(Minhkhoa POV)
"Listen to Master Midas," one of the thugs says.
The uber-wealthy Midas family is in our home, and they're just physically threatening my parents. One of the thugs is pushing Mother on the table with her hands behind her back, looking lustful at her. I see her scared face and the tears, and hear her shouting. Master Midas, the patriarch of the Midas crime family, stands in front of my Father, who was hit several times and looks to the side, scared of more punishment.
"The world is too big for a pathetic little trading company like yours to push back against us. But first, I would like to have you beg for it." Master Midas tells my father.
"Please... not in front of my wife and son," my father begs.
"Yes. Right in front of them."
"Please! Don't shoot me!" my mother screams as the goon points a machine gun right at her head.
I feel anger rise inside me, and just as I am about to walk forward, a hand stops me.
"Don't get any ideas," a female voice says.
A young girl stands behind me. She's a bit taller than I am and roughly 16 years old.
"My dad is the richest man on the planet. Your dad doesn't even own the ships he trades on. You'll remember this day your entire life, but we won't because you and your family are insignificant. You will never change the world," she says.
"Please, buy my company. I will join with Midas," my father says, finally relenting.
"Very good. My people will draw up the paperwork. You'll never see me again." Master Midas says and leaves with his men and daughter.
Mother breaks down and cries, and father looks ashamed that I had to see that. If I were the original, I would surely be disappointed in how he handled this. But the original me was a psychopath. Now that I have recovered my memories... things have changed.
.
This is not my first 'reincarnation'. It is not even my second or third. Now, this is my twelfth time. That's right, I died and was born again in another universe, another reality, twelve times. And only now do I remember all of my past lives. Only now, they are all visible to me. What does this mean? Is this the final one?
My first time, I was reborn as Yuuichirou Hanma. I loved to train and push my body to its limits, and I found out very early on that I was made for fighting. My father was a strong man who taught me all he knew, which wasn't a lot. He wasn't particularly interested in martial arts, but he was still capable of handling himself and was likely the strongest man of his time. I saw him wrestle bears and boars, killing them with single punches as if it were nothing. After Mother had died, I wanted to start travelling and left home. Father wasn't that surprised, since he told me he had experienced the same thing in his youth—the urge to meet others and test my strength.
I travelled all across Japan and picked up martial arts to refine my own. I noticed that I seemed to grow stronger over time, and the more I pushed myself. It was a good feeling, but I also enjoyed spending the evenings drinking some sake and listening to the crickets sing their songs.
During the later stage of World War II, I resided on a small island in the Okinawa region when the United States began the assaults on the island. I managed to annihilate the entire platoon of American soldiers with my bare hands, in addition to surviving heavy naval and aerial bombardment unscathed. This has reached the point that Major General James, the man in charge of the operation against me, requested the use of a nuclear bomb just to kill me, as none of the conventional weaponry affected me. I created the technique 'Guise' that day and became the first man to take on the full military might of the United States with only my bare hands. This feat would later be repeated by my son, roughly 20 years later, when Yuujirou would go on to defeat the US military during the Vietnam War.
In her youth, Yuujirou's mother was a beautiful woman with long black hair. We had a romance in 1959, and she became pregnant soon after. When she gave birth to Yuujirou in 1960, she was immediately overwhelmed by fear, somehow managing to sense the will of our newborn son and feeling his threatening aura. I did as well, back then, but thought it was simply a fluke of his fighting spirit. Yuujirou quickly developed his own awareness, similar to mine at his age. I was in love back then, and didn't see it, but the time she spent with Yuujirou shocked her emotionally, leading her to no longer desire children.
One day, Yuujirou began to assert his independence, and his mother left her home to become a monk in a temple in the mountains, where she spent the rest of her life. Later, she became the head of the temple. I never saw her again after that. I was sad and angry back then. Angry at Yuurjiou for pushing against his mother and for thinking so highly of himself. I smacked him up and down a mountain after that. He left to roam the land on his own and left me alone. I met Yuujirou again one last time after he defeated the US military, and thought he could test himself against me once more. I gave him a memory which he would never recover from.
I returned to the place where I was born and spent the remainder of my days there. I learned a lot of martial arts and developed many techniques in my life. It was fruitful, but I wish I had been a better father and harsher in his upbringing.
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My second reincarnation was different from my first one. I was reborn as Isaac Netero.
