[Author's Note: In case you are confused about some things about this world, know that I intend to introduce them gradually in these initial chapters of the protagonist's evolution! Anyway, I hope you enjoy the story progression.]
----
When Lughys opened his eyes in the morning, he found that it was already another day.
''Ough…'' Lazily, Lughys yawned deeply.
With a slight movement of his narrow arms and legs, he felt his muscles a little less sore and tired than before. In parallel, the lad stretched, still sitting in the bed.
A personal custom from his past life, which he still hadn't been able to stop with.
But that whole uncomfortable feeling made him cogitate...
''Hmm...''
Looking at the scenario as a whole, the little boy supposed that he must have slept for a few hours, quite tired from the influx of information and theories he had formulated last afternoon, which he arrived at his new home -- the Barastrosa clan.
Or had he just woken up from a short nap, like a baby?
Honestly, although the passage of time in this world was almost the same as on Earth, he was quite confused.
Going against the internal cries of his weak body, he lifted his sleepy, aching body from the soft bed.
His limbs refused to move properly, as if he had been asleep for too long.
"Aak…!" He grunted, shakily.
Suddenly, a cool breeze blew in through the partially open window of the room he was in, ruffling Lughys' covers.
For a moment he fell utterly perplexed, but then his tempers calmed down.
It might have been summer on his original planet, Earth; but here in Keishin, the world of the boy's most hated game, they were in the middle of winter.
'Although, it's truly silly to think I'm stuck in another world, ha', Feeling pathetic, he laughed at himself like a lunatic.
In this troubled world, Keishin, the same world where, in the near future, the plot of an irritating game would take part, Lughys was a disposable villainous character hopelessly destined to face an unpleasant ending.
And when the boy said 'unpleasant', he really meant the deeper meaning of the word.
''First option: Killed by a legion of demons in Gratus' dungeon, in the first half of the game.'' He said flippantly. ''Second option: Brutally murdered at the hands of Taliyah's romantic partners, who defend her from Lughys' attack.''
Or, as his memories told him, it could be the cruel and vile third option.
The same one that made him question deeply about the true psychotic nature of the powerful main heroine and the men who accompanied her, across the girl's journey to the top.
In which, although he chooses to redeem himself and openly accepts that he has done nothing decent in his entire life, and that he wishes to change for the better, people do not believe him and have him executed, after his family has fallen into complete ruin.
Or maybe it was actually that, what was going to happen… Or that one…
''There are many possibilities of dying...'' His head was a little sore, but Lughys commented.
So it was smart to say that the condition of his body could only be described as that of an old vegetable, predestined to be discarded in the next batch of garbage.
''Ugh… This is depressing as hell…''
He felt incredibly sick at the thought of someday ending up crippled, wheeling around in a wheelchair, or underground, dead, buried somewhere and not remembered by anyone.
"But whatever the way, I frankly don't intend to die." He reassured himself.
Lughys wanted to show his ideals, as if the world were listening to him.
''Whether heroes, villains, or whatever, I will not surrender.'' He continued. ''Dying is no longer an acceptable option. Nonetheless, my family ruin isn't a viable option, either.''
He needed to get strong quickly, so he could go after the relics and artifacts that would guarantee him luck!
'But how could someone who only took martial arts classes when he was little become strong in a magical world... And that ironically, it's no longer a mere fictional work?'
With that in his little mind, the boy breathed in and out continuously, sitting up straight again, to orient himself.
''Fuuuh…''
His tired eyes were wet, perhaps from the time he'd been lying there, so he wiped them with the back of his hand, feeling a sudden uncomfortable sensation.
Previously, his hands were calloused and ugly from the amount of time he spent on part-time jobs when he wasn't studying in college.
But surprisingly, they were now smooth and soft and thin, although they were still pale.
''But, what is this here?'' Curious, the little boy ran his finger over an organic ridge on his arm.
He hadn't noticed that before, because of the heat of the moment...
''Hmm...''
On his left forearm, a bizarre rectangle was inscribed, consisting of lines in a black and white checkered pattern.
Small, translucent letters in a foreign language were right in the middle of the symbol, demarcating something.
To the side, several reddish, barely perceptible marks of what appeared to be burns appeared in specific spots.
They were all blurry, almost indescribable, but it became clearer the moment the boy put his arm closer to his face.
''What the fuck is this?'' Trying to understand, he pushed his brain to maximum capacities. ''Think, think...''
He tried to remember anything, bringing back memories from both of his lives, that would go back to that strange formation on his arm.
But, unfortunately, nothing useful came to mind.
His body and that world seemed to tell him that he still couldn't remember things correctly.
The youth would have to find out for himself, after all…
''Still… it's weird…''
Although he already knew he was on another planet, as a new version of him, it was strange to accept that easily.
He would have to spend some time in that world, to finally be able to fully accept his new reality.
But there was no time to feel melancholy or make excuses now! Lughys knew better than anyone that he had to take advantage of the original plot!
He had a few years to prepare by then, so why should he waste them doing absolutely nothing?
There was no reason for him to just throw such an opportunity away, to fall for the bullshit of running away or anything like that!
He wasn't a coward at all, his mother hadn't raised him that way.
Moreover, there was no guarantee that if he ran, the original plot wouldn't come to fruition any other way!
His new life was on the stake there, he had no choice but to try as hard as he could from then on!
'And I have an idea where to start.'
Opening the bedroom door, under the watchful eyes of the people who worked in the house, and who were startled by his sudden movement, Lughys was determined.
A strange expression for his age was written on his face.
''Let's start with the first and most important step, right now!'' He said, smiling slightly out of the corner of his mouth. ''Make friends with my sister!''
Slapping the clean floor of the mansion's long hallway, the little boy with extremely long hair walked out towards the living room, on the floor below the house.