna, the blade that helped me get a grip. It seems like I won''t be alone in this.


    " Don''t thank me yet. You still have yet to truly balance both the Vitality and Aura within you. While your pain stems from the Vitality forcing the growth of your body, the Aura within you in the right quantities can calm the raging storm and provide a more gradual growth. Until you master properly using both Vitality and Aura all at once, you won''t be free of this pain. "


    " Right... "


    I got a bit serious within myself. I now had something of a goal. For the past few months, I was simply operating and listening to whatever Ragnor and my mother asked of me. Working at the Tavern, doing chores. All boring tasks that I felt obligated to do since...I had nothing else.


    But now...I know what I''ve got to do. To live a life without this pain, I''ve got to master my Vitality and Aura. And...to do that, I''ll need Utanna to teach me some things.


    Anna shifted and looked at me, smiling a bit now. Maybe she expected my response to all of this. But whatever the case, she seemed to be something of a reliable ally in this.


    " I''ll be in your care, partner. "


    I spoke to Utanna again, looking down at it earnestly. My own face reflected in its black blade but for a moment I could imagine a featureless face smiling right back at me.


    " Sure then, kid. "


    CHAPTER 5 END

 A Breakthrough Advancement

    " Go home and get some rest! Come back tomorrow and we can begin. "


    Sent out of the shop with those words, I closed the shop''s door behind me before turning back around. And right there waiting for me had been that same vendor from before¡ªagain calling out to me.


    " Hey, kiddo! I see you''re done with your business! "


    Before he could get another word out, I made a sharp turn, wanting to head home already.


    " Oh come on, Oni-boy. I''ve got something that''ll interest you. "


    His words were laced with a certain kind of venom that gripped you. Curiosity began to take hold of my actions and I turned slightly in his direction. As I did, I felt a rattle at my back, right where Utanna had been hilted.


    " Be careful. "


    That was all it said before I turned around a bit more, looking toward him.


    " What is it? Make it quick. "


    " Now I''ve got your attention¡ªI''ve got something you Oni seem to love. "


    " And tell me...what would that happen to be, huh? "


    If I played it all off as if I already knew what he had been talking about, I could get him to reveal whatever it was easily. Of course, I didn''t have a clue what he could be referring to. After all, I had only just learned of my heritage as an Oni to begin with.


    " Nothing too special...Just an ''Evolution Core'' "


    ''Evolution core...?''


    My thoughts began to pick up speed. What was that? However, before I could waste any more time on it¡ªUtanna was quick to speak up.


    " Listen, kid, if he''s telling the truth...it may be in your best interest to get that core. "


    " What is it? "


    I had to speak under my breath, speaking so low it wasn''t even a whisper. Just barely intelligible mumbling.


    " It''s taken from monster-beasts. Creatures that are born from residual negative emotions, things you really wouldn''t want to get caught weaponless by. "


    " Right... "


    It seems Utanna hears me just fine.


    " The Evolution Cores inside of them, when exposed to enough of whatever emotion birthed them...be it fear, anger, or even sadness from whoever they''re fighting or surrounded by, cause them to evolve, become far stronger, and much meaner. Those cores allow Demonic beings to severely strengthen their Vitality. "


    I had begun to understand. If an Oni like myself, someone who would one day thrive from Vitality usage, was to get an early start...


    " What do you want for it? I can''t imagine it''s free. "


    After processing that information, I inquired.


    " I knew you''d bite. It''s simple, I need you to kill something for me. I saw you coming out of that blacksmith''s and I see you''ve got yourself a little knife. You aren''t too old...but you''re still an Oni. "


    " Little knife... "


    Utanna grumbled but I placed my hand over the sheath as if trying to silence it.


    " Kill what, exactly? I won''t do anything with half-assed details. "


    " A monster-beast. It''s been a real pain in my backside constantly destroying my supplies. It''s just off the main road leading into the city. Kill it and bring back some proof...and the core...is yours. "


    I didn''t know how rare a core was...Nor did I have any way of measuring just how strong this monster-beast could be. However, almost as if just upon hearing the mention of a battle, a smile crept up on my face. I could feel the edges of my mouth tilting upward, a gnarly grin probably resting upon my visage.


    I looked at the vendor and nodded slightly.


    " I''ll do it. But if you try to weasel out of giving me the core... "


    I gripped the hilt of Utanna, slowly pulling the blade out.


    " Woah woah woah! Cool your jets, kiddo! Wouldn''t dream of it! "


    He backed up, sweating profusely as he reached into his back pocket, pulling out an orb that began to glow when the sun hit it. That must''ve been the core. Good to know.


