I slipped through the shadows, heart pounding, with four other kids the same age as me. We'd been tracking these bastards for weeks now—ever since they destroyed everything we once called home.
They raided our village without mercy. People were slaughtered left and right. The men who stood to fight were killed, while the women were dragged away and enslaved. I tried to strike back—tried to avenge my father—but one of them cut me down. I blacked out. They thought I was dead and left me there, broken and bleeding in the dirt.
But I didn't die. Not yet.
They left me with a shredded face and a ruined left eye, but my right eye still works well enough… well enough to watch you bastards bleed.
…Mom… Sis…
"You ready?"
A blonde girl, one of our group, looked at me. Her voice was steady, but I could see the fear behind her eyes.
"Yeah. Let's get this over with."
The bandits were gathered around their campfire, laughing, drinking, completely unaware of the storm about to crash down on them. We waited for the right moment. When it came, we struck.
The fire they lit only helped us melt deeper into the darkness beyond.
I saw the first one—alone, away from the rest. I tightened my grip on the dagger and leapt at him like I was taught.
Slash!
"Grughk—"
I covered his mouth before he could scream. His throat spilled red, his body slumped forward.
One down.
Inside the nearby caravan, I found four slaves—eyes wide with disbelief. I held a finger to my lips.
"Quiet."
They nodded quickly. I knelt down and worked the lock with the enchanted pick Teacher gave us. One by one, they slipped away into the woods, quiet as ghosts.
I scanned the area. My friends were doing the same. Four more bandits lay dead. The others were being freed from cages.
None of this would've been possible without Teacher. That crazy old bastard trained us like soldiers—taught us how to fight, how to kill… and most importantly, to never forget what the world took from us.
But even Teacher couldn't prepare us for everything.
One of them spotted us.
"Shit."
I sprinted to the final caravan as the others broke off to draw attention away. And inside, in a cage barely big enough for two people…
…There they were.
Gaunt. Dirt-caked. Barely able to lift their heads.
My mother and my little sister.
"Mom… Cecilia…"
They looked at me. Hesitated. Didn't recognize me at first. Who would? My face was ruined.
But my voice…
"Leo…?"
I nodded, tears building in my eye.
"It's me. I found you."
No time for tears. I took out the magic lockpick. Even someone like me—talentless with magic—could learn the basic Unlock spell with two years of grinding.
Click.
The cage popped open. Mom and Cecilia stared at me, trembling, then threw themselves into my arms.
"Big brother… I-I thought you were dead…!"
"I promised I'd come back. I'm here now. But we need to go. Now."
They nodded. I helped them out, and just as they started running—
FLASH!
An arrow thudded into the side of the carriage, right next to my head.
Archers? Seriously?
"Run!" I shouted. "Now!"
"But—"
"GO!"
Mom clutched Cecilia and bolted into the forest with the others.
I turned back and saw two of my comrades—lifeless, bleeding out on the dirt. Just like me, they were here for their families.
Goddammit…
If I left now, the bandits would just hunt us down. Someone had to stay behind.
FLASH!
Another arrow. I dodged it, just barely. Three bandits came at me—axes drawn, faces twisted with rage.
"You little shit!"
"You know what those slaves were worth?!"
"I'm gonna skin you alive!"
I didn't flinch.
My hands gripped the daggers. Mana surged through my veins.
FLASH!
I dashed forward, slipped past the first one, leapt up, and brought the blade across his throat.
One down.
Before the other two could react, I smashed one in the face with my heel and drove my dagger through his forehead.
Two down.
The third was shaking. He swung wildly. I ducked, swept his legs, and slit his throat before he could cry out.
Grabbed his shield just in time to block the next arrow.
CLANG!
Where the hell are the archers?
I spotted them—two bastards with bows, tucked behind the wagons.
Antonia and Albert were still alive, fighting their hearts out. I could run and join my family. Leave these two behind.
But I couldn't. We were raised together. Trained together. Bled together.
They were my family too.
I charged to help, but a spear whistled through the air. I blocked it with the shield—only for it to shatter. The bandit who threw it turned to run, but I caught up and stabbed him in the skull three times. No mercy.
Then—
THUNK!
An arrow pierced my back. Pain shot through my body.
Goddamn it.
But this pain… this pain was nothing. I've seen Teacher take worse.
"Leo?!"
Antonia's voice. Her eyes widened when she saw the blood.
"I'm not leaving you!" I growled.
"You idiot! Go with your family!"
"You're my family too!"
We fought side by side. Cutting down everyone who stood in our way. But the truth was clear—we were losing. Too many. Too strong.
I kept blocking the arrows, but Antonia and Albert were fading. Their mana was spent. Eyes hazy. But they'd bought enough time.
"Go!" I yelled. "I'm doing it!"
"What?! No! You'll die!"
"Why do you think Teacher gave us this thing in our chests?"
"But the Mana Core Bomb—Leo, it's only for when you're… when you're sure you're not coming back…!"
"Exactly!"
Their faces crumbled. But they knew I meant it.
"Please," I said, voice steady. "Take care of my family."
They ran. Two bandits chased after them, but I knew Antonia and Albert could handle it.
I gathered the torches and lit a ring of fire around me. Dry grass caught fast. Just like Teacher taught us.
"You want me? Come and get me…"
"You little shit!"
"Let's gut this bastard!"
"Don't kill him! I wanna hear him scream!"
I smirked.
I poured all the mana I had into the crystal buried in my chest—the Mana Core Bomb. A last resort. A suicide weapon.
"Burn in hell."
BOOM!!!
Agony. Fire. Screams. Everything vanished in a flash of light and heat.
At least… I saw them again.
Sorry, Teacher…
I awoke to a voice.
"Congratulations, you have been chosen for reincarnation."
What?
A pure white space stretched endlessly around me. I had no body. Just a sense of self.
Then—
FLASH!
A tall, bearded man appeared out of nowhere.
"Who the hell are you? Where am I?"
"Isn't it obvious? Haven't you ever read… isekai stories?"
"Ise-what?"
He stared at me.
"Wait… you're not from Earth?!"
"Earth? Never heard of it."
"Oh crap. I messed up. Big time. I brought the wrong soul! I was supposed to reincarnate a high school student from Japan!"
"Japan? That some sort of dish?"
The man started panicking.
"Okay, okay… not good… But hey, you've got insanely high karma. That's probably why the system chose you by mistake."
He fumbled around, then shoved a glowing cube into my nonexistent body.
"What did you just do?!"
"Just say 'Status' to check your abilities. Look, I'll give you the first system I ever made—it's a little buggy, but it'll do. Just… don't get in the way of the new hero, okay?"
"Hero? What hero?"
FLASH!
Gone.
I felt my body again—tiny, cramped, floating in thick liquid.
Oh no… Am I being born?
Sleep took me.
When I woke again, someone was pulling me out.
The first face I saw was a red-haired man with orange eyes. He smiled and kissed my forehead.
"It's a boy!"
What…?
A beautiful woman held me next. Blonde hair, emerald eyes, pale skin… and pointy ears.
"A perfect little half-elf… with your hair and my eyes… Welcome to the world, Leon"
So this is my mother…
And I guess…
I've been reincarnated.