-Chapter Two-

Final Life

“Wake up…” a voice softly called from far off in the distance. The familiar voice of a woman echoed around the endless, still darkness. “Wake up, wake up,” she continued to call as her voice gradually faded. “Wake up, my child. Wake up.” Wind picked up, the ground began to shake, the world began to crack and shatter. Ringing raged in his ears, the darkness began to fade. Her voice grew quieter and quieter, fading out into crowd chatter, until light flooded Aelius’ blurry eyes.

Aelius Kanaria’s red eyes shot open and he deeply gasped for breath, reaching up to clutch his chest as he harshly panted. Through the head splitting pain tearing away at him and his shaking, unfocused vision, he heard his name being repeated in his ears. “Aelius, Aelius, are you okay?” He felt a soft hand on his shoulder through the violent shaking around him. For a moment, his eyes frantically darted around him until he met the gaze of the girl beside him. Familiar light blue hair and golden eyes looked back at him. As his clarity returned, Aelius found himself on the ground with dozens of books scattered on the ground before him.

“Is he having a fit after getting pushed over? Haha, how pathetic,” Aelius’ ears caught a voice snicker closeby and his eyes shot to the girl who spoke. A small group stood nearby, looking at him with raised eyebrows. “Oh, he’s looking at you,” her friend uneasily said, but the first girl simply glared back at him.

“What? Got a problem, prince? Aria, get your man under control please?” she scoffed. Before he could retaliate, Aelius felt a tug on his arm and whipped his head around to see Aria Aerianne kneeling beside him, looking at him with concern shining through her golden eyes.

“Aelius, are you okay?” she reached up to cup his cheek and he threw her arm off.

“Fuck off, bitch!” he spat. “Don’t try to act tight with me now, after all the shit you pulled!” he shoved her over and tried to pull himself to his feet, feeling weak and feeble. What the fuck is all of this?

“Hey hey hey!” another voice cut in from the side and Aelius turned his head to spot a built senior approaching him. “You don’t talk to our Lady Aria like that! Trash like you should know your fucking place!” The muscled warrior reached up to shove Aelius, who as soon as he felt the sudden force impact him, blacked out.

Alert! High stress levels detected!The Alter prerequisite has been met.

Alter imminent…

Suspending regular thought processes…

Alter is initiating…

Enhancing user’s battle prowess.

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「Alter」

Your nature shifts to suppress your negative emotions.

In exchange, your negative emotions are inherently and intrinsically more intense and negative.

Be forewarned, upon meeting a certain threshold of negative emotions, there is a high possibility of an explosion / overload - the Alter prerequisite.

When such situations arise, the System recommends the user to avoid stressful or negative emotion-inducing situations.

Additionally, the user may counteract the negative emotions with positive emotions.

If the Alter prerequisite is satisfied, Alter will activate.

The user’s destructive capability is enhanced by x500.

With a deadly glare, Aelius swung his arm. A loud bang followed and the wall beside him crumbled like paper as the senior was sent through it.

“Fuck off!” Aelius shouted, turning and noticing Aria staring at him. “You too, fuck off!” he slapped her across the cheek. “Next time you show up in front of me, I’ll send your fucking head flying! Fuck!” He stumbled off, still clutching his throbbing temple as he tried to walk down the corridor. The other students around him watched on in absolute horror, silence and shock while with his back turned, he simply left them to enter the courtyard.

Alter has deactivated.

Regular thought processes have been restored…

Aelius found a nearby bench at a park and sat down, gasping for air as he tried to figure out what was going on. The sensation of battle, blood and war was fresh in his mind as the soft breeze glossed over his skin. Aelius’ vision slowly returned to him for him to find himself burying his head in his hands. With a deep gasp, he raised his eyes to observe his surroundings. Is this place… the Academy? he wondered. How is this possible? He looked back down at his two hands, smaller than he ever remembered them to be, clean of all the scars he had boasted in his life. I’m so confused… Aelius was pulled out of his inner thoughts when he heard a shout. “There he is!” He turned his head to see a boy pointing at him before a dozen more appeared and started sprinting toward him.

“What the fuck…” Aelius growled under his breath as the group encircled him, surrounding him like sharks ready to zero in on their prey.

