(CRUMBLE) the baby stopped and looked behind her just in time to see her home crumbling down into a bunch of wreckage. She inwardly sighed. She didn't love her mom that much but she still believed that the woman was far too innocent to suffer and die like that.
Which was unexpected coming from a less than a year old baby. Unless that baby remembered her past life as the former Hitman James Kennedy who just got blown up by a nuke .
Now she just sit there , staring at the destroyed house, not in the mood to go anywhere or do anything. 'I just got a second chance to live a normal life and all this happened on my first year?' she thought to herself in frustration before sighing ' what a drag.'
Suddenly, she sensed an ancient presence heading her way . She turned around and saw a middle aged man coming to her. He has a wild deep blue hair, wore a black sleeveless shirt, a pair of black gloves, a pair of black pants with a knife holster attached at each leg, a pair of black combat boots and a sword sheathed at his back.
"Hello there little one. Mind if I sit with you?" He asked her as soon as he got close enough. She didn't even mind him however, since babies of her age doesn't understand what others say or do. "I'll take the silence as a yes." He said as he sat down beside her. Probably to clear the awkwardness he just created. But like before, she didn't care. Since she's a baby, there's no way she can escape. It now seems the only left is to allow him to send her to an orphanage, a daycare, or anywhere related to those two.
She might hate it no doubt, but at least she can use that opportunity to learn something useful about this world before she'll escape to live on her own. A small risk for a big gain if things goes well for her and she doesn't end up on anyone hit list.
After a long silence of waiting, the man Finally asked "you miss her. Don't you?" She didn't respond. As she didn't exactly know what to say or how to do anything. As for him, he might think that she was a baby so she can't understand what he's saying or something like that. So he kept on without waiting for a response. "I know how you feel." If he didn't have her attention then, he does now. As she's fully facing him, curious to know what make them similar.
He then began: " When I was young, I watched my parents being murdered right in front of me. I wanted to do something but I was too weak and scared to do anything. I was also bulied and laughed at because of my status as an orphan." ' Oh! It's those totally zero to hero stories. Not exactly like my past life but I can understand the similarities.' she realized as she let him continue.
"My life would have ended because of them if It wasn't for a woman who helped me overcome them. Thanks to her, I am now the man I always dreamed of being. But I Also found out that, there are other children that have a worst fate than mine. It was then that I've finally found my true purpose." He then faced beyond the horizon with a face full of hope while she curiously waited for his big reveal.
After a long silence, he finally revealed" To be the most awesome dad anyone has ever had!"
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
" DAFUK?!!!" Her sudden outburst took him off guard since he didn't expect her to give that kind of response. Let alone, her talking in the first place. " Hey! Calm down there would you?" He said in panic before mumbling "Who taught you to be that kind of brat anyway?".
Unfortunately, she heard it and was giving him a death glare when he turned to look at her. "Iw ki u." She told him. "OK! OK! I'M SORRY! I DIDN'T MEAN TO INSULT YOU! WILL YOU PLEASE STOP?!" He asked in fear. She kept glaring for a while before she finally told him "Hari up." Then went back to stare at her home. Unknown to her, during her glare, she has been releasing an aura so large, the man was surprised he was still alive.
It was when she stopped releasing it, which was when she stopped glaring at him, that he realized that he almost went for his sword. But weather he stopped midway because of resistance or pure terror, he never figured it out. 'That aura, it's as powerful as a demon lord. Could she be one of them?' he shake his head. 'No. They'll let us know. But still.....'
He looked at her again 'Either way, she's no ordinary child. And whatever the dark side want from her, it's certain it won't end well for us all. (Sigh) I'll have to protect her from now on. I'll have to make sure she doesn't end up on the dark side.' he looked at the destroyed area 'And I'll have to make sure THEY doesn't find out.'
After a while waiting and a deep sigh, he decided to try his luck again "Anyway, my name is Dante but you can call me daddy." "Rili?" She deadpanned. 'Is he really that desperate to adopt me?' she thought to herself. He saw her face and knew he messed up.
"Yeah I know it's too soon but..." he looked around him, "I doubt you're expecting any visitors." He then smiled at her "Besides, with the way things are going between us, I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy your stay with me better than an orphanage or another family.".
Well, it's not like he's right or anything but, she doesn't like the idea of living with a family no matter what kind of people they are. She is just not comfortable with that kind of relationship even in another life. As for the orphanage, well, she's pretty sure that Dante will use that opportunity to adopt her. In a short time too based on how desperate he is. Which is left with living with Dante and that is a risque she doesn't want to take.
In her past life, if anyone found interest in 'him', 'he' makes some research on that person. Even if 'he' didn't get all Intel, what he got gave 'him' some few ideas on who 'he' was dealing and how to take care of him or her. As for the missing pieces, 'he' consider it as a challenge.
But this new one is another matter. Here's a stranger she has never seen nor heard of in a world she has zero knowledge on, which could be a problem in case he's bad news. On top of it all, she's a baby, making her completely useless in ... anything. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that she's completely fucked up.
Well, the good news is that, this is the kind of challenge she always wanted. Where almost everything is against her favor. The bad news, however, is that it might cost her second life if she's not careful. And that alone a debate in wether it's worth it or not. But she knows she doesn't have a choice so, better get on with it.
