Calvin POV
"You...who the hell are you?" The headmaster asked as we sat down in her office.
Sitting across from Sheen, her glare sharp enough to cut through steel, I couldn't help but let a faint smirk tug at the corner of my mouth. At least I didn't have to worry about footing the bill for the broken gate or being charged for knocking Sesia halfway across the academy grounds. Geoffrey had thrown the first punch, after all.
"Does it matter who I am? Like we've been saying, I want to exchange my holy blade for the cursed blade that this academy has, I'm pretty sure that the academy would love that, right?"
I then took out the blade from my storage spell and handed it to her, after a couple of seconds, she handed it back after verifying its authenticity. The cursed blades and holy blades have this really magic to them, once you have them in your hands, you'll know what it is
"A holy sword is worth more than a cursed one for us exorcists...I would have to include something else along with it to make it a fair trade...but I'll be making some deductions for wasting my time and resources, is that fine?" She asked.
"Sure...Give me another sword along with it for my friend here, and if possible, a cooked steak too for my dog."
"Why do you bring a dog with you?"
"Why are you flat?"
"What?!"
"What's wrong with having an emotional support dog who's also fluffy and cute?"
"...Can it be any sword?"
"As long as it's of good quality, sure."
"I'll go get it...I'll have you wait in the guest room."
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Sesia POV
"You're awake," a familiar voice said. I turned my head slowly, wincing as I caught sight of Headmaster Sheen Aquarius seated by my bed.
"Headmaster...What... happened? The intruder?"
I then saw her sides and detected traces of magic on them, the same traces that were on me, she got injured.
"You fought?"
"Yes, it was a draw." she nodded in disappointment.
"DRAW?!" I exclaimed before taking a deep breath, "What about the holy sword?"
"An exchange was made, and that was the end of it."
"You went through with the trade...?"
"Yes. Willingly, he really was just here for the cursed blade."
"Who was that man? What happened? How is he still alive?"
Sheen didn't answer immediately. Instead, she turned her gaze to Geoffrey, who stood nearby with an uncharacteristically serious expression.
"You ask a lot of questions..." she then sighs, "Geoffrey, you know him...apart from what you told me earlier, what else do you know?"
"Not much, honestly. We were classmates for a short time back in the Heart Kingdom's Royal Academy. He was...well, average. Not particularly skilled, not particularly smart. If anything, I thought he was struggling because he was younger than the rest of us. He couldn't keep up." Geoffrey answered, "We were in the Beta class too...I wouldn't know much about him apart from his element being Spatial magic and that when we measured our mana pool, his couldn't be measured. Ma'am."
"Immeasurable mana? How come we've never heard of him then? Even if he was an expelled student, such a thing can't be kept a secret!" I chimed in, "My guard was down, but I can tell that he was strong."
"I don't really know, it's apparently an illness he has, his mana has some weird energy to it and none of our tools could identify how deep his mana pool is since the tools we had didn't identify his mana as mana." Geoffrey answered, "I don't really know much about him, we weren't close, sir."
I raised an eyebrow, confused. That man? Average?
"Then how is he so strong now?"
"That's what I'd like to know," Geoffrey admitted, his tone unusually subdued, "If he holds a grudge, I'd doubt that I'll still be talking."
"He wasn't even fighting me with full strength...he must have made a deal with the devil." Sheen said as she then clicked her tongue.
"What do you mean?"
"He fought me using only the ice element...his main element is Spatial magic..."
Sheen or Master Aquarius is a close friend of my parents, I grew up hearing tales of her exploits, how she was one of the strongest mages in the Spade Empire. To hear her admit, albeit begrudgingly, that someone had fought her to a standstill while holding back, for someone to tie with her using only one element that's a part of their arsenal...this man isn't simple. Who is he, really?
I'm going to need to investigate this person.
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3rd Person POV
Alex Rei stepped out of a bookstore with a satisfied smile on his face. His arms were heavy, and he had a bag stuffed with new novels, the scent of fresh ink wafting up every time the bag shifted. He had spent the better part of the day hunting down the latest releases, fully prepared to dive into the fictional worlds over the weekend. The day was perfect. The sun shone warmly, a light breeze whispered through the trees, and the streets were alive with the hum of everyday life. As he adjusted his bag to get a better grip, he stepped off the curb to cross the street.