My second life was in some ways similar to my first one, in that I wanted to explore and learn as much as possible. Not just martial arts, though, I was also interested in the truths of the world and the unknown regions beyond human settlements. Humans were no longer the dominant species on Earth. I learned to use Nen by chance since I was stronger than the other humans around me. I didn't know it back then, but now I am aware that it was my previous lives that made my soul much stronger and gave me denser and more powerful life energy, and therefore Nen.
I remember almost dying during the Hunter examination, as it was the first time I met someone who could keep up with me. It was the time I met Maha Zoldyck. I was arrogant back then and challenged Maha foolishly. I had never seen someone as strong as me, or as talented in the use of Nen. I never had a teacher and didn't know about the different applications of Nen. I just played around with it and observed others during the Hunter exam, then copied them. I almost died during the fight against Maha Zoldyck, but it also never felt as good as coming out alive after that fight, and to be so close to death. I became an acquaintance of the Zoldyck family after that.
By the time I was 27, I felt as if I had reached the pinnacle of my physical potential and went up into the mountains to reflect. During my time there, I came to realise that I was infinitely grateful to the martial arts for shaping me into the man I am and vowed to show my gratitude in my own unique way: by performing a set of ten thousand punches and prayers daily. I would focus my Nen, put my hands together, say a prayer, and then punch. On the first day, this sequence took five to six seconds, and it took me over eighteen hours to complete the ten thousand punches. After completing the ritual, I would collapse from exhaustion and fall into a deep sleep, only to awaken and repeat the ten thousand punches the next day. This would become my daily routine for the next year.
One day, after this year, I realised that although I had completed my ten thousand punches, the sun had not yet set. Another year later, at the age of 29, I had become capable of completing the daily ritual in under an hour. As a result, I spent the extra time in prayer, a development that led me to enlightenment. I chose to continue training for another year, just because I could and reduced the time it took to unimaginable degrees of barely 10 minutes. It wouldn't get lower after that, so I completed my training.
Sometime later, I descended from the mountain, returning to the dojo where I had originally begun my training, and demonstrated my new strength. My time on the mountain had allowed me to strike much faster than the speed of sound, to the astonishment and amazement of my onlookers. Among my audience was the grandmaster of the dojo, who was moved to tears by the raw power and grace brought about by my training. The man broke down at my feet, begging to be trained and offering the title of Grand Master in his stead. I accepted, and the dojo thus began teaching Shingen-ryu kung fu.
This was my first time teaching others what I knew. I didn't teach Yuujirou anything in my previous incarnation, so this was my first time doing so. I was happy for a time until it led me to explore the Dark Continent, much to my dismay. I shouldn't have done that, I know now. But I was led by youthful arrogance and did it anyway.
During my fight against Meruem, I came close to winning. Unlike the original Netero, I am sure that not as much was missing to defeat the Ant truly. Sadly, he was incredibly strong and even physically surpassed me. I was way faster than he was, but couldn't quite make up for the lack of defence and strength compared to the Ant, which led me to go with a bang. Just like I always hoped I would. I fuelled the Poor Man's Rose with all my remaining Nen and went with the biggest explosion the world had seen to date. I even took the severely weakened Meruem with me.
And that was the end of my second reincarnation.
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My third reincarnation led to my rebirth as Garou in the world of One Punch Man. As a child, I was unpopular and a social outcast. One day, while reading a book, I tried to warn the popular boy, Tacchan, about the dangers of kicking another student from a high vantage point. Tacchan, in turn, labelled me as a villain and started the game of "heroes," which quickly escalated into violence. After I dodged a kick and Tacchan hurt himself, I apologised, but Tacchan kicked me in the face and had other kids restrain me. When I tried to defend myself and make Tacchan fight me, the other children sided with Tacchan, calling it part of the game. Tacchan cowardly ran away, calling the teacher to punish me.
I was frustrated by how Tacchan always seemed to win and be admired, while I, the outcast, was ignored and bullied. My teacher reprimanded me for fighting and failed to understand my frustration, leading me to despise the self-righteous heroes, seeing them as bullies.
One day, I watched a TV show featuring Justice Man, the hero, and grew angry every time the villains were defeated. I believed the villains, despite being monsters, were trying their best but were always unfairly defeated. This led me to resolve to become the strongest monster and never lose again, with the aim of changing the world's flawed system. In retrospect, I was an idiot at the time. Sure, the underdogs weren't always at fault, and a so-called villain might have reasons for turning out the way he did. But aiming to become the villain was not a good plan. I just watned to show them that the underdog could also be strong.
