Chapter 2

  When Donny awoke it was nowhere close to what he’d been expecting. He’d thought he might come to as a naked man in a forest somewhere. Or maybe wake up as a new soul in the body of man that happened to have the same name and had recently died. Maybe, just maybe, he’d be lucky enough to create his own character like in the rpg games he used to play.

  But no. He was. Literally. Re-fucking born. He was completely conscious and aware as the world brightened from between his mother’s legs as he was BORN!

  “Holy shit I’m covered in uterus and amniotic fluid, what the actual f-” A slap to his butt abruptly brought Donny out his thoughts.

  “WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR YOU STUPID SORRY EXCUSE FOR A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL YOU RE-” Donny cursed whoever the old woman delivering him from his mother’s womb was, though all the adults heard were wailing tears. That was when a large man, solidly built with kind but hard, amber-brown eyes, and a scarred but handsome in a deep-south kind of way looked down at him.

  “He’s going to be a fighter”, Said the deep, rumbling voice of Donny’s new father with warmth as the man’s large hands delicately cut the umbilical cord.

  “He’s gonna be trouble is what he’s gonna be, look at him, not two minutes old and eyes wide, looking around as if he understands every word we speak already”, came the chuckle of the comforting, aged voice of the elderly woman as she held him in the crook of her arm for his parents to see.

  “She’s a sharp one.” Donny thought, reflecting on the fact that now that he thought about it, grandmas always seemed to just... know things. Even more than moms! It was uncanny, and sometimes quite scary.

  As Donny was passed around like a joint at a super-bowl party at Uncle Frank’s house, and he couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of comfort, warmth, and love from the embraces of his new family members.

  Donny soon got accustomed to his life as a baby. As it turned out, the culture in their family was that the parents did not name the children. Instead, it was the eldest of the family, in this case, the grand elder of the clan, who would name the child one month after birth. This was both to give the elder time to ‘divine the name from the ancestors’ and to give the parents time to make sure their child was fit and healthy. It was an ancient superstition that naming a child at or before birth would haunt the parents with the name of their child if they were to parish from sickness or disability. In this day and age though, it was more to give the clan cause to celebrate and unite under one roof, strengthening bonds and forging alliances as everyone gathered in citadel city.

  It had been about three weeks, and he had developed a routine. Though he wouldn’t be able to pull up his status screen until he killed his first beast or enemy with his own hands and gained experience for the first time, he could access his Aura Manipulation skill. And though he’d almost fried his infant body with it the night he’d attempted it and scared the living shit out of his mother who’d fallen asleep beside his crib, he had figured out how release the most minute amount of into his tiny palm and manipulate it. At first, he could only rotate it for a split-second before it would disperse, but after a few weeks of practice he could maintain the skill for about three seconds and almost change it’s shape from sphere to cube.

  Donny had also learned that by giggling and chirping in baby-talk with the few sounds he could make when his dad talked about cultivation, he could get him to stay on the topic for hours. It was in this way that Donny began his education on how this new world of power and intrigue worked, and how he would progress as he grew on this planet named Krieg. And thus, the final week before his name day passed, with the now infantile man who had literally been reborn practicing every night and sleeping through the day. Except to eat from his mother’s bosom, soil himself, and occasionally cry for no reason. To keep up appearances, of course.

  When the day of his naming came it was a surprisingly grand event. Though His mother and father weren’t necessarily the highest-ranking figures in the family they were the heads of what the family called the north pillar. Their clan was split into four four main branches upon the largest continent of the planet. Respectively dubbed the North, East, South and West Pillars, each city was run by different figures within the clan. Though at point in time they simply been ‘Clan Citadel’, but this moniker had been all but forgotten and was barely used by the members of the clan as more and more corruption spread, and instability took hold.

  And in the center of it all was Cardinal city. This was where the center court was and was also the location of the ancestral palace. The center court was a place where the heads of each pillar would congregate to make important decisions within the family, laws were passed or vetoed, taxes were collected, and other issues or matters concerning the government, such as delegations with other world leaders were all part of the goings-on within the massive coliseum. This was also where Donny’s name day ceremony would be held.

  Of course, Donny couldn’t see much of the buildings from where he was swaddled in a silk hammock wrapped around his mother from shoulder to hip, his head barely sticking out amongst the fabric. All the information he knew he’d learned from his father spending hours rambling on about such topics to Donny’s cooing giggles.

