Youthful Reincarnation

This is bad. Really, really bad.

"Haa...!"

A cold, rough surface pressed against my cheek. Puffs of steam clouded my vision, my eyesight blurry. Blotches of smoke curled into my nostrils.

"Haaa..."

Another ragged gasp ripped out of my chest. The heavy, metallic taste of iron hung in my mouth. I could feel it slipping away. The life inside me was slipping away.

"Hrk-hrk!"

My mouth forced itself open, a river of red spilling onto the floor. I looked down.

It can't be... all that blood is... mine?

A pounding headache ensured. One so sharp I felt myself losing consciousness.

It's so hot.

I tensed my arms, hoping to scrape myself out of the mist. They didn't move. My arms hung limply at my side.

"Arghhhh!"

Not like this...

Uncle. Aunt.

I grit my teeth. I couldn't let it end like this. There was something I had to do. Something I needed to make sure of. If my hands don't work, then... my face will do.

I scraped my face against the coarse ground, inching forward as the cold gnawed at my skin. The fog thinned, and through the mist, a young boy came into view. He stood frozen, staring at me with wide, horrified eyes.

So he's safe. I managed a light smile. Poor kid.

I pushed through the pain, the world spinning around me, and suddenly, it all became clearer. The world grew bright, and I saw them. My mom and dad—two faces I hadn't seen in years.

Ah. So this is what it's like... for your life to flash before your eyes.

Did you see that, Mom? Dad? I saved someone...

Are you two... proud of me?

Just then, I closed my eyes for the final time.

Before all this, I had a life... a regular life. My name was Akio Silva. Fifteen years old. Half-Japanese, half-Portuguese. My parents moved from Japan to England when I was young, and I've lived there ever since.

I was only seven when I lost both of them in a train accident. I still remember it like it was yesterday. The screech of twisting metal filled the air, and the world seemed to crumble around me. In that moment, I knew nothing would ever be the same.

That's what drew me so sharply to my hobbies. To escape.

Books became my refuge. Reading light novels, manga and watching anime about fun childhoods and happy families. Those stories, those characters, gave me something to hold onto. They made me feel like my parents hadn't really gone, that they were still out there, watching over me. I needed that. I clung to it.

My favourite was family x spy - a manga turned anime about a master spy who must create a fake family to complete his undercover mission. Even though that family was fake, the bonds and emotions they shared felt genuine. It reminded me of how my own family used to be.

After the accident, I moved in with my newlywed aunt and uncle. They did their best to care for me, but it wasn't easy. I wasn't the same kid anymore. I couldn't just 'move on'.

I didn't talk much. I didn't want to. I'd learned to shut myself off—no friends, no real conversations. Only when I needed something did I speak.

I gradually warmed up to my aunt and uncle. I didn't have parents. And I'd never have parents again. But. I had them. And, over time, I'd learned that that was enough.

It wasn't until a few years later—when I was ten—that my aunt suggested I join a track team or pick up an instrument. Something, she said, to help me connect with others. Reluctantly, I tried. Slowly, I started talking to kids at school and attending clubs. The walls I'd built around myself began to crack.

By high school I'd managed to make much more friends. Truthfully though, I always felt disconnected. As if I never quite fit in. Maybe I just didn't manage to find my crowd.

It was around this time in my first year of high school when I fell in love with biology as a subject. Genetics, evolution, microbiology, botany, medicine, molecular biology; studying each field in biology was like exploring a new world. A world in which even the smallest components were unfathomably complex and unique.

I had participated in a few biology competitions, projects and even released a few papers on genetics and molecular biology. That fact usually impresses people until I tell them I researched into biology papers during my lunch and break times. Then they just stare at me like I'm an alien or some sort of mutated human.

Apart from upcoming track meets, the thing I was most excited for was undoubtedly my biology degree in a few years from now. It was something I'd been looking forward to for a while now. Unfortunately, one fateful day the course of my life was permanently derailed.

One step. Two step. One step. Two step. On that day, I found myself gliding through the walkway's of London with a familiar rhythm as my guide and the early morning sun as my audience. The air was crisp and a bone-chilling wind fluttered through the streets - challenging every early morning runner's discipline.

I wasn't worried about the cold however, you could even say I was comfortable. Running early in the morning was like second nature to me now - I'd long gotten used it.

