At the heart of the desolation lay a village, entangled with weeds and steeped in the stench of blood as the fires were seemed to be extinguished. The air reeked of decay, and the landscape was marred by a ghastly sight—a hill formed by the grotesque accumulation of lifeless bodies.
Amid the horror, a man adorned in resplendent golden attire stood silently before the macabre tableau. Aged between his thirties, he possessed a countenance with sharp edges and corners, complemented by long, flowing golden hair. His eyes, as deep as the starry sky and the sea, betrayed both wisdom and sorrow.
Regret lingered in his calm voice as he surveyed the mound of corpses. "It seems that we are still a step too late. The Demons have eluded us," he remarked with measured composure.
Beside him, an elderly man with a black attire and a sword in his waist, expressed immediate dismay at the Demons' cruelty. "I didn't expect that the Demons would be so ruthless, sparing not even the villagers from neighboring hamlets, my lord," he stated with a mix of shock and condemnation.
Contemplating the unfolding brutality, the man in golden attire sighed. "It appears that the continent of Adonis has yet to confront the full extent of the Demons' savagery." His mind wandered, pondering the hypothetical actions of the revered saint, Dainsleif. "I wonder how he would have addressed this situation if he were present," he mused. Turning away from the grim scene, he added, "Let's depart for now."
In the midst of the tragedy, a mournful acknowledgment filled the air, leaving the lingering echoes of a world stained by the merciless onslaught of the Demons.
Amidst the gruesome aftermath, a wailing sound cut through the air, echoing, "Waahh, waah" — the plaintive cry of an infant.
"Huh?" The elderly man halted, scanning the area for the source of the sound. "Lord Barbatos, do you hear a baby's cry?" he inquired of his lord, a figure adorned in resplendent golden attire.
"Yes, Cid. It seems so. Let's investigate!" affirmed the man, as he and the elderly Cid treaded cautiously amidst the lifeless forms of the villagers, drawn by the unmistakable cries of a distressed child.
In the embrace of a lifeless female form, a baby, smudged in blood, unleashed its tearful protests.
The elderly man beheld the surviving infant, his expression registering profound shock. "A baby, miraculously spared from the clutches of the demons?"
The blond man, Lord Barbatos, regarded the infant with a glint of excitement in his eyes. "What a miracle this is!" he exclaimed.
The distinguished figure was none other than Lord Arthur Barbatos, the archduke of the human kingdom, Hoenir. A Emperor Ranked master swordsman, Lord Arthur had assumed control after the tragic demise of his son, Yuto Barbatos, who had valiantly fought against the Demons. Fueled by grief and determination, Lord Arthur took matters into his own hands, leading an expedition to the perilous borders of the continent to confront the demonic threat.
Now, in the midst of this harrowing scene, the sight of a newborn, miraculously surviving the hellish onslaught, stirred Lord Arthur's heart, reopening wounds of loss and memories of his fallen son.
"Sighs!" Lord Arthur released a heavy sigh, his gaze fixed upon the infant. "Seeing you reminds me of my son. Did the gods send you here to bring me hope?" he mused aloud, advancing slowly toward the child, each step laden with reflection and emotion.
Arthur approached the infant, lowering himself to a crouch to inspect the baby more closely. Gently, he pried open the lifeless hand of the baby's mother and cradled the child in his arms.
"My son is dead, your village lies in ruins, and your parents have departed from this world. In the aftermath, we find ourselves akin, survivors in a world at its end," declared the archduke, enfolding the child in a protective embrace. "You and I, bound by destiny. From this moment forth, you shall bear the name Yuito – the lone survivor, the anchor of my clarity. Today marks the beginning of a new chapter; you will be my second son, Yuito Barbatos."
***
Reincarnation. It remains a fantastical concept, embraced by some and dismissed by others. Surprisingly, I, too, was skeptical of the notion.
Six years have passed since that fateful day. I find myself, the once legendary sword saint who died a decade ago, inexplicably reborn into the very world where my adoptive father, Arthur Barbatos, had to save me from the ravaged village, as my baby body wasn't easy to control.
Oddly enough, I can't seem to remember anything before Arthur took me in, no matter how hard I try.
"hundred-twenty... twenty two... twenty-three!"
Though I regret not knowing the identities of my biological parents, their absence serves as a stark reality. Now that they are no more, my only way is to forge my life ahead, embracing and living the life they bestowed upon me.
Now after I was taken into the prestigious Barbatos family, and it appears that even after all these years, their reputation remains formidable. The Barbatos family, often hailed as the most powerful family of the kingdom, is led by my adoptive father, Archduke Arthur Barbatos.
Well, everything aside now. I'm already seven years old and, now that I've reincarnated as Yuito, with all my past life's memories and abilities I could train, I have to awaken my magical properties through the awakening process. Normally it would be done in the temples, however since I've been adopted as the second heir to this powerful family, they might have a different way.
"I might as well get going for breakfast first," I said to myself as I wiped of my sweat and stretched my body, as I was doing some light exercises.
As I was training in the balcony, I went into my room, as I went straight to bath. Taking good and clean shower.
"Knock ,Knock!"
"Young Master, the Lord is calling for you!" the maid servant who was outside my room, knocked the room's door as she said.
"Yes, I'll be there right away!" I replied quickly as I wore my attire.
"Sighs" I sighed as I wore my noble attire, which was like a black flawless military-style suit for my size. And taking good look at the mirror, I could see, I was kinda good looking, with gray eyes, black hair, and sharp facial features, even for my age.
Well, as long as I don't become chubby, everything should be fine. Hmm. "Lets head out now!"