Chapter 1: Reincarnation

"I...I need your help," Soujin faltered, his voice a fragile thread on the brink of snapping. He stood in front of a division building with a door fortified with the emblem of the 4th Divine Squad speaking to an aged man.

"I've just been reincarnated, and I kinda need of funds to fix up my sq—"

Before he could utter another word, A man's derisive snort cut him off like a guillotine blade.

"Reincarnated? You're crazier than a Senodokidatsu in a tea shop! Get lost, kid!”

The door slammed shut with a finality that left Soujin crying on his knees.

"A senodoki--who now?"

Soujin stood in the corridor grappling with the absurdity of his situation. He couldn’t help but chuckle bitterly at the irony of this entire situation.

"So I'm the big shot now huh? Captain of Divine Squad 3, they said. More like captain of confusion," he muttered to himself with a sarcastic tone before shifting and scratching the back of his head out of frustration.

“How the hell am I supposed to make any money if no one’s going to listen to me?!”

With a resigned sigh, he scanned his surroundings, hoping to gain some semblance of direction in this labyrinth of uncertainty. It was then that his gaze fell upon her—a vision that made his heart skip a beat and his thoughts scatter like autumn leaves in the wind.

Muffet, the mysterious captain of Squad 6, stood before him, a tantalizing blend of allure and danger. Her pinkish-red locks framed a face that could launch a thousand ships, and her attire left little to the imagination, drawing his gaze like a moth to flame. Soujin couldn't help but stare, his eyes lingering perhaps a tad too long on her ample breasts.

Caught in the act, he froze like a deer in headlights as Muffet approached, her presence sending shivers down his spine.

"Is it customary for newly made captains to ogle their seniors?" she quipped with amusement and a hint of something more sinister.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—I mean, it's just that—" Soujin stumbled over his words, feeling like a fool in the presence of this captivating enigma. His cheeks were burning like the fires of hell.

Muffet's laughter echoed through the corridor like the tolling of a bell, a melodic sound that both comforted and unsettled him in equal measure

"Relax, kid. You're not the first and you certainly won't be the last," she reassured him but carried a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Welcome to the world of Frosdia where nothing is as it seems and everything is fair game."

Soujin’s mind was swirling with questions and uncertainties. He figured this woman might know, and decided to blurt out:

"Do you know anything about reincarnation?"

Muffet gazed at him with a knowing glint in her eyes. A silent understanding passed between them before she simply gestured for him to follow. Without another word said she led him through the shadowed corridors of Divine Squad 6's barracks, the darkness enveloping them like a shroud of mystery.

Upon Entering Muffet's barely lit barracks Soujin couldn't shake the feeling of unease that settled over him like a heavy cloak. Muffet sat casually with her legs crossed.

"You're not like the others, are you?" she remarked, her voice a soft whisper that seemed to echo in the stillness of the room.

Caught off guard by her astuteness, Soujin could only nod mutely. He felt exposed under her penetrating gaze. Before he could gather his thoughts, Muffet's teasing tone broke the silence like a crack of thunder.

"So, Captain Soujin, I bet you’re still thinking about our earlier encounter…” she jested, a smirk playing at the corners of her lips.

Flushed with embarrassment once more, Soujin stammered out with shame.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—"

Muffet waved off his apology in a dismissive gesture with her demeanor changing in the blink of an eye.

"No need for apologies, kid. I was only having a bit of fun."

Leaning in closer, she lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper.

"But you'd better watch yourself. Not everyone out there is as forgiving as I am," she warned, her words hanging heavy like a dark omen.

Before Soujin could respond, Muffet's mood shifted once more, her face lighting up with spontaneous excitement. "Anyway, enough chit-chat. I've got a proposition for you.”

Gulping nervously, Soujin could feel her words pressing down on him. "A proposition? For what?"

"Let's see... I’m going to say that you were just reincarnated right? This is why you're acting differently than the other day and asking such ridiculously sounding questions."

Soujin's eyes widened in shock, his mind reeling at Muffet's revelation. "How did you—"

Muffet raised a finger to her lips, silencing him with a knowing smile. "I have my ways," she said cryptically, her gaze piercing through him like a dagger. "But that's beside the point. What you need right now is a solution to your problems."

Soujin swallowed hard, his throat dry as desert sand. "And what solution do you propose?"

With a sly grin, Muffet leaned back and crossed her arms with a playful glint in her eyes.

"Simple. You come with me and help me deal with a little...’disturbance’ that's brewing nearby."

Soujin's heart skipped a beat, his mind racing with a thousand questions and uncertainties. "What kind of disturbance?"

Muffet's grin widened into a wicked smile. "Ohhh, you know… Just your run-of-the-mill Senodokidatsu attack on the nearby villages," she replied casually, as if discussing the weather.

Soujin's eyes widened in shock.

"Wait, what?! You want me to fight a Senodokidatsu? I don’t even know what they are!"

Muffet's laughter filled the room like a haunting melody, sending shivers down Soujin's spine. "Relax, kid. You were made a captain, so that body of yours should hold some experience at fighting with a sword, or with Mystcry."

Soujin's mind raced with a whirlwind of disbelief and apprehension, his thoughts colliding like ships in a storm-tossed sea.

"But I-I don't even know how to fight!" he protested, his voice tinged with panic.

Muffet's laughter only grew louder as her amusement bordered on the edge of maniacal.

"Ah, but that's the beauty of this situation, isn't it? Trial by fire, as they say. Besides, you've got me to show you the ropes."

