A new life(Marvel&DC) #Chapter 1: Skip this. - Read A new life(Marvel&DC) Chapter 1: Skip this. Online - All Page

Chapter 1: Skip this.

Skip this, do not read this, it is not meant to be read, if you read this then I will beat you, I told you to skip it, move on to chapter one. Don't let me beat you.

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A Sky God's Spiritual Foundation. It was the greatest natural treasure in all of existence, but the sacrifices one must make to gain the approval of such an entity was unimaginable.

Ryu is a genius amongst geniuses.

He was born with the four Grand Ancestral Bloodlines. The Lightning Qilin. The Fire Dragon. The Ice Phoenix. The Fire Phoenix…

He was blessed with an Ancestral Grade Bone Structure and Ancestral Grade Meridians. The Ice Jade Crystal Bones. The Chaotic Silk Meridians…

He was bestowed the First Ranked Heavenly Pupils. The Mysteries of Heaven and Earth Pupils…

However, none of it mattered. Born with a False Spiritual Foundation, it seemed that all of his talent would go to waste. Unless…

Unless he was willing to grasp his Fate in his own hands.

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**This novel once went by another name 'Rise. Rising. Risen.' So, the wiki is still under this name

https://rise-rising-risen.fandom.com/wiki/Ryu_Tatsuya

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# ROMANCE# ADVENTURE# REINCARNATION# R18# WEAKTOSTRONG# HAREM# CULTIVATION# TRANSMIGRATION# GENIUS

Chapter 1

Shrine Mountain

On a cliff that stood above the world, a young man with skin as pale and pure as ice looked out and into the horizon.

The beautiful yellows, reds and oranges of the morning sky shone without hindrance, dancing over the pristine white clouds below his feet.

This place was known as Shrine Mountain, the highest peak of not just this Plane, but all of existence. It stood so tall that the sun called it friend and even the clouds could only hug its feet.

Throughout the lower planes, millions of geniuses were born everyday, each with the dream of standing at the pinnacle of the world… Each with the dream of sitting in this young man's very place.

However, this young man remained indifferent. His silver, sometimes pale blue, eyes seemed to pierce through all things. To call his brows sword-like was to sell them short, to describe his demeanor as being that of an Emperor was to insult him, to define him as handsome was to call him ugly.

The cool morning wind blew his long white hair gently, yet not a speck of dust could be found within it. Or, maybe nothing dared to blemish him in any way.

'One thousand years.' The young man thought to himself, devoid of emotion.

Today was his thousandth birthday, a happy occasion for lack of a better descriptor. Kings, Emperors, Queens and Empresses would all converge today, all to pay respects to him.

It wasn't very much of a surprise considering who his parents and grandparents were. However, such a truth wasn't enough to require such fanfare. Simply put, the importance of this young man himself warranted respect regardless of his lineage.

"Elena." The young man spoke this name abruptly. His voice was soothing and calm but held a hint of biting cold that made them contradictorily sharp. Yet, it was very clear by how his eyes softened that he cared for the woman holding this name.

"You always know…" A sound that Currently focusing on the Fantasy Carnival. My entry is called What?! I am the Reincarnation of the Magi King?! Please support it! Book will resume with Reincarnated at Level two million reaches its conclusion.

*Explicit Content Warning: descriptions of sex, torture, and implied rape. Only read if above the legal age in your country.*

Waking up in an unfamiliar place Fredrick quickly discovers he has been isekaid into the body of a deceased young man named Joshua. Everything seems like it is going perfectly, lucky break after lucky break helps him.

However not all luck is good and there are dark powers at play. A corrupt kingdom, unscrupulous nobles, and a world filled with monsters are just some of the challenges he will face.

Everything was going well… all according to plan… until it all went to shit and Joshua loses himself to become an overpowering demon destined to conquer the world.

There are laughs and there are dark moments, please enjoy the book and let me know what you think in the comments.

….

Why are you still here? Go read the book already!

….

Seriously… theres nothing else here… go read…

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# ACTION# REINCARNATION# R18# SYSTEM# COMEDY# HAREM# DARK# OVERPOWERED# ISEKAI# ANTIHERO

Chapter 1

New Beginning

"The hell, am I?" A boy said as he got up from his bed. His surroundings were completely foreign to him. "Is that straw?" He knelt down and examined what he had been laying on. A sheet of cloth covering a bed of straw. A torch of fire hung on the wall near the door of the small room he was in.

It looked like the floor was made of dirt and the walls were of an old rotting wood. "Where the hell is this place?" He asked. "Wait what's wrong with my voice?" He noticed he was slightly shorter than he remembered as well. He looked down at his hands, youthful skin covered them.

"It's one of those Isekai tales." He said as a smile creeped on his face. "I have been isekai'd! This is the best day ever!"

The door to his room creeped open and a woman holding a lantern stood in the opening. "Son, is everything alright? I heard yelling, did a snake get in your room again?"

He knew when he saw her that she was his mother of this world. He had memories in his head of the language and his family. But they weren't his memories, they were someone else and he now had their body.

"Everything is fine mom, I just had a dream and reacted poorly." He replied.

"You always were so sweet, my dear Joshua." His mother said. "Please try to get some rest and try to keep it down, if you don't the lord may overhear and seek to punish us."

"Yes, mother." Joshua said. "I am sorry, goodnight."

His mother left and shut the door behind him.

[That's right in this world I live beneath another house.] He thought to himself. [My family are just servants, less than even a peasant. Why would I be reborn into such a life? Better question is why would I be reborn into this body?] He examined himself. [So small and malnourished. If I remember I am fifteen here, today is my birthday.

Maybe that was the catalyst for my memories of my past life returning. My birthday. That would make sense, I read stories like that.]

He climbed back into his bed and attempted to sleep. He thought maybe this was all a dream as he drifted off.

The sounds of roosters outside woke him from his slumber. His mother opened the door again. "Happy birthday Joshua." She said as she entered. "You are a man now. I am so proud of you."

