REBIRTH OF THE BROKEN BLADE AND THE ECHOES OF EDENIA
Volume I: The Cryo-Blade's Awakening
Prologue: The Price of the Summit
That night, the rain was not merely water; it felt like the heavens weeping over a lost justice. In the shadows behind the grand gymnasium, Ryoma Kazami staggered. His body, once honed through brutal training and considered the pinnacle of human performance, was now drenched in crimson.
Ryoma had everything: sharp looks, an athletic build that commanded attention, and a spirit that knew no surrender. He had spent his life protecting the weak, reaching the top through pure merit—no shortcuts, no lies.
Kenji (his voice trembling with suppressed malice): "Why won't you just stay down?! Why is it always you who gets the praise? We train just as hard, yet everyone only sees 'The Genius Ryoma'!"
Ryoma (coughing up blood as he tried to stand): "Kenji... Sato... was our friendship nothing but a facade? We trained to protect each other... not for vanity."
Sato (sneering as he gripped a dagger tainted with a strange, dark magic—the only unnatural thing in their world): "Protection? We don't need protection from someone who makes us look like dwarfs standing beside him. Die, Ryoma. We'll tell everyone you got tangled up with a gang."
The blade sank into Ryoma's chest. It wasn't the wound that killed him; it was the betrayal of hearts he once called home. He closed his eyes, regret gnawing at his soul—not because he was dying, but because he had wasted his sincerity on a world that didn't deserve it.
The Void: Encounter with the System
Amidst the absolute darkness, a cold blue screen flickered to life. There was no human voice, only electromagnetic pulses translating into his mind as absolute commands.
[Suitable "Vessel" Detected: Ryoma Kazami.]
[Status: Deceased (Betrayal/Homicide).]
[Synchronization with "Trans-World Salvation System": 99.9%.]
Ryoma (his soul drifting): "Where am I? Is this... hell?"
[System: You are in the Transitional Void. You have been chosen by the 'Enigmatic Entity' to be the Savior of Dying Worlds. There is no option for refusal. Refusal equals eternal erasure.]
Ryoma: "Savior? Who saves me, then? I died because I wanted to help others."
[System: You will be granted (Legacy Power: Sovereignty of the Absolute Void). Warning: Due to your current body's weakness, 99% of your power is sealed. To break the seals, you must complete "World Purification" missions.]
[World I: Edenia (Magic & Steel). Mission: Halt the Demonic Invasion. Consequence of Failure: World Erasure & Host Death.]
Before Ryoma could utter a word, a blinding white light swallowed him.
[Initiating Transfer... 3... 2... 1... Do not die in the first world, for the secrets behind it are heavier than you imagine.]
Awakening in Edenia: The First Encounter
Ryoma fell into the heart of a glowing Mana Forest. He felt his body shifting; his muscles became denser, his senses amplified tenfold. Yet, he also felt invisible "shackles" pressing against his heart—the seals placed by the System.
Suddenly, a battle cry echoed, followed by a magical explosion. Ryoma moved with incredible speed, finding himself before an epic scene: a girl with long silver hair, clad in silver armor adorned with royal crests, was fighting desperately against a massive Stone Golem with eyes glowing with demonic red light.
Princess Sia (panting, her sword shattered): "Fall back, soldiers! This beast is not normal... it carries the taint of black corruption!"
The Golem raised a fist of molten rock, ready to crush Sia, who closed her eyes in resignation. At that moment, Ryoma appeared. He didn't use magic; he used the "Athletic Mastery" from his past life, backed by 1% of the System's power.
Ryoma (his voice calm and chilling): "Use your strength for defense... not for despair."
In a blur, Ryoma leaped over the Golem's shoulder. Instead of a heavy blow, he merely touched the monster's forehead with a single finger.
[System: Activating Skill (Void Dismantling - Level 1).]
The gargantuan rock cracked like fragile glass, and the Golem exploded into dust. Silence filled the air.
The Table and the Warning
After the battle, Sia insisted on taking Ryoma to her secret camp. She looked at him with a mix of suspicion and awe.
Sia (offering him a plate of roasted venison): "Eat, stranger. You look like you've exhausted your energy. Tell me, which kingdom are you from? I don't recognize your attire, and your power... it's unlike any Mana we know."
Ryoma (eating hungrily): "I'm just someone who lost his way between worlds. My name is Ryoma. As for my power... it's just a tool for survival."
Sia (leaning closer, searching his grey eyes): "You are mysterious, Ryoma. In our world, the Demon King has begun corrupting even the kindest beasts. We need heroes like you. Will you join us? I will be your guide and your sword."
Ryoma (staring at the blue screen visible only to him): "I have no other choice, Sia. My destiny... requires me to protect this place."
That night, a new notification appeared:
[Warning: The Demon King in 'Edenia' is but a puppet for something greater. Do not grant absolute trust to anyone.]
[Additional Info: Upon saving this world, the portal to (World of Qing: War of Kingdoms) will open.]
Ryoma (whispering to himself): "War of Kingdoms? And other worlds? It seems my journey to find the one behind this 'System' will be long and drenched in blood."
The Shadow Observer
In a distant fortress shrouded in black mana, a being sat upon a throne of giant bones. It wasn't the Demon King, but a figure wearing a mysterious mask, watching a magical screen displaying Ryoma.
The Masked Entity: "Oh... the new vessel has arrived. Will he break the 99% chains? Or will he perish like those before him?"
Dark Servant: "Master, shall we send the Seven Knights to eliminate him now?"
The Masked Entity (chuckling coldly): "No... let him enjoy his hollow heroics. I want him to feel hope, so that the taste of his despair will be sweeter when I destroy every world he tries to save."