“You see, the mists are beginning to lighten up as we approach the boundary,” Octavian pointed out cheerfully.

Looking around, Kai could only shrug as the mist’s density hadn’t changed in his eyes. He was feeling tired, they had been walking through a hidden trail for the last four hours without a break. His legs were sore as they crossed over another hill. While he was in excellent physical shape, the mountainous landscape pushed his body even with his increased stats. His brother looked bored, even throwing him a few venomous looks occasionally. Kai assumed it was because of the slow pace they were traveling due to his low level.

“You never told me why you came,” Kai called out to his brother, trying not to sound out of breath or rude. He couldn’t deny his feelings of resentment or frustration when it came to Garren. Their lack of relationship stemmed from his unwillingness to spend time with Kai.

“Father asked me to come and help him escort you to your new academy. The roads and wilds have been more dangerous than usual. Just two months ago, an entire town was wiped out. Officials still haven’t figured out who caused it,” Garren responded in an indifferent tone. “Besides, I’m being paid for this.”

“How many people were in that town?” Kai asked gulping. He knew that even small towns should be able to defend themselves from common threats.

“A little over 2000. All dead in the span of a night. No one was aware until a traveler stumbled into the town a few days after. Most of the bodies were in states of decay, some eaten by monsters or scavengers.”

The chance that no one was able to escape and alert another town or authorities is troubling. Whatever ravaged that town might be as powerful as dad or stronger. Kai looked at his dad. He had a troubled expression on his face.

During the last few weeks, he had gained a total of six levels since he unlocked his magic, including the three from the fight with the Veil Forest Snake, and three from a dozen boars he had slain. The last level had taken six boars to level, proving they were no longer worth killing. Kai had been holding onto those 30 stat points but chose to invest 15 attribute stats into vitality, 5 into strength, and 10 into intelligence right there. He knew such an insignificant increase in stats would only result in false hope that wouldn’t truly protect him from the monsters in the Ashbourne Kingdom. What he needed was opportunity and time to grow.

After a few minutes of silent walking, Kai called out to his father. “Is there anything I need to be aware of about the Ashbourne Academy?”

“What do you know?” Octavian countered.

“Just the basics. That it is the only magic academy in the Ashbourne Kingdom and is located in the capital. They teach combat, magic, enchanting, and other stuff. All information I could have just learned at home, to be honest.”

“True, but sometimes it’s better to leave home and rely on yourself. But I think you already know that,” his father said. “Garren, why don’t you tell Kai a little about the academy since you graduated there.”

“The school was created to train noble children in the Ashbourne Kingdom and to be able to meet and make connections. They only started letting commoners attend 25 years ago; those who could afford to enroll anyways,” Garren claimed while rolling his eyes.

“What changed? Why start letting commoners attend?” Kai asked.

“The growing threat of the Hart Empire to the west. Unpopular at the time, having stronger individuals loyal to the Ashbourne Kingdom has proved fruitful since the war began half a year ago. They are currently in somewhat of a stalemate on the border despite the difference in size and population. In my opinion, this country would have been stronger if they had allowed commoners to attend sooner. But I guess they were worried about commoners becoming too strong and threatening the nobility,” his father mused.

“If you’re spending money on the Ashbourne Academy, why can’t I go to school on Titan Prime as you did? The resources and education are bound to be so much better there,” Kai argued.

His father sighed with a troubled look. “That’s exactly why because they’re better. It costs an exorbitant amount just to attend school there, not including the price of teleportation and other necessities. Even if the entire village pooled their money together, we probably wouldn’t be able to afford the price of one year of tuition there. Perhaps I’m exaggerating, after all, people leave and return to the village all the time with money, but it doesn’t help that we are a hidden village with almost no currency exchange or trade. Your mother and I have coin from our days before returning to Kitsune Village, but we use them sparingly. Regardless, many residents on Titan Prime, send their children off world for education.”

“Why doesn’t someone just make cheaper schools on Titan Prime?”