Then came the horn. The screech of tires. And the impact. BANG!
Pain surged through him, followed by an overwhelming darkness.
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When Alex came to, he found himself floating in a void. The emptiness stretched endlessly, broken only by the sudden appearance of a radiant figure before him. A woman, if she could even be described as such, bathed in a divine glow that seemed to make the void itself bend to her will.
"Welcome, Alexander Rei," the figure said in a melodic voice, "Your time in your previous world has ended. But worry not, for your soul has been chosen for a greater purpose."
"A... greater purpose? No way, am I going to be reincarnated as a hero?!"
"Yes, yo-"
"YOSSSHHHA!!"
"I am the Goddess of Rebirth, Birtha. I have chosen you to be reincarnated into another world, a world in dire need of heroes. You will be gifted with unparalleled power and talent. You will save the world from darkness and bring it into a new era of prosperity."
[author] Don't criticize my name choices, Google didn't help much.[/author]
He couldn't help but grin. It was a chance to live out every fantasy he'd ever read.
"Alright, I accept. What do I need to do?" he asked.
"Step forward and consume the pulsing light," she said, gesturing to a glowing orb that materialized in the void.
It was a bright, rhythmic pulse, almost alive, radiating a warmth that seemed to call out to him. Alex approached the light cautiously. It shimmered, an inviting yet mysterious beacon. He reached out a hand to touch it. As his fingers brushed the surface, a wave of sensation hit him. A faint heartbeat. A fragile yet vibrant pulse of life.
Then he heard faint noises. As Alex pulled his hand away from the pulsing light, the voices grew clearer.
"Do you feel him moving?" A male's voice asked.
"He's lively already. Just a few more months, and we'll meet him." A female's voice replied.
The faint rhythmic pulse...it was a heartbeat. And the heartbeat he felt wasn't just near him...it was around him. The light wasn't just a life; it was the life of an unborn child. He was inside a pregnant belly. A nauseating wave of unease swept through him as he pieced it together.
"Why do you hesitate?" the goddess asked.
"Isn't this a baby?" he responded in a trembling voice.
"Correct. A life must be exchanged for your rebirth. This is the way it has always been."
"Always? You expect me to kill an innocent baby so I can play hero in some fantasy world? No, thank you. Bring some other psycho to do this, I'll go to hell if I have to."
"It is necessary. The child's soul will return to the cycle, and you will take its place to serve a greater good."
"No. I won't do it."
"You are refusing your destiny?"
"Call it whatever you want," Alex said while stepping back from the pulsing light, "I'm not killing anyone, especially not a baby."
"Hmm...I guess that we'll just have to bring naive souls for the other heroes."
"Your tone just changed." Alex noted.
The goddess sighed before straightening herself again, her glowing form pulsing faintly as she gazed at Alex, who stood firm, refusing to touch the light again.
"You misunderstand, Alex," she said softly, "The babies we choose are not just random souls. They are the weakest, most fragile live, ones with little chance of surviving on their own. This child you hear? Their heartbeat is faint, their body frail. They are unlikely to make it to the world outside, let alone thrive in it."
"Sorry to disappoint you then."
"You are a rare soul, Alex. One of the few I have encountered with the strength and purity needed to truly make a difference in the other world. Losing you would be...a waste."
Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.
"Find another way then."
"Perhaps there is another way. One that satisfies your morality and fulfills the purpose of our summoning...I cannot summon another soul for a long time and we might not have enough time...But if you are unwilling to consume this child's life, then I propose a compromise."
"If it involves not killing a person's child, then sure."
"I will split your soul into fragments and fuse them with the child's. Your power, your strength, and your will shall become theirs. They will inherit the body of a hero, born with the potential to fulfill the destiny I envisioned for you."
"What will happen to me then?"
"You will cease to exist. Your consciousness, as it is now, would not survive. Your will would live on in the child, perhaps as a faint influence or guiding voice. There may be side effects; memories, instincts...but make no mistake, Alex. You will no longer be you. You will become a part of this child, a fragment of what they are meant to be."
"And what happens if I refuse this too?" he asked.
