Ten days had passed since Lucas opened his eyes in this unfamiliar yet strangely familiar world, and he still couldn't shake the shock. Reborn in The Beginning of the End, the novel that had once been his only escape, he found himself in a life he couldn't have predicted.
The disbelief washed over him again and again as he tried to process his new reality. Here he was, a helpless infant, reborn into the most powerful clan in the world — the Asura Clan. But what stunned him most wasn't his rebirth. It was the fact that he wasn't supposed to be here. There had been no Lucas Nightshade in the novel.
He was supposed to know every major character in The Beginning of the End, and his mind kept replaying everything he'd read, everything he thought he knew. He remembered the heroine of the story, Emily Nightshade, hailed as the Unconquerable Heroine and the sole heir of the Asura Clan. Fierce, fearless, and unmatched, she was destined to become one of the most influential figures in the world. And yet, now, Lucas was her twin brother — a character who didn't exist in the original story.
"Why am I here?" he thought, unable to understand this unexpected twist.
Lucas shifted in his crib, his newborn body still weak and frail, while his mind churned with questions. If he wasn't meant to be here, then what was his purpose? Why had he been reborn, not only in this world but as Emily's brother?
The Asura Clan was known for producing warriors with unparalleled speed and strength. They specialized in assassination, their members feared and respected across the Empire. His father, Dorian Nightshade, led the clan, his name enough to send shivers down the spines of enemies. His mother, seraphina Suryawanshi, came from the renowned Surya Clan, one of the four god level Clans that held sway over the continent. Both parents were revered and possessed incredible power.
With a family like this, he was destined to have potential — even as an anomaly in this world. But potential for what? Did he have a role to play in this story, or was he just a forgotten character?
His thoughts returned to his past life, to the story he had read countless times. The Beginning of the End had chronicled a world changed by the arrival of mana, a mysterious force that appeared nine hundred years ago. Portals had opened across the planet, bringing magic and knowledge, but also warnings of the dangers lurking in other realms. From those portals emerged the elves, dwarves, orcs, and dragons, each with their own wisdom and power. Humanity had adapted quickly, establishing kingdoms, empires, and clans that harnessed mana to reshape society.
And now, centuries later, this world was fifty times the size of Earth. Magic was commonplace, but its dangers were mostly forgotten. The other races had cautioned humanity of threats from beyond, but those warnings had faded into myth. Yet Lucas knew the truth, the hidden threat no one else here understood.
The Demon King, a figure of unimaginable power, was the ultimate enemy in the minds of most people. But in reality, he was only the beginning. The true nightmare lay beyond, hidden from view. The Demon God — a being of catastrophic power who could raze entire realms — would one day descend upon this land.
Tears prickled his eyes as memories of his mother and sister from his previous life surfaced. How he wished he could tell them about this, share his fears, his confusion. He had been their protector, their caretaker. Now, in this new life, he was the one who felt small and lost.
He was reborn into a world that should have been familiar, but here he was, a new player in a story he thought he understood. His chest tightened as he silently resolved to find his purpose, whatever it might be. Whether fate had intended this or not, he would find a way to make his existence here matter.
If I'm here, it must be for a reason. And whatever that reason is… I'll find it.