The Century of Aberrations, the Continent of Summer.
Once, the Continent of Summer bore a culture, races, and way of life reminiscent of Earth's Middle Ages. However, one day, countless deep fissures suddenly appeared across the land.
Humans named these fissures the "Abyssal Rifts."
With the opening of the Abyssal Rifts, hordes of monstrous beasts surged into human settlements, ravaging human civilization.
Human weapons—swords, axes, and spears—proved utterly ineffective against the formidable beasts.
As time passed, the smoke emanating from the abyss awakened various supernatural abilities in humans. These abilities symbiotically merged with their bodies, transforming them and enhancing their physical prowess.
The Year 100 of the Aberration Century.
Adam's soul drifted in a pitch-black void, his thoughts lost in confusion.
Time seemed meaningless until, at last, his soul stabilized.
A warm bonfire illuminated the darkness, its glow warming his consciousness and allowing a sliver of thought to return.
In the darkness, faint calls echoed, like a gentle breeze caressing his soul: "Captain, Captain, wake up."
Suddenly, his eyes snapped open, and he sat up in bed.
Reflected in his gaze was a familiar face:
Wine-red hair, pale skin, green eyes, a proud nose, and a single earring adorning his right ear.
His handsome features were enough to enchant women and stir envy in men.
Clad in armor adorned with golden floral patterns, the suit accentuated his broad and powerful frame.
This man, with his striking looks and resplendent armor, was his closest, most familiar companion—and also the friend he had wronged the most.
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Adam, as if living in a dream, murmured to himself:
"Edward, is that you? Why does this scene feel so familiar?"
He opened his arms and embraced the handsome man who had been calling out to him—the man who was now and would forever be his closest companion.
"Buddy, can I trust you?"
"Wh—what? What are you talking about?"
Edward was stunned. He ran his fingers through his soft, golden hair, utterly baffled by his friend's sudden embrace upon waking.
Though their bond was strong and they saw each other daily, they were so familiar with one another that such an abrupt hug was entirely out of the ordinary.
Edward, startled by Adam's behavior, reached out to feel his forehead and said with a puzzled tone, "You’re not running a fever, are you?"
"Get lost, I’m here to save you," Adam retorted with a laugh, giving him a playful kick in the backside—a familiar gesture between close friends.
"Wha...what? Save me? What do I need saving from?"
"Pong! Pong!"
Adam kicked him twice more.
"I said you need saving, so stop arguing. Quick, tell me, what’s the date? Where are we?" Adam scolded him with a grin, while secretly thinking to himself:
*Good thing I woke up early. It seems I’ve traveled back in time.*
This left Edward utterly bewildered. Had his friend lost his mind after sleeping?
But he still scratched his head and replied:
"You agreed to team up with the Tiger Mercenaries to hunt rare magical beasts. We’re preparing our gear for the battle, and we’re heading to the Magic Forest tomorrow. Right now, we’re still at your place."
What? Tomorrow’s the day we go to the Magic Forest? Then I’d better get ready.
That day in his previous life was one he could never forget:
The hunt for the rare magical beast was a lie—a trap orchestrated by the leader of the Tiger Mercenaries to kill him.
His girlfriend had betrayed him, having an affair with Jareth, the leader of the Tiger Mercenaries. Together with her lover, she lured him into the hunt, only for him to be ambushed by the mercenaries' elite forces.
After he was severely injured, the woman he once deeply loved sneered and coldly revealed the entire plan—the trap, the deception—to his face.
In the end, because of Adam's superpower, "Muscle Expansion," he was captured and subjected to brutal human experiments in a laboratory.
In his previous life, he endured three years of torment before dying in agony.
All of it—every last detail—left him unable to forget his hatred for his ex-girlfriend and the Tiger Mercenaries. In this life, he would have his revenge!
As he pondered this, Adam knew he couldn’t afford to wait any longer. Time was too precious to waste even a single second.
"What exactly happened that day in my previous life? What preparations should I make now?"
He silently pondered, knowing full well that today was a crucial day if he wanted to alter his fate.
"That’s right, I need to go buy herbs immediately and brew beast-repelling potions. Back then, the Tiger Mercenaries used underhanded tactics to lure magical beasts, injuring both me and Edward, which led to our three years of torment."
Adam clenched a handful of soil tightly, as if gripping the throat of his enemy...