A dagger plunged into the center of my chest with chilling precision.
Another found its mark in my groin—a merciless strike.
Two more blades tore into my left thigh and quadriceps, carving deep and leaving a crimson trail in their wake.
The fifth dagger pierced my right knee, its cruel edge slicing clean through and emerging on the other side in a grotesque display.
The sixth blade slashed across my left shoulder, sending a fresh wave of blood spilling down my arm.
The seventh embedded itself in my left foot, punching through even the steel-plated boots, nearly severing my toes.
But the eighth and ninth—those were the real killers. Twin blades that ripped through my abdomen, carving wide, jagged gashes that nearly merged into one.
That was the level of brutality wielded by the Thirteen Months—Gloria's most feared enforcers.
And yet, even as I lay there, rain drenching my battered body, I couldn't quite believe it.
Me. Ash Wyvern. The most feared assassin in Gloria. Hunted down and cut apart like this.
But I didn't go down without a fight.
Four of them. That's how many I took with me.
The other nine? They stood around me, catching their breath, exhaustion written all over their faces. Some had dropped to their knees, others had slumped down onto the wet ground, barely able to stand. Pathetic.
I was the one dying here. Not them. And yet, they were the ones gasping for air.
The thought alone made me chuckle, the sound weak but laced with amusement, even as blood pooled in my mouth.
Even at death's door, I still made them struggle. Gloria's strongest force. And they looked like this?
Yeah… I'd say I did just fine.
January, standing right next to my head, caught my faint chuckle. He clicked his tongue in irritation, pressing his foot against my throat.
"What's so funny? Nine of Lucifer's Claws aren't enough to finish you off?"
Silence.
Then, from the nearest wall, April let out a long, exaggerated sigh.
"Maybe we need the other four," he mused, his sharp voice dripping with malice.
I tried to shake my head, but my body barely responded. "Well… considering I've been cursed for three years now," I murmured, my voice barely more than a whisper, my bloody grin unwavering, "I'd say… nine should be enough."
January wasn't amused. He kicked my head this time, his brows furrowing.
"Wipe that damn smirk off your face! You're on your deathbed—shouldn't your miserable life be flashing before your eyes right now? Does that make you smile?"
Hah… Unbelievable.
Even with one foot in the grave, he still had to bring up that topic.
How were these guys the kingdom's elite? Seriously… unbelievable.
Ignoring the throbbing pain, I slowly—painfully—raised my right hand, fingers trembling as they reached for the golden bracer around my left wrist.
This bracer… my so-called savior.
It had suppressed my magic ever since I was cursed, stretching my life out just a little longer. A temporary solution at best.
But now?
Now, it didn't matter anymore.
My fingers unlatched the bracer. I felt the shift immediately—an ominous surge of magic bursting free.
Still grinning, I bared my bloodstained teeth.
"Yeah? Then tell me…" I rasped, letting the bracer fall to the ground with a dull clink.
"Are you guys seeing your life flash before your eyes?"
"Huh?"
For a brief moment, January looked confused.
Then his eyes flicked to my now-bare wrist.
Then to the air around us, thick with a suffocating magical pressure.
Then—panic.
His green eyes went wide.
"RUN! RUN, ALL OF YOU!" he bellowed. "He's gonna go berserk!"
No hesitation. No second thoughts.
They ran.
I could feel their magical presence retreating, scattering in all directions.
Heh… too late.
They were already within my reach.
The air grew thick—suffocating—under the sheer weight of my unleashed magic.
In an instant, all nine of them were crushed to the ground, their bodies pinned as if the very air itself had turned against them.
They couldn't move.
They couldn't even breathe.
But I wasn't done.
As they struggled, gasping like fish dragged onto land, I drew in everything. Every trace of magical energy in the atmosphere, every last drop from the ground, from the rain, even from their own bodies. Their life force seeped into me, their resistance fading to nothing.
And then—
I let it all go.
A single, unstable surge of pure void magic erupted outward.
The shockwave tore through them before they could even scream. Their bodies were flung into the air, limbs severed, torsos shredded—reduced to nothing more than scattered remnants.
They didn't even get the mercy of a final cry.
Their lungs had already been robbed of air.
And just like that, the Thirteen Months were gone.
I let my body fall back onto the ground, the cold rain now tainted red, washing over me along with the ruins and debris of the battlefield.
It was over.
Ash Wyvern—Gloria's greatest assassin—had wiped out the kingdom's strongest force before dying.
Yeah… if tomorrow's newspapers were to print that, I'd say it was fitting.
I could die in peace now.