“The opportunity they provide there can’t be emulated anywhere else. In addition to a lot of other factors. And there are other cheaper schools on Titan Prime. But you want to join one of the 81 Prime Academies. A system of schools overseen by the ruling bodies of Titan Prime.”

“And you went there?”

“I did...”

Kai silently lamented that he wasn’t going to get the best education or opportunities possible. The Prime Academies were not of human origin, they were created by species who had survived and flourished in the Myriad of Worlds much longer than humans. It would be extremely difficult to catch up to Lucian with his 1200-year head start if he didn’t have access to the best training, education, and opportunities available.

With another sigh, his father spoke. “Let’s make a deal. If you can win first place at the end-of-year tournament at the Ashbourne Academy for first years, I will somehow find a way to send you to school on Titan Prime. There isn’t too much of a difference in the first-year education curriculum between schools anyways, it’s all basic stuff.”

“Dad… I don’t want you guys going broke if it means sending me to Titan Prime.” He wasn’t that much of an asshole to put his family in poverty to get a better education. Besides, the future was uncertain. He could very well still become powerful even with the Ashbourne Academies education program behind him.

“Relax son. I know people who might want to sponsor you if you are able to have a good showing at the end-of-year tournament. Also, I might have made it sound more expensive than it is. Sure, it’s expensive for us since your mother and I haven’t had a proper income in 24 years. But to wealthy merchants or nobles, they could afford to send their children there if they so wished. There is something like a hundred thousand new students who attend the Prime Academies every year. Your old man still has some connections.”

Kai’s eyes went wide. “Deal!”

Garren scoffed.

“But only if you get first place,” his father reiterated. “Don’t underestimate the students at the Ashbourne Academy. The people on Titan Prime might consider those who live on other planets to be inferior, but that isn’t the case. There is solid talent all over the Myriad of Worlds.”

Kai didn’t care, he had a new goal. If he was able to win first place, he could go to Titan Prime. Even in his past life, Kai had never been off planet before. Besides, he had real combat experience unlike the children just coming into their magic.

“Even Garren didn’t place first in his first-year tournament,” stated Octavian, breaking Kai from his thoughts.

Shocked, Kai spun around, “What place did he receive?” He couldn’t help but ask, looking at Garren whose eyebrow was twitching.

“I think he got third place in his first and second year,” recalled his father.

“I only lost because they out leveled me by over 50 levels!” Garren spouted angrily. One of the few times he had displayed raw emotion to Kai.

“He did take first place in his third year, in his defense. You haven’t been outside the Illusionary Mountain Region yet, but those students at the Ashbourne Academy are going to consider you, exactly what Titan Prime considers us. Inferior. So good luck,” Octavian said smirking.

“What are my chances?” Kai asked, feeling nervous jitters.

“Nope, I’m done talking about this for now. You either will flourish or wither under the pressure. Besides we are coming out of the mists now.”

Kai had been so distracted in conversation that he didn’t realize that the mist had lightened up. Walking past the edge of the mists, Kai could immediately feel a difference. The air had always been humid in the mists, but cool. Outside of the mists, the air was less humid but significantly warmer. The Illusionary Mountain Region seemed to be an unnatural place, almost isolated from the outside world.

Looking straight across, Kai could see an entirely new world. Rolling hills, green fields, and trees covered most of what he could see. A town or city, with tall walls, stood near the edge of his vision. It was difficult to make out the details as it was so far away.

“Welcome to the Ashbourne Kingdom. It’s quite a forestry kingdom, rich in timber for a kingdom with the name ash in it. That is until you get closer to the capital. Then, it’s more depressing with dark tones,” Octavian said. “Don’t forget to look up.”

Looking up Kai’s eyes widened. Above him, he could see dozens of planets and moons. Without anything to obscure his vision, he was seeing the Myriad of Worlds again for the first time in sixteen long years. His eyes watered with happiness. I really am still in the Myriad of Worlds. I really was reborn here. Unshed tears threatened his eyes.

He had been told about the Myriad of Worlds growing up in Kitsune Village but being unable to see it didn’t make it seem real. At least until now, it genuinely felt like he was given a second chance.