[That's right, in this world fifteen was the legal adult age.] He recalled. [At least something was like the anime and manga that he watched and read. Adulthood at fifteen was a routine trope.]

"Today is the day you go to the church and get your identification card." His mother explained. "You will have your stats, and abilities, and even your current level."

"Thank you, mother." Joshua said. "Do you need me to help you with anything before I leave?"

"My sweet boy!" His mother said. "You do not need to lift a finger today! Today is your day! Now go, I am curious as to what my baby's skills are."

"Yes mom." Joshua said as he put on his outside clothes. They were worn and torn. His poor family would not afford to have new clothes, or even afford to repair the ones they had. They were the poorest of the poor and this fantasy world had no welfare system at all.

As he left the house it was as he left for the first time. His old memories had completely overshadowed his new ones, and he was essentially a different person than he was just a day ago. In his past life his name was Frederick, and he was a coder for video games. His whole life was devoted to games and entertainment. He was the very definition of a weeb.

He wondered how he died, as he had no memory of death. No discussion with the gods, nothing. He just woke up here as Joshua. He hoped that this status board from the church would have some insight on the situation.

At the front of the church stood an armored guard holding a halberd. "You there, are you here for identification?" He asked Joshua.

"Yes sir." Joshua said.

"Alright, you looked about that age." The guard said. "Enter here and take a left once you get inside. Follow the path and you will find the room with the stone of knowledge. It will grant you the identification you seek."

"Thank you." Joshua said as he entered the church, he took a left as the guard instructed and found himself in a room with a large stone floating in the center of it. It looked like normal granite rock, but it was just floating. A panel stood in front of the stone as well as a priest.

"Welcome young man." The priest said. "Place your hand on the stone and we will be able to produce your identification."

[This is the part where everyone will find out how super awesome I am.] He thought to himself. [The main character in these stories always gets some super overpowered advantage. I cannot wait to see what mine is. I bet I am some super high level or have amazing stats. Maybe it's an awesome skill!]

He walked up unable to keep himself from grinning like a fool as he placed his hand on the slab. The stone orb began to spin rapidly as a small stone sheet emerged from the panel. Joshua grabbed the sheet in excitement only to have all of his happiness drain in an instant from his face.

His level, his stats, everything, was one. The priest saw his despair and walked over to investigate.

"Wow, got to say I have never seen that." The priest said. "In all my years, I have never seen anyone with all the stats of one and level one, not at your age. That should be impossible, were you born yesterday?!"

[Shit, in a sense I was born today!] He thought to himself. [Was my awakening actually my birth? Did Joshua die last night, and I took his place? Am I a zombie?!]

"Let's see your skills." The priest said as he examined the slab further. "Haven't seen this either."

"Haven't seen what?" Joshua asked.

"It appears you lack skills of any kind." The priest said. "Everyone should be born with at least three to five skills that show up by age fifteen. That is why we wait for the identification ceremony. You are quite the anomaly indeed. Regardless, I welcome you to the folds of adulthood, should you ever need a new identification there is a fee of twelve silver."

"Thank you." Joshua said, still in shock by the situation.

[I am weak?! I shouldn't be the weakest ever! I am a reincarnated soul! I should be the strongest! Why?!] He thought to himself.

He made his way back home and as he entered his mother was making him a cake, or at least attempting to with what little flour she could find.

"Welcome home sweetheart!" She said with a big smile. "How did it go? Is my baby super amazing like I thought?!"

"Well, the priest said that he had never seen anything like it before." Joshua said. "I knew it baby! You are special! So, what are you going to do for work now? Our lord has been generous to allow you to stay with me while you look for employment. But he told me today you have two weeks before he kicks you out. He does not want another man in his house, even if it is a servant."

"Maybe I could be an adventurer?" Joshua asked, using his knowledge of previous stories and hoping there was such a profession here.

"That is dangerous." His mother replied. "But if you think you have the stats for it, you have my blessing. I know you would not make a decision that would hurt yourself. You have always been so careful." She pulled a small cast iron cauldron from the cooking fire and pulled a lopsided cake from it.

The cake was basically bread, since she was unable to obtain any sugar. "Let's celebrate your advancement into manhood dear!" She said joyfully carrying the cake over.

After they ate, Joshua retired to his room to think.

[Okay so here is what I know about this world so far.] He thought to himself. [There is a system, there is magic, it is around medieval times technically wise, and I am the weakest person to ever walk the planet. I don't feel dumb though. So, intelligence must be a stat that pertains to something other than how smart you are. Maybe it is your capacity to learn magical spells. I have seen stories like that.

Strength of one doesn't appear too bad either. I am able to pick up at least fifty pounds. Endurance is a problem, I got winded walking, and agility. I seem to not be very flexible. Seems there are no stats for charisma or luck or wisdom.

Well, if there is a system there is hope. I just need to use my modern knowledge and increase my level. This is no different than the RPGs I used to play. You always start as level one and end up at the strongest being in the game after doing a bit of grinding.

Tomorrow is a new day! Tomorrow, I will start improving my level!]

Chapter 2

New Beginning Part 2

The rooster's crow signified that dawn had come and a new day had begun. Joshua got up from his bed and got ready to leave. His mother stopped him with a piece of bread.

"Joshua, please remember to eat." She instructed. "I know you are excited to start your new life, but you must always remember to maintain yourself."

"Sorry mom." Joshua replied. "I don't know what came over me. I forgot to eat."

"Excitement can do that to you." She said as she leaned in and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "You have a good day today and be careful."

Joshua ate the bread as quickly as he could and then left the dungeon in which they lived.

[Okay my first task will be acquiring a weapon.] He thought to himself. [For that I am going to need money. Clearly my family doesn't have any, so I can't ask there. Time to exploit my knowledge of stories.]

Joshua walked the streets until he found a bakery. He was somewhat of an amateur baker in his past life and was sure that his skills would translate to this world.

A small bell over the door rang out as he entered the shop.

