Chapter 2: 1

Not a teenager, not even a seven year old or a toddler.

A baby.

A freaking newborn baby.

God of Creation, have I done something to offend you somehow? Why are you doing this to me? ㅠㅠ

But I don't have the time to worry about that, as I hear loud footsteps in the safe distance but I know it won't be for long. I immediately move my body to the side so I can crawl, but… I breathe out in frustration. Has it always been this hard? I grit my teeth, and use my small elbow to hold up my weight. My body falls with a thud and there, I see it. I can also see now why it is called the Death's Forest.

The trees look dead and yet it's standing tall, unbending and proud. The cold wind breezes through with a bite, and the overall feeling of the forest… it just feels like it's whispering death in my ears.

And maybe if I focus enough, I can hear animals groaning like a beast.

"...sure those bastard monsters took her? What if they still see a body?"

It is not the time for me to think or to sight-see.

"You think that kid didn't cry and got eaten yet?"

I start crawling towards the scariest forest of this world. I'd rather get eaten than die by the hands of some human being. I got reincarnated, you know? Imagine dying by the same species.

"We just need to be sure, we need to —"

But crawling as a baby is like an ant trying to travel from the Philippines to South Korea. I need a stroller or something. Or fly. Can I just fly?

…Why do I feel a breeze on the parts of my body that should be touching the ground…?

I look down and find myself floating.

"Goo…?" Mana. I meant to say mana.

"Then hurry up!"

No time to think. How do I move? I need to go to the for — I'm moving. I'm moving on my own. This is pretty outrageous.

When I safely enter the forest, I think to myself that I need to land and softly, I land on the ground that is filled with soil. Whatever. Few minutes later, the two voices — now that I'm seeing them — are two knights — who look like they're too stressed out of their minds.

"See? I told you she got eaten."

"I just need to be sure. If we fail, the Emperor will kill us."

I blink. Emperor? I think. Must be from Norte, considering they're the only region to has the audacity.

"Fine. You want to go inside the forest to check or something?"

The Knight who's worried stares at the forest. For some reason, my heart thumps. I'm nervous? I see. I'm nervous about this.

"No," he says. "No, there's no need. If she isn't here, that just means a monster ate her."

"Exactly. She's just a newborn baby. What can she do?"

I'm so sorry for not being an ordinary newborn baby, Knight.

"But the pro —"

"You believe those?" The other Knight snorts. "Come on, let's go back. If he asks, let's just say we saw a monster eat her."

The Knight still stares at the forest before nodding. He leaves slowly, like a dog with a tail between his legs.

I sigh in relief. The Emperor wants me dead? Or well, the original soul of this baby's body. What does that mean? Is it because of the parents? Or the family this baby's part of? Is this body noble? What's going on?

My hands shake.

Is it because I'm scared or is it because I'm tired? I never really had the time to say it, but when I was flying, I felt something left my body and it made me nauseous. It's kind of like being in an elevator with multiple people. I'll think of this body's situation later. But for now, I shall think of myself first.

I look around the forest. I don't feel any presence of a monster so I think I'm safe. For tonight, I need to find a place to stay. I breathe in and prepare myself to use my mana. It is easier to float/fly than crawl, okay?!

But finding a 'safe' place to stay is no easy task. By the time I find one, I throw up before entering the cave. Flight nerves, maybe? Or is it because this is my first time using mana? Why didn't they tell me there's a recoil when I use it? 

"Goo…" I just got here and I already have mountains of things to do.

I use my mana once again to check if there's anything inside the cave. Which, after I'm done, I throw up once again. I put some dirt on top of it because what if the monsters smell that? I crawl further away from the entrance and let my body fall when I reach a corner I can lay down on. I lean my body against the wall of the cave and let myself relax.

I am dirty and tired and I just want to sleep. This is too much for my newborn baby body.

Yes, I accept it now but it doesn't mean I'm just going to take this lying down. You stupid God of Creation, when I get my hands on you…

"Goo…" I want to clean myself but —

My thoughts are interrupted by a sudden appearance of a bright light that surrounds my body. I try to crawl away from surprise but my tiny body can't handle it and the one behind me is a wall. Few seconds later, it fades away and my dirty clothes become clean.

I feel my stomach turn. Mana, huh? Can it do something like that? I want to laugh but I don't want to throw up. I guess having mana can really do a lot of things.

By the way… don't I have an Item Box? I'm pretty sure —

And once again, my thoughts are interrupted. By some warped circle looking thing. And there are two of them.

Can it be activated by just me thinking of this stuff? Why wasn't I told?

I need to calm down.

That's right, didn't Uriel and Asmodeus say they'll give me two? One for an actual Item Box and the second one for the supplies? Which one is which? Well, I just need to check it. With my small hands, I take one small rock. One small rock and I need to use two of my hands. I miss my adult body… anyway, I put the rock in the warped circle thing on the left. It doesn't take it. Now, on the right. Oh, there it is. So the one on the left is my supplies and the one on the right is my Item Box.