  The now one-month-old Donny couldn’t help but feel an odd sense of trepidation as the family’s carriage came to a stop. What would his name be? he still called himself Donny in his mind, but he couldn’t help but feel that this name he was to be given would be important. Like a brand from fate itself, this new journey he was on would somehow officially begin after today was over.

  “Welcome all!” A voice boomed from the stage that had been erected at the center of the massive field of sand as the packed marble and gold bleachers within the arena erupted with cheers and fanfare. Donny could barely hear the cheers from where he was held in his mother’s arms. His mother seemed calm and collected, while his father was pacing back and forth, rubbing his hand together and sweating like a glass of ice water on a warm summer day.

  “What if the name is feminine, or weak?” The large man said, stopping and looking to his wife.

  “Then he will be smooth with girls and give the name strength” His mother replied cooly.

  “But what if we don’t like it? Hell, Vi, what if he doesn’t like it?” His father immediately countered.

  “We shall love whatever name he is fated for, for that name represents our son.” Said his mother sternly. “And he is an infant. He is yet to understand such things” She continued, and David cooed in disagreement.

  “Even if this son of ours seems to hold so much wisdom within his precious eyes”, she looked down and smiled in response to his infantile report. “That’s enough now my husband, fretting about like so is unbecoming of you.”

  “Sigh, I guess you’re right. Come, wife, stand with me and be ready. Soon it will begin” His father offered a hand and helped his wife to stand, wrapping one around her back and embracing her as they stood in preparation to walk out on stage.

  “Today we gather as a clan. As family and as friends, not for politics or tournaments. Not for intrigue or plotting. No. Today we gather in this arena, on this day, to witness the naming of the first born of Renfro and Violet Cook, son of the north, and heir to the northern pillar!” The announcer bellowed, voice echoing through the arena, the crowd going wild as the arena roared with applause, whistles and cheers. Donny’s head snapped up at the last sentence.

  “No. Fucking. Way. Cook? How- is this why Pheros chose me?” So many things were going through Donny’s mind at this realization. Now that he thought about it, this entire month not a single person had mentioned the family surname. Why would such a prominent and powerful family have such a…basic… family name? Why hadn’t Pheros changed it to something prominent and regal? This new piece of information had created so many questions for Donny.

  “Now let’s all give a warm greeting to the most powerful duo of our family, our guardians of the family, and the newest young scion of our clan!”

  As the couple walked through out on the stage, instead of the chaos of whoops and cheers that the crowd had responded with to this point the entire coliseum went deadly silent. Surprised, Donny looked around, having to squint to see the people in the rows of seats ringing the arena. They were… bowing?

  Every single person in the arena, including the announcer standing with them on stage, had their bodies tilted forward, hands to their side, at a ninety-degree angle in a bow of respect. Even the children in the crowd bowed without making a sound. The people held the position for an entire minute. Then another. And another. And another.

  Donny glanced around, stunned by the actions of the people around them. He didn’t know if this was normal or not, but he had a gut feeling this was not normally how this ceremony went. He’d gathered that his parents were very powerful, and that they held a respected position within the family. But this?

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  Then his mother handed Donny over to her husband and stepped to the side, allowing his father to step forward. Renfro Cook held his son with both hands high above his head, slowly turning to show the infant to everyone in the crowd.

  “What is this, fucking Lion King?” Donny grumbled to himself, feeling more than a little dejected at him being paraded in front of the family like an old lady holding up her winning card at bingo night at the local Legion post.

  And just as Donny was expecting the applause to begin anew, the announcer spoke:

  “And now that we are all formally gathered, let us pay our respects to our beloved Grand Elder. May his wisdom and guidance bless us all this day.”

  This time when the gathered people bowed, so did the couple on stage. Only this time Donny’s father wrapped his son in a current of power and let go of the boy. And Donny didn’t even so much as dip as he floated forward, towards the figure of an old man slowly walking up to the stage, each step seeming to carry the aged figure three as he almost teleported forward while also looking like he was taking a casual stroll.

  “No. This is impossible. How is it… How…” Donny stared, frozen, at the man he saw walking towards him. “This is seriously fucked. There’s no way, he’s dead, I was at his fucking funeral.”

  When the man grabbed Donny out of the air, holding him up in the air with a big smile, Donny wept. He cried tears of pain, grief, joy, and anger all at the same time. He wailed and bawled like the infant he was, only these tears were from his very soul, memories flooding his mind’s eye of the very man holding him in the air, in the exact same way he did when Donny was young so many years ago. The man who had given him the nickname everyone knew him by to this day.

