Free Will

As soon as Jun felt the cold metal of the sword pendant, he felt two different kinds of things flowing within his body. The first one was the blue energy running through his veins that he inherited from the Jun of the magic world. The second was yellow energy circulating over his skin as if a full-body suit covering every single inch of his skin.

It was similar to the man's glow when he held his sword against Jun.

As he lost himself over the sight, he realized that something blocked the energies that tried to pass through his heart and chest. It was the scar left by the sword.

Being completely ignorant, Jun nudged the scar with his thumb and groaned in pain. The wound just healed right before his reincarnation; thus, the skin covering the flesh is still very light. However, once the pain subsided, he felt an urge to stick the sword pendant into the scar.

He realized that it was his instinct. Even his relatively soft thumb slightly nudged his scar already hurt him, what more can the metallic pendant that seems to be as sharp as a real sword do?

However, he already lost control of his body. As if a primal instinct slumbering deep within his mind, curiosity devoured him and stabbed the pendant into the scar.

A rush of garbled information surged through his head. The blue crystal flame strengthens every bit of Ehr and Mana that passed through the pendant.

Then his eyes changed colours, the left turned to gold, and the right became blue. The information that rushed through his head became more explicit as it sorted itself. His knowledge at his time being a computer science student bloomed while his paltry grasp of magic became detailed.

The hows and whys of magic became apparent to him how the various kinds of energy diverged from a single source of energy. Ehr was developed due to the need for protection, while mana was developed to control the elements.

Be it Ehr, Mana, Qi, Chakra or Origin, everything that is produced by these energies is called magic. Just as how energies such as chemical, mechanical, electrical energies from the modern world are bound under technology. Different energies apply for different manifestations.

The blue mana can create a fireball. While creating a wall of Earth can be used as a defence, the effects are always external and will not adhere to the caster's body. Mana users are called Wizards or Mages, depending on the location.

The yellow ehr enhances the weapons by increasing its sharpness or the force for blunt weapons. It also buffs armour or shield for improved defence. Knights utilize ehr to protect themselves and their people.

Alas, no matter how he tries, other pieces of knowledge are obstructed by a gaussian blur that no matter how much he focuses, the knowledge can only be considered as ethereal. It's present but intangible.

Then, right before him. A voice hiding deep within his soul suddenly spoke. "Avenge us, utilize what we have and achieve our glory," the strange voice filled with energy and anger growled.

"This voice..." Jun thought.

It couldn't sound more familiar yet alien to Jun. That was the voice of the former Jun, who vowed his glory.

Yet before he could analyze what the other Jun said, another voice sounded. This time, it came from the pendant still stabbed on his chest.

"Glory doesn't require vengeance. You must do what you can for everyone." a deep voice ranged from the sword pendant. It was the same voice that he heard from the former Jun's past. The man in leather armour.

The voice startled Jun. Both views want to fight for glory, but the meaning is entirely different.

"What's the point of glory when one can't bask in it?" the former Jun argued.

"If the glory is only celebrated by yourself, is it truly glorious?" the man in the sword rebuked.

"Why should I care about them? Did you not see their eyes? No matter what kind of sacrifice you have done for them, ingrates remain ingrates. If it doesn't benefit them, they won't act? So why should we?" the former Jun replied resolutely.

"Because it's for the common good, are you gonna sacrifice the entire population because of your selfishness?" the man questioned calmly.

The voices continued to argue in Jun's mind. One represents himself while the other wants to practice for the good of all. But why are they acting like this? Are they the ones in control?

"Shut up!" Jun shouted, his conviction made him wake up. "I don't give a damn about your values!" he screamed as he stood up.

Realizing what he has done, he immediately looked around to see a person wholly cloaked in a black veil standing a few meters away from him. The man stared at Jun like he was a crazy idiot while holding up a finger to his mouth, signalling Jun to shut up.

"Boy, what the fuck is wrong with you?" the cloaked man angrily whispered. "Aren't you hiding here to avoid the war? Then shut the fuck up."