"Goo… gaa… goo… gaa, gaa…" …I forgot I can only say these words.

I want something to protect me while I stay in the cave! "GOO GAA!"

The warped circle thing bursts out five stones, they float until they reach my hands. Above the stones, it says, Protective Stones, can kill C-Rank Monsters and lower.

Thanks for the information.

"Goo…" I also need something to sleep on, so… "Gaa…"

And just like with the stones, a sleeping bag floats near me. I don't know if I feel convenient or inconvenient with what's happening to me right now.

With my small body, I have no choice but to fix where I'm sleeping with mana, which after I do that, I feel like the world is about to crack. I subconsciously think of a cure to this stupid crap and a flight nerves medicine float near me.

You freaking Item Box —

— and so I drink it, and feel a little better. Just a tad bit. I still feel like the world is spinning in circles, twice in a minute.

I put the five stones around the sleeping bag because if I use mana again, I might actually throw up my stomach. I sigh as I finally am able to lay down. I look up at the ceiling of the cave and find rocks. Wait. I turn my head and see the two warped circling things, and that's when I realize that's where the lights were inimating from.

"Goo gaa, goo gaa," I need some lights.

And a lamp floats on my hand.

Turn on by mana.

Ah, damn!

And so I need more flight nerves medicine.

I drink two bottles before using my mana to turn on the lamp. It still feels like my stomach is being dug on but it's not as bad as before. I drink another two after I put the lamp near me. The two warped circles vanish when I think that they should go away.

…Man, Archangels and Demons are pretty outrageous. Come to think of it, how are they doing?

*

To answer that question, not good.

Specifically Uriel considering that they're the one who saw Bernilla first. But the human soul was snatched away from the Archangel by the very own CEO of the company they work for, God of Creation.

"GOOOOOOOOD!"

God of Creation laughs. "Don't be too loud, this is a land of peace."

"Land of Peace, my ass! Why would you do that to Bernilla?! She's having a rough time now because of you!"

"She's always going to have a rough time, I'll just advance it a little."

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Uriel grits their teeth and sighs deeply to calm themselves. "Still. A newborn baby? That's asking for too much. Her body can't handle the mana —"

"If any older, she's just going to stay the way she was in her previous life. Is that what you want?" God of Creation tilts their head. "Wasn't the reason why you took her in is because you want her to be… I mean, if I was wrong…"

"No," Uriel shakes their head, a bit agitated. "No, you're right."

"I'm guessing Asmodeus gave you a piece of… advice."

Advice… yes, that was what it was supposed to be. But a nag would have been better.

There were some stories in the human realms about how Heaven and Hell don't get along, and while that was true, they're not really enemies. They were just doing different work but they basically have the same system, ideas, and goals. And unlike the fictional stories, Demons are actually much uptight than Angels. It's probably because they deal with humanity's worst. But still…

"It's fine, anyway, I gave her my blessing." God of Creation says, like it was nothing.

But Uriel knows better. "What?!"

"My… blessing…"

"Do you understand what that means, you bastard of a god?!"

"That's harsh…"

"Harsh?!" Goodness… Asmodeus calls Uriel a slacker, and an airhead, and reckless and — but if the Deity you're serving is like this, who wouldn't be?! "I sent her to Farawa!"

"Farawa…? Ah, you mean that world that  only has a few years."

"Yes! And it has mana there! If she used her mana and your divine blessing —" Uriel blinks and then groans. "Oh, God…"

"Yes, I'm here."

"God of Creation, you can't be… Is that the reason why you made her a newborn?"

God of Creation just smiles. "I did give her a special one."

Uriel sighs again. Is this what Asmodeus feels like when dealing with Uriel? They really need to give Asmodeus a gift later on.

(Asmodeus, somewhere in Hell, sneezes.

"You okay, boss?"

"I'm fine." Asmodeus sniffs. "I feel like someone is going to give me a hard time."

"Uriel?"

"Who else would it be?"

"Ah, that's right. Wasn't there a joint project between you and Uriel? How is that going on, Boss? Even Higher Boss even gave you the newly born Cerberus for that project."

"I gave it to the human soul."

"Is that right? How is it? Did you tell her how to tame it?"

Asmodeus frowns. "No need to tame a newly born dog. You give it enough affection, it will naturally obey you."

"I know. But I'm not worried about the owner, rather, the other human beings around that human soul. Cerberus can be pretty possessive of their owner, you know — are you okay, Boss?"

"Ah, damn.")

*

I open my eyes and see the rocky ceiling.

Right. I stayed in the cave through the night. I scratch my cheek before turning over where the lamp is located and then I see it.