"Kendi." That word got Dante's attention as he turned to her in curiously. "What was that?" He asked her. She pointed to herself and repeated "Kendi.". If she was going to start a new life with him, then the least she could do for herself is to keep her old name. And since 'James' is a boy's name, 'Kennedy' will have to do. She just hope he'll figure it out from her baby talk.
He smiled at her when he realized what she was doing. "So you decided to find a name for yourself, hen?" He asked before making a thinking pose. "Kendi hmm. Well not cute but somehow creative for your age." He suddenly got an idea "How about 'Ken', hen? It's short for Kendi. And it's cute just like you." He suggested.
She thought about it and at the end, gave a sigh of submission. She'll have to agree with him because; (1) it sounds better than hers, (2) it's short for her old name and (3) Dante will probably suggest a more 'cuter' name if she deny the former. 'What the fuck did I get myself into?' she thought to herself.
Suddenly, she felt some unknown energy rushing inside her, merging with herself and making her stronger. Then the name Ken was deeply engraved to her soul. As if it's part of her existence.
[Notice! Individual Beast man now named Ken has evolved and will be given the the following skills!] A voice came out from nowhere.
'What the-?' she didn't get to finish as the voice continued.
[Transferring and enhancing former skills being strength, speed, stamina, agility, perception, combatant marksmanship, infiltration, assassination, craftsmanship, presence suppression and instinct acquisition successful]
[Transferring and enhancing former resistance being pain resistance, poison resistance, stab resistance, heat resistance, cold resistance, shock resistance, force resistance and mind altering resistance acquisition successful.]
[Heat resistance and cold resistance merging to form thermal resistance acquisition successful.]
[Mind altering resistance upgrading to mental attack resistance acquisition successful]
[Mental attack resistance and force resistance merging to form aura resistance acquisition successful.]
[Curse resistance formed out of aura attack resistance acquisition successful]
[perception, presence suppression and aura resistance merging to form aura manipulation acquisition successful.]
[Aura farming and appraisal formed out of aura manipulation acquisition successful]
[All former known skills merging to form unique skill Killer Instinct acquisition successful]
[Extra skill predator haki has been formed out of unique skill Killer Instinct acquisition successful]
She was still trying to warp her head at what just happened when that mysterious voice came again.
[Notice! Unknown energy variable found within individual named Ken. Attempting to mold said variable to an acceptable skill.]
[Attemp successful.]
[Molding of the energy variable to unique skill System acquisition successful.]
[Extra skill inventory had been formed out of unique skill System acquisition successful]
And just as sudden as the voice came, it was gone.
'What the hell just happened?' was the only thing she could ask herself right now.
One moment, Dante was giving her a name, the next, she felt a rush of energy as if someone injected her a body stimulating serum while a robotic voice was was making some weird calculation in her head.
While there weren't any sign of pain, the whole process did put her on edge.
'WHAT THE FUCK JUST HAPPENED RIGHT NOW!? WHAT WERE THOSE SO CALLED SKILLS THAT WEIRD VOICE MENTIONED ALL ABOUT!? HEY! WEIRD VOICE! ANSWER ME!'
But no voice ever came.
The whole time, her mind was silent.
Like that voice never appeared in the first place.
"Is this some kind of universe sick joke?" She asked through gritted teeth "Cause I don't see anything funny about it."
She then decided to take a deep breath, as lashing out her anger won't change anything, before checking out if there's anything about herself that changed.
The change was as plain as day.
"Huh? Is it just me or did I got taller?" She asked herself as she saw that her body was slightly older and taller than she remembered.
Her arms and legs, despite still chubby, have gained some few length and strength. The oversized shirt she's being wearing, which seems to be twice her size, now reach to her knee. Her tail that was so short it could only stretch is now long enough to circle halfway round her legs.
As for standing?
Forget standing. She can now run and jump like it's nothing.
"Seems like I went through some growth spurt." She observed as she keeps clenching and unclenching her fists, feeling some energy rushing through them. "From what I can tell, I skipped about 3,4 years."
But why making her older? Is it because her younger self wasn't strong enough to handle those skills?
And what about those so called unique skills? Are they special abilities or summons? What are the conditions required to use them?
The more she think about it, the more frustration she gets for not having any answers.
"First, my life being a slave at the first moment I arrive to this world. Then my mom and the entire village being wasted, leaving me alone as a baby in the middle of know where. Not long after, a guy appear out of know where and decided to take me as his kid like it's nothing. And now this?" She pinched the bridge of her nose, frustration evidence in her voice. "I swear, Hell is starting to sound more peaceful as a option."
"Speaking of that guy, what happened?" She's been so much focused on herself, she didn't noticed when he dropped her down, or what he's been doing.
So she looked around and to her surprise, shock,.... and disappointmen... found him lying on the ground, passed out.
"..... He's joking right?" She kicked him on the head, hoping that he'll at least get up and tell her it was all a joke, but he was still out cold.
"What the hell!" The guy was full of energy when he arrived, and even spinning a child around required a lot of energy which wasn't a problem for him.
So when-?
She cut her thought right there. She already has a lot in her plate, no need to add another headache thank you very much.
She looked at the downed Dante one more time, sighed, then raised her hands in the air as a form of prayer "Whichever god is listening. Please. I'll accept any punishment. Just send me to hell where I truly deserve. This torture is just too much for my sanity."
Well, she's never been a religious person in her past life that's true.
But now?
She'll even bow down to a demon just to escape this nightmare.