And yet…
Why?
Why was I targeted?
I had served Gloria with unwavering loyalty. I had done their dirty work, spilled blood in their name. I never disobeyed. I protected them.
I did everything they asked.
I knew I had enemies. That was a given. An assassin always does.
But none of Gloria's royalty should have been among them. That much, I was certain of.
So why?
Why did the Thirteen Months—a force that only the royals could command—come after my life?
It didn't make sense.
It just didn't make sense.
Ahh… I couldn't feel pain anymore.
My vision blurred, colors fading into muted grays before dissolving into pure black. The cold raindrops that had once washed over me? Gone. I couldn't feel their icy touch against my skin anymore.
Yeah… I guess this was it.
Goodbye, life.
As crappy as it was, I'd definitely be remembered, right? Right?
All that was left to do now was brace myself for the inevitable drop into hell.
…
…
…
…Wait.
It was still dark?
Not just dark—it was… quiet.
And more importantly, I wasn't cold anymore.
Moments ago, I'd felt like a frozen corpse, like someone had shoved me in an icebox and forgotten I existed. But now? Now my body felt strangely warm. Too warm.
Hold on.
Did I even have a body anymore? Maybe I'd already become a spirit or something. That would make sense, right?
…No, I definitely had a body.
I could feel something soft pressing all around me, sinking slightly under my weight. It was smooth, a little ticklish, and just… weirdly slippery?
Afterlife massage? With oil?
Not bad. Not bad at all. Whoever was running this section of hell deserved an A+. If this was eternity, I could die with that.
Though, uh, one complaint.
Legroom.
It was way too tight in here, my dude. You gotta work on that.
Just as I was about to settle into my supposed VIP treatment, a sudden gust of cold wind rushed in from below—a sharp contrast to the warmth surrounding me.
The hell?
I forced my blurry eyes open, barely able to make out what looked like… a tiny gate? A gap, opening beneath me, like the very light at the end of the tunnel.
Oh.
Was this their grand welcome? Give me five minutes of paradise before dropping me straight into the abyss?
Man, no fun. That A+ just dropped to a B.
Wait… voices.
I could hear voices.
Women's voices. Two of them.
One of them? Screaming her lungs out.
The other…
Huh. I couldn't hear her clearly, but something about her tone was calm. Familiar, even. And—
Wait.
She was speaking Glorian. My native language.
That was… unexpected.
Well, at least when I got down there, I wouldn't have to struggle with some weird demon tongue. Small wins. Maybe we could even catch up, trade some hell survival tips or something.
Yeah. This might not be so bad.
The gap widened.
Hmm… Judging by its size, I could probably take a quick peek at whatever was out there, right?
Yeah… bad idea.
My head felt way too big for the hole. But luckily, it was stretchy.
Brrrrr.
The moment my head slipped through, a sudden cold breeze smacked me in the face. Wait, wasn't I supposed to be heading to hell? Shouldn't it be hot? Like, "lava bath and eternal torment" hot?
No time to dwell on that, though—because holy hell, that woman's screaming just got a hundred times louder.
Was she the Banshee Queen or something?
Whatever she was being tortured with, I just prayed I wouldn't get the same treatment.
But then, amidst the shrieking, I finally heard the other voice.
A firm, commanding one.
"Come on, keep pushing!"
"You can do it, keep going!"
"That's it! I can see the head coming out! Just a little more—push!"
…
Wait.
Hold up.
Come again?
"…I can see the head coming out?"
My head?
Oh.
OH, HELL NAH.
This wasn't some ordinary afterlife. This was a freaking summoning ritual!
Those two must have been succubi, and they were trying to drag me into some demonic torture chamber. Nope. Not happening. Not today.
I tried yanking my head back. Big mistake.
Not only was I too weak to pull myself in, but whatever the hell was surrounding me was actively pushing me out.
For every one centimeter I managed to pull back, I was shoved five more centimeters forward.
What the heck?!
Why must I suffer like this?!
Crap—most of my body was already out.
The screaming lady hadn't stopped, and honestly, at this rate, I was gonna lose my own vocal cords instead of hers.
"That's it! Just one leg left!" the firm woman announced.
Then, with way too much excitement, she added, "You! Make room for the newbie!"
Oho? Making room? FOR ME?! IN WHERE, HUH?!
I BET IT'S A DAMN LAVA POOL.
Oops.
My last leg slipped out.
But… I didn't fall?
Instead, I felt something warm and soft—like I was being cradled.
"You did it!" the firm woman sighed in relief, while the Banshee Queen finally stopped screaming.
