2 Nuoding City

"This is getting worse and worse by the day" Sagar complains while walking around the hill, each of his steps were weak and trembling powerlessly.

The gentle breeze of the forest, calm and tranquil atmosphere, everything about the forest where Sagar was currently had the ability to calm a person's mind while granting peace to their heart.

But even so, albeit the forest tranquility, Sagar was unaffected.

He continued to walk around but because of his heavy exhaustion, he failed to maintain his stand and collapsed on the ground.

"Huff...." Sagar breaths heavy air, his lungs feeling both heavy and unnatural " My eyes are hurting.....shit, I rashly used my Rinnegan "

Sagar awakened his Rinnegan during the ceremony and can utilize all the power of the said ocular eye power.

The only restriction is his lack of soul power that is a substitute for the so-called Chakra.

Rolling his body around, his eyes turns to meet the vast sky " Dying is better than living like this"

For him, such thought has repeatedly appeared more than once or twice in his life.

Living such a miserable life is worse than dying but dying is just a significant reason for yourself to be called a loser.

"I have no money, no power nor the strength to support myself, how am I gonna even survive in this hell ?" He regrets ever being reborn, why didn't he just die that day ?

Was God or some divine being teasing him and enjoying watching his misery ?

If so then this is not cool !!

"What is not so cool ?" A very familiar voice, similar to him but low yet sinister, asked him.

Turning to check on the voice, he suddenly found a young man standing not far from him.

The young man has short black hair and lively eyes, although he is little fat but his muscles scream power. He is around 5'4 feet in height which can be considered average for a Nepali.

Wearing an ordinary and plain outfit, looking simple, the young man stands with a smile.

"You...." Sagar was horrified to see his younger version from his previous life, standing with a smile and asking him a question.

"Yes, me. So what is not so cool, Sagar ?" The young and sinister Sagar was not surprised by the reaction from the little Sagar.

"You see, even before your death, everything was same and even after your death" Sinister Sagar approached the little Sagar with a calm smile, each step were unhurried and full of worldly ryhmth "It as if you were born a loser, not worthy of achieving anything in both of your life"

"Don't blame him Sagar, after all a worthless piece of shit will always remain a shit " Suddenly another weak voice interrupted the sinister Sagar "No matter how hard the shit tries to soar like a dragon, their wings are always meant to be cut by the tigers "

Sagar turns around and he finds another young version of him resting on a wheelchair.

This young version looks weak and has a skinny body, bones outstretching while veins dry from lack of vitality. He was wearing a hospital outfit and had dark circles around his eyes, each of his hairs were long enough to reach his shoulders.

"He was a loser, is a loser and always will be the same...." The weak Sagar meets his monotonous eyes with the little Sagar "...a fucking trash who can't escapse the matrix set by the society, restricted by his own cowardice and his belief, no matter how hard he tries he is always that same fucking L-O-S-E-R"

"By any chance, am I wrong...Sagar ?" The weak Sagar slowly moved his wheelchair and approached the little Sagar.

Sagar's pair of horrified eyes were quivering, revealing extreme fear and trepidation in his heart.

The weak Sagar unhurriedly leans his body down to meet his lips close to little Sagar's left ear and softly whispers to him " You are just a disappointment, a failed product that has no rights to live this wonderful life "

Listening to the weak Sagar, the little Sagar was trembling. His eyes expressing his doubt and weakness, he didn't have self-confidence right now.

For some unknown reason, he was feeling as if a mysterious power was pulling him like a magnet.

Attracting him into the deepest part of the abyss with no return, once he was pulled within that mysterious force, he would never ever return back.

The weak Sagar leisurely caresses his finger on the cheek of Sagar and smiles affectionately " So why don't you make it easier for everyone and just ...die ?"

"What do you say, Sagar ? " The weak Sagar asked the sinister Sagar, which the sinister Sagar nodded in approval.

"Basically you are not wrong here, it is said that with great power comes great responsibility? " Sinister Sagar unhurriedly starts to walk in a circle, around those two Sagar while his both hands behind.

"You see, although what is said is true but in my perception and beliefs, such rules only applies for the weak and weaklings " He wisely points his finger at the sky while continuing with his sinister voice " For the strong and powerful, Possessing great power is to possess great ambition "

"But unfortunately, you lack the wisdom and so your perception is narrow and down to earth " He chuckles lightly " Hehehe,  your vision is restricted by the shrouded clouds and mist born from the society you live "

"Do you know why ?" The sinister Sagar slowly close the distance between his face and little Sagar's face with each other, when both of them can feel each others warm breath, the sinister Sagar reveals his sharp fang belonging to the Ghoul Bloodline " That is because you are surrounded by the weakling possessing weak mentality, if they were strong and powerful, they would have always possessed that insatiable hunger which ever strong individual possess with them"

"But no, if you want to grow strong and stronger than your very imagination, stop living in the middle of such weaklings" 

"Go out and search for that hunger, search for those individuals who possess the said hunger "

"Learn from them to become hungry, cultivate that hunger into insatiable hunger"

"And once you possess the same hunger, you will realize that on the food chain, there are monsters and demons hiding in the dark, ready to bare their fang on both the man and heaven"

Sagar eyes were diluted but at the sametime,enlightened. 

