Chapter 2: Restart

It was entirely black.

There was no body he possessed, as if solely inhabiting a consciousness amidst a void bearing nothing but total darkness.

For a moment, it was nothing but complete silence in this void; deprived of all senses, his thoughts felt hazy.

What…is this? He thought.

[Welcome, User: Ethan Bellrose. You're about to begin your New Life. Which world would you like to begin your Grand Rebirth in?]

As the monotone voice resonated into his nonexistent ears, the world around him shifted as his options were shown:

[The cyberpunk world of an Earth far ahead of our time, filled with robots, digital wonders, and a thrilling life ahead.]

The abyss was replaced with the sight of the technologically advanced world, surrounded by skyscrapers that bore hologram billboards, flying cars, and civilians with casual cybernetic augmentations and alike.

He had a bird's eye view of the world, spectating it.

Woah…He thought.

Below him on the streets, he could see the inhabitants of this alternative world pursuing their own lives. Some were rushing to work, others begged for money, and some even fought. It was a world full of life, soaring around him.

[Or, if that does not fit your taste, then how about a reality in which intergalactic travel is the norm. You won't be limited to just one world, but plenty.]

It faded to black once more before being replaced by the vastness of the cosmos, leaving him in complete awe at the dazzling stars and vast, colorful planets. Traversing the cosmos were spaceships of varying shapes and sizes.

Vrrrrrr

A hum filled his ears; it was the vibration of something of massive scale passing right by his disembodied gaze.

"Holy…"

A ship forged of ivory metal, holding a size that rivaled that of a country, sailed by him through the cosmos.

Once again, it faded, but this time, what he saw struck his heart.

[Last, but not least: Arcadius, a world of fantasy; magic, dragons, and everything mystically imaginable.]

What he saw were far-stretching plains and mountains with a mighty dragon flying overhead, passing his disembodied view as the strength of its crimson wings flapping filled his nonexistent ears.

It was clear that this was only a snippet of a world beyond his wildest imagination.

[What will it be, Ethan?]

It didn't take much time for him to come up with his answer–

"Arcadius."

With that answer, the world around him returned to the pitch-black void as the monotone system voice spoke directly to him:

[World decided.]

[In a few moments, your consciousness will fade. When you wake again, you will be reborn in your new life on Arcadius. Don't worry; you will retain your memories completely–this will create a splendid experience for yourself.]

[Please make the most of your New Life, Ethan.]

[Do not forget: dying here will mean actual death.]

It was a scary thought, but it was nothing he wasn't prepared for.

"...I will…"

It was almost too exciting to bear, but that joy naturally settled down as his consciousness faded away just as warned.

It's time…for my New Life! He thought.

–

There was a swirl of energy that encompassed his body, or lack thereof; it was as if the strands of time and space were rewoven, forging into a new destiny paved for him.

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[You will be reborn as the bearer of the Dragonheart System. The blood of a great dragon, famous through the history of Arcadius, will run through your veins with a once-in-a-millennia potency.]

[You will not remember this. Only once you reach an appropriate age will the Dragonheart System reveal itself to you.]

[Until then…Enjoy your new life.]

After an unknown amount of time passed, he blinked a few times, feeling a warmth around his body.

[Level: 0]

The status given to him wasn't exactly shown to him, but a subconscious system ingrained in his mind.

Level zero…? He thought.

"--"

The first sense to greet him was smell; it smelled of gentle lavender and a certain fresh, natural scent.

Parting his eyelids fully, he looked up to see a woman staring down at him with a bright smile.

Woah, she's a looker, he thought.

The lavender smell without a doubt came from the woman. She was wearing what looked to be a pale nightgown, though it was difficult to see as his sight was engulfed by her bosom.

Though the look given to him by the amethyst eyes of the golden-haired woman was something he knew; it was an unmistakable look.

The look of unconditional love from a mother.

It was then he realized what that warmth around his body was; he was held in her arms.

As he reached up naturally, his hands were tiny, small enough that a couple of the woman's fingers easily wrapped around his tender, pale hands.

Lanterns sat idly on the walls, and the wooden structure was undeniably something befit of a medieval world. The lack of white noise supplemented by electronics also added to this notion.

He tried to speak, but his baby vocal cords were hardly responsive:

"Mm…mmaa…"

The woman seemed delighted at the unintelligible sounds he made, looking up across the room:

"Julius! Come over here–quickly! I-I think he's trying to call me 'mom'!" The woman said with a giddy smile.

Heavy footsteps rushed over as he looked up to see a man looming over with a surprised expression.

He had short, jet-black hair with a scruffy beard. By the olive tunic he was wearing with light-brown breeches and a sword at his hip, he was beginning to fully understand what this was at least.

…I get it now. This is my "Grand Rebirth", isn't it? This is…my mom? And this goofball is my dad? He does look sort of badass, though, he thought.

"Come on, say it! 'Da-da'!" The man smiled, cupping his own cheeks as he enunciated the words.

The woman, who he gathered was his mother in this new life, pouted, puffing her cheeks as she looked at the playful man, who he gathered was his father.

"Hey! That's dirty, Julius! You know he's going to say 'Mom' first!"

"As if! Emilio is a total daddy's boy! Accept it, Treyna!" Julius snickered.

"Nuh-uh! Who's the one who feeds him?!" Treyna retorted.

Julius reeled back in shock, "That's not fair! I don't have milk in my pecs!"

"Sounds like you're lagging behind then," Treyna stuck her tongue out at him with a smirk, looking down at him again, "You were almost there, Emilio. 'Ma-ma', come on, say it for mommy!"

"'Da-da', come on!"

While his new, eccentric parents loomed over him, trying to get him to speak, he simply stared up at them with tired eyes.

…This is how my new life starts? Are these two even qualified to be parents?! He thought.

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