As an adolescent, I travelled to Bang's dojo, determined to get stronger. I rudely demanded to know if Bang was strong, but he collapsed from exhaustion. Bang, impressed by my determination, took me in as a student. I quickly became the dojo's top student, outperforming even my senior, Sour Face, in breaking ceramic tiles. However, I missed one tile at the bottom, reminding me he still had much to learn. But failure only made me push myself harder.
Six months later, feeling there was nothing left to learn, I went on a rampage through the dojo, disabling many students, including Sour Face. After a beating from Bang, I was expelled but managed to steal secret techniques, including the Exploding Heart Release Fist.
I started hunting heroes and, naturally, since I was as arrogant as they came, went after S-class heroes as much as possible. There were a few close calls there, against that dog man guy. The one in the dog suit... yeah. And against the dude with the baseball bat. He would have killed me if his sister hadn't stopped him, I am certain of that. All of my arrogance was eventually brought to a halt when I met the unknown hero with a bald head, Saitama. I now know that he's the main character of that world.
What I can take away from this life is the moment when I was filled with all that power, which equipped me with a comprehensive understanding of cosmic energies and forces. It elevated my martial arts to a level unimaginable for most martial artists. Sadly, things are different here in this new reality as the cosmic forces and energies function differently. However, I am confident that, over time and with understanding, I may be able to replicate my 'Cosmic Fear Mode'.
I had been fighting and living for myself in my first and second reincarnation, but had wanted to prove something in my third. I didn't get to do it as much as I wanted, but at least Saitama did. As he was always the 'underdog' in the eyes of the public, all the while he was the strongest around. So I shall take that as a loss, but a win for my cause.
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In my fourth reincarnation, I was transported to the world of Bleach. I was born to the strongest being in that world... Yhwach. The beginning of my life was what others might call torture. To exist without senses of any kind was horrid. Through my inherent power to distribute a piece of my soul to another by being touched by them, I have learned all there was to know about them. In a way, it shaped me as I gathered all of their fears, hopes and dreams. Due to constantly experiencing the agonising final moments of every Quincy that has ever died, I wanted to create a world without fear of death, which should have been done by collapsing the Human World, Soul Society, and even Hueco Mundo together. As a result, I became a morally warped and contradictory individual whose words often carried a double meaning. While I was truly a lover of peace who hated conflict, I had no qualms about waging war to achieve the goal I had envisioned, and I just wanted the battles to end as quickly as possible.
My statement to Ichibē Hyōsube, "everything in the world exists for me to take," showcases extreme megalomania and might have been what I was truly like. I respected those whom I viewed as similar to me, holding the first generation Gotei 13 and their leader, the young Shigekuni Yamamoto, in high regard for the lengths they went to achieve victory. In contrast, I despise values like justice and honour, viewing the present Gotei 13 and Yamamoto as having become "weak". But I despised them, because they stood in the way of the peace I had envisioned for the world.
I gathered subordinates who thought similarly to me. Those who shared some of my ideals and were willing to see my vision through. I had to resort to violence, and it genuinely didn't appeal to me, when I fought my kin to unite all Quincy under my banner. I hated the Shinigami, truly, for what they did to my father, Adnyeus. When Ichibē Hyōsube revealed the truth about my father to me, I was shocked and saddened, but also angry.
I also blamed Father for the endless persecution and misery my race has gone through throughout history. Regardless, I couldn't stand his existence as the Soul King, a sealed and mutilated linchpin made to stabilise the Soul Society and keep the worlds separate. I saw how he allowed others to mutilate him of his own will, to separate the world. It was a humiliation of the highest degree to me, and I was adamant about destroying the Shinigami. Ichibē Hyōsube, at the height of Shinigami arrogance, used Father's left hand to seal my Almighty and stopped me from using its power in the war against the Shinigami. It is no surprise that we lost that war. I shouldn't have attacked, but it was the only way for me to get rid of the curse and get Pernida Parnkgjas to join my side.
I waited for a thousand years to finish what I had started and almost succeeded. Now, I understand that the way I was killed was the result of bad writing on one hand and a ridiculous plot device on the other. There is some poetry to this, though, as I did learn something from the one man who refused to yield, Sosuke Aizen. I still hear his words to me when I tried to regain my form years later, but I was defeated once and for all.
"You desired a world... Where fear would no longer be a burden. But... In a world without fear of death... People will never attain the hope that is to be found by casting their fears aside and persevering through them. While it is true that people can continue to press forward through the simple act of living... That is no way comparable to marching forward in the face of death, while doing their damndest to keep it at bay. That is why... That is why people have given that very march a unique and special name. 'COURAGE'"
I see things differently now. The importance of courage in the face of death is special and should not be underestimated. Who am I to take that away when they wish to keep it?
