Three years later.
CLANG!
Wood meets wood as two practice swords clash.
" Little brother, you really have gotten too strong".
My brother says as he changes the direction of his sword to a downward slash.
"No brother, it's not that I am getting stronger".
I dodge to the side.
I then run forward and thrust my sword towards his neck.
I smile.
But my brother does the expected and swings his sword in a short arc to knock mine off balance.
But I stop the thrust and pull the sword back.
His sword passes where mine was just a fraction of a second ago.
But I don't give him time to realize his mistake and thrust towards his torso.
My sword hits his torso before he could react.
" It's just that you are already an old man".
"Hahahahahaha, little brother that's a good one".
He drops his sword and raises his hands.
" Well, you've won me for the first time".
" Add that to the board ".
When he mentions my enormous amount of losses I hit him again.
" Hey what was that for?!".
I look up so that I can meet his eyes.
" Well you see I am younger than you by a whole seven years and both of us were not going all out ".
My brother smiles.
" Little brother, do you want an all out fight?".
I shake my head.
"No thank you".
' An all out fight against you is just asking for my defeat'.
I sigh.
' I reincarnated, so where is my protagonist treatment?'.
I don't want protag treatment for their golden finger or anything.
But all I want is extraordinary talent.
' Even if a system were to come today, no matter what, I wouldn't even look at it'.
My brother picks up his sword.
" My babies, come and eat your lunch with mama !".
" Mother, can you please just tell us that food is there!"
" We know the rest of the rules!".
My brother puts his sword on the rack and heads out.
I also do the same.
' So what shall we eat today?'.
I reach our dining area
I look around.
I see my brother is already in his sit.
Mother and Father are also in their seats.
I go to my chair at the left side of the table.
I sit down.
My mother stands up and goes to do something before we eat.
She comes back.
And then we start eating.
But, for some reason today we are eating in silence.
' Huh, why are we eating in silence today'.
I turn my head slightly to look at my brother.
' Not even brother is talking'.
' Did something happen or is something happening today?'.
I don't have anything to say, so I will just keep quiet too.
So we just eat in silence.
Me and brother finish our food quickly.
We stand up.
We then go back to the training grounds.
" Which weapon can we use next?".
I get a bow with a quiver of arrows and put it on my back.
"I think a bow is the best weapon we can use currently".
My brother brings up his hand with one finger facing up.
He then starts waving that finger.
" No. no, no you are the one limited so much by how little weapons you know how to use, not me"
He goes and gets a spear.
" You think I haven't learnt how to use a spear?".
" Oh, I know you know how to use a spear, it's just overall this the weapon I am best at while..".
He pauses and points at me.
" You are good at a bow , sword and daggers.
You know how to use a spear too, but not better than me".
' Well you are not lying about that '.
He smiles.
" Little brother, don't you think an all out fight is best?".
' I thought he already asked this earlier?'.
' He doesn't usually ask twice'.
' something is obviously wrong'.
' So I will accept '.
" Sure brother ".
" But we will fight with two weapons".
" Sure".
I go and select a sword to go with my bow.
He gets a set of throwing knives.
We face opposite each other.
He gets into his combat position.
I do too.
" Ready?".
I nod.
"Let's begin".
He immediately throws his spear towards me.
' What the hell!'
I dodge to the side quickly and roll a bit as throwing knives land where I was rolling.
I then stand up and look where he was standing when he threw the spear.
But I just see throwing knives flying in my direction.
I immediately put up an energy barrier in front of me and start running.
' The hell, the hell, the hell!'.
But that's when space ripples just for a fraction of a second and the spear my brother threw earlier appears in front of me.
And I see his throwing knives flying in all directions towards me at high speeds through the corner of my eyes.
' Is this going to be my one thousandth loss?'.
' No it's not!!'.
I jump as high as I can.
I land back a bit.
I release a breath I didn't even know I was holding.
But a throwing knife appears behind me.
I throw myself to the ground as quickly as possible.
' I forgot one of us has to hit the other'.
I stand up to see an incoming spear.
When it reaches close to me it disappears.
I do a backflip.
The spear just passed by.
I'm about to land when a throwing knife reaches two centimetres from my head.
' I've lost'.
Then I remember my elements.
I immediately circulate light and turn my head quickly.
I then land.
I turn left and run.
' Why did I forget about my elements?'.
But then my attention returns to my current spar.
' I remember sometime ago brother saying his current element is shadow'.
My attention goes to the wording I remember him use.