At last.
Now that the ungodly noise had ceased, I finally took a good look at my surroundings.
And yeah, this didn't look like hell.
Not even a little.
The room was bright—way too bright.
How many magical lanterns do they have in here?!
And when the lady said, "Make room for the newbie," did she mean… this giant bath?
The moment I came out of the "dark abyss," I was met with warm, fragrant water.
Two women were giving me a bath.
…
I just hope I don't get hard.
Wait, what the hell are they wearing?
Their clothes looked like they were made of blue paper or something.
And now they were wrapping me in a towel?
I mean, I wasn't complaining, but hell wasn't supposed to be this comfortable.
"A perfect, healthy baby!" the firm woman declared proudly.
Wait.
What?
She took me in her arms and walked toward—oh.
A bed.
With a woman lying on it.
A woman who looked like I had drained the life out of her with my magic.
She looked exhausted. Sweaty. Worn the hell out.
And then the lady handed me over to her, smiling.
"Congratulations, Mrs. and Mr. Lapis!"
…
…
…
Hold the hell up.
I wasn't dead.
I was reincarnated.
And judging by the high-quality treatment I was getting…
This was a royal delivery room.
Which meant…
That slippery darkness…
That tight, suffocating tunnel…
Yup.
That was the Banshee Queen's vagina.
…
Well.
At least I finally got inside one.
Here I was.
Cradled in the arms of the Banshee Queen.
Ahem… New Mom. Yeah, New Mom sounds better.
If you ignored the eyebags, the yellowed skin from all that… pushing, and the overall "I-just-fought-a-war" look…
Yeah…
She was actually a treat for the eyes.
Green eyes—big, round, and vibrant. Long, straight blonde hair that looked silky as hell. Perfectly clear skin. A round, cutie nose. Naturally red cheeks that made her look like a doll. And that styled bang resting perfectly on her forehead?
Absolute perfection.
Even with her exhaustion, she still smiled at me.
A tired yet warm and welcoming smile.
As if to say:
"Welcome."
…Yeah, she was stunning.
Then, New Mom lifted her head toward the two ladies who had just delivered me.
"Excuse me," she said in a barely audible voice. A huge contrast to the way she was screaming her lungs out earlier.
"Aren't newborns supposed to… you know, cry?"
One of the women stepped closer and gently tapped my head.
"Some babies are just silent watchers," she said with a soft smile. Then, she turned to the side. "Mr. Lapis, if your wife or the baby need anything, don't hesitate to call us, alright?"
"Thank you," a deep but incredibly soft voice responded.
And then—whoop! I was suddenly in someone else's hands.
New Dad, huh?
Okay, hold on.
Can you people stop passing me around like a damn relay baton? I just got here! Let me breathe!
But fine. Since I was here, I might as well scan New Dad.
Sharp features. His jawline? Cut like a blade. Cheekbones? Defined as hell.
Ocean-blue eyes framed by a pair of thin glasses. And his black hair? Wavy. Slightly messy but in a stylish way.
Yup. New Dad was hella fine too.
"Sorry, Elza," he said, lips teasing a gentle smile.
"I think someone else stole my heart at first sight."
New Mom—Elza—chuckled softly.
Blugh… Leave me out of your cheesy romance, thanks.
Then, she gazed at me lovingly and spoke:
"Welcome to the world, Lina."
"Yeah," New Dad added, holding me a little closer. "We'll cherish you forever, don't worry."
…
…
Well, damn.
Looks like I really hit the jackpot with this reincarnation.
Lapis, huh?
Yeah, I could live with that as a family name. It had a nice ring to it.
But Lina?
Come on. Lina?!
Think about it—I was Gloria's greatest assassin. A living nightmare that haunted the shadows. I had a name that sent shivers down spines.
And now?
I got stuck with Lina?
Sounds like some innocent little village girl who plays with flowers and cries over stubbed toes. Not exactly fitting for an ex-legendary killer.
Ugh. I'd definitely file a complaint the moment I could start talking.
But for now… I guess I'd just have to deal with it.
Still, something felt off.
In my past life, there was something I cherished above all else. More than my scythe. More than my magic.
A set of two great jewels and a big pipe.
They were with me wherever I went. A source of pride. My identity.
But now?
Nothing.
I didn't feel them at all.
Weird.
Even if they were small, I should be able to sense them at least a little, right?
Maybe I should just take a quick look…
…
Oh.
Oh.
Oh.
Now I get it.
There was nothing there.
…
Sigh.
I wasn't just reincarnated.
I was reincarnated as a girl.