  “Oh Donny, my boy, what have you gone and done, you little shit?” The man said as tears formed in his own eyes and his lower lip puckered as he gave the crying infant a glowing smile.

  “BEAR WITNESS. THIS CHILD WILL BE NAMED DONALD, FIRST BORN OF VIOLET AND SON OF RENFRO. LET IT BE KNOWN!” The man roared, tears pouring down his face.

  And the crowd watched on, stunned to absolute silence, thousands and thousands of people witnessed something that should have been impossible. The tiny baby, held in the large, aged hands of their grand elder, not even a tooth in his mouth, and still on the breast... spoke.

  “G-g-GWANPAAAA-” The boy stretched out the word. And though the pronunciation was garbled with tears and snot running from the child’s nose, the crowd heard it clear as day.

  “Did that baby just talk?”

  “Did it just call our grand elder grandpa? That’s impossible, grand Elder isn’t even a cook, he’s just our Ancestor’s sworn brother.”

  “Are those two trying to fake their child speaking to curry favor with the Grand Elder?”

  “Shameful, utter disgrace”

  “No, I really think the baby just spoke!”

  “But that’s impossible, even our great ancestor couldn’t speak at one month old…I think”

  The crowd erupted in discussion, some whispered between themselves, and some shamelessly shouted accusations, while others simply stared in shock, unable to speak.

  “SILENCE!” The old man standing in the arena holding Donny spread his aura throughout the coliseum, affecting all but those on the stage.

  Bringing Donny into the crook of his arm he stepped up to where the boy’s parents still bowed in deference. “That’s enough of that, now” he said warmly to the couple.

  Bringing their heads up the couple looked just as stunned as the folks in the crowd.

  “Grand elder, we-” Renfro made to speak but was silenced by the Elder holding up his hand in a gesture to wait.

  “This child will be my personal disciple, if there are no objections, of course.” The elder said, looking at the parents quizzically with an eyebrow cocked.

  Violet’s jaw almost dropped to the floor at the question that wasn’t really a question.

  “W-we would be honored if Grand Elder accepted our son as his disciple. It’s just, he’s still an infant, should we not wait to make such an important decision until he is older?” Renfro said, choosing his words carefully. Though no one knew the Grand Elder’s actual level, they knew he was at least close to the peak of mortal cultivation. This gentle-looking old man was the sole reason why the Cook family’s enemies had not pushed to usurp their position on a Krieg, and the stunned parents did not want to risk offending the man. But Donny was their only child, and they had not been expecting such a twist on this day.

  “Hahaha” The Elder threw his head back and laughed, “Have no fear, I have a feeling that this is what the boy will want as well. Call it an old man’s intuition. And please, just call me Elder Crane, no need for such stuffy honorifics.”

  “Yes, Elder Crane.” The two said at the same time, giving the old man a short bow.

  “Now, how about we wrap this up and go talk somewhere…less crowded, eh?” Crane said with a wink.

  Turning to once again face the thousands of onlookers, Elder Crane bellowed:

  “This child is henceforth under my protection, and when he comes of age, I will take him as my personal disciple. Let us end this ceremony here and commence with the festivities!”

  And with that, he turned to the announcer, “Master of records, please take these three to the hall of ancestors and record young Donny’s name on the tome of history.” The old man shamelessly took this chance to christen Donny with his old nickname, and if the infant could scoff, he would have. And with a pinch of Donny’s cheek, he handed the boy back to his mother. “Please, enjoy the celebration as a family. In ten years, bring the boy to my palace to begin his training. Until then, raise him well, do not spoil my young disciple before then, I do not want my first disciple’s head to come to me swollen with pride.” Crane said, only half-jokingly, before he disappeared without so much as a sound.

  For the next three days, Citadel City celebrated. While many people were confused by what had transpired in the arena, most just shrugged their shoulders and enjoyed the chance to relax and lose themselves in the festivities. People flocked from all over the continent to visit the family of three. Many gifts were brought to the family as tribute, whether out familial love from those close to Renfro and Violet, or due to others wanting to build goodwill with the couple to curry favor with Elder Crane. Gold and jewels, weapons, exotic foods and spices, even fine cloths such as spider-silk and enchanted leather were presented to the couple.

