Vol 1, Ch 1 “New World New Troubles”

Have you ever wondered how you were going to die?

Was it in a Illness?, or old-age, or even by a mugger?

Well for me i’ve never really thought about that, I just lived my life trying to be as good of a person as I could. I thought that if I was a good person I could live to an old age.

Boy how wrong was I.

As I lie in the street of Shibuya Crossing, bleeding out, I think back to the child that I saved. 

Were they alright? Did they make it to their parents?

Ahh I guess I won't ever know, will I, as I am dying.

Ohh, as for what hit me, well that would be truck-kun. Heh I jumped in the middle of the street to push the kid out of the way, but I ended up being the one to die.

Isn't it poetic, how someone who lived a good life being kind to all died. Guess I should be happy that I saved that kid.

Like hell I will! This is why parents need to keep a watch on their kids.

But enough rambling, I don't think I can stay conscious any longer. All I wish for is that if I could be reborn, I could have a good family, and can live a good life until the ripe old age of 200.

Unrealistic? Yea, but if i could I would be happy.

As my mind drifts off, my life passes on, and the next thing I know, when I open them I'm in a pure white space.

Is this heaven, or is this hell?

Probably hell, like who would wanna live in all white for their whole life, it’d drive me insane.

Looking around I notice there are no walls, no ground, just the infinite expanse of pure white. Which in itself is creepy.

I drift within this place for who knows how long, no end in sight.

Is this what I get rewarded with for living my life as an upstanding citizen, and putting others first?

In my next life, I'm going to make sure to do all I want, and no one is going to tell me what to do, I don't care who they’re.

Tho, If I could, I want to be born in a Manhwa, Magic, Sword, Aura all of that, they’re so cool. 

Suddenly the pure white expanse, that expands infinitely, begins to shift and change, it becomes a beautiful forest. Animals scurry around, deers gallop, and bugs crawl around, the most beautiful flows I have ever seen lay across the forest floor.

He begins to explore the forest, his steps light, but fast. He takes time to enjoy the breeze and the scent of the forest. 

Suddenly he hears whistling.

Wait, is someone here!? 

I thought I was alone. Maybe they will know where I am.

If not, at least I now have company.

Heading in the direction of the noise, he finds a swing, not all that surprising. What did surprise him was the person on the swing, if they could be called that.

A figure cloaked in pure light sat, on the swing kicking their legs. 

They were formless in the sense of having no fixed appearance, ancient in a way that had no reference point, and deeply, unhurriedly amused.

I don’t know if it's a guy or girl. I don’t even know if it’s a person. 

As if knowing it was there the being speaks.

“Ah glad you could make it, do you like my forest?.”

Like his forest? What does he mean by that?

I try to open my mouth and respond but nothing comes out.

Damnit, why cant i talk!

“I bet you are wondering why you can't talk, as well as why you are here.”

Does he know? How could he know? I guess my shocked expression gave it away as he continued to speak.

“Of course I know, I know everything, Besides I am the one who manipulated yours and that little girl's fate. I made her run into the street with a little nudge, so that you could go out and save her.”

What!?

What is he talking about? Manipulating my fate, causing my death, what does he mean?

“What I mean is I had that truck kill you, Truck-Kun is always good at his job, always gets it done one way or another. You are in the area I call the white expanse, it is a realm where there is neither sound, nor time, nor distance, everything here loses meaning.”

How did he know what I said, I didn't say anything out loud, did he read my mind?

“Yup, sure did.”

He sure is cocky, but wait if sound, time, nor distance exist here, how is he talking?

“You sure do ask a lot of questions, you know, how about you cut it out, besides your time is running out. I will explain what will happen.”

“For one the reason I can make sound, among other things in here is because I'm just him, Im, goated.”

Arrogant bastard.

Ignoring his remarks, the being continues.

“I am a paradox if you may, a living breathing contradiction. As for the reason I killed you, that is for my entertainment, I will be sending you to a new world. I want you to become stronger, strong enough that you may be able to challenge me, and if you cannot I will kill you and destroy your new world. So try not to bore mee~.”

This absolute bastard, does he think he can just toy around with other people's lives. I had so many things I wanted to do in life, and he just took them all away for his entertainment. I promise that in my new life I will become stronger and I will destroy him and with that annoying smirk off his face.

“Now that's more like it!. Enjoy you new life and do become stronger”

The being pulls out a scythe cutting through the white expanse, creating a rift that begins pulling me in.

“Toodles best of luck in your new world, you’ll need it lmao”

Unbeknownst to the being, or known to him, who knows if he was paying attention. A soul happened to force its way into the white expanse, latching onto our mc without neither noticing. 

Upon his re-birth this soul will become integrated with him. Who’s soul it is, he will have to find out later on, if he survives long enough. 

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“Waaa, Waaa.” 

The sound of a baby's cries rings out within a room.

“It's a boy, my baby boy.”

Says a woman with deep red hair — not the orange-red of fire but the red of old garnets in direct light, dark and rich and deeply saturated. She wears it long, arranged in a practical but elegant style. Her eyes are bright amber — warm gold-brown that catch light and return it. Expressive in a way she controls precisely, which means that when she allows them to express something fully it lands with the weight of something that has been held back. She has a medium warm, complexion that tans easily and has, from years of outdoor ward-maintenance work. 

