The creation of life, the event that set off all possible events, the epicenter of the universe...
"The Big Bang!!!"
A singularity of infinite mass and energy, containing the origin of power for everything in existence...
Neither the stars shining around nor the galaxies swirling without pause were able to make me look away. The chance to view such an event after more than 13.8 billion years is not just infinitesimally low, it goes against the very fabric of life, of thought.
'What would you give up for change?'
It was a question without a heart, a question that defined the man.
'That day, in that arena, I had chosen to sacrifice everything for this chance,...'
'For this strength.'
Money, respect, family, and friends,...
Love, hate, life, and death,...
It was all worthless in front of an opportunity like this,...
'Why fight an Ogre when you can kill Dragons?'
'Why settle for a few, when you can feast on many?'
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WARNING: System is under attack by foreign influence...
[Recommended actions from data collected]
- Devour 'cheat skill' for system upgrade
[Initiated...]
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The Great Raitai Tournament Saga had always been my most favorite event of the story. The introduction of Kaious, of techniques, and of strength never seen before...
Even the arrival of my most favorite old Master was displayed in full vision on that day,...
However, there had always been another story that I could never grasp my feelings on...
It was always a wildcard whether it was my most or least favorite section of the bunch.
On one hand, it was centered around one of my most favorite characters in the world, and on the other, it contained no one else...
On one hand, it showed his greatest loss, while on the other, it gave him the greatest of gifts...
'To be resurrected in a whole new world...'
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[Successful]
*Conditions Met*
*New system tab unlocked:*
*New system skills unlocked:*
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It was a fantasy come to life, a dream come true, to pit his 4000 years of Chinese Kenpo against creatures of legend.
Against dragons and demons, against goblins and Ogres, against warriors and beasts.
I had always been jealous of that chance that he got after death to right his wrongs, to fulfill his dreams...
Still, I was greedy.
Even when given the chance to become the strongest creature alive, it was still not nearly enough to stay...
That day when I saw that small assassin that shouldn't have existed, I understood in a moment the opportunity proposed by death.
And I made that decision in a heartbeat.
For that little egg, to exist in this world, meant I was wrong all along. It was never just the main story that I had found myself in, but the Baki-universe itself.
The weight of such a find was heavier than one could imagine.
That day, even in my rage after interrogating Kunimatsu about my meals, I could not help but get drawn into the mystery, like a beaver to wood.
'If such a side character could exist why couldn't another?'
Like any good detective, I had performed the investigation myself into my hunch. I had walked there, to the Tokyo Police station to ask for some assistance, only to be almost shot at before Police inspector Sonoda was able to calm the rest of the force down despite his sense of fear.
It was a simple request, to search for an accident case in their system, one that they were more than happy to comply with despite breaking 'policy' if it kept me 'happy.'
And thus, I had both proven my hunch and validated my discovery...
'Shinji Nakamura, male, age 21, worked at a part-time job and hobbies included studying Karate as a student of the ShinShinKai Dojo, where he earned himself a white-belt before his accident...'
'Cause of death: being run over by a truck when crossing a street without looking...'
It was the truth.
'Fools, all of them...'
Not nearly enough people appreciated the depth of such a find, not that it was their fault, but still...
It was a travesty for him to be unable to ever access this world,...
'From the little information that I can remember, the only manner in which to be 'transported' into this other world was through death, and no one alive would be able to put that demon to rest. Plus, even his father had been left wandering the Earth, there's no reason to expect any different for him.'
It was a gamble, to bet my very existence on a slim possibility of revival. Even after all of that training with my dear Master, Miss Tokugawa, it was still an impossibility to 'travel' through worlds without death.
'From what information I could surmise, it required one criterion to be met for such a miracle to pass.'
A troubled death at the 'hands' of another, as both Kaiou Retsu and Shinji had faced 'unexpected' deaths, thus becoming the 'lost ones' as the people in that world called them.
'If I remember clearly, it was even explained by another of the so-called 'lost ones,' Amakusa Shirou, that everyone 'brought' here was a loser who died bearing a strong desire for victory.'
These 'strugglers' had, from what he said, been blessed by God in recognition for their defeat in spite of their great feats, thus earning themselves a 'cheat' and the chance to be transported into this other world.
'Not only that, it was even hinted by him that there was a supposed chance to be resurrected back to Earth, however considering Shinji had never heard of such a thing before, it might have just been a delusion.'
Still, it was enough.
The pain of what I had already lost was more than enough, to not even have an inkling of whether I would be able to 'go back,' would've only made it worse.
'Time of death was clearly of no concern considering the identities of the others. Strength or fame could also be ruled out considering Shinji's identity before his transfer.'
Thus, all that I was left with was that the 'ritual' required a tether to Earth. Whether it be your unresolved dreams, or your still burning ambition, all that it required was 'something' to live for in spite of death. Thus, I had 'baited' myself into my first true 'loss'...
...blowing up the underground arena before I could even finish my last fight.
'It was necessary, both to ensure my death as well as to 'hide' my corpse during the 'smoke' of the attack.'
Unlike my other Kaiou, I had not left a 'body' on Earth, as from what I could determine, the system had 'attached' itself to my being as a whole.
'Still, it came at a pretty big cost...'
I was many things, but a man without a plan I was not.
'Earning Diana's love, leaving so soon after my proposal, not being able to 'enjoy' my meals, not being able to hunt down that demon,...'
I certainly had more important things to do than staying dead.
'The Ogre had already conquered the Earth, but even he has not so much as stepped foot in this new arena.'
'A whole new world as my playground?'
'Armed with both the knowledge of the Gods and the strength of Mythos?'
Even I shivered at the 'mischief' I would soon cause...