  Some even tried to secure political ties, offering their daughters for marriage to tie themselves to the Northern Pillars tail. Violet shut down these talks instantly, using the excuse that these folk who need to consult the Grand Elder on such matters, shamelessly throwing Elder Crane beneath the wagon. She had no doubt some people would be stupid enough to attempt it, but most immediately dropped the subject, understanding that seeking the man’s counsel for such matters would only invite trouble to their doorsteps.

  While the old man had been uncharacteristically kind and warm to the couple on that day, but all who have interacted with the man knew that he had a critically strict and stoic personality. And though he never once acted directly, he constantly reprimanded the leaders of the pillars saying that they had all grown soft and greedy, causing their slow decline and placing a target on the family.

  Donny had been left in the palace nursery under the tight security of Citadel guards and even one of Elder Crane’s shadows. Though no one could see the man the guards and felt the immense presence of someone powerful scanning them even through the royal palace’s many layers of defensive wards that should’ve blocked such intrusive scans of their status screens for all but the Grand Elder and the leaders of the four pillars. One guard even disappeared before their eyes to utter horror of the others, telling them he was either a spy, an assassin, or had otherwise been found wanting by the powerful being.

  And like this, the welcoming of the new young scion into the family ended. And for the next five years Donny lived a peaceful and fulfilling life. He had come to love and cherish this new family of his. His father, who was kind but stern, always eager to teach Donny new things and willing to listen when the boy had questions. His mother, who guided her son with a gentle hand and a firm voice. His slightly insane grandmother, who’d pretend she didn’t see him sneak the first sweet-cake bun from the counter but was somehow always there to smack his head with her sandal when he tried for a second.

  He knew his parents thought he was a bit odd due to the way he learned to speak so quickly, and by age two could read and write perfectly and would spend most of his time in the library, studying topics of all nature. But they never said a word, simply accepting him for who he was and supporting him in all endeavors. His father didn’t even question him when he requested scaled-down versions of training dummies and wooden weapons be added to the training yard so he could begin learning the basic martial techniques of the military at three-years-old.

  And by the age of five, Donny had begun showing aptitude for spirit techniques. While he kept his Aura Manipulation skill hidden, he quickly learned the base level Chi Manipulation (common) skill, even without system access. Chi Manipulation didn’t really have any direct offensive or defensive prowess but used one’s control of their spirit to manipulate the energy around them and control objects with their mind. Donny liked to joke that he was going to steal the Trunchbull’s chocolates as he ran around making things float in the air. His parents would just shake their heads, not understanding the odd references Donny would use sometimes, chalking it up to a child’s imagination. One time he tried to use the skill to steal a sweet-cake bun, but one of Grams’ Slippers came floating into the hallway where Donny hid behind a large houseplant and smacked him on the top of his head.

  Donny had gotten his Aura Manipulation skill to a level where he was unable to progress the skill further, at least without system access he guessed. When he’d gotten Chi Manipulation to the same threshold, he’d asked his father why he couldn’t level it, hoping there would be a simple solution. His dad had told him that he had probably hit a benchmark, most likely around level five, but refused to speak any further on the subject. Only giving Donny a sly smirk whenever he tried to ask and telling him not to expect to pass level five in any skill before he leveled up. Apparently certain information was withheld from individuals below certain thresholds as some information could be more harmful than helpful.

  Through this time, Donny had not forgotten his promise with Pheros. Besides training and studying he also made friends. He knew that for him to take over the family and get them out of the hole he would need to lead from the front, and to do this he would need support from close friends and allies. His father in his past life had always stressed the need to treat his subordinates well. Both fear and respect were necessary tools for leadership, but the most important quality for a successful family was loyalty.

  And so, one day when he was almost four, he asked his parents to take him to the other pillars of their country, picking the brightest and most talented young scions of the other branches of both the Cook and Crane families and building bonds with them. Every month he would invite them over to study and train with him at this family’s manor, and at first it was tough since they were actual children, with childish minds and childish behaviors. Through his experience and the children’s own above-average intelligence from being from a system-integrated world, he was able to develop methods to drastically improve his peers’ foundations and intelligence.

  Everything was as it should be. Donny didn’t waste a single day as he trained and planned, slowly building his foundations both internally and socially. But when his sixth name-day celebration was just a few weeks away, this life he had become so comfortable in was abruptly and irreversibly flipped upside-down.