This is Seravyn Elara Ashford, Duchess of Ashford.

Cradling the baby in her arms she looks down at him with the love and adoration of a mother who has given birth to her first child. Though this is not her first child.

The baby has two-tone hair — deep black as the base, with threads of molten gold running through it naturally, concentrated most heavily at the front and the tips. The gold is not a dye effect and not uniform — it moves through his hair the way veins move through dark stone, organic and irregular. His eyes are deep crimson-red — not the red of fresh blood but the red of a coal with heat still living in its center, deep and luminous even in ordinary light. Standard human pupils, which makes the crimson irises more striking rather than less. His skin is warm golden-brown — weird marks line his arms, torso, and collarbone.

“Isn’t he just the cutest.”

She holds the baby out to a man who is standing beside her bed. He wears a stern face as he looks down at the baby. His eyes are not giving away his emotions.

The baby stoops crying looking at both of his parents, eyes wide.

Are these my parents, have I really been transported to a new world? 

I guess that arrogant bastard was good for something. But guahh what the hell is up with this gravity, it's like two no five times earth's gravity. Damn you, just what kinda world did you send me too, when I fight you I'll kill you myself.

The man that is standing there has broad shoulders, a well built chest, and strong arms, and carries himself with the aura of someone who has experienced countless battles. His hair is deep black — the same base color as the baby, thick and worn short on the sides with more length on top, beginning to silver at the temples in a way that has been happening for five years and which he has not acknowledged. His facial hair is kept close — a short, maintained beard that follows his jaw in a way that looks deliberate. His eyes are dark grey — the color of deep stone in dim light, sharp and still. They assess everything and express very little. His skin is deep warm brown, darkened further by years of outdoor military command.

He is wearing a dark military coat in Ashford black and deep burgundy, gold rank insignia along the collar and cuffs, with the House Ashford crest (a cracked stone above a burning hearth) on the left breast.

This is Aldric Voss Ashford, Duke of Ashford

He doesn't say a word as he walks off of the room.

“What is up with him, he didn’t even say a word to you, but dont worry im sure your father care about you a lot, he just doesn't know how to show it.”

She tickles his stomach causing the baby to giggle.

Stop tickling me! He yells but all that comes sour are gurgles and laughs.

Is this the start of my new life – a mother who is beautiful, and cares about me. I can see it in her eyes as she looks at me. And a father who looks as if he is someone very important but is very stern. I can get behind this.

What could go wrong?

Three days later after his birth.

“Lord Ashford, it appears your son does not have any powers.”

“Are you sure about that, check again!.”

He commands the mage to check again

“You are the best mage in the Solverith Empire, are you sure your reading is correct?.”

“Yes I am very sure, your son does not have any Verath, or Solveth, if my reading are correct then he is just an ordinary child.”

“I see, that will be all.”

The mage takes his leave, shocked as it is his first time seeing such an unprecedented event.

“Are you alright, is something the matter? You seem deep in thought.”

Seravyn says, clutching her child to her chest while looking at her husband.

“Alright, nothing is alright, to think a talentless child has been born within the Ashford family, who gave birth to nothing but talents. This child has brought dishonor to the Ashford name, this child has disgraced our family.” 

“He is but a baby, how are you so sure that he is talentless, you know aw well as i do it is rare for a child to unlock either verath or solveth at a young age.”

You tell him mother, who is he to decide if i have talent or not. 

“Yes but all children have it within them, untapped as it may be, but this child he has none zero, he is nothing but a talentless child. And I will not let this child disgrace this family, he will be banished.”

“Banished!? But he is our son, he was just born a few days ago, we haven't even given him a name yet, you cannot banish him.”

“I am the head of this family and it is my duty to uphold the Ashford honor, this child will be gone immediately.”

He snaps his finger and three figures suddenly appear.

“Take him away and send him to the Mirewood, I do not care how far you take him within the forest.”

“The Mirewood! You’re gonna send our child to that god forsaken forest, no one who enters ever returns alive, he is just a baby show some empathy.”

He ignores his pleas and with a gesture the figures take the baby Seravyn is not able to put up a fight as she is still weakened from giving birth, and begin heading towards the Mirewood forest.

What the absolute hell is going on here, I was just reborn, in a new world, into a new family that I thought was gonna be good, and now I'm being sent to a death forest!!

When I find you, you mysterious being who killed me and ruined my life I'll make you pat, tenfold, not a hundred fold you bastard.

He suddenly hears laughing, he looks around with what limited movement he has in an infant's body, and sees no one.

I’ll train, and train until I meet you, and when I do, your head’s gonna be mine.

The three figures put the babe close to the entrance of the forest but far enough away that he would not be able to navigate how to exit it.

“This is as far as we should go, any farther and we ourselves would lose our sense of direction.”

“Yea let’s get out of here.”

The three figures begin to leave but one of them gets separated and killed not too far away, his body hanging limply from a tree. 

I guess this is my new life, a baby in a death forest, who buts a damn baby in a death forest, just because they don't have any power. 

When i see you ill kick you ass, you’re on my hit list also, once I get out of this forest

Back with the Ashford family the two figures report their successful mission, and their comrades' death.