“Hey, prince, we heard you started up some beef with our boy, Bill?” the thug-like student at the front menacingly stepped forward. “And we heard you slapped Lady Aria. ‘The fuck you think are? You forgot who you’re messing with, huh?” Aelius was ready to swing but upon seeing the other side were nothing but clowns, only gave a deep sigh. “Suddenly think you’re some hot shit, cripple?” the boy continued provocatively. “Hey. Look at me.” Aelius kept his eyes on the ground in silence. “Hey, I said look at me,” the boy leant forward and sent a slap across Aelius’ cheek, taking him by surprise.

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Aelius grit his teeth in annoyance as he looked up with a glare. “What’s that look for, huh? Know your fucking place. Lady Aria would wipe the floor with you.” The boy spat a ball of spit onto Aelius’ face, flinching him in startlement. “You angry? Do something about it then, go on. Yeah, you won’t. ‘Cause the Kanarian house raised a coward,” the boy reached forward to slap Aelius again. No one watching could make sense of what happened as instead of slapping him across the face, the provocative boy was sent rolling across the pavement. Aelius slowly rose to his feet with a dark stare at the others, wiping the spit off himself.

“Fuck. Off-” before he finished his sentence, Aelius felt his sixth sense light up. His chest tightened with a small breath as his eyes darted up to the corner of his vision, where he saw a blurry figure flying toward him from the sky. Dust was sent kicking up with a thunderous ‘bang’ when the figure landed before Aelius, shaking the ground. Aelius squinted his eyes through the cloud for a moment before a punch suddenly came swinging through it. With rapid reflexes, he ducked and dodged it, before responding with his own swing. Instead of feeling proper contact however, Aelius felt his strike hit up against solid rock. Another punch from his enemy quickly returned, knocking him across the temple and sending his small physique flipping over the bench.

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“Stop it at once!” an authoritative voice cut in, booming around the garden. As the dust settled, it quickly revealed Director Polia standing before the attacker with her wand outstretched toward them, “Quarren Leos, explain yourself for attacking my student!” Polia angrily demanded. Quarren Leos appeared out of the dust, wearing a cold glare.

“That little bastard put his hands on my younger brother,” Quarren pointed to the fallen body of the provocative boy from earlier. “So please, do not stop me. I’m going to beat the shit out of him.” Polia gave a frustrated sigh.

“This is not what I called you to the Academy for. We have our own rules of resolving student conflict. Didn’t you get into plenty a fight in your time?” she asked him as she turned around to check on Aelius.

“I don’t care. Those who hurt my family get my wrath.”

Aelius felt pain pulsing through his head as a familiar voice spoke. “Those who hurt my family get my wrath,” he heard and his eyes shot open. Is that Quarren Leos? It is… his teeth grit again in seething anger. Quarren Leos! How are you still alive? I killed you with my own two hands! How dare you appear before me again… A shadow shot past Director Polia, too fast for all eyes to see. Quarren instinctively raised his guard just in time to block the strike as Aelius’ blow met him. Again, the impact was like solid rock. I recall this sensation. Feels just like yesterday. I could never forget… the things you did… Memories flashed through Aelius’ mind.

Alert!

Gathered rage points have exceeded the allocated threshold.

Alter is imminent!

Suspending regular thought processes…

Alter is initiating…

Enhancing user’s battle prowess.

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Alert!

An overwhelming opponent has been detected.

The user’s battle sense detects grave threat.

The conditions for innate talent Hyperviolence have been satisfied.

Hyperviolence is activating.

「Hyperviolence」

Where violence fails, hyperviolence prevails.

Each of the user’s attack which connects counts as fifty hits of the same attack in one instance.

User has cast the skill Anemos Blow [MAX LVL]

Deliver a punch from the God of Wind himself, embodying all of the warrior’s might and strength.

[Max Level Trait] - each cast costs 50% less Mana.

An ear-shattering ‘boom’ resounded out across the Academy. The force of the blow sent Aelius flying backward but he quickly flipped in mid air to land on his two feet. Quarren stood with his arms still up, taking the blow head on. A short moment passed as dust settled and Quarren looked back up again with a glare. Lowering his guard to throw a counter-attack, Quarren took a step forward when blood suddenly burst out of his mouth and nose. The older warrior looked down with eyes of bewilderment, shocked at the damage he had taken before he keeled over. “Aelius!” Polia shouted before he could attack again. “Stop it!” The fourth Holy Knight toppled first onto his knees and then the ground, gasping for breath. Aelius wore an expression of apathy and murderous resolve as he slowly stepped up to Quarren, ready to go back in for a second blow to finish the job when half a dozen boys jumped out in front of him.

