My name is Rudeus Greyrat.
Ordinarily, I'd start by introducing myself properly, but if you're reading this, you probably already know who I am. So let's skip the pleasantries. Frankly, I'd rather not dredge it all up again.
If I had to sum up my life in two words?
Utter failure.
I lost my father while I was still young.
My wife in middle age.
And my sister, in the twilight of my years.
A life like that? Honestly, it would've been better to just start over.
This isn't just idle musing. But don't get the wrong idea—I didn't plan to end it all because of the pain. No, I had something else in mind.
Time magic.
Not some cheap escape, but a calculated leap backward, one last desperate gamble to rewrite this cursed life. Call it my final trump card. A true magic born not from despair, but from resolve.
Of course, it's not like you can simply chant a few words and go spiraling through time. No, I pored over ancient tomes, consumed every theory, and pushed my understanding of magic to the brink. I even drew upon the Dragon Tribe's reincarnation techniques to complete this spell.
It was nothing short of a miracle. A spell that could truly send someone back in time.
If I had the luxury of time, I would've spent years refining it. Trial runs, simulations—like a responsible mage would do. But fate doesn't grant such conveniences to humans.
We don't live for centuries. I'm nearly seventy, and even that's pushing it. My body is deteriorating; death is just around the corner.
I tried researching immortality magic too. But the results were clear—it would take at least a hundred years to finish even the prototype. Far too late.
This is it. My last shot.
Please, O supreme Go—no, forget that. Please, my magic… let this work.
"Time… turn back!"
The moment I activated the spell, I felt every drop of mana surge out of me like a receding tide. My body dissolved with it, swallowed by the flow of time itself.
Then everything went black.
And silence.
...
...
I don't know how long I floated in that nothingness.
But then, I heard voices—faint and familiar.
"He's here. He made it."
"So precious… What should we name him?"
"Hmm… Rudeus. How about Rudeus?"
"What a beautiful name…"
When I opened my eyes, I saw her golden hair glowing like sunlight, and him, grinning with his usual rough charm. Both looked down at me with warmth I hadn't felt in decades.
"Rudeus. I'm your father, remember that."
The man—Paul—scooped me up, laughing boisterously, just like he always did.
"Idiot, Rudy can't even see properly yet. How's he supposed to remember?" Zenith chided softly, exhaustion and joy in her smile.
I couldn't help but laugh, too.
Paul. Zenith.
I remember everything.
I tried moving my arms. My legs. They were tiny. My body was soft and helpless.
And then, I cried.
Not just sniffles. I cried like a newborn—loud and raw.
"Oh no, Rudy's crying!"
Paul panicked like a novice father, which… he kind of was, even back then.
"Let me take him, sir," Lilia said calmly. She cradled me close, her embrace gentle, warm, and overwhelmingly nostalgic.
I didn't cry because I was sad.
I cried because I was overwhelmed.
I had done it.
The spell had worked.
I had returned.
Tears of gratitude streamed down my cheeks. I couldn't smile. I could only cry.
Thank you. Truly.
Thank you for giving me this second chance.
Father. Mother.
And you too… Hitogami.
Just wait.
Your reckoning is coming.
——
A new life begins.
The legendary second life of Rudeus Greyrat is underway.
The Legend Has Not Yet Begun
As much as I talk about correcting my past failures, the truth is… I'm a baby. A literal, helpless baby.
I can't talk. I can't cast spells. I can't even crawl yet.
So, sorry. The legend will take some time to begin.
...
That said, I wasn't wasting my days.
No, I wasn't spending them basking in the softness of Zenith and Lilia's breasts. Okay, maybe a little. But I swear, that's just what babies do!
Let me explain.
I came back for three reasons.
First: Kill Hitogami.
Second: Fix my failed life.
Third: Protect those I love.
But here's the problem.
No matter how much I want to move now, I can't afford to act recklessly.
Hitogami—the so-called Human God—can see through time. He observes the future like reading a book. If he even suspects my presence, he'll know I'm an anomaly.
And once he knows… he'll act.
He'll send apostles to stop me while I'm still too weak to resist.
He's done it before. He'll do it again.
The problem is, I can't hide from him. No magic exists that can block his sight. I've studied nearly every spell under the sun—nothing works. The workings of his foresight remain a complete mystery.
So for now, I must lie low.
But don't think for a second that I've given up.
I cast aside everything—my body, my time, my pride—to make this return possible.
If it means winning in the end, I'll endure any humiliation. Anything.
Before my return, I also looked into reaching the place known as the "world of nothingness." I scoured every magical theory for a path that could lead there.
No such path exists.
Which means I can't confront Hitogami directly. Not yet.
Even if I'm confident in my power, confident enough to overpower most people alive, he controls pawns across the world. Pawns who could easily overwhelm a child, no matter how talented.
So I wait.
But not passively.
I need allies.
There's one man—one being—who understands the Human God better than anyone.
Orsted. The Dragon God.
He tried to kill me once. But in the end, he became my most valuable ally.
If I can find him again, if I can earn his trust early...
That's my best chance.
But the problem is, I don't know how to reach him.
The Seven Great Powers are the only ones who might know how to contact him. But ever since I parted ways with Red Dragon's Jaw, I haven't heard a single whisper of the Dragon God.
Still, I must find him.
Even if it means facing betrayal again.
This time, I'll approach with caution.
Before I meet him, I'll make sure to avoid any reckless moves.
—End of Chapter—