Heir of Synthesis: The World Mage

James’s consciousness crossed through the darkness like a castaway searching for air.

When he opened his eyes, he found nothing but a heavenly blue void, infinite and directionless. There was no up or down, no horizon, only the feeling of being lost inside something that swallowed everything.

Above him, suddenly, six multicolored stars pulsed together, forming a perfect circle.

But they weren’t stars.

They were presences.

Six existences vast enough to make his soul bend under an overwhelming pressure.

’Really... again...’ a whisper filled with fear echoed from the depths of his mind.

This was the second time James had died.

And the second time, he had awakened in this place after his death.

The first time, after his last breath on Earth, when he finally thought he was free of his bedridden life, the freedom he had desired so much never came.

He was sure he had never done anything wrong. But it was as if this were the legendary final judgment, where he had been condemned to live another life of torture.

His second life... couldn’t be described with words.

He was no longer sick, but a complete slave, tortured every single day for thousands of years... yes, thousands, because he had reincarnated into a world where magic existed.

The only strange thing was that he remembered who he was in both lives. Those six evil presences had done that because they wanted something from him.

But this time... he believed it would be different.

He tried to move. But as expected, his ’body’ remained sealed by a force impossible to resist.

His eyes slowly lifted.

He stared at the six pulsing lights with a silent yet fierce challenge in his gaze.

Those creatures had interrupted his cycle, sealed his fate, and turned him into something that belonged to them. They were divinities capable of controlling life, death, and reincarnation.

The ”stars” trembled slightly as they watched him closely.

’Why am I going through this again? I just wanted to live normally for once...’

James’s mind trembled, and a kind of madness condensed within his eyes.

In response, the pressure from the six stars doubled.

”Aaargh!”

Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain so intense that it made him wish to stop existing just to make it end.

It wasn’t just physical weight. It was as if his very existence was being crushed by six invisible mountains, trying to force his soul to know its place.

”So brat? Finally remembered something different?” A deep and heavy voice rang out full of mockery.

James only trembled, his entire existence writhing as if it were about to explode. But he didn’t open his mouth, nor did he try to say anything.

What did they want? James didn’t know if he truly had the answer, but if the little he knew was really true... then he was certain those figures would never free him.

There was no logical explanation for that certainty. It was almost as if a voice whispered quietly into his ears, warning him not to trust them, or it would be his end.

Was it instinct? Maybe. But his only chance was to endure.

And he endured. More than anyone could ever dream of enduring.

The glow of the six stars intensified, becoming a silent and blinding mockery.

James felt his mind darkening. The pain was unbearable, but for someone who had endured the deepest humiliation and helplessness for so long, he would explode before giving in.

”...”

The six stars merely watched, as if wondering whether that humble soul was truly capable of enduring all of this while hiding something.

At the peak of that collapse, when James’s soul seemed on the verge of shattering...

Everything stopped.

”Looks like he’s finally starting to rebel.” A cold and mocking female voice came from one of the stars above.

The deep voice snorted. ”Good. The more broken he is, the faster it’ll be. It’s still not enough, so let’s send him again.”

Before James could understand what was happening, a black wave descended from the stars and struck him head-on.

His vision was swallowed by darkness.

Once again, he received the most terrible ’divine curse’ from those malicious figures.

’No...’

Once again, he was destined to reincarnate, born as trash and forced to live only to be used.

...

...

...

’?’

Suddenly, he realized something. Surprisingly, he hadn’t lost consciousness.

The first time that happened, he only woke up after he had already reincarnated. He expected the same now, but it didn’t happen.

Something had changed.

A strange warmth ignited within his chest, as if a small burning seed had sprouted at the center of his soul.

And then, the flame grew.

”!”

James opened his eyes.

This time, he was floating in a white world.

Around him, countless humanoid figures, beast-like creatures, and even stranger forms floated unconscious and silent, as if they were being carried by an invisible current at the bottom of a river.

’Are these all souls? This... this is the river of reincarnation?’

James remembered the ancient legends from Earth, stories about a place where all souls went before being reborn.

*Crack*

A muffled sound echoed from inside his soul.

And suddenly, a feeling of freedom invaded his being, as if invisible chains had been shattered.

James could move.

Then he looked at himself and saw something black... it was the curse from the six ’stars’!

[Celestial Energy detected]

[Absorption Activated]

Green windows appeared before his eyes.

He was already used to seeing these windows saying weird things. They had appeared right after he reincarnated for the first time. But now, finally, something was really