    I turned away from him and continued my walk, pulling my hood more. I kept my eyes lower, now knowing the true meaning of them. Just like before, I moved through the crowd with ease and finesse, easily popping right out the other end and dipping into the alleyway that led to the tavern.


    It wasn''t that long of a day...but...I was beginning to feel quite winded after all that information being dumped onto my head. Not to mention the sudden request for a monster-beast subjugation.


    Opening the door to the tavern and walking in felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I could relax a bit more. However, right as I walked in, I was greeted with the chest of my doting mother, latching onto my face as she used all her might to squeeze me as close as possible, beginning to suffocate me.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    " Oh, where have you been?! "


    " M-mother...Get...off me! "


    I struggled to push her back, her strength was overwhelming at times like these. Though, once she latched onto me I realized why.


    " Aura...? "


    Suddenly she stopped gripping onto me. She stepped back for a moment, her hands now holding onto my shoulders as she looked at me. Her eyes were a bit wide, looking into my dark pupils.


    " What did you say...? "


    " I said alright! Like¡ªenough grabbing! "


    I immediately could tell something was up. My mother had never told me anything about myself and I had never heard the word before at all. It must''ve been a shock to her that I knew what it was. I didn''t want to worry her or have her stick her nose in anything so I quickly broke free from her hold by ducking under her and dashing toward the stairs in the back.


    " I-I''m tired, mother! Gonna get some rest! "


    She looked at me with some concern but I couldn''t see her anymore once I bolted up the stairs. Though, I stopped just out of sight and listened for a moment. A few people in the tavern teased my mother, suggesting it was time to let her "little boy" grow up a bit.


    I didn''t feel like listening to them anymore so I went and retreated to my room, making sure to duck below Ragnor''s view in case he had been in his office. Once I made it to my room, I swiftly shut and locked the door, letting a sigh of relief drop from my mouth.


    " What a hassle... "


    " Your mother sure is doting. "


    " Tell me about it. "


    After exchanging a few words with Utanna, I grabbed it from my holster, set it down on the bed, and sat in front of it, thinking now.


    " Hey, kid, about that monster-beast..."


    " Yeah? "


    " I should let you know it''s illegal to hunt them without a permit. "


    What?!


    " Now you tell me?! "


    How did Utanna even know something like that?


    " I knew if I told you before you''d react like that. "


    " Well, too late to say sike now... "


    " Exactly. You''ll just have to sneak out tonight and get it over with. "


    " Yeah...tonight. "


    ''Yeah...tonight. Wait. Tonight?!''


    Utanna wanted me to sneak out of the tavern, head outside the city, kill a monster, and be back before anyone catches on in one night.


    " Impossible. Even if I made it out of the tavern, how would I get out of the city? I''ve never even been more than 20 minutes away from the tavern¡ªlet alone outside the entire city! "


    For a moment there was silence between us both. At first, I thought it was Utanna realizing just how foolish its plan was.


    " I didn''t want to go ahead and further your training since we just started...but you need that core. "


    " What''re you talking about? "


    It seems I was far too optimistic. Damn.


    " There''s a skill you could learn. Luckily you have a high affinity for Vitality. Otherwise, I wouldn''t dream of teaching you this so soon. Doing this wrong could have adverse effects¡­"


    " Enough with drawing it out! Out with it already¡ªwhat''s the skill do? "


    " I''ll have to explain from the beginning how Vitality works to explain the skill itself. I expect you to clean out your ears and listen, kid. "


    I hated having this sort of exposition dumped on me. But...there wasn''t any helping it if I didn''t know a thing.


    " Vitality has a sort of universal system: Emotion equates to Power. When a Demonic being unleashes their Vitality, a specific emotion they feel most often is brought to the surface and their Vitality will engulf them. Now, there are those with the ability to produce an elemental or mystical effect from their Vitality with enough training. "


    " So...what is it you want me to do with mine? "


    " You''re going to not only draw out your Vitality in one go, but you''re also going to use a special stealth skill known as: ''Void Step''. "


    " ¡­''Void Step''...? What''s that? "


    It sounded like some sort of movement skill, the context clues coming from the step in the name told me that. But I still couldn''t get a grasp on what it did.


