Chapter 2

"I am the master of fate, the fortune-teller of the universe, the fate bender of the world," the man boasted.

"Damn" I couldn't help but chuckle. those were some really cringy words, if the one who said it is an 12-year-old child then it's okay, but this is a grown old man.

But the sun didn't pay any mind to the man's grandiose claims. It simply spoke.

"Begone."

In an instant, every beam of light from the sun converged, forming a perfect disk around the book. The line that previously surround the sun now had ensnared the man, anchoring him in place.

As the circular formation began to move, the line around the man tightened, his face started to transform, shifting from one visage to another. It wasn't just his face; his clothing, body, scars, and even his energy underwent a rapid metamorphosis. Everything associated with the man began to change.

Gradually, cracks appeared on the man's body, slowly expanding from his hand to his head. He could only scream in agony, unable to fight back.

From the cracks, I noticed lines emerging. Same like the thin line the sun emitted, but these lines were in a deep red color. They poured out from the cracks like broken threads, vanishing into pure light.

Simultaneously, the cracks on the man's face turned a greyish hue, eventually transforming into pure light. I stared deeply at the man's face, and suddenly, a flash of memories surged through me.

Within those memories, I witnessed the man's life—from infancy to the present. He was born into a wealthy family, grew up in good health, became strong, conquered empires, absorbed the energy of the world, transcended into a godlike being, casually demolished mountains with a flick of his finger, roamed the universe, experienced love, anger, happiness, and sadness. I witnessed every intricate detail of the man's existence.

But it didn't end there. Before the flash of memories concluded, I witnessed another life—a life born into poverty, growing weak, but never giving up, struggling, fighting, and ultimately venturing into the vastness of the universe.

And it continued, unceasingly. Another life where he was an orphan, then another where he was a prince, followed by countless others. I observed these lives endlessly, and despite the varying faces, I somehow sensed that it was the same man all along, deep within his soul.

After witnessing thousands of lifetimes, I witnessed the man's final demise. He stood before the sun, withered and reduced to particles of light, his existence extinguished.

As the man transformed into light, the sun also diminished rapidly in size until only the book remained. And suddenly...

"How was the show, child?"

I was stunned. There was a voice in my head, but I knew who it belonged to. It was the man, the man I was so familiar with.

As if the man could read minds, "Oh, you recognized me immediately. How?"

"Of course, I know you. I've seen you a thousand of times," I replied.

The man laughed heartily. "Hahahaha, yes, yes. I'm quite impressed by the strength of your soul," he remarked.

I was confused. "What do you mean by the strength of my soul?"

The man smiled. "Haven't you felt it? The radiation of fate?"

I remained perplexed. "What are you talking about?"

The man chuckled, "Hahaha, okay, okay, hear me out. you, just a moment ago, is being showered by something dangerous called Fate radiation, Just as the Sun, everything that possesses huge energy emits radiation, the same applies to fate, the source of Fate radiation. However, the radiation of fate is unique. If your soul is sensitive enough with fate energy, you can perceive the lines and occasionally experience flashes of memories. That, my friend, is what you just experienced."

His explanation made me realize why I could see those lines. My soul was sensitive enough, allowing me to perceive the flashes as well.

"Yes, as you thought," the man confirmed.

I looked at the man. "Can you really read my thoughts?"

The man smiled. "It's not that I can do it, everything here in this dark expanse is lacking barriers. Everything you say is like a broadcast to the entire space. Fortunately, you are the only one here."

"Damn, where are the others? I'm sure I'm not the only one who died," I exclaimed.

The man continued to smile. "No, you're mistaken. Only you died in your world, but that doesn't mean there are no others."

He paused for a moment before speaking again. "The reason you are alone in here is due to the strength of your soul. Thanks to your soul, you're okay after being exposed to fate radiation because your soul possesses remarkable adaptability. Your soul is nearly akin to mine. After enduring significant amounts of fate radiation, we able to gain the ability to navigate through fate. But do not mistaken, it's not just you who has the opportunity to attain this ability. There are thousands of creatures capable of adapting to it. However, for humans, the odds are about one in a trillion."

I was left in shock, not only because of the fact that there are trillions humans, but also because the fact that I have such formidable soul.

