The lake was quiet again.
Its once blood-painted surface had returned to a clear, crystal stillness, reflecting the broken sky of this forgotten world. Yet beneath its tranquil surface lay a figure—motionless… but not lifeless.
Raiyo stood upright, though unconscious, his body half-submerged. The water clung to his skin like a second layer of reality, and from his chest to his limbs, thin, glowing veins of energy pulsed erratically, shifting between hues of deep violet and blazing purple.
Suddenly—
His eyes snapped open.
A scream escaped his throat. No—not a scream. A howl, guttural and monstrous, born from a pain that words could never contain.
The world trembled.
Birds scattered through the skies. Trees with eyes in their bark wept crimson sap. The wind itself recoiled in terror as Raiyo's voice resonated across the abyssal forest and the plain of life.
His body was on fire—
Not a fire that burned the skin, but one that scorched the soul. He was being torn apart from the inside.
"Aghh—!"
He dropped to his knees, fists clenched into the muddy bottom of the lake—as if trying to anchor himself to reality.
His vision blurred. The world twisted.
His eyes rolled back, showing only the whites, as if death had come to greet him. But Raiyo was not ready to die. Not yet. Not here.
"I—won't… let it end—like this!"
From deep within him, a tide of dark, violent Yin energy erupted, crashing through his bones, splitting his muscles, rending his nerves. It was the price of absorbing too much without balance, of plunging headfirst into powers beyond human comprehension.
And yet—he didn't shatter.
The lake began to glow.
Its sacred waters swirled upward in a silent dance, wrapping around his ruined body. A gentle light bathed him, stitching flesh back together even as the Yin inside continued its rampage. It was a war of destruction and reconstruction.
He howled again.
How long had it been like this?
He had no answer. Only pain. Pain—and the iron will to survive.
"Damn it… if I keep this up… I'll really die."
His heart beat faster.
But within that chaos, something miraculous began to happen.
He stopped fighting the pain.
Instead, he reached deep within himself—toward his dantian and grasped the raging Yin like a snake by its throat. He forced it into a spiral, drawing it tighter, compressing it like a dying star, until the Yin began to stabilize.
A core took form.
Dark and blazing purple. Dense. Violent. Yet pure.
It hovered in his upper dantian, pulsing with an eerie brilliance. The energy still burned—but now it belonged to him.
This was not just survival. This was evolution.
The minutes turned to hours. The hours became days. But Raiyo did not move.
He meditated in the lake, eyes closed, barely breathing. At some point, the sacred waters stopped their healing. His body no longer needed it.
When his eyes opened, they were not the eyes of a broken boy anymore.
They were the eyes of something beyond human.
He rose from the lake, reborn, and silent.
In his right hand, an orb of pure Yin floated like a cold moon, dense and heavy with death.
In his left hand, an orb of pure Yang glowed like a miniature sun, warm and vibrant with life.
His skin shimmered with an inner luster. Every muscle felt ten times stronger. Every breath carried the scent of mana in the air. Even the distant footsteps of creatures in the forest echoed loudly in his ears.
"If a truck hit me now…" he murmured, his voice lower, more resonant, "…it would probably shatter before I feel it."
His senses had evolved. His body had transformed.
He had become something else entirely—something new.
After devouring some freshly roasted wolves—skewered and grilled over a flame fueled by Yang energy, Raiyo returned to the Archive of Eternity. His hunger finally silenced; his mind yearned for knowledge.
He entered the temple-like structure with reverence.
The towering bookshelves greeted him with their usual silence. The air smelled of ink, dust, and secrets.
As he stepped inside, his eyes were drawn to a familiar glow.
"Forgotten World…?"
The book that had first revealed the truth of this strange realm shimmered once again—its cover glowing with a golden hue.
"Why are you shining again?" he whispered. "I've already read you…"
Curious, Raiyo approached. As his hand touched the leather-bound tome, a pulse of warmth spread through his palm.
The title had changed.
Forgotten World 2.
"A sequel?" he muttered; eyebrows raised.
He opened it.
And once again, the pages welcomed him one by one, each containing only a single sentence—but each sentence a revelation.
"There are six species of demonic beasts in Yomimori, each ruled by a chieftain bearing a name cursed by time."
Two-Headed Wolf, led by Cerberion — monstrous wolves with split minds and unmatched pack coordination.
Blade Goblins, led by Gobsai — scavenger assassin's wielding bone-forged blades.
Venomtail Apes, led by Kongra — towering primates with acidic blood and barbed tails.
Blackclaw Bears, led by Urzaan —beasts of mountainous strength.
Nightwings, led by Vargyr — blind, flying creatures who hunt through sound.
Ash Serpents, led by Ssilzath — grey snakes who breathe incinerating ash.
"Harikiru, the other half of this world, holds eight divine species—creatures of grace and purity."
Okuchi, fox spirits that shimmer with illusions and can blur the perception of time for a few seconds.
Trisight Elks, regal deer with three faintly glowing eyes capable of predicting short-term movements in battle.
Sky Cranes, elegant birds whose feathers generate gravity pockets.
Verdant Lions, beasts with mane of green flame, whose roars amplify healing and manipulate nearby plant life.
Auralynx, sleek cats with soundless movement and claws that vibrate at high frequencies to cut through magical barriers.
Wyverns of Light, winged reptiles that breathe holy fire, which burns through corrupted Yang energy.
Feathercats, panther-like beings that levitate just above the ground, allowing them to move silently.
Lucent Turtles, ancient reptiles with shells inscribed with glowing runes—each one a memory of an ancient truth. When threatened, their shells emit calming waves that suppress violent urges.
"To escape the Forgotten World, one must conquer both the darkness of Yomimori and the light of Harikiru."
"Fifteen thousand creatures. Slay them all. Only then shall the gate reveal itself."
Raiyo closed the book slowly, letting its weight settle in his arms.
He looked up at the floating books, the silent walls, the dim light of the Archive.
"Fifteen thousand…" he whispered. "And I've killed only a few hundred."
A moment of silence.
Then—he smiled. Not with joy. Not with hope.
But with resolve.
Step after step, he walked to the heart of the Archive—where the light fell like rain from a ceiling too high to see.
He sat down in silence.
Crossed legs.
Back straight.
Eyes gently closed.
Not asleep.
Not entirely conscious either.
A stillness settled over him—so perfect it rivalled death.
But Raiyo was very much alive.
And he was working.
In this deep, subconscious state, his body began to draw in Yang energy from the surrounding world. The Archive's sacred air shimmered faintly as thin threads of golden energy seeped into his skin.
He wasn't cultivating power for battle.
He wasn't forming techniques or unlocking secrets.
No.
This time, he was focused solely on one task:
Expanding the reservoir of Yang energy in his lower dantian.
Each breath, each heartbeat, gently widened the golden core.
From a spark… to a flame.
From a flame… to a pool.
From a pool… to something deeper.
He wasn't chasing strength.
He was preparing for war.
Deep inside the Yomimori, something dreadful turned its gaze towards Harikiri.
For the rebirth of a human who was becoming a reaper.
To be continued...