Chapter 1: I'm still alive?

Zed Williams was an average mage who strived for greatness.

Despite his mediocre talents, he never stopped trying to improve himself even when the world scorned him as someone delusional.

He tried and tried and kept trying for 105 years. Alas, the Heavens were cruel as all his efforts remained unrewarded.

Lying on his deathbed, an old man, wrinkles apparent all over his face, remained calm and serene as he felt his breaths growing weaker and weaker.

Zed knew that his time would come sooner or later but despite this, he remained calm in the face of death. Although he had regrets, such as never being able to reach the apex of magic, he had long accepted his fate as someone who was born with mediocre talent.

However, he wasn't bitter at all. In fact, he was quite satisfied. After all, he had done everything he wanted in this life.

He had lived his life by his own choices, all his decisions had been made by him, even if the world scorned him for trying to be extraordinary.

If he had the chance to live life again, he would walk on this path again, even if it was another fruitless journey.

"Huu...."

"Huu..."

"Huu..."

His breaths kept growing weaker as he realized it was his time. In the face of death, his eyes remained closed as a calm smile formed on his face.

'I'm thankful to the Gods for granting me this life. Although I won't deny that I'm regretful that I never achieved my goal, all is fine, for this was my decision.'

'It was my decision to walk on this path and I don't regret it. I could have done much more with my life if I was content with living as an average person but...'

'I refuse! For I am human! If humanity was content with what they had already achieved, then we would have never improved.'

'Magic and technology would have never advanced if humanity was satisfied. Therefore, I too, believe that, so long as I am never satisfied, I will continue improving and achieve greatness!'

'I am Zed Williams, an average person who strives for greatness!'

'And similar to every other mediocre person out there with great ambition, I have met my end, achieving nothing.'

'Even now! I will never stop trying to improve myself!'

As a star trying to shine brilliantly in its last moments, magic gathered in his room. His body convulsed as magic was recklessly being gathered into his body in order to refine his mana circuits.

"Hahaha... HAHAHA! THIS IS IT!"

A maniacal laughter resounded through his house as he felt revealed, as if reborn as a butterfly from a cocoon, by the magic that kept improving his body. However, deep inside his mind, he knew that he would soon die.

A local Mage Policeman arrived near Zed's house after his neighbors reported him.

"Haa... old man Zed finally lost it." He couldn't help but sigh bitterly wheb he saw the old man's body glowing radiantly in blue light as it broke through the roof of his house.

Zed's blazing body levitated in the air, the light permeating across the night and past the town. He circled around this small town from the sky, while being met with gazes from the people he once knew, some who were close to him, whilst most were people who had scorned him.

He found a mage policeman in front of his house, looking at him with a pitiful gaze.

Zed sighed since he knew who this policeman was but didn't stop gathering his magic. Soon, his body couldn't handle it anymore as he began bleeding from his seven orifices.

"This is it..."

He looked towards the bright moon with melancholic eyes.

He took one last look at the town he grew up in, before erupting, a display of glory visible across the night sky.

The mage policeman took off his hat and bowed. Offering his last sign of respect towards the old man.

"Hey you! Why are you just standing there?! Why didn't you stop that crazy fool?!"

People gathered around Zed's house and they hounded at the policeman who remained unmoving.

"What would you have done if he had burned down my flowers, huh?! Besides, isn't it illegal to gather magic like that?! Why didn't you stop him?!"

"Yeah! He frightened little Misty as well! What's wrong with you!" An obese woman shouted.

"I knew we should've sent that man to a retirement place." A man who seemed to be the husband of the obese woman said.

His wife retorted, "Heh, and who'd be providing money? He has no family, no siblings, no wife or children!"

The husband agreed. "He spent his entire life studying magic even though he only had mediocre mana circuits."

"That's true. I wonder why he wasted his life like that. Who would've possibly believed he would become a 1st rate mage with trash mana circuits right?" Another woman looked at the house in disdain.

"Well at the very least, he didn't harm anyone." Another stranger added.

"Eww, are you sympathizing with him?"

The people began to cause a ruckus before quieting down as they saw a magnificent explosion in the sky.

It was a mesmerizing sight, similar to the aurora borealis in the north.

"Farewell, old man. May you rest forever in peace." The policeman whispered.

-

On an unknown continent, a child could be seen running across the forest. He was wearing green robes made of rich silk, indicating the child was from nobility.

However, his current appearance contrasted greatly with his status. Disheveled hair, a sweaty and muddied body, his robes tattered and his face showing great exhaustion.

In his arms was an infant with white hair. The infant's cries resounded through the forest, attracting several beasts.

The child knew this but he had no idea what to do.

In his mind, his father and uncle's last words kept resounding.

"Leave and escape. Do not look for revenge."

"Take care of little Lan'er. I trust her to you."

The child gulped but his saliva had long dried out. He had been running for almost a day or two and he was sure that their pursuers had lost them.

However, he now had countless beasts following their trail, wanting to devour them from behind.

He could only lament in despair when he heard the unmistakable movement from behind him.

His body was beyond exhausted and yet he refused to abandon the infant who attracted the beasts with her cries.

While running, he glanced behind him and found two wolves running towards them.

"Tsk."

He clicked his tongue while pondering what he should do next. He didn't mind dying but he had to make sure that the infant in his arms could live.

