“Reincarnate? Assimilate? Another world? Is it giving me the chance to start over?” I still don’t remember who I am or who I was, but one thing is clear: I have died, and my soul has been moved to another world. I remained motionless for many seconds or minutes while the girl in front of me simply watched me, lost in her thoughts.

  A wide smile formed on her face. That expression said enough—she could read my emotional state, or my emotions, or perhaps my thoughts. Every small thought I had was reflected in her gestures, and when I finally reached a decision, she spoke almost instantly.

  “So you desire a second opportunity. I don’t know what decision this world will make, but let me help you with a small introduction.” She walked back and forth thoughtfully until finally organizing her ideas, and with her index finger resting on her lips, she began her explanation.

  “Reincarnation is being born from a woman. You will be a fetus until you are finally born and begin your life. On the other hand, assimilation is the fusion of two very weak souls to obtain a strong one. In this process, the first must be on the verge of death, and the second must have already died. As a result, the dead soul takes the place of the soul at the edge of death.” Her explanation was easy to process.

  Both options must have many pros and cons. With a quick thought, I could only grasp something superficial. Reincarnating would mean becoming a baby again, which honestly doesn’t appeal to me—I’d like to avoid all embarrassing situations. On the other hand, assimilation feels like stealing a body that isn’t mine… I’m not sure which would be better, although I don’t really have the right or the power to choose either. All that’s left is to wait for the world’s decision.

  I heard a soft laugh that stopped my thoughts. “You’re absolutely right. It must be horrible to become a baby again and have people playing with you all the time, breastfeeding you, and not being able to control your bodily needs.” She laughed delicately for a few seconds and then continued her explanation. “By uniting the souls, you’re not stealing anything. That person was destined to die anyway, and you don’t need to worry about the previous host influencing your decisions. At the end of the day, they have already disappeared.”

  She took a short pause before continuing. “Something bad and at the same time good is that you will obtain their memories, feelings, and characteristics. If the person had a strong bond with their family, you will feel it too. If they really liked a certain type of sweets, that preference will likely remain in you. Their affinity for magic from the day they were born will also remain intact. But in some recorded cases, we have discovered that they also acquire some special magic.”

  Magic? Does this world have magic? I should have assumed it after seeing an almost omnipotent being in front of me, or the fact of reincarnating in another world.

  Magic… it’s something everyone in my world could only dream of having. The idea of altering reality and creating impossible things sparked something extra within me, a motivation that erased the small insecurity inside my heart.

  “YES, IN THIS WORLD THERE IS MAGIC!” When she finished those words, the girl smiled in such an angelic way, like something straight out of a fairy tale.

  “This world is immensely vast. You will find yourself in many dangerous, happy, or sad situations. You must become strong if you want to survive. In the end, strong people always prevail.” She let out a small sigh and immediately frowned. “We don’t have much time left. I must hurry.”

  “First, magic is not the only interesting thing in this world. I won’t give you more explanations—discover all the options by yourself. Second, become strong if you want to survive, but don’t distance yourself from the people who care about you. Don’t make my mistakes. Third, in your case, assimilation is the most likely outcome. The fusion of souls is painful as hell—it’s the price to pay for keeping the memories of two short lives. Finally, good luck, and if fate is kind, we will meet again in the future.”

  As soon as she finished her last word, she disappeared as quickly as she had appeared. Assimilation? It doesn’t sound bad. What worries me is the pain. I’ve trained in fencing for a ridiculous number of years, but that’s physical pain—I’ve never experienced mental or spiritual pain.

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  Sword training? My memories are returning rapidly. I began to feel dizzy, as if a hammer were striking my head from the inside. The pain from my memories alone was intense. I tried to calm myself and control my mind, but it was impossible.

  I always prided myself on being able to keep a calm mind during combat, but… this is killing me. What felt like minutes or perhaps hours—I can’t tell because of the pain—eventually subsided into a simple migraine.