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From my first to my fourth reincarnation, I had grown stronger. Each life saw me grow more and more powerful, but that changed with my fifth. I was reincarnated as Gol D. Roger in the world of One Piece.
I was born in Loguetown in East Blue and grew up in difficult circumstances. It was then that I developed a fear of losing my loved ones above all else. Sometime later during my youth, I met Silvers Rayleigh and instantly liked him when I saw him. His laid-back attitude and contentment were funny to me. I asked him to 'turn the world upside down' with me. We became best friends after that. It was hilarious how we eventually became pirates, but we didn't plan on it happening. I valued freedom above everything else, and it was that drive to pursue freedom that made me commit to the life of a pirate. I wasn't the usual pirate though, as I didn't take pleasure in killing and raping and all that stuff.
I enjoyed booze, fighting and adventure, sailing where the wind took us and the friends I made along the way. I was interested in the truth of the world and wanted everyone to share that truth with me. Sadly, I was born a bit too soon for that, but at least I managed to make a difference and encourage others to pursue the same dream I had. And to this day, I still believe in what I said. Inherited Will, the tides of time, people's dreams ... Those things can't be stopped. As long as there are those who continue to pursue freedom ... these things will never cease to be!
Reflecting on my life as a pirate and the woman I fell in love with brings tears to my eyes. I had a romance with Yuujirou's mother, but it was not true love. Portgas was different, though. I truly loved her and was devastated when I realised that I would have to leave her behind. Knowing what I do now, it fills my heart with endless love and respect to see her giving up her life for our son to live. And my son, Ace... I can't have more respect for him. To die by protecting the one you love, is what I also believe in...
I can't help but smile thinking about how he pulled through and how it was my old friend Edward who raised him.
"RAHAHAHAAHAHAHHAHA"
Who would have thought that would happen? I'm glad.
.
After I became the Haki monster that I was as Gol D. Roger, I was reincarnated into a... bizarre world. Jonathan Joestar was my name, and I was ordinary, at least initially. During my childhood, I was proud and mischievous, yet gentle. Despite already aspiring to be a "true gentleman", I lacked manners and mostly behaved like a normal child. Mother having died before I could remember her, and my fellow boys ostracising me because of my status, left me somewhat lonely. While at first, I didn't have my future strength of will, Dio unwittingly became the catalyst of my growth by pushing me to the edge and humiliating my then-girlfriend, Erina Pendleton. However, I did have the kindness and courage to immediately jump to Erina's rescue against two bullies bigger than me, despite not knowing her back then.
First and foremost, I strove to become my own definition of a "true gentleman" and carried my Joestar name with pride, never betraying the code of honour I had set for myself and vowed to treat any fellow human with respect unless they prove evil. I also possessed a fierce inner strength and the drive to face and overcome conflict, which Dio called an "explosive power". That drive, fueled by my affection for my friends and loved ones, enabled me to overcome the direst of situations, notably managing to save Erina when our boat was overrun with zombies and I was fatally hit in the throat.
I fought for what I believed in, and once I was committed to something, I wouldn't back down until the job was done.
As a gentleman, I tried to be kind and positive. I had a mindset where I tried to imagine the consequences his actions would have on other people, even if they appear to be enemies. And this was the first time, in all my reincarnations, that I did that in that way. I always had an impulse to save others, starting with Erina, whom I loved so dearly.
I don't regret my decision to die with Dio as it saved Erina, and as it turns out, my son George's and Elizabeth's lives. I wish I could have met my son and lived the 'happily ever after tale', but that's not what life is about. Dio's attempts to convince me to let him go with promises of immortality, only to learn that I had already died before we were consumed in the inferno caused by the ship's explosion, are somewhat hilarious. It wouldn't have changed anything, even if I were still alive at that point. With my death, the Joestar Family survived, and that's all that matters.
Apart from becoming 'a gentleman', I also learned how to use Ripple, the ancient martial arts. I was quite good too.
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During the seventh reincarnation, I was born as Nanami Kento in a cursed world.
I attended the Sorcerer College, and during my first year, I teamed up with Yu Haibara to support Suguru Geto and Satoru Gojo while they were stationed in Okinawa. A year later, I teamed up with Yu on a mission, but the mission turned out to be more difficult than we realised. Yu died during the mission, saddening me greatly, but I couldn't show it. After I graduated from college, I decided to quit being a sorcerer because I found it to be a pain. I then started working as a businessman, but I found that the job only cared about money, being even more of a pain than being a sorcerer. After taking care of a cursed spirit that was causing problems for a baker, I decided to return to being a sorcerer.