“Immobilise the bastard!” one of them shouted as the others began to chant, but a swing of Aelius’ arm sent them all sprawling onto the nearby grass. A one-man army that could not be stopped, Aelius continued on his way to approaching Quarren. Every step he took left a crack on the ground. Upon finally reaching in range, Aelius rose his fist in the air without splitting his focus on any single other thing. He was just about to do the deed when another hand latched onto him.

“Stop, Aelius!” He whipped his head over to find an annoyance grasping tightly to his arm. Aria Aerianne stood beside him, clutching his arm up against her chest. “Don’t do something you’ll regret!” she pleaded to him, letting out a wince as his other arm swiftly tackled her neck and raised her into the air.

“Didn’t I say if you showed yourself before me again, I’d end your miserable existence?” Aelius’ low, threatening voice growled.

“Aelius, stop…” Aria said as she gasped for breath, his clutch ever-tightening around her neck. “Please…”

A suffocating, murderous aura of red seized the breath of everyone present. From his sheer presence alone, resounding fear turned the crowd into stone. No one could resist the bloodlust and challenge him. It was a killing intent a mere fifteen year old ought not to have possessed.

Suddenly Aelius felt another soft touch on his shoulder.

“Ael… what’s going on here? What are you doing?” a familiar voice spoke and he froze. His power faded along with his intent, and breaths of the onlookers quickly returned to them.

System has established contact!

Presence of the second half has been detected.

Resonance is initiating.

Alert!

-New skills acquired!-

-Reawakened One-

-Passive Buff-

Your Mana Ring Tier count triples its original level.

Proof you are a reincarnator, one who has successfully returned from the clutches of death.

Side effect: Final Life!

You are on your final life, unlike all around you who are on their first. Your experience, expertise and knowledge outweigh many of those surrounding you. Use your advantages to pave an easier path to your objective.

-New skills acquired!-

-Chosens’ Bond-

-Passive Buff-

Grants access to the intimacy system.

The intimacy system will generate intimacy points as a result of positive emotions.

The user may use idling intimacy points to enhance the potency, efficacy and radius of effect of Divine Power.

The eternal bond you form with your fated will transcend all obstacles you face.

Side effect: Harmony and Resonance!

You and your partner, to a certain extent, can sense one another’s presence or location, thoughts and feelings.

This effect grows stronger scaling off the user’s total acquired intimacy points.

Alert!

Alter is deactivating as a result of positive emotions.

Regular thought processes are resuming.

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Aelius blinked in surprise as he found himself standing with Aria Aerianne in a chokehold beside him. Fuck, Alter kicked in again. He quickly dropped her onto the ground, taking a step back and breathing deep breaths as he turned around. A familiar presence, like a glowing warmth was beating, alive behind him. He laid his eyes firstly on the blonde hair, the fair skin and the pointy ears, until he met the blue eyes gazing back intently at him.

“A-Alea…” Aelius felt his breath catch in his throat.

“What’s going on here?” she asked him, with a gentle hold on his shoulder.

“I-I…” Aelius eyed the new system alert messages popping up in his vision. I think I’m starting to understand what’s going on here now… he reached up with his hand to cover his face. I’ve returned to the past. To the day I first met her. How in the world… no, the ‘how’ is of no importance. What matters is I’m back. I’m back! I can change everything. I can stop all of those terrible things from happening!

“Alea…” Aelius quickly stifled his tears - oh, how long had it been since he last felt anything at all other than rage. It was like a burdened dam finally giving way. Years upon years of backlogged emotions flooded him. Reaching forward and pulling her into a hug, he was much shorter than her, so his head was buried in her chest. Taken aback at first, Alea quickly hid her blush and reached up to his hair, softly stroking it. “It’s okay now. It’s okay now, Ael.”

“Mmm…” he softly nodded, tightly keeping his arms around her back.

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Aelius finally pulled away, regaining his composure, and turning to Quarren with a glare.

“I was just taking out the trash.” Still adamant on his mission, Aelius returned to finishing what he started when a grip latched onto his ankle, and he looked down to see Aria gasping for breath while anchoring him.

