The Story of a Rat

'If I were.'

The most common word that comes out of everyone's mouth, before they wish for something.

The realistic wishes.

'If I were to stop eating fats, I will grow thin by the end of next year.'

The wishes that have close to zero chances of happening.

'If I were to win the lottery, I will buy my own island and have parties all day.'

The wishes that are just too crazy to happen.

'If I were a girl, all the boys will be after me.'

Everyone has wishes they would use the word 'if I were' on. I also had a time when I was like that.

'If I were reincarnated into another world, I would rule over that world and I would have my own special skills.'

My 'if I were' came true after a very unfortunate incident happened during my last interview back in my home state the United Kingdom.

['London why did you decide to kill Sky at the end of the last volume?']

I was an Author of 'Regnant Sorcerer' a web novel that focused on Sky who was an orphan who wished to reach the rank of Regnant Sorcerer that only existed in legends.

It had over 10 000 chapters and it even got an anime adaptation.

The novel was a huge success, as it got translated into fifty-four different languages across the world, but as I was writing the novel I realized something...

It was too peaceful.

Everything always ended up in the protagonist's favor, so at the end I decided to kill him.

['I killed Sky because I hated how things always worked out for him and his friends.']

[Bang–!]

My words were followed by a bullet penetrating my skull, leaving me to fall to the ground and watch the beautiful London sky for one last time, as my breath slowly faded away.

As an anime otaku I knew that wasn't the end of my life and for sure it wasn't. 

When I opened up my eyes, I was shrouded by darkness for a few minutes, before hearing a deep voice shouting..

"Yi Sung-tae!"

My vision cleared and I saw that I had reincarnated in the body of a six year old boy who had been sold by his own mother to the members of the Demonic Sect.

I was not the only kid around, as they were a total of three hundred kids altogether. 

We were thrown in a cave where we would see the light of the sun, once in a blue moon. 

The quest we were given was simple, but tough to accomplish.

'Survive.'

It was only one word, that had a bigger meaning. As a person who was mentally twelve years older than the other kids I had a better understanding of what was happening.

I had studied over more than twelve languages back in Britain and even though I wasn't fluent in Old Korean, I was still able to communicate with the others.

At first I did have a head start and everyone followed under my leadership of creating a civilized group.

After one year of killing and eating the small Demonic beast that lived in the cave, we were led to the outside world and given our next task.

'Everyone sit cross legged, so I can teach you the Fifth Demon breathing technique.'

I was thrilled as the moment, I had been waiting for had finally arrived and just like any reincarnator, I quickly mastered the breathing technique.

But, after fourteen years of practicing the same technique, I only got up to be a forth grade martial artist which it the lowest rank a martial artist can reach in the whole Central plans.

All the two hundred and ninety-nine kids who were together with me in the Demonic Cave, became fine young men and women who were respected in the Demonic Cult.

I was sent to the Demon Dog division, which consist of the lowest ranked Martial Artist in the Demonic Cult and they also have another name.

Demonic meat shield.

It is just what it sounds like, we are the group of people who are always in front during all the times we clash with the Orthodox Union, Unorthodox Union, Blood Cult and the Dark Heavens Cult.

Even though I am in the most dangerous Division, there is not a single day I have seen my own blood.

Just like a rat, I keep on living.

I am the Demonic Rat.

Ahem, it sounds stupid, but all the names given to people of the Central plans are stupid.

.

.

.

Honestly I don't care what they call me, because I got a wife and she is four months pregnant.

"Sung-tae what do you think we should name the baby."

Looking at my beautiful wife who was sitting at the edge of the bed, I couldn't help but touch the huge bump on her belly with both my hands, as her long brown locks met my black ones.

"London if it's a boy and Chelsea if it's girl."

Both are the names of the place I grew up in and I would like my kids to have the first English names in the whole Central Plans.

Cha Hana had a shocked expression on her heart shaped face, as she caressed my long hair.

"Are those the names from your Dream?"

I have told her about my past life and for sure at this point it is more like a dream. London was from a rich family, he liked to travel and he was bad at picking up girls.

"Yes." I muttered, as I lay my ear on Cha Hana's belly, "I want our child to be free and do what ever he likes."

kick–

As if it was allured by my words the baby started kicking and the smile on Cha Hana deepened.

'If there is a god out there please, let me keep that smile forever.'

I didn't usually believe in staff, but after meeting with Cha Hana, I started to believe in many things.

Love really can move mountains.

Like she had read my mind, Cha Hana took my below average face and gently hold it, making me face her and the smile on her face drained my own soul.

"Everything is going to be okay and there is nothing to worry about."

I started blushing like a school boy who touched hands with his crush, but she is my wife and I don't no why this happens.

I started stretching my lips towards Cha Hana's lips, but she couldn't let me do it, as the grip on my head became tighter. She is a first grade Martial Artist after all.

"Sung-tae you said that you once wrote a story, right?"

"Yes."

"Tell us about it, think of it as your first bed time story to little London or Chelsea."

I was shocked at how she managed to properly pronounce English names, but I don't mind since those are the names of our future child.

"It was a story between a race called Ashes that only showed up at night and the humans who lived in the day. After three hundred years of staying the same the Ashes wanted to also move in the day and the humans also wanted to walk at night."

"Let me guess, instead of having a peaceful talk, a war broke out."

That is why I am married to you.

"Yes and the war went on for centuries, until a boy named Sky was born, he had lost everything to the Ashes."

"This Sky was able to kill all the Ashes and lived happily ever after."

"You are right about the first part, but Sky committed suicide after killing the Ash Lord and left a message, 'All of you will die.'"

A sad expression was all over Cha Hana's face and she asked.

"Why did he kill himself."

I shook my head.

"I don't kn–"

Knock, knock, knock–!

My wife let go of my face and I said.

"You stay here, I will go check who it is."

Cha Hana gave me a light smile and I moved out of the bed. Our house has only three rooms and has less furniture compared to those of a normal income earning family.

'I don't have any missions for the next three days.'

The only person who ever visits me is my squad Captain. He is a nice and understanding guy, he is more like my brother in this world.

I opened the worn out wooden door and was greeted by the sight of children playing in the dusty narrow streets.

"Sigh."

I wanted to curse at them, but those kids are going to be playing with my child when he grows up.

I close the door and started moving towards the bedroom, but my ears quickly picked on something.

–"How is our child doing in the hands of that dead beat."

–"He is fine Uncle, he just misses his Daddy."

I increase the speed in my legs, as the last voice belonged to Cha Hana and the first one, I am not sure.

Entering the bedroom, I saw Cha Hana sitting on the laps of a handsome man adorned with long black locks and piercing sanguine eyes.

Even the black robes he was wearing screamed, 'I am handsome, mother fucker!' compared to my tattered brown robes that screamed, 'I am an ugly squid like mother fucker!'

I wanted to jumped and beat the man to a bloody pulp, but I couldn't, my body was not responding to any of my actions.

For a second I thought it was an illusion or a nightmare, but the sound of my bones shaking and my heart that felt like it was being squeezed told me it wasn't.

Thud–!

A huge invisible pressure descended on my body and I was forced to kiss the ground. Even though my body wasn't acting towards my will, my lips managed to move.

"Cult... Leader... What are you doing with my wife!?"