' Why does he specifically say 'current' instead of just his element?'.
' Also like shouldn't I have been in the middle of a fight?'.
I then stop running and turn around.
My eyes go wide and I step back.
" What is this?".
I see every detail.
I feel every detail.
I even seen smile slowly spread across my brother's face.
" Like what is happening right now?".
I look left and right.
" Why is everything moving so slowly?".
And then I seen my brother's expression slowly changing.
The area around his ears shift.
' If everything is moving slowly, I don't care what power this is'.
" I just have to win this spar".
I walk towards my brother.
When I look at his currently helpless state, I can't help but smile.
" Oh dear brother, this is an all out battle now, isn't it?".
I look up.
" Should I fire an arrow at you..?".
I point at him.
" Or should I just slash at you with my sword?".
" I think the bow is better".
* Don't you?".
I then turn around and walk a bit far.
When I reach where I am I turn around and look at my brother and see him raising his hand with a throwing knife turning to where I was.
" Huh, can't you see I am standing here, not even moving a bit".
He stops turning.
I nock an arrow into the bow I am holding.
I then aim at my brother's chest and fire.
All that was done in one swift motion.
I then start rapid firing.
Then after wards, I check to see how much damage I have done.
I look around.
" I think maybe this isn't reality".
" Maybe he has already knocked me out and all this is just fabricated by my mind".
I nod to myself.
' Yeah, that is the only possibility'.
How?
Like how else can my brother be uninjured.
I then move around the area a bit and go a bit behind my brother.
I then get an arrow from my quiver.
" Well, let's test my current theory".
I then move the arrow forward to press against my brother's back.
But instead of it touching my brother, the part that is in a one millimeter radius of his body, starts disappearing.
' Oh, it really is the case'.
I pull back the arrow.
I then go to my brother's side.
I walk far away.
I nock an arrow and fire.
It hits his torso.
I am and fire.
I then repeat the process rapidly.
" I've won ".
' I think the reason my perception has increased is because of light'.
' If that is so, I just have to stop circulating and my perception will go back to normal'.
I can even feel the energy in my body emptying and refilling in almost an instant.
So I stop my light energy circulation.
Then my perception returns to normal.
" Brother, I have won!".
My brother is on the ground.
" Little brother, this w... Wa..was suppos.. ed to be a sp.. spa. ..spar".
My brother struggles to speak.
" Brother what's wrong?".
I run up to him.
" So you fell on the ground and want to blame this on me?".
He is spitting blood a lot.
He lifts his hand.
" Can you help me up?".
I hold his hand and lift him up.
" Learn to hold back on the arrows".
He then smiles.
" At least you have won".
He then turns around and leaves.
" You play with your maid ".
" Oh, and don't forget to add that extra loss and win to the board!".
I just keep quiet.
I then start walking to the exit of this house.
' They are going somewhere'.
' And they are preparing to leave'.
" Space, are my parents and brother going somewhere?".
My maid appears.
She shakes her head.
" I don't know master".
She starts following me.
" How can't you know, you see everything that happens within space?".
" I'm sorry master, but I'm not allowed to tell you that".
I just continue walking.
I reach the exist.
I go outside.
" Space, let's go to the skies".
I step on nothing.
But it's like I am stepping on the ground.
And then I start ascending.
' Mama would usually be playing with me'.
I look at the city and ground below as I continue ascending.
' What are they going for?'.
' Where are they going to?'.
' Even brother has to go?'.
' He's only thirteen'.
' Why does be have to go?'.
But then I smile.
' My original goal was all focused on going back'.
' But hey, why can't enjoy the thrill of living in this world?'.
' I have already become attached '.
I reach the highest point I can go without my parents protection.
' So I doubt I will go back and abandon them'.
I cross my arms, close my eyes and hold my chin.
' Then what can I do ?'.
' A life without a goal or purpose is useless'.
'My goal now is to enjoy the thrill of living here'.
' And if that is so, how can I enjoy life?'.
' Life is enjoyable in many ways'.
' And the best way to enjoy my current life is to...'.
" Yeah, I don't know how to enjoy my life ".
I sigh.
I open my eyes.
" What is the best way?".
That's when
" Why can't you just adventure with those friends of yours when your family disappears?".
"You have been living a perfect life and I see you like struggle, so just go without anything but two or something weapons and one or two sets of clothes, master".
I turn around and see my maid.
A smile comes on my face again.
But this time brighter.
," Hahahaha, you are right!".
But then I look at her.
" You won't tell them right?".
