A wonderful new world

What Is My Purpose?

Once, I believed I was a genius. But every time I look back, all I see are the lifeless bodies of my fallen comrades strewn across the battlefield. I constantly question myself: If I am truly a genius, why have I failed to protect anyone?

As a child, I possessed enough talent to foster this misguided belief. Learning came easily to me during those innocent years. But as I grew older, reality struck like a blunt blade against my soul.

I encountered prodigies—mere children—who effortlessly surpassed me. A nine-year-old defeated me in a one-on-one sword fight. The irony was not lost on me: I, who once fancied myself a genius, now stood humbled by mere youngsters.

Yet fate had other plans. Despite my laughable inadequacy, I ascended to become one of the revered Ten Sword Saints at the ripe age of eighty-seven. Admirable, they said. But I knew better. It was a cruel jest, a cosmic mockery.

My disdain for geniuses grew. Their comparisons haunted me, a constant reminder of my own mediocrity. I yearned for death, an escape from this existence that mockery

and suddenly a gate appeared

The battlefield stretched before me, a canvas of crimson and chaos. My blade, honed by years of relentless training, cleaved through the monstrous horde. Each swing was a dance of death, a symphony of steel meeting flesh.

Amidst the cacophony of battle, I encountered an anomaly—a creature that defied categorization. It stood upright, its eyes burning with an intensity that matched the flames consuming our world. But it wasn't the creature's appearance that arrested my attention; it was its voice—a voice that resonated with human cadence.

"You damn monsters!" it spat, pointing an accusatory finger at us. "Why do you kill our children? Our elderly?"

The question echoed in my mind, reverberating through the chaos. Why indeed? What purpose did our merciless slaughter serve? I had never questioned it before. The monsters were our enemies, our sworn adversaries. But this creature—the one who spoke like a person—forced me to confront my own brutality.

I stepped closer, my heart pounding. "What are you?" I demanded.

It tilted its head, studying me with eyes that held both anger and sorrow. "What are any of us?" it replied. "Are we not all shaped by our choices?"

Suddenly, a towering beast, wounded and staggering, lunged at the creature, claws slashing through the air. Without hesitation, I leaped in front of it, parrying the attack with a swift counterstrike. The battlefield seemed to freeze for a moment as our eyes locked in mutual understanding.

"We must stop this madness," the creature urged, voice desperate yet resolute.

Before I could respond, another wave of monsters surged forward, forcing us into a desperate battle. Side by side, we fought with a synchronicity that belied our differences. The creature's movements were swift and precise, complementing my own aging but seasoned techniques.

As we carved through our foes, a bond formed between us—an unspoken alliance born from the chaos of war. Together, we pushed deeper into the heart of the enemy ranks, each clash of steel and magic echoing our determination.

But then, in the midst of our shared struggle, a swift and unexpected blow struck me from behind. Pain exploded through my body as I fell to the ground, my vision swimming with darkness. I looked up to see the towering beast, its eyes filled with a mix of triumph and sorrow.

"Why?" I managed to gasp, blood trickling from my lips.

The beast hesitated, a flicker of remorse crossing its face. "Survival," it growled, before turning away to face the remaining enemies.

As I lay dying, the world around me faded into oblivion. But instead of darkness, I felt a surge of energy—a merging of consciousness with a force beyond comprehension. When awareness returned, I found myself reborn—a being of both human and elven essence,
infused with the memories and experiences of my past life.

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*To be continued...