The journey from the ancient ruins had left him both empowered and unsettled. As he and Yara ventured further into unknown lands, the protagonist’s mind was haunted by the visions from the orb—the scenes of betrayal and battle, faces he couldn’t quite place but felt he should know. They were ghosts from his past life, remnants of a story he barely remembered, yet they tugged at his heart like old scars.
"Are all reborn gods haunted like this?" he asked, breaking the silence. Yara glanced up at him, his eyes filled with a calm understanding.
“In a way, yes,” Yara replied. “Rebirth doesn’t erase your history; it gives you a chance to change how it ends. But facing the echoes of your past is inevitable, especially if you’re meant to right the wrongs that were done to you.”
He considered this, feeling the weight of those memories even as he tried to suppress them. But it seemed fate had other plans. Just ahead, the forest opened up to reveal a small, abandoned town. Buildings stood empty, roofs partially collapsed, and cobblestone streets were overgrown with vines. It was as if the town had been frozen in time, waiting for someone to remember it.
"Something feels… familiar," he murmured, more to himself than to Yara.
“Perhaps you’ve been here before,” Yara suggested, his gaze sweeping over the ruins. “Sometimes, places hold memories as much as people do.”
Drawn by an inexplicable pull, he walked deeper into the town. Faded signs hung from doorways, and cracked windows showed glimpses of empty rooms. Every step brought flashes of memories—images of a bustling market, laughter in the air, the smell of freshly baked bread wafting through the streets.
And then, as if guided by an invisible hand, he arrived at a small courtyard. At its center stood an ancient fountain, its stone cracked and weathered but still holding a trickle of water. He knelt by the fountain, running his fingers along its edge. A sudden memory surged forward: a woman’s face, smiling warmly, her hand reaching out to him. But when he tried to focus, the image slipped away, like mist dissolving in the morning sun.
"Who was she?" he whispered, frustration creeping into his voice. “Why can’t I remember?”
Yara approached, placing a comforting paw on his knee. “Memories will come in time. Pushing too hard may only make them slip further from your grasp. Let them flow naturally; the answers will reveal themselves.”
He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. He knew Yara was right, but the gaps in his memory felt like an itch he couldn’t scratch. His past life was a puzzle with pieces scattered across a forgotten landscape, each one crucial to understanding his rebirth.
Suddenly, the stillness was shattered by the sound of footsteps echoing through the abandoned streets. He stood, his senses alert, eyes scanning the shadows. A group of figures emerged from the alleyways—strangers with cloaks and hoods pulled low over their faces, their movements slow and deliberate.
"Who are they?" he muttered, feeling a surge of energy welling up inside him.
“Hunters,” Yara replied, his voice a low growl. “They are drawn to powerful souls like yours. They seek to capture and drain reborn beings to fuel their dark rituals. Prepare yourself.”
The protagonist tensed, feeling the familiar warmth of his powers ignite within him. He met the lead figure’s gaze, his heart pounding as he braced himself for whatever lay ahead.
The time for hiding was over.
Episode 4 – Echoes of the Past, Phase 2
The cloaked figures closed in, their steps echoing ominously through the abandoned village. The leader’s eyes gleamed with sinister intent, studying the protagonist as if he were a prize to be claimed. Tension filled the air, each heartbeat magnifying the silence until even Yara seemed on edge, his usually calm demeanor tense.
“You don’t belong here, reborn,” the leader’s voice was cold, edged with disdain. “We have plans for souls like yours.”
The protagonist’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t back down. He wouldn’t let himself be intimidated by these hunters, no matter how strong their dark energy felt pressing down on him.
“What do you want from me?” he asked, eyes narrowed, his voice steady.
The leader sneered. “Your power. You reborn gods carry a rare energy, and we know exactly how to make use of it. You should feel honored—after all, it’s not every day we encounter a soul with such potential.”
A flicker of anger sparked inside him, but he channeled it into focus. He’d fought to reclaim his past and his power, and he wasn’t about to let anyone take it from him.
“Not today,” he replied, his voice low but resolute.
The leader’s smirk disappeared, replaced with cold determination. He raised a hand, and the hunters surged forward, weapons gleaming in the dim light. Without hesitation, the protagonist summoned his energy, letting it flow through him as naturally as breath. A shield of light formed around him, meeting the hunters’ first strikes with an explosive crackle.
One hunter lunged, slashing through the air with a blade crackling with dark energy. The protagonist sidestepped, deflecting the blade with a burst of light that threw the attacker off balance. A second hunter came at him from the side, swinging with deadly precision. He met the attack head-on, blocking the strike and pushing back with a pulse of energy that sent his opponent stumbling.
Meanwhile, Yara moved with surprising agility, darting between the hunters’ legs and snapping at their ankles, his quick movements disrupting their attacks. Together, they formed a rhythm—Yara’s swift distractions giving the protagonist a chance to strike with precision.
But the leader watched with an eerie calm, his gaze fixed on the protagonist. With a sudden movement, he raised both hands, summoning a wave of dark energy that crashed over the courtyard like a storm. The force of it was overwhelming, breaking through the protagonist’s shield and knocking him back.
“You’ve trained well,” the leader said, approaching as the protagonist scrambled to his feet. “But raw power alone won’t be enough.”
The protagonist steadied himself, breathing hard, feeling his energy wavering. But he wasn’t about to give up. With a defiant shout, he focused all his remaining strength into a concentrated beam of light and fired it directly at the leader.
The leader’s eyes widened as the beam struck him, staggering him back. For the first time, there was a flicker of fear in his expression. But he quickly recovered, summoning a barrier of dark energy that absorbed the remaining force.
“This isn’t over,” the leader hissed, calling to his remaining hunters. “We’ll be back. You can count on it, reborn.”
With a wave of his hand, he and his followers disappeared into the shadows, their forms dissolving into the darkness like smoke. The silence settled over the courtyard once more, broken only by the protagonist’s labored breathing.
Yara approached him, his expression serious. “They’ll return. This was just the beginning.”
The protagonist nodded, a newfound determination hardening within him. He had won this fight, but he knew now that there would be others—stronger, more relentless. But with each encounter, he was learning, growing. He would be ready.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting the village in shadows, he felt a flicker of hope. The past might be haunting him, but he was more resolved than ever to face it head-on, no matter the cost.
***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***
Updated 43 Episodes
Download
Like this story? Download the app to keep your reading history.
Comments