The questioning about one's existence is fundamental to one's being. Perhaps it's something beyond the norm, but to me, I don't exist. I'm a complex of existence out of the ordinary, born only to endure the worst evils. That was my complex, that was me.
When I lived as Dante, I thought everything could be easily resolved with strength, but that was the reason I fell. I wasn't the smartest being, nor the best wizard, nor the best knight, or anything of the sort. I was a combination of everything and yet, at the same time, I was nothing.
Was my skill with the spear good? Yes, but it wasn't mine. It was a copy of Valentina's skills, who now slept silently in a Ruby Cube, sealed by the simple death of a useless being like me.
Was my fire strong? Yes, it was quite strong, but I never bothered to improve how I used it. I always relied on "I'll use it at the right time," and what did that result in for me? A volatile flame that injured one of the women I love. That was the weight I began to carry as I remembered the burned body, not only of Nagasawa but also of those children who constantly appear in my dreams.
All of this led me to question: why was I reborn here? What was my purpose and why was I so careless? Was it because Valentina was deemed the strongest? Was it because Morgana spoiled me too much with her magics? No... I think, in the end, I treated this world as a Fantasy Novel.
I am confused, impulsive, and hot-headed, besides being beautiful, I don't even recognize one of my qualities. I am everything and nothing.
That's why, during these ten years, I sat mentally with myself and fought against my own shadow.
They were difficult, lonely days, but nothing I hadn't lived before. I presumed that in my past life, I was like this: a lonely person who lived and died without anyone caring, suffering bullying every day at school, seeking in computers and the internet an identity, a name... a name that I don't even remember anymore.
I wanted to see the world now, to understand how things were, to understand what had changed. But it was impossible. Inside this cocoon, I lived the last ten years thinking and brooding over my life. Then, finally, today...
I found my purpose, my own path in search of the happiness I desire, and with whom I desire.
"It's time." I heard the voice beside me, manifested in the form of a white dragon spirit. At least that's how I saw it: Voralith, the person who kept me sane all this time.
"Do you know where we'll land?" I asked, starting to feel my hands, yes, finally I had hands.
"I'm not sure. The only thing I asked the Administrator for was to leave a change of clothes. Your body will be around twenty-five years old in mortal years, so I asked for decent clothes for when you emerge from this cocoon." She commented, and then I felt a slight fluctuation of mana.
Something I hadn't felt in ten years. Finally, I could feel the mana again! My body slowly began to awaken. I saw a slight crack at the top, my hands, which to my eyes were invisible, moved instinctively, and I broke the spot.
The first thing I saw? The ground, of course. Unfortunately, the Administrator wasn't kind to me. Again, he used his authority to bully me!
"Ahrg!" I screamed in pain, but felt something different as I hit the ground. I looked at my hands and saw them completely smooth and slender, like a maiden's. I quickly thought it was just because I had "been born now".
"Ahh~" Voralith sighed as she smelled the surroundings. It was a kind of clearing within the jungle. I emerged from a cocoon that was on a rock, supported by a strangely mana-rich tree.
I observed the small white dragon, sensing the scent of life. For the past ten years, she has spoken to me every two days to check if I was okay. Despite her being quite feisty, I enjoyed her company.
I heard the sound of water and, turning around, I saw the outer part of the clearing. Sunbeams filtered through the treetops, creating patterns of light and shadow that danced softly on the moss-covered ground.
For the first time, I felt a true calm and reverence, as if I were in a sacred sanctuary. The air was imbued with the scent of trees, and the gentle singing of birds began to fill my ears. Still hearing the sounds of water, I turned and found a small stream. I stood up.
"Ah!" I roared as I stumbled lightly. In the background, I heard the voice. "Careful, you've been inert in the spiritual world for ten years. Any sudden movement without getting used to it can damage this residual body," Voralith commented, and I nodded slightly. My perceptions were muddled; I really couldn't fully feel my body.
In fact, except for my hands, almost my entire body was waking up from hibernation.
"Calm down, sit and take a deep breath, try to absorb the ambient mana. This forest is rich in natural energy. Enjoy it first, then start your journey," I heard, unlike before, she seemed more... calm? No, I think it was more like freedom instead of calmness. I can't even imagine being stuck in the spiritual realm for a million years.
I did as she instructed, closed my eyes, and let the world around me be peaceful, focusing only on the positive energy. The winds gently brushed against my face; the whole world became one with my body. Soon, mana circulation began, and I felt my magic core... a restored and golden magic core. Different from the purple color of my previous one, this was different. I felt an ease in using mana.
So, for over two hours, I meditated.
Without wanting to skip processes, without wanting to break rules or anything like that, this time, I decided to be patient and train as much as possible from the basics.
