Just A Reincarnation Story (Summoning Japan Edition)

Chapter 43-F: █[R]██[OGUE] - Heaven's Wheel

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~The Noble Protector~

A place shrouded in darkness yet illuminated by countless flickering candles, with an air heavy with the scent of crimson flowers that sporadically adorned this vast expanse, was a sight that unfolded before a soul that awoke after what felt like an eternity of slumber. Confusion gripped them as they struggled to make sense of their surroundings. Their memories were hazy and fragmented like shards of a shattered mirror. They could not recall their own name and their past, but amidst the swirling fog of forgotten memories, there's one thing that they feel remains with them, burning like a smoldering fire.

"Hello...?"

However, even their resolute soul began to waver in this place where time seemed to stand still. As the candles continued to cast their glow and the petals whispered in the air, they hesitantly called out to the void, hoping that someone would come, but the silence persisted. Amidst the disheartening stillness, they began to see vague scenes beginning to play in their mind, but those were all too blurry for them to discern.

Then, a soft rustling sound and light footsteps echoed through the darkness. Startled, they turned their gaze toward the source and saw a figure emerging from the shadows. The flickering candles cast dancing shadows across the newcomer's face, but it was later revealed that the newcomer hid further behind a white porcelain mask.

"You are...?" they asked with a mixture of trepidation and curiosity, uncertain of what would become of this encounter. As if in response, the newcomer, dressed in a bright red hood, halted a few paces away from them.

"You there," the red-hooded figure did not answer their question, but pointed at them with a distorted voice that echoed with a commanding air. "Tell me, what, in your mind, constitutes an ideal world?"

The soul, caught off guard by the question, stared at the red-hooded figure for a moment before gathering their thoughts. Ignoring them, the red-hooded figure walked past them and continued.

"A world where the strong do not oppress the weak, where people are not bound by the chains of their birth and have the opportunity to shape their own future regardless of their circumstances, it is surely an ideal one, right? But what if that world is shaped by bloodshed, paid by countless lives lost, and built on top of sacrifices upon sacrifices? Is THAT still an ideal world?"

This made the soul frown and ponder to themselves. With their already faltering memories, they initially struggled to give an answer to the red-hooded figure's words, but as they spoke, their words became clearer and clearer as if they had experienced this exact problem themselves.

"It is... Everyone... has the right... to pursue a better future... No matter how far off in the distance it could be... everything that stands in the way of that world must be torn down and remade anew so that things can change if it's necessary."

"Oh? What about the chaos that will ensue? Tearing apart an establishment that had stood for a very long time will inevitably demand sacrifices to be made. Is the pursuit of a new dawn really worth the price?"

"If they are inevitable, then so be it, because drastic measures are necessary to forge a great change. Lives may be lost, bonds shattered, and hearts broken. But in the end, such a path requires such sacrifices," the soul firmly stated, surprising even themselves at how easily they have come to say that.

The red-hooded figure listened intently, stepping toward the soul until they were mere inches away from one another. The soul tried to avert their gaze, but something held their eyes locked onto that mask. They could see their reflection on its polished surface, distorted and fragmented. The mask appeared serene, yet there was an undeniable sense of menace lurking behind its blank façade.