Chapter 1

There once lived a man, a man who truly loved animals and was loved by them. He started to pursue his dream of helping and saving animals in his late twenties, saving them from poachers, illegal fighting rings, the underground trafficking system, and neglectful owners. In his early thirties, he opened a zoo to house his beloved animals and called it the Rescue Zoo. He went between taking care of his zoo and saving animals up through his sixties before his failing health forced him to retire. Despite his failing health, even into his eighties, he refused to stop taking care of the animals in his zoo. Like this, Lewis Padova lived his life, and at the end, he surrounded himself with his animals and died peacefully… or, that's what he thought happened, for when he opened his eyes, he saw an office-like ceiling above him, and he was laying on a cot.

Lewis sat up and looked around curiously. He lifted his hands up, shocked to see them looking so small and youthful. There were no aches or pains haunting his body, no gaps in his memories, or relapse in the speed of his thoughts. He felt amazing, something he hadn't felt in decades.

"Is this perhaps the afterlife?" Lewis muttered aloud. His voice sounded much younger than even twenty. His curiosity began to overwhelm him. He scanned the room once again, now in search of a mirror to confirm his age. He spotted one over by the entrance into the room he was lying down in. Lewis quickly got up and approached the mirror, when he saw the reflection his eyes widened in surprise, He was roughly 14 or 15 years old, his long auburn hair reminded him of his late middle school years, his eyes were now a vibrant blued steel, or gray, color, the only thing different from his previous eye color which was simply brown.

"How peculiar. Is this not the afterlife but perhaps a lucid dream? I remember some people experience something like this, in theory, before they die." Lewis continued to speculate his situation. As Lewis looked at himself, he noticed oddities, such as torn clothes, bruises, and dirtiness. The evidence of fighting, though it looked mostly one-sided. Before he could comment on this, a blue transparent screen popped up in his vision.

[Congratulations on your successful transfer! The Pantheonic Gods have rewarded your many great deeds! Your Soul Rank is… Rank EX! You have achieved a Soul Rank at near Deity Level! Please take a look at the rewards on the next message screen.]

Lewis stared at the message in pure curiosity. He had never seen such technology before. True to the words on the screen, another took its place with another message.

[Your rewards are as follows;

A secondlife -- In Progress (Started)

Transferred to a desired reality -- Completed (Successful)

A system to help you progress and adapt - Downloaded

Status- Downloaded (Needs Progress)

20 unassigned Stat Points- (please assign)

EX RankSkills -- 3/? (? Locked)

Title: Natures Advocate- + Plant and Insect Compatibility (+100 CP)

Title: The One Trusted by all Life- + Animal Compatibility (+100 CP)

Title: Owner of the EX Rank Soul- + Mythological Compatibility (+800 CP)

Please see Status for more information!]

"Status?" Lewis read aloud in confusion.

[Status

Name: Lewis Padova Age: 14

Titles: (3) Level: 1

Soul Rank: EX Health: 100% Mana: 100%

Strength: 4 Charisma: 3

Dexterity: 3 Magic: 6

Intelligence: 10 Constitution: 7

Free SP: 20

Skills: Soul Companions:

Infinite Compatibility(Passive): Rank EX Animal Soul Blessing: 0/?

Soul Sight(Active): Rank EX

Nature's Envoy(Passive): Rank EX Insect Soul Blessing: 0/?

Plant Soul Blessing: 0/?

Mythological Soul Blessing: 0/?

Companion Points (CP): 1000]

"Alright, slow down system. Let's assume I don't understand what any of this is. Explain the status and how it works." Lewis spoke aloud, not expecting anything, but to his pleasant surpris, a new system message appeared with details explaining the system.

[Status- Personalized abilities and skills pertaining only to the user, organized for the user to view.

Soul Rank - Quality of a soul, based on how they lived.

Level - Can increase through accomplishments.

Health/Mana: State of users condition.

Strength- Users base Stat for 'Power'.

Dexterity- Users base Stat for 'Speed' and 'Reflexes'.

Intelligence- Users base Stat for 'Adaptation' and 'Cognitive Reflexes'.

Charisma- Users base Stat for 'Persuasion' and 'Charm'.

Constitution- Users base Stat for 'Defense' and affects 'Health'.

Magic- Users base Stat affecting 'Mana'.

All stats can be increased permanently or temporarily.

Soul Companion- Animal/Plant/Insect/Mythological, a blessing given from any divine creature within these categories to a human.

Companion Points- User exclusive. You can use points to obtain a blessing you see or purchase a Soul Companion, also referred to as Blessings, from the System Store. Can also be used to 'upgrade' soul companions.]