    " It''s a skill made to erase your emotions. And by erasing your emotions while still enveloping yourself in Vitality, your presence will be extremely hard to perceive for anyone not familiar with it. Even your footsteps will lose their sound. "


    That sort of ability sounded like something straight out of some sort of fantasy novel. Though, I would suppose my whole new life is something right out of a novel. I thought about the logistics of how it worked or how it was developed and for a moment, I felt like I was getting somewhere.


    " There''s no point in reading too much into it. There are all sorts of mystical effects Vitality can bring about. It''s a power of the ''Underworld''. Not even I know the full extent of it. "


    Underworld? I was a bit agitated that it wouldn''t let me think on it for any longer but it made sense. Especially considering¡­But I had no time to waste. I grumbled as I thought about the fact that I''d have to forcefully use Vitality, the same thing that caused raging pain to fill my entire body at times.


    I grabbed at the cuff on my left wrist and immediately unhooked it. It wasn''t long before I did it with the right wrist and both ankles.


    " Hey! Let me finish! "


    " No point. I have to do it either way to use the skill, don''t I? "


    Utanna stopped talking, letting me continue.


    I had done it so fast with the intention of not giving myself time to begin to feel the pain. Though, it was unusual that I didn''t feel it right away anyway.


    " Usually I''d feel it right about no- "


    In the middle of my sentence, a surge of pain went through me. It caused me to hunch over, almost falling to the ground. I clutched at my chest, the pain welling up in my heart. I looked up toward Utanna, feeling my brain seemingly split in two. My hand inched forward toward the dagger, wanting to hold it to alleviate the pain. However, I halted.


    " That''s right, Raksha. If you want to use this skill¡ªyou''ll have to endure. Think only about one emotion. One you resonate with strongly. "


    But that was easier said than done, was all I could think. Flashes of instances from my previous life came about in an attempt to hone in on any emotions I''ve felt before. And almost immediately, I was assaulted with the frustration I felt when I grew to be much bigger than my classmates in grade school. The anger I bottled up when I was kicked off my middle school basketball team for fighting even though it wasn''t even my fault. And the rage I couldn''t help but harbor toward teachers who looked at me like some sort of delinquent...


    And this horrific pain...welling up inside of me showing no signs of stopping...


    All this anger...


    It created a reaction within me that reflected out onto my surroundings. A flaming aura of red came bursting from within, sending shockwaves out toward everything in my room. A shelf had been knocked over, my desk slammed into the wall, and my bed''s blanket would have flown right off if not for Utanna sitting atop it, weighing it down.


    My fists clenched. I was still in so much pain. And now I was pissed. Angrier than I had ever been in my entire life. I wanted to take it out on anyone, it didn''t matter who!


    I stepped forward, a crack appearing in the floorboards beneath me. I reached for the window I was facing, grabbing at it, threatening to open it. I looked out, staring at people who walked the streets as the sun began to set.


    Something deep and primal within me wanted to rip them apart. Spread their innards across the ground and stomp in it.


    I wanted someone else to feel the same pain I felt!


    " This kid...he''s... "


    I could faintly hear Utanna''s voice behind me. But a stupid dagger wouldn''t help me get rid of this anger. The hatred I felt toward the world and everyone in it could only be expelled by tearing them all to shreds.


    " Kid- no, Raksha! The only way you''ll get rid of that pain¡ªthat anger...is if you look inside yourself! Think about only what allowed you to look past that anger! If you don''t, you''ll destroy everything around you! And you''ll never learn Void Step! "


    Inside myself? What was there about me to look at? I was a rough bastard¡ªa delinquent who got into fights and squandered his only passion.


    But...Even so...There were some times I wasn''t so mad...right? And there were people around me who...looked at me fondly. Even though I had been such a bastard sometimes...Yeah...


    Those guys...


    Suddenly, as I thought about each of their faces, a shining glow took over my right arm. A pattern appeared on my arm, shining golden. They were...my old tattoos. Back when I was Ryota Kurogane. As I thought about them and my old name, I suddenly found I wasn''t so angry anymore.


    I had gotten those tattoos because of them. My friends. They were a reminder that even though I was a bastard...I still had people on my side.


    " You''re talented, kid. Way too talented. "


    I heard Utanna now, unlike before when the voice was muffled by the rage. Turning away from the window, I looked at the destruction of my room. It wasn''t ravaged but...certainly a mess. Walking in Utanna''s direction, I immediately noticed something.


    " My footsteps¡ª "


    " That''s right. They''re gone. You already learned how to use Void Step, Raksha. "


    My footsteps being inaudible weren''t the only thing I noticed. My arms felt light, my body felt nimble. And...I wasn''t in pain anymore.