Looking back on it, I can say that I was 'wise' in a way, but reserved. I was calm and indifferent and might have come across as stoic and aloof. I was serious about my work and took it seriously. I liked to be blunt and straight to the point in most conversations and didn't care for impractical optimism or questions left open to interpretation. However, I liked the students, and one of the reasons I believe jujutsu sorcerers are trash is because they must force their comrades to accept that they must willingly sacrifice themselves. I recognised that this led me to "run away" from the profession, admitting that it's a more befitting phrase than suggesting he "quit".
I returned to being a sorcerer after a life as a salaryman because I never felt truly appreciated and didn't believe my work had any significant impact on anyone. In contrast, working as a sorcerer allowed me to build up small bits of appreciation from innocent people. For me, this was more than enough to allow him to live without regrets.
I believe that I could have been stronger if Yu hadn't died back then. It made me despise the sorcerer profession, and that kept me from reaching my true potential. And later on, it was already too late for me to change. If I had met Yuji sooner... who knows, I might have been influenced by his strength and determination to persevere, no matter the circumstances. It might have been too much to leave everything to him in the end... I regret that. Quite a lot. All because of my weak mentality.
At least I learned how to use cursed energy and was born with an innate technique: Ratio Technique. It divides the target into ten lines and forcibly creates a weak spot at the ratio point of seven to three. The target's lines don't have to match their length or wingspan. I could choose which part to divide, including the target's head, torso, arms, and legs. This technique is also applicable to non-living objects.
Finally, there's the extension technique: Collapse. It creates a weak point in the surrounding environment, allowing me to destroy it with a single blow. I first used this technique after unleashing both my binding vows to destroy the underground tunnel and trap Mahito.
Not as bad as other techniques, but nowhere near as good as others.
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On my eighth reincarnation, I was born as Cheon Yeo-Woon.
I was a member of the Cheon Family, the highest-ranked family in the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult and was the direct descendant of the Heavenly Demon Patriarch, the founder of the Great cult. I was the son of a female servant who worked at the Lord's chamber and was not from the prominent Six Clans, which the sons of the Lord usually were from. Although considered an illegitimate son of the Lord due to my Mother's background, I was still part of the Cheon Family and had the right to the title of Vice-Lord, though I had an extremely low chance of gaining it without support. My mother and I were shunned and hated by all others. I was forced to promise that I wouldn't learn any martial arts until I turned 15.
After reaching 15, everyone in the Cult entered the Demonic Academy, where their future was decided. It was where the heirs of the Six Clans usually competed with one another for the position of Vice-Lord and gathered followers and supporters. The evening before the Academy started, I was attacked by assassins from the Six Clans who wanted to see me dead. After I was badly injured by assassins, I was unexpectedly saved by a stranger who killed the assassins. The stranger then injected the Nano Machine into my body before vanishing. My Guard Jang found my body fully recovered and asleep, and brought me to our residence.
The next morning, I was shocked to discover Nano's existence, and the fact that the machine had refined my body, removing all blockages and impurities in my blood, suggested that it could help me learn martial arts and cultivate better. The next day, after I finally entered the Demonic Academy, I learn martial arts and had an unimaginable growth rate due to the Nano Machine's support.
My life changed dramatically after that. And all of that, just because of the Nano Machine. The Nano Machine comprised specifically 6,482,040,000 nano machines, which were deployed throughout the body and were centrally connected to my brain. It isn't detectable due to the materials used, as its composition is rare and only found in deep space rifts. It couldn't leave my body and can only be ejected upon my complete death. Which naturally means that I no longer have it.
The Nano Machine was an incredible device with the ability to utilise and adapt to multiple forms of energy, including Regular Qi, Demonic Qi, Solar and Lunar Energy, as well as Yokai Energy. It's functions included self healing, scanning, zooming in, seperate certain information, correction and transfer of information directly to the brain, emergency defenses, multiple vision modes, virtual avatar creation, stimulation of energy and certain parts such as saliva glands and growth plates, adjustment of muscles, bones, qi pathways, manipulation of voice and more.
Its self-healing ability saved my life more than once, and it also makes it impossible for me to be poisoned. And that was just one of its incredible functions. One of the most useful abilities for me was Information Transfer. I could rush through books and have Nano transfer the martial arts described in them directly to my brain, allowing me to easily understand them. However, it doesn't stop there; it could also transfer muscle memories to my brain and, using another remarkable function, reconstruct my body to effectively perform the martial arts that were transferred to my brain.
