1 Consciousness

I lived a fulfilling life.

I had zero regrets.

I wouldn't have changed a thing.

Who am I kidding? To hell with that delusional nonsense. My life was a mess, It was a puzzle with missing pieces. So many regrets, so many mistakes but I still made the most out of the crappy cards I was dealt and all for what? To be shot dead by the world's most merciless and rapacious mob boss.

But wait...

If I'm dead, how on Earth am I still conscious?

Did I survive or was I wrong and god truly wasn't a sham? Has he sent me to hell which is supposed to be this dark ill-lit space where the punishment is to tolerate my deplorable self for eternity while lying in this vulnerable state?

Flailing my arms in hysteria panicking about my predicament, I noticed a blinding light appear in the mass of darkness. After contemplating I came to the obviously unerring conclusion of it being the path to heaven. Sparing no effort, I used every martial technique I mastered during my life on the circle of light as if it was my lifeline. As if I, Alexander Takahashi, the unyielding fist, could be restrained by a puny hole.

After an everlasting period of time filled with desperate attacks, the light gradually expanded just enough to eventually release me from my shackles into the brilliant dazzling city of Go-

Hold on...

"Wer eh uck ahm I?!?!"

Wait, was that me? Was that my voice? Why the hell is everything so blurry?

What on Earth is happening. My vision appears to be continuously out of focus my other senses are in a similar state.

I felt as though I was being raised in the air and held up by two enormous hands that may or may not be larger than my entire body on its own. The giant had been talking to a few other blurred figures. Even though I couldn't understand what they were saying they were clearly fearful of the man holding me.

According to my years spent as a general practitioner, there were two main possibilities for what was happening. Some may believe that the answer is obvious...

I have been abducted by aliens... Or (the half-witted answer) I have been reincarnated as a newborn into a different part of the world, if I'm still even on Earth, and have retained all my past memories.

I know right, absurd.

Although this would explain my blurry vision I could have just as easily hit the back of my head and been taken by aliens.

Snapping me out of my thoughts was a new voice that was added to the other distorted gibberish coming from the other blurry outlines. It had a more feminine voice to it but seemed to be extremely distressed as they spoke swiftly and appeared to fumble their words quite a few times.

---

"Y-You... Sir, pl-plea-please allow me to keep this one, I-I'll do anything you ask!"

"053, we're grateful that you have assisted us through our work, but you know the rules well. We would have already run out of test subjects if we were to be this generous to all our... Helpers."

The man had an aura of authority and had spoken with a gentle tone, but it was clear that he would not indulge with her any longer. Standing upright with grey hair tied in a bun he wore simple rectangular glasses in a blood-stained chalky coat similar to the lab coats on Earth. This man's name was Doctor Stavious Hallow.

The woman relentlessly insisted, her voice was hoarse as a result of dehydration.

"Please sir, my boy isn't even crying. He likely has some sort of medical issue so how would he even remotely survive the dantian transplant?"

Looking up at his well-built figure even while looking to be a very aged man, she wished with all her soul to hear a different response to what she was anticipating.

"Proceed with the dantian transplant in six months."

The man replied back with a slight grin handing the child back to one of the surgeons. The surgeon was short and bald, a plain man with not too many features on him.

"Please Sir! He will die for no reason!"

The woman's cries slowly grew less powerful as she continued to grow weaker.

'Hmm, I wonder.'

Hallow thought exiting the dim room whilst giving one last glance to the pale fragile newborn while his mother helplessly begged his leaving figure.

The two surgeons that were positioned up straight saluting while slightly quivering simultaneously turned to the third who seemed to be higher-ranked. The third surgeon pulled down his face cover which was a silky azure mask and briskly yet elegantly chopped the woman's nape, she collapsed dropping her hands by her sides with her shoulder-length dark hair stuck to the sweat on her forehead.

"Get the child to the neonatal pod chamber"

The short surgeon said shooing the other two away.

"As you wish"

Both surgeons concurrently nodded and gave a full deep 90-degree bow as they hurried out through the dull aged wooden door.

***

In the Immortal Realm, the Pride sect

A young man in a rat-grey button uniform noticed a tall yet slim figure in the corner of his eye, this figure wore an elegantly designed black and white Daoist robe.

Immediately calling out and greeting him, the angelic silhouette that he instantly recognized to be Nicholas Akshay turned his head. Nicholas kept his long smooth fair hair down as it reached his slim yet clearly built waist, his bangs followed with the cool breeze and he moved with a majesty only achieved by royalty joined with the benevolence of a sage. He was recognized as the prince of the sect, not because he was the son of the sect leader, but because of his prodigious abilities that were believed to lead the sect to glory. Having a one in a thousand talent left him to be admired by all. He was capable of decapitating several spirit boars without a speck of blood on the blade. Capable of leading a hundred men with but a single profound speech being able to reach and touch every soul. Most would glare in admiration and respect and others in envy at his pale jade visage and muscular yet immaculate physique. He was the type to listen more than speak yet when he spoke all would listen. Nicholas Glanced over to the low ranking sect guard and pulled his hands out from behind his back as he made his way over.

