Kuroi’s consciousness stirred, swimming up from the depths of darkness. A strange, cold sensation washed over him, as if his entire body had been submerged in ice water. His mind was foggy, grasping at fleeting memories of heat, fire, and pain. The last thing he remembered was the suffocating smoke, the unbearable heat... and then, nothing.
As his awareness began to return, a calm, mechanical voice echoed softly within his mind, like a distant whisper.
System Initialization Complete.
Name: Kuroi Yami.
Soul Transfer Complete.
He tried to focus on it, but his thoughts were sluggish, his body unresponsive.
User Calibration in Progress.
Loading User Affinity...
User Affinity Loaded.
Red Flame Affinity: 35/120
Green Flame Affinity: 35/20
Blue Flame Affinity: 35/120
Yellow Flame Affinity: 35/120
Dark Flame Affinity: 0/120
Fixing Affinities...
Transferring Affinities to Dark Flame...
Dark Flame Affinity Maxed
Displaying New Affinities:
Red Flame Affinity: 5/120
Green Flame Affinity: 5/120
Blue Flame Affinity: 5/120
Yellow Flame Affinity: 5/120
Dark Flame Affinity: 120/120
The voice continued to narrate these changes as if it were a routine procedure. Kuroi’s foggy mind struggled to make sense of the information, his confusion compounded by the strange, impersonal tone of the voice.
New skill: Red Fireball (Basic) acquired.
New skill: Green Protection (Basic) acquired.
New skill: Blue Healing (Basic) acquired.
New skill: Yellow Enhancement (Basic) acquired.
New skill: Dark Ascension (Maximum) acquired.
New Skill: Item Box (Innate) Acquired.
Adding Mana Points...
Mana Points Successfully Added
The voice delivered each update in a calm and methodical way, contrasting sharply with the confusion Kuroi felt.
Concealing Abilities...
Abilities Concealed.
Bestowal Required to Unlock.
The voice continued, its tone neutral and detached, as though this was all routine. Kuroi tried to move, to open his eyes, but his body felt heavy and foreign, like he had been wrapped in layers of thick blankets. Panic surged through him, but even that felt distant.
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Integrating New User Consciousness...
User Consciousness Fully Integrated.
Body Calibration Complete.
Welcome to the World of Floga.
Finally, Kuroi managed to open his eyes. The world around him was a blur of colors and shapes, nothing like the darkness he had grown accustomed to. His vision gradually sharpened, revealing a dimly lit room, unfamiliar and alien.
He tried to take a deep breath, but his lungs filled with air in short, shallow gasps. His limbs felt tiny and weak, his movements clumsy and uncoordinated. It was only then that the realization hit him—he wasn't just weak. He was small.
The voice, smooth and matter-of-fact, reverberated in his mind. It carried an impossible truth that Kuroi was slowly coming to grips with: he had been reborn. Reborn into a world he didn’t recognize, into a body that was far from what he remembered.
He tried to cry out, to say something, anything—but all that emerged was a feeble wail, the sound of a newborn baby testing its lungs for the first time. The shock of it rippled through him, and his tiny fists clenched instinctively.
This world is governed by the Flame System, the voice continued, unaffected by Kuroi’s confusion.
You have been granted a unique affinity within this system, one that will shape your destiny. Welcome to your new beginning.
Kuroi’s wails subsided as he struggled to comprehend what was happening. His small, unfamiliar body trembled, and the memories of his past life began to blur. As he lay there in the warmth of a crib, the reality of his rebirth began to settle over him like a heavy, unshakable weight.
His old life was gone, consumed by fire and regret. This was his new reality—a second chance, a blank slate in a world governed by strange, powerful forces.
And as Kuroi’s tiny eyes blinked up at the unfamiliar ceiling, he couldn’t help but wonder what the voice meant with its words.
Kuroi's cries gradually quieted, replaced by a growing awareness of his surroundings. Muffled voices began to reach his tiny ears, soft and unfamiliar. His vision was blurred, the world around him just a haze of shapes and colors. But slowly, the outlines of two figures began to take form above him.
He blinked, struggling to focus on the faces hovering over his crib. The first thing he noticed was a pair of warm, gentle eyes gazing down at him, their color a striking shade of blue, like the sky on a clear day.
"Oh, look at him," the voice cooed, soft and loving. "He has your beautiful blue eyes."
Another voice, deeper and resonant, joined in with a hint of pride. "And your beautiful silver hair," the man said, reaching out to gently brush the piece of silvery strands on Kuroi’s tiny head. "Our little one has the best of both of us."
Kuroi blinked again, trying to absorb their words. His new mother’s eyes sparkled with warmth, while his father’s expression was filled with a calm strength. The realization that these were his parents in this new world slowly began to dawn on him.
The woman leaned closer, a soft smile gracing her lips as she gently cradled Kuroi—now their son—in her arms. She rocked him slowly, her touch soothing and filled with a mother’s love.
"What should we call him?" she asked, her voice filled with tenderness as she looked up at her husband.
The man gazed down at the small bundle in his wife’s arms, his expression thoughtful. After a moment, his eyes lit up with a decision. "Mav," he said, his voice firm yet warm. "Mav Rose."
Implementing New Name.
New Name Successfully Implemented.
User Designation: Mav Rose.
"Welcome to your new life, Mav," the voice echoed in his mind again.
The woman smiled, repeating the name softly as if testing its sound. "Mav Rose," she whispered, her eyes shimmering with affection as she looked down at her child. "A strong name for our strong little boy."
She leaned down, kissing Mav's forehead, her heart swelling with love. "Welcome to the world, Mav," she murmured. "Our beautiful, precious son."
The man placed a gentle hand on his wife’s shoulder, his gaze never leaving the tiny, silver-haired baby in her arms. "He’s perfect," he said softly, the pride evident in his voice.
As his mother held him close, Mav stared up at his new parents with wide, curious eyes. The warmth of their affection was palpable, a new and different kind of care he was just beginning to understand. The soft cooing of his mother and the gentle touch of his father’s hand brought a sense of comfort he hadn’t expected.
But beneath that comfort, questions began to swirl in his mind. What did this new life mean? Who was that voice speaking to him, and what did those words mean? Why was he here, in this strange yet tender place, with a name he had never known? The memory of flames and smoke was still fresh, but now it was replaced by this warmth, this strange, unfamiliar feeling of belonging.
Mav closed his eyes, the weight of his new existence pressing down on him. What was this world he had been reborn into? And what would this new life hold for him? The mysteries tugged at the edges of his consciousness, but for now, he could only wonder.
And so, nestled in the loving arms of his new mother, Mav drifted into a deep, dreamless sleep, the unanswered questions lingering in the back of his mind as he wondered what this new beginning would bring.