"You fought bravely, human, but this is the extent of your power." An ancient voice thundered as my opponent flapped his wings, raising high above me. I was on my knees, having fought for three long hours. My mana pool was almost empty, but that couldn't be said for my opponent. The strongest of his kind, the Abyss Dragon Maverick, had no limits to his magical power; it would simply regenerate infinitely. Even the absence of his hind legs couldn't stop him from looking at me with arrogance. His monstrous body was covered in fresh wounds, yet they were healing, black miasma spilling from them.

We were in his lair at the bottom of the Abyss Valley, and I was just a human. It seemed I had no chances left. That would have been true for anyone else in my position, but I was Arazorn, the Dragonslayer. Slaying dragons wasn’t merely my hobby or my job; it was my life. My hands were stained not only with the blood of dragons but also with that of wyverns, krakens, humans, and demons. Yet, there was a reason why only a few humans alive could boast of such a title. 

After all, dragons were the apex hunters, even in a world teeming with magic. Especially in such a world, where mastery over aether and mana determined the extent of one's power. Who could be better suited for this task than one born of nature—the embodiment of their own element? 

The massive body of the Abyss Dragon took up my entire line of sight. As I raised my head, it completely obscured the sky, leaving me without a speck of light, save for the glint of my spear. Thankfully, the wounds inflicted by my weapon didn't just harm my enemy; they slowly poisoned his very soul. “To slay an opponent’s body is to slay their soul,” my Master used to say. The Master who had fallen to the opponent I was facing right now. The same being that once upon a time destroyed my entire village without even realizing it. 

But it wasn't just about petty revenge; it was also about the safety of the entire realm. It was only a matter of time until Maverick would turn into a mindless beast that knows nothing but slaughter. His character already was far from benevolent, but madness would be so much worse. He didn’t realize it yet, but he was already on the brink of losing his sanity, just like his lesser brethren.

"It's too early for you to congratulate yourself on your victory, blacky." I smirked, meeting the crimson eyes of the beast. Those eyes were filled with the passage of time—ancient and wise, yet fading and being replaced with nothing but madness. It was the fate of every dragon, no matter how majestic. After all, nothing was meant to live forever. Not even an immortal being like him.

I pulled a single item from my storage ring—a white crystal filled to the brim with mana. 

"A Holy Mana Core? Interesting. Do you want to die so much? If so, I would be glad to witness your marvelous end." Maverick didn't take the situation seriously enough, and that was my chance. Ever so arrogant, even on the brink of losing his mind. This was the biggest weakness of higher dragons: they always underestimated their opponents.

I broke the crystal and absorbed its mana. It wasn’t my own element, but I had no intention of making it a part of mana source. I knew it would be impossible to absorb it completely. Especially since it belonged to the Holy Serpent who had fallen at my hands. The creature wasn't exactly my friend, and the remnants of its spirit would surely resist. But my willpower was something a mere ghost couldn’t contend with. With newfound strength, I raised my spear. 

It was time for my final hunt.

***

I was supposed to die when the Abyss Dragon fell. I only had half of my body left, and my mana source was an absolute mess. 

And yeah, I had died, technically. 

But it seemed the holy element held more secrets than anyone had ever expected. My ultimate sacrifice for the sake of avenging my Master and saving the world wasn’t the end for me. The first time I realized who I was — though at first, the moment of clarity didn't last for longer than a few minutes — I was merely a baby. I had been reborn into another world, with new parents and not a speck of mana in this new reality. Here on Earth, I could finally rest from the endless battles and the struggles beyond the wildest dreams of anyone living in New York.

Still, some of my skills remained fresh. Even as a child, I could move with more precision and balance than anyone could imagine, even without prior training. I was deemed a prodigy in martial arts and most sports. I could have pursued the easy path, becoming the greatest martial arts champion and winning all the fighting championships, but I chose to follow my other passion: music. I wasn’t good at it—far from it—but I had an entire lifetime ahead of me to master the piano, just like my Master did.

Thinking of my Master, I couldn’t help but wonder if she was reborn somewhere in this new world, but I could only hope. It wasn’t like we would even recognize each other if we met again. 

All in all, I was just a normal kid, if you ignored my somewhat paranormal physical abilities and reaction speed. And of course, I didn’t abandon my training. It was a habit so deeply ingrained that I couldn’t stop. My body also required effort to get in shape, despite the mental enhancements. Just because I could remember how to move didn’t mean my muscles were up to the task.

And so I spent 22 years living as an ordinary person. I had family—my real parents, unlike in my last life, where I had lost them as a toddler. I had a cute and kind sister and even some friends. Honestly, I couldn’t have hoped for a better second chance.

