Pain.
That was the last thing Katsuragi Ren felt as the cold steel of a knife buried itself into his back. His own comrades—no, the very people he had fought beside—had betrayed him. The scent of blood filled the air as he collapsed onto the concrete floor of the abandoned warehouse. His vision blurred, his body growing colder with each passing second.
"So this is how it ends, huh?"
He wasn't surprised. The underworld had no loyalty, only shifting allegiances and whispered conspiracies. He had killed many, too many to count, and now it was his turn to be discarded like trash.
As his consciousness faded, a single thought echoed in his mind:
"If I had another chance... I wouldn't let anyone control my fate again."
And then—darkness.
---
Ren gasped as he jolted awake. But instead of cold pavement, he felt soft sheets beneath him. Instead of the stench of blood and gunpowder, the air smelled of wood and herbs. His body felt different—lighter, unfamiliar.
He pushed himself up, looking around. A traditional Japanese-style room surrounded him, complete with sliding paper doors and wooden floors. His hands trembled as he reached up to touch his face. His body was smaller, his fingers more slender, his skin unblemished.
A sudden rush of memories flooded his mind.
The name "Katsuragi Ren" was still his, but his past as an assassin now mixed with memories of another life. He was no longer in modern Japan. Instead, he was in the world of Gekai, a land where magic and martial arts coexisted.
He was the heir of the Katsuragi Clan, once a prestigious family in the Murim world. But that was before their downfall. Before their lands were taken. Before his family was slaughtered.
Ren clenched his fists, his heart pounding. He had been reborn—but not into a peaceful life. This world was just as ruthless as the one he had left behind. But this time, he wouldn't be a pawn.
He would carve his own destiny.
---
A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts.
"Young Master Ren, the Lord wishes to see you," a voice called from outside.
Ren took a deep breath. His new life had just begun, and he had no intention of letting it slip through his fingers.
No one would control him ever again.