章 2: Restarting....

The scenery blurred and faded, and once again, Jack was enveloped by the warmth of the bright white light. His mind raced, disoriented by the sudden shift in his surroundings. Before he could catch his breath, a booming laughter echoed through the vast space, shaking the very air around him.

"I see you hold no love for the people of your world," the voice said, its tone now darker, almost sinister. "Good. That is precisely what I desire."

Jack blinked, startled. 'Isn't this supposed to be some benevolent god?' he thought, his confusion deepening.

"Do not misunderstand me, young one," the voice continued, resonating with an otherworldly authority. "As you walk the world again with your new mission, you will discover why I have chosen you. In time, you will understand."

Before Jack could react, a powerful force seized him, yanking him away. His body twisted and warped as the light swallowed him whole.

"Wai—!"

* * * * * * * * *

When Jack regained his senses, he was once again enveloped in darkness. But this time, it felt different—closer, like the shadows were pressing against him, wrapping around him like a cocoon.

"Where the hell did that glowing fool throw me this time?" Jack grumbled in his mind. "Might as well have sent me to hell. At least I earned that much."

As his frustration simmered, a faint light appeared ahead of him—a small, glowing dot at the end of a tunnel. But he wasn't walking toward it. No, the light seemed to be pulling him in.

"What the—let go of me!" Jack tried to shout, but his voice came out as a muffled squeak, barely more than a pathetic whimper. His eyes widened in realization, and the weight of what was happening hit him like a ton of bricks.

'Wait… who's holding me? And why am I so… tiny?'

His gaze dropped to his feet—no, not his feet. They were far too small, dangling helplessly above the ground. His body was limp, cradled in the arms of a woman. Panic surged through him as the truth hit him like a freight train.

"Don't tell me…"

"My lady, it's a boy! A beautiful baby boy!" the woman holding him cried out, her voice dripping with delight. She was the midwife.

A surge of frustration bubbled inside Jack, his mind screaming in protest. "No… no, no, no! This is some kind of sick reincarnation, isn't it? I didn't ask for this! Damn that god! I hate this world! I hate this body!"

But all that escaped his lips were pitiful squeals.

The midwife laughed softly, her wide smile beaming down at him. "Look at him squirm, my lady. He's quite energetic, isn't he?"

Her words only made Jack thrash harder, but his tiny limbs barely twitched. His new body was too weak, too fragile. As he writhed in frustration, he caught sight of the woman who had given birth to him—his supposed mother.

Even through her exhaustion, she smiled weakly, her face pale but serene. The sound of her voice sent a shiver down Jack's spine. It was sweet and divine, like a melody. "Please, Maria," she whispered. "Make sure he cries."

Jack's baby-blue eyes darted toward the source of that voice. 'Divine voice, huh? Pfft, show off,' he thought, closing his eyes with irritation. He didn't care who she was.

The midwife, Maria, turned Jack in her arms, exposing his rear. Jack's thoughts froze in horror as he realized what was coming.

'Wait… wait, she's not going to—'

*PAK!*

The sharp slap landed on his behind, sending a jolt of pain shooting through his tiny body. Another slap followed. And another.

*PAK! PAK!*

'Okay, okay! I'll cry!'

Tears flooded Jack's eyes as he let out a wail, the pain too much for his infant body to endure. Streams of tears rolled down his cheeks, and for the first time, he surrendered to the indignity of his new life.

"There we go, now he's crying like a proper baby," Maria cooed, wiping him down with a warm cloth. Her smile was infuriating to Jack, but before he could curse her in his mind, something caught his attention.

A soft green light shimmered from Maria's hands, catching Jack's gaze. The moment the light touched his skin, the blood and fluids that had coated him vanished, as though they had never been there. His discomfort faded, replaced by an almost soothing sensation.

'Wait… is that what I think it is?' His thoughts paused, overtaken by awe.

Maria's hands moved gracefully, the green light now floating toward his mother. The wisp of magic enveloped her, and Jack watched in amazement as her pale, exhausted face regained color. Her breathing steadied, her strength seemingly restored.

'Magic.' The word echoed in Jack's mind, a concept he had always dismissed as fantasy. But now, it was real—right before his eyes. Magic had saved his mother and eased his pain.

It all started to make sense—the Great One, the strange reincarnation, the mystical powers at play. Jack grinned, an idea sparking to life in the depths of his mind.

'This isn't a curse,' he realized, a dark chuckle rumbling in his thoughts. 'It's a gift. A second chance. And this time…'

A manic glee filled his heart as his grin widened. 'This time, I'll make the world grovel at my feet!'

His mind raced with visions of domination, of revenge, of bending the very world to his will. The Great One had handed him a new life, a new body—but more importantly, a new power. Jack would use it to reshape the world in his image. He would finally crush those who had wronged him and rise as the ruler of this cursed world.

His tiny body trembled with excitement, making him unintentionally squirm in Maria's arms. The midwife giggled, stroking his cheek. "Oh, Lady Arwen, your little boy seems to be so happy with his new clothes!"

Jack's excitement was cut short by her touch. He scowled, but to Maria, his expression seemed like an innocent baby smile. She leaned down, pressing her cheek to his, her warmth invading his personal space.

"Get your filthy hands off me, you human!" Jack wanted to scream, but all that came out was a high-pitched squeak.