It could adjust my eyes to see in the dark or in extremely bright places, adjust my vocal cords to copy and imitate accents and voices of others perfectly and more. It could maximise my physical capabilities, making me as strong as I could be.
Another very special ability of Nano was that it could create battle simulations based on pre-recorded data and techniques for me through AR and VR simulations. It analysed the mistakes in the techniques performed and provided the improved methods after analysis. I used this a lot, especially to get access to secret techniques from other clans.
I have learned a lot of martial arts in my life, as taught by Cheon Yeo-Woon, and it was mostly thanks to Nano. I gained a teacher who helped me with my almost nonexistent Qi. I studied hard and trained harder, slowly rising through the ranks until I used subterfuge and my martial prowess to become the Lord of our Cult. It was hard for me, but I took revenge on those who were responsible for Mother's death and even found someone I love. I fought a time-travelling immortal and finally killed him, but at a price. I was shot through time and died in the process, leaving the Cult without a Lord. If I could change anything... I probably wouldn't.
It seems to be a trend that I find someone I love and then have to either leave or lose them, one way or another. Mun Ku... I miss her and our child.
Remembering all of my lives is more painful than I thought. Moving on.
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I was born as Ramon Kasumi on my ninth reincarnation. Later, I was known as Ryūken. I was Kenshirō Kasumi's half-brother, since Kenshiro was born from a different mother. My older brother was the strongest Hokuto Shinken warrior, and was as mighty as the blue sky above. I still stand by that. I know now that my nephew has followed in his footsteps.
As a young man, I successfully battled with Kōryū for the succession of Hokuto Shinken.
Hokuto Shin Ken, which translates to Big Dipper God Fist, is an ancient Chinese martial art that dates back approximately 1,800 years to China. It is notably the martial art that defines the protagonists of the Hokuto no Ken series, who are its heirs to the school's succession. And I was the 63rd successor after my brother, who was the 62nd.
Hokuto Shinken channels a user's energy into a single powerful blow aimed at 708 acupressure points, known as Keiraku Hikō (Hidden Channeling Points), within the human body. These points, when struck with strength and precision, can cause devastating effects—destroying the enemy from within, causing them to explode, or controlling their body involuntarily. While its primary purpose is assassination, Hokuto Shinken can also be used for healing, restoring physical and psychological functions like sight, voice, or memories, when the points are touched with great care.
For destruction or control, the pressure points must be struck forcefully and accurately, while healing requires a much gentler touch. Mastery of this art is critical, as improper technique can result in unintended consequences, ranging from failure to dangerous backfire. An inexperienced user may cause harm instead of healing or achieve no effect at all.
A Hokuto Shinken successor can tap into 100% of their body's potential, using techniques like Tenryū Kokyū Hō (Art of Dragon's Breathing) to unlock the remaining 70% of their hidden abilities. Additionally, they can resist attacks on their pressure points using Hikō Fūji (Pressure Point Sealing) and can instantly copy techniques after witnessing them just once through Suieishin (Water Reflection Spirit).
A successor also channels Tōki (fighting aura), allowing them to unleash their full power. By radiating this aura from their body, they can focus it into devastating attacks or use it for defence. Tōki can even be harnessed for long-range ki-based strikes, enabling them to target even the smallest pressure points, like the Keiraku Hikō, from a distance.
Hokuto Shinken, like other martial arts, has both soft and hard aspects. The soft elements emphasize precision, agility, and fluidity, allowing a practitioner to strike specific meridians with speed and accuracy. The hard elements, on the other hand, focus on strength, form, and force, delivering powerful, sweeping attacks that target multiple pressure points at once.
While the art derives power from the body's internal workings, its true strength lies in love. This love can stem from deep connections—whether they are friendships, fraternal bonds, or romantic ties. However, love in Hokuto Shinken is only fully realised through experiencing true loss and sorrow. It is the acceptance of these emotions that refines a practitioner's techniques and distinguishes them from mere imitators. Master users can even replicate the techniques of those they deeply respect, perfectly mimicking their style through the power of emotional connection.
Hokuto Shinken follows the Isshi Sōden (father-to-son) tradition, meaning it can only be passed down from one father to one son, with only one successor per generation. This strict rule has led to fierce competition for the title of successor. Those who fail in their bid for successorship must voluntarily renounce the art or face severe consequences, including having their memories erased or their fists crushed.
