Beginning of the end

Kael and Sisili always greet each other whenever they meet, though they harbor no particular thoughts about each other. It's just a normal exchange, but it's perceived differently by others.

Various rumors began circulating throughout the orphanage, each one heard by Rey causing him to boil with rage. Meanwhile, Kael, oblivious to the gossip, continued his daily routine.

The more Rey heard the rumors, the more his anger simmered. He was nearing his breaking point, with the ruthless demon inside him ready to unleash at any moment.

"Brother Rey, I believe today is the day the order will arrive," exclaimed one of his followers, excitement evident on his face.

"Today?" A glimmer of joy flashed in Rey's eyes as he smiled broadly.

He checked the time on his wrist. "I think it's time for the delivery. Let's go."

Rey and his followers made their way behind the orphanage where a masked figure awaited their arrival.

After a few minutes, they all arrived at the spot, and Rey approached the delivery man, asking, "Did you bring it?"

"Yes," the delivery man replied, taking a small package out of his pocket and holding it up.

"Where's the money?" the delivery man inquired.

Rey produced a handful of currency notes, and they exchanged the money for the package, completing the transaction.

He extracted the bottle from the package and examined it with a maniacal smile. "Colorless, tasteless, and a few drops are enough to kill an elephant."

Rey was connected with gangsters and had plenty of money, so obtaining a few drops of lethal poison wasn't difficult for him.

"We've had enough of him for years. It's time to remove him from this orphanage. This is our territory. How can I allow an ugly bastard like him to live here?" Rey muttered, gripping the small bottle tightly.

They all returned to their dormitory and devised a plan to take down Kael that night.

Kael could never have imagined that his disfigured face would not only make his life miserable but also lead to his untimely demise.

In the dining hall….

Kael and the other orphans stood in line to serve themselves various dishes. Kael filled his plate with a few food items and headed to his usual dining table.

Seeing Kael sitting alone, Sisili approached him with her own plate. "Can I sit here?"

"O-of course," stammered Kael, continuing to eat his dinner.

"Hey, Kael, mind if we join you?" Rey's voice came from behind.

Kael turned to see Rey and his followers and replied with a forced smile, "Please." He knew trouble often followed when he was surrounded by these teenagers.

"Since you have company, I'll go sit with my friends," Sisili announced, quickly moving away from the table. She didn't care for Rey and preferred not to linger.

Rey then took Sisili's vacated seat and placed a food item containing poison onto Kael's plate.

"This..." Kael looked at Rey with a questioning expression, silently asking why he had put the food item there.

"Why the look? Come on, I like these fried potatoes. You can have the boiled corn," Rey said casually, swapping the items on Kael's plate.

Kael hesitated for a moment, then nodded and resumed eating his dinner.

Rey's lips curled into a smile as he intentionally spilled soup on Kael, making it seem like an accident. "Oh, it's hot... it's hot... Kael, I'll be right back," he said, heading slowly toward the bathroom.

After thoroughly washing his hands and clothes, Rey returned to find Kael had finished eating the boiled corn. He cleared Kael's plate, dumping the food into the wet garbage bin before leaving with his followers.

Inside the dormitory...

Kael changed into his nightwear and lay down on his bed.

Suddenly, he felt a severe pain in his chest.

Rey, who hadn't slept, approached him. "Kael, are you okay? What's wrong?" he asked.

"I... I can't breathe... Call... call the warden," Kael gasped, clutching his chest tightly.

Rey chuckled darkly. "Kael, it's okay. There's no way you're going to survive. Just accept your fate and die for me," he whispered sinisterly into Kael's ear, a wicked smile on his face.

"Rey... why..." Before he could finish speaking, Kael's eyes grew dull, and his lifeless body fell back onto the bed.

But Rey's sinister smile left a lasting impression on Kael's mind.

Meanwhile, in the dark void...

"It's so cold... is this the afterlife? What did I do to him? Why does he want to kill me?" Kael pondered.

"I lost my parents when I was just a baby. I don't even know what they look like. I thought I wouldn't be alone in the orphanage, but loneliness is all I have. Just because I'm ugly, I have to suffer every day until my death."

"If reincarnation is real, let me be reborn on a planet where I'm not ugly and alone. At least I want to live a life without regrets like I did in this one."

These thoughts echoed in the darkness.

Suddenly, a bright light burst forth, illuminating the entire void. Kael, in his soul form, felt a surge of energy enveloping him. Before he could comprehend what was happening, dizziness overcame him, and he lost consciousness.

[Host discovered... System integration into the soul initiated... System integration completed... Host rebirth process initiated... Rebirth process completed...]

One after another, system notifications echoed in the void, and after what felt like an eternity, Kael suddenly felt a sharp pain in his head. He instinctively reached out and grasped his head tightly.

Then, just as suddenly, the pain vanished into thin air, leaving his body drenched in cold sweat.

"I'm alive?" Kael murmured as sweat droplets trickled down his face.

"Or is this the afterlife?" He tentatively pinched himself.

"Ouch... Ouch... There's no way I could feel pain in the afterlife with a flesh body... I... I've reincarnated?" Kael felt shocked, taking a few moments to process his current situation.

[Host, congratulations on successfully being reborn and welcome to the apocalyptic world.]

"Who are you? Where are you?" Kael, hearing the strange mechanical voice, felt a surge of fear. He could only hear the voice but couldn't see the person speaking to him.