"He seems to be focused, that's good," Voralith sitting on the rock observed. She had already found a small spatial ring hidden near the cocoon. She didn't open it, but she already knew it was the work of the ADM.
"I want to see his reaction," she said with a sly smile. Of course, she was being friendly. She wanted me to be at my one hundred percent for the surprise that was to come.
Two hours passed as we both remained silent. I was completely immersed in creating my mana core, and finally, the new mana core was born.
"Aah~," I groaned with a deep sigh. The air of nature entered through my nostrils, and finally, I could fully feel my body.
My mana circulated throughout my body. I could feel every pressure point, every vein, and every pathway. Unlike my previous body, this one felt heavier. I sensed a different weight on my chest. My eyes were closed, and I hadn't opened them since I started cultivating.
As I was about to open my eyes...
"Ow!" I shouted. Something hit my head, and I immediately turned around to see the small white dragon on the rock, looking at me in a... strange way?
"Idiot! You're doing it all wrong!" She roared, well, she seemed angry, but she was actually quite cute. Despite being an Almighty Dragon, she was actually... quite cute in this size. She looked like a lizard with wings.
"Wrong?" I questioned. I had never received such a thing. I had always been praised for everything I did.
"Who taught you this atrocity? Damn, I have to teach you everything!" She said and flew up onto my head. I felt her body hitting my hair, which I realized was just like that of my previous body.
"Come on, don't reject my mana and try to memorize the flow. This will improve a lot, maybe even two hundred times more than this garbage you learned," she said and continued. "Don't resist, or you'll die." I trembled slightly but complied.
A tingling sensation came from my head and began to flow through my veins. Unlike before, it was a rotating flow of mana, like a spiral. It passed through different points differently, like a stream. It didn't have an exact shape, but it had a constant flow. The spirals propelled the creation of mana, and soon I noticed changes again. New veins began to appear, as if they were hidden but now visible.
"What is this sensation?" I asked curiously, seeking explanations, but Voralith just snorted. "Humpf, mundane idiots who don't know the basics about mana want to create strong techniques without even knowing their own bodies. This is the basics!" She roared, furious but cute.
"These veins..." I commented, and she explained. "Your body, you haven't even checked it yet because you're completely immersed in thoughts. To channel the power of heaven and earth, you need to open all pathways, as well as know yourself as deeply as possible. I just gave you the way, opened all the real mana veins of this body.
Now it's purely your talent." She commented, and I opened my eyes for the first time.
"Go drink some water, it's time," Voralith said, and I nodded. Near the stream or pond, call it what you will, it cascaded down. I looked at it and began to walk.
I felt my body heavy, much heavier than my previous body, especially my chest and buttocks. I approached lightly and knelt in front of the stream.
And then, for the first time, I saw my face...
"KYAAAAAAAAAA!" I screamed and fell back like a frightened little girl. Well, now it wasn't just a "little girl" anymore.
When I saw my reflection in the water, I couldn't help but have a quick freak-out and fall back. It was a huge shock.
My eyes, bathed in a golden glow, seemed to capture the sunlight itself, emitting a magnetic intensity that captures the gaze of any spectator.
The contour of my body is a work of art, sculpted with curves that defy gravity.
My hair, long and white as snow, cascades like a frozen stream.
I, Dante Scarlet... was trapped in a woman's body.
"HAHAHAHAHA!" I heard the shameless laughter of the idiotic white dragon in the background. I turned with a look almost letting tears fall.
"What have you done to me!" I cried out, sad and confused. I wanted my old body back!
"I gave you the best body of all, congratulations!" She said, looking at me smiling. You could see her sharp teeth in a scary way, but I didn't flinch.
"Why?!" I questioned, and she shrugged and commented. "I used part of my life force to make this body, plus a lot of my power to offer a body capable of withstanding the soul of a Demon King. Do you really want to question? You should be grateful." She said while looking at me.
"Demon King?" I questioned, and she nodded. "To balance the scales, Fate probably changed course and killed you. Thus, you had the chance to return as a new and balanced being on the scale of all things," Voralith said, and I nodded. If this is really reality, it made some sense, but one thing wasn't right.
"And why do I have a female body?" I questioned, and she shrugged again. "We don't have much choice. You were made with my essence. You're basically my daughter," she said with a mischievous look.
"Your daughter is? What a clueless mother," I commented, and she narrowed her eyes. "I gave you the perfect body, girl."
"Girl? Damn it, Voralith!" I said, and she laughed again. She seemed very happy with all the illustrious events. I was annoyed, very annoyed...
"Don't worry, later we can change your gender when we have enough power for total body reconstruction. That's if you overcome the problems that will come. For now, be a woman, okay? I didn't think you were so macho," Voralith commented, and I punched the ground.
"Damn it," I said, upset.