  I tried to start organizing my thoughts, but I felt it. There was something—or someone—behind me. I tried to move my body, but it was impossible. I was completely paralyzed in that position. The world began to move around me, and in an instant, I could see both bodies: the body I had used for a little over 20 years, and with its back to me, possibly my new body.

  I couldn’t get closer to see it clearly, but incredibly, I knew what it looked like: hair between brown and reddish, violet eyes, and delicate facial features. I was completely sure of the child’s gender—or rather, my new body’s. I’m still male… that’s good.

  A loud sound echoed, and my soul was dragged instantly into the child’s body. It started with a small pain that grew until it became unbearable…

  “Did I pass out?” At some point during the fusion, I completely lost consciousness. Now this body feels like mine. I don’t feel any sense of assimilation or discomfort—it feels as if I had always been this person.

  “Maki Void.” This is my name. I am seven years old in this life. With both sets of memories, I sense an incredible future ahead. I will try to survive as the angelic girl recommended. I must become strong—very strong.

  In this world, not only magic is used. Weapons and something called willpower are also a fundamental part of one’s strength. I begin this new life with an enormous advantage. My fencing was world-class in my previous world, and I hope it remains effective in this new life. Most importantly, I have the knowledge of a university graduate. I don’t need to relearn basic mathematics and other subjects from scratch. My brain is well developed—I’ll be able to absorb the new knowledge this world offers very quickly.

  “I’m very anxious. I didn’t feel this nervous even in my fight for the world title.” I can feel it inside me—it’s close. The starting point of this new life is very near.

  “Take care of my family.” A voice echoes from all directions. I’m confused for a moment. It feels as if it’s speaking directly into my brain, or as if it’s coming from everywhere at once.

  “What the hell was that?” At that moment, I realize I can speak again. NO! Don’t get distracted. I heard a voice just now.

  “It’s me, Maki—or was I Maki? I don’t know how this works. Somehow, I’m speaking directly into your mind before disappearing.” I felt a small sense of relief inside me when I managed to calm down. This voice must be the final moments of the previous Maki.

  “I’m sad and happy. I didn’t want to die so young. My parents had many expectations of me… It comforts me to know a little about you in my final moments. You were never a bad person.” I truly feel both happy and sad—these must be his emotions filtering into this body.

  “Take care of my family. Protect the people most precious to me, please. It’s my last wish. You can feel it too, right? I’m about to disappear completely. Be a man you can be proud of, Galon.” The voice grows more distant with each word, the presence of the previous Maki slowly fading away.

  I stood there stunned, my reactions slowing as I felt Maki’s emotions. Those words are etched deep into my soul.

  “Don’t worry, Maki. I’ll do everything in my power to protect and make OUR loved ones happy. I’ll be a man worthy of trust.” I try to send feelings of reassurance and confidence through the weakening channel.

  “Thank you, Galon, and goodbye.” The previous Maki’s voice faded with each word until I finally felt the connection completely severed. I can no longer feel anything else.

  Those final words remain engraved within me. I can feel a weight lifting from my soul as the consciousness of the previous Maki disappears completely.

  Before I can react, another strong blow hits my soul and head at the same time. “Damn it, damn it.” My voice is weak; I can only curse softly. I’m on the verge of passing out for the second time. I just want this situation to end soon.

  My consciousness slowly fades, and I feel darkness envelop my mind.

  “The young Maki is waking up! The young Maki is opening his eyes!” I can hear voices shouting far away, yet at the same time they feel very close. I can’t fully open my eyes, and what little I see is blurry.

  It finally happened. I can feel it clearly now. I am completely integrated into this body and ready to live a life in another world. The headache keeps pounding like a small hammer, and my body screams for rest, but a small smile also forms on my face.

  A memory of the previous young owner of this body comes to my mind. One memory is etched into me. Maki, I promised you—I will become someone strong and protect all of our loved ones.