Today was an important day: my first concert. I wasn’t the main attraction, just an aspiring pianist allowed to play after a famous maestro. But for me, it proved that despite all the difficulties, I had reached a point where my music was good enough to get me on the grand stage.

Sitting before the piano, I felt more nervous than I had been before facing the enemy of my lifetime—the dragon responsible for destroying my village and eventually slaying my Master, who I once deemed invincible. It was ironic, really, because what was at stake now? Just my pride. It was a test to see if the last years of my life had paid off.

As I touched the keys with my fingers, I did my best to ignore the crowd patiently waiting for me to start. When the reality around me faded, I immersed myself in memories of my Master playing her favorite piece for me — Rainbow Dragonfly's Whisper. I tried to replicate it to the best of my abilities. Of course, in my past world, the piano was quite different, more akin to a mix between a piano and an organ. Yet I managed to replicate both the sound and the feeling behind this piece.

My fingers moved across the keyboard at an impressive speed, putting to shame even the maestro who had played before me. At that moment, I was no longer just a normal 22-year-old guy, but a Dragonslayer reminiscing of his forgotten past. Only the sad music that resonated with the strings of my heart remained in my mind.

Before I knew it, something hot and wet streamed down my cheeks. I realized I was crying—crying for the memory of another world. For the people I had lost forever. For my past, which I couldn't share with anyone without being called a madman. It was quite embarrassing. The silence hung for a moment before loud ovations erupted, like the cheers I had heard after slaying my first dragon, returning home as a hero. And yet, for some reason, this time, I felt even more fulfilled and satisfied.

I had been a genius at manipulating mana and fighting, but when it came to music, I severely lacked in talent. Each step forward took considerable effort, and now I finally felt that it was all worth it. I understood why my Master had spent so much of her free time on music instead of sharpening her skills. I had a hunch that music was the real secret behind her strength. After all, emotions play a crucial role in controlling mana.

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Of course, my performance wasn’t over just yet. I continued playing classical music from Earth, a few pieces from my past life, and even one of my own creations, which was still far from complete. But after the first song, everything else paled in comparison. And yet, I was still here, enjoying those calm moments.

Finally, my performance ended. I stood and bowed to the audience, which cheered for me. With a smile and a face still streaked with tears, I left for the backstage, where my family awaited.

"You did well, son," my dad, Jack, tapped me on the shoulder. A man in his late forties, he looked like someone who could wrestle a bear. Yet, surprisingly, he was a university lecturer, specializing in history. On another note, he never skipped his days at the gym, nor did he miss leg days. 

"I couldn't believe that when you first played the piano, your father and I considered forbidding you from ever approaching that instrument ever again," my mother, who looked like she was in her thirties despite approaching her fifties, gave me a smirk. It was funny that in our family, she was the one responsible for dad jokes. Dad, though? He was a terrific cook, and always dead serious. They really complimented each other if you ask me. 

Just as I was about to respond, a little ball of happiness charged at me, wrapping me in a tight hug. "You were amazing, Ray! Especially the first song—it almost made me cry. Wait, did you cry, brother? I didn’t know you were so sentimental, especially considering it was a song you made yourself!"

I could only laugh as I scratched the back of my head. "Those weren't tears of sentimentality. I just suddenly remembered how you broke my first piano, Jess."

"Hey! I was only four years old! You can't blame me for thinking I could jump on a big piece of furniture!"

At first, I felt guilty about taking the place of these people’s son. But as time passed, I realized my past life was just a memory, and I was truly their son, part of their family. I was simply someone who remembered his past life, perhaps in a bit too much detail. My previous life, filled with endless battles, left me without a proper grasp of human emotions. Despite living into my mid-thirties back then, I never learned how to be... well, normal. I only knew how to fight, survive, and manipulate mana to enhance my body and attacks. Master... she was, at the same time, my only parent, my mentor, and my role model. I almost fell for her when I was a teenager. But... she was as broken a person as I was. We were both products of a world that demanded strength over humanity, and that left its scars.

Now, though, I was experiencing something I had severely lacked before. As we bantered with my sister, under the warm gaze of our parents, three familiar faces entered the room.

“Man, you really overdid yourself this time,” Derek said, walking in with his girlfriend in tow. She nodded politely to me as he continued, “Honestly, I thought you’d never make it when we were at the conservatory. But now, I think you’ve outdone me—biggest compliment I can give to a dude. Ever.”

"And this is exactly why I’m your only male friend, Derek," I chuckled.

His girlfriend, Amelia, elbowed him playfully. "He got you there, didn’t he?!" she teased, grinning.