"Coming!" A young girl yelled from the back. "Oh, it's you Joshua!" She said with a giant smile on her face.

Joshua searched his memories. [Right, her name is Gina. She is a childhood friend.]

"Hey Gina!" He responded.

"I am so happy to see you up and about!" She said. "When you were in bed those two weeks, I thought you were a goner. Glad to see that you have pulled through. What can I do for you today?"

"Well, it turns out that I need a job and a new place to live." Joshua explained. "The lord my mother serves does not want another male in the household."

"Pervert." Gina said. "I am sorry you have to deal with that, but father would never allow a boy, especially one who is my age, to stay under the same roof as me."

"Oh, I wasn't asking to stay with you." Joshua said. "Although, thanks for thinking about it. I need money for a weapon. I wish to become an adventurer."

"But you're so sweet Joshua!" Gina complained. "You shouldn't do that!"

"It won't change me." Joshua said. "I will still be the same guy you know." [Except I fear the Joshua you know is dead, sorry Gina.]

"Well, I can give you my savings." Gina said. "But you have to promise me that you won't do anything reckless and die on me! Also, you need to pay me back one day! So, you have to stay alive!"

"Thank you." Joshua said. "I promise I will pay you back one day."

"Just give me a moment." Gina said as she went into the back. She and her family lived above the bakery, and she was using the stairs in the kitchen to return to her room. She returned shortly after leaving with a small pouch that she tossed to Joshua.

"Here is ten silver." Gina said. "That is all I have."

"I will pay you back double one day." Joshua said. "I promise you."

"See that you do." Gina said. "Seriously stay alive, or I will kill you!"

"Alright, I get it." Joshua replied. "Thanks again."

The little bell rang out again as Joshua exited the bakery. He walked around town until he discovered the blacksmith's shop. There was no door, so Joshua entered. The blacksmith was a large man with a long black beard and black hair. He was not wearing a shirt but had a leather apron over her chest as he pounded red hot metal with a hammer.

"Excuse me." Joshua said. "I would like to purchase a sword."

The blacksmith paused from his hammering and placed the metal back in the forge. "Can you even hold one?" He asked. "You look weak, kid."

"What can I purchase for ten silver?" Joshua asked.

The blacksmith looked around his shop and then pointed to a small, short sword leaning against the wall. Its blade was coated in a thin layer of rust and its edge was dulled. "You can have the piece of trash some adventurer brought in from the ruins. Damn thing is probably cursed anyway."

"Well, if it is probably cursed you should just give it to me free of charge." Joshua said. "Since I would be doing you a favor."

"Fine." The blacksmith replied. "Just pay me what I paid the adventurer for it. Four silver."

Joshua opened his pouch and pulled out four silver coins and laid themWith the whole globe snowed over, humans are no longer on top of the ladder.

Violent aliens have forced humanity into various locations of hiding, and an evil ancient clan reveals itself. Taking control of sanctuaries all over Earth as Mafia Bosses, Dictators, Conquerors, and other forms of leadership, in an attempt to prove which is the strongest amongst them.

After being in hiding for three years, humans have begun to acquire "abilities" just from slaying one of these aliens.

Shortly after leaving their sanctuary/apocalypse training academy, two old friends, Katsu and Saku, are matched together not only as an academic team, but choosen by the last surviving "Creator of Humanity". Each one is 'blessed' as the vessels for the universe's contemporary forces and use their unique abilities to achieve their own (secretly combative) goals.

Accompanying them is a female descendant of the greatest 'unknown' Scandinavian sword fighter.

After being revealed to about her destined lineage, and the lost "mythical" history of her highly respected grandmother from the Viking/Valkyrie Age, Shelly is determined to retrieve all of her slain grandmother's stolen weapons from a both physically and magically gifted covenant of witches.

If you have a beloved purpose you can't live without, do you truly have any freedom?

If you have complete freedom to do or say whatever you desire, do you truly have any purpose worth caring about?

[All art is not done by AI but by my good friend Amon-kun]

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WARNING/DISCLAIMER: This series spotlights coincidental parallels between various religious scriptures, and scientific theories but is in no way discrediting or belittling the beliefs of others whether that be Creationist or Evolutionist.Synopsis

After suffering so much on earth, Liam died with his heart filled with hatred for heaven and humans.....

At the great void of reincarnation, he disobeyed a god and entered a different reincarnation portal....

He was reborn in a new world, possessing immersive bloodlines abilities....

With this he have finally started his journey of going against the heavens..

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# ACTION# SYSTEM# OVERPOWERED# CULTIVATION# VILLAIN# GENIUS# KILLER# NO-HAREM# RAREBLOODLINE# BLOODPUMPING

Chapter 1

Reincarnation

In the great void of reincarnation floated the souls of numerous earthlings who had fallen victim to the hooded reaper carrying a scythe; these souls had a lot of emotion sealed within them.

Among them was one with a flashing red glow.

The flashing red lasted as long as it took the sun to rise and set.

Time felt as if the heart was beating peacefully, with a semi-pounding sound.

When the glow shone upon the great emptiness of reincarnation, it illuminated the path of the other souls who did not possess the red glow.

These souls were the souls of people who had enough karmic destiny to trade for a second chance in a new world. The law of reincarnation and the exchange of karmic fates was unprecedented for people. We all believed that this life followed a certain phase: from the womb to the grave.

Whether they were evil or righteous, they all accumulated varying amounts of karmic fate, which could be exchanged immediately after death.

It is understandable that anyone who had passed through the void of reincarnation had saved up enough karmic destiny to trade it for a second chance at life, but why was only one soul shining?

Why was it red? Why were the other souls colorless?

It's simple: the fate of the solo radiant soul was too significant for heaven not to trade it all in, as it would be labeled a fraud.

The heavens do not deceive, but karmic destiny is akin to their wealth; it defines their supremacy and showcases their power over mortals. The more karmic destiny they receive, the stronger they become.

Of course, the sky is not governed by one God. There are almost a million gods who oversee all the elements of the universe. The gods are like the pillars of the universe.