“Aria… I always knew you were stubborn about the smallest things,” he looked down at her with annoyance.

“Hey! How dare you do that to Aria, you bastard!” a girl from the crowd pushed out to the front and screamed at him. “Out of everyone in this school, she’s the only one who was ever good to you! So don’t ever put your filthy hands on her!” Aelius narrowed his eyes into a glare. Before he could return an insult, Aria drew his attention again.

“Aelius…” she said through her gasping breath. “I know that wasn’t you. I know you’re back now, so please… please calm down.” Back now? What?

“Calm down!?” Aelius repeated, flabbergasted. “How about you get your fucking hands off me, you bitch!” She looked up with a face of shock and then betrayal.

“Aelius…?”

“Are you still not letting go? I’m about to kick the shit out of your nose,” Aelius warned her warily.

“W-wha…” she pulled away, genuinely confused. “Why are you speaking to me like this?” Her voice was laced with hurt and offence.

“Why the fuck you think?” Aelius growled. “I already told you not to act tight with me,” he squatted down menacingly at her. “So why the hell are you still around, huh?” Aria’s eyes darted about frantically at the challenging question posed to her.

“B-b-because… we’re supposed to get married…” her voice quietly trailed off. Aelius pursed his lips, gazing at the fragile girl before him. Why the hell does this version of you have to be so different to what I remember? He clenched his fists. But even you aren’t innocent.

“After all the shit you did to me, you want to marry me on top of it? What sort of sick, twisted, disgusting obsession is that?” he asked her with a mocking laugh and her eyes lit up with fear.

“What are you talking about…?” her quaking voice asked him.

“Oh, you really don’t know what I’m talking about?” Aelius spoke lowly as he reached up to put his hand on his chest, where his Mana core was. “Remind you of anything?” Realisaton flashed across her face and she pulled away in panic.

“Aelius… you’ve got to believe me, I had nothing to do with that.”

“Sure, whatever,” Aelius waved his hand. “You can run along for today, because I’ve got other things to focus on. But I just want you to know, I’ll come and settle this debt with you sooner or later,” he menacingly reached up to his neck and ran a finger along his neck, depicting a throat-slice. None of the others in the crowd knew what the two were conversing about, but visibly distressed, Aria pulled herself to her feet and sobbing, left the crowd with quick footsteps. Aelius watched until she was gone and rose to his feet, cracking his neck. “Trashy hoe,” he mumbled as he turned back to Quarren, who was gradually waking up.

Alert!

The user’s Mana core has exceeded its transmission capabilities.

Cooldown remaining: Twenty-four hours.

Shit, Aelius quickly backed away. I completely forgot I’m still only at the Second Ring. I can’t face a Seventh Ring head on… Hyperviolence has also completely exhausted me… he looked sceptically at Alea. No, Alea was the weakest out of all Holy Knights. She’s a sensory mage. Trying to battle right now would be suicide. Aelius looked back to Quarren, before turning to Polia.

“He attacked me first.”

“Yes, I am aware, I witnessed all of that. Don’t worry, I will make sure he knows his wrongs. As for Aria, hmm…” Polia narrowed her eyes. “I won’t question what happened between you two for now, but if I have to step in, I will.”

“Hah, sure,” Aelius snorted in obnoxiousness as he turned away and returned to the nearby park bench to sit. Alea hesitantly watched him for a moment, as he buried his head in his hands.

“What happened just now?” she asked him as she took the spot beside him.

“It doesn’t matter. Listen to me, Alea,” Aelius looked up and planted his hands firmly on her shoulders. “Quit being a Holy Knight. This nation is not worth - no, not even this world, nobody in this world is worth forfeiting your life for. Even if you get ridiculed for leaving the Holy Knight’s Order, family honour is also pointless. You have to believe me, there are worse things coming. None of it, none of it, is worth a single hair on your head.” Alea gazed at him for a long time, contemplating his words.

“Of course I believe you, Aelius. You’re my fated,” she smiled at him, and he recalled her words from his past life. Fated… she said that before she died last time too. “But I also believe that this world is worth it. Someone has to risk their life, and as someone who is in the position of power, I have a duty to step up and protect others.” She tucked her hair behind her ear. “You sound so cynical, hehe,” she chuckled. “And I don’t blame you. There is a lot in this world that isn’t worth saving, that is true.But I also believe there are things worth saving, regardless. I hope that you can see the positive things in this world someday, and learn to live with love.” She reached up and caressed his cheek. “Because I want you to be happy,” she pulled away again and looked up at the sun overhead with a beaming smile.

