[Jingshi Island, Tzu Empire]
After the arrival of dungeons, a new era unfolded. Corporate started to sponsor those who could fight back against the monsters stored within, amused by the profits they could yield and fearing the power held by the hunters, mana.
At the same time, countries and politics started to lose influence at the hunters' glory.
Guilds became strong enough to grow independant, and form countries.
China, once a superpower, had turned into a military empire known as the Tzu Empire. Its emperor was the strongest S-rank powerhouse in the world, Long Tzu, a general who had turned the disasters known as dungeons into opportunities, a strategist who reformed provinces as territories for guilds under his jurisdiction. The list of his achievements was too long to enumerate, and he was just 80 years old at this point of the timeline. In twenty five years, he would also be one of the four heroes to reach the SS-rank, his potential having never been truly reached before the Tower of Abyss befell Earth.
In other words, Long Tzu was an emperor, a beacon of hope for humanity.
Yet...
It was not him who was reborn.
Not a noble soul
Nor a beacon of hope for humanity.
It was a young man, in his young thirties, who had begun his path as the worst of all kinds, an assassin who preyed on fellow hunters to grow stronger and steal their equipment, a youth belonging to the darkest factions of all, [Greem Knight].
Selfish, uncaring, but talented.
These words described him best.
"Where...am I?"
No remorse, no despair befell him.
Only excitement.
He could tell by the reflection on his mirror.
He had been reborn into his past self. Although he was just fifteen, and his S-rank powers had diminished into that of a mere D-rank hunter, he could tell.
Strength, glory, wealth...and more importantly, survival. He could get it all in this lifetime.
His family did not have to die due to mismanagement of military resources in this lifetime.
He would not waste half of his potential by rotting in a prison for a decade.
He would not lose his arm in a battle against a titan.
No...
He had gotten a second shot at life!
"MOUHAHAHAHA", an evil laugh started to escape his lungs, an exhilarating feeling coursing his whole body.
"Is everything alright, young master?", a familiar voice pierced through the doors of his room.
"Albert, is that you?", Greem asked
The man obliged, and entered his room. Wearing a traditional tuxedo, he bowed in respect.
[Albert Johnson - C-rank Mage]
Once an adventurer, Albert had retired to serve the 'Knight' Noble House overseeing the fief of Jingshi Island, an isolated territory in the vast Indian Sea, approximately of 518 square kilometers of size, and regularly home to dungeons. Despite its small size, the dungeons brought a flourishing economy to the island, making the fortune of the Knight Guild, led by Greem's father, the patriarch.
Despite being a C-rank mage, a class that would allow him to enter any of the secondary attack squads of the knight guild, Albert was a butler and advisor, as well as a teacher.
Greem and his brothers benefitted immensely from his teachings in magic, even if they were all of warrior classes, having inherited the patriarch's warrior bloodline.
"Yes, young master...I heard strange sounds coming from your room, hence my inquiry about your well being", Albert answered respectfully
"I would like to test myself in the training facility", Greem spoke, "Father did say that I would be allowed in an attack squad if I could defeat a D-rank Golem, didn't he?"
Albert nodded: "Yes, indeed...But...Didn't you get stomped last week? Challenging your target repeatedly is a subpar way of training-"
"I don't recall asking for your opinion", Greem spat.
His life experiences had changed many things in him. He had lost part of his humanity, gained strength and wisdom at the price of countless sacrifices...but his nasty personality had not changed.
Albert gulped and obliged.
"I apologize. I stepped out of my line"