They are akin to the salt of heaven, just as human beings are the salt of the earth. We once thought that they were the supreme rulers of the universe, but they are not. They also have a supreme ruler who holds absolute authority over the universe - the Primordials.

Alright, enough about celestial matters. Why is this soul still glowing red?

This defiled soul is the soul of a young man who had been deprived of his rights by heaven.

His life on earth was stained, with pain, guilt, helplessness, and injustice being his constant companions.

Suffering was like his brother; they willingly shared the same toothbrush early in the morning, and in the evening, his house was warmed by suffering. Growing up without parents left him facing the hardships of the world without any form of defense. He didn't go to high school because he had to work hard to survive.

Working as a laborer wasn't an easy job for a 15-year-old boy. Watching his peers drive flashy cars to high school every day was a painful torment to his heart.

Despite this, no matter how difficult life became, he never lost hope and kept working, hoping that one day heaven would answer his prayers.

Months and years went by, but no answer came. So, he gave up his belief in the existence of heaven.

His birthday was never celebrated; if he ever wanted to celebrate, the guest of honor would still be his beloved and hated brother - Suffering. Like everyone else on his birthday, he decided to work harder and earn more.

Dressed in his regular work uniform, Liam made his way to his job site - a construction site - greeting his colleagues as he ascended the stairs.

After a few minutes of climbing the stairs, Liam reached the top. However, when he arrived, he saw something he hadn't expected - death, which came in the form of a weapon aimed at his head by a mysterious hooded man.

He looked around

and saw his colleagues dead. He couldn't believe he was dying on his birthday. How unfair! Life was starting to become less stressful; he had even separated himself from his useless brother and lived in his own rented apartment, which had everything he needed. But he believed that a mysterious brother named Death would wait for him on his birthday, on the day he came of age. *Pope*

A bullet pierced his head.

This was the last thing he saw before giving up the ghost and finding himself in the great void of reincarnation, but with a mysterious red glow different from the others.

"So, this is how it ends, huh? After struggling with suffering and success, you've decided to send death. Damn."

Liam's mind still worked perfectly; the memories of his life were still with him, while the other souls had already lost all forms of memories related to their lives after passing through the ocean of oblivion.

It was then that the red glow appeared. At first, it had the shape of a halo, but then it began to shrink until it became a part of his soul. Since then, the red glow had become a guardian of his path in the great void of reincarnation.

One by one, the souls continued to disappear. They all vanished, now given a second chance to live a life. If they were lucky, the possibilities could grant them great achievements.

"I can't see another soul. Does that mean I'm alone here? ... What's that light over there?"

The light that Liam saw was not actually light, but a portal. A teleportation portal that would lead him to another dimension.

His soul was swallowed by it, entering a new place like a hall. This time, his soul wasn't the only source of illumination. The room seemed to consist entirely of light.

"Am I in heaven? I thought heaven was supposed to be a place with a very big room filled with millions of angels and God."

When one was in this place, one naturally had the feeling of being in heaven. Probably in one's home in heaven, or perhaps in the house of an angel or of God.

There was still no one here; there was even another portal. Liam was curious if this portal led him here, then where would the other portal lead him? So, he started flying towards it.

However...

"Do not enter this portal!"

A loud voice thundered through the hall, causing some of the light to flash while others momentarily faded, reducing the intensity of the lighting and also causing the red glow to shine within Liam's soul a meter or two away from the white light.

"Who is this person?"

Liam was annoyed, not bothering to listen anymore. He flew faster towards the portal until he was only a step away.

"Foolish mortal, that world is not for you. If you go there, you will probably die and suffer the same pain as in your previous life. I warn you, do not enter."

The voice's tone became anxious, and it later grew frustrated, as if the person was experiencing performance issues.

"If he's a god, I'm more than happy to disobey him." Liam shared his final thoughts before walking through the portal.

"Damn, a red glow of the soul just means total destruction. Why the hell did I leave this room? I'm sure I'll receive my share of punishment from the Primordials."

The voice sighed in disappointment.

Liam embarked on a heavenly adventure about which he knew nothing. He was glad he didn't obey that voice. When they didn't listen to him on earth, why should he listen to them now, especially in this situation?

After passing through the portal, his soul entered a golden portal that eclipsed the red glow of Liam's soul.

"Why can't I stop moving?"

He asked, but there was no one to answer.

His soul continued down the golden portal until it encountered another bright light that blinded his vision, causing him to pass out as his soul fell unconscious into the light.

His reincarnation was the legendary Demonic reincarnation, but where did he reincarnate? In the future or the past? In a normal world or a fantasy world?

Chapter 2

Where's my system?

The next moment, when he opened his eyes, he found himself in a dark world. His body felt heavy, and he was too weak to open his eyes.

Various thoughts crossed his mind, and he almost regretted his decision.

Maybe...

Just maybe...

A voice had tried to warn him...

But he didn't regret his actions for a moment.

Wasn't it the same heaven that had neglected him?

Weren't these the same divine beings who set the rules for mortal life?

He followed those rules, yet in the end, he died.

If he truly had a second chance, he wouldn't play by their rules anymore. What would he become?

Heaven wouldn't tolerate it, and darkness would surely become his ally.

The heavens would be so frightened that they would prefer demons over him.

These were the thoughts running through his mind as he patiently waited for his reincarnation to end so he could finally start a new life with a new mindset that would defy all odds.

"Does reincarnation usually last this long? I'm getting tired of doing nothing."

Liam felt annoyed, but unbeknownst to him, he had already been reborn. However, he was still trapped in a place where the natural process needed to take its course...

This world was one that revolved around the Dao of martial arts. Martial artists in this world were highly respected.

In terms of size and population, it was several times larger than Earth. Mysterious energies known as essence existed in various forms in this world.

These essences were the energies that helped people increase the power of their mind and soul.

With a strong foundation in martial arts and the utilization of essence, one could become a practitioner...

Date: July 23, 34567 of the Desolate Calendar.