"If you refuse, I cannot send anyone in your place for a very long time. By then, the world we seek to save may fall into ruin...He is moving as we speak."
"So I ask you, Alex: are you willing to sacrifice yourself...not to take a life, but to give one, so that this child might live and carry the burden of heroism in your stead?"
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Calvin POV
I rubbed my temples, staring at the ceiling as my heart slowly settled into a steadier rhythm.
"...That dream again..."
It wasn't new, not by a long shot. I'd seen it so many times I could recite every moment from memory. It felt distant and close at the same time, like a song you've heard a thousand times but can't quite remember the lyrics to. I knew what the dream was. Or rather, I knew who it belonged to. It wasn't mine.
Because I wasn't Alex Rei.
It left a strange, tangled mess in my chest. Gratitude, guilt, frustration...How was I supposed to make sense of it? I owed my life, my strength, and maybe even my very existence to Alex Rei. And yet, I wasn't him. I didn't even remember being him, just these secondhand dreams.
I'd seen others too. Pieces of Alex Rei's life...A city of towering steel and glass. A small, cramped room filled with books and a 'computer'. Laughter with people whose faces I couldn't quite make out. A truck barreling toward him, then darkness.
It wasn't just the dreams. Sometimes, in the middle of the day, those memories would slip in, uninvited. A phrase I didn't recognize would pop into my head, or I'd get a feeling of déjà vu from something completely foreign. At first, I thought they were my own memories, resurfacing from some long-forgotten part of my childhood. But they didn't belong to me.
And yet, no matter how much I resented it, I couldn't shake the feeling that I owed him.
Astrid stirred beside me, her half-lidded eyes catching the faint light filtering through the curtains. She blinked a few times before focusing on me, her expression softening.
"Is it happening again?" she asked softly.
"Yeah."
Without another word, she sat up, gently pulled me back down, and pulled me closer to her. Her hands, calloused from years of working the forge, moved to my hair, combing through it in slow, soothing strokes.
"You know, between you and Rose, I never would've thought that you were the pampering one."
"You 2 should stop flirting without me." Rose said out of nowhere before hugging me and kissing the back of my head, "Besides, I can pamper too."
"Does this mean I can make breakfast?"
"Don't push it."
"But I can cook."
"I don't care, I got dips on housework. Just be a great husband, that's all we need of you."
"Am I though? I need you all more than you need me. Astrid is the breadwinner, you do the housework, Leah's the educator and coordinator."
"...Sexual relief?"
"That's all I'm good for?!"
"Emotional support and exorcising ghosts." Astrid chimed in, "You're good at that too. Anyway, enough sappy stuff, we still have a few more hours, so sleep...I like how the room always goes cold every time you sleep, it's easier to cuddle like this."
"We should call Leah home and spend time with all the 5 of us." Rose suggested, "It feels a bit unfair that we're spending more time with you."
"I can go get her for dinner, like after working hours."
"Go ahead, for now, let's rest."
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David POV
I woke up early, the morning light just beginning to seep through the curtains of the room I had been staying in. After a quick stretch and some water, I decided to make my way to the nearby guild to see if there was any work available. The guild wasn't particularly busy when I arrived, though there was a quiet buzz of activity as adventurers milled about.
I approached the desk and showed my ID to the guild officer on duty.
"Anything available today?"
The officer shuffled through a stack of papers before pulling one out and handing it to me.
"A-rank job. Weeping Woman was spotted at the nearby beach. She's been trying to attack children, though luckily there have been no deaths so far. Still, we can't count on that holding." he answered, "Your job is to delay her murder attempts as children have suffered fatal injuries."
I frowned, reading over the details.
"A-rank... I'm C-rank."
"Exactly why I'm only asking you to pin her down and keep her in one place, someone capable will arrive within three hours to finish the job. Your task is to stop her from disappearing again until they get here. Think you can manage?"
With the job details in hand, I left the guild and made my way to Calvin's house. As much as I didn't want to admit it, I felt better with him around. Maybe he'd offer some advice or, if I was lucky, come along. I don't think I can handle a full A-rank yet. but when I knocked on the door, there was no answer. A moment later, Duke came out while wagging his tail.
I held up the paper.
"Is Calvin here?"