Ah… this… it was this feeling. How she just makes my worries feel like they never existed. The sun in my life… Aelius clenched his fists.

“Then I’ll do it all in your stead! I’m strong enough, so I’ll protect others in your stead, on your behalf. Enough for the both of us- no, enough for everybody. I will shoulder it all!” Because I already have. “That way, you won’t have to risk-” he saw Alea purse her lips in dissatisfaction and his voice fell away. Shit… I think I made her mad… “Alea…”

“Aelius,” she cut him off. “I know you possess nothing but concern and worry for me, and that comes from affection, I’m certain. But… I am not an ornamental flower to be kept in a vase on a windowsill. I am a person too, and this is what I wish to pledge my life toward. Even though you are my fated, I can’t let you compromise what I’ve decided to be my life’s purpose.” At her words, Aelius’ sombre gaze fell to the ground.

Fuck… and that’s why she’s my sun. Her selflessness, her resolve, devotion. It was all the same as in my first life, and what encaptured me. But… your life’s purpose? Really? To die in a cavern at the hands of a monster? I refuse such cruelty… I refuse to accept it. He took a deep breath. “You’re right, you’re right,” he nodded, deciding to back down for now. “If I forced you to give up your dreams and ideals, it’s like forcing you to cease being you. And I don’t want that either.” Alea nodded along with him, wearing a wide smile.

“Thank you for understanding, Aelius. Anyways… I-I have something I wanted to ask…” her face lit up red as she turned away. “How did you know about me before we even met? Did the Goddess come to you too?” she hesitantly asked.

“I’m sorry?” Aelius raised an eyebrow. Ah, now that I think about it, this is our first time meeting. It completely slipped my mind. But she already knew my name… even my nickname… hold on. We never had that long to chat in my past life either. Did she get her memories back as well? In that case, wouldn’t she remember dying? No, it doesn’t seem like she does… She says that the Goddess came to her…? Hold on…

“Aelius?” Alea called, pulling him out of his thoughts again.

“Alea… do you have access to the system?” Aelius asked. She blinked at him in confusion.

“What system?”

“Nevermind, nevermind,” he waved dismissively. “Yes, you could sort of say that the Goddess came to me.”

“I see…” Alea gently propped her head on his shoulder. “I was four years old when she first spoke to me. For years, I’ve looked forward to our meeting. I wasn’t sure if you would recognise me like I would recognise you, or know of me at all. I was prepared to pretend to be clueless but… thankfully, you recognise me,” she smiled at him with loving eyes and something clicked in Aelius’ mind as he froze.

“You were… four years old?” he asked her.

“That’s right. Just keep it a secret between you and me though. Many people thought I was crazy, and still do if they hear me saying things like this. But the church came and confirmed I was blessed with divine power.” Aelius rose to his feet.

“So… you’ve known about me ever since you were a little girl?”

“Yes, that’s right. The Goddess sent me visions of you. Vague, but distinctive enough.” Aelius reached up to his forehead.

Oh shit… The realisation that Alea’s knowledge of him, and the affection resulting from such, were all artificially begotten by the Goddess. There’s only one reason the Goddess would go to such lengths.

User has cast the passive skill Chosens’ Bond.

Aelius’ eyes lit up with golden energy as he turned his vision onto Alea, to see deep within her core, she was bustling with Holy power. I understand now… I think I understand everything now…. Aelius slowly sat down, burying his head again. Alea is the Saintess… the Oracle chosen by Stecia. I am Stecia’s envoy, one who carries out her will, and Alea is the vessel of her power. In my past life, Alea was not supposed to die. But she did, and the world from that moment onward became incapable of salvation. That’s why so many people died. That’s why so many fucked up things started happening from that moment onward. That’s why I returned. That world was pointless from the start… Aelius took a deep breath. And here I thought it was all over. Here I thought it was the end. But it was really just the beginning. He turned back to Alea, still at a loss of words. It’s all so hard to believe; that I suffered so much torment for so long in a world that should have never been. But I’m back now. And this place is different. No. I will make it different. And the first step to doing so is… “You came to summon a spirit, right?”