She nods her head.
She points at me.
" You are my master".
" Thank you".
We then start descending.
The smile stays on my face.
" Baby boy, mama is coming!".
I immediately jump down from where I am in the sky.
" Wait until I reach home!".
I look up as I fall and find my mother is where I was and is falling at faster velocities than me.
My hair and clothes flatter as I fall.
I look to my right and find space falling with me.
But unlike me and my mother who is hair and clothes are flattering around, hers remain in place as she falls while lying like she is one a bed.
She even looks to be sleeping.
' Wait, she is sleeping!'.
I freeze and momentarily forget about my fall to the ground.
But I quickly come back to my senses and look at the ground I am almost reaching.
I quickly circulate lightning through my body.
The world slows down.
This time, even I as the one who is perceiving everything like this.
I look up and still see mother falling at the same speed as before.
' How can she still be moving so fast if my perception makes everything look slower?!'.
' Just have to reach first'.
' I am almost at the ground '.
I look at the ground approaching slowly.
I start circulating light too now.
My reserves are instantly emptied.
But they refill the next instant.
I then turn my body upside down like I am going for a dive.
Then the space at my feet solidifies and I push myself off of it and reach the ground almost instantly.
I then turn and start running to my home.
I hear mama land on the the ground behind me.
' It's over!'.
The moment mama lands on the ground, I know it's over.
' No!'.
I start running faster in this world that looks so slow.
' I shall win!'.
I reach the door of the house.
But the moment my hand touches the handle, I get caught.
And somehow, she stops the circulatuon of the lightning and light energy.
But this time, the slowed perception disappears instantly.
She lifts me up and carries me.
She smiles.
" Mama wins again".
But then the smile on her face disappears.
" Who taught you how to use that ability?".
" Which one mama?".
" The one where the world slows down and where you speed up".
" Ohhhh, that one I got during an all out spar with brother".
" You should stop using it".
" Why?".
I spread my arms.
" I'm not injured and I don't feel any pain so to speak".
"How many times did you use it, how long did you use it?".
I look up.
I Cross my arms and hold my chin with two fingers.
A thoughtful expression appears on my face.
' Well, I was counting in my head the first and second time I used it so that I know how long I can use it without backlash'.
But then my head starts paining and my thinking becomes slower.
But I don't notice.
" It stayed active for 2 hours 23 seconds and I used it two times".
My mother suddenly starts running.
But I only see the start.
Then we appear somewhere entirely different.
I see my dad in front of mother.
She whispers something in his ear quickly.
Then my father looks at me.
" You see why your mother didn't want you to start using energy".
'What does he mean by that?'.
He then says something to mother very fast.
To the point I can't hear .
The moment I hear my mother responding, I immediately try to start circulating lightning.
But, I can't.
I look at my hands.
' Huh, why can't I use any element?'.
My mother looks at me.
" Stop what you are doing!".
But that is when I vomit a large amount of blood.
I feel my head spinning.
I even feel my internal organs injuries.
I feel enormous pain in my muscles.
' Why is this happening?'.
My mother's eyes widen as she freezes.
She doesn't even move.
While my father immediately gets me, knocks me out and heals me.
I wake up hours later.
I push my body up.
" What happened?".
I look around the dark room I have woken up in.
' I'm normally able to see in the dark, but what is different boit this place?'.
I try making a fire for light.
But, I still can't use any use of my energy or use any elements.
I stand up.
" Space are you there?!".
" Master, I am right here".
" Space, do you know what happened?".
" Your parents and brother have already left".
" They first put you and me here, where your father healed you as much as he could".
" Then they made sure you were sleeping comfortably".
" Then they told me to take care of you and left".
I nod.
" Why can't I use my energy?".
" It's because your mother froze your energy pathways ".
And that made me fall.
But space made me go back to standing.
" I can't leave the house if I can't even use my most basic form of defense!".
I then start moving around the place.
It wasn't until I go back on the bed when space talks again.
" I have a way to remove the frozen pathways, but it is very painful".
" Do you want to go through something like that".
I wave my hand.
" Don't worry about it ".
' I've felf a lot if pain before'.
' Just not in this life'.
I smile.
' Me feeling pain in this life has never happened before'.
I don't even remember one moment in time in this life where I have felt even the smallest amounts of pain.
" Master, I think you should rest a bit more before we begin".
I turn to the direction the sound has been coming from all this time.
" Why?".
" Just rest".
' She wouldn't tell me to do something unless it is truly important'.