"I pay my respects to the Great Elder."

"Thank you, Neto,"

Nicholas, which looked to be of similar age as the sect's guard Neto, curled his lips into a warm smile that resulted in one of bitterness.

Although they looked the same age, their cultivations differed drastically and the longer your cultivation, the greater your period of youth.

Suddenly, a thread of blood slowly trickled out of Nicholas's mouth which he swiftly licked away before Neto could notice.

'Damn why now!'

Yet the young guard was deep in thought, seemingly contemplating the fact that the Great Elder knew his name, him a lowly guard. Grinning gleefully, he sent endless praises to the unknowing Nicholas.

'That is the Young leader I admire, truly an inspiration. What a humble yet perfect man, and to think I've only met him once.'

"I'll be heading out for a good bit this time."

"How long would that be your excellency?"

Snapping out of his daze he questioned Nicholas.

"Hmm, Let's say five to eight months. Oh and also, please keep this on the down-low."

"Understood!"

Neto said nodding his head while cupping his fist.

'Perfect.'

Nicholas grinned, people that don't have high self-esteem naturally wish to appease others when shown a slight bit of respect. Doing such a measly thing as remembering such a person's name is immensely beneficial when wanting their favour. Waving his hand, Nicholas leisurely stepped through the sky blue portal that briskly grew into existence while emitting small milky streaks of white around it; leading him to another realm.

***

Two months later...

It's been two months, two months of utter boredom. I haven't been able to do much as I have been placed in a transparent pod filled to the brim with some type of fluid. I gotta say, this fluid is some kind of sorcery because since I was placed here I haven't needed to drink, eat or excrete in any way shape or form yet I appear to be perfectly healthy. The doctor side of me was heavily intrigued by this yet what could I do besides observe and feel?

I have also noticed some other oddities besides the fluid and I don't mean the fact that I am a fucking naked infant in a pod. I mean that I've been in a dim room with who knows how many pods with children inside them there are. Not to mention People in lab coats that don't speak a language that I understand or have ever even heard while replacing these poor infants for two hellish months, taking them away to god knows where and never bringing them back.

Of course, this also confirms that I have been reincarnated, but I can't rule out the fact that all of this may be imaginary or rather created by my brain after I died. Since your brain continues to operate for a few minutes after death this would explain it. Still, it all feels too real.

There are a good amount of pods around me occupied by other children who seem to endlessly cry. Some are taken away and replaced after a good while by people in lab coats and so I'm left with new faces every few days or so. I've attempted to scream out in all the languages I know as well as being fluent in; French, English, Russian, Mandarin, and Japanese but they appeared to not hear me.

I'll just bide my time and relax until it's my turn to leave this godforsaken place where they leave children to cry, completely disregarding their need for constant care and affection to fuel their brain for development. This is a hundred and twenty per cent illegal, I don't give a damn what country I'm in or if this place is the Illuminati, it's all seriously messed up.

Doesn't matter, they're bound to get busted eventually, right? Right?

***

Four months later...

How long has it been?

I've lost track of time at this point while doing my best not to go insane. I've survived in some harsh and deadly environments, from meditating in minimal clothing during the ice-cold winter to fistfights on shards of glass while covered in stab wounds. Although I pride myself on being tolerant, being alone with who knows how many crying newborns, never giving you a break and not going insane in the first few days has got to be the greatest feat of all mankind.

At this point, I was fine with anything. I wouldn't care if this entire underground satanic dungeon was nuked and blown to smithereens, anything would be fine with me.

-Clink, clink

Right as I thought those words, seemingly answering my prayers, a doctor holding a clipboard entered the room and crept towards my pod specifically. Tip-tap, tip-tap, tip-tap his steps which were engulfed in the shrieks of the children were so quiet yet so loud to me.

Finally, I was going to be freed. I didn't think I could bear it any longer in this place. I placed my mini-sized palm on the pod waiting to be freed he walked right by me.

Wha-Waaa-Whaaaat! Come Back! Please! I Beeeeeggggg you!

Suddenly, my pod's lid slid open and I sighed in relief, he had only walked behind it to reach the controls to open it.

The short bald man in the same attire as the rest of the doctors stooped in and grappled me out holding me by the ankle while panting after doing so. I started to notice that somehow, I had become far larger and more developed even though I hadn't consumed anything for the last eon.

The doctor caressed me and glared daggers straight into my soul as if he were checking something. I felt an enormous pressure begin to suffocate me before it dissipated as if it never existed. Sweat trickled down my forehead in horror as I felt naked and exposed to this man who could peer with such great lengths into my soul. Then, to my horror, I realized that I was actually naked. I was once a dragon that could claim to be second strongest and no one would dare claim to be first, easily defeating entire martial dojos with both hands behind my back and being able to peer down on the largest of mountains as if they were pebbles. But still, at this moment I was but a tiny man literally and figuratively, being held by another man with my eggplant resting upon my peaches, utterly exposed.

