Chapter 1 - Rebirth

Space...

Yes, a vast emptiness...

I've been in this cursed void for a long time...

This damned void brings back memories...

My name is Lars... I lost my family in an accident when I was very young, and my grandfather started taking care of me. My grandfather was a former naval officer, and without giving me a choice, he enrolled me in the military academy. After years of military service, I came to realize, "I was never a follower of orders." My grandfather's stern demeanor always frightened me, but as the years passed, he aged, and I grew younger. I was no longer afraid of him, but my mandatory military service had not yet ended, and I still had to work for the army.

I worked from the age of 22, when I entered the academy, until I turned 37. Eventually, I left, and coincidentally, my grandfather passed away during this period. After all those years of service, leaving the military left me with a void. I had nothing left to do; I had become a tired drunkard. At that moment, the only thing that came to my mind was... to fight. I engaged in mercenary work and banditry with the young ones I had trained on the African savannah since childhood until my mid-50s. The feeling of leading people and the satisfaction of subjugating them drove me mad. Yes, yes... I was created for this—to subjugate. Until I aged; I was 57, and I had to end this. I instructed my comrades to choose a new leader and returned to the homeland.

So, what happened? Simple: "Handcuffs, trial, prison, a needle stuck in the vein." Yes, first they put me through a fake trial and sentenced me to life imprisonment. Then, they organized the inmates inside to attack me. When I closed my eyes to life, all I left behind were my sons and daughters on the African savannah, whose paternity was uncertain. Even they never knew their fathers; their mothers were just prostitutes to me... I guess if I were born again and had a family, I would take better care of them, and I would keep that stupid desire for subjugation in check. I would have a happy family...

...

I felt like I was being pulled into a wormhole all of a sudden...

A considerable amount of time passed, and eventually, I found myself in an entirely white room.

There was someone in front of me, but I had no idea who they were, although their identity was quite predictable.

God: "Hello, my child. Unfortunately, you lost your life."

Lars: "Hmm... yes, I remember."

God: "Anyway, now you have two options. Either you will migrate to another world, or you will wait to be judged. What's your decision?"

Lars: "Would someone like me step into those foolish judgments again?"

God: "Alright, my child, let's see what we can do."

A holographic screen appeared in front of the man, and strange calculations began.

God: "Sigh... you are truly karmically poor. In life, you've hardly done anything good, but there are plenty of dirty things like massacres, mercenary work, ruthlessness, and executions."

Lars: "I guess I was on the wrong path, huh?"

God: "Sigh... well, at least you're remorseful."

God: "I'll give you an option, and according to your desire, I'll deduct points from your karma. If you go into negative, I'll try to balance it."

Lars: "Alright, but I don't know what I should wish for."

God: "Hmm... lately, this summoning thing has been popular. You can take that."

Lars: "It doesn't matter to me."

God: "Okay, now sign on the screen that appeared in front of you."

A screen emerged in front of me, and I quickly signed. A cursed god wouldn't play games with me, anyway; there were only two clauses, and he had already explained them to me.

God: "Now, regarding balancing your karma..."

God: "You'll be a street child in White Harbor in the Game of Thrones world. The child you possess is a North orphan, and they died after a severe beating on the street."

Lars: "Okay... I guess it's ideal for someone like me..."

God looked at me and smiled.

God: "I didn't do this as a punishment, and besides, if you want, continue with your foolish behaviors. It doesn't matter; you're a simple being to me. Changing is hard for humans, after all."

"Hard, not impossible... but you're right; my desire to subjugate is still very high, especially with this young body..."

God: "Anyway, my child, farewell..."

................................

282 AC | White Harbor/North Westeros

White Harbor was the only city in the North, smaller than the other four cities in Westeros, but distinctive with its aesthetic white marbles and, of course, its port. It served as the center of northern trade and the most populous place.

In a hidden corner of the beautiful city, a 7-year-old child lay on the ground, covered in blood.

Lars: "ARGGHHH...."

My chest felt like it had been ripped apart. I struggled to stand up.

As I rose, instead of pain, I felt the biting cold of winter. We were in the North, and I was wearing nothing but a simple rag that I could swear harbored all the diseases.

Damn, I'm in the medieval world of Game of Thrones. When I went to the USA for a few missions, I had watched this series. Frankly, I hadn't cared much about it at that time, but in the damn African savannah, you don't have much else to do, so I had bothered to finish it at least.

[Ding!]

[System Connected!]

