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Chapter 3: The Reincarnation Portal
The white glow from the divine chamber faded, leaving Liam suspended in an infinite void. He could no longer see the Gods, nor the grand marble floors of the Realm of Judgement. Instead, he floated weightless, cocooned in a swirling storm of golden energy—pure divine will compressing his mortal soul into something new.
> [Initializing Divine Rebirth Protocol…]
[Class Binding: Shepherd (Legendary) – Confirmed.]
[Additional Class Fragments Detected: Mage, Necromancer, Knight. Access locked until further progression.]
[Artifact Grants: 3 Bound – Hidden.]
[Divine Gifts sealed until host reaches Awareness.]
[Reincarnation Destination: ERROR – Conflict Detected.]
[Redirecting to Fallback World: Azraleth Prime…]
[Status: Host unaware of total gifts. Proceeding with soul infusion.]
Liam blinked—or at least tried to. He had no body, no limbs. Just thought. Just… existence. Even so, he felt everything. The warmth of light as it wrapped around his spirit, the sting of power threading through every inch of his being, the hum of a million possibilities.
And then, something cracked.
It wasn't a sound. It was a feeling. Like glass under pressure. Something was wrong.
"Wait—what's happening? Didn't they say I was going to be reborn peacefully?" Liam's thought echoed into the void.
> [Warning: The selected world is under invasion. Multi-Realm Forces detected. Insectoid Swarms. Demon Envoys. Mechanical Harvesters. Undead Blight. Beasts of Ruin.]
[High Threat Zone confirmed.]
[Proceeding with emergency insertion. Memory veil in effect until mental development stabilizes.]
"What the hell?! That's not peaceful! That's the opposite of peaceful!" he yelled, though no voice came out. Only internal panic.
> [Reincarnation Commencing... 5... 4... 3... 2... 1...]
Suddenly, a pull. Not gentle. Violent. A force dragged him downward like gravity on steroids. The golden energy that once cocooned him shattered into countless lights, like sparks of hope fleeing from his body. He was falling. Spiraling through the void.
And then… warmth.
---
Azraleth Prime – Outer Region – Nightfall Village
The cold wind blew across the thatched rooftops of a small, quiet village tucked at the edge of a monstrous, untamed forest. A lone old man stood outside his wooden hut, staring at the stars with a strange look in his eye. His name was Grandpa Ronan, and though he looked weathered and calm, his aura carried a pressure far beyond mortal comprehension.
He raised his hand suddenly. A spark of divine mana tickled his fingertips. His old eyes narrowed.
"…So they finally chose one, huh?" he muttered.
He turned toward the small wooden crib inside the hut, where a glowing orb of light had just materialized.
The orb pulsed once… twice… and then cracked like an egg. From within, a tiny baby took form. Crying. Confused. Alive.
A new soul had arrived.
Ronan stepped forward, his rough hands brushing against the child's cheek. "Poor boy. Dropped into a cursed world, gifted with powers he doesn't even know. Your story… will be a bloody one."
---
System Notification – Invisible to All
> [Reincarnation Complete.]
[Name Assigned: Liam]
[Current State: Infant. Memory Locked. System Sealed Until Age 3.]
[Environment: High Threat World – Azraleth Prime.]
[Divine Mission: Survive. Protect. Lead.]
---
Within the child's soul…
A small system node pulsed with quiet life. Silent. Hidden. Its true power yet to awaken. But it waited. Calculating. Recording everything. Watching the world around its new host.
And beyond that—across dimensions, far above the stars—several pairs of divine eyes stared into a massive crystal pool. Each god watching with worry, amusement, or curiosity.
"He survived," said Thalos, the God of Guidance, stroking his silver beard.
"But… he landed in that world. That's basically a death sentence," grunted Varron, the God of War.
"He was kind. Compassionate. I gave him a part of my healing flame," whispered Ayara, the Goddess of Life.
"He was curious. Intelligent. He may surprise us," said Orvus, the God of Knowledge.
"But he is also flawed… and darkness exists within all mortals," murmured the twin Goddess of Balance, Kaelara.
They all turned to the final figure among them—silent and cloaked in shadow.
He simply smiled.
"Let's see what kind of Shepherd he becomes."
---
Meanwhile… Back in the village
Liam cried. Not from pain or fear, but because… he was alive. He had been given another chance.
He didn't remember his past yet. But deep down, in the locked corridors of his soul, a flame had been lit.
And soon… it would burn everything that threatened his people.
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