Chapter 1: Glorious Ending and Rebirth

"You treacherous demon, give up!"

"This space has already been sealed, there is no escape!"

"Abyssal Tyrant Sorin! Your futile resistance ends here!"

Countless voices filled the barren wasteland, each harbouring ill intent towards the man covered in terrible wounds — his injuries could make any average person suck their breaths from the disturbing scene.

Bodies could be scene scattered through the battlefield. If they were all stacked up, it could perhaps reach the heavens itself.

In this battlefield, a few thousand people were still alive, all surrounding one singular man. Each and everyone of these people that have come to kill this demon in human skin were all beings that have reached an unimaginable realm, their aura profound and overbearing.

"The demon who revived chaos to this continent, killing millions, no matter what you do, you will meet your end today..."

"You sick bastard! You killed my husband, destroyed my bloodline and poisoned me during the mystical realm, I must claim your life!"

"If it weren't for you, my younger sister would still be able to smile, but you had permanently destroyed her dignity!"

"You scoundrel, you had stolen all 22 great treasures of our clan! Destroying 10 of them because they were useless whilst using the rest. This humiliation will be repaid a million fold!"

More angry voices resounded, all filled with pure hatred towards this heinous individual, each reminding him of the crimes and evil deeds he committed.

As for the man who was at the centre of it? He simply had an expression of indifference.

So what if he did all those things?

He did not have even a single droplet of remorse.

The golden-haired man merely surveyed his surroundings, paying no heed to the barking of those dogs.

As his sharp, scarlet eyes scanned the surroundings, Sorin helplessly sighed in his heart,

'I guess this is the end... my spiritual core is depleted, my left arm had been severed, my right arm had been crippled, and most of the bones in my body are broken. All my treasures have been used, and I cannot escape either because of the seal. This situation is truly hopeless.'

In this final war where he had been chased for five entire months, he eventually had been forced to fight with no where to run. These people wanted him dead and would likely still want him to suffer in the after life — torturing his soul for all of eternity.

Although everyone here despises him to the very core, all of them covets the treasures that had made him who he was today, a being of unfathomable power that could still hold his own against this powerful army.

It was then that Sorin turned his head, his eyes drifting onto one figure in the distance. This youth with white hair and silver eyes was very familiar to Sorin, but the same can not be said for the other...

Sorin closed his eyes as he remembered his past. He had been just the ordinary psychologist in modern Earth — his life was in order, a life free from trouble. He would past his time doing anything he could think of, whether that's running, playing sports, watching movies, reading novels, cooking, exercising... just about anything.

However, one day, he had somehow stumbled upon this world. A place where there was no room for the weak. A ruthless dog-eat-dog world.

Moreover, this world was set in a novel he had read when he was merely a teenager in high-school. In this world, cultivators(Spirit Masters) and magic existed — the kind that could bend nature's laws to your will.

Talent was the deciding factor in whether you could live a life looking down on those beneath you, or be trampled by others who could care less for your well-being. In this world, one's viewpoints had been skewed compared to modern Earth where everyone was basically physically similar. At the end of the day, all humans in that world died around the same time and were all fragile, a single bullet being able to easily end one's life.

But here, splitting mountains and severing the skies was possible as long as your talent was good enough. And in pursuit of power, you also increase your life-span along the way, thus the majority in this world pursues the 'true path.'

Although many wants to be stronger and not be trampled by others, the harsh reality is that there will always be those stronger than you.

In the novel, there was two things that decided one's potential, natural in-born talent and innate skills.

Earth gifts the individual with their talent and heaven blesses its favourites with innate skills. One in 100 children are granted innate skills, each of varying power. Some were almost god-like while others were complete trash.

When Sorin transmigrated into this world, he had found that his in-born talent was utter garbage, just barely enough for him to be able to pursue the true path. Fortunately, heaven had blessed him with an innate skill.

The only issue was, that too, was utter garbage. At best, it had only helped him make more enemies and able to blackmail a few people.

"Whew..." Sorin let out an exhausted breath. His vision was already turning blurry due to the vast amounts of blood he was losing, a deep puddle of crimson forming beneath his feet and dyeing his white, luxurious robes in red.

He quickly snapped himself out of his daze as he unintentionally took one step forward.

Despite such a minimal action, all the powerful beings around him had immediately taken 15 steps back.

