Chapter 11: Reflections Under the Moon
The night air was gentle, warm, and touched with the sweet aroma of blooming flowers. Summer had cast its spell over the city, and under the moon's soft light, a small family sat on the porch of their modest home—laughing, eating, and cherishing a fleeting moment of joy.
Jin Ho sat beside his parents, his legs curled on the wooden floor, holding a slice of watermelon in his hands. The juice dribbled slightly onto his shirt, but he didn't care. Not tonight.
His father cracked a silly joke, and his mother laughed like a girl in her twenties again. Jin Ho smiled with them, but his gaze drifted skyward, to the vast stretch of stars blanketing the night.
This moment… this peace… he thought. Is it mine to have? Or just a stolen breath before the storm?
The memories of his previous life crept in like a tide—memories of pain, of blood, of standing alone against the world. He was no longer that helpless child. Not anymore. But now, with the power of regression came the burden of foresight.
Every step I take… every choice… it will change everything. The butterfly effect… He looked sideways at his mother's beaming face. A smile like that… I'll never let the world take it from me again.
His fingers gripped the watermelon tighter.
I'm close to what I want… but still far from what I must become.
His parents, oblivious to the storm brewing in their son's heart, simply enjoyed the fruit and the quiet summer night.
Meanwhile, in the opulent halls of the Dongjin estate, a vastly different scene unfolded.
A young boy, no older than Jin Ho, knelt before an elder—his grandfather, the patriarch of the Dongjin family. The room radiated power: marble floors, ancient relics, enchanted ornaments on every shelf.
The boy, with silvery hair, golden irises that shimmered like the sun, and snow-white skin, was undeniably beautiful. But his smile… was venomous.
"Level 3 at fifteen, and you say he's nearing Level 4?" the grandfather asked with pride gleaming in his eyes.
The boy nodded confidently.
The old man grinned and leaned down, planting a kiss on the boy's forehead.
"My brilliant child," he whispered, "go make this world your chessboard and play with all the pieces. Your grandfather will take care of everything you need. Remember—don't let anyone surpass you. Be the ranker. Rise to the top and come back to me. If anyone stands in your way…"
His voice turned cold, dark.
"Obliterate them. We Dongjins… don't bow to anyone."
The boy's lips curled into a smirk. He turned, walking out of the room with a confident, almost regal gait.
The servants bowed as he passed. No one dared meet his eyes. Everyone saw the genius. None saw the rot inside.
Handsome. Talented. Destined for greatness. But cursed with a personality crueler than steel.
As he walked into the night, his gaze turned skyward too.
Two children, under the same moonlight. One forged in love. One bred in arrogance.
Fate had already begun moving its pieces.