Rebirth

I find myself in a world filled with blood, violence, and death. Innocent people are dying, one after another, even children and babies who haven't even had the chance to understand life. I became a soldier to save them, to make a difference. But on my own, there's only so much I can do. After years of fighting, I've risen to the rank of Captain, but the weight of this war is still heavy on my shoulders. Now, I command a battalion of 100 elite soldiers. Today, we're preparing for an operation to rescue 12 children taken hostage by terrorists in a mountain cave. As their commander, it's my duty to lead this mission. My name is Angus.

---

7 Hours Later, at the Operation Site

"Commander, we've located the targets. There are 56 hostiles inside, but something feels off. The place... it feels like a funeral."

There's no time to think. Every second that passes brings those children closer to death. We need to act fast.

"Understood. 50 men will go in, the rest will secure the perimeter. Move out!"

We stormed the cave, but the moment we entered, something was terribly wrong. What we saw inside was beyond words. The children's bodies were ripped apart, their limbs scattered across the cave floor. Some of the soldiers started vomiting. Even I could feel my stomach turning, my mind struggling to process the horror. I stood there, frozen. This was no ordinary atrocity.

They had harvested the children's organs. These weren't people—these were monsters. Inhuman, barbaric creatures. My blood boiled with rage.

"Damn it! Damn it all! We should have been faster!"

My veins were throbbing, about to burst from the sheer fury coursing through me. Just then, I heard it.

Click.

A landmine beneath my foot. I had 60 seconds before it would explode. The terrorists had set a trap.

"Get out! All of you! This place is a death zone! A soldier who fails his mission has no right to turn back."

I knew my end was near. This landmine was no ordinary device—it was specially designed, and I had only 60 seconds. There was no way out for me, but the others could still escape.

"No, Commander! We won't leave you!"

"This is an order, soldier!" I barked.

I could see the despair and helplessness on their faces. My last command echoed in the cave. And in that moment, a strange sense of calm washed over me. As they left the cave, I accepted my fate.

"Our country is grateful to you, Commander..."

---

60 Seconds Later... BOOM!!

Ahhh… huh!? Where am I? There was no pain, none at all. It felt as though my soul had found peace, as if I was free.

"Hey, Angus! How's it going?"

Huh? What is this? It felt like I was floating in the vast emptiness of space. As I regained my senses, I realized I was in what looked like an endless galaxy.

"Who's there? Show yourself!" I shouted. But inside, a thought kept echoing in my mind: Where is this place?

"This is my home, Angus."

What? Can it read my mind?

"Yes, I can. After all, I'm God."

God? It finally dawned on me. This place was far from normal. I couldn't stay here for long.

"So, where am I going? Heaven or Hell?"

"Neither," the voice said, almost playfully. "In fact, I want to give you another chance. Wouldn't it be nice to live again?"

Wait, you can do that?

"Of course. But not in the same world. Somewhere else."

Can I be reborn in the world of 'Kingdom'? I asked, half-joking, half-serious.

"Certainly! After all, you've done much for humanity. You saved countless innocent lives. You deserve a reward. And for that reason, I'll give you a system."

A system? I thought, confused.

"Yes, a system. The most advanced version—an upgrade of the one from 'Nano Machine.' This is the latest version."

The voice began to fade.

"I don't have much time left to explain. The person you'll be reborn as will be random, so be careful, human! Hahaha!"

And just like that, everything went black. As the darkness enveloped me, I was pulled towards the unknown fate awaiting me in the world of Kingdom.

---

Xin: "Wake up! Wake up, quickly! Today we have sword training. Come on, Xin, don't be lazy. Hahaha! What's that sound? Is that... Hyou? Wait, Xin? What do you mean my name is Xin? Did I really get reborn as Xin?"

Hyou: "What's wrong, Xin? You seem lost."

Xin: "Ah, sorry, I'm just... excited. Today is sword training, right? Haha." Memories of Xin's life up to age seven flooded into my mind. It felt as if my soul had merged with Xin's. Yes, by the way, Hyou and Xin are both seven years old. The year is 251 BC. Understood. Let's head to our usual spot, Hyou.

Xin: "Alright, Hyou." {20 Minutes Later}

Hyou: "Come on, Xin, show me how strong you've become!" Hyou was as excited as ever. We both gripped our wooden swords tightly and faced each other in the middle of the field. He smiled challengingly at me, but this time, I wasn't just a kid. All of Angus' battle experience, strategy, and tactical knowledge echoed in my mind.

Hyou was fast, but he didn't know how to use his agility to his advantage. From my previous life, I learned one thing: the better you know your opponent, the easier it is to defeat them.

I decided to make the first move, but I wasn't in a rush. Be patient, I reminded myself. I had to lure him into a trap. I lightly swung my sword to the right to draw Hyou's attention there. As expected, he stepped to the right, but that wasn't my true aim. I quickly turned and targeted his wrist, striking swiftly with my wooden sword.

"What—?" Hyou was surprised. He barely managed to block my strike by swinging his sword in time. The sound of clashing wooden swords echoed. But this was just a test. The real attack hadn't come yet.

I sensed Hyou trying to circle around me with his sword. I had fought this way thousands of times before. He was about to leave his back exposed. I sped up my steps, predicting Hyou's movement. Just as he turned around, I brought my sword down from above to break his defense. But before completing the move, a thought crossed my mind.

Conserve your energy, Xin. Don't use unnecessary strength.

As soon as I thought this, I quickly changed the direction of my sword and delivered a light strike to Hyou's left side. "Got you!" I thought to myself. Hyou had raised his sword, but my attack hadn't come from where he expected.

"Xin, that's impossible! How are you this fast?" he said, stepping back in shock.

But the fight wasn't over. As Hyou tried to recover, Angus' years of battlefield experience guided me. I knew not to waste unnecessary strength and speed. Now, I waited for the moment when Hyou's defense would falter. I steadied my breathing and planted my steps firmly.

I took a step forward, then suddenly jumped back, throwing Hyou off balance. As his focus shifted, I dragged my sword along the ground to raise dust. This blocked Hyou's vision for a moment. Seizing the opportunity, I darted to the left and delivered another light strike to his wrist.

"Got you!" I said, feeling the thrill of victory.

Hyou dropped his wooden sword in surprise and stepped back. He was out of breath, his eyes wide in disbelief.

"Xin, how did you get so strong? Just a few weeks ago, we were on the same level..." he said, struggling to catch his breath.

I smiled and replied: "Hyou, this is the result of hard work and strategy. Strength isn't just about speed and power—it's about making the right move at the right time."