Location: Great Sun Empire, Shadow City, Morning.

"Please, Matriarch, don't give up."

"You must persevere. We cannot allow our enemies to have the satisfaction of laughing at us."

Two women's cries filled the air, carrying a sense of hope.

"Keep pushing, don't give up."

They continued to encourage someone, who happened to be Lady Emerald Xan Yan, a member of a third-class noble family.

She was currently going through the delivery process, which had been ongoing for a week.

If she were a normal human, she would have succumbed to death by now. Fortunately, as a cultivator, she was able to endure and hold on during this process.

She had already known in advance that this would happen on her birth day.

This was because the baby had been in the womb for nearly a year, instead of the usual nine months. Her husband, Gregor Xan Tang, the head of the noble family, had consulted several sages and doctors, all of whom assured him that the child was fine. However, one day, they met an elderly person who revealed a different perspective.

"Either the heavens are against this child, or he is an extraordinary child with unique skills and abilities."

A special child wouldn't have a normal birth process, that was a fact.

With the support of ten midwives, the process had been progressing slowly but smoothly. Lady Emerald hadn't lost her strength despite the number of days that had passed.

After several days of a challenging birthing process, the baby finally arrived...

Meanwhile, Liam started to feel a change. It was as if he was beginning to depart from that place.

He felt frustrated; he just wanted to leave and had been yearning for it.

At some point, it felt like he was being pulled out by large hands, causing him to panic.

However, after several hours had passed, he finally emerged. Now he could see and feel the breeze blowing against his body, though his entire body felt weak.

Opening his eyes was a struggle, but eventually, he saw lights... and strange towering figures, appearing to be at least twenty times his size.

He wanted to scream in shock, but all that came out was a baby's cry.

'Where is that baby noise coming from... Wait a minute, don't tell me... I'm a baby!!'

Well, he couldn't deny reality at that moment. He was indeed a baby.

"Congratulations, my lady!"

"It's a boy, such a cute one."

"Oh God, look at his blood-red hair and his eyes... wow, he's so special, with eyes of different colors... so adorable!" The youngest midwife, a blonde beauty in her thirties, gushed over his cuteness.

The midwives rejoiced at the birth of the young master and immediately shifted their attention away from the lady they had just assisted.

Lady Emerald, exhausted from the birthing process, was fast asleep on the bed. Despite being in her late thirties, her hair was white, yet she still appeared youthful, beautiful, and emanated a calm and intelligent aura.

Liam's vision wasn't very clear, but he could already sense that this place was different from his previous life.

The walls were made of bricks, and there were glowing crystal orbs providing illumination. A flower pot with calming-scented flowers added to the atmosphere.

But to Liam, something was missing, something he needed to guide his path and accelerate his power growth.

He would have loved it to be demonic or evil. Becoming powerful wasn't a bad thing to him. After all, all he wanted was to defy the heavens and become the most feared.

'Wait, now that I've been reborn, where the hell is my system?'

Chapter 3

Gregor Xan Tang

Moments after his birth, Liam was still trying to adjust to his newly found fragile body as he patiently waited for his system to arrive.

Three hours had passed since his birth when the door opened and a man with black-and-white hair entered the room. He wore a purple cloak, had a wine gourd around his waist, and carried a sword on his back. His presence emitted a strong aura.

Being reborn, Liam had no information about this world, except that his parents belonged to some kind of noble family and his father was skilled in martial arts.

Gregor Xan Tang, a third-class nobleman, had earned a reputation that made others jealous. He was known as the "Wine Lover Swordsman" due to his exceptional swordsmanship and love for wine.

Liam looked up at his father with his different colored eyes as he approached. "I'm sure she is exhausted. The women can take care of her; I will attend to the baby."

Gregor didn't seem particularly happy after witnessing the birth of his second child, though the reason was unknown. Luckily, he didn't harbor any hatred towards the boy, indicating that Liam was accepted.

Gregor gently took Liam from the younger midwife's hands, glanced at the bed once again, and shook his head in disappointment.

As a child, Liam couldn't fully experience everything due to his weak soul, and he fell asleep after sensing numerous powerful auras in the surroundings.

Gregor made his way towards the exit, drawing his sword and causing everyone, including the two guards outside, to gasp in pity. However, Gregor had no intention of harming his child; he simply intended to fly away on his sword.

"Haha, I almost thought the lord would do the unthinkable to this sweet baby."

"Me too."

"Me three."

...

Three days had passed since his birth, and during this time, he eagerly awaited the arrival of his system.

According to the traditions of this world, today was the day when his family would give him a name. As a noble family, a small banquet was expected with the presence of other nobles, but none attended on that day.

Liam could hear Emerald urging Gregor to invite at least one guest, but Gregor remained adamant, repeating strange words about being nothing special and such.

By the end of the day, he was given a new name that happened to be the same as his name in his previous life—Liam, but with the addition of a surname and middle name that he never had.

Liam Xan Tian became his name that day.

However, he wasn't worried. After all, he had several goals to accomplish, and as he achieved them, he would earn epic titles and become known throughout the universe.

Liam was six months old when he met his older brother, Xavier, who had blond hair and triangular eyes. Xavier was eight years his senior.

As expected, Liam didn't consider Xavier to be of great importance. Having an older brother meant that his childhood would be filled with jealousy on Xavier's part, as he already had the advantage of intelligence and endurance.

However, nobody paid attention to Liam's cold attitude when he was bothered by his heavy diaper.

On the day they met, Xavier wasn't too bad. He even helped change Liam's diaper once, and when their mother was away, he played with Liam.

At eight months old, Liam discovered that his family had a safe filled with techniques, theories, and other books that would be important to him. He started following the clichéd scenario of clearing the room and reading books whenever he had the chance.

While reading, he learned that he came from the Great Sun Kingdom, which was one of the three kingdoms in the Sun Continent.

The estimated population of the Great Sun

Kingdom alone was over 900 million.

