Reincarnated Souls

"A simple life yet a fulfilling one...

...A life he once lived with days together with his family, friends, and loved ones...

...Days full of hope and dreams...

...Dreams about the stories he read...

...About the stories he watched...

...The stories in the game he played...

...As he admires the adventures from those stories...

...And yearn that one day have an adventure of his own."

Those were the Memories that Slain always sees in his dreams. Memories of stories about a fantasy world. Where a person would be reincarnated and become the hero of another world, travel the unfamiliar world to help the people that he would meet in his adventures, to fight together with his companions as they stand side by side to challenge their fate.

Those were the Knowledge that he learned in his dreams. Knowledge of creativity from the stories of the books he read, of the movies and anime he watched, and of games he played.

Those were the Emotions that he felt in his dreams. Emotions that yearn for an adventure of his own, for an unfamiliar world of fantasy and magic, to help those in need, and for a journey together with his companions.

That's why even though he was born as a son of a noble Duke, Slain still chose to become an Adventurer.

To have an adventure of his own.

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"He always wanted to live an independent life...

...A life free from any shackles...

...From the shackles of chain that he always feels within his heart...

...Chains that bind him to his family...

...To the tradition enforced on him...

...To the way of life, he was forced to live...

...To the people who took away his freedom...

...That's why he did everything so he could be free...

...Yet on the day he earned the right to live a life the way he wanted, the way that he always dreamed, his life was taken from him."

Those were the Memories that Renxa always sees in his dreams. Memories of life that he once lived. A life he wasn't content with. A life he doesn't want to remember. A life longing for something different.

Those were the Knowledge that he learned in his dreams. Knowledge that he was forced to learn, that he would rather forget, and that he never accepted.

Those were the Emotions that he felt in his dreams. Emotions that yearn for freedom, that detest to be controlled and used, that regrets and grieves what's taken from him.

That's why, even though he was born as the son of a noble Marquis, Renxa chose to become an Adventurer.

To have the freedom he always dreamed of.

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"To save those who are in need. Not only the many but the ones in front of her...

...To help those who are suffering. Not only the ones she can't reach but the ones who can hold her hands...

...To protect those who are weak. Not only the ones she doesn't know but the ones she sees...

...Because if she can't save the ones in front of her if she can't help those who can hold her hands, and if she can't protect the ones she sees then how can she save the many who are in need, the ones she can't reach, and the ones she doesn't knows."

Those were the Memories that Karna always sees in her dreams. Memories from the days of studying, from the days of traveling the world, and from the days of helping those she can reach.

Those were the Knowledge that she learned in her dreams. Knowledge to save those who are in need, to help those who are suffering, and to protect those who are weak.

Those were the Emotions that she felt in her dreams. Emotions that desire to never abandon anyone else.

That's why, even though she was born as the daughter of a noble Grand Duke, Karna chose to become an Adventurer.

To use her Knowledge not only for herself but for the sake of others.

"And that Knowledge of yours is quite intriguing."

"You... Who are you... No... What exactly are you?"

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As Karna remains unconscious after being saved and healed by Vier, her mind wanders to the unusual dreams where she can see what she thought as life of her past.

Once again, she's seeing Memories of a life that was not her own, understanding Knowledge that she has never known yet, and feeling Emotions that she always admired.

That if she could help those in need, those who are suffering, and those who are weak then how great that would be.

It was a dream enough to be called hypocrisy. Wanting to save everyone else yet she can't even save those in front of her.

But even though she could be called a hypocrite, she still wants to save everyone else, as she won't stop trying to save those in front of her.

That's her resolve as she chose to become an Adventurer.

To use her Knowledge not only for herself but for the sake of others.

"And that Knowledge of yours is quite intriguing."

The moment she heard that voice, Karna woke up from her unusual dream. Yet the place she finds herself after opening her eyes is not the forest where the Neo Heroes and Dwarf Cat-eared Elf fought the Black Weretiger Monster.

It was a place with nothing but a white void.

A white void where the Soul Ember rests.

An ember that keeps the flame of life burning.

A place deep within Karna's Soul.

Karna found herself standing in a white void where she could see a burning white flame. Yet the unfamiliar void nor that beautiful white flame is what not caught Karna's eyes, but the being standing between her and the white flame.

A silhouette of an older girl, a burning white flame in the shape of a person, a Phantom.

"You... Who are you... No... What exactly are you?"

"Me?... I'm simply a passing Soul Ember... And as for who I am... I am the Onee-chan of a certain girl."

The Phantom proudly introduces herself to Karna.

But even though the Phantom answers her inquiries, there are still lots of questions running on Karna's mind right at the moment.

"What is this place? Did you bring me her? Where are my friends? Where is the Dwarf Cat-eared Elf? Where is Ms. Vier? Are all of them still alive? What do you mean about my Knowledge..."

"I'm going to answer all of your questions so please try to calm down, Ms. Karna."

"How did you know my name?..."

Realizing that Karna is panicking in an anxious and unfamiliar place, the Phantom tries to calm her down as she answers Karna's questions one by one.

"First, this place is the place inside your soul. And since this is within your Soul, I wouldn't say that I brought you here. It's more proper to say that I help you enter this place... Second, your friends and the Dwarf Cat-eared Elf are still inside the Dungeon. They're all still alive. But if nothing changes, they soon won't be."

Hearing what the Phantom has said, Karna feels hopeless.

They fought with everything they had until they had nothing left. But after everything they did to survive, help still hasn't arrived.

Understanding the hopelessness in her tears, the Phantom once again speaks words to Karna.

"That is why I'm here standing in front of you!"

"What?..."

"To help you obtain the strength to save your friends and the Dwarf Cat-eared Elf."

"But how?!... There's no way we could defeat that Rank 6 monster. Even if we all fight together!"

"If you can't save those in front of you, then how are you going to save everyone else?!... Isn't that your resolve?!... Isn't that the way you have chosen to live your life?!"

Hearing the Phantom's world, Karna felt a pain within her heart.

Of course, she wants to save her friends, to help them fight, to protect them from that monster.

"But how would I be able to do that?!... How can I find the strength to live the life I chose for myself?!"

To answer Karna's desperate scream for help, the Phantom turns her back on Karna and walks towards the white flame.

The only existence within the white void deep inside the Soul.

The Soul Ember that is a fragment of burning Memories...

...A shard of flaring Knowledge...

...A wisp of flickering Emotions...

...The Phantom of the person who Karna was once before.

"I can't give you the strength that you wanted. The strength to save your friends and the Dwarf Cat-eared Elf. But those lock-up Memories and Knowledge in your Soul Ember may save Vier... I can't unlock all of those Memories and Knowledge, but I'm willing to bet that what I can unlock can give you the strength you're looking for."

Karna doesn't have any idea what the Phantom is talking about. But the moment the Phantom put her hands in the white flame, a series of desolate Memories flashed in her eyes, a curse Knowledge in her mind, and grieving Emotions in her heart.

Knowing a fraction of truth locked up inside her Soul Ember, Karna falls on her knees as she regrets the truth she has learned.

That the Knowledge of the person she was once before didn't save everyone else but rather, brought down their demise.

Karna wanted to deny the truth. She wanted to scream and cry. But even before her tears fall from her eyes, the Phantom once again stands in front of her to say the words that would give her the resolve to face what she can't accept.

"If that is the burden you need to bear to save everyone else, then are you not going to shoulder it?"

At that moment, Karna opened her eyes back to the place where her friends and Vier had saved her life.