As the blinding light faded, Mark found himself floating—not in the sky, not in space, but over a vast and breathtaking city. His breath hitched as he took in the majestic sight beneath him. The city stretched endlessly, illuminated by a mixture of warm golden lanterns and the soft glow of a crescent moon. Towering elegant buildings lined the streets, their architecture reminiscent of European royalty yet infused with a mysterious, ethereal aura. Wide stone-paved roads cut through the city, leading towards a colossal castle at its very heart.
In the middle of the city stood a huge, breathtaking castle—a masterpiece of architecture, exuding both elegance and power. Its towering spires reached toward the heavens, adorned with intricate carvings and shimmering crystalline windows that reflected the moonlight like scattered stars. And at the very top of the castle, standing proudly against the night sky, was a half-moon ornament, its silvery glow casting an ethereal radiance over the kingdom.
Mark's eyes flitted to the people below—men and women clad in luxurious noble attire, adorned with intricate embroidery and gemstones that shimmered in the moonlight. The carriages rolling through the streets weren't just ordinary ones—they were lavish, drawn by creatures that looked like a fusion of horses and mythical beasts.
"Whoa…" he gasped, his voice barely more than a whisper. "Did I just land in an Isekai anime?! This is insane!"
But his awe was short-lived.
A sudden realization struck him. He was falling.
"Wait… wait… WAIT!!!"
The wind howled past his ears, tousling his hair as he plummeted at an alarming speed. The cityscape below rushed closer with every passing second, and panic surged through his veins like wildfire.
"AM I GONNA DIE AGAIN?!" he screamed, flailing his arms helplessly.
His heart pounded. His lungs felt empty. He braced for the inevitable bone-crushing impact—
But instead…
He passed through the ground.
"...."
Everything turned pitch black.
Mark found himself falling again, but this time, it was slow, almost as if he were drifting through molasses. His body floated weightlessly, descending as though the laws of physics had simply given up on him.
Then, his feet touched something solid.
It wasn't ground. It wasn't stone. It wasn't even something he could describe. The surface beneath him pulsed, shifting like liquid yet firm underfoot.
And then…
They appeared.
Hundreds of shadowy figures emerged from the darkness, forming a circle around him. Their bodies hummed with a purple glow, illuminating the eerie surroundings. Silent yet imposing, they all did the same thing—
They bowed.
"Uhhh…" Mark blinked. "Are they… bowing? To me? Oh no. Oh no no no no. What if I just walked into some kind of demon cult initiation?!"
A pathway of glowing violet light formed beneath him, leading toward something—no, someone.
A colossal shadowy being sat before him, its form so massive that its head was obscured by the overwhelming darkness. Its sheer presence dwarfed everything else, exuding an aura that sent shivers racing down Mark's spine.
His throat dried up.
"What… what is that thing?!" he thought, his body frozen in place. "And why is it just sitting there, like a final boss waiting for me to make the first move?!"
Then, the enormous figure moved.
It extended a massive, clawed hand toward him.
Mark gulped.
"W-wait a minute… is it… asking for a handshake?!"
For a brief moment, the world stood still. Mark didn't dare move, didn't dare breathe. But before he could decide whether to run, scream, or offer a polite handshake to this nightmarish entity—
CRACK.
The entire realm around him fractured like shattering glass.
An overwhelming force rushed through his mind, and in an instant, memories—his memories—came flooding back.
He saw his past life.
He saw his father feeding him when he was a child.
"Dad…" he whispered, his voice trembling.
Then—light.
Bright. Blinding. Overwhelming.
And then…
Silence.
When Mark's eyes fluttered open, he found himself lying on a soft bed in a dimly lit room.
His head throbbed.
"What… happened?" His voice came out hoarse. "Where am I…?"
He groggily pushed himself up, the soft fabric of the sheets slipping off his body. The air around him was cool, carrying a faint scent of lavender and aged wood.
As he stepped down from the bed, his bare feet met the smooth wooden floor. He took a hesitant step forward, eyes scanning the room. It wasn't exactly luxurious, but it wasn't shabby either. The furniture was simple yet elegant, with a sturdy wooden dresser in the corner and a small window letting in slivers of moonlight.
Then… he saw it.
A mirror stood directly in front of him.
And as he gazed into its reflective surface—his breath hitched.
A little boy stared back at him.
His messy black hair hung slightly over his wide, violet eyes. His tiny hands trembled as he touched his own face. His face.
"What the hell…?!"
His mind spiraled into chaos.
He had turned into a child.
"What kind of twisted Isekai logic is this?!"
His fingers gripped the mirror's edges as he studied his new, younger form, his mind racing with endless questions.
Why was he a child? Where was he? What was that shadowy thing from earlier? And most importantly…
What the hell was going on?!