Before Soujin could protest further, Muffet rose from her seat with an effortless grace, her movement’s fluid like water flowing over smooth stones. "Come on, Captain Soujin. Time waits for no one, especially not Senodokidatsu."

Muffet flashed Soujin a sinister smile, his instincts screamed for him to hit the brakes. "Time out!" he exclaimed, holding up his hands in a feeble attempt to halt their impending doom.

But Muffet paid his plea no heed, her eyes staring with an unsettling fervor. With a swift motion, she grabbed Soujin by the arm, her grip ironclad as she dragged him towards the barracks' exit.

"Do you know the time out spell?"

Soujin's mind raced with a thousand retorts, but all he could manage was a feeble shake of his head. "Of course not," he muttered, feeling like a lamb being led to slaughter.

Muffet's grin widened into a predatory smile. "Then you are coming," she declared ominously, her words sending shudders down Soujin’s back.

Before he could protest further, Muffet whisked him away into the night, their footsteps echoing through the darkness like a death knell.

Meanwhile in the nearby village, chaos reigned supreme as green-colored Senodokidatsu descended upon the unsuspecting populace.

Like ants swarming from a disturbed nest, they attacked with ruthless efficiency. The mask on their faces twisted into grotesque mockery of humanity. The villagers fought back valiantly, their makeshift weapons clashing with the monstrous invaders.

But their efforts proved futile against the onslaught, for looming overhead like a harbinger of doom was the Yellow-colored Dragon-like Senodokidatsu, its mask a grim visage of death incarnate.

As it unleashed torrents of fire upon the hapless villagers, panic spread like wildfire, sending screams echoing through the night. "That must be their leader!" a merchant cried out fearfully.

Soujin's heart pounded in his chest like a war drum as he watched the devastation unfold before him.

"Oh…oh shit… That doesen’t look good at all. What do we do?" he stammered, his voice barely above a whisper.

But Muffet's gaze remained steady even in the face of impending doom. "We fight. We either save this village, or we die trying."

As chaos reigned around them, Muffet's voice cut through the clamor like a beacon of guidance in the storm. "Draw your sword, Soujin.”

With shaking hands, Soujin reached behind him and unsheathed the sword strapped to his back, its blade gleaming faintly in the dim light. Gripping it tightly, he awaited Muffet's instructions.

Muffet stood with her arms folded, a picture of calm amidst the chaos. "Listen carefully, Soujin, your sword is your lifeline in this battle. It is an extension of your will, a tool to channel your strength."

She paced back and forth, her gaze never wavering from Soujin's face. "Focus your energy into each strike. Feel the weight of the blade in your hand, the balance of its edge as it cuts through the sky. Strike with swift vengeance and fierce tenacity. Be agile and do not let your opponents strike you down. ”

Soujin nodded, his resolve hardening with each word. "I understand," he replied steady despite the tremors in his limbs.

Muffet's lips curved into a small smile and she held a glimmer of pride shining in her eyes.

"Good. Now, follow my lead."

With that, she launched herself into the fray, her movements fluid and precise as she engaged the nearest Senodokidatsu with practiced ease. Soujin watched in awe as she danced through the battlefield, her sword flashing like a bolt of lightning in the darkness.

Drawing upon her instructions, he followed suit, his sword slicing through Senodokidatsu with confidence. With Muffet's guidance ringing in his ears, Soujin struck with precision and accuracy against the forced of the Senodokidatsu.

Together, they fought like a whirlwind of steel and fury against the encroaching tide of darkness.

While they were fighting, a Tide of Senodokidatsu surged around them and left no way to go forward or back. Muffet's eyes narrowed.

"We need to clear a path to get to the dragon," she declared, her voice cutting through the chaos like a clarion call to action.

"I'm on it," Soujin responded, his voice resolute as he charged forward, his sword slashing through the air with lethal precision. With each strike, he carved a path through the horde of enemies, his movements fueled by his determination reach their ultimate goal.

But in the heat of battle, disaster struck—a swing too wild, a moment's loss of focus, and Soujin's grip faltered, his sword slipping from his grasp and clattering to the ground below.

As Muffet pressed on, her form disappearing into the throng of enemies, she glanced back at Soujin with frustration.

"That freakin idiot dropped his lifeline. '' she muttered under her breath, her voice barely audible over the din of battle.

"Rest in peace Soujin!"

Soujin's heart sank like a stone as he watched her vanish into the fray, his mind swirling with doubt and fear. "Am I...am I really going to die like this to these ants?" he whispered.

But even as despair threatened to consume him, a spark flickered to life within Soujin's heart. "No," he vowed, his voice growing stronger with each passing moment. "No...I refuse to give up. I will not let fear dictate my fate!"

Soujin's fingers closed around the hilt of his fallen sword; however, as soon as this happened a strange sensation washed over him—a whisper of power echoing from within the blade itself. He froze in place, his heart pounding in his chest like a drumbeat.

"Uh...did you just hear that?" Soujin said aloud while looking in every direction. He realized Muffet was long ahead of him.

“Am I going crazy?"

But before he could dwell on his sanity—or lack thereof—a voice, clear as a bell, resonated from within the sword, filling his mind with its ethereal presence.

"What are you waiting for? Release my power already," the voice urged, its tone impatient yet strangely familiar.

Soujin's eyes widened in shock as he stared at the sword in his hand, his mind reeling with the implications of what he was hearing.

"Oh, shit.”