[Congratulations! Starter Package Added!]

-Okay, let's take a look at this system now... Do I really need to call it a system?

[Just Think It in Your Mind!]

-Fine... System...

[Summoning System!]

[The summoning system allows you to summon various characters from other universes or steal specific powers from them using summoning points. You can earn summoning points through significant events or discoveries.]

[Your Starter Package is Available!]

-Open...

[Ding!]

[Opening Package!]

[Congratulations! Obtained S-level Summon!]

[Congratulations! Obtained A-level Summon!]

[Congratulations! Earned 3000 Summoning Points!]

-Do these damn summons, or I'll die of hypothermia...

[Ding!]

[Summon Made!]

[Congratulations! Musashi Miyamoto ]

[Musashi Miyamoto

Considered the most skilled samurai in the feudal peace of Japan, he achieved an incredible record by winning 61 duels throughout various parts of Japan. He created the "twin-winged swordsmanship," a kenjutsu style based on dual sword usage.

Abilities:

Twin-Winged Swordsmanship (S)

Strategy (A)

Philosophy and Writing (B)]

[Character Impersonation / Skill Theft]

-A 7-year-old child wandering around with one of the greatest swordsmen in history... Steal the skill!

[Ding!]

[Skill Stolen!]

[Level recalculated and lowered!]

[New Skill! Twin-Winged Swordsmanship (B) (Restricted Due to Physical Limitations)]

[You Can Increase the Skill by Increasing Your Physical Level!]

Suddenly, wisdom filled my mind, and my body shaped a bit more. After all, using a sword is a physical activity... at least I wasn't as cold as before.

-Even with this physique, B level? Who is this kid?

-Anyway, still good...

-Do the other summon.

[Ding!]

[Summon Made!]

[Congratulations!

John Dillinger

]

[John Dillinger

He is the most famous criminal created by the Great Depression era in the 1930s. In his short life, he managed numerous bank robberies, armed conflicts, and quite a number of escapes. By the age of 31, he was declared the number one public enemy by the FBI and was ambushed and killed after a tip-off by a woman he was with at a cinema exit.

Abilities:

Thievery Agility (A)

Deception (B)

Gang Leadership (B) ]

[Character Impersonation / Skill Theft]

-I'm not so foolish to summon someone without taking the necessary skills. Whatever happens, the power is in you; followers are just followers... Steal the skill!

[Ding!]

[Skill Stolen!]

[New Skill! Thievery Agility (A)]

[Attention! The Possibilities for Your First Summons Have Been Increased!]

-So, now I can gain useless and silly skills, huh?

Again, as in the previous encounter, I felt a bit more improved, as if I was more integrated with my feet and legs.

All of this happened as the sky began to darken.

-First, I need a place to stay; let's take care of that. When I looked into the old memories of the body, I saw that he was an abandoned orphan when he was younger. His mother had left him to his aunt before she died, and the aunt had sold him to a pirate when he was only three years old. The child managed to escape after working on the ship for a year. Then, he found refuge on another ship and came here. Apparently, the kid was a Northerner.

-He had no place to stay in the city at night, so he slept in a nook in the harbor. After stealing food from the men who would eventually kill him, the result was obvious. Going back to that harbor wouldn't be right; I wish I were outside the city. At least, with my strength, I could occupy a shack or something.

I lifted my head and started to look around. After wandering for a while, I found a small shack in the back alleys that seemed abandoned. But when I noticed two people inside, I confidently headed in.

When I entered, I saw a wounded young girl lying on the floor and a boy standing by her head. The boy was about 6-7 years old, typical Northern with black hair. The worry on his face was evident from a mile away; he was scared. The girl, just like her brother, had black hair but was much thinner and weaker than a normal girl. It was clear she hadn't eaten anything for a long time; there was a large wound on her abdomen, and she was breathing heavily. It was evident that she was at the end of her life.

The boy noticed my entrance and attempted to reach for the knife on the side, but when he realized that I was a child of his age, he gave up.

Lars remained silent, surveying the boy and then the girl.

Lars: "She... is going to die."

Boy: "Tch... No, she won't...!"

Kız: "Alden... enough... my time has come..."

The girl spoke with difficulty, in pain, to the boy named Alden.

Alden began to cry, clenching his teeth, and pressed harder on the girl's bleeding wound, trying to stop the bleeding.

Lars: "Enough, kid, you're just causing her more pain."

Girl: "Pl...please, take my life..."