This was the least he could do to fulfill his promise to his uncle.

"Growl.."

The wolves were getting nearer and nearer but it was too late for him to place the infant somewhere safe while attracting the danger to himself.

Even then, her survival was unsure since they were in the middle of the forest and her cries due to her hunger would only keep attracting beasts.

His mind stopped when he realized that in front of him was a dead end. The wolves realized this too as they immediately positioned themselves to surround the children.

'Damn it!'

The child cursed and wanted to cry, but he had no tears left. He bit his lips in anger at himself as he knew he had failed in his last duties.

In the face of death, all he could do was hug the little infant tightly and hope that they would be satisfied after eating his body.

"Growl..."

The wolves' growls were terrifying the child, but he was helpless.

"Forgive me... Father... Uncle..."

He bit his lips so hard that they bled.

"I'm sorry little Lan'er.. I'm so sorry!"

Finally, the child cried as his feelings of failure overwhelmed his fear. This was his greatest regret, being unable to save his little sister.

Although they had no blood relation, His father and his uncle (Lan'er's Father) were close enough to call each other brothers for life.

And so, he was raised thinking that his uncle's family was also his family, so he considered his uncle's daughter his little sister.

"I'm so sorry..."

His face was regretful while he bled from his mouth. He refused to close his eyes even when the wolves leapt towards them.

'At the very least... I must make sure they eat all of myself first before they eat little Lan'er!'

"GROWL!"

Boom!

Suddenly, he heard an explosion from the skies. The explosion was so loud that the wolves trembled and left in a haste.

The child looked up at the skies and was met with a magnificent scene. Strands of blue light scattered, running in lines across the firmament.

'An Immortal?' He thought.

But before he could continue his train of thoughts, the scattered lights suddenly gathered towards him at great speed.

It was too fast to the point that the next thing he knew, he was surrounded by the light.

"What the..."

He didn't know what was happening but all he could do was embrace the infant in his arms in a last ditch attempt to protect her.

Soon, the boy lost consciousness and collapsed.

-

Zed grumbled as he felt his entire body ache.

'What the... I'm still alive?'

His body was in no state to move and he couldn't even open his eyes to see where he was at.

'Heh... is this the price for trying to forcibly advance my mana circle? But I never heard of anyone living through that.'

Just as he was about to remain and rest, he heard a nearby cry that was similar to a croak. It was clear that whatever it was that was near him, would soon die.

Still though, his curiosity won him over as he lifted his heavy eyelids. As if by instinct, his arms moved to grab whatever the croaking creature was.

It didn't take long for him to realize that it was an infant.

Immediately, his body was jolted awake as he saw that the infant was in a grave state. If he didn't do something, the child was sure to die.

The infant was pale while her body was heating up. Her cries had long dried out but she couldn't do anything else to portray her pain.

'Shit! What the fuck?! What sort of heartless parents would abandon a baby in the middle of the woods?!'

He thought of calling for an ambulance, or help, but he found out he was wearing unfamiliar clothing that wasn't his.

He disregarded this strangeness as he remained focused on saving the infant.

"Wuuu...."

The infant's throat was completely dry, her cries were raspy and her breath was weakening.

'Damn it!'

Having no choice, he decided to use his magic in order to try and save the child. Although his affinity for water was low, it was enough if he wanted to hydrate her.

That was when he realized he couldn't feel mana! Even worse, his mana circuits were gone!

The shock of being unable to feel mana was immense for a mage like Zed. However, the infant's pitiful croaks snapped him out of his daze.

'Oh no... What should I do?! I can't let this child die!'

Seeing as he was manaless now, he had to do something practical and not waste any time.

He decisively picked up the infant only to stagger seconds later.

'Damn it! My body is so heavy!'

His body was bruised and exhausted but he refused to give up. With great determination, he stood back up and calmly observed the surroundings.

'No signs of a nearby river. I need to keep looking.'

This time, he didn't wander the woods aimlessly. He trekked to high places in order to get a higher view of the forest.

When he reached a certain level on a mountain, he found a nearby river. Immediately, he wasted no time running towards it.

He kept checking the state of the infant every half a minute since he was incredibly worried about her.

"I'm sorry my child... you were born from irresponsible parents... just like me."

Zed was also an orphan himself, that's why he had no family and so, meeting an abandoned child like him, he felt a great sense of duty to protect the child especially when she was only an infant.

Plus, her pitiful raspy cries were destroying his heart. He felt like he was the one torturing the infant.

Soon, they reached the river and he tested the water himself. Confirming that the water was drinkable, he wasted no time at all trying to give water to her.

Cupping water with his hands, he slowly moved it towards the infant's face and little by little, he started pouring water in her mouth.

He made sure to carefully and slowly pour little amounts of water at a time, enough for the infant to drink.

"Guu.. Guu..."

Although the infant's state slightly improved, her throat was still sore. But an improvement was still an improvement so Zed did not panic too much.

'Still though... what do I do? I have no experience in raising babies, but what I do know is that she won't be able to live just by drinking water.

She needs milk for nutrients... but where would I be able to get that? We're literally in the middle of a forest!'

When the infant was satisfied, she stopped crying, most likely because she felt uncomfortable from crying with a sore throat.

Getting through the first difficulty, Zed sighs in relief as the forest finally becomes silent.

Edited By: WorthyAdversary