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Chapter 2 - After Three Years
Time passed like a straight arrow, and for Eren Rieager, the loss of time was more painful than most. He was now eight years old. Even though his body had grown taller, his thin frame and frailty remained. The only notable change was in his strikingly beautiful black eyes, which had grown even more mesmerizing. However, his body remained weak, rendering him incapable of practicing martial arts.
"Eren! Eren!" A little boy, robust and energetic like a small tiger, came running while shouting his name.
Eren continued running toward the hillside, yearning for the tranquility it provided to calm his mind. Yet, instead of finding peace, his running only increased the turmoil within him.
When Eren turned his head, he saw his best friend, Leon Frost.
Leon, although a year younger, had already reached the third tier of the Guardian's Path, thanks to the family's secret technique, Crimson Lotus Art. The martial arts ranks in this world were divided into: Guardian, Champion, Commander, Vanguard, Warlord, Sovereign, Titan, Overlord, Paragon, and Deity. Each rank was further divided into ten sub-levels, making the path to godhood an incredibly arduous journey.
Leon was the youngest of the Rieager Clan's third-generation descendants and was born the same year as three other children. All four were grandchildren of the Rieager Clan's patriarch.
In the Rieager Clan, every child looked down on Eren. In this world, only those who practiced martial arts were respected. It was natural for the others to see him as worthless since he couldn't cultivate. None of them paid him any attention—except for Leon, his only friend.
In this world, if you couldn't practice martial arts, loneliness was your destiny.
Eren's true age, including his past life, was 26. With 18 years from his previous life and 8 years in this world, he had a maturity far beyond his peers. That was why he didn't cry about being ostracized or beg for attention like other children. Instead, he faced his solitude with an eerie calmness.
The only person who brought a smile to his face was Leon. While everyone else looked at him with disdain or ignored him entirely, Leon treated him like a brother. Despite being just a child, Leon's companionship soothed Eren's weary soul.
The Rieager Clan patriarch, Arthur Rieager, had reached the pinnacle of the Vanguard rank despite his old age, granting him extraordinary vitality. His sons, meanwhile, were mostly at the higher levels of the Commander rank. Among them, the second son had reached the ninth tier but struggled to break through to the next level.
Arthur had pinned his hopes on the second generation, but his true pride lay in the third generation. Among them, Lucas Rieager, the eldest grandson at 21 years old, had already achieved the seventh tier of the Champion rank. Arthur personally trained him, considering him a prodigy.
There was also Victor Rieager, who had recently turned 13 and had reached the sixth tier of the Champion rank. This achievement caused Arthur to beam with pride. Victor's early accomplishments placed him on par with some of the greatest young talents in the region. Arthur secretly held high hopes for Victor, seeing him as a future pillar of the clan.
In this world, martial arts were the ultimate measure of one's worth. For Eren, the very mention of martial arts was a painful reminder of his inadequacy. The only solace he found was on the hillside, where he often sat quietly, gazing into the distance, lost in thought.
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"Why don't you run faster? This mighty martial artist will catch you!" Leon called out teasingly.
Eren's face softened at his friend's playful tone. "Go ahead and try. I'm not afraid of you!"
Leon grinned, his bright eyes sparkling with energy. "Aunt Alina asked me to find you! Hurry up before she comes looking herself."
Eren sighed, glancing at Leon's strong frame compared to his own frail body. "Will I be like this my entire life? Why does everyone else grow stronger while I'm stuck here? Why is it so hard just to keep up...?"
Despite his inner turmoil, Eren returned to the family estate with Leon. It was time for lunch, and his mother, Alina Rieager, was waiting for him.
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That evening, the Rieager family gathered for their monthly communal meal. At the head table sat Arthur, accompanied by Lucas, Victor, and other top talents of the clan. Sitting at the head table was considered an honor, a tradition Arthur had established to encourage competition among the younger generation.
Eren sat quietly beside his mother, Alina. The other children huddled in groups, chatting and laughing, but Eren remained an outsider.
Alina's heart ached as she watched her son's lonely figure. Over the past three years, she had searched tirelessly for a cure for his frailty but to no avail. She could only smile faintly when she saw his peaceful face as he dreamed.
"Why can't he smile like the other children?" she wondered. Alina wiped away a tear, her heart heavy with sorrow.
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