Lars saw the dull knife lying on the side and reached for it.

Alden: "Hey! Stop, what are you doing!"

Lars: "Take this and be a man!"

For the first time, Lars raised his voice, pressing the boy easily with the aura he had due to his swordsmanship.

After thinking for a while, Alden, with tears streaming down his eyes, took the knife and...

Alden: "I'm sorry, sis..."

Girl: "Alden... live well... die well..."

Alden struggled to stab the knife into the girl's heart. Even though the knife was quite dull, the girl was already on the verge of death, and the slightest wound put her into a trance, causing her death. In the meantime, Alden was in the midst of an intense emotional crisis. Lars, taking the girl, buried her in the back compartment; after all, he didn't want to catch any diseases.

After finishing the job, Lars surveyed the surroundings and examined the collapsing shack.

The shack, located in the remote streets of White Harbor, seemed completely abandoned with its moss-covered, cracked walls and peeling paints.

Alden: "Hey... who are you?"

Lars: "You seem quite mature compared to the crying kid from earlier."

Alden: "I have nothing to do."

The child seemed somewhat calmer.

-Tch... If I kill this brat, it won't be useful, at least he might be useful.

Alden: "..."

Lars: "Lars..."

Lars: "Tell me, kid, you seem quite trained for this ruin..."

An instant weight fell into Alden's eyes.

Alden's POV

Cold and pain had ingrained itself into my heart, but I had to stay on my feet. Once a child of noble White Towers, I now struggled to survive on these cold streets. My name is Alden Frosthold, the heir of the Frosthold family, landowners under the Manderly house. Our mother had died when I was only three, succumbing to illness.

With our mother's death, our father needed to remarry to secure another alliance, and so he did. Our stepmother deceived our father by faking our deaths, cutting us off from the noble life. As we left the White Towers, we carried Frosthold symbols and some belongings that symbolized our family. However, these precious items attracted the attention of thugs. Seeking refuge, we fled to White Harbor, governed by House Manderly. However, news of our death had already spread, and seeking asylum with House Manderly would likely lead to us being perceived as liars and sentenced to death.

One night, we were cornered by thugs on these cold streets. My sister fought bravely, but we had little hope. The burly thugs first beat me and threw me aside before assaulting my sister, and her resistance proved futile. In my young age and vulnerability, I tried to cope with the fear within me while witnessing my sister's helplessness. Unaware of these thugs' noble past, they threatened us to take our valuable belongings. In the following days, we were left with nothing, and eventually, my sister was injured by those villains.

Shortly after my sister was injured, I had to make a final move to save her. Amidst the cold winds and dark alleys, we sought refuge in a shack, where I embraced her. My sister's eyes sparkled with sorrow and pain. Filled with the longing and loss of once belonging to a noble family, we clung to each other in the cold world, trying to survive without knowing what the future held.

In the shack, we had a mysterious box that we brought with us. The forgotten legacy of the Frosthold family, a map, and a document keeping our family's secrets were inside this box. Perhaps this box held the hope of reclaiming our lost noble past and shaping our future. However, in the current reality, we were only struggling to survive in this cold world by clinging tightly to each other.

Until my sister's time finally ran out. She groaned in pain all day long and was now consumed by fever... Despite being so young, I was interested in books, and I had been trained by the family master since childhood. At that moment, I realized that my sister's wound had become infected. It was horrifying because I had neither poultice nor anything else at hand. Helpless and not knowing what to do, I watched as the wound worsened with each of my sister's agonizing movements. The wound was the final result before the thugs, tired of her, would leave us in peace.

Damn it! They had blatantly assaulted and injured my sister, but I couldn't do anything...!

As night fell, I realized my sister's time was running out. However, when I saw someone entering the shack, thinking the thugs had returned, I was on the verge of losing my mind. I grabbed the half-blind knife on the side, ready to stab whoever entered. But it turned out to be a terrifying kid of my age, with jet-black hair and pitch-black eyes, carrying an ominous presence. Initially, he surveyed me, my sister, and then the surroundings. He told me that I had to end my sister's suffering. At first, I resisted, but he was right, and I did as he said. Later, he buried my sister's body in the back. This place shouldn't have been my sister's final resting place... Damn that woman, it's all because of her!

Third POV

Lars: "Anyway, kid, I'm going to use this freakish shack for a while."

Alden remained silent.

Entering, Lars curled up in a corner, still alert, but fatigue took over, and he fell asleep.