Duke tilted his head, then held up his paw and used his mana to draw up letters in the air. The word "resting "slowly took form in the air.
"Of course," I muttered, "Figures he'd sleep in."
Duke, however, seemed interested. He sniffed at the paper in my hand, his sharp eyes gleaming, then jabbed a claw at his own chest.
"You want to come?" I asked to which he nodded.
I looked back down at the details of the job. With Duke's help, it might be easier to keep her contained. Besides, I thought, Calvin trusted him to watch over me in situations like this.
"Alright, you're in."
Duke's tail wagged once before he stood, ready to follow.
As we walked toward the beach, I couldn't help but berate myself. I shouldn't have gone to Calvin's house in the first place. I could handle this. I should handle this. What good would it have been if I couldn't even keep a spirit in place for a few hours? I promised that he could rest. But I did at least get Duke to help us out.
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The sand crunched softly beneath my boots as I walked along the shoreline, the salty breeze tugging at my clothes. The beach was empty, save for a few birds in the sky, it's been emptied out for the weeping woman's case. I had been patrolling for almost twenty minutes now, scanning every shadow and crevice for any sign of her.
Duke trotted beside me, his nose low to the ground, sniffing diligently. He paused now and then, ears twitching, but continued forward each time. I was starting to think she might have disappeared again, just like the guild officer warned.
But then Duke froze, his ears snapping upright. He gave a low growl before turning sharply, heading toward a cluster of jagged rocks further up the beach.
"What is it?" I asked, following him.
He darted around the rocks, stopping at the largest one. Digging his claws into the sand, he gestured with his head for me to look. I stepped closer, peering around the boulder and there she was.
She was hunched in the shade, her long, matted hair spilling over her shoulders and face. Her dress, once white, was torn and filthy, hanging off her frail frame like a shroud. Quiet sobs wracked her body, her bony hands trembling as they clutched at the fabric of her dress. I felt a chill crawl up my spine as her sobbing abruptly stopped. Slowly, she turned her head to look at me, her face gaunt and hollow, eyes sunken but burning with an eerie light as she sensed me and spotted me soon after.
"Where are they?" she whispered in a desperate voice, "My children...where are they?"
I swallowed hard, my grip tightening on my sword.
"I...I-I don't know where they are."
Her face twisted in anguish, her cries suddenly rising to a shriek that echoed across the beach. She rose, her form flickering like a broken image, her eyes now blazing with fury.
"LIAR!" she screamed, "Everyone lies! Like him, why is everyone like him?! Why does everyone lie?!"
The air grew colder as she began to float, her form distorting and twisting like smoke caught in the wind.
"I'll make you pay like the others!" she howled before launching herself at me, her hands outstretched like claws.
Duke barked sharply, leaping to my side as I braced myself. This wasn't going to be easy.
The Weeping Woman was a notorious threat, classified as A-rank for good reason. She was a restless specter, driven by unrelenting grief and rage, preying on the vulnerable, particularly children. And men as they remind her of the guy who betrayed her. She is similar to La Llorona; she is much more dangerous in this world.
She was said to lure her victims with her sorrowful cries, her broken sobs echoing like a siren's call across empty beaches and riverbanks.
She didn't simply vanish after a failed attempt. In the initial stages, she would flee the moment someone intervened, her apparition fading into mist or disappearing beneath the water. It might seem like she was deterred, but every time she escaped, she grew more powerful. Her despair deepened, her anger burned hotter, and it built up. Eventually, she would stop running altogether, her grief-turned-fury manifesting in relentless attacks. Those who underestimated her often met grim fates, drowned by unseen hands as she dragged them beneath the waves.
The guild classified her as A-rank because, once she reached her peak, few exorcists could face her alone. By then, she wouldn't hesitate to assault entire groups of people, particularly men and children, whom she blamed for her agony.
I barely had time to react as she lunged at me, my sword came up instinctively, it was the new S-rank sword that had no abilities we got from our trade, slicing through her ethereal body, but it was like cutting through mist. The cold, wet tendrils of her attack wrapped around my arm, yanking me forward.
I conjured flames to repel her, the heat flaring to life along the blade of my sword, but a torrent of water blasted forth, extinguishing the fire with a hiss. She surged forward, her watery form coiling and striking like a serpent. I slashed, sidestepped, and parried, each swing of my blade keeping her at bay for mere seconds before she reformed.