The man seemed to read my thoughts and continued speaking. "Yes, not just one, but many—countless numbers, in fact. Even I don't know the exact count."

"God damn, so what happen to me now?, di I just wander as lost soul? Or what?'"

The man smiled and reassured me, "No, child, it's not that plain you know, you won't wander as a lost soul. All souls will eventually go to the reincarnation circle and be reborn. However, you have a special privilege. Like me, your soul possesses strong adaptability, and after being exposed to fate radiation, you have become even stronger, although not as strong as me."

The man grinned, always boasting about his own abilities. He responded, "Hey, the strongest ruled"

He chuckled and continued, "Alright, let's continue. Since your soul is attuned to fate, just like mine, we can no longer be considered normal souls. We become what I call 'Universe Residence.' Our soul and Our memories will never fade away, even after going through the reincarnation circle. That's why I call us 'Universe Residence.' We are the true residence of this universe, the ones who will always remember the world, the inhabitants who will never forget and be forgotten."

I exclaimed, "So after this, I'll go to the circle and be reborn as a baby with all these memories?"

The man answered, "Yes, but not as a baby. Your soul is already reborn, but only a fraction of it—a small piece required to live normally in those worlds. And when you awaken, your soul will merge. By the way, do you know which world it is?"

After pondering for a moment, I replied, "Not really, I hope it's one of the worlds I saw it in those flashes. A world where people cultivate to gain power. By the way, sir, why are you bothering to explain all of this to me?"

The man laughed. "Hahahaha, listen, child. Our souls are unique. There are only a few of us in this universe, and we need to closely be connected. And we can sense each other. Now that you have become one of us, our future brother, I wanted to explain everything as clearly as possible so that you can survive and meet us."

He continued, "Let me clarify something for you. We are the people of fate. Regardless of our cultivation methods or paths, we will always end up with the power of fate. Not everyone in this world appreciates us. Our power is formidable, and there are many entities who envy us. So we must be careful, no matter what."

"As your senior, I will give you this as an apology and reward. I apologize for making you witness the thousands of memories from my past lives, but it is also a blessing for you. You have seen millions of cultivation techniques, experienced thousands of lives, and encountered millions of possibilities."

I raised a concern, "But it's all blurry now."

As the explanation came to an end, the man smiled and said, "That's where I come in, child. I will grant you a special privilege and teach you some mind techniques so that you can preserve and utilize the memories."

He continued, "The technique I will teach you is called the Soul Mind. It is an incredibly powerful technique, it holds bunch of hidden abilities, such as remembering our past lives. However, for you, it will be different. You will use this technique to remember the thousands of flashes you witnessed. As for the memories of your past lives, it's will always stays with you."

"This technique, when mastered to its peak, allows it's user to have an infinite number of memories that can never be forgotten. These memories will be so clear like and organized book in libraries, ready to be accessed repeatedly. And if the soul is strong enough, the user can even bring these memories into next lives."

I was stunned by the explanation, realizing that there was so much more to our world than I had ever imagined. It went beyond the boundaries of what I thought was possible, even encompassing the scientific nature of fate.

Interrupting my thoughts, the man reprimanded me, saying, "So, in this moment, you will begin learning the technique. So, by the time your soul merges, you will only need to continue practicing it."

Suddenly, I knew what the technique was without any pain or dizziness. It was like I've known it since I was little.

The man continued, "Alright, child. I have been here for a long time, and I can no longer stay. My time is up. But don't worry, I will find you—or rather, we will find you. And take note, child, we will be able to recognize our kind through the fate mark in our eyes. Just look into their eyes, and you will know. Okay, child, until our next life. If my other brothers notice you, they will provide something helpful. But please understand, we cannot always assist you. goodbye, child, and good luck."

Unprepared for his departure, I wanted to ask more questions. However, I realized that I had only one question left.

"Mister, what is your name?" I asked.

The man smiled and replied, "You may call me the Moria."

And just like that, the Moria vanished, and I woke up in the middle of a forest. As I looked around, I saw countless towering trees, each as tall as a five-story building. In front of me, there were two flowers with exceptionally beautiful appearance.

I had just been reincarnated.