An electrifying clash was happening between Yamino and the Dead Emperor. The air crackles with tension as Yamino charges forward, his violet katana gleaming with an ominous light. The Dead Emperor, cloaked in decayed regalia that still holds a faint, regal aura, raises his ancient blade—a weapon etched with symbols of a bygone age—to meet Yamino's assault.
The cave reverberates with the sound of clashing steel and bursts of raw energy. Each strike from Yamino's katana sends shockwaves rippling through the air, but the Dead Emperor counters with an unsettling ease, his movements precise and deliberate. Yamino grits his teeth, unleashing a flurry of attacks, each more ferocious than the last. Yet, the Emperor seems to anticipate every move, parrying effortlessly and retaliating with devastating strikes that push Yamino back.
"You cannot defeat me," the Emperor's hollow voice echoes, carrying the weight of centuries. "You wield power, but you lack understanding."
Yamino's determination flares, his grip on the katana tightening. "I've come too far to back down now!" he roars, channeling his energy into a powerful overhead strike. The blow lands with explosive force, creating a shockwave that momentarily blinds both combatants in a storm of dust and debris.
When the dust clears, the Emperor stands unscathed, his glowing eyes locked onto Yamino with an almost pitying expression. In a blur of motion, he closes the distance between them and delivers a series of swift, precise strikes that Yamino struggles to evade. The final blow sends Yamino crashing to the ground, his katana skidding out of reach.
Breathing heavily, Yamino pushes himself up on trembling arms, blood dripping from a wound on his side. The Emperor approaches slowly, his imposing presence magnified by the shadows cast by the flickering light of the cave. "You are not ready for this path," he intones, raising his blade for the final strike.
In a flash of cold light, the Emperor's sword descends. Pain sears through Yamino's body, and the world around him fades to black.
When Yamino opens his eyes, he finds himself in a pristine white room. The walls seem to stretch endlessly in all directions, glowing softly with an otherworldly light. There is no discernible ceiling, no floor—just an infinite expanse of white. A strange weightlessness surrounds him, as if he is suspended in a dream.
"Where… am I?" Yamino murmurs, his voice echoing faintly in the emptiness. He notices that his wounds are gone, and his body feels weightless, almost as if he is floating.
A voice breaks the silence, calm and resonant. "Hi, boss."
Yamino: "Who?"
The voice: "Boss, I am your soul partner."
Yamino: "Huh? What? My soul partner? But I never had a life partner in my two lives, and now you're telling me I've always had one?"
The voice chuckles lightly, an ethereal sound that reverberates in the endless space. "No! I didn't mean it that way. I am the Grimoire of Fate, born from the seven particles of the fate god Luminas. I am the one who made you witness your future death."
Yamino: "Huh? Luminas? Who? Who is this fate god of yours? And what do you mean by making me watch my own death? Were those events not real? The things I saw, the powers I wielded—were they not real?"
The voice: "What you saw wasn't real. I merely allowed you to witness the future you were destined to have."
Before the voice can finish its words, Yamino interjects, "But… but am I not a transmigrator? Aren't transmigrators supposed to be the main characters, or at least powerful survivors?"
The voice sighs. "I know everything about you. You weren't meant to arrive in this middle-realm universe. You were destined to die in the lower realm at the hands of your uncle. But I saved you and brought you here. I am also the one who can make you powerful."
Yamino: "But why? Why are you doing this? What do you want from me?"
The voice grows somber. "I want many things from you, but you will not be able to accomplish them as you are. And I am not yet powerful enough to obtain them. But worry not, boss. I know the way. Shall we begin anew? However, I must warn you: you will forget about me, and we will start from the beginning. Where it all ended. But this time, it will be different. I will take you to the most powerful version of this world—a universe where you will have all the means to become strong. I will help you. But you will forget about me. Until—"
Yamino opens his mouth to ask "Until what?" but before he can form the words, pain sears through his head. A flood of light rushes over him, a kaleidoscope of color and raw energy twisting around his body. He gasps as he feels himself being torn apart, scattered into a million brilliant fragments.
For a moment, everything is chaos. Then, silence.
A cold wind brushes against his face. Yamino blinks, his vision refocusing. He is no longer in the endless white void. Instead, he stands in a vast, ancient forest, the towering trees glowing with bioluminescent energy. The air hums with a strange power, and the sky above him swirls with constellations he does not recognize.
His body feels different—stronger, more refined. He looks down and sees a new weapon in his hand, a katana unlike any he has wielded before. The blade hums with energy, pulsating in sync with his heartbeat.
A soft voice whispers in the wind, almost like an echo of something lost. "This time, the story will change."
Yamino clenches his fist. He does not remember the voice, nor the white void, nor the fate that had been shown to him. But something deep inside him knows—this is a second chance.
And this time, he will not fail.
This story is really starting now.