Sorin had a devilish smile. All these people fear him despite him being in such a pathetic state. In the past, he had been nothing more than dirt in these people's eyes, but now... just his name would have the symbolisation of calamity behind it.

He truly had lived a life without regrets. If he died now, he would be satisfied.

"Heh... ha... hah! Hahahahhahah!" Sorin laughed maniacally.

All the people that cautiously watched him showed a disgusted expression.

"Why is this wretched human laughing?"

"Has he finally lost the final piece of sanity he had left?"

Sorin had laughed at himself.

Who was he kidding? Satisfied with his death? He was far from it. He really wanted to murder all these people and rip out their spines!

But the bitter reality was that he couldn't.

He was too weak.

This was the harsh truth that he could understand but not accept.

Sorin once again glanced at the silver-haired youth.

Despite stealing nearly all of the protagonist's treasures and lucky encounters, he was still far from that realm where he was invincible. Even when he took the protagonist's opportunities, he still found others at different parts of the world.

His luck was truly envious. He was protected by fate, every attempt with him trying to kill the protagonist had always ended in failure. Despite all his plans and schemes, the protagonist always finds a way like in the stories.

Now, this very person was his mortal enemy, bringing at least a third of these people to attack him.

As the clouds above Sorin slowly departed, the scorching sun enveloped his entire body. He could feel that death was right next to him, patiently waiting to embrace him and consume his whole being.

'If I'll die anyways... I will make my death a glorious one. Whether I'll be labelled as the most evil tyrant throughout history or forgotten through the passage of time... today, I'll make sure the world remembers this event.'

With that thought, Sorin went into his sea of consciousness. Inside it, he saw his red spiritual core, emitting a tyranical and malevolent energy. This spiritual core was one of a kind. It held two energies: primordial chaos and abyssal energy.

Despite his horrible talent, with all the treasures he stole from the protagonist, the world and countless other people, he had eventually created something heaven defying. This core was his foundations to becoming such a powerful being in this life.

But today...

This core will signify this entire battlefield's destruction.

With just a strand of his thought, he destroyed his own core, not suppressing the energy that's rushing out in the slightest.

The figures outside had noticed the anomalies on Sorin's body. His body had red lines appearing like glass on the brink of shattering. They then felt the vast, tyranical energy flooding out of his body. Each and every one of the figures had pale expressions as they tried to run.

But it was too late.

Everything in a 10,000 mile radius had been completely disintegrated within an instant.

Whether he killed the protagonist or not, Sorin didn't know as his consciousness had long disappeared, his body destroyed to his very molecules.

...

In Redwall City.

Soaring Phoenix Academy, inside a lecture hall.

The female professor was in the midst of teaching a group of children, teaching them fundamental knowledge of Spirit Masters. These children were around the ages of 13 to 16.

They had recently been admitted to Soaring Phoenix Academy yesterday after they were carefully picked among thousands by the elder that was in charge of selecting future disciples.

As it was the first day of these lessons, the children were all diligently paying attention to the professor.

All apart from one disciple...

This disciple had his head completely slumped on his desk, resting on his arms, his golden-hair quite eye-catching. Many other disciples were looking at him and sneered, thinking he was an idiot.

On the very first day, someone was already bored enough to fall asleep! He must have guts! This wasn't just some regular school but one of the most prestigious academies in this continent!

You should at least try to pay attention on the first day!

Despite all the whispering, the boy was like a lifeless corpse. That was until his index finger twitched slightly. Eventually, each of his fingers were moving, then both of his arms and finally his entire body.

As the boy slowly lifted his head back up, his eyes gently fluttered open, revealing ruby-red irises dimly shining under the light emitted from the window.

'What...? I... I am alive?' Sorin deeply contemplated.

'Isn't this... professor Ashveil's lecture room in my days at Soaring Phoenix Academy?'

Sorin instinctively pinched himself on the cheek as the stinging sensation enveloped a side of his face.

'This sensation. This definitely isn't a dream... I have actually returned to the past?'

Sorin was truly perplexed, until the situation suddenly dawned upon him.

The past!

He had a second chance to pursue the true path!

Moreover, his innate skill...

Now that's he returned to the past, this skill looked much more promising.

His lips couldn't help but curl. It looked truly sinister...

"Eek! Why's that kid's expression so creepy..."

"I know right... it looks like he'd peel off my skin and wear it as a coat or something."

Hearing the whispers of the other disciples, Sorin couldn't be bothered with them. He's heard worse insults. He was currently fixated on his future plans.