Chapter 03: Reincaration

"Why... Why are you all doing this?" Ryan didn't even question why the others weren't helping him. It was already obvious that they had planned this because no one was helping him, not even the idiot Hammelot.

And yet, why? He had treated them like family, and yet, why?

Though their answers were rather simple, the hero responded with a big smile on his face. "It's because you're too powerful and uncontrollably foolish. What other reason could we have?"

Ryan's face contorted as his mind swirled with a mixture of hatred and confusion at the same time.

Only for such a reason, were they planning to eliminate him? Someone who was part of their family, someone they had fought alongside for centuries.

Ryan tried to push the sword impaled in his stomach back, but the hero just teased him and pushed it forward. "Euuughhh…"

Ryan vomited a mouthful of blood. The seemingly strong and dominant guy from before now looked pitiful.

The hero whispered in his ear with a mocking tone, "We weren't supposed to kill you if you didn't take anything from the battle, that's what we discussed. But it's your fault for becoming so strong now. With your current strength, you could easily overpower all of us combined. If we don't use this sneak attack, we'll never have a chance." Pausing, the hero continued in a low tone, "Do us a favor and please rest in peace. We'll tell your tale to the Kingdom and other Kingdoms about how you went down fighting. You'll become one of the myths you've admired."

Ryan felt like everything up until now had been a lie. The tears in his heart turned into undying hatred. He tried to see the good sides, but there was just no way he could forgive them for this.

"...Even after my death… I'll hunt you all down."

Ryan struggled to speak, only to be laughed at by his one and only family.

Ailah mocked him for spouting nonsense, "Such scary words from a dead man."

While the saint urged the hero to end him. "It's a waste of time to be here with him. End him now. I never really liked how he acted all mighty sometimes."

While the idiot Hammelot just stayed silent, looked away, and said goodbye, "I'm going back to the Kingdom now. See you all there."

The hero ignored Hammelot and finally decided to end the suffering of the dead man.

"This is goodbye, Ryan. Thank you for playing your role until the end."

And with those last words, the hero retracted his blade and sliced Ryan's head off.

The last thing he saw before the lights all went out was the departing back of Hammelot and the mocking smiles of the hero and his other friends.

What was even the meaning of his entire life? Only to be played by them and to play his roles?

Ryan felt like he had fallen into an ocean with the sky raining down on him.

"It's so dark."

It felt like he was underwater, and yet, at the same time, he knew he had died.

"Is this what it feels like to die?"

Even when he tried to open his eyes, there was nothing but darkness in front of him. It was just like his entire life—everything was empty.

And when hope was lost, a light suddenly shone in front of him.

A small spark of light appeared before him. Ryan wondered how he could see a spark of light in a world full of darkness, only to be answered by the spark of light emitting an angelic voice.

"Do you wish to live again?"

The spark of light offered him a chance to live again, but even so…

"What's the point of living when I no longer have a desire to live?"

Living another empty life? What kind of life was that? He'd rather stay dead than repeat everything once more. Although he was flabbergasted by the question of the spark of light, Ryan didn't think deeply about it as he was already dead.

The spark of light looked as empty as him, staying silent for a moment, only to give hope to him now, which angered him at the same time.

"Don't you want to know more about why they betrayed you?"

Huh?

How did the spark of light know…

Ryan couldn't tell whether he was dreaming or not… But one thing was for sure…

"If I get to live again… I'll definitely hunt them down to the ends of the earth… Don't you dare join in something so pointless… I'm already dead anyway, so I can't do them…"

The spark of light responded to his answer.

"I shall give you one last chance. I'll make your wish come true, so make it a fun movie for me."

And with the last word of the spark of light, Ryan's view suddenly became pitch black once more.

The moment he opened his eyes in an attempt to see the light once more, a figure of a woman pinching his cheeks came into view.

"Awieeewe! Kendrick has finally opened his eyes! Good morning, my baby!"

Rather than just a woman, a husband and wife appeared out of nowhere, sniffing his face and smiling at his existence.

"It's true! Our sweet baby has finally woken up! Let me hug him!"

The wife stopped her husband from grabbing Ryan and scolded him.

"He isn't even a day old yet! You'll kill him if you hug him, dumbass!"

With a troubled expression on the now infant Ryan's face, he finally had an idea of what had happened.

Ryan had reincarnated as a baby! The spark of light had made his wish come true. Hope for revenge lingered in his eyes as they shone with pure vengeance.

No matter what, he swore to end them, even if he had to chase them to the ends of the world.