Prolog + Chapter 1: Reincarnation

A rain of blood drenched the land of the Tianlong Empire. At the top of the Dragon Palace, an old man stood with his body covered in wounds, his magnificent golden robe now stained red. Long Zhi, Emperor Tianlong, the invincible God of War, was now cornered before thousands of soldiers who had once sworn allegiance to him.

Among them stood a young man with a triumphant gaze. General Han Yue, the disciple he once raised from the land of the despised, now drew a long sword that gleamed in the moonlight.

"My master," Han Yue's voice sounded cold, "This Empire is too great to be left in the hands of an old man. It is time for a new generation to take over."

Long Zhi smiled sarcastically, despite the blood flowing from the corners of his lips. "You guys think I've lost! You're wrong, this great Dragon Emperor would never lose that easily to filth like you!" His eyes stared intently at the young man who had been smiling triumphantly, but had been replaced with a face of extreme fear. "Kill your stepbrother, stepmother, and supporters, then coup me? Hah! You're that cowardly!"

Tianyu's face stiffened, but he quickly forced a smile. "Times have changed, Father. The Empire needs younger, more ambitious leaders."

Long Zhi narrowed his eyes, staring at his son like a wounded yet undefeated dragon. "Ambitious? No, you're just a rattlesnake slithering in the shadows. But do remember this, Tianyu." Long Zhi spit blood from his mouth again, he smiled with a powerful aura emanating from his frail body. "You've never earned this throne! You will never be the great Dragon Emperor! You! Never! Will! Ever! Become! Me! Remember that!"

Tianyu gritted his teeth, his hands trembling slightly beneath the sleeves of his robe. "You've already lost, Father. Accept your destiny!"

Long Zhi just laughed again, low and terrifying, before looking Tianyu straight in the eye. "I will come back... Haunting you, bringing you a nightmare! You won't be able to sleep peacefully!" A terrifying grin was apparent on Long Zhi's face.

Tianyu's eyes widened, but before he could say anything, Long Zhi closed his eyes-and the world seemed to collapse with him. "God damn it! Attack!"

The soldiers' spears immediately rushed towards Emperor Long Zhi's motionless body, unsheathing it without mercy. Blood pooled on the floor of the magnificent palace, mixing with the gold and red sparkle of the still burning lamps.

Tianyu gripped his sword tightly, his breathing labored. He stared at his father's now lifeless body-or at least, that's what he believed. "Finally..." he muttered, his voice trembling between triumph and a fear he couldn't explain.

Consort Mei stepped forward, her eyes full of cool satisfaction. "The Tianlong Empire is now yours, my child. You are the new emperor."

Tianyu straightened his back, trying to calm his pounding heart. However, in the shadow of his new throne, he didn't realize that deep down in the darkness, a long-hidden power had begun to tremble-awakening something that shouldn't return.

However, Long Zhi's body flashed brightly, a gold-colored dragon emerged from the sky, and rushed into the Great Emperor's body.

Everyone was surprised. The soldiers who had been cheering for victory suddenly froze in place. The burning golden light exuded tremendous pressure, making it difficult for them to breathe.

Tianyu stepped back reflexively, his eyes widening as he saw the figure of a gigantic golden dragon spinning in the sky, roaring with a sound that shook the palace. "What... is this?!" his voice trembled, as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

Consort Mei clutched the sleeve of her robe, her previously triumphant face now turning pale. "This...this is impossible! He should be dead already!"

The golden dragon glided quickly, merging with Long Zhi's supposedly lifeless body. In an instant, his horrific wounds began to shine, his body slowly disappearing like flakes of light in the wind.

"No-no!" Tianyu cried out, trying to get closer, but an invisible force held his body back. He could only watch as the light rose into the sky, vanishing in the middle of space-along with Great Emperor Long Zhi's existence.

It was quiet.

Everyone in the room could only stare at the sky with pale faces, while in the distance, golden lightning thundered, as if announcing that something much bigger had just begun.

No one dared to speak, none of them returned to the cheers of victory, as if they had been cursed by the celestial gods after couping the Great Dragon Emperor, Tianglong, Long Zhi.

They had no idea what would happen next after this incident.

The Emperor's body disappeared, the Dragon Palace was destroyed, and pools of blood were everywhere.

