That strange feeling, one of total peace and relaxation, that sensation of total calmness, the touch of absolute tranquility. I only felt it once, back when I had died...
-Year 2067-
"...ze-..." A faint voice called out to me as I was staring at the night sky, completely tranquil.
"Bl-...ze..." The same voice called out again, only a little louder this time, making my vision less blurry as I saw the face of a young adult wearing a military helmet.
"BLAZE!" The voice screamed at the top of his lungs, almost rupturing my eardrums, and making my heart jump out of my chest.
My vision was finally clear as I saw the face of a young man. He had a lot of injuries that stretched across his face, which was covered by ash, dirt, and blood.
"Milton?!" I shouted back in a panic, "Where is the platoon?!" I asked Milton in a confused voice as I tried to look around me.
"Captain! We are the only ones left!" He screamed again as he picked up his assault rifle, walked towards a demolished wall, and started firing from the window of that wall.
I looked around me, at the sight of a sea of dead bodies and puddles of blood. The last remains of my platoon.
I picked up my assault rifle that was on the ground and walked toward Milton before I leaned on the wall, and vomited from the immense stress and the smell of rotting bodies. I was beyond horrified.
"M-Milton-...What's the situation?! What happened?!" I asked Milton in absolute confusion, trying to desperately know what has happened while I was asleep.
"Our radar was jammed and we couldn't detect the enemy SAC-130 that was coming towards us. All the battalions were slaughtered in an instant, including our entire platoon, sir!" Milton informed me in a loud and clear voice as he picked his grenade and threw it out of the window.
"Milton! What did you do about the enemy aircraft?!" I asked again.
"I was barely able to lift a fucking finger under heavy enemy fire! But I took a bullet in the leg and quickly grabbed an AD-250 and blew that fucker into fragments!" Milton replied as he took cover for a few seconds until the grenade exploded, then peeked at the window to start shooting again.
I stared at Milton's leg to confirm that he did take a bullet in it. His leg was shredded and had veins spilling from it. Milton was going to die without a doubt.
I shifted my gaze at Milton's face and saw the look of pure horror, despair, and hopelessness as he opened his mouth wider than humanly possible.
"Enemy nuke, incoming!" He screamed as he ducked down, opened his mouth, and closed his eyes.
My curiosity overtook me and I ended up peeking from the window at the outside. Puddles of blood, mutilated bodies, rubble, debris, burnt down buildings, vehicles on fire, screams, cries of pain, and most importantly...that light.
A light, far brighter than the sun ever was. A light that was becoming bigger and bigger each millisecond.
The light was getting bigger and closer so fast to the point where I didn't know what it was. I was just fascinated by it until...it came to me.
As soon as the brightest light in my life struck me...everything went into darkness...a pitch-black...darkness.
...
"Welcome, Isaac Blaze." A voice called out to me, a voice that sounded greater than anything I have ever heard. I felt an overwhelming warmness, calmness, and happiness as the voice called out to me.
"You have died bravely for your country, for your people, and your family. You were the most honorable soldier that has stepped into the battlefield. You are worthy of a blessing, fitting for a hero like you." The voice said again, making my soul feel warmer, more comfortable, happier.
"You shall have a second chance in life in the world of 'Lebenvelt' and continue living a life that you have, unfortunately, lost in your world. Please continue your life here as the good man that you are. You shall have a new soul and mind in this world, filled with information that you need and the personality of your old self. Continue your life, and be the good man that you once were. Farewell." The voice stated for one last time while an incomprehensibly bright light was enveloping my entire soul, transporting me into the new world.
The world of Lebenvelt.
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Several years later
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It was a crowded tavern, filled with many adventures, peasants, merchants, and travelers. The tavern was quite lively with a lot of people drinking, singing, laughing, and having fun. It felt more like a family reunion than a tavern with random people inside of it. Everyone was happy, joyful, and cheery...except for one man.
It was a man with long black hair, tired eyes with bags under them, wearing a black long coat, and a pair of leather gloves. He was sitting on a chair facing the counter, chugging down an entire wooden tankard before he finished drinking and slammed it on the counter.
He took a deep sigh, "Mia! refill please." He said in a drunk and tired voice as he waved the tankard on the air.
A young and pretty waitress with blonde hair and blue eyes stared at the man, "Yes! Yes!" She replied in a cheerful voice as she gave the man a happy and friendly smile.
She grabbed a wine bottle then walked towards the man before pouring the wine on his wooden mug, filling it up to the max.