It was on a day like this when I saw a group of kids gleefully walking in file behind their school teacher. They probably had some sort of school trip planned—that would explain their cheerful smiles. One little boy at the front in particular was especially happy.

He was positioned to the left of his teacher & uncomfortably close to the road. I could see the boy using his left hand to wave a small orange ball around to show off to his friends. His classmates around him stared at the orange ball in awe.

Just then, the ball escaped his small hands. With a determined spirit of its own, and a few unlucky bounces, the ball fell straight onto the heart of the road. Without a second thought, the little boy darted after it, his tiny legs propelling him onto the road.

BEEEP!

His female teacher, caught unaware, could only shout for him to return but her pleas were drowned out by a truck's blared horn. The little boy had frozen.

Time slowed to a crawl, but my instincts burst out in a sudden frenzied pace. Already in my stride, I was hot out the blocks and bee-lined straight towards the young boy.

A newfound strength surged within me as I reached out towards the boy. He stumbled towards me, trying his best to move despite his fear. Just a bit more. Just slightly closer.

Skkrrrrr!

The mechanical titan curved slightly, its wheels distorting unnaturally. With some bought time by the truck driver, I kept reaching forward hoping to reach the young boy.

Just a little further and...

I brought my hand back and pushed forwards with enough strength to push the boy back onto the pavement, where his teacher stood in shock.

BEEEEP!

Reality had dawned on me. I quickly realised two cold, harsh truths.

The first being that I couldn't escape certain impact.

The second being that this was going to be my last moments here on earth.

For an instant, everything was snapshot still. The expressions of the petrified children and the teacher's frightened gaze was as clear to me as their faces on that day.

As the world blurred, memories of my parents... of my life... flooded my mind. That scene of my parents lying on the brink of death as I cried out to the world replayed in my head countless times.

"Why did you save me... Why mom!? Why dad!?"

It was strange. I think I understood what they were thinking back then. Because now, only one thing mattered to me.

'This boy will live.'

I couldn't help but smile bittersweetly.

'I'm sorry aunt. I'm sorry uncle. I'm sorry mam. I'm sorry dad. I'll repay you all in my next life.'

Darkness. Endless, impenetrable darkness stretched out before me, like a vast, empty canvas. It seemed to go on for miles—though, truthfully, I had no way to accurately measure the distance.

So, this is what it means to be dead, I thought. Oddly enough, death wasn't the silent void I'd imagined; it was unexpectedly loud.

My previous perception of death had been that it was the end. That was that. Nothing to see. Nothing to touch. Nothing to taste. Nothing to smell. Nothing to hear. Just nothing.

This strange bawling sound I could hear was starting to get on my nerves though. I wonder if the grave has a noise complaint department? If so, I think I would like to get in touch - not that I was sure I could even touch anything right now.

Much to my irritation, the noise grew louder, pulsing rhythmically until it morphed into a persistent cry - like that of an especially irritating baby.

 Suddenly, the black canvas burst into a cascade of vivid colours painting a scene I most definitely wasn't expecting.

The most prominent of these colours was a bright white light piercing through the centre of my vision. An unnatural blurriness likely spurred by the striking white light made it so I could only make out a few things.

Truthfully, I really wasn't sure where I was or what exactly was going on. I did, however, have one very frightening suspicion. A terrifying hunch even I was struggling to believe.

I wasn't dead.

In fact, I was very much alive. Not only had I survived, but most of my brain function seemed intact. Clearly, the accident had taken its toll, but it seemed the damage wasn't too severe.

I could only wish the young boy from the accident was okay too. Perhaps it's the boy I could hear crying even now? 

Slowly, my vision improved and I could make out those blurry lumps more acutely. There was a youthful man standing over me, perhaps in his mid to late twenties.

The man had light brown hair and faint brown eyes. He wore a cheerful expression, his gaze darting quickly between me and something behind me.

Soon enough, the man took both of his well-defined arms and effortlessly lifted me straight up from the bed I was lying in. Most definitely an impressive feat to lift a fifteen year old so easily - even I had to applaud that sort of unnatural strength.

With this newfound view I once again analysed my surroundings. The young man was no longer in sight but instead, I could see a beautiful young woman likely also in her mid to late twenties.