Jun blinked twice in his stupor, staring blankly towards the cloaked man. Back on Earth, he was a spy for a private organization. Thus, his perception is trained to be able to hear the footsteps of people going near him. And even if he didn't notice, he shouldn't have been this idiotic, staring at the man who caught him talking to himself like a psycho.

Jun gulped, "I... I'm sorry..." he replied in a hush.

His reply left him even more dumbfounded.

"What the hell happened to me?" He thought to himself.

As an orphan, a private organization adopted him, then trained him back when he was a kid. He lost all forms of autonomy right before he left his specialized training. All the words he spoke came from the organization. All the actions he did were their orders. And all his face can show is just a shadow of a living person without free will.

He was the ultimate assassin, killing everyone in the shadows even from miles away. That is until, in one of his missions, he found that his target was his brother. A heavy sense of conviction filled his heart, which led him to betray the organization that nurtured him.

In a sense, the two Jun's became a deserter to the one they were supposed to serve.

The only difference is that Jun from the modern world is 28 years old, while Jun from the magic world is only 13.

"What is this feeling..." he thought.

Such a strange feeling. At this point, the organization Jun served for his entire life has disappeared. Two voices replaced them. However, he gained his own free will.

At a loss for words, Jun slumped down on the ground while the cloaked man watched him with ridiculing eyes.

"This boy is crazy." the cloaked man uttered.

He walked closer to Jun, kneeled down, then placed his hand on Jun's shoulder.

Jun shook at the gesture. Something in his mind seems to have clicked.

"No!"

"Stop! Wake up!"

Two voices from within his mind reverberated in his entire being snapping him out of confusion.

Fear suddenly blocked Jun's conscious mind leading him to slap away the cloaked man's hands. His breathing became rapid.

The man was startled, however, seemingly experienced with this situation, he pulled back his hands and gestured to Jun to calm down.

"Look, kid, you're fine. But you need to calm down, ok? After I finish my job, I'll get back here to you. Stay put." the cloaked man beckoned.

"My name is Hunkard, little man, what's yours?" he continued.

"I'm... Jun..." Jun answered hesitantly.

"Alright, Jun, stay here, ok? I'm going to lay down some concealing spell here. You'll be safe and wait for me to come back, alright?" Hunkard replied in a soft tone.

The way Hunkard talked to Jun made him feel light-headed, the brainwashing done by the institute seems to have taken root to him deeply. With his muddled thoughts, he nodded to Hunkard as his reply.

Hunkard sighed; he saw too many of these. Orphans left by dead parents due to the forced war by the rich to control the population. The inhumane methods of the rich make his blood boil to the point that he feels even more motivated to finish his mission.

Suddenly, a grey mist came out of Hunkard's hands. Then it formed a sphere in each palm. Once the spheres were smooth, he clapped his hands together, fusing the spheres.

Then the sphere expanded to a range of 5 meters in radius. Shadow began to cover the alleyway as if being devoured by darkness. Even the cries and sobs of the marching peasants quietened.

"Ok, you'll be safe here for now. Stay here, and the spell can last up till dawn." Hunkard reassured Jun once more.

Jun replied with a weak smile, "Thanks..."

Hunkard nodded, then disappeared as if blending with the shadows.

Jun got startled once again. He finally realized why he didn't sense Hunkard getting close. That wasn't normal. At least not to him.

It's not like he's normal anyways.

He also got Mana and Ehr in his self.

"Jun? Old man? Are you there?" Jun spoke in a hushed tone. Yet, no one replied to him.

He kept trying to call them but to no avail. "I guess I'm not that crazy yet, huh."

"Now, what do I do?" Jun thought to himself.

"Let's join Hunkard! He seems like a man of action!" A young voice sounded in his mind.

"No! Stay put! Try to learn more about your current status." A deeper voice argued back.

"What the fuck!" Jun exclaimed.