"Mr.Blaze, I am sorry for ruining your mood, but please stop drinking a lot. It's for your own safety, sir." Mia said in a concerned voice as she gazed at the man with worried eyes.
"Oh my dear, Mia. I wish I could die from this wine, and finally have some peace in my life." Blaze said in an irritated voice as he chugged down the liquor again.
"Please don't be like that, Mr.Blaze. I am sure that nobody else will bother you since that incident last week." Mia said, trying her best to give a comforting smile to the man.
Suddenly, the tavern door slammed open before a bunch of teenagers walked inside. The youngest of them walked up to the middle of the tavern and placed his foot on the table, crossed his arms, and gave a confident smile to everyone.
"Tell me where I can find Isaac Blaze?" He asked in an energetic and lively voice that caught everyone's attention.
"Well, shit. Here we fucking go again." Blaze murmured to himself in a disappointed and irritated voice as he slammed the tankard on the counter and laid his head on his hands.
"Huh? Aren't y'all that shitty group of adventurers? The scarlet imps? Well why don't y'all go back to hell!" a drunk peasant said before the entire tavern burst into drunk laughter.
The entire tavern laughed, mocking the group of youngsters that were standing in the middle of them. The rest of the teenagers held their heads down in embarrassment while the kid that was in the middle was unfazed. He still kept the same pose and smile as he heard the entire tavern laugh at him.
"Thank you for such an informal greeting, everyone. But I seriously need to know where is Isaac Blaze, it's very important for me." The boy released a cheerful laugh before he said in the same energetic voice. "So, does any of you know where he is?" He curiously asked.
"Here." Blaze said as he raised his hand in the air before chugging an entire tankard of wine again. He slammed the wooden mug on the counter when he finished his drinking and stood up to adjust his attire before walking towards the young and cheerful boy, standing only inches away from him.
"So, what do you want from me?" Blaze nonchalantly asked as he glared at the boy with a tired and sleep-deprived face.
The young boy gazed at Blaze, then smirked before he unsheathed his sword and pointed it at Blaze's throat. "I, Ariston, captain of the scarlet imps, shall capture you and-" before the boy continued his prideful speech, Blaze grabbed hold of his sword and snapped it in two pieces.
"Kid, did those bunch of wizards send you?" Blaze calmly asked the kid.
"Hahaha. No worries, my friends. I don't need my blade at all, I am fully able to capture him with my bare hands." After releasing a cheerful laugh, trying to comfort his friends, Ariston rolled up his sleeves and tried to punch Blaze in the face, only to get his fist caught by him instantly.
"Yep, definitely the fucking wizards. Anyways, kid. Just tell me where they are right now and I'll take care of them." Blaze said in a casual voice as he released his grip from the boy's fist.
"Ho? You're a strong opponent! But it'll take far more than this to try and defeat me!" He energetically shouted as he tried to deliver a roundhouse kick to Blaze's face, only to get caught immediately by him.
"You know that those wizards sent you on a suicide mission to try and capture me, right? Kid, I will not say this again. Tell me where those wizards are, or I will take it personally with you." Blaze said in a threatening voice as he clenched his fist and glared at Ariston with wide eyes.
"You are indeed the strongest opponent I have fought by far! Very well then, I shall use my trump card!" He shouted in a lively and energetic voice as he pulled out a knife that he was hiding behind his back. "Surprise!" Ariston shouted as he horizontally swung his knife at Blaze
Blaze quickly ducked under the stick as it safely passed through before he stood up and delivered a devastating blow right to Ariston's abdomen, making him instantly vomit and sending him flying towards the entrance before hitting his teammates like a cannonball, sending the entirety of the scarlet imps out of the tavern.
Blaze took a deep breath and looked around him. The people of the tavern were cheering for him as he walked towards his chair and took a seat before ordering another refill of wine.
Mia walked towards Blaze with eyes filled with disappointment as she poured for him another refill.
"Mr.Blaze, why? Why did you quit being a mage captain for this?" Mia asked in a voice filled with disappointment as she glared at Blaze.
"You'll know when you grow up, Mia." Blaze calmly replied.
Mia stared at him for a few seconds, then went back to her job. Completly filled with disappointment.
Blaze was back to chugging down his alcohol before he heard the same energetic and annoying voice call-out to him again.
"Isaac Blaze! I shall never give up until I defeat you!" Ariston said as he slammed the door of the tavern open. He had a wide smile plastered on his face as he was holding onto his abdomen while a narrow trail of blood was leaking from his mouth.
"Ah, shit. Here we go again." Blaze calmly whispered to himself before he slammed the tankard on the counter and walked towards Ariston.