"Brother, it's time to get up for morning prayers." A clear yet childish voice echoed through the classical mansion. "Brother, you always make me wake you up. How embarrassing."
"Ah, I know. Stop pushing me, Shiki."
…
This is a typical Japanese-style room. A boy of about 7 or 8 years old is sleeping on the bed. He sniffed, rubbed his eyes, climbed out from under the covers, and stretched. "Oh, Shiki, really, you nag me like this every day. You're not ladylike at all. Be careful; no one will want to marry you when you grow up." Perhaps annoyed at being forced awake, the boy muttered under his breath as if no one were around.
Stare...
As if being watched by a wild animal, cold sweat broke out on the boy's back, and he stiffly turned his head.
"Ha, Shi, look, I'm getting up now. Can you step outside and wait for me by the door?" Seeing that the subject of his muttering was standing right beside him, the boy could only laugh helplessly.
"Hmph!"
The girl glared at the boy again, then turned and stomped out of the room in a huff.
"Whew~!" Ryougi Raku finally breathed a sigh of relief when the girl left without another word.
He got up, dressed, and washed up.
Standing in front of the bathroom mirror, Ryougi Raku gently touched his reflection. He was a handsome boy with a slightly upturned mouth that easily won people's favor. If any shotacons saw him, they might rush forward screaming, "Ahhh!"
Ryougi Raku is the name of the soul from the Sea of Roots who was reincarnated into this world. After leaving the Sea of Roots, he came to this world and took over the body of an orphan. After a short stay in an orphanage, he was adopted by the Ryougi family and became their foster son.
After arriving in this world and getting a brief understanding, Ryougi Raku knew this was the Type-Moon world. However, since most of his detailed memories had been lost in the Sea of Roots, Ryougi Raku only knew the broad strokes about this world.
"My name now is Ryougi Raku, and I will live under this name from now on!" Gazing quietly at the faint blood-red flame in his palm, Ryougi Raku murmured softly but firmly.
He clenched his fist, extinguishing the flame, and walked briskly toward the door where someone was waiting for him.
This flame is Ryougi Raku's Origin power, but he only has a vague understanding of its function. He still needs to slowly explore and learn to use it.
…
"Ah, Shi, sorry to keep you waiting!" Ryougi Raku opened the door and greeted the girl outside with a bright smile.
The girl in front of him had short hair and wore an ordinary kimono, lacking the heroic spirit she would have in future anime. Even her personality was quite different from the anime. She was Ryougi Shiki, Ryougi Raku's younger sister. Of course, they were only siblings in name.
As a foster son, he shared no blood relation with his sister. Sometimes, Ryougi Raku had wild thoughts.
"Let's go, brother. Big brother is waiting for us." Shiki tugged at Ryougi Raku's sleeve, hurrying him toward the dojo, her voice filled with dissatisfaction.
"Don't pull me, Shiki." Stumbling from the sudden tug, he quickly regained his balance and said with a smile.
…
The so-called morning prayers were essentially meditation in the dojo, calming the mind and soothing the heart. As one of the four great demon-hunting families, the Ryougi family believed that possessing extraordinary abilities would ultimately be stifled by society. Therefore, to maintain their fundamental nature, they implanted different personalities within the body, thus becoming all-encompassing beings. However, kenjutsu, accessible to ordinary people, was also a required skill for members of the Ryougi family.
Of course, Ryougi Raku also knew that the swordsmanship taught by the Ryougi family wasn't the "Ryougi Sword Style" from wuxia novels. It was just ordinary swordsmanship that could rank at the top among ordinary people and held no supernatural abilities.
…
It was spring in 1985, the peak of cherry blossom season. The Ryougi family's garden was ablaze with blossoms, and the bamboo water fountain in the courtyard pond dripped with a soothing sound. Sitting cross-legged in the dojo, Ryougi Raku listened to the dripping water and felt a sense of Zen.
In his previous life, as a homebody living in a bustling metropolis, it was hard to calm his mind. But in this atmosphere, he unknowingly felt a sense of enlightenment. At first, Ryougi Raku thought the Ryougi family meditated daily to practice some kind of martial arts and ascend to heaven, which was quite embarrassing.
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However, within this atmosphere, Ryougi Raku was able to quietly sense his own Origin Power and gain some understanding of it. The blood-red flame originated from his own mind, so with a single thought, it could rise or fall. But every time the flame burned in the outside world, bizarre scenes would appear in his mind, and all sorts of profound and complex information would echo within. He couldn't hold on for long before a splitting headache would force him to stop.
During an impromptu experiment, Ryougi Raku ignited a blood flame on his finger and then swept it over a burning match. He discovered that the information in his mind had changed, becoming much less complex, as if he could now comprehend it. As he repeatedly swept his finger over the flame, gradually growing accustomed to it, his mind slowly absorbed the information and completely "understood" the flame on the match.
Once again, he ignited a blood flame on his fingertip. He held it over the match flame for a long time, feeling no discomfort in his mind, not even the expected burning sensation. It was as if he had "transcended" that tiny flame, and it could no longer burn him. At the same time, with a thought, following the mysterious trajectory of the information in his mind, the blood flame instantly "consumed" the match flame, as if "killing" it.