A cat.

"Meoooow…"

…the lamp is located inside the stones.

Doesn't that mean this cat isn't a normal cat at all?! But a beast higher than C-Rank?! How long has it been here?!

"OH!"

"Meoooow…"

Don't meow me!

The cat cleverly uses its cuteness by rolling over and showing its belly. "Meow?"

What do you mean meow?!

"Meow…?"

Another?

I sit up with my newborn ba — wait a second. How can I sit up that fast? I look at my hands, and while it is still small, it's considerably larger than I had the previous night.

" —Ror!" It is still a chore to speak, but I can make out words.

One of the warped circle things comes out and a mirror floats near me. I grab it as fast as I can.

I do look a bit older. Maybe if I was a newborn last night, I'm one year old now. How is that possible? I may not like kids, or I don't really hang out with any of them considering my sister married late and had no plans of children until years after her marriage but I'm not that dumb. This growth is too fast. Why is that?

Why is that?!

I breathe out. Damn. Whatever, that's fine. This probably shouldn't surprise me. I got reincarnated, met an Angel, a Demon and a God. This is not that shocking anymore. I wave away the unlimited supplies warped circle and call the one with the Item Box. I put the mirror in and realize the cats aren't just two… there are three. And one of them is currently sleeping on my feet. I stand up and the cat sleeping wakes up, yawns and sits across from me. What is that adorable look, you trespasser?

Above C-Rank Monsters, but they look like normal cats. And they didn't really do anything to me except stay with me in the cave. Maybe they mean no harm.

Maybe I just like pets that much.

Who knows?

I put away all of my things, while the cats sit near the wall. They seem to behave well, too… hmm? Why does one of the cats look like it got bigger?

…Don't ask questions.

The bigger cat approaches me, with its tail swaying behind it. "Meow…." And then it turns around and lowers its body. As if inviting me to ride it.

"...'re 'ou su'..." All I want to say is Are you sure… Why do I sound like this…

"Meow…"

Oh, fine. How am I supposed to walk even when I'm already a one year old kid? But seriously, how am I one year old? What happened? If I sleep, will I grow older again?

I ride a cat that has orange fur. The other two jump in. One is in front, the other is at the back. Like they're protecting me. What are these cats…? Are they given to me by — oh… Didn't Asmodeus say something about giving me a pet? These are pets, you demon?! Above C-Rank cats?!

The cat continues to walk at a pace that doesn't bother me. I look around while it does so, and the trees, the soil, even the 'flowers'... They all look terrible.

The trees, for one, seem to be dead. The branch is black, and the veins, unlike how a normal tree would be, are in plain sight, laying on the cold, hard soil. The leaves are dark in color, like dry leaves in the fall. The soil, more or less, looks like sand. There's no sun up in the sky, everything is grey in color, and maybe it's because of the sleeping bag I used last night, but the temperature has dropped and it's way too cold right now.

I can see why monsters roam around here. I wonder why I don't see any of them, though, but I'm grateful. I don't think I can fight, and even if there are cats… listen, I don't even know if these are the pets Asmodeus meant and I'm not taking any chances. Even if this is the calm before the storm, I would welcome it with open arms just to avoid the inevitable.

And just like that, we move forward.

*

Unlike what she thinks, the trees aren't dead. The veins aren't just lying down on the cold, hard soil of the forest but instead they appear above the ground to choke any prey that they can harm. The branch is black because anybody that touches it will be poisoned, the 'dry leaves' mean to eat anybody who picks them up and the flowers will eat somebody's mana, until they die. The monsters are mostly Chimera, with two or more different heads of animals and huge in size. They will stop at nothing to kill whoever enters their territory. Every part of this forest is a torture device to kill a prey, and as a dragon who self proclaimed that they are the protector of what humanity called the Death's Forest, the dragon is aware of how deadly it can be.

But for some reason, nothing is attacking them right now. The dragon left because they needed to check Langan but it took a while because it took a lot of stealth and the dragon's powers lay elsewhere. Most of the dragon's visit, it took them almost all of their energy to reach the center of the forest, where the dragon is much needed. But now…

The Death's Forest is called Death's Forest because of the mana it emanates from its core. Mana is a power that earthly creatures like a dragon borrow from nature. But if the forest's core is all kinds of broken like the Death's Forest, what will happen to the earthly creatures who borrow nature's powers?

That's what those humans did to the forest's core. In a core, only one kind of mana is possible. If the core has touched a mana made out of fire, it will continually be fire. If it's water, it's water. In every living earthly creature all have a core to where they can store their mana, and with the forest, the humans put fire, water, earth, even healing, to destroy the forest and they have succeeded. That's why it is like this and yet now, the forest seems to calm down.

Like a divine intervention has come to them.

The dragon turns its head towards a certain direction.

The forest… has visitors.

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