Chapter 1: Forest.

"AND STAY OUT YOU FAT MOTHERFUCKER!" I quickly got up and ran away from the pawnshop and the angry owner. How dare they treat me like this! It's all because of this stupid necklace! In anger, I threw the silver necklace on the ground. How was I supposed to know the gem embedded in the necklace was fake?!

I huffed in anger and made my way back to my alleyway, looks like I'm going to have sleep for dinner once again. I lay on my flat cardboard bed and looked up at the dusky sky, reminiscent of my previous lifestyle. My name is Morikage Shijou and I was born into a wealthy family. I wasn't the best in school and was terrible at sports so I didn't do much with my life. I spent most of my days lounging around in my room watching anime or reading comic books, which lead to my family believing that I was a waste of resources...so they disowned me and kicked me out. Just thinking about it makes me angry!

I exhaled to calm myself down and reached for my torn wool cover. It smelled like a dog's asshole but it was warm enough to shield me from the chilly nights. As I covered myself with the blanket, I began to dose off and before I knew it I was asleep.

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"Yeah, stab that fat-"

"Le-"

What's going on? I heard voices around my small encampment and slowly opened my eyes. Immediately, I saw a knife descending upon my torso and I felt a burning pain course through my chest.

"AAHHHHH-" My yell was quickly cut short by a bony knee and I felt the burning pain kick it once again. Despite being stabbed to death, my sanity wasn't fading, and in all honesty, I don't mind dying right now. I mean, is death truly the end?

"That'll do it, now let's go!" My vision was blurred due to tears of pain but I could see the three homeless thugs running away from my dead body. I looked up at the night sky and once again asked myself. Is death truly the end? As my life slowly faded away I could almost hear something in wind, it sounded like a faint no. Heh, dead man's wish huh?

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Chirp!

Chirp!

What the hell? I felt the prickling sensation of grass on my skin, which left me incredibly confused. How am I feeling anything? Let alone grass, I died on concrete I shouldn't even be feeling anything. When I opened my eyes, the sun's golden rays washed over my face, and I slowly got up. When I looked around at my surroundings, it would seem that I'd arrived in a forest.

"Woah." I spoke in shock and the sound of my voice shocked me as well. I looked down at my body and I wasn't an obese man anymore, but a skinny 12-year-old boy! I was dressed in a blue kimono and to my left was an unsheathed katana. The katana's blade was chipped and had spots of rust. The crossguard was yellow and the handle was black. I couldn't find a sheathe anywhere near me, so I picked up the katana and was shocked at its weight.

It was kinda heavy, at least for someone my age. Now I don't know why I was given another chance at life but my question has been answered, death is truly not the end. I need to find a way out of this forest and determine where I'm at. I placed the katana on my shoulder and began to walk. Where? I don't know, I just chose a random direction.

I stopped walking after about half an hour, or what I believe to be half an hour, after I heard the sounds of running water. My sense of direction is a lot better than Zoro's because after five more minutes of walking I found a medium-sized stream. Good because I was thirsty.

I cupped my hands in the stream and took note of my appearance. I had a young face with chin-length black hair and a pair of pitch-black eyes, odd eye color. I had a unique trait of having my canine teeth more pronounced than the average human and my facial features tell me I'm from the east. Now with that settled, I cupped my hands once again and began drinking water. I saw a few fish swimming in the water and decided to test my luck in catching one. I grabbed my katana and stood over the water. I watched the fish swim past me patiently until I felt the time right.

Splash!

I stabbed my katana into the water and when I pulled it out a large fish was on the end of it. I can't believe I actually did that. The fish was making my katana heavier than it already was so I exited the water and dropped it on the bank. I watched as the fish wiggled until it finally died, now the next step. Starting a fire. How do I do that? I know I needed dry sticks and twigs but based on what I've seen in movies and TV shows, I should be able to start a fire by spinning some wood against wood right?

I didn't want to leave my fish here so I ripped the sleeve of my kimono and made a makeshift bag to carry my fish. I walked back into the forest and made sure to mark some trees with my katana so I won't get lost. Minutes later I had a couple of dry sticks in my makeshift bag and made my way out of the forest. Until I felt a sharp pain in my head, this pain was pulsing and seemed to warn me. Despite the pain, I dropped my bag and trusted the pain. Soon the pain stopped and what I saw made me want to throw up. The person or should I say creature, limped towards me. Its skin was pulsing with black veins and acidic saliva dripped from its mouth. The creature looked like it was decomposing and I could smell it even from 15 meters away. I watched as the creature got into a running stance and I immediately began to run.

STOMP!

STOMP!

STOMP!

I ran as fast as my legs would take me but I could hear the creature on my tail. In the split second, I lost focus I tripped over a root and fell hard onto the ground. I quickly rolled and tried to stop myself but I ended up hitting my back on a tree.

"KAH!" I had the wind knocked out of me and I heard the creature stop running. I quickly picked up my katana and I was soon faced with the creature.

"Haaa...haaa...haaa..." I panted due to my strenuous running and hard fall. The creature made eye contact with me and I felt the sharp pain in my head once again. The pain was much worse this time and I almost dropped my katana. Once I recovered the creature was already in front of me and before I could react the creature's fist made contact with my stomach.

"BLEGH!" I barfed up whatever was in my stomach along with a noticeable amount of blood. I dropped to my knees and almost blacked out. Once again a sharp pain made itself known and I perceived its warning. I quickly rolled and to my surprise, I dodged a lethal stomp from the creature. I jumped onto my feet and held my katana defensively. The creature simply turned its head and I tightened my grip around my katana. I sucked in a deep breath and sprinted forward.

"HAAA!!" I swung my katana across the creature's torso only to hit nothing. I felt the pain in my head once again and when I looked to my right, the creature's fist was making its way towards my body. I reacted as quickly as a 12-year-old could and used my katana to block the incoming punch.

BOOM!

The sheer force of that punch sent me into a nearby tree and caused a small shockwave. I tried using my katana to slow myself down but to no avail and I made contact with the tree.

"KAH!" I had the wind knocked out of me once again and I tasted iron in my mouth, hinting that I also spit out some blood as well. When I looked up, the creature was slowly approaching, and at that very moment, I felt like giving up. I mean what am I even fighting this thing for?! I should be running! Those were the thoughts that filled my head and I truly wanted to succumb to those weak thoughts. But. Those are the same thoughts that made me weak in my past life! I will fight! I will fight because I wish to make a change, a change in this new life! I won't be another worthless waste, not again!

I tightened my grip around my katana and I slowly got up. I looked at the approaching monstrosity and I smiled. Why was I smiling? I have no idea! I inhaled once again and I sprinted forward. The creature raised its fist and I felt the pain in my head come back around. I quickly ducked and the creature missed its punch. Not wanting to waste this opening, I swung my katana upward, and my katana lobbed off the creature's arm. I say my katana because there was no way a 12-year-old boy was going to chop off an arm right? Right?

Stirring myself out of my thoughts, I quickly jumped back as the creature stomped its foot as if trying to step on an ant. It was then that I noticed that its arm was slowly regenerating. Not on my watch! I sprinted forward again and swung my katana...only this time I didn't hit flesh.

CLANG!

The arm that I thought was regenerating turned into a freaking blade!? It looks like this fight just got a lot harder!