a family forged in flame

Raizen couldn't stop staring at them.

His family, alive and well, gathered around the breakfast table like nothing had changed. Selene was arguing with Lucien over who had the better sword form. Their mother, Liora, was trying to keep the conversation from devolving into an all-out brawl. Their father, Darius, sat back with a half-smile and his usual unreadable gaze. And then there was Grandpa Zerus, downing sake like it was water, feet up on the polished table like he owned the world—which, to be fair, he nearly did.

Everything was the same.

But he was different.

He wasn't the same naïve boy who had once dreamed of changing the world.

He was Raizen Ashborne—the broken weapon, the betrayed son, the blade tempered by death. And now, he had a second chance.

"Raizen," his mother's voice pulled him out of his thoughts, "you're spacing out again."

He blinked, then quickly plastered on a small smile. "Sorry. Just… appreciating everything."

Liora's face softened. "You've been acting strangely since yesterday. Are you sure you're feeling alright?"

"He's in love," Selene teased, flicking a grape at him. "Bet he saw some noble girl at the gala last week."

Raizen smirked. "If I did, she'd run screaming from your constant nagging."

Lucien snorted. "He's still got that sharp tongue, I see."

Zerus chuckled. "He's just matured, that's all. Looks like the brat finally grew a spine."

"I always had one," Raizen said quietly.

Zerus's grin faded slightly. His sharp eyes—so much more perceptive than they let on—narrowed as he studied Raizen's face.

"Mm. That so?"

Raizen met his gaze and nodded.

Zerus leaned back, something unreadable in his expression. "Well, good. You'll need it. Your Awakening's just around the corner."

That made the table go silent.

"Already?" Lucien asked, raising an eyebrow. "I thought we had a few months."

"His aura's stirring," Zerus said. "I can feel it. Kid's ready."

Liora looked worried. "It's always dangerous. Even for Ashbornes."

Raizen placed a hand over his chest. He could feel it too—a growing heat inside him, like a storm trying to break free from within his bones.

The Awakening.

In this world, every individual underwent an Awakening sometime between the ages of sixteen and eighteen. It was the moment one's potential was unlocked, their bloodline's true nature revealed. For the Ashbornes, that power was Telekinesis—the ability to move and manipulate objects with pure mental force.

But the Ashborne version was far beyond anything the average world could comprehend.

His grandfather could crush mountains with a thought. His father could immobilize armies mid-charge. And Raizen…

He had barely scratched the surface in his past life.

This time, he would master it.

Later that afternoon, Raizen stood alone in the Ashborne manor's rear courtyard, staring at the familiar training grounds.

The cobblestone field, the reinforced steel dummies, the racks of wooden swords—it was all as he remembered. It felt surreal, being here again. In his first life, he'd trained here with his siblings, trying to earn the approval of a family that had always loved him more than he'd realized.

This time, he would treasure every moment of it.

"You look like a ghost," said a voice behind him.

Raizen turned to see Selene approaching, a wooden katana slung over her shoulder. Her long silver hair was tied up in a loose braid, and her eyes sparkled with mischief.

"You stalking me now?" he asked.

"Please," she scoffed. "I came to spar. You're the one standing around like you're in a tragic play."

He smirked and picked up a wooden sword. "Let's see if you've improved."

They circled each other. Raizen moved slowly—testing his reflexes, re-learning his younger body's capabilities.

Selene struck first, fast and precise. She was good. Better than he remembered at this age. But Raizen had lived through war. Through death.

He parried, pivoted, and twisted around her strike, his blade stopping just an inch from her throat.

Selene froze.

Then she grinned. "You little—"

"You hesitated," Raizen said simply.

"You cheated."

"I adapted."

She shoved him playfully. "You've definitely changed. What happened to the baby brother who cried when I cut his braid?"

"He died," Raizen said quietly, voice barely audible.

Selene paused.

Then she gave him a soft look. "Well, this new one better be just as annoying."

Raizen smiled faintly. "Count on it."

That night, Raizen stood alone on the manor's highest balcony. The stars shimmered above like scattered jewels, and the moon cast its pale light across the vast Ashborne estate. Wind rustled through the trees, carrying the familiar scents of home.

He had returned to a world filled with danger, politics, and deceit—but this time, he had something precious.

His family.

And he would burn the world to ash before letting anyone take them away again.

He closed his eyes and reached inward.

His telekinetic energy stirred.

In his past life, he had held back—fearing his own power, trying not to outshine others. Not this time.

F-rank, they would say when he Awakened.

Let them.

He would rise from F to SSS+.

He would train under his monstrous grandfather, wield his katana with unparalleled mastery, and reclaim the Ashborne legacy the world had dared to tarnish.

And one day… he would stand at the top.

Not for revenge.

But for them.