"Hunger ?" Sagar repeated the word and asked back but his question was answered by nothing but silence. 

"Hunger....Huh? " He completely collapsed on the ground with no energy left, fainting with his weak body and soul.

******

The blazing sun of the day slowly faded away and by the time Sagar opened his eyes, he noticed that the bright and clear sky had been replaced with uncountable stars surrounding that enchantress moon.

The cold breeze of the night ran through his skin and his whole body shivered from the coldness, prompting him to stand up and shrug his shoulders.

"It...is night " He was surprised to find that it was already nighttime and the hill has now turned into dark but the moonlight was guiding those children of night even during such darkness.

"....should I return back ?" He contemplated whether he should return back to that place or not ?

"Sigh.... why would I even need to return there ? After all, it's not like a warm and cozy environment is waiting for my return ?" He shook his head and just unhurriedly began to walk around, aimlessly drifting his way at night.

"Even that moon seems to be mocking me " He disdainfully smirks, although it was hard to tell whether he was scornful of the moon or himself.

"Why don't I just leave this damn village ?" For a moment such a thought came to his mind but soon he shook his head " But where would I go ?"

"...after all, I have never left the village since my birth " He has lived his seven years in Holy Spirit Village and has not learned about the outside world.

Even if he left the village, where will he go and where will he live his life ?

How will he survive and what will he do ?

"Nuoding City, according to the villagers the city is not far from the village and is said to be source of income for the avenue of the village " Although he has never left the village, he has learned that the villagers sells their products and goods in Nuoding City.

Nuoding City seems to be the place for everyone to do their marketing and trades, if it is true then doesn't that mean he can visit this city and learn many things over there ?

"Alright, it is decided then, I will travel to Nuoding City all by myself " He nods his head and with strong determination, he begins to head for the city.

Nuoding City is located in the middle of Fasinuo province, and while it wasn't considered a major city, the border of another empire was, after all, very close, and naturally, merchants of both great empires traded there. Consequently, Nuoding City flourished and the lives of the commoners in the villages around the city are better than elsewhere.

More than that, every year,  Nuoding Primary Spirit Master Academy gives one quota to each and every surrounding village . This is equivalent to offering opportunity for those talented children who have awakened their martial soul, providing them with hope for the future.

Each with a quota can join Nuoding Academy as a working student, while working for the academy earning some money, they can continue to learn from the academy.

Although it may look unfair or something in the eyes of many, but for those that lack financial support or funds, it is already a heaven-given opportunity.

But more than that, since two great empire's merchants and vendors occasionally visit for trade, this city is also the best choice to do business.

"So kid, what is your name ?" The thick and powerful, almost looking imposing and indestructible walls protect the city but with the walls are mighty guards on the line.

Outside the city, on the entrance gate, those well equipped guards were questioning a little child with a questioning gaze.

"I am Sagar Rai, I came from a distant village that was recently raided by group of mountain bandits " Sagar made a sad expression, his voice was full of sorrow and sadness "Before I came here, my mother sacrificed herself to make an escape for me"

"She said I should go to Nuoding City and ask for shelter in the orphanage" Seeing Sagar make such a realistic expression, the city guards felt pity for him.

Since he was a child almost no one doubted his word.

It was early in the morning and the residents of the city were starting to get lively, the early morning ray of sun reached for Sagar and his eyes that carried pain and sadness for his mother's sacrifice amplified by dozens of times.

"Little Rai, don't worry, although we can't help you in bringing your mother back, take these copper spirit coins " There was a kind guard who pitied Sagar and gave him three copper spirit coins, patting the head of Sagar with great gentleness.

"Thank you uncle but my given name is Sagar and not Rai" Sagar was grateful for this stranger but he still did his best to correct him.

".....my bad" Although the guard felt embarrassed, he just lightly coughed and did his best to ignore.

"Let him in" After some little inspection, those guards let Sagar enter the city.

The moment Sagar entered the city, he was surprised to find it very lively.

Although it was early in the morning, he could already see the difference between a city and a village.

Those huge buildings with rich roads, early morning activities and preparation for business.

Lanterns and decorations were hung up above the streets, linking them with strings while connected through one building to another.

As Sagar continued to move on, he also found artificial rivers and bridges, amplifying the beauty of the city by dozens of times.

"So this is the Nuoding City, truly remarkable " Sagar was fascinated after witnessing the beauty of Nuoding City. 

He has seen much more prosperous and advanced cities during his first life but what fascinated him this time is the beauty of Nuoding City that originates from fantasy imaginations.

Everything about the city is absolutely related to those Chinese Wuxia and Xianxia Fantasy.

After all, witnessing and experiencing such beauty and reality in real life is not something to lightly ignore or scoff at.

Anyone would be fascinated.

"But what would I do here ?" He suddenly asked himself.