Chapter 2 - Wish/Reincarnation
First Person POV
After God's countdown, I found myself drifting into what felt like a vast, endless void of white. It wasn't cold or warm, it simply existed in a space devoid of sensation yet filled with serene energy. In this ethereal realm, I finally stood before God.
He had no human form. Instead, He manifested as a radiant, glowing orb, pure white and humming with divine energy. In contrast, I appeared as a translucent, soul-like figure, weightless and suspended in that infinite space.
Now that we stood before each other, God spoke with a voice that echoed gently in the void.
"You may now finalize your three wishes, choose the year you'd like to reincarnate in the World of Trails, and select which family you wish to be born into. You may also customize your appearance or leave it to fate."
I took a moment to digest the sheer scale of what I was being offered: a new beginning in a world I had only ever dreamed of. It was overwhelming, thrilling, and terrifying. What if I messed this up? What if I made the wrong choices and doomed myself to an early death?
But hesitation wouldn't serve me here. I had questions.
"May I ask a few things first?" I said.
God's presence shimmered with warmth. "Yes, my child. What would you like to know?"
"Can you tell me if my wishes are actually possible before I commit to them? I want to understand the limits."
"Of course."
I began with the most ambitious wish on my mind. "Can I have the ability to bend reality? To alter events, rewrite history, and reshape outcomes?"
God's tone remained gentle but firm. "That cannot be done. Such power surpasses the bounds of mortality; it would elevate you to the status of a god. That is not allowed."
I nodded slowly. "Understood. Then what about bringing in powers or items from other worlds, like Devil Fruits or sacred treasures?"
"That too is forbidden," He said, his voice heavier now. "The World of Trails is overseen by a certain goddess. Introducing foreign concepts would threaten the balance and could provoke her wrath. You may be reincarnated with enhanced abilities as long as they remain within the peak of human potential. That is the maximum limit. Any more would endanger you and the world."
"I see," I said. "So long as I stay within human limits, I'll be safe. In that case, can I have a game-like system? One where I can level up, allocate stats, and use Analytical Appraisal to examine others' levels, stats, abilities, and talents?"
"That is acceptable," He replied. "However, like in your games, it will have a level cap set at 250."
"That's fair. Next, can I have the ability to copy and upgrade talents? Like swordsmanship, martial arts, and other aptitudes?"
"That too can be granted. But there are conditions: You may only copy one talent per individual, and you may integrate a maximum of ten talents into your body."
God extended a hand of light, embedding this ability into the system He was crafting for me. Then he elaborated on the mechanics:
- 3 A-rank talents = 1 S-rank
- 3 S-rank = 1 SS-rank
- 2 A-rank = 1 A+
- 2 S-rank = 1 S+
As I listened, gears turned rapidly in my head. With this system, I wouldn't need raw strength from the start. I could build myself up methodically, logically, and strategically. I wouldn't be a chosen hero; I'd become one.
"I like it," I said. "For my three starting talents, I choose:
Limit Breaker – to push beyond level caps and physical boundaries.
Genius – to accelerate the growth of talents, skills, and stats.
Rapid Recovery – to speed up stamina, mana, and healing regeneration.
Can these be granted?"
God nodded. "Yes. To ensure your survival, I will elevate all three to S-rank."
He paused, then reaffirmed each wish: "First, a game-like system with leveling, stat allocation, and Analytical Appraisal?"
"Yes."
"Second, the ability to copy and upgrade talents within limits?"
"Yes."
"Third, three starting talents: Limit Breaker, Genius, and Rapid Recovery, all at S-rank?"
"Yes."
"Then it shall be done."
He continued, "Now tell me what year you would like to be reincarnated in, and which family you will be born into?"
I closed my eyes for a moment, recalling the events of the Trails universe. My memory combed through countless arcs and conflicts, characters, and conspiracies.
I didn't want to be born right before the main plot; that would be too soon, too chaotic. I needed time to prepare.
I chose the year 1180 of the Septian Calendar, long before the start of the main story. As for family…
"I want to be born into the lineage of Yun Ka-Fai as his grandson."
God's light pulsed in acknowledgment. "So it shall be."
He then asked about my appearance.
I replied, "I want to have crimson hair, black eyes, and a height of 195.58 cm. And please, make me extremely handsome."
In a quieter voice, I added, "Also, can I adjust my size down there?"
A silence lingered in the void. God sighed.
"You shall have ten inches," God said, his voice somewhat resigned, "with a thickness comparable to a large salami."
I fought the urge to laugh and kneel to him and express my thanks. In the end, I only said "Thank you."
God nodded once more. "Then it is time. I now grant you reincarnation in the World of Trails."
He said warmly, "Live well, and may your new life be full of purpose."
As his words echoed in the void, my consciousness began to fade. I drifted into a deep sleep, one life ending and another beginning.
Third Person POV
For countless ages, I have observed this world and its endless cycles. Over time, weariness took root in my heart, and I began to wonder how I might guide its people without directly interfering.
Then, something unusual happened, a new soul arrived, one not native to this world. It had been brought here by another god from a different realm.
That's when the idea came to me. This soul could be the key. It might help the people of this world break the invisible barrier that prevents them from reaching beyond. Perhaps, through him, we could finally shatter the chain of the Grand Reset.
With determination, I halted the reincarnation process and altered the soul. I merged it with half of the soul of a powerful demon king, Baal. I couldn't fully integrate Baal's soul because it resisted, and doing so would risk the complete destruction of the human soul. However, even a half fragment was sufficient. That portion alone possessed power comparable to that of an overlord from beyond.