"Okay, I understand the gist of it now." Lewis dismissed the screen and stared at his status instead. He was in deep thought on how to proceed from where he was. After a few minutes of contemplation, he began allocating his unspent stat points. Though most people would find such a situation confusing and as such, would disregard the opportunity they had received, Lewis had been unnaturally gifted at adapting to even the most bizarre situations, thus he kept a cool and leveled head.

[STR: 4->10

DEX: 3->8

INT: 10->10

CHA: 3->8

CON: 7->8

MAG: 6->9]

"That should be more evened out now. Seems like a decent starting base. Though the magic confuses me, it seems it may be fairly important in this new life." Lewis stated, satisfied with his new base stats. Whilst Lewis was lost in his thoughts, a group of five kids made their way into the room Lewis was occupying.

"Well, well! Look at this F-Rank bastard, already up and moving. Here we were, worried we had lost our favorite sandbag!" A kid with blonde hair and unnaturally yellow eyes taunted Lewis in a sarcastic tone while his cronies laughed and snickered along with him. Based on the fact that they wore similar clothes to what Lewis wore, he could now assume he was in a school setting, most likely a middle school in his last year. What made him curious was the statement made about him being an F-Rank.

"Bullies, how amusing. Hey yellow, tell me about that F-Rank statement." Lewis snapped his fingers to gain their attention. A furious look took over the merriment on the blonde haired kid's face.

"The fuck did you just call me? Are you looking for a beating again F-Rank trash?" Yellow replied while punching his fist into his other hand.

[Bradley Bradley

Age: 14

Rating: 7.6

STR: 9 CHA: 6

DEX: 6 MAG: 9

INT: 8 CON: 8]

"As much as I'd love to put you in your place… Bradley Bradley (Pfft!) I'm more interested in you answering my questions." Lewis laughed at Yellow's name. Bradleys face turned tomato red and he stepped up to Lewis, his fists clenched.

"How dare a mere F-Rank trash laugh at me! Perhaps a beating will remind you where you stand in society!" Bradley swung his fist and hit Lewis square in the jaw with a left hook. Blood welled up in Lewis's mouth from his cheek being pierced by his teeth. Lewis turned his head and spat the blood out on the ground.

"From here on, this is just self defense, right?" Lewis turned back to Bradley, smiling happily. Bradley was taken aback from the unusual response. This wasn't the way Lewis used to react. He would always cry, beg and plead with Bradley for mercy. But the Lewis in front of him had the eyes of a crazed fighter, a predator looking at its prey. Lewis rolled his shoulders and took a fighting stance. Bradley shook his head and put up a false front.

"Look at this! He thinks he can fight me! Hahaha!" Though Bradley tried to hide it, a little bit of his nervousness had creeped into his voice. Lewis didn't wait for another response and dashed in, swiftly, causing the group to flinch in surprise. A swift right hook shook Bradleys vision, causing him to stumble. The punch was fast and powerful, years, no, decades of experience lurked behind that punch. Another punch caught him in the abdomen, causing Bradley to lurch forward, vomit began to travel up, but another hit landed under his jaw, and the vomit spewed from his nose and mouth into the air in an arc. Lewis calmly dodged the bile and went in for another series of blows. By the time he finally allowed Bradley to fall to the ground, his face was no longer recognizable. Puke mixed with blood now covered the boy, his face was swollen and his jaw was fractured. Lewis sighed and turned his cold gaze towards the remainder of the group.

"Now, are we willing to answer questions? Or maybe, you want what he's having?" Lewis began walking towards the group. They began shaking their heads in terror. Lewis may have loved animals, and lived a kind life towards them, but his hatred towards humans was the reason for his 'Near Deity Level'. The amusement he felt towards the bullies in the beginning, was simply because he was the bully during his school years in his previous life, due to the bullying he received during his primary years for his obsession over animals. It wasn't changing this time around either, he had seen far too much of humanity's evil over his many years of rescuing animals.

"Good, now, what did he mean by F-Rank and what is a 'Rating'?" Lewis asked impatiently.

"Uh, a-an F-Rank is a blessed with barely any power or Soul Blessings. A- a rating is the average of your abilities and based on the average is the rank you receive." A green eyed, black haired boy trembled while answering.

"Hmm, see, I feel like that explanation was lacking… I'm feeling generous, so I'll only beat you slightly to death." Lewis grabbed the boy, who then began trembling and crying. Lewis looked at him, no pity could be seen in his steel blue eyes. Lewis began punching the kid in the face three times in succession before dropping him. Blood once again stained Lewis's fists as he moved on to the next kid.

