2. A darkness within & Contemplation

Few days later—

"Sir, can you give me a chocolate chip ice cream?" I asked the shop owner.

"Here you go lad"

Taking it from the shopkeeper, I turned towards my side, where there is a cute child with black hair, around 5 years old, looking at the ice cream with her sparkling emerald-like eyes.

I smiled and gave the ice cream to her, "here you go, a chocolate chip ice cream you ordered"

"Yeah! You are the best brother," said the little child, clad in joy.

"I know that. Now be a good child, and let's go home, ok?"

"Hmmuu~" a muffle sound left her mouth as she nodded in a cute way.

Ruffling her hair, I stood, took her hand and walked towards our house.

This little girl who is walking beside me enjoying her ice cream is Ana, my little sister.

The first time I met her, my thoughts were like this:' What is this cute thing?' and at that moment, a self of protectiveness washed over me. I have to protect her at all costs.

If It were before, I could have ignored this kind of feeling, but after my implantation, or Reincarnation, the emotions of Zero have also merged with me.

It made me a little soft on some things.

But it's not like, I would stay still if someone were to harm my close ones; I would find them, and torture them so much that they would want to die, but they can't die. I would make sure they suffer, and even if they die, the trauma will continue in their reincarnation.

"Hmmm... Brother..." 

Coming back to my senses my eyes landed on Ana, only to see her shivering a little.

"What happened?"

"B... Brother... Your face... It's scary" she said in pauses, her face a total horror.

I then came to my senses. I looked at my side, where my face was reflecting on the glass walls. Furthermore, I saw what remains of a creepy smile, while my blue eyes glowed slightly.

Quickly calming down, my eyes turned to the surroundings, everyone around us was looking at me.

I found this situation quite similar to a scene from my previous life.

Their mocking smiles hunt me like a plague, and scrutinising eyes piercing my soul.

I looked at Ana, who had a tear in the corner of her eye, and the ice cream had long fallen from her hand.

A painful tug gripped my heart, and I felt like I was back to square one. But... I had to suppress those feelings, not because I am acting tough but because of my sister, who is too young to know the hardships of the world.

Forcing a genuine smile, I placed my hands on her head and ruffled her hair. She flinched momentarily, but after looking at my face, her eyes started to become bright again.

I cleared the tear in the corner of her eye, then picked her up in my lap.

"Want another ice cream?" I asked. Her eyes widened, and then she looked at her empty hands and realized that the ice cream is no longer in her hands.

She then looked at me and nodded slightly.

"Ok, here we go" I said cheerfully.

•••

"Ana remember what I told you?" I asked my sister with a serious face.

"Yes, I understand" she said and we both nodded simultaneously, agreeing to a serious problem ahead of us, or only for me.

"What are you two plotting?" A feminine voice came from our back, startling us in the process.

Eek!!!—

We both let out a squeal as we jumped simultaneously, taking a fighting stand. Well at least me, because Ana is just copying my actions. What did you expect, a 5 year old child beating an awakener?, she isn't even awakened.

While midair, my eyes spotted a familiar face, her short dark hair complementing her round face and dark greenish blue eyes.

My mind clicked at her appearance, and as for my sister, she is long gone from my side, tugging onto the newcomers embrace.

"Sis Maria!" Ana exclaimed and got a pat on the head from Maria.

"Wow, Ana you have grown a lot since I saw you, how have you been?" Asked Maria, with a smile.

"I am good, Ana is a good girl!"

"Yes, yes, I know that." Maria ruffled Ana's hair in amazement.

Meet Maria Loria, my cousin.

What, you expected something else?... Bruh what is wrong with you?.

"Hey..." I said.

She looked at me, and her eyes widened after a few seconds.

' I bet she forgot about me, like always' I said inwardly, as some of my dark memories from Zero's childhood resurfaced.

"Oh, hey Zero, I totally forgot about you, how have you been?"

Tch!—

Clicking my tongue, I control the thought of crushing this girl.

"Good, by the way, why are you here?" I asked.

"Oh me? My mother wanted to send something to aunt, so she sent me here"

I arched an eyebrow, "Something? Why not deliver it by courier?.

"I also asked the same but she insisted, and I also missed my sweet little cousin, Ana" she said while she looked at my sister with a smile.

' Hey, ladies, stay away from my sister' I said, or what I would have.

Looking at the two girls minding their own business, I sighed.

'Well, at least she isn't causing trouble like last time,' I smiled.

•••

"We are home!" I said this to the three of us simultaneously as we entered my house.

"Welcome back, you three, Oh Maria, you have grown to become a fine lady" said my mother, Zilia Elway.

Her appearance is like this: long black hair with a face as beautiful as models, and eyes green like jade, a bigger version of my sister, while I only acquired her hair color.

She took my sister and Maria inside, while I went to my room upstairs.

—Clang

Entering the same familiar room, I closed the door behind me. A familiar scent entered my nostrils, my body recognizing the familiar confinement of my room.

I Slowly walked towards my desk, and sat on the chair, contemplating the upcoming events.

Despite the mockery and laughter, my mind is in chaos, thinking countless possibilities to make myself stronger before villains start plotting their games.

Deep in contemplation, content from a auxiliary chapter from the End Of Fantasy, lingered.

A skill which deflects any attack thrown at you. A powerful skill, use magnetic laws to break the law of physics.

There was also another thing that the auxiliary chapter describes, an art which can cut through anything, and have a darkness affinity requirements.

And luckily, we humans are the only race who don't have an affinity limitation; we can wield any element, but after Level 3, we had to choose one as our main affinity, or the consequences would cause our MANA to explode inside our body.

Raising my wrist, I looked at the black wristband and released some of my MANA into it.

Soon after, it glowed slightly and information started to fill my mind.

========status=========

Name: Zero Elway

Race: Human

LVL: 1.6

1%==================76%===100%

Bloodline: (Unawakened)

<Gift >

[Eye of Dominance]— (Growth Type)

Can see through anything, making the world around the user more clear.

Looking into your eyes can make anyone shiver despite their rank, but it can't work if the opponent's and the user's rank difference is too high.

<Blessings >

None

==================

Yeah, a literal status screen, inside your brain, connected by MANA threads of your blood cells.

'Don't worry, I also don't know what it means'

But the problem is...

That skill and the art are supposed to belong to a villain, so... Isn't that changing the plot?.

And from the countless novels I have read I do know, that a small change in the timeline can be a massive issue, because a small change can alter the whole future.

So if I want it, then I have to change the future, or I just have to make sure the story stays the same.

Wait, on second thought, I do know a little bit of the story, and in those chapters nothing much happens anyway, so why do I care?.

' Yeah, I can do anything, but also make sure that I can't make too many changes' 

And to make it happen, I have to stay away from the main cast. Or I wish I could have.

You know. If I want to stay away, I can't, because of my status of nobility.

"Sigh~ what a hard life"

" Son come done lunch is ready "

As soon as I was out of thoughts, I heard my mother calling.

Sighing, I walked to the door.

"I just have to remain low, let's think later".

==================

Yooo~ 

I am back, with a new chapter. I am having a hard time deciding when to write a chapter, so I have decided that I will upload 4 to 5 chapters a week, and I still have my job, so I can't get that much time.

Likewise, I hope everyone likes this new perspective, and if you do... Like every time, comment below.

(I am writing this in my sleep)