At that moment, Ryougi Raku was ecstatic, finally understanding some of the applications of his power. As long as something was "consumed" by his blood flame—something he could comprehend and "transcend"—then, similar to the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception, he could easily "kill" it. But unlike the Mystic Eyes, he didn't need to touch a "point" or "line" of death.
Because burning in the air involved concepts like time, space, temperature, gases, sunlight, and so on, his soul's current ability couldn't fully comprehend them, which caused his headaches. Although he had once entered the Sea of Roots, the origin of countless worlds, and his future encounter with Ryougi Shiki would only involve the origin of this world, he ultimately had a "Void Shiki" that kept him in constant contact with this world's origin, making it effortless to comprehend "death."
He could only take it step by step, slowly understanding. However, the blood flame was merely the embodiment of the power of "Transcendence." Its essence was that through frequent contact, over time, he could comprehend and transcend everything.
...
Thinking of the future Ryougi Shiki, Ryougi Raku secretly opened his eyes and glanced at Shiki sitting on his left. He had loved this character since his otaku days, and now that he had a close relationship with her, he was naturally very happy.
Ryougi Shiki didn't notice his furtive glances and continued to meditate quietly, completing her morning prayers. But even if she had noticed, as a child, she wouldn't have understood his unusual behavior.
Shifting his gaze, Ryougi Raku's attention fell on his eldest brother to his right.
Ryougi Kagetomo was a tragic boy who only appeared twice in the anime. As the eldest son of the Ryougi family and a blood relative, he was sidelined because he lacked talent.
Ryougi Raku didn't know much about this anime character, but in this life, he discovered that Kagetomo always wore a gentle smile, handled everything calmly and composedly, and was friendly to everyone. Even though he knew he had no talent and couldn't inherit the Ryougi family, he held no resentment and accepted it as a matter of course.
Coupled with his appearance, Ryougi Raku always felt he resembled Kokutou Mikiya, Ryougi Shiki's future husband. Sometimes he wondered if Ryougi Shiki had a brother complex, and when she grew up, she found someone who looked very much like her brother and ended up with him because of the other's persistence?
However, no matter the reason, since he was born into this world and was Shiki's brother, Ryougi Raku certainly wouldn't give Kokutou Mikiya any chance, he thought to himself.
As for Kokutou Mikiya? Don't you have a sister with a taboo origin? As the envy of many siscon lovers, just be content! In countless parallel worlds, there must be one where Kokutou Mikiya follows the sister route instead of the Ryougi Shiki route, so in this world, you can follow the sister route! Of course, Ryougi Raku wouldn't admit that he was also a siscon.
...
After the morning meditation, it was time for breakfast. Shiki and his elder brother chatted and laughed as they left the dojo. His left sleeve was tightly tugged by Shiki's still-pale, delicate hand, a faint smile on her face as they walked side by side. Ryougi Raku felt a strange sensation.
When facing others, whether it was his father, grandfather, or elder brother, Shiki always wore a dull expression, as if lacking the liveliness of a child. But when she was with him, she always showed a bit of childish playfulness and smiled from time to time. He didn't know why, but it was a good thing. He had even jokingly said that he was charming, but only Shiki could see it.
"Shiki, you're so attached to Raku. Why don't you marry him when you grow up?" Ryougi Kagetomo looked at Shiki's actions and teased his younger siblings, the gentle smile on his face turning playful.
Ryougi Raku had the soul of an adult, but at this moment, he just smiled without saying a word. However, he felt his left sleeve being tugged down a bit more, and Shiki's small hand gripping it tighter.
"Hey, it's fine for an older brother over ten to understand this, but you're only five or six. How can you understand it? Are Japanese children really that precocious?!"
Not to mention Ryougi Raku, who was clearly pleased but pretended to sigh, after a while, they finally arrived at the dining area.
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"Sit down!" the man standing at the head of the table said sternly.
"Yes, Father!" After nodding, the three Ryougi siblings sat down one by one and prepared for breakfast.
The man was Ryougi Raku's adoptive father and the current head of the Ryougi family. He was only about thirty years old, with a stern face and a serious demeanor.
But that was only on formal occasions, such as during training, meals, or when guests were present. Under normal circumstances, he was still very gentle and kind.
The main members of the Ryougi family included the three siblings, their parents, their grandfather, the butler Kyuuryuu, and several servants who took care of their daily lives. The existence of a butler and servants in this modern era also indicated the Ryougi family's profound background and influence.
Butler Kyuuryuu served the meal and then stood aside, waiting for his masters to eat first. He was a man deeply loyal to the Ryougi family. The previous head of the Ryougi family, also Ryougi Raku's grandfather, had rarely been seen since passing the position to the next generation. Their mother, who had been in poor health since giving birth to Ryougi Shiki, spent most of her time recuperating, so these were the only visible members of the Ryougi family.
He greeted the butler and prepared for breakfast. Although he was a butler, having taken care of the three siblings since they were young, he was no different from a family member.
