In the dimly lit alleyway I wake. As my eyes open wide I felt the hands on my back let go, I started plummeting to the ground in an instant.
THUMP.
I landed hard on my back.
My body felt different. As I looked down at my limbs I was shocked to see myself, small hands and feet. An infant's body… I blinked twice trying to reconfirm the situation, "DID I JUST GET ISEKAI'D INTO ANOTHER WORLD!"
That thought loudly shot across my head.
Looking around the alleyway again, there was no one, didn't see my parents no one.
A figure in a cloak walks into the small ominous alleyway, the figure is a woman, petite and extremely attractive, as she bends down to look at me her silky smooth blond hair graze over my body. Her glistening blue eyes shine in the darkness of the alleyway as our eyes connect.
"What the fuck is happening?"
She puts her hands on my back and lifts my small body up. She was warm. As my tiny cheeks leaned down onto the young woman's breast, I felt a sense of warmth, A feeling of at home I haven't felt since Grandpa died. It almost seemed like she was my mother. Feeling this sensation I let my guard down and rested.
She carried me out into the main streets, the bright street lights blinded me as after that moment I couldn't see anything.
It felt as if I fainted, but I don't think I did. I still remember the sounds and voices on the streets as she carried me, I still remember the soft light footsteps that came from directly under me.
It's quite funny in my case how even after being reborn in another world I still never get to know my real parents.
But now my name is Jin Hashino, the third child of the Hashino house. Although I was adopted I still felt at home. My parents never told me I was adopted by them, but I know. For sure, maybe my memory has fogged up over the years but one thing I know for sure is that I am not blood related to any of my parents or siblings.
Anyways I still felt at home, I have truly accepted being a part of this family. My parents loved me just like with all their other children, I was treated the same way and not like I was inferior.
The Hashino house as I know it, is a noble family with a rich history, from connections to the ancient heroes who built this kingdom from the ground up to the current king of the kingdom, it's all connected to the Hashino house. My pa Julian Hashino is the noble who controls the whole Eastland city, the second most crowded under the royal capital. And my mother Ava is an elf, the sixth daughter of the duke of the elven kingdom, she was your typical she-elf, a beauty with silky blond hair and a pair of sky blue eyes.
I have three siblings total, two sisters and a brother. Big bro Von Hashino was the oldest, 8 years older than me, a master swordsman and an incredible fighter, while also being incredibly intelligent, He's your average perfect child, you can imagine for yourself. Big sis Claire Hashino came second. She is 1 year older than me, inheriting her mother's genes blonde hair and blue eyes. She was a beauty by standard, the type of girl you only see in anime and manga, but she's also a type of airhead. Third came me. The outlier of the group, currently 8 years old, I Jin Hashino had dark brown hair and a pair of mystic eyes. Known mostly as a child genius because of my knowledge of the world at such a young age, which I felt to be honest like cheating because of my previous experience in the other world. Lastly came little sis Serena Hashino she's 3 years younger and a pain in the ass to handle, still being a beauty by standard like her big sis and mother, this little piece of shit had a completely different personality. At times she might be cute but never let that fool you she's a trickster in disguise.
Today is a special day, Big bro Von's 16th birthday. In this world the 16th birthday is the start of a new phase of life and heavily impacts your future. 16th birthday is also known as the day of blessing in this world, this day is the day where the birthday boy gets to meet the gods and is granted a form of blessing, the most common form of blessing is the unique skills in magic.
Walking into the church I got an eerie feeling, as if everyone was on edge. As ma and pa told big bro good luck, the feeling of unease grew larger and larger as big bro Von walked up to the pedestal.
The church was grand and huge to say the least, with detailed sculptures and shining chandeliers. Even with such a large impressive area the focus of everyone's eyes were all on the stage and the pedestal that lay on top.
As big bro dives his head into the pedestal filled with what the people here call holy water.
All was silent.
The feeling of anxiety fills the room, as big brother Von's head slowly lifts up from the pool of water… Drip… Drip… Drip…
Big bro raises his hands high in the air, his fists clenched hard.
An outburst of loud excited and proud chatter came from all around me. Once again I felt isolated. I haven't felt like this from the day I was reborn in this world… Maybe this is jealousy, all the attention put on big bro instead of me.
As I put on a fake smile and fake my excitement during the event, I felt alone. My acting got me through the event but deep inside I felt horrible, I don't even know where these feelings of jealousy are coming from. My relationship with my big brother wasn't bad at all… The jealousy is boiling up… Could this be the human emotion that I so longed to have. Is this all it is…
As the days passed my feelings of jealousy died down, but still I felt as if I was living behind a mask after that day. Seemingly like my glasses I wear fogged up hiding my true colours behind them, hiding my true emotions once again.
Few weeks have passed since the grand Day of Blessing, a letter was set in front of the mansion's doorstep.
Once the messenger left my parents unsealed the red wax seal on the letter and the letter inside read… "Your son has been accepted into joining Eiei High School for high class nobles."
Their eyes reading this shined with joy and pride. Ma and Pa immediately ran to big bro Von's bedroom and told him the good news.
Few more days passed, the excitement in the hallways of our mansion never died down, the message was so widespread that even when going into the villages and towns, I could commonly hear chatter about the topic.
"Was it really that big of a deal…" I thought to myself as the jealousy once again boiled up inside me.
Another week has passed and the day has finally come.
It was a full moon, as I put on my best outfit to say goodbye to big bro as he leaves for the royal capital to continue his studies. I felt unnerved as if something was going to happen, the feeling was frightening or in other words truly nerve racking.
A cold gust of wind blows onto my face as the windows of my bedroom fling open.
A shadowy figure blitzes right next to me.
Swoosh…
Swiftly and speedily the figure entered my room through the window sill.
