Gabe's POV:
"We both benefited. You are free now, and I gained a chapter."
"Chapter?"
"Don't worry about it."
The weird man turned away.
"Wait! Where are you going?"
"I'm off to accumulate more power."
"Do you need help?"
The man laughed.
"Now that you mention it. I could use a story."
"Story?"
"I need an identity."
"Why would you need an identity? Aren't you a powerful wizard?"
"Kinda... I've seen through your memories. You could help me by introducing me to my parents."
"What?"
"Just falsify some documents and give me an origin. So I have a proper identity to explore this world."
Just who have I run into?
An identity?
He makes it sound like he isn't from this world.
Has he done this before?
----------------------------------------
"I can give you the documents... as for introducing you to your parents... could you explain what you mean exactly?"
"Just any couple in the village that you think can have a kid?"
"Any couple is fine? Don't they need to agree for this to work?"
Hmm...
Zero hadn't really tested this yet.
He could speed up, rewind, and edit a persons soul.
His plan was to find a couple and modify their soul making them think he was their real child.
"They'll agree, trust me. Just go through the process for making my identity."
"That'll be hard to do..."
"Why?"
"We get portraits done for every youth once they turn 13... that is also when they are given a name."
Oh.
Zero began to grow younger.
Until he looked to be around 13 years old.
His clothes even morphed with him.
This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.
They were just made of data after all.
"This should work right?"
"... Yes."
"Follow me, I know the perfect couple to be your 'parents'."
"Alright."
"By the way... what is your name going to be?"
"Zero."
[ECHO]: Analyzing book
[ECHO]: "Time Walker"
[ECHO]: 3: Chapter 9: Identity
Zero was introduced to Jack and Mary.
Zero discussed his plan with them.
Jack spoke:
"So let me get this straight. You plan to manipulate our souls... the very thing that makes us who we are. In order to blend in and forge an identity?"
"Do we even have a choice?"
Zero said:
"Don't worry... working for me has its perks."
"Like what?"
Zero passed over the sack of money to them.
"Since I'm a child. It wouldn't make sense for me to handle this money. You can have it all."
"Oh my god! There's a platinum in here!"
"We're rich!"
"So... do you agree to work for me?"
"...I feel like I'm making a deal with the devil. But you've got a deal!"
The man held out his hand.
Zero shook it.
[ECHO]: {Name: "Sleep", Level: 2, Type: Target, Element: Mana, Cost: Varies, Desc: "Puts target to sleep."}
The man then fell asleep.
Mary looked at Zero in horror.
"Don't worry, he is just asleep. To be honest, I'm new to manipulating memories this way. the odds are going to be better if he is asleep."
"How did you do that!?"
"Magic."
"Sleep."
[ECHO]: {Name: "Sleep", Level: 2, Type: Target, Element: Mana, Cost: Varies, Desc: "Puts target to sleep."}
Mary passed out.
"Let us began."
Zero held up his hands and formed a triangle.
He then pointed this at Jack.
[ECHO]: {Name: "Soul Tracker", Level: 1, Type: Target, Element: Mana, Cost: 100, Desc: "Trace back targets soul."}
Zero then used his mysterious artifact to edit the mans soul.
He saw through his entire life in an instant.
Zero began to fabricate fake memories.
Memories of Zero.
The day Zero was born.
Teaching Zero how to walk.
How to talk.
Showing him how to farm.
How to hunt.
Doing house chores.
All the way up to when he was 13 years old.
Zero then breathed a sight of relief.
"It seems to be successful."
He then did the same thing for Mary.
They woke up a day later.
Zero had completely refurbished their hut.
Tearing it down and making a brick house.
He made sure to have his own room.
As well as his own utensils.
He made their memories change to reflect the change in status.
He also made sure that they thought the money came from the village head as a gift for Zero's birth.
Zero kept up his facade as a teen.
You see... there was a slight issue.
His parents believed he had always been around.
But the same was not true for the other villagers.
So Zero used mass memorize.
[ECHO]: {Name: "Mass Memorize", Level: 3, Type: Area, Element: Mana, Cost: 4000, Desc: "Show the secrets of the universe to everyone in a 1 kilometer radius."}
Put the entire village in a daze.
And went around and changed every single persons soul.
Elderly, children, everyone.
At a certain point he just went 'fuck it'.
And modified Gabe's soul, removing all memories of him from the picture.
Making Gabe think he had won the money himself.
Zero even put a strong intent in Gabe's soul to make it so he would be afraid of gambling again and going into debt.
He morphed Gabe's personality.
So in documents and by the accounts of everyone in the village.
Zero was born and raised in this small village.
You couldn't fake this stuff.
He was one of them.
But in reality.
He had only been in this world for about a week at this point.
Zero followed the example he had set in the villagers minds.
He did chores and farmed for about 2 years.
It was at the 'age' of 15 that his parents had an actual child that was theirs.
Zero had a little brother.
Another year went by.
Zero was now apparently 16.
His parents tried to introduce him to some people.
They thought he was too isolated... and should make some friends.
Zero honestly couldn't stand dealing with children.
This was a simple village... there wasn't a school.
Zero was illiterate in this world.
Well, he should be based on his backstory.
But he had the memories of the warlock he had gotten and some from Gabe.
So he could read and write.
His father tried to get him a wife.
But he was millions of years older then these children.
Trying to hook him up? Ridiculous!
A wizard finally visited the village.
It was time for everyone to get their aptitude tested.