She lashed out, and a tendril of water wrapped around my ankle, pulling me off balance. I rolled to my feet, striking out with a blast of light from my free hand, but she disappeared, jumped me from behind, and hit me on the head.
A sudden flash of movement broke through my haze. Duke's teeth was shining with mana as he slammed into her with a feral snarl. His jaw tore through her form, scattering water and plasma into the air. She released me, her grip faltering as Duke continued his assault, biting and clawing with unrelenting force. I coughed, my lungs burning as I staggered back to my feet. My vision cleared just in time to see her reform, her wails now directed at Duke as she lashed out with watery limbs.
I raised my hand, summoning a blinding light that burst forth like a miniature sun. The beam struck her squarely, forcing her back as her form began to disintegrate, however,
instead of fading away completely, she vanished into the water with a splash. The surface rippled violently before growing still. I tensed, gripping my sword tightly, my eyes scanning the dark waves.
Suddenly, the water surged upward, and she reemerged, her form more solid than before, her wounds knitting together as if they had never existed. Her scream pierced the night, a haunting, guttural wail that rattled through my chest.
The sound grew sharper, louder, until pain shot through my ears like needles. I cried out, clutching at the sides of my head as the world tilted around me. My knees buckled, and I dropped to the ground, barely managing to keep my balance as blood trickled from my ears. The wail didn't stop. It built and built, a maddening, oppressive force that turned my vision blurry and my movements sluggish.
Duke barked furiously beside me, but even his voice was drowned out. The pain was unbearable. Every attempt to focus, to stand, was thwarted by the relentless spinning of the world around me. My eardrums felt like they had been shredded, the ringing in my head making it impossible to think.
The weeping woman moved closer, her figure flickering like a mirage as she drew strength from the water beneath her. The ocean itself seemed to rise at her command, droplets spiraling in the air like a vengeful storm.
I gritted my teeth, forcing myself to stand despite the spinning and the pain. My vision doubled, but I could see her.
Water trickled gently down my head, cool and soothing against the burning pain in my skull. I gasped, blinking as clarity returned to my vision and the ringing in my ears began to fade. Duke stood beside me, his sharp eyes focused on the task at hand. His claws glowed faintly with mana as he balanced a small vial in the air, tipping its glowing contents over my head. A healing potion.
"Good boy," I croaked, feeling strength flood back into me.
Duke's ears twitched as he flapped them to show that he had earplugs on the whole time, of course, Calvin and Duke would have stuff like that, I can't believe that I forgot something as simple as earplugs, and then he pointed to his backpack. I grabbed at my backpack, rummaging through until I found a similar pair.
With the plugs in, her screams wouldn't incapacitate me anymore. The downside was that I'd be fighting without sound, but Calvin had taught me how to adapt. I took a deep breath and projected my mana outward. It pulsed through the surroundings like an invisible wave, brushing against the rocks, sand, and air. When something broke that flow, I would know exactly where she was. I steadied myself, clutching my sword tightly. I could feel her presence through the interference, a ripple disrupting my aura.
The moment she moved, I lunged forward, slashing toward the distortion.
She appeared, her ghostly form barely managing to dodge my blade. Duke pounced with a snarl, his teeth sinking into her translucent arm. She let out a muted scream, thrashing violently as his powerful jaws tore into her.
I took the opportunity, spinning and driving my sword into her torso. A burst of light erupted from the blade, and she recoiled, shrieking in fury. Her form wavered, but she didn't dissipate. Not yet. Duke dragged her down, his fangs tearing into her as he fought to pin her in place. I raised my blade, channeling everything I had into one final attack. The light surged, growing brighter and brighter until it was blinding.
I swung downward with all my strength, and the light exploded outward, engulfing her. Duke bit down hard, shaking violently as her form disintegrated into shards of shadow and mist. The light consumed everything, leaving nothing behind.
As the glow faded, I collapsed onto the sand, panting heavily. Duke then came to me and pointed to the nearby plasma.
"I'll clean it after a bit."
"Hmm? Duke, what are you doing here?" a female voice asked out of nowhere.