    " By letting out all your Vitality in one violent burst, you reigning in your anger that much allowed you to reach some sort of complete null state. Suffice to say, I''ve never seen anything like it. Whatever you thought of...must''ve been quite calming. "


    I raised my right arm, looking at it. The shining glow began to fade and the markings left once more. And now instead of a red aura surrounding me, it was more of a gray and muted color, almost like a mist surrounding my body.


    " Just some friends of mine. That''s all. "


    " You''re telling me you have friends? "


    " ... "


    It seemed as though Utanna hadn''t seen that glow from before. But even I wasn''t sure what it was in truth...So I didn''t bring it up. After Utanna''s surprisingly sharp comment, I was surprised to find I felt not much of anything. Not even a lick of agitation with the dagger. Was this Void Step? Utanna did say that Vitality brought the emotions to the surface...Void Step must be subduing them. That was my thought process on it.


    " I''m surprised...you''re holding it for that long. "


    I looked toward Utanna, confused.


    " Oh. I guess you wouldn''t know. Vitality skills drain quite a lot of energy. And if you couldn''t tell from the name, Vitality''s like your life energy. Drain too much of it and you''ll begin to feel winded and eventually knock right out. But you? Seems like you''ve got way more than normal. "


    " So what you''re saying is...I''m special? "


    " Yeah. But we already knew that, didn''t we? "


    " Right. "


    I reached toward Utanna, grabbing onto its hilt. I closed my eyes, slowly letting the Aura in Utanna flow into me, causing my Vitality to balance out with Aura once more. This caused the Void Step I had been using to cancel out, the misty aura dissipating.


    " I''ve got until sunset to get a hang of it. Then we head out. "


    " Exactly. And this time I don''t think you''ll have to draw your Vitality out in such a violent way again. Simply think about reaching that same calm state you were in before. "


    Now, having learned how to use Vitality that caused me so much pain, I''d finally be able to take some more control of my life. Utanna spoke about helping me out...but I didn''t expect it to be so soon.


    Nonetheless, the next goal was set: Kill that monster-beast.


    CHAPTER 6 END

 The Monster-Beast

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 Evolution Core

    Dashing forward, each step I take draws me closer to it. Switching from my right foot to my left and swiftly pivoting, now turning a complete ninety degrees to bolt to the side of its heavy blade. But I''m stopped. Swinging heavily, its sharp black longsword curves upwards from the ground, right at the same side I had been moving to. It must''ve switched hands.


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 A Slimeball Attacks

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 The Soul Haruo

    " Haruo! You''re too reckless! What if you had gotten hit? "


    " But...I had to¡ª "


    " You just never think! "


    But I...


    " Can you tone it down, Haruo? You''re too loud. "


    " Oh! Sorry about that! "


    " Don''t be sorry¡ªjust stop. "


    I never mean to be annoying. I just...want everyone to have a smile on their face. I don''t want anyone to be sad...


    " Haruo...Thank you. "


    Huh...?


    " If it weren''t for you...I''d be all alone. So...thank you. "


    My words get stuck in my throat, words I can''t vocalize for a moment. Words I have to say.


    " Haruo, you''re real fun to be around y''know that?! "


    A hand comes down on my head and ruffles my hair, it''s refreshing...


    " You''re a good person, Haruo. You always look out for everyone. "


    All around me are precious people to me. I wouldn''t be me today without these guys. And their presence alone makes me feel confident. I close my eyes shut tight, tears forming. You guys...You''re all my...


    " My friends... "


    " What''s this about friends? "


    When I open my eyes again, I''m no longer in front of my friends. Instead, I''m looking at an empty white room¡ªa void. On my back, I can feel the cold hard ground or whatever I had been lying on.


    Lifting, I looked around. Who said that?


    " What...? "


    " You were mumbling something about friends. In your sleep. What were you talking about? "


    After my eyes had fully adjusted to the blinding white void that had surrounded me, I could finally see whose voice I had been listening to. The person''s shape that spoke out to me was undefined as if it were a cloudy mass of a person.


    Pushing up from the ground, my body felt floaty, as if it were so light I''d fly right away.


    " W-what''s going on...? Where am I? I wanna go home¡ªbring me home! "


    I couldn''t hold back the panic set in when I realized I had been completely lucid.


    " Sorry, but you can''t go home. Your body is dead. "


    Dead?


    " Well, ''dead''. Your existence has been completely erased from Earth¡ªas if you had never been born at all. "


    " ...What are you talking about...? No...I... "


    My hands clasped the sides of my head, my eyes shut tight. I didn''t want to hear any of what this person had been saying. They were saying absolute nonsense, there''s no way I could have been erased.