The role of Hokuto Shinken's successor holds immense historical and spiritual significance. Beyond influencing political affairs, it is tied to Taoist astrology and legend. The successor is also seen as the second guardian of the Celestial Emperor, tasked with protecting the innocent, maintaining peace, and serving as a merciless judge and punisher of evil throughout the world.
Later in my life, and because of the rules of Hokuto Shinken, I adopted four sons and trained them as my students. My nephew, Kenshirō, was one of them. The others were Raoh, Toki and Jagi. I chose Kenshirō as the next successor, and as tradition demands, I was about to seal Raoh's 'rebellious fist' and take away his use of Hokuto Shinken, when I suffered a heart attack. Raoh seized this opportunity and killed me.
It wasn't a particularly long life, compared to others I've led. And to be killed by my own adoptive son is also not what I think of as a good ending, but it was a good life at least. And I'm happy to know that my nephew grew up to be strong.
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Next, on my tenth reincarnation, I was born as Thors Snorresson. I was the son of Snorre and would grow up to be the strongest, bravest and most well-known warrior throughout the Viking world. I was the only man who could beat Thorkell the Tall in single combat. I used to be a Jomsviking, and through the strength of my arms and ability in combat, I achieved the rank of captain at the age of 25. The commander of the Jomsvikings, Sigvaldi, liked me so much that he agreed for me to marry his daughter, Helga—my beautiful Hela.
In my earlier days as a warrior, I was a remorseless and cold man fighting in our campaigns. Even after the birth of my daughter Ylva, I at first found her as a baby to be strange. I still remember how angry Helga was at me for not caring about choosing a name for her. Helga was, after all, a warm and kind-hearted woman. I started to develop feelings for my family and cast aside my penchant for violence. I changed significantly, and from then on, I was known for my kind yet firm demeanour and humility, with a warmth that reflected my peaceful life. I also showed my love for my son, Thorfinn, and made sure to put him on the path to a peaceful life despite my previous rather violent life.
Floki loved his grandson, and he believed that power would be the only way to keep him safe and happy, power like leadership over the Jomsvikings. And I was a threat to that power. Having me return to the battlefield would immediately make me the next leader of the Jomsvikings. My strength and charisma were exceptional, and the fact that I was the son-in-law of the leader made it even more detrimental to Floki. Even if I didn't want the position, it would be forced onto me, and so, for his grandson's future, Floki had only one choice: to have me killed. So I was killed for the ambition of power and not anything else.
I suppose it is a fitting death for someone who fought so long and caused a lot of death. But it is a bit ironic to die that way. It was this life that I laid down my weapons to be together with my family and loved ones, since I realised that was more important. He was truly a genius. Gathering of Ten Thousand Shadows
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And now, we reach my second-to-last reincarnation in a world of Murim, as Jin Kan-Ho, the leader of the Northern Havenly Sect.
One hundred thirty years ago, the Silent Night made its initial appearance in Murim and began to wreak havoc upon the Mainlands. This event ravaged the mainland with flames of war and violence, bringing death to the land, while despair consumed the people as their lives became bleak and hopeless. In response to this catastrophe, the martial masters of Murim united and formed the Central Heavenly Alliance to address this dilemma.
The solution that the Alliance devised to address the issue at hand was to create a sect capable of minimising the damage caused by the Silent Night and keeping them at bay. This decision led to the establishment of the Northern Heavenly Sect, with its base of operations situated in the Northern Wastelands. Following the formation of the sect, the Central Heavenly Alliance pooled a vast amount of resources to support the newly created sect, enabling it to better combat the Silent Night through the use of martial arts techniques and the procurement of elixirs to empower its warriors.
A former vagabond named Buk Jin-Hu, renowned for his genius as a swordsman, was chosen to be the first generation sect leader of the Northern Heavenly Sect and began recruiting new members to help fulfil its purpose. But that's not all that Buk Jin-Hu did. Buk Jin-Hu developed his martial arts skills through actual combat experience and was a genius with an imagination that exceeded that of his peers, despite not being a disciple of any famous martial arts school. He created the Gathering of Ten Thousand Shadows.
Two forces maintain balance: Yin and Yang, positive and negative, light and shadow. He applied the same reasoning to chi, the basis of all martial arts, and realised that, according to the law of nature, there must be something that acts as a counterbalance to chi. An anti-qi that is equal and opposite to qi, he named this energy Shadow Chi.
Most of Buk Jin-Hu's life had been spent on the battlefield fighting against the Silent Night, and he had very little free time to develop the principles of his Shadow Chi. Therefore, there was only limited information about Shadow Chi that was left behind when he died.
