HERO POV :
In the unfathomable depths of a dense, dark fog, I found myself lost, vulnerable, unable to discern anything around me. I moved blindly forward, my mind struggling to find a glimmer of comfort in this oppressive darkness that seemed to swallow me whole.
(Where have I ended up?)
As these thoughts swirled within me, my eyes began to adjust to the surrounding darkness. Slowly, shapes began to form in the fog, and with growing dread, I saw two gigantic, imposing silhouettes. They stood tall in the shadows, facing each other, exchanging a heavy, meaningful gaze. Then, one of them broke the silence, their voice resonating in the space like a distant but authoritative echo.
"Hurry up and finish him off, will you? He's really starting to annoy me."
It was so dark that I couldn't distinguish who among the two had spoken, but the threatening aura emanating from them was overwhelming. At that moment, both figures turned their gaze towards me, their demeanor haughty, as if assessing me with utter disdain. My heart raced; I had never known such paralyzing fear. Calming myself with deep breaths? Impossible. Every fiber of my being trembled with terror.
Escape? The thought crossed my mind, but I knew, without even trying, that my legs wouldn't carry me anywhere. Their gazes seemed to pin me down, anchoring me in place. So, in a final burst of bravery, I decided to try negotiation. I took a deep breath, then, gathering all my courage, I dared to stammer:
"Y... you know, you don't h... have to go this far!"
My voice, weak and trembling, embodied the despair that filled me. Even I felt a kind of pity hearing my own pleading tone. A mocking smile appeared on the face of one of the figures, an expression I could discern despite the thick fog. After a chilling silence, the two figures exchanged a look, then one of them spoke, their voice dripping with obvious contempt:
"You see? As well as being weak, this mortal is completely stupid... This game has gone on long enough, [——]. It's clear this miserable creature is growing tiresome."
Huh, what was he talking about? My mind was clouded, unable to comprehend. The other figure let out a long, weary sigh before responding:
"Trust me, [——]. This time, it will be the last. If this incarnation fails again, his fate will be sealed for good."
A wave of confusion washed over me.
(These beings know me? How is that possible?)
I didn't have time to unravel this mystery as they lowered their gaze toward me again, and one of the silhouettes extended a hand in my direction, uttering strange words:
"Incarnation Zhou Chen! This is your 45th attempt in climbing the 7 divine layers of the celestial heavens, You have, once again, failed on the 7th level. However, your persistence remains unwavering. As proof of your determination, we grant you this gift. Behold the Mark of 'Renewal,' created by Yunshoul, the Apostle of Rebirth, who has defeated you for the 25th time! Return, challenge these trials, and obtain all your unfulfilled desires!"
The flood of words seemed endless, and I was overwhelmed. (The 45th attempt? A 'renewal'? A blessing?) Thousands of questions swirled in my head, and my mind struggled to grasp any semblance of understanding. Before I could form a coherent thought, an intense glow emanated from the eyes of the two towering figures, illuminating the space around them in a blinding light. Then, another light, softer but equally bright, enveloped my legs, slowly rising up to my chest.
"W... wait, what are you doing?!"
"Stop asking questions! Reclaim the strength that was once yours and challenge the 7 divine layers of the celestial heavens !"
Before I could react, the light engulfed me entirely, devouring my vision in a radiant blaze that erased all consciousness.
An instant later—or perhaps hours—I woke with a start, lying on an uncomfortable bed, trembling from head to toe, my forehead drenched in sweat. My heart was pounding furiously, as if it wanted to escape from my chest. Everything I had just experienced... was it only a dream?
"Was it... was it just a dream?" I murmured, still in shock.
I looked down at my legs, noticing a strange detail, almost absurd in my confused state.
"They... don't they look a little shorter than usual?"
Before I had time to question it further, a soft, innocent voice echoed beside me, breaking the silence of the room and jolting me back to reality.
"Master Yu Han? You're awake!"
Yu... Han? But... who is that?
Before I could gather my thoughts, a warm, comforting body embraced me, covering me with an intense warmth that chased away all my uncertainties, if only for a moment. It was an unexpected, soothing contact, almost too intimate in my state of bewilderment. The gentle voice, now closer and filled with reassuring warmth, broke the silence again.
"You really scared me! I thought that you..."
She cut off, her throat tight with visible emotion, her gaze worried and desperate. A few tears slid down her pale face, revealing the intensity of her relief. I took a deep breath, still lost, and tried to gather my thoughts.
"Wow, wow, wow... hold on a minute. What's going on?"
After a brief moment of confusion, I finally managed to pull myself together, gently taking her arms to free myself from this unexpected embrace. She quickly composed herself, wiping her tears with the back of her hand.
"You don't remember? You lost consciousness while meditating in your training room... You hadn't shown any sign of life for two whole days."
(Lost consciousness... and since when do I have a training room?)
These words whirled through my mind, each one adding to my confusion. I looked hesitantly at the woman beside me and replied with feigned assurance.
"Well... I'm sorry for worrying you. But as you can see, I'm much better now, so there's no need to worry!"
She nodded, slightly exasperated, her expression betraying a hint of distrust. She wasn't entirely convinced, but she agreed with a resigned sigh.
"Very well... In that case, I'll go inform your mother of your recovery."
She turned and headed toward a wooden door at the back of the room. I gave her a small smile and a wave, hoping to reassure her a bit, before she left the room, finally leaving me alone.
A heavy silence settled in. I found myself alone with questions that had no answers.
"What... was that?"
I tried to gather my thoughts, to make sense of the events that had unfolded at such a dizzying pace.
"Let's start from the beginning... I found myself in a black fog... But how? No idea. Then, there were those two strange guys. They spoke of a '45th attempt,' a 'renewal,' a 'blessing,' and someone called 'Yunshoul'... Then, there was that blinding light, and here I am."
Lost in thought, I scanned the room around me, searching for a clue, a tangible explanation. My gaze fell on a mirror placed atop a small wooden table. The memory of the woman calling me "Yu Han" resurfaced. Instinctively, a certainty rose within me: That name... It wasn't mine.
Approaching the mirror, I grasped its cold frame with my fingertips and lifted it to eye level. The shock was such that my face contorted in astonishment, my eyes wide and my mouth agape in incomprehension.
I rubbed my eyes once, then a second time, hoping the image would change, that some detail would remind me of what I could have been before... But in vain. Although my memories remained blurry, a chilling certainty settled in: the face staring back at me was not my own.
The image reflected in the mirror was that of a stranger.