Just as I completed the merge, the god from the other realm who had brought the soul here arrived, furious. "What are you doing, Aidios?" he shouted. "Why did you merge Baal's soul with a human? That's madness! Do you understand the danger? If the human soul can't bear it, it will disintegrate!"
He stepped forward, his eyes blazing. "You're forcing this burden on someone who had no say! Why did you interfere with his reincarnation? Why make him carry half the soul of Baal?"
Aidios answered calmly, "You need not worry about that. I only used half of Baal's soul. The human will remain himself and will access a demonified form when needed. He won't become an abomination like Ishmelga, rather, he will maintain control like McBurn."
She continued, "This soul is my backup plan. A weapon. A hope. If he grows strong enough, he can help shatter the Grand Reset's chains and push humanity forward. I've made sure he will understand, as he will receive the truth through the memories I've implanted. I've also left him a gift, something to help when the time comes."
The other god quieted, his voice softer. "I understand your reasons. But I hope this child can bear what you've placed upon him."
Third Person Pov
In the city of Longlai, nestled between the towering Tianshan and Ishgal mountain ranges in Calvard, a cry rang out in the night.
Inside a dimly lit home, a woman clutched her belly, eyes wide with fear and defiance.
"What do you mean my child is cursed?!" she cried.
An old woman, clad in ceremonial robes, looked at her solemnly. "This child bears the essence of a demon. If he is born, he may one day bring ruin upon us."
The woman's husband stepped forward, anger blazing in his eyes. "I won't allow it! My wife will give birth regardless of your visions, Obaba-sama!"
A heavy silence fell.
Then, an elderly man stepped forward. His presence stilled the room. His voice, though calm, carried the weight of stone.
"I honor your foresight, Obaba. But I want to see my grandson born. If he becomes a threat.
I will end his life myself."
The old seer closed her eyes.
"Very well."
The storm outside intensified, as if the heavens themselves echoed the turmoil within the modest mountain home. Winds howled like spirits, and lightning split the sky, illuminating the room in flickering flashes.
Inside, the woman cried out in pain, her hands gripping the soaked sheets beneath her. Sweat clung to her skin, her face pale and trembling as the child within her neared the brink of birth.
Her husband knelt at her side, clutching her hand. "You're strong," he whispered, voice trembling. "Just a little more. You're almost there."
Outside the bedroom, the elder known as Yun Ka-Fai stood unmoving, arms crossed as he listened to his daughter-in-law's cries. His expression was unreadable, carved from stone, but his eyes betrayed him. Worry, raw and deep, flickered behind their sharpness.
He was no stranger to blood, pain, or death. He had faced the worst the East could offer assassins, beasts, even renowned masters. But nothing had prepared him for this: standing powerless as his grandchild came into the world beneath a cloud of divine uncertainty.
Behind him, the old seer Obaba sat silently, her gnarled fingers wrapped around a strand of prayer beads. She muttered under her breath, eyes shut tight.
"Have you seen his future clearly now?" Yun asked her without turning.
Obaba shook her head slowly. "No. it is shrouded. The moment I try to gaze ahead, I see lightning, and a blade that cuts both time and space. This child. he will walk the line between salvation and ruin."
Yun remained silent.
Then came the scream. Louder. Sharper. And finally, the infant's cry.
It pierced through the storm like sunlight through storm clouds.
A midwife rushed out of the room, breathless. "He's born! A healthy boy!"
Yun turned toward the room but didn't move. The world seemed to slow around him. Each heartbeat echoed louder than thunder. His footsteps, when he finally took them, were heavy with the weight of prophecy.
He entered and saw his daughter-in-law cradling a small, wailing infant. Her face was pale but glowing with joy, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her husband hovered beside her, tears in his eyes as he whispered gentle words to the newborn.
When Yun approached, the woman looked up. "Father," she said, voice weak. "Meet your grandson."
The old master stepped closer, gazing down at the tiny, wrinkled face. The baby had tufts of crimson hair, already curling slightly, and as if sensing his presence, the child opened his eyes.
Black. Deep, endless black eyes like the void of night, still untouched by fear or knowledge. Eyes that held something ancient. Something more than human.
Yun narrowed his gaze.
"…He carries power," he murmured. "But I cannot sense malice. Not yet."
The child calmed in his mother's arms, reaching out with small, trembling fingers. They brushed Yun's scarred hand.
The warrior blinked. For the first time in decades, something stirred within his heart, something he thought long lost.
Hope.
Obaba hobbled into the room behind him. She looked down at the child, her expression unreadable.
"Have you chosen a name?" she asked softly.
The mother looked at her husband, who nodded once. She turned to Yun.
"I want you to name him, Father. As his grandfather, and the one who will guide him, it should be your honor."
Yun Ka-Fai looked down at the boy, who now stared up at him in perfect stillness, as if waiting, listening.
The old man took a deep breath.
"Then I shall name him. Kenji."
"Kenji Ka-Fai."
The storm began to fade, retreating back into the heavens. A gentle rain fell outside, washing over the rooftops of Longlai like a cleansing blessing.
In the distance, the winds whispered through the mountain peaks.
They did not speak of curses, nor omens.
Only a name that would one day echo far beyond these hills.
Kenji Ka-Fai.
The boy who would carry the weight of a powerful demon and the hope of gods.
And with that, the wheel of fate began to turn once more.
Author Note: Sorry for the delay. I have been quite busy with work these past few days. I've been assigned to visit and help in our company's warehouse.