An unsettling aura emits from the shadowy figure behind me, was it blood lust… was it the cold atmosphere once she entered… A cold voice speaks up, gentle and in a way soothing.
"So you must be the third child of the Hashino house…" A long pause as if the shadowy figure was looking for an answer, then she continued "I have heard lots about you… Genius child they say huh? You do look quite different from your family, Hmmmm you smell different also."
The figure steps up, the moonlight shining through the window sill lights up her body. Wearing a tight compressed onesie, her breasts revealing in the slit in the middle. With jet black hair and a blooded dagger in her hands, dripping…
Splat… Splat… the droplets of blood go as the land onto my bedroom floor.
Unknowingly my body trembled in fear, I coldly stared at the woman as I asked "What have you done to my family?... WHO ARE YOU???" my voice shook from both fear and anger, my blood boiled as my voice raised.
The woman speaks up softly after hearing the anger in my voice, as if she was taunting me "Oh my… No need to get all worked up. I didn't kill any of your family… Yet, this blood was from the pests guarding this place," The woman continues "I'm known by many names… The killer beauty, the shadow assassin, but I go by Elisa, Elisa Ashford."
Elisa continues her spout "I'm quite unhappy I have to do this, you are quite the bright child…"
The silence was loud, the gentleness in her voice filled the room with unease and anxiety…
Elisa put her dagger in front of her mouth, the dagger still dripping with blood.
Our eyes locked.
Slurp… As she licked the blade.
She jumped at me, as if multiple copies of the same person was constantly attacking me. I felt pressured in that moment more than I have ever felt in my previous life. I dodged and dodged, unable to find a weakness in her attacks.
Her speed, her dexterity, her ruthlessness… It was nothing I have seen in the other world.
With all her attacks infused with mana, one hit would shatter at least a bone and another would mean inevitable death.
As her endless barrage of slashes continue. I became less and less pressured, like when in a video game after figuring out all of the opponent's moveset, I was able to avoid the attacks with ease and focus on finding a weak spot. Her fury of attacks became slower and the slashes became weaker. Elisa showed signs of tiredness, seeing this opportunity.
I pounced.
With all my might I knocked her unique looking weapon to the ground.
Clank… Clank…
Elisa looked at me in awe, shocked at what I, an eight year old child, just did, I mean I understand where she's coming from, I was still a child after all. Her voice became less gentle, less calm "How are you managing to dodge all my attacks… HOW???" rage fuelling up in her, her blood boiling.
She stared blankly into my eyes.
She once again swiftly like a cold gust of wind blitzes past me exiting through the opened window sill.
My legs tired. Crumpled down onto the floor.
"This world is unsettling aye?" I softly mumbled, as I gazed up at the ceiling.
A gentle but loud voice shouts across the long corridor of the mansion "Jin, are you finished changing? Your brother is about to leave."
"Coming ma."
As I exited my bedroom and I looked back.
I thought to myself "Power determines status huh?"
A sort of determination went into my mind to become the strongest. I don't know what is motivating me, maybe it's fear of death, maybe it's the care for family and loved ones, but the drive to become the strongest came into my mind once again.
I went down the hallway and met my family at the front gate, everyone said their goodbyes to Von.
The horse pulled the carriage away, further and further…
4 years have passed since the assassination attempt and big brother's leave. I am now 12 years old, during those four years I shut myself in my room a lot, reading books about magic and on how to control mana. Through these readings I was able to determine that mana or magical energy in this world is just what they call chi in the other world. As I slowly grew into a teenager, my body became stronger, along with the martial arts training from my previous life I am able to master new spells within days.
In these four long years I have developed connections under a different identity known as Bloodborne (stolen from my favourite game in the other world) . Quite the interesting choice of name I know. But through these connections I became aware of the corrupt systems in which the government operates. The disgusting underground world that I was never aware of. The underground world is made up of slave traders, and a network of what they call in our world mafia bosses, ones that possess lots of money and power.
Learning about these made me sick but this wasn't even the worst, demonic cults would commonly control the throne, with the current king being easily manipulated and a weakling. Towns and innocent civilians would burn to the ground because of the corrupted government.
From these news I knew I had to change the world, the humanity inside me would never allow me to just sit and watch as the world burns to ashes.
As Bloodborne I was basically a bodyguard, nobody really saw my shadow as I cleared the way for my clients.
I have become quite the efficient killing machine able to kill off even high level monsters in the matter of seconds.
I knew myself, I alone wouldn't be able to change the world.
Mana is the base form of magic in this world, this force ties into the martial arts breathing skill known as chi, which is split into two yin and yang. Mana also is separated into two categories positive and negative mana. Most people only have one form of mana, more commonly negative mana, negative mana can be used to cast and create spells. The rarer of the two positive mana has a different use, it generates a constant flow of energy replenishing the body, healing whenever it is injured. It can be mostly seen as a constant heal spell, but the logic behind it is completely different, heal spells use two waves of negative mana to create a positive mana healing effect.
If one's body has both forms of mana the two would clash within the body trying to become the dominant one. If this clash was to happen it would cause the phenomenon people call corruption, where the body mutates and the body ends up destroyed, exploding into hundreds of pieces. The phenomenon is largely thought to be incurable.
I have thought through the issue and came up with a theory on how to cure the corrupted, to place an abnormally large amount of negative mana to limit the impact of positive mana, while stopping the clash by making negative mana dominant over positive mana. In theory this would work fine and well, but in practice the theory has one large problem. The overwhelming amount of mana may cause the body to react and explode from the overflowing amount.
Because of their trait of having both forms of mana, I firmly believe they have the most potential. Their strength I thought, was one that if I have for myself could have a major impact in my quest to re-invent the world.
But still I have not met someone corrupted yet. Before this day I still thought to myself, would my form of "healing the corrupted" really work…