His father and mother were busy individuals, engaging in meetings during the day and intimate battles at night, or simply training and meditating to increase their strength.

During the first few months, Liam dedicated himself to reading about the history of various places and the Encyclopedia of Treasures and Beasts. Two months later, he began walking, but he kept it a secret. He read most of the history books and started studying cultivation theory and martial arts.

Around this time, his first birthday arrived, but it wasn't celebrated.

On that day, Emerald and Xavier devoted themselves to playing with him while Gregor spent the evening trying to convince Emerald to engage in intimate sparring.

Emerald declined, making Gregor furious.

Knowing his temperament, she had to go with him.

Before he knew it, Liam had grown into a child who could walk and talk. He began interacting with the family's slaves, especially the maids who adored him for his beauty.

But the absence of his system frustrated him. He hoped that his life would become easier with a system combined with the knowledge of cultivation and martial arts that resided in his head.

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on the counter. He then went to claim his blade. The guard was cracked and the leather wrapping on the handle was torn and worn. This blade was truly garbage from anyone's perspective. Still, it was a blade, and that is the first step in any adventure.

Having claimed a weapon at a steal Joshua decided it was time to enter the forests surrounding town. He hoped that he was born in a starter town and that the monsters in his area would be weak. He was terrified at the thought of it being a high-level town and him being stuck there at level one.

At least close to town he had the option of running away. Although with endurance of one, he doubted how far he would actually make it. He entered the woods. It did not take long after leaving the protection of town that a monster appeared.

A small blue slime.

"Thank god." Joshua said in relief. "Slimes are always the bottom tier monster. I just need to kill its core."

The slime was made of a translucent fluid that surrounded a denser dark center. Joshua knew from the stories he read that piercing the core would kill the slime. Luckily for him the sword he picked up still had a sharp stabbing point.

He approached the slime with his weapon in hand, he was prepared to end it. The slime just stood there, seemingly unaware of the threat and danger approaching it. Joshua got within stabbing range and stabbed the slime with all the strength his level one stats would muster.

As his rusted blade pierced the core of the slime the translucent fluid lost its adhesion and splashed out onto the ground. The slimes core cracked with small shimmers of light escaping from the creases. Until it exploded in a small explosion and the core turned to ash.

"Yes!" Joshua said in excitement. "I managed to kill one!"

Joshua then spent the next five hours scouring the forest for any slimes he could find. He found plenty and each time he found one he killed it without hesitation. He hoped the stone slab that was his ID card would automatically update with his new status and levels. He pulled it out to look at it.

He was in luck. It showed him at level nine now, his five hours of mindlessly decimating the local smile population had paid off. His stats all leveled even across the board. It seemed that each level he gained he got plus one to all stats. He even noticed he had a skill now.

"Jack of all trades." He read aloud. "Must be why I get plus one to all stats on level up. I will have to ask Gina, if that is normal. I don't want to worry my mom about it.

A deep growl could be heard from behind him. As he turned to face it, he found himself surrounded by wolves. With only a rusted blade and no armor, he did not like his chances against such a fierce predator. As he turned to attempt to run, he found wolves on the other side of him as well.

He was completely encircled with no hope of escape. His only option was to fight, although he was not hopeful for victory. He grasped the blade with both hands and waited for the wolves to charge him. One did, it was the largest of them. Clearly it was the alpha.

As the massive animal leaped into the air Joshua pointed his sword outward in hopes that he would stab the wolf. His hopes paid off. The wolf landed directly on the blade and impaled itself through the head. Its limp body was attached to his blade now, stuck in the skull of the dead alpha wolf.

The other wolves all howled at the loss of their alpha then ran away back deeper into the woods. Joshua fell down out of fear and looked at the dead body next to him. He glanced at his tablet one more time. A new skill had emerged as well as another level.

"Demon slayer?" He said as he read his new skill aloud. "The hell kind of skill is that?!"

Chapter 3

New Beginning Part 3

"Was this wolf a demon?" Joshua asked himself. Deciding there would be no answers if he didn't seek them out, he stood up and attempted to free his blade from the wolf's skull. He placed one of his feet at the base and pulled as hard as he could while wiggling the blade back and forth.

As the blade was liberated, he fell back again landing on his backside. His sword in front of his face. He did not know if it was the waning hours of daylight or what, but his sword appeared a tiny bit longer and it seemed that some of the rust had been removed. One of the cracks on the guard had been fixed as well.

He stood up again and dusted himself off. With now having eleven points of strength, he was able to lift the wolf with a bit of ease, still it was nearly the size of his body. He grabbed the front to legs of the beast and slung it behind his back. He was resolved to make it back to the city before darkness fell.

He arrived as the last hour of twilight faded. The city guards stopped him.

"What is this?" A guard asked. "Is that the demon of the woods? You actually killed the demon of the woods? How is this possible? Many have tried and all have failed."

"It was a difficult battle." Joshua said, not wanting to just say it was dumb luck that the wolf fell perfectly on his blade and killed itself. "In the end it was just no match for me."

"Impressive." The other guard said. "You are going to want to take that to the adventurer's guild. There is quite the bounty on that one. In fact, allow me to escort you, you can never be too safe."

"Thanks." Joshua said. "I would appreciate the help."

The two of them then walked to the adventurer's guild, to the stares of the citizens that remained on the street. The guard opened the double doors to the guild.

Joshua carried his wolf carcass and placed it on the counter. "One demon of the woods." He said as he put it down. "I understand there is a reward for this one."

The girl behind the counter was shocked and amazed that this boy of skin and bone was able to slay a beast that had haunted the city for over a year. "You kill it yourself? Really? Are you even a registered adventurer?"

"I am not." Joshua said. "I was hoping that this would be a good way for me to get my foot in the door."

"Completing an A-ranked mission before even joining would definitely makeseemed bestowed to the world by a Fairy Goddess filled the young man with a sense of comfort.

The beauty floated to his side, descending onto his lap. Her violet dress wafted a heavenly fragrance toward him with its every flutter, matching his black robes to perfection.