Her glossy black hair showered the white bed she lay on top of, folding over itself slightly. She seemed to be wearing a pure white robe which contrasted her black hair greatly.

Her countenance showed an affectionate yet strained smile - clearly, she had just gone through a lot. Her posture and the slight bags under her eyes were enough to know she was going through a difficult time. Despite her expression, relief was evident.

As much as I loved the attention and bright smiles, it was getting a bit strange now. If this wasn't where I died - the street I had ran through plenty of times - then shouldn't it be some sort of hospital or ambulance? This place looked way too similar to a normal house.

I could hear the couple talk amongst themselves but I couldn't make out a word - it all sounded like gibberish. Maybe I had gotten some brain damage from that truck incident and that affected my hearing. That wasn't a possibility I could rule out just yet.

I tried calling out to them so I could get a better understanding of what was going on but to no avail. The young man just kept smiling and making strange faces at me – as if that was the answer I needed. As much as I liked a good joke, I really would prefer answers to anything else right now.

What felt like hours passed while I was trying to communicate with the man. Failure after failure to talk with both the man and the woman meant I was starting to get restless now.

Since he wouldn't listen to my words that left me with only one choice. I had to take matters into my own hands. Literally. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

A desperate measure only to be used in extreme situations was in order. The next time he drew close to me to make a weird face I drew my hand back and whooshed it forwards as hard as I could.

Pow!

At least that's the loud crisp sound and the slight stinging sensation I was expecting. To my surprise, that wasn't what I heard. In fact, that wasn't what I felt either. Instead, it was what I saw that really shocked me.

Slowly, my hands came into focus and I could see quite clearly that they were more like little stumps. I could recognise hands like these – anyone could. They were baby hands.

Immediately, everything made sense: the darkness, the cries, the young couple and even the strange faces. That annoying irritating sound that only seemed to get louder... was me. It could only have been me.

Those strange faces were definitely in some attempt to make me laugh, smile or stop crying it seems. Then that means that darkness could've only been one thing...

I really didn't want to dwell on that - the thought was mildly uncomfortable. I wasn't completely unfamiliar with reincarnation. I'd read my fair share of Korean Regression novels and Japanese Isekai novels in the past. I just really didn't think this would ever happen to me.

After all, I wasn't an old jobless NEET and while I was definitely going to take this life seriously - I was already doing that before I reincarnated.

Last time I checked, I wasn't a great sage either, so clearly I wasn't going to become a slime demon king and create my own monster nation. It was likely I didn't even have a cheat ability like re-turning after death—not that I had any plans of testing that.

I did have to admit I was very much looking forward to this - I mean just who wouldn't be? The nerdy side of me was already dreaming up countless goals, fantasies and quests in this world.

Surely there had to be some sort of mythical world tree among a populated magical forest! Different races like elves, dwarves, demons, goblins, fairies—all with their own histories and magical abilities! Dangerous ruins like dungeons, caverns, mazes and labyrinths crawling with opportunities!

Of course, the classic adventurer's guild and blacksmith stores are a must visit - can't forget the alchemists too! Maybe I might even get caught up in a devious plot and have to stage an epic escape while rescuing a noble princess from an evil scheme!

Sure all those things sound nice but...

The thing I couldn't stop thinking about right now - more than anything else - was the possibility of living with real parents again. Just one more time.

As much as I wanted to believe I was reincarnated into a fantasy world - in reality I had no way to tell, at least not yet. But a part of me desperately hoped it was.

Only in a fantasy world could I give it one hundred percent.  I already gave my all to life on Earth even if it was only for a short lived fifteen years. I had trained and practiced and studied and trained and practiced and studied and... I think you get the point. I was sick and tired of Earth already; fifteen years was enough.

With a more critical eye - I began to analyse who I was assuming to be my parents more deeply. The young man who had me tightly coiled in his embrace was up first. I had heard the woman call him "Glyve". That was about everything I could make out from their conversation with these under-developed ears.

Glyve had a very distinct, striking appearance. Strong features and a sharp jawline with a clean haircut. His light brown hair and light hazel eyes matched his features perfectly and his frame was filled out.