Like an ordinary family, breakfast consisted of traditional items like rice, grilled fish, and some fruit. For Ryougi Raku, who was used to eating rice in the morning instead of wontons and fried dough sticks, he had already adapted.
"Raku, you've been falling behind in your kendo practice recently. If you don't work harder, you'll be surpassed by your younger siblings." Here, there was no rule about not speaking during meals.
"Yes, I will do my best." Ryougi Kagetomo's reply was as gentle as ever, as if he didn't mind his father's criticism at all.
The head of the Ryougi family truly didn't mind. Since Kagetomo had no talent, the future family head would be Ryougi Shiki anyway. As long as he didn't bring shame to the Ryougi family, he could do as he pleased.
"Shiki and Raku have improved, but you must both continue to work hard and not slack off." Even when praising, his tone was serious.
"Yes, we understand, Father," Ryougi Raku and Shiki replied respectfully. Perhaps because he had high expectations for the two of them, their father wasn't as relaxed with them as he was with their eldest brother but was very strict instead.
Looking at his daughter and adopted son, he sighed deeply. He had devoted all his energy to nurturing Shiki, the future family head, but he hadn't expected Raku, his adopted son, to be so gifted. Moreover, he held an even more important role...
However, he missed one point. Ryougi Shiki truly had outstanding talent in kendo. As for Ryougi Raku, could one expect an otaku to have any talent in kendo? That was just another application of his ability.
...
Ryougi Shiki meticulously repeated the basic kendo movements, her face flushed, her breathing slightly labored, beads of sweat forming on her forehead, but she didn't relax. Her brother, Ryougi Raku, was also performing the same movements, but his breathing was even, without a trace of fatigue, and his movements were as standard as ever.
Sometimes she felt very frustrated. She worked extremely hard, but no matter what progress she made, her brother always achieved it effortlessly, making her feel like her efforts were in vain. But she didn't give up and always chased after her brother.
Ryougi Shiki always maintained a sense of detachment from everything, even towards her parents or biological brother. But from the first time she met this brother adopted by the Ryougi family, she felt an unknown attraction to him, as if he filled a void within her. Therefore, she always stuck close to him, feeling very comfortable in his presence. This attraction also made her follow in his footsteps, afraid of being left behind.
But family matters were their own. Ryougi Raku's superior talent was entirely due to his Origin Power. He discovered that this power could not only manifest externally but could also burn within his own body.
The human body is complex and difficult to describe. Under normal circumstances, fully understanding its structure would be extremely challenging. However, humans are the most intelligent creatures in the universe, possessing the essence of creation. Otherwise, why would humans, and not other beings, be the masters of this world?
But perhaps because his body was his own, Ryougi Raku easily comprehended it as his power burned within. Whenever his muscles were strained or he felt physically exhausted, he simply channeled his power, and the fatigue and pain from overexertion instantly vanished.
Moreover, every time he swung his sword, as long as he used his power simultaneously, he could easily comprehend and master those postures and movements.
Ryougi Raku had also tested his limits, finding that his body, constantly replenished by this power, had lost all concept of physical stamina. However, this Origin Power also consumed his mental energy. The pain after mental exhaustion was a hundred times worse than physical pain.
As for the total amount of this mental energy, he speculated that it was likely related to his willpower and mind. If his willpower and mind were strong enough, this power could be considered limitless.
Ryougi Raku had once secretly cut his palm with a knife. The wound wasn't deep, but it healed instantly. He didn't dare to chop off a hand or foot, but he believed that as long as his willpower remained unbroken and his mind was still functioning, he could be considered immortal. Regardless, being able to avoid easy death and possessing a form of immortality was a blessing. However, there was a drawback: the pain from a single cut was still present, causing him to grimace and potentially leading to death if his will weakened. For Ryougi Raku, tempering his willpower was essential.
Every time he swung his sword, he would wait until he couldn't hold on any longer, then use his power to eliminate the fatigue and continue swinging. In this way, he repeatedly pushed his limits to hone his will. This was a very simple method Ryougi Raku had found for himself.
What needed to be practiced in Japanese kendo were the nine basic strikes: downward strike, diagonal strike (right), diagonal strike (left), left horizontal strike, right horizontal strike, left upward strike, right upward strike, thrust, and backward strike. It could be said that all schools were derived from these nine basic movements.
Although Ryougi Raku also wanted to learn the legendary Nine Swords of Dugu, all he could learn now were these nine great strikes.
The three siblings practiced hard. The family head nodded with satisfaction and left quietly. He had an important matter to discuss with his father.
...
Deep within the Ryougi family compound, two men knelt facing each other.
If Ryougi Raku and the others were present, they would recognize one as their father and the other as their grandfather, whom they seldom saw.
"How is Shiki's condition?" the old man asked seriously, his expression alert.
"The awakening of the personality seems somewhat unstable, and 'Void' is still being suppressed. If the two personalities cannot be balanced, it might be dangerous." Facing the former family head, who was also his father, he replied respectfully.
Over the years, many members of the Ryougi family had gone mad due to dual personality issues, so they had to take it seriously.
The old man nodded and said nothing, quietly lost in thought. The atmosphere seemed somewhat oppressively reserved.