A hazy light flickered in his vision when his vision finally returned to him. His senses were dull, and for a moment his thoughts were a mess. A big mess, to be exact

  “Where the hell am I?”

  His body felt way too different. Saller, weaker. His hands, which once were calloused and rigid, were now tiny and delicate. Panic surged through him as he struggled to make sense of what was happening in his surroundings.

  Before he fully processed everything, some strange voices reached his ears

  “Look, hon, our son is so adorable;

  he is the most gorgeous being on this earth,” a deep yet warm voice filled with affinity spoke

  “Yes, darling. He is just the same as you,” a woman replied, her tone ced with affection. “ I hope he grows to be as strong as you are.”

  A soft chuckle followed: “Of course. After he carries the name of Stoneheart’s family and has their blood in his body”

  The name clicked in Saaransh's mind; it sent signals to his brain that he had heard this name before

  “Stoneheart? The Stoneheart family, which was the strongest spearman family of his time”?

  “Wait…am I their son?”

  Everything was happening too fast. The voices of the couple, his unfamiliar body, the sudden realization of reincarnation that he had just now. It was too much to take in at once

  Soon the room fell silent; the warm voices filled with affection were no longer there. His new parents had left the room.

  He took a deep breath; he made his thoughts clear “Okay. Let’s think rationally for now.”

  This situation… He had read about this in many books before. Reincarnation. That was the only pusible expnation for that. He had died in his past life, but instead of moving on to the afterlife, he had been reborn.

  “But why in the Stoneheart family of all pces?”

  Not only were they renowned warriors, but they also pyed a very crucial role in the history of the empire. He had far too many questions but no answers to any of them.

  One thing was certain and that was that he needed information

  And there was only one pce to get what he desired

  The moment he found his chance, he made his move. Though his body was small and fragile, he carefully followed a servant, using the covers to make his way forward without getting caught by anyone

  It was vast, with shelves upon shelves stacked with an infinite amount of knowledge. He took his time; he scanned all the books, searching for something that could have been any help to him. Then, a title caught his eye

  “The Current Age: Insights with an open mind”

  A book detailing the empire’s present state, which included aspects like political changes, and major families of the empire like Stone Heart's

  “perfect”

  The empire had been founded 500 years ago after the death of Saaransh, which expanded through conquest and diplomacy. The empire had faced multiple wars and survived them all, and the power of the empire remained unshaken. Over the centuries, various great families emerged, each with their legacy.

  The Stoneheart family was one of the oldest families in the whole empire; they were recognized for their unparalleled mystery of the spear.

  He continued reading, absorbing as much knowledge as he could. A few hundred years have passed since his death, and much has changed. Political conflicts, advancements in the infrastructure, shifts in societal norms

  But one thing remained constant and that was that the power ruled over all

  After closing the book, he exhaled

  “At least I now understand the world in which I am born now.”

  He went back to his room

  Now, he had to check his body

  He closed his eyes, focused inward, and searched for his mana circuits within him.

  A familiar warmth coursed through his veins. Which was strong, sturdy, and untrained. This body… was far greater than his previous one; this body was perfect for his past swordsman techniques, and it was perfectly suited for combat. It was the peak of human potential.

  A smirk crept on his lips. lips”‘This will do.”

  Before he could have pnned further, the door to his room creaked slowly

  A tall man with bck hair and piercing golden eyes, he looked too handsome; his face cut was perfect, and nearly six feet two inches tall, he entered the room, his expression softening as he approached closer

  Lifting him into his arms, he chuckled, “ As soon as I got free from my work, I came to see you, my son. You are just so adorable to be true.”

  He carried him through the halls until they reached a grand chamber. The patriarch’s room

  His eyes wandered across the walls, scanning the portraits of previous heads of the family. His breath hitched when he saw a familiar face among them

  “Darius stoneheart”

  ‘So even he is remembered in the history.”

  Then, his gaze shifted to another familiar portrait. It was the current head of the family, his father.

  Reginald Stoneheart

  The realization clicked. No wonder this body is better than my previous one. He is the son of Reginald Stoneheart, the patriarch of the greatest spearman family in the whole empire.

  Unconsciously he smiled.

  Reginald let out a chuckle “Oh? My little son is smiling for his father, huh?”

  If only he knew the thoughts running in the head of his son

  That night, back in his dimly lit room, he sat in silence

  He had to be careful. He couldn’t afford to lose his intelligence or his abilities before the right time. These noble families often conducted something called as Awakening Ceremonies; if he were to dispy power before then, suspicion would arise

  He needed to take his time

  As he closed his eyes, a sudden pulse of mana started spreading through his veins

  His eyes snapped open. “what was that?”

  The sensation was foreign; it was not like anything he had felt before

  Then, a whisper echoed from the darkness

  Soft, eerie, almost…pleading

  His breath hitched as his gaze turned to the window

  A shadowy figure stood there; its features were obscured in the gloom. It extended its hand towards Saaransh and for a faint moment, a flickering of the light danced across its face

  And then, it was gone

  On the wall, some letters burned into existence, written with the colors bck and crimson.

  “Awaken, or be lost forever.”

  His heartbeat thundered in his chest

  A silent summons, A message from an unknown being

  And with that, a single truth has become clear

  His rebirth was not a mere coincidence

  Something far greater was behind it all

  And whatever it was. It had already begun.