Long Zhi had passed away. The people who had supported him mourned, but the nobles who had antagonized him rejoiced.

Power fell to the seventh prince, the only surviving prince.

Long Zhi, the Great Dragon Emperor. His history will continue to be written in books with gold ink.

...

Chapter 1: The Reincarnation

A chill pierced through his bones, the wind blowing softly to make him shiver.

Long Zhi's consciousness slowly returned, but his body felt weak, much different from before. The air he breathed was different-no longer filled with the scent of blood and battle smoke, but rather the fragrance of damp earth and fresh leaves.

He tried to open his eyes. His vision was blurry at first, but the orange-colored sky slowly appeared above him. The sound of the river water gurgling and the wind rustling the leaves awakened him further.

'I... am still alive?'

Long Zhi, no, he was now Long Rui.

His body had shrunk small, weak, and it was hard to even move his fingers. This was definitely not his old body as a Great Emperor. He felt a strange warmth enveloping his body, like a new energy he had never felt before.

He tried to recall the last incident. Tianyu's betrayal. The golden light of the [Divine Rebirth Art: Eternal Dragon Rebirth]. And now he's here. But where is this? And when is this?

Suddenly, the sounds of footsteps approached. The shadow of a young woman appeared above her, her eyes filled with shock and worry.

"God of the sky... There's a baby in here!"

Long Rui gasped.

'A baby?! I'm becoming a baby?! Seriously?!'

Long Rui's body was picked up by the woman. "You are so cute." The woman looked at the adorable baby--it was actually the emperor. "I will adopt him! Huh? What is this?" The woman looked at the writing on the cloth wrapped around Long Rui. "Your name is Long Rui? What a great name! Introduce, I will be your adoptive mother!"

"Guu...!"

"Gosh, how cute! Little Rui is cute!

'I'm Long Zhi! Your emperor! Hey!'

"I'm Luna Mei! From now on, I will take care of you!" she said excitedly, rocking Long Rui's tiny body in her arms.

Long Rui-or rather, Emperor Long Zhi who was trapped in a baby's body-could only whimper softly. 'Oh my... I was really reborn?! And now I'm a baby?!' he thought in frustration.

Luna Mei smiled brightly, unaware of the inner turmoil of the "baby" in her arms. "From now on, you are my son! Ah, I have to take you home immediately!"

'No, no! I am the Great Emperor, not a child! Let go of me, you foolish woman!'

But of course, all her protests only came out as meaningless mumbles. "Guuu..."

Luna Mei laughed in amusement. "You're so cute, Long Rui!"

And with that, the fallen Great Emperor's new journey began-as a tiny baby in the arms of a young girl full of energy.

'Seriously, she's going to take care of me?

Long Rui could only sigh in thought as Luna Mei rocked him energetically.

"From now on, you will be my child! I will take good care of you!" she said with a bright smile.

'This... isn't what I imagined after reincarnation...' Long Rui grumbled in his heart, but the only thing that came out of his mouth was, "Guu..."

Luna Mei chuckled lightly. "Hihihihi! You must be starving! I'll go find something for you~!"

'Wait... do I have to go through all of this again?!' Rui wrinkled his forehead, he did not know what he would face in the future.

The traitors of his Empire or the stupidity of Luna Mei, he just hoped that she was a normal girl, and would take good care of him.

"Did you eat this?" Mei showed Rui some grass.

'Really?! I'm not a farm animal!' Rui made a strange face at the sight of the grass, but what Luna Mei saw was an adorable baby expression.

"Wow, your face is so cute! Hihihi~" Luna Mei laughed, stroking his little head gently.

'Gosh... Is she really my adoptive mother?!' Long Rui wanted to cry, but that would only make him look even cuter in the girl's eyes.

Luna Mei finally put down the grass and held it high. "Alright! I'll look for something more suitable for you! Wait here, okay~!" Luna Mei put Rui down on the cold grass.

'Wait, are you seriously leaving me here alone anyway?!'

However, before Rui could respond with a growl in his mind, Luna Mei was already gone, leaving the baby Great Emperor alone on the grass.

'What a miserable beginning to life...' Rui made a sad face. 'Damn it, it's only just been reincarnated and it's already got this dregs.'

End of Chapter