"Lets learn from his mistake. When I ask for information, what do I want to hear?" Lewis asked the next kid, a skinny brown haired boy with black framed glasses. Lewis looked at him with cold calculated eyes that spoke of harm at the slightest misspoken word.

"D- details, you want to h- hear details!" The boy trembled, the smell of urine filled the air.

"Did you just piss yourself? Fucking pathetic." Lewis scowled in disgust. He turned his attention to crony number three. He was less scared and looked very feminine, he stood firmly, his ice blue eyes stared back at Lewis unwaveringly. Only his knees quivered.

"White hair? What an interesting fashion statement. So, are you going to answer my questions? Or will I be moving on to number four after beating the shit out of you too?" Lewis asked the white haired boy.

"I can answer your questions, but I'd like to ask one myself… sir." The boy answered formally, with a very feminine voice.

"Hmm, alright, I'll permit it for the proper response you've given. What is it you want to ask?" Lewis replied with amusement.

"Why did you hide your true potential?" The boy asked firmly.

"I didn't hide anything. Frankly speaking, I don't know where I am or what's going on. All I'm aware of, is I'm in middle school, and you guys are what were, my bullies. If you were nicer, perhaps our interaction would have been less violent. Now, spit out my answers, or blood. The choice is yours." Lewis responded honestly.

"I understand, it seems you have amnesia, or something similar… Ah! I'm sorry, the explanation! Ahem, when a human is born, they are typically assigned either as 'Blessed' or 'Normal'-"

"Too far back, I'm not interested in history. Start again, where I asked. This is your only warning." Lewis interrupted the boy.

"Ahem, uhm, right. At the age of six, a 'Blessed', will awaken to the very base stat, or rating, dependent on the Category, or categories, their soul companion, or companions, originate from. As such, in order from least to most, The Plant Category awakens at a base rating of two point seven. The Insect Category awakens at three point zero. The Animal Category at three point two and the Mythological Category at three point five. As reference, a normal person will never rise above two. The Ranks are categorized by the ratings you have at the beginning of middle school…." The white haired boy explained it as far as he could and then brought up a watch and a screen showing from the watch in holographic form.

{Normal: >2

F-Rank: 2.1-6.0

E-Rank: 6.1-25.0

D-Rank: 25.1-98.0

C-Rank: 98.1-260.0

B-Rank: 260.1-430.0

A-Rank: 430.1-500.0

S-Rank: 500.1<}

Lewis looked at the information, gaining only more confusion.

"Why does each rank's rating cap increase exponentially except for A-Rank? And why is it so fucking high? Are we just all gods?" Lewis asked more questions with agitation in them.

"Originally, like, two or three thousand years ago?... The original ranking caps were much lower. But over time, animals that used to be normal, became legends when they began to slowly dwindle down to mere glimpses. As such, Dragons, Phoenixes, Merfolk, Cyclops, satyrs, ect. Became Mythological, and the Ratings that awakened on those seemed limitless on growth. In response, the other categories began to strengthen to balance out the Mythological Category." The white haired kid continued his detailed explanations.

"I see, now explain this school system thing. Since I can tell that there's a very obvious hierarchy in place." Lewis began his next series of questions.

"Right, of course. There is a very distinct hierarchy in place. Those at the top command those at the bottom. It's logical, simplistic, and very obvious. The higher up you are, the higher tier Dungeons you can hunt in. Bringing you fame and fortune those at the bottom could never even hope to reach unless they join whatever guild holds that fame and fortune. But, students like us can only hope to get into a prestigious high school for Blessed in order to increase the chances of such a scouting." White went off trail on a whole other confusing and unknown topic. The veins in Lewis's neck began to pop as he gave a strained smile.

"It seems you need to explain more about dungeons, guilds, and these fucking schools more." Lewis managed to speak through his clenched teeth.

"Uh, dungeons have been on earth since the beginning of the Greek Period, and was when the first Blessed began appearing. Guilds were established during the fifteen hundreds, some are still standing, but most died out throughout history. As for the schools, that's when this hierarchy really began to establish. In order to get into a Blessed High School, you have to have two things to qualify. You need to have your Soul Companion awakened, referred as Blessing, which happens around the seventh year of schooling, so last year, and you need a base of at least ten point zero as a rating. That's everything summed up as far as what you asked." White explained the last of what Lewis needed to know about.

"I find the thought of these soul companions quite lovely. As I am now in a good mood, I'll just let you off. But, if you ever approach me in an undesirable manner again boy, I'll fuck your shit up." Lewis warned White before he turned away and went for the exit.

"Boy? Ah, the uniform." White looked down at herself, remembering she had to borrow a uniform for the day, not realizing that would mark her for a very misfortunate day. Lewis was already long gone, so he didn't hear her questioning his statement.