“Kai, look at that planet.” Octavian pointed to the largest planet in sight. “That’s Titan Prime. Every single planet including the two suns orbit around it. Even with an estimated thousand planets orbiting, none of them have ever crashed into each other even though their orbits seem to be overlapping.”

Kai stared at Titan Prime. None of the other planets even came remotely close to its size. It was a planet that varied in color more so than the others. It looked just like his memory, only larger. He guessed Planet Eris was closer than New Earth to the titan.

“See that light brown spot there on Titan Prime? That is a desert that is larger than this entire planet. Oh, and over there.” Octavian was now pointing at a different planet, one smaller than most. “That is New Earth, the planet the humans arrived on when they were brought to the Myriad of Worlds. Haven’t been there myself, but I’m told it’s a planet wrought in conflict.”

His eyes narrowed in on the small planet. It was where he was born. Where he had fought and died. Now he was on another planet. It had been considered an impossibility during the days he lived. While humans had been brought to the Myriad of Worlds, there was no certain way to leave New Earth. One day he would go back and find out what happened. He just needed to get stronger until then.

To the left of New Earth was one of the suns, Kai couldn’t stare at it for long, the bright light hurt his eyes. It seemed only mildly larger than New Earth. The second sun was out of view, likely hidden behind the gigantic Titan Prime.

“How do the planets not crash into each other? Wouldn’t the pull of gravity affect their orbits and slowly pull everything towards Titan Prime?” Kai asked. His past life’s father had suspicions, but he had never been told of any definite reason.

“I have no idea. You will have to ask the gods those questions. They are the ones who designed these worlds. Maybe your understanding of gravity isn’t as knowledgeable as theirs,” Octavian joked.

It was arrogant to believe he knew more about gravity than immortal beings who created this world of worlds and its rules. He wished he had paid more attention to his father. Damn, I’m being really sentimental right now.

“The longer you stare at the sky, the more objects you will see. There will be more time to view the sky later. We need to get going, our ride is getting impatient.”

Looking towards the path his father was walking, Kai had only just noticed a large wooden building completely out of place here on the boundary of the mists. Two humans sat in chairs outside on its porch. An older man with a grey beard lay motionless in his chair, eyes closed likely asleep. The other was a woman of similar age. Her steady black eyes watched them the entire time they got closer.

She stood in one fluid movement and bowed lightly to Octavian. Looking to the side, she could see the older gentleman was still asleep. She turned to him and whacked him in the back of the head. “Wake up you old fool, they’re here.”

Kai couldn’t help but let a small laugh escape. Even Garren had a smile.

“What the hell you are doing woman?” The old man grumbled as he was violently woken up.

His eyes shot open wide when he saw the group standing before him. Shooting out of his seat, he bowed deeper than the woman. “Captain, you’re here. Uhh– You were late so I umm… fell asleep.” He leaned his head towards the woman. “Why didn’t you warn me?” He loudly whispered to the woman,

Kai’s father was silent, only raising an eyebrow in response.

Kai laughed loudly, clutching his stomach.

“Bettrica, Steven, this is my son Kai,” Octavian introduced.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, young master Kai,” they said together, each bowing lightly again, less so than to his father he noticed.

“It is a pleasure to meet you both,” Kai lightly bowed as well.

Young master? Kai looked to his father, one of his brows arched in curiosity.

“They call our family that because we are the village chief’s direct descendants. I’ve asked them to stop but as you can see... In any case, these two are carriage drivers employed by the village. That is their home behind them and fenced in are their horses and other travel animals. They live here and drive those who require it to cities or towns in the Ashbourne Kingdom,” his father stated.

Interest peaked; Kai identified each of them.

[Human – Forging Level 100]

[Human - ???]

The woman was beyond his identify capabilities, but the man was at the very edge of it. Only one level from entering the next stage.

“Good evening young master Garren,” they both bowed once again only barely this time.

Garren merely nodded in response.

“Alright. If everyone is ready, then let’s get going.”