Ryuujin's New Room – Morning
The soft glow of morning light filtered through the shoji screen, bathing the elegant room in a warm hue. Ryuujin stirred, his body feeling lighter than it ever had before. As he sat up, the ache he had grown so accustomed to in his previous life was completely gone.
Ryuujin (thinking): This isn't the apartment... Where am I?
The room around him was far more luxurious than anything he had ever known. Intricately carved wooden furniture, fine silk sheets, and walls adorned with vibrant paintings greeted him. The air smelled faintly of incense—calming and foreign.
He touched his chest, expecting to feel bruises or soreness, but there was nothing. Instead, his body felt... powerful.
Ryuujin (thinking): This... This isn't my body.
The Mirror
Ryuujin swung his legs off the bed, steadying himself as he stood. His movements felt natural, effortless, as though his body had been crafted for precision. Nearby, a polished mirror rested on an ornate stand.
As he stepped toward it, his breath caught in his throat.
His raven-black hair gleamed in the sunlight, his deep gray eyes filled with an intensity he didn't recognize.
Ryuujin (thinking): This isn't me... but it is me?
He touched his face, his fingers tracing the angular jawline, the unblemished skin, the faint scar running along his brow. It felt real—too real.
He reached out, his fingers brushing the surface of the mirror. The person he once was—weak, bruised, and downtrodden—was gone.
A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
Ryuujin (thinking): This body... this strength... Is this my second chance?
The First Steps
He took a deep breath, stepping away from the mirror. His feet sank into the soft tatami mats as he walked toward the sliding door.
Ryuujin (thinking): Everything feels so... light. My body, my movements. This is nothing like the constant pain I endured in my old life.
Sliding the door open, he was greeted by a long corridor. The walls were adorned with tapestries and paintings, each depicting scenes of warriors in combat, their faces fierce and unyielding.
But before he could explore further, a wave of dizziness overcame him. He stumbled, clutching the wall as unfamiliar memories surged into his mind.
The Memories
The memories were vivid, overwhelming. A young boy—perhaps fourteen years old—stood in a grand hall, surrounded by stern faces.
Voice 1: Another failure... How could someone like this bear the Kurogami name?
Voice 2: He hasn't even awakened his clan's ability. Useless.
The boy's fists trembled, his head bowed in shame. But the most cutting gaze came from a man seated at the head of the hall—the clan leader.
Voice 3 (coldly): A Kurogami who cannot master their ability is no Kurogami at all.
Tsk, let just see if he could awaken Magic Power or not if not he will remain at lowest rank just an ordinary
The memories faded, leaving Ryuujin gasping for air.
Ryuujin (thinking): These memories... they belong to this body. The original Ryuujin Kurogami.
Anger swelled within him—not at the boy, but at the injustice of it all. This boy, much like himself, had been scorned and humiliated for something beyond his control.
Ryuujin (clenching his fists): No. I won't live like that again. I won't let his legacy—or mine—be defined by failure.
The Kurogami Clan's Power
With a newfound determination, Ryuujin began to explore the house, his steps guided by faint recollections from the boy's memories. Eventually, he found his way to the library—a massive hall filled with towering shelves of books and scrolls.
Ryuujin (thinking): If I am to survive in this world, I need to understand it first. Starting with the Kurogami Clan.
He pulled a heavy scroll marked with the clan's crest and unfurled it on a nearby desk.
Ryuujin (reading): "The Kurogami Clan stands among the most revered households on the eastern continent. Their power stems from their unique ability: the Mix martial art . A family of unique linage which produced countless absolute master and knight , making them unpredictable in combat. Movements become erratic, strikes imperceptible, and their opponents lose the ability to predict them.
Ryuujin (thinking): A clan with such a unique power… Then why was the original Ryuujin cast aside?
He continued reading, uncovering more about the clan's history. The unique trait was a skill that required intense training and mental fortitude, and while most Kurogami could master it to some degree, the boy whose body he now inhabited had failed to manifest it entirely.
At the bottom of the scroll, a small note written in an older hand caught his attention:
A note about five sub clan that is under the kurogami clan, the clan head have to marry in those five clan to continue the bloodline , which is established after a sudden death of the 10 th clan head in the great war and the only daughter of the clan head have to marry In the five great sub clan .
A New Purpose
For hours, Ryuujin combed through the library's texts, piecing together information about the clan, its techniques, and the world at large. His sharp mind, honed through years of studying physics and mathematics, quickly made connections others might overlook.
Ryuujin (thinking): This world has its own set of rules. And rules—like everything else—can be understood, manipulated, and broken.
By the time the sun had dipped below the horizon, Ryuujin had devised the first steps of his plan. He would master the knowledge of this world, exploit its systems, and carve out a legacy that no one could deny.
Ryuujin (muttering): I don't need their pity or their expectations. Power isn't given; it's earned. And I'll earn it.
As he stepped out of the library, his storm-gray eyes gleamed with purpose. This was no longer about survival—it was about domination.
End of Chapter 2