Holding onto her slim waist, the young man's nonchalant attitude toward the view rescinded as a light smile played his perfect features.

His hand reached upward, caressing the beautiful strands of diamond pink hair that cascaded from Elena's head.

She couldn't help but rest her ear to his chest in response, breathing in his scent.

"Ryu, what kind of gift would you like?"

A slight chuckle escaped from the lips of the young man. It was a laugh filled with warmth, but one he rarely showed anyone. Other than his parents and grandparents, Elena was the only other to have heard this laugh.

"This isn't proper etiquette, no?"

Elena pouted adorably, a sight that would have shocked the billions of subjects she ruled over. The heiress of the Holy Wing Clan, behaving like nothing more than a little girl.

"I have everything in the world, do I not?" Ryu sighed. "The Shrine Plane dances at the palm of my hand, my woman is an unrivalled beauty and genius, my parents love and dote upon me… What else could I ask for?"

Despite his words, the undertone of sadness would never be missed by Elena. She knew her fiancé too well, well enough to know that these words were nothing more than self-mockery.

In the martial world, there were three mortal planes and three immortal planes. Those below constantly fought to reach a higher level of existence, to have their names written into the fabric of history for trillions of years to come and for their bloodline to flourish into eternity.

Yet, Ryu had no such aspirations. It wasn't that he was lazy or without drive. In fact, if a fool spouted such nonsense about Ryu Tatsuya, even commoners would swarm you with whatever weapons they could find, all to protect his name.

The truth was that Ryu didn't have such aspirations because he already had it. The Shrine Plane wasn't just among the three immortal planes, it was the highest immortal plane. The Tatsuya Clan wasn't just powerful, it was the most powerful.

Ryu's life was comically easy. Still, he fought for it to have meaning.

He delved into the world of archeology, prying out secrets long since lost from ruins many clans had given up on. He studied botany with a passion few could match, even breathing life into long extinct species. He even mastered arts of feng shui, applying them to create some of the most beautiful works of art and architecture to ever appear in the martial world.

This was Ryu's life. He found meaning where there was none. When others would have resigned themselves to an existence of meaningless comfort, he sought for something more.

At this point, one might think Ryu ungrateful. To be saddened when everything in the world was given to you on not a silver, but gold plater.

However, there was a reason that despite having been betrothed to Elena for more than 600 years, they had never married.

Ryu, a man who had everything in the world, a man who could command the waves with one hand and the sunset with the other, couldn't cultivate.

His fiancée would live for billions, even trillions of years given her talent. But he, even with so many priceless treasures sustaining his life, would be lucky to live a thousand more.

Chapter 2

Nuri

How could Elena be unaware of how Ryu was feeling? Although they hadn't completed the traditional ceremonies and melded their souls together as husband and wife, Elena still felt like she could read her fiancé's mind just by looking into his eyes.

In her mind, she would rather a few hundred years of bliss with her love than a few billion years of emptiness.

Elena was a very pragmatic woman. While Ryu only reached his thousandth birthday today, it wouldn't be very long until her millionth year of existence. Unlike Ryu, she was very much aware of how rare it was for her heart to be swayed.

'So what if you can only be by my side for a fraction of my life? These are moments I'll never forget…' Elena thought to herself.

Matching her thoughts, Elena didn't dwell on sadness. Today was meant to be a day of celebration!

"How about I allow you to take a concubine? Aren't I magnanimous?" Elena said with a naughty grin.

Ryu nearly choked on his breath, shattering his elegant demeanor. He had known Elena since he was born, yet he still couldn't combine her public persona with her private one.

To the world, Elena was a holy princess, lofty and beyond mortal impurities. But, to Ryu, she was a lewd prankster and bonafide pervert. Ryu often found himself having to protect his chastity from her, it was almost depressing.

Ryu could still remember the day Elena decided that she fancied him. She infiltrated his room at night and stripped down naked. Without any cultivation to speak of, how could Ryu have stopped her?

Then, standing proudly without a hint of shyness on her face she said: "You're the first man to see my everything, now you have no choice but to take responsibility. Come, put a child in me!"

Cold sweat matted Ryu's back when he recalled the memory. He still had no idea how he managed to weasel out of that situation. Still, in the end he took her as his fiancée. It had already been six hundred years since then.

"There are many beauties comparable to me in the Shrine Planes. In fact, there are many with outstanding potential that we could pluck from the lower realms as well." Elena continued to rattle on as though Ryu's opinion didn't matter.

"My Holy Shrine alone has three subordinate clans and sects within the Blossom Plane who each have eight or so more extensions within the Pedestal Plane. If I recall correctly, there are nine Holy Winged Saintesses born to them within the last hundred thousand or so years, they have great potential!"

Ryu frowned. "Nine? That many?"

"Now that you mention it, nine is quite a lot. Usually, even one in ten times that span would be pretty good…" After acknowledging Ryu's point, Elena continued to ramble on about what must have been hundreds of viable candidates.

While Elena spoke, Ryu looked up at the receding night sky, the faint flicker of stars just barely visible.

His eyes flashed with a fierce light. Their silver hue waned, giving way to what could have been confused with the very depths of space itself.

The stars became reflected within Ryu's eyes as he held his fiancée's delicate frame to his body.

Fate. It was something even the greatest masters of karma struggled to understand. However, in the martial world, those who could read the alignment of the stars were all highly respected.

It was this fate that gave Ryu almost unrivaled intelligence and constitution, yet also an inability to cultivate. Ryu found that the heavens had quite the sense of humor due to this. That said, it didn't mean he took the alignment of the stars any less seriously than anyone else.

The moment he heard Elena's words, something fierce stirred within him. A normal individual might not understand what it meant to be a Holy Winged Saintess, but he did.

Within the martial world, the pinnacle of cultivation was found on the Shrine Plane. This namesake was earned due to the various hundreds of Shrines that graced these vast lands, together representing the vicissitudes of life and death.