    " How?! Those kinds of things only happen in fiction! "


    " Who are you to determine what is impossible? Your small worldview will only wear out your mental state. "


    Swirling around me, the mass came behind me and whispered into my ear.


    " Just accept what your new reality is. You''re going to be erased from this space too. That''s why you feel so light. "


    Trembling. I couldn''t stop the tremor my body had been suffering from. All of this was so sudden...I mean, sudden was an understatement¡ªI would have never been able to imagine something like this happening to me.


    " No...I want to see my friends...Take me back to my friends! "


    I turned around sharply, reaching out to grab at the mass. My hand sunk into it and grabbed onto something, my grip tightening. Tears started to form in my eyes and I could feel anger¡ªan emotion I rarely felt.


    " Oh? Do you want to see your friends? "


    * NOD *


    " Then let''s make a deal. "


    Being forced to accept all this new information all at once was inconceivable. But I was no idiot¡ªeven if people always called me an airhead. If I''m able to touch, see, smell, and even taste the tears that fell into my mouth...I had to be completely awake.


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    And I had to accept this.


    " ...O-Okay... "


    " I am what''s known as a Celestial. I reside in a realm between others. This space is a small compartment I created solely to intercept your soul''s destruction. "


    " Celestial...? Like a god...? "


    " Many believe us to be such divine figures. However, we''re nothing more than another species that lives among the vast realms. "


    Vast realms? Is Earth a part of¡ª


    " Yes. Earth is a part of a realm as well. That should be a given. Earth''s universe is a part of the¡ª "


    As soon as the Celestial had attempted to speak about where the Universe I originated had been¡ªa sudden sound covered up the words it spoke. Nothing I could understand left its mouth.


    " I see. They don''t want me to tell you. But if you take my deal, you''ll know soon enough. "


    " What is this deal? "


    " Let me see your Human resolve. Show me just how badly you want to get back to your friends. Survive in the realm known as the ''Surface Realm''. Also commonly referred to as ''Theatera'' by its inhabitants. "


    " Theatera? "


    " It''s the youngest of the ''Sister Realms''. The Sister Realms are the only known pair of Realms that are deeply connected. Theatera hosts all sorts of races. Including Humans. "


    Humans? Then I won''t stand out of place. I wiped my tears and slowly started to stand. The Celestial mass adjusted as well, meeting my eyes.


    " However, I have a singular condition. No matter what happens to you¡ªyou are forbidden from ever going back on any promise you ever make. If you do so even once...I''ll erase you for good. "


    I was shocked. A being that seemed so knowledgeable about things I couldn''t even begin to grasp wanted me to...keep a promise to keep promises...? An interesting thing to say the least but¡ª


    " I''ve never broken a promise a single time in my life! "


    I patted my chest in confidence, glad I could boast about that.


    " Good. I''m going to embed myself into your soul. This is the only way for me to prevent your complete erasure. Once I do, you will be incapacitated. Don''t worry though, you''ll wake up soon enough. Remember¡ªTheatera is not like Earth. "


    * GULP *


    " Are you ready? "


    " Y-yes... "


    And with a flash of light, I had been blinded. Once I could see again, the Celestial being had been gone. My consciousness started to slip and before long I was completely out.


    Sora...Ryota...Takumi...I want to see you so bad...


    . . .


    Something wet was touching me and irritated my skin. In an attempt in my sleepy haze, I tried to wipe it off. But it stuck and clung to my hand, just spreading.


    " Ugh... "


    As groggy as I had been, it was a miracle I was able to lift myself from the cold and wet ground I had been lying on. My eyes started to open and I was greeted with quite a gruesome scene.


    " AGHH!! "


    Almost falling back, I caught myself with my hands, steeping them deep in a crimson liquid. Sitting in front of me was some sort of bear-like monster, a sword stuck in its throat. The bear creature was huge, so big that I couldn''t imagine any person could survive meeting it in any capacity. The sword''s blade was jammed into it at an awkward angle as if it wasn''t swiftly inserted. I had never seen so much blood before and it certainly woke me up.


    And...judging from the amount of blood I had been sitting in...I ventured to guess...it wasn''t the bear''s. But...what happened to me?


    My clothes had rips and tears, chunks of them exposing my bare skin. What I could only assume were my belongings¡ªsatchel bags and money¡ªwere strewn across the ground as if dropped in one big panic.