The doctor slowly placed my plump body down on a trolley and began to push it out the creaking of the metal trolley couldn't even be heard as the earsplitting noise of the children's cries thoroughly engulfed it. Frankly, I don't feel bad leaving those children there to suffer as I have spent enough time around them to understand that those little pricks have the tenacity of a bear and well, it's every man...errr baby for themselves.

As the door to the dungeon/baby area shut, only the rusty crooked wheels of the trolley could be heard, finally, for the first time In forever, I finally had some resemblance of silence. Not taking it for granted I quickly shut my eyes and began to emerge myself in a long-needed nap, promptly the trolley stopped. The doctor grappled me and laid me out onto a smooth concrete slab that seemed to be a type of bed.

I had arrived in some type of small room that could barely fit a single-sized bed.

The concrete slab definitely wasn't the most comfortable place to lie my warm and wet back on as it was dusty dry and an extremely cold surface.

"What the hell is this asshole? At least give me a pillow."

I murmured to myself while shaking my head. I didn't expect him to understand what I had said as every time I had heard the doctors conversing with each other I was never able to tell what language it was, but it didn't mean I couldn't vent my frustrations.

Placing my arms behind the back of my head while leaning comfortably onto the poorly maintained stone slab, I kicked my leg over the other and glanced around the room to make up my surroundings.

I quickly came to the conclusion that it was some kind of shitty operating room. Considering there were knives and other unknown equipment neatly organised atop a tall narrow metal table with a bright fluorescent light bulb hanging down from above; It almost lit the entire room, considering it was the only source of light, it was pretty strong.

Relaxing in peace while awaiting my fate I noticed the short doctor facing the entrance, already bowing and cupping his fist. his polished bald head reflecting the light. To my surprise, a burly old man with clean hair tied in a bun treaded into the room with immense stature right on cue. Following him, three other people marched in wearing similar attire to the old one, him being the only one that could be properly recognised. The other doctors had blue veils on matching their light bluish lab coats.

"Dr Stavious Hallow, I have already brought in the 13th infant of subject 053,"

Lifting his head, he continued

"The boy is at the age of sixth months and has survived the conscious brain death period inside the Elvandic Fluid Pod. Although he is quite odd..."

Taking a quick glance at the boy, Dr Hallow's interest was piqued.

"Go on."

"Well, where should I start, I don't believe the Moloch Fluid succeded in causing brain death. Naturally, 6 months in the neonatal pod chamber should lead to a conscious brain death for an infant and yet..."

Stopping to peer at Hallow for approval, the short man being ogled down upon began to twiddle his thumbs to which Hallow nodded once for him to continue.

"The boy can still speak, perfectly at that, although it is mere gibberish. I even thought for a moment that he cursed at me!"

Having had enough, Hallow hung his head low in fury his face suddenly covered in shades of grey to ink-black.

"Enough! You may take your leave."

"B-but, sir!"

Jumbling his words, a godlike pressure surrounded the short doctor. Small parts of his aura leaked out causing the doctors who were lined up behind Hallow to go ghost pale.

'I wonder what they're saying... Kinda reminds me of a mix between Mandarin, Arabic and something else. Should I speak some Mandarin up front? What if they actually understand? What would they even think if an infant could speak without being taught?' The language these people spoke was very similar to Mandarin, a language I was fluent in, therefore I decided to see if they could understand. Ignoring the possible consequences I declared with a loud voice.

"Hello? Can you understand me?"

Silence, the room was engulfed in a dreadful awkward silence.

"Where. Am. I? If you fuckers are child trafficking, I swear to god I will tear you to shreds!"

All the people in the room looked on in pure shock. Dr Stavious Hallow was in the greatest amount of shock and excitement which couldn't be more obvious as his eyes were bulging out and his mouth dropped to the floor. He subconsciously stated his thoughts out loud, it slowly turning into laughter.

"Impossible... No. Incredible,"

He looked up to the ceiling in a weird confused madness

"Never in my 90 years of working in this field have I encountered such a predicament... How is it possible for this child to survive both procedures?"

"Mere gibberish."

The short bald doctor not realizing what an incredible development had just occurred voiced his opinion out loud.

Hallow creaked his head in disdain, and in a short burst, he disappeared and reappeared behind the short doctor. In one fell swoop, Hallow snapped the doctor's neck. The doctor's body dropped to the ground causing the other doctors to stumble back in shock.

Hallow stepped away and motioned with his hands to the other doctors to clean the corpse up. He continued forward looking up to the ceiling once more.

"Hahaha! The Heavens have granted me such an interesting gift! What in the name of Dao should I do? Dissect him to find the cause which could result in a pointless endeavour or should I continue with the Dantian Transplant which has never succeeded before?"

A miraculous opportunity had presented itself, two clear options, both gave him a rush as a blood-curdling grin made its way around his face.

"What to do? What to do?"