" Okay, I will rest".
I then lie back down and stay in my thoughts.
And soon, I drift off to sleep.
Then hours later again I wake up.
" So how long did I sleep the first and second time?".
" You slept for one day the first time and two the second".
I lift myself of bed.
I sigh.
' I won't even question how I'm not feeling hungry'.
I turn to where the sound is coming from.
" Hey space".
" Yes master".
" Why are still there after all this time?" .
" Master, are you ready to remove the pathways that your mother froze?".
She dodged the question.
But I am to focused on how she is going to remove them than anything.
" I am ready".
" Just lie down on the bed first".
" Okay".
I lie down.
" I am starting".
I nod.
' I doubt it will pain much'.
' Even if it does'.
' I have felt large amounts of pain befo.... Aaaaaaaahhh'.
I struggle to get up.
But a force is holding me tightly.
To the point I can't even move.
I feel pain.
I even start crying.
' How can it be this painful?!!!'.
I cry even more.
I try screaming.
But I can't move.
Not even my tounge can.
So I can't even bite myself or anything like that.
So I just cry.
The pain is so much that I can't even think.
I continue crying until I have no tears.
It was only sometime after my tears stopped pouring when the pain started decreasing.
It decreased slowly.
Only until it reached tolerable limits when I get my thinking back.
' What was that soul tearing pain?'.
There Is terror in my eyes.
' I don't want to feel that indescribable pain again'.
' No matter what'.
" Master, are you okay?".
I don't even respond.
I don't even try moving.
I can't even sleep.
My eyes just stare unblinkingly stare at the darkness of the room.
Then my eyes turn gold.
But this time.
My vision doesn't change what I see.
Or how I see things.
It's not that my vision hasn't changed.
It more like my vision can't see through this darkness.
Because this is the truth.
" Spa..sp...a..c..e?".
" Yes master?".
She answers hurriedly.azm
" Ccc...a..a..n I ....ii go now?".
" No master".
" Your body has to recover your pathways before you can use energy again".
I nod and just stare into nothingness
And hours pass just like that.
That's when my mind recovers properly.
' Why I didn't want another life'.
I sigh.
I then get out of bed.
" Master, you are okay!".
I turn to the direction of space's voice.
" Space, why are you chained?".
My voice is bland and emotionless.
She doesn't answer and just stays looking down like she is a prisoner and has been put here for a terrible crime.
' Is there anything I need her for?'.
I think for a few seconds before i thought of something.
' Right,I need her for that'.
I then turn to her.
" Do you know how to undo these chains?".
She shakes her head.
But she doesn't even look up.
I stop looking at her and turn my attention to the chains.
I walk up to the chains.
I look at them closely.
The way they were made everything is revealed before me.
But there are no systems or words or anything like them being imprinted in my mind.
I just see the truth of them.
' So I will need brother's blood'.
I turn to space.
" Space, do you have my brother's vlood ot at least can you get it?".
She shakes her head again.
" Useless".
I grab the chain.
" Nothing can stop me from breaking these chains by pulling".
I say that but nothing seems to change.
Not even space or anything like that.
The chains even seem to stay the same strength.
But then I pull.
I don't even pull much.
But the chains snap.
No, in fact the break all the way.
All the way until nothingness.
" Let's go".
I turn and go towards the door that is concealed at the corner of the room.
" Master, do you know where the exit is?".
I don't even bother to answer her.
I just go to the exit and open the door.
I turn around and look at the infinite blackness.
I look around.
I spot my original pathways that were removed by space.
" Nothing makes my original pathways not to be in my hand".
And then they are in my hand.
I then leave.
Space follows behind.
Her head is lowered.
She even refuses to look at me.
But I just walk.
I reach a wall.
I walk through the wall.
Space follows.
She enters.
" Master, where is this?".
I don't pay attention to what she is saying.
I see many things I remember I made as I pass.
I then reach a door where I put my blood.
It opens.
" Stay here".
I then enter.
She just stands there.
I see my forge ahead.
I look at the pathways in my hand.
" Time to forge ".
I then get to making my weapon.
After a few hours I finish.
And then I come out carrying five different types of weapons.
And ten of each.
Except arrows which are 95679.
" I want you to put these weapons in my storage space".
" Master, why is it you can't put them in yourself?".
" Just do it".
They then all disappear.
I then put a mask on my face.
It is a simple looking mask.
But it looks cool and beautiful.
But it looks so simple.
" Space, take me to the light goddess's place".
I then disappear.