    " How does it feel to be revived? "


    My head shot up from the ground, looking around. That voice was familiar but¡ª


    " Looking around won''t do you any good. Go ahead, look at the river beside you. You''ll find me. "


    Off to the side had been a streaming river. It was untainted and clear, something you''d see right out of a fantasy forest. Though, I had been surrounded by trees so...


    I crawled over to the water in a hurry to see who had been speaking to me and looked into it. I had been expecting to find some sort of creature inside the river looking back at me. However, all I was met with was a strange boy.


    But it was weird...


    " T-This isn''t my face...? "


    The appearance of the person looking back at me had been completely odd. Golden fluffy hair and a swooping blue ahoge with blue bangs framed a delicate yet masculine face. The eyes were big and blue, shining and full of life.


    Though, even the eyes were weird. One had been a set blue, rather normal despite how piercing it was. Something you''d only see in an unnatural setting. But the other eye was completely out there. The blue still resided behind it, however, at the forefront was a shining star. The luminescence of the ocular feature even spilled out onto a bit of the face, obvious it was an actual feature in the eye.


    " Well don''t stare too much. After all, this is your face. "


    " My...face...? "


    How could this be? Where had I been?


    " Don''t tell me you forgot already. You ''died'', Haruo. And I revived you. "


    And as if a sudden flash of memories came, I remembered everything. That''s right. I had been given a second chance at life by a Celestial mass that made me promise to never break promises.


    " So this is what you meant by embedding yourself in my soul¡ªgoing inside my eye? "


    " I have to make sure you uphold our deal somehow. "


    Looking up, I surveyed the area again.


    " Where am I...? "


    " Well, you''d be interested to know that you''re in the ''Human Territory''. More specifically, right on the outside of the settlement ''Onnohart.'' "


    " ''Human Territory''? I guess only Humans live here then... "


    " Actually, no. It''s home to a myriad of other humanoid races. "


    " Like...Elves? "


    " Indeed. Oh¡ªright! I should mention. The name of the body you are in is ''Juri Zo''. He succumbed to the wounds he sustained from fighting the monster-beast known as the ''Killer Bear''. "


    " Right...Juri Zo...Succumbed to the wounds...Killer Bear... "


    Wait...


    " I took someone else''s body?! "


    It seems I had been isekai''d. This Juri Zo person died and now I''m in their place. Just hearing that made me extremely sad.


    " Think of it this way, Haruo. Whether you entered his body or not¡ªhe''d still be dead. I''ll sort through his memories and feed you any knowledge you may need about his life. Take this as your first task in this world¡ªintegrating into this life. "


    This is all so insane. First I learned my existence was erased from Earth...And now I have to take over someone''s body and live their life? How could I do this all on my own...?


    " I...I need to get the blood off me... "


    I began to remove the clothes that clad this new body. Sorry, Juri...Stepping into the water, I started to remove the blood, scratching off any bits that remained. And after I had managed to completely clean up in the River, I redressed myself.


    " I''m...gonna need that sword... "


    Laying on the ground where I had originally been was a sheath, one that seemed to go on my back. Despite having a ripped hooded jacket on and tattered pants, the sheath seemed to survive as well as the satchels thrown around.


    I would have to use Juri''s belongings to survive.


    My hands gripped the handle of the shortsword that was jammed in the Killer Bear, yanking as hard as I could. Though, it came out easier than I''d expected.


    After gathering all the belongings on the ground and situating the sheath on my back, I awkwardly slipped the sword into its home, beginning to walk toward the visible clearing.


    While walking, the Celestial mass began feeding me information about Onnohart¡ªenough to get a general idea of what the place was like.


    " Hey! What''s your name? "


    I spoke out loud when talking to the Celestial and it spoke directly inside my mind.


    " We Celestial beings don''t have names. "


    " Then I''ll give you one! Let me think... "


    There were so many possible names...However...considering my position I thought of a perfect idea.


    " I took over Juri''s body...And you embedded yourself in my soul. So...I''ll become Juri Zo...and you''ll be Haruo! "


    " Haruo? Your name? "


    " Yeah! This way we''ll always be connected in that way. "


    " ... "


    It was silent for a moment. Eventually, the silence was broken.


    " Haruo...Fine...I''ll be Haruo from now on, Juri. "


    " It''s nice to meet you, Haruo! And I guess...It''ll be nice to live on as Juri! I''ll be in your care! "


    " You know...This might just be fun. "


    CHAPTER 11 END

 New Goal Ahead

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