The tight black shirt he had on only served to accentuate his build – fully showcasing the defined arms he had. Clearly, he had put in some work towards improving his physique and was fairly active. He seemed fairly tall too, at least from my infant perspective.

Next up was the snow white beauty who sat neatly on the bed behind me. The rays of light from the window adjacent emphasized the gloss of her matte black hair. Her cold blue eyes only made her seem prettier upon second glance.

I couldn't help but laugh to myself. These two were quite the lookers - it seems I had won the genetic lottery. Surely if these two were this good looking then I was bound to be charming too, right?

I still hadn't quite made out the name of the woman who was likely my mother. Not being able to understand the language was going to be a problem, but I imagined it would be a temporary one.

A second chance. An opportunity I knew I was extremely lucky to have. What should I change? What should I do better this time? How should I act? What is important to me? What were the mistakes I made in my previous life?

Did I even deserve this second chance? 

Questions which hid deep in the back of my mind surfaced quietly but I quickly dismissed them. I knew I had to eventually answer those questions - everyone does - but they didn't matter too much for now. I was just a new-born baby after all. I had time.

By now my hearing had improved slightly and I could make out the woman's name. From what I heard it sounded like "Silvia". A lovely name that well and truly matched her demeanour.

After some time Glyve handed me to Silvia. It felt weird to be moved that easily, like I was some sort of parcel. I wasn't sure I'd ever get used to that.

Silvia's embrace felt a lot more comfortable and smoother than Glyve's. Softer too.

Even though I was starting to regain control of my five senses, I still couldn't stop myself from crying. Noticing this, Sylvia pulled me closer to her embrace and flashed me a smile so bright I could feel the sun stare jealously from outside the window.

A sweet melodious voice resounded and a soothing melody rung out with it. To my surprise, she was humming. Soon enough, I could feel my cries begin to slowly soften out - which gave me mixed feelings.

It was nice to have stopped crying and even nicer to hear such a lovely lullaby, but the fact I wasn't able to control it myself felt uncomfortable. That being said, I was enjoying this little tune - it reminded me of my aunt's singing when I was younger.

Ever since she started to sing, I'd noticed my eyelids felt significantly heavier. Unknowingly, my small body had grown sluggish. Strange.

I could see Glyve looking from afar with a more subtle smile, at least compared to earlier. It was clear to anyone that he felt satisfaction and pride in the scene unfolding before him.

My cries had tapered off and a lovely hum lay in the air - every face the picture of contentment.

I could get used to this.

Right now, I naturally felt much closer to Silvia than Glyve. It was probably since she had managed to stop my crying, something both me and Glyve were at a loss with. It seems in this life - I'm a mother's boy.

I could feel my blinks becoming slower and more drawn out. The gentle rocking motion made my breathing steady and even.  It seemed to be the complete reversal of when I had woken up earlier.

Things were becoming blurry again and I was unable to make out clear faces. They had been in constant conversation but I couldn't make out a single word anymore.

I could feel my thoughts getting slower and simpler. I'm tired. That was my last thought before everything faded to black.

Over the past nine months, I had been forced to stay in an evil cage (a baby crib) and tasked myself with exploring the labyrinth (house) outside the dangerous cage. 

After endless experimentation, I discovered that escaping the cage was an A-rank mission. A treacherous task no one should attempt without careful preparation... or, in my case, cheat skills.

Those skills included:

Crawling [active skill] - the ability to traverse short distances at a slow pace.

Language Comprehension [passive skill] - the ability to understand the language being spoken at home.

Sitting [active skill] - the ability to sit upright.

Climbing [active skill] - the ability to scale heights.

So, in other words, I didn't get any magical cheat abilities or skills. Not yet, at least. For now, I was just a regular baby, no special powers to make life easier. Not ideal, but I wasn't going to let that stop me. After all, it was still more than enough to plan my great escape!

First, I made sure the coast was clear: Silvia was busy cooking, and Glyffe was out. The conditions had to be perfect. Once everything was set, I activated my climbing skill—well, that's what I decided to call it anyway—and scaled the bed with surprising precision for someone in my current state. Carefully, I broke my fall, landing softly on the floor. Escape, complete!

I took a brief moment to let my tiny body recover from the effort. My heart raced, but this was only the beginning. There was a whole new world to explore, and the labyrinth ahead was waiting for me.