Ryu suddenly opened his eyes and gasped for air, his chest rising and falling as he desperately tried to breathe—as if he had just come up from drowning.
'What was that? A dream?'
He clutched his chest, feeling his heart pounding like a war drum. But before he could calm himself, a voice called out from beside him.
"Ryu? What happened?!"
The voice was soft yet urgent, laced with concern—a motherly tone.
But that voice startled Ryu. He didn't remember letting anyone into his house.
Instinctively, he tried to move back from the sound, eyes wide with confusion. "Who—"
But before he could finish, a sharp pain stabbed through his skull, like a needle piercing straight into his eyes. His body tensed. A strange sensation spread through his mind—then the flood came.
Memories. Pouring into his consciousness like a tsunami.
They weren't someone else's. They were his.
He saw himself growing up: his parents' breakup, the pain of abandonment, the years living under his grandfather's roof. The comfort of anime and manga, the little joys and big loneliness. The loss of his grandfather.
The silence of a family that had truly let him go. His Full-time job at a convenience store. The dull, quiet life leading up to... that final flash of light.
And just when it seemed like the flood was over, another wave came crashing in.
Another life. Another birth. But this time, he was born to different parents. Again came the separation—but this time, his mother stayed. This time, she loved him. Protected him. Raised him with warmth. The last memory was of this version of himself falling asleep on his bed.
As both sets of memories collided, Ryu found himself floating in a black space. A void.
"This isn't a void. This is your inner soul space."
A voice spoke behind him. Ryu turned—and froze.
A stunning woman stood there, dressed in a sleek black one-piece dress. Her long black hair flowed behind her. Pale heels clicked softly against the nonexistent ground. Her skin was flawless. She looked like a cold, elegant model come to life.
"I appear as you subconsciously desire, Master," she said.
Her form shifted. In a blink, she became a voluptuous, mature woman—like a MILF straight out of anime. The sudden change made Ryu's heart race in both shock and confusion.
"Who… who are you? What are you?" he demanded, instinctively backing away.
But the woman simply shook her head. "You can't separate from me, Master. Nor can you escape. I exist within you. This is your soul space, and I reside here. I came to help you... to guide your two consciousnesses."
Ryu still didn't fully understand, but his gaze shifted toward two glowing orbs floating nearby. Somehow, he knew—they were his consciousness. He could see the memories swirling inside them.
"Let me properly introduce myself," the woman said with a graceful bow, her ample chest and wide hips subtly swaying with the motion. "I am Velkora. The Primordial Symbiote of the Beginning. Created to serve those whose fate aligns with mine."
Her words rang with authority. Ryu didn't know what to think, but at least she didn't feel threatening.
"How do I leave this place?" he asked cautiously.
Velkora smiled gently. "Before that, you should look at yourself, Master."
Confused, Ryu looked down—and froze.
"What is this?!"
His voice—different. Higher. Younger. His hands—small. His body—tiny.
"How?! Why is my body so small?! What happened to me?!"
Velkora cleared her throat and gestured to the two orbs. "That body belongs to Ryu—the orb over there. While the other orb holds your original self, Hiroto Kinosuke. In simple terms… you have transmigrated. This is no longer your body. You now inhabit the body of Ryu Inazuma."
Ryu stared at his hands again, then slowly repeated the words, trying to process them. "Transmigration…? Ryu Inazuma…?"
The truth settled in.
"That wasn't a dream… I really died?" he whispered.
He didn't want to believe it. None of it made sense. But deep inside, he knew it was real.
He stood still for a long moment.
Then he sighed.
"I see... Okay... I died, huh? Alright."
He repeated the words, trying to convince himself—but as he did, tears began to fall. Slowly at first. Then more.
Tears he hadn't wanted. Tears he couldn't stop.
"Ha… Haha… w-why... why am I crying…?"
He tried to laugh, but it came out as a broken sob. A weak attempt to mask grief he couldn't deny.
And then he cried.
He cried for his death. For his life. For everything that had ended, no matter how dull or painful it had been.
It was still his.
Velkora remained beside him in silence. She did not offer comfort.
Because she understood—this was not a moment for words.
This was a moment to grieve.
After some time, Ryu finally came to his senses. The storm of emotions had passed, leaving behind a strange stillness in his heart. He slowly looked up at Velkora.
From his new, much smaller body, she looked massive—tall, graceful, imposing. Now that he was just a child physically, the contrast between them was surreal.
Velkora let out a soft chuckle. "What a weird situation, right?"
Ryu nodded faintly.
"This isn't even that strange," Velkora added, her tone casual. "There are far weirder things that happen in the cosmos."
Ryu gave a small, awkward cough. "Right…"
He wasn't really sure how to respond. Mostly, he just wanted to ease the awkwardness after having cried in front of her. But before he could say anything else, Velkora's voice came again—gentle and knowing.
"It's not bad or embarrassing to grieve. Not for a person... or for a life."
Ryu looked at her, surprised. "You can hear my thoughts?"
Velkora smiled slightly. "Of course. I'm connected to your soul space, after all."
"That's…" Ryu paused. He didn't know what to think about that. Did she hear everything? Including the weird thoughts he had about her current form?
Velkora's smile didn't fade. "Don't worry, Master. It happens. You're still a young man in puberty. Your body may have changed, but your mind is still yours."
Ryu wanted to cry again.
Ooooh… my life… he screamed internally. But knowing she could hear that too made it worse. He kept quiet, unsure whether to laugh or bury himself in a hole.
Velkora chuckled lightly, clearly enjoying the inner turmoil dancing in his soul.
Then her expression turned calm again. "Master, now that your mind has stabilized, we should complete the merging ritual. Your mother is growing worried. You've fallen unconscious outside, remember?"
"Oh… right. Let's finish this."
Ryu's eyes widened slightly. He had nearly forgotten—this body's mother was still out there, waiting. Even if he didn't share any memories with her directly, he didn't want to make her worry.
Velkora nodded. With a smooth motion of her hand, the two floating orbs moved toward one another. As they touched, Ryu felt it—another surge, not painful, but intense. Memories—flashes of lives lived—poured through his consciousness again.
But this time, they didn't feel separate.
They were blending. Combining.
Instead of being two distinct people, the thoughts, emotions, and instincts of both Ryu and Hiroto fused into a single stream. And as they merged, Ryu felt a shift deep within him.
He was changing.
Not just physically. Not just mentally.
But fundamentally.
He was becoming someone new—someone who carried both lives within, yet belonged to neither alone.
"Don't worry, Master," Velkora said softly, her voice echoing in his mind. "Your soul is simply fusing with new memories. It may feel strange, like you're becoming someone else… but this is just the process of two souls merging into one. Not Hiroto. Not Ryu. But someone new."
Ryu didn't fully believe her. Not entirely.
But he could feel it—he was changing.
And… he understood what she meant.
This was no longer Hiroto Kinosuke. Nor was it the original Ryu Inazuma.
He was someone born from both.
A new soul, carrying two lives, in one body.
As the memories settled, the weird sensation gradually faded. Ryu returned to reality, the disorienting fog clearing from his mind.
He slowly opened his eyes and looked up. He was in someone's arms.
His mother's.