The last person to enter the room was a shy girl, eighteen-year-old, just as my sister. She was my sister’s best friend, and I couldn’t help but notice the way she looked at me—her gaze filled with more than just admiration. Despite her being illegally cute, I had my reservations about responding to her feelings. Maybe in a few years, when she was more mature, I’d think differently…

"Mr. Drake, I... really want to congratulate you on your debut," she said, her voice soft as she avoided eye contact. But then, her eyes locked onto mine, as if she didn’t want to let go. By the way, wasn't my family name ironic? Raymond Drake, the Dragonslayer... yeah, very funny.

"Thank you, Rachel. I appreciate you coming to the concert. Also, as I said before, just Ray is fine. I’m not sure it was the most exciting event for you... I hope my sister didn’t drag you here."

"No, no, of course not!" Rachel responded quickly. "I’ve always enjoyed classical music. And knowing that my best friend's brother is such an amazing musician really surprised me."

"Actually, I’d say Rachel was the one who dragged me here, and... between the two of us, she was definitely the more excited for today," Jessica chimed in, making Rachel’s cheeks flush even more.

When our group left Carnegie Hall, something immediately felt wrong. I looked up at the sky—it was bright. Too bright. Brighter than I had ever seen before. Which was strange, considering it was already 8 p.m. in September. The middle of September, to be exact. The sky should have been darker by now, edging toward night.

“The sun,” Derek muttered, squinting. “Is it just me, or is it... too big?”

He wasn’t wrong. The sun looked unnaturally large and glowing with an eerie, bright white light. Derek, being Derek, pulled out sunglasses from nowhere and slipped them on. Of course, he'd have sunglasses in autumn just to look cool.

Before I could respond, Jessica spoke up.

“Did you feel that?” she asked, her voice low and filled with tension.

Everyone looked at her blankly. They hadn’t felt it. But I had. As it turned out, my sister had a great affinity with mana, just like me. She could sense it—more than just the bright sky, more than the odd size of the sun. It was a shockwave of aether that passed through us. Strong and overwhelming.

“What do you mean? Feel what?” Derek asked, still oblivious, his sunglasses doing little to hide his confusion.

I exchanged a glance with Jessica. We both knew something bigger was happening.

“I feel weak…” Rachel muttered, her voice barely a whisper.

Before I could react, people around us started collapsing. I caught Rachel just as she lost consciousness, and my mother wasn’t far behind. For those without mana, a shockwave of aether this powerful was more than enough to knock them out.

Even Derek, who prided himself on his physical fitness, was pale and unsteady. Meanwhile, the sun continued to change—a bluish hue forming at its center, spiraling out like a cosmic whirlpool. Chaos erupted around us. Cars crashed, people fainted, and sirens wailed from every direction. Streetlights flickered before dying completely, and when I checked my phone, it was dead. The surge of aether had taken out everything.

Then, as if the chaos weren’t enough, a voice—booming and calming, domineering and humble, seductive and pristine, but more than anything... divine—echoed from nowhere and everywhere at once.

Dear Sapients, dear humanity of planet Earth. The Aether Nova System announces that your star is undergoing Aether combustion. This will lead to unforeseen consequences and potentially complete destruction of your planet and civilization. But fret not. Your kind has been deemed worthy of preservation, and you will be given a chance to fight for survival. The energy of the combustion will be redirected to send all sapient inhabitants of your planet, alongside with some of your cities, directly to Gamma Cluster 11. You will soon find yourselves in a much larger, more wondrous world, and you will connect to the system, allowing for the quick integration of mana with your soul and body. Then, one day, you'll come back to reclaim your planet. I just hope that you'll be ready at that point. For now, please find a safe place and prepare for transfer. It won’t take long.

Countdown before the transfer: 78 seconds.

I turned to Jessica. "Brother... what’s going on?" she whispered, her face pale.

Derek's girlfriend was already unconscious, and even Derek himself looked like he was about to pass out. Dad seemed to be holding up better—hugging Mom with a stoic expression, bracing for whatever came next. But the worst part wasn’t the surrounding chaos—it was the sensation deep inside me. Something was stirring. Calling me. It was a familiar pull, one I hadn’t felt in this life yet. The last time was during the greatest Aether Eruption of my generation.

Only now, it was stronger.

“We can only hope this transfer is what it claims,” I muttered, more to myself than anyone else. “Or we won’t survive.”

For someone who had lived in a magical world before, the idea of a system integrating with Earth wasn’t as shocking as it probably should have been. But still... it jarred me. I had just reached the peak of my new life—finally tasting normalcy after years of battle. I had hoped to settle down, maybe even start a family.

But now...

Now, all my plans felt like dust in the wind. Destiny had a way of pulling me back, whether I wanted it or not.

With a sigh, I glanced at my friends and family before clenching my fists. "Well, I guess my vacation’s over."

No more delaying. It was time to protect the people that gave me a normal life.