Elena's Holy Wing Clan presided over the Shrine of Light. To be named a Saintess of any clan required acknowledgement of at least one such shrine. One could imagine just how rare it was for the representation of all Light to choose you as an arbiter of its will. Yet, this happened nine times in a hundred thousand years? It was too ridiculous.

Ryu didn't like looking at the alignment of the stars. In fact, despite being born with the first-ranked heavenly pupils: Mysteries of Heaven and Earth, he had only used its ability to read the lines of karma two times before. Once when they were awakened and once when his meridian awakening ceremony failed.

The moment Ryu sunk into this state, the first star he saw was his own. It was larger than all those in its near vicinity, blazing with mercury-like fires and beautiful silver hues.

Ryu sighed when he saw it. His Fate Star looked dazzling, but he knew what it represented. It would burn brighter and larger than the rest, but also dim and die sooner as well.

Shifting his attention away, Ryu's view expanded, widening his scope.

'This…' Ryu's breath hitched in his throat.

"Ryu? Is something wrong? I just remembered that we don't need to go concubine hunting in the lower planes, I know of one lady here that would die of happiness if you took her into our bedchambers." Elena's sparkling pink eyes flashed with a hint of deviousness. Bringing up this lady was clearly her plot all along. "Don't you remember your Death Guard? Nuri, I believe her name was."

Hearing this name, Ryu was stunned out of his thoughts. In fact, he wasn't the only one. A shadow hidden in the void choked on air as well despite the fact there was no such thing to speak of within the void!

Chapter 3

Father

Elena sent a sly gaze toward seemingly empty space before winking as though to say: 'I have your back.'

Not every woman would be straight forward as Elena, backing Ryu into a corner and not allowing him to refuse her advances. In fact, Elena dared to say that if it wasn't for this personality of hers, she would have never become Ryu's fiancée. He was so young, but his heart was as stubborn as an old fogie.

Of course, Nuri's Presence couldn't be hidden from Ryu. Although he couldn't cultivate his body, his mind had reached a state few could match. In fact, his Grandpa Kunan had once said a tribulation cloud could vent all of its anger within his Mental Realm yet still come out on the losing end. If others said it, it wouldn't mean much. But, considering his maternal Grandfather was the Priest Saint of the Lightning Shrine, no one dared take his words lightly.

However, the role of a Death Guard didn't allow cordial interactions between them.

With a sigh, Ryu stood. He had tried to release Nuri of her duties many times, but she was more stubborn than he was.

Elena defiantly dove into his arms, insisting that he carry her despite the weakness of his body. It was lucky that she was as light as a feather, otherwise Ryu would have collapsed.

'You think I don't know that you're purposely lowering your weight? How did I end up with such a fiancée?'

With those last thoughts, Ryu began a slow trek down the highest peak, his fiancée in his arms and a blushing shadow to his back.

Within a delicate spring garden, nature's energy flowed with unmatched fluidity and swiftness.

Precious heavenly medicines graced the lush green grass as nothing more than pretty fixtures. The small stream gushed with Resplendent Spring Water, capable of extending a life by months with a simple sip. Even the meditation platforms, small chairs and tables were made of Essence Jade, the most valuable material in all of existence.

Blending into the grace of this garden, a heavenly couple leisurely reclined.

A man of bold Presence sat on a high meditation platform, his every inhale and exhale seeming to match the breath of existence itself.

His robes were a blazing red, matching his hair and eyes that danced with heavenly flames. His features were handsome beyond compare, looking like nothing more than a 30-year-old man despite having lived for billions of years.

The woman seemed to be the polar opposite. Her Presence was akin to a calm lake, sparkling with a refreshing coolness yet flickering with arcs of blue lightning every so often.

Her hair matched her pure white gown as her blue pupils flickered with a pensive expression toward the small booklet held in her delicate hands.

If one said that she was the number one beauty in the world, no one would dare to deny. Even the beautiful Elena and shy Nuri fell several levels short. They simply hadn't had the time to refine themselves to this extent.

"Mother! Father!" Unsurprisingly, it wasn't Ryu greeting his parents so warmly, it was Elena. She didn't seem to care that she was interrupting their cultivation in the least.

Elena leaped from Ryu's arms gracefully, rushing to her mother-in-law's side. It wasn't even until several minutes later that his own mother realized he was here too.

Ryu sighed when he looked at his father's figure. Calm, immovable like a towering mountain. His heartbeat was akin to the rumbling of the earth and his blood was the raging waters of the fiercest river.

"You're thinking about it again." Ryu's father suddenly spoke in a voice so deep it resonated with the ground beneath their feet. His didn't open his eyes to look at his son, but he knew he was there. "Don't ever ask me to take back the things I've given."

"Maybe if it was just about your choice, it wouldn't matter so much. But, your decision has shaken the foundation of the Shrines." Ryu's voice was cold. If it wasn't for the slight affectionate glint in his eye, no one would ever guess that he was speaking to his father.

Ryu's father snorted. "No one can tell me what I can and cannot do. If I could not gift my own flesh and blood treasures as a pleased, what was the point of my years of cultivation? It would mean nothing more than dog shit."

In the end, Ryu decided not to respond. Those who wondered where his stubbornness came from only needed to take one step down his bloodline to find his father.

Titus Tatsuya was a man who really dared to do anything. His birth was a product of an alliance between the Emperor Fire Dragon Clan and the Fire Phoenix Clan. He embodied fire itself without remorse and left carnage in his path. Even if it was an Elder of the Fire Shrine who dared to raise a word of complaint, Titus Tatsuya would kill him without blinking an eye.

However, this time, Ryu knew his father had gone too far. Maybe he wouldn't place such seriousness on the matter before… But the alignment of the stars truly worried him.

Ryu silently laughed at himself. Hadn't he resigned himself to fate long ago? Wasn't that exact why he, a man with everything, was still so scared of this enigmatic something?

Since fate told him he would die, he would die. And now that fate told those around him might suffer, wouldn't he just have to accept that as well?