Chapter 23 - Spilled Blood

After that hate- and rage-filled proclamation, the man’s body flashed and disappeared. I stared slack-jawed at the sight. That was TELEPORTATION… and it was done without any advanced equipment. I remembered that knowledge of many advanced skills, like teleportation, had been lost during the Dark Age.

Can I build something like teleporting devices in this world? What about other advanced technologies from Earth? The information I have about this world is still too limited. All I know comes from the books I’ve read in the library. I need to explore this world…

As my thoughts wandered, the scene before me changed. My perspective shifted from a close-up view to a bird’s-eye view. Below, a kingdom lay in ruins, with fires raging through the city and cries and helpless sobs echoing all around. Bodies were scattered everywhere, filling the area with dismembered parts and splashed blood.

The mysterious man I had seen before, leading a small regiment of around 200 warriors of both genders, looked coldly at the ravaged city. He lifted his head to the skies and let out a roar filled with vengeance and grief. The warriors behind him all raised their voices in support of their leader. The combined might of their voices filled the air, shaking the earth and the hearts of the few fortunate—or unfortunate—survivors.

The mysterious man's silhouette flashed once again before he disappeared. Along with him, the scene changed. The same situation repeated numerous times; countless cities and dozens of kingdoms were razed and destroyed. Not even a blade of grass was left untouched wherever that man and his group of warriors set their sights.

Finally, after a long streak of rampage, the mysterious man and his group met with resistance. A vast army, estimated to number around 5-6 million, comprised mostly of humans as well as small groups of various mythical races, surrounded them from all sides. From my high vantage point, I couldn’t clearly identify each of them, but I could make out faint silhouettes. It felt as though a huge colony of ants was surrounding a powerful snake.

The mysterious man roared fearlessly and jumped headfirst into the massive army. His group followed him with their own challenging roars. Despite the strength of the mysterious man and his group, when faced with the seemingly endless numbers, the battle ended as predicted. They suffered huge losses, almost half of their numbers, and were defeated by the vast army.

The mysterious man was the last to fall, his body riddled with massive gashes from sword strikes, pierced by countless spears, and charred by various elemental attacks from the cultivators. Yet, despite his grievous wounds, he rampaged across the army, growing more ferocious with each fallen comrade.

Although I had witnessed wars on Earth, the conflict before me was beyond comparison. Earthly wars involved territory, strategy, tactics, and political influence. But this battle was about… power… unyielding raw power… terrifying and awe-inspiring power. The vocabulary I have is insufficient to describe the emotions I felt as I watched that man fight with everything he had until his last breath.

With the death of that man, scenes flashed past before my eyes like a fast-forwarded movie, depicting the aftermath of the war: the re-establishment of kingdoms, the rise of the Church’s prominence, the hunt for remaining Dragons and Draconians…

As these scenes ended, I found myself once again seated on the cliff edge where it all began. The flood of information and the emotions from the fights and wars I had seen left me feeling uncertain. The questions raised by this uncertainty, and how I answer them, will decide my path in this world.

After a long time, I decided on my course of life. I realized I was still attached to my life on Earth. My research, achievements, accomplishments, painful moments, lonely moments, love, depressions, and all the life I once lived as a carefree scientist at the top of society are gone.

I have a new life now. A loving mother, a cunning but good father, LILY… these are the ones closer to me than anyone in my previous life. They are the ones who will love me and stand by me. Moreover, this place will be like uncharted territory, sure to provide new challenges and obstacles. The knowledge I gained from a lifetime of research will find new application in this world and this life.

I will live a life where I can protect those close to me. I will live a life where I can be carefree. I will live a life where I can proudly roam the world without anyone obstructing my path.

I know the only way I can achieve this is with enough strength. Only those with strength can stand at the peak and rule the world. Only then can one live with freedom and free will. The strong will rule, and the weak will have no choice but to be trampled beneath the feet of the strong.

I also know that one day I will have to kill. I will have to kill not only beasts but also fellow humans. But I will kill only under one condition. The condition will be the same as that of the mysterious man I saw before.

If someone endangers something or someone I hold dear, they will die. If one does not provoke me, they will be ignored. But if they point their blade in my direction, their heads will have to roll.

Once I made this decision, it felt as if a huge burden had been lifted from my heart. I felt refreshed, and a warm feeling swept through my entire being, invigorating me. The words I spoke were branded into my soul, and I felt as if shackles binding me were released. It felt akin to floating in free space.

Suddenly, I was pulled back into my body, leaving that Dream World. I slowly opened my eyes. A myriad of colors burst into my vision, searing them. Gradually, a familiar scene appeared: the huge cavern, the splashing lake, and a man with a concerned face looking at me. Before I could speak, another familiar voice sounded in my mind.

“[MASTER...]”

“[LILY, why are you shouting like that? It’s been only a few hours. It’s not like you miss me or something, right?]”

“[A few hours? It has been 23 days since I lost connection with you. TWENTY-THREE DAYS… Wuuu…]”

“………”