After his death, Nam Un-San decided to continue working on Buk Jin-Hu's martial arts to help the Northern Heavenly Sect, which was struggling in its war at the time against the Silent Night. Nam Un-San realized that new martial arts needed to be developed to fight and began to refine Buk Jin-Hu's Shadow Chi.
Yoo Kwang-Yeon, the third sect leader, was the one who would truly turn the Shadow Chi from an idea into a real cultivation technique. After having his dantian destroyed in a fierce battle with the Black-winged Divine Spear of the Silent Night at the time, Yoo Kwang-Yeon chose to study the Shadow Chi and bring it into reality, rather than resigning himself to an inevitable death. He created an imaginary dantian to replace his destroyed one and filled it with a completely different type of energy from chi. This was the energy that Buk Jin-Hu had named "Shadow Chi".
Like an actual shadow, the "Shadow Chi" was immaterial, and only those who practised it could feel its energy. Its presence pulled Yoo Kwang-Yeon back from the brink of death and gave him a new reason to live. Yoo Kwang-Yeon then immersed himself in perfecting the Shadow Chi for the rest of his life. However, before he could complete his work, he succumbed to his injuries and passed away.
I, the fourth sect leader, would inherit my predecessor's will to perfect the technique, but I died before ever managing to study the principle of Shadow Chi or work on improving the Art of Ten Thousand Shadows.
Over the decades, the Northern Heavenly Sect continued to clash with the Silent Night. Its prestige began to increase in the Mainland. The sect also expanded its membership and fortified its defences, while additional structures were built at the physical location throughout the years. Finally, under the leadership of the 4th generation sect leader Jin Kwan-Ho and his top lieutenants, the Great Four of the Northern Heavens, the Northern Heavenly Sect defeated the Silent Night in open battle, leading to their disappearance from the rest of Murim and an end to their lingering attacks on the Mainlands.
Despite the Northern Heavenly Sect achieving the victory, the Central Heavenly Alliance took the credit for the disappearance of the Silent Night. Also, it harboured fears that the sect had grown too strong due to its century of combat experience. The Central Heavenly Alliance feared that the sect would turn its attention towards the Mainland now that its longtime foe had been eliminated. The Great Four of the Northern Heavenly Sect also harboured various grievances against me as a Sect Leader, among which was my refusal to allow the sect to carve out its own territory in the Mainlands as a reward for our more than a century-long vigilance, protecting the Mainlands from the Silent Night.
Because of my insistence on remaining within the Northern Wastelands, the Central Heavenly Alliance plotted with the Great Four of the Northern Heavens to provide a falsified testimony labelling me as a traitor who betrayed the Alliance to the Silent Night, despite it being a well-known fact that I was loyal and steadfast in my duty. In exchange for their participation in this devious scheme, the Great Four, my former brothers-in-arms, were given assurances that they would each be able to have territories of their own and that the Alliance would publicly acknowledge and accept this.
So they arrived to fight the Northern Heavenly Sect.
I found myself and my son in a precarious position. I concluded that I wouldn't be able to fight my way out of the Northern Heavenly Sect and that my enemies would use everything at their disposal to prevent that from happening. Consequently, I bargained that in exchange for the dissolution of the Northern Heavenly Sect and the expulsion of its remaining disciples, my son Jin Mu-Won would be allowed to live, and the Nine Skies would publicly assure him that they and the Alliance would not lay a hand on my son.
The Nine Skies reluctantly agreed to the arrangement only after concluding that killing off my entire bloodline would have the rival factions within the Alliance turn against them. They promised me that my son would be safe from them.
I still remember the day as if it were yesterday. I kneeled on the ground in front of my son, and after everything was said and done, I asked him for forgiveness. I plunged my sword into my torso and killed myself. I laid down my weapons for peace and my family as Thors, and died willingly for my son in this life.
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And so, here I am. Reincarnated as Minhkhoa Khan, the future Ghost Maker and a former psychopathic. Now, I have arrived in the most dangerous reality yet, the DC Universe. I have lost my strong body, I have lost the Almighty I had as Yhwach, I have lost bloodlines, and I even lost weapons and the Nano Machine. But I have my memories and the amalgamated soul of all my past reincarnations. I can feel the different energies flowing about inside me, telling me that I am not alone and not lost.
I will retrain and grow further than I ever reached before, combining everything I know. I was a warrior, a killer, a king, a legend, a teacher, a husband and a father. I can become those things again.
Let's get training.