Ouch.
What's happening to my body? Why do I smell smoke?
It burns.
The words tumbled out from scorched lips, a cry that felt so foreign to Toon Horst. His voice rasped as the smoke clawed at his throat, each breath fueling the fire that was consuming him.
His skin blistered and cracked, red flesh bubbling beneath the charred surface. Yet, death seemed to play a cruel game, refusing to take him.
Flames clung to Toon Horst like a relentless curse, searing his chest, arms, and face. The stench of roasted flesh and singed hair filled the narrow street. He screamed for help, his voice raw and shredded by pain.
"WATER! SOMEBODY—WATER!"
But the crowd just stood there, watching.
Dozens of eyes sparkled in the firelight, their faces shrouded in shadows, cold and unfeeling. Not a single soul moved. Not a hand reached out. To them, he was already lost a warning, a spectacle etched in memory.
Why is there a public execution at the middle of the day in front of people?
What is this old fucking CHINA!
The ropes binding him crumbled to ash. With a desperate roar, he broke free, his body still ablaze, stumbling down the stone path. Sparks flew in his wake as he lurched forward, smoke trailing behind him like a funeral shroud.
Then he spotted it.
A well.
Driven by instinct or perhaps something deeper and older,Toon Horst hurled himself into the darkness.
The plunge was both agony and relief. Water engulfed the flames with a violent hiss, steam erupting as the fire died, screaming in protest.
The cold wrapped around him, pulling the pain into a soothing silence. For a brief moment, there was nothing.
Then Toon Horst emerged, gasping, gripping the stones of the well. His body, once charred and broken, began to mend itself. Silver veins of light shimmered beneath the blackened skin, stitching his flesh back together. His wounds closed.
He pulled himself up, dripping and shivering, his silver eyes glowing faintly in the lantern light above. The crowd peered down, silent and unmoving, their gazes heavier than the flames had been.
Toon Horst blinked. The reflection staring back at him from the water's surface was a stranger's face.
"Who is this?" Toon Horst muttered to himself, trying to make sense of it all.
This is not me.
What happened?
Have I possibly might have transmigrated.
The thought of transmigration did not sit well with Toon Horst it felt too fantasy for him not real life. He wanted to believe in it but it did not sit well with him. But he had no choice as this is not where he came from he does not know this world.
Oww my head.
Fragments of Zemin's memories start flooding into Toon Horst. One is his apartment where he lives burning to ashes nothing else. Another is seeing his friends people who Zemin called brothers dying by numerous ways either from getting shot or others getting life sentences due to the many crimes that they did.
He held himself by a wall as the memories may have almost gave him a massive headache so he needed some time to breath.
After that he calmed down the headache was finally gone.
My clothes are burned off at least my pants made it out alive.
"What should I do I have no information about where I am but I do know somethings."
First the body that I have transmigrated into his name is Zemin that's all nothing else.
Toon Horst was a little bit annoyed that Zemin does not even have a simple surname he must have been a total numskull before he got into his body.
Next he is 18 years old ,a school drop out even though he had high grades in school the streets pulled him in and he was involved in the matters of gang wars. Gunshots, bullets and murders were a part of his life.
The place where he is is called Kurayamiya the home land here, sounds Japanese does that mean there are people from Japan here.
Toot Horst tried to understand on Zemin's actions trying to gain a clue on maybe going home if the chance was on the table.
Why was Zemin sentenced to execution? Maybe a past crime or recent Zemin's memories are scattered so I can't crack the code.
Toot Horst kept walking under the light of the moon, it was already night time and he did not know how but he knew one thing.
GROWL.
"Damn already hungry even though I just got here."
I don't have any money on me.
SIGH.
"Guess I have no other choice I gotta follow Zemin's ways in order to eat even though its illegal to to so." He whispered to himself.
Toon Horst started walking around the alley ways looking for something to eat but there was nothing no one was holding something that he could eat. It started to be really annoying for him as how can people who call themselves gangsters or thugs can't even have a single slice of bread.
Until
Wait someone is eating how is my very weak ass luck today.
Woah there that was very foul language maybe its normal here. Who cares.
Toon Horst goes to the crunching quietly and sees the person eating thats a really good sign for him.
I can't see the person that well as they is eating at the shadow of a building and is that person smoking as well, not like a care though.
Toon Horst closes in then steals the food that the person was eating and runs away. The person just stares at Toon Horst.
"Yes finally some food time to get diggin."
What's with this language damn it?
The in seconds he eats the food and it was very good for him. For the moment that sorted his food problem for the day. But then he heard a voice when he looked back he got a boot to the face.
"You little shit that's not how you do things here." the person said.
"Your not allowed to take stuff that does not belong to you even if this place is out of laws."
The person keeps on beating Zemin again and again Zemin screams for mercy and apology. The person reveals themself as a woman then she said," Mercy that's another lesson you brat. But I'll let it slide for now I wasn't hungry anyway."
The woman looks at Zemin with calculating eyes as if she sees something in him.
"Mmm, Yo kid you wanna get some money." The woman said as she just puffed out some smoke from her cigarette.
"Yes I-I do I need it I have nothing at the moment."
"Didn't ask for you backstory and fine you can come with me you have something in you that takes my interest."
"Now follow me."