There was a twenty‐year-old man whose life could be described in one word: miserable. You might wonder why.
The man about whom I just mentioned lay on his deathbed, awaiting death—a poetic end, if you will.
He had been born into a rich and affluent family and thus, he should have enjoyed a comfortable life. Yet fate was not on his side. Almost immediately after birth, a terminal illness with no known cure struck him.
The illness left him weak and confined to bed for most of his life. But that was not all. Along with the inability to live a normal life, he endured tremendous pain at regular intervals. The agony drove him to the brink of madness, leaving him with nothing to do but cry in despair.
Despite all his suffering, he never cursed the gods, the heavens, fate—whatever one might call it.
And the reason- his loving family. His silence toward the fate he had been bestowed was a tribute to the family that had cared for him.
His family included his parents and two elder siblings.
They had adored him in every way possible and with every resource they possessed.
In truth, he was extremely fortunate to be blessed with such unwavering familial love. Many in his condition would have been abandoned without a second thought, yet his family never let him go.
Amid his constant pain, books became his refuge. He developed a passion for collecting knowledge, with online videos playing an important role in his self-education.
At last, the day arrived when he knew he would be gone forever. He could feel the merciless death slowly approaching, and, oddly enough, he welcomed it.
He saw death as a release from his misery; a freedom from the curse of relentless pain and suffering. Freedom for his family from the despair to see their beloved in so much of pain.
He believed that once he was gone, his parents' and siblings' hearts would no longer ache at the sight of his torment. Although grief and sadness would linger for a long time, they would be free from the helpless despair that had defined their lives.
With one final thought for his beloved family, he closed his eyes, and his soul was whisked away.
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When he opened his eyes again, he found himself floating in utter darkness.
He could neither see nor feel his body; all that surrounded him was an infinite dark void. Suddenly, something stirred—strange sounds echoed in the darkness, and, inexplicably, he understood every word.
"You are one of a kind, boy," a deep, resonant voice declared. The man tried to look around to find the source of the voice but he discovered nothing. It was still the same darkness.
"People in your condition, even if they do not believe in my existence, spend their entire lives cursing me," the voice said. "Yet you have never uttered a word against me in your twenty years of life."
"Although you were never a true believer, you considered yourself fortunate to be blessed with such a family. I truly admire your character, boy."
A pause ensued before the voice boomed again. "So, I have granted you another life. Enjoy it as much as you can. Do not burden yourself unnecessarily- live as you desire and as you wish."
Then the voice continued with a promise of gifts.
"To aid you on your journey, I bestow upon you the following blessings," it said.
"First, you shall possess an enhanced physique and masterful fighting and weapon skills. Your mental capacity and overall abilities will be second to none."
"Secondly, you will be able to summon a weapon of your choice. It will be a weapon most suited for you."
"And finally, you will have the power to bestow your blood essence upon three willing companions; while this essence will not render them as strong as you, it will make them far superior to an average human."
The voice softened one last time. "Have a magnificent life ahead, my child."
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The man's eyes snapped open, and the first sensation he experienced was a sharp pain coursing through his chest as if something were being drilled into it. He felt that as if entire body was burning from inside… as if his internal organs were being roasted.
He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists as he tried to adjust to the searing pain.
In the next few moments, the pain subsided, and the tense muscles in his body relaxed. He took several deep breaths, feeling the slightly cool air fill his lungs.
After a few more deep breaths, he began to analyse his situation.
First, he surveyed his surroundings. He had been lying on a coarse surface; instead of the fine silk fabric he was accustomed to in his previous life, the sheet beneath him was rough and rugged.
The room in which was lying itself was small. The paint and the cement plaster seemed to be falling of the wall. The room in overall looked as if it was about to crumble down.
Directly opposite his bed- a small sized bed made up of wood, a window offered a limited view through which dim yellow light was flickering inside. And this dim light was the only source of illumination inside the small room.
On his left, a wooden table and chair were arranged, while a door was to his right.
He then checked his body. Tied around his upper body was a white cloth which smelled with of ointments and medicine. His remaining upper body was bare. He was dressed in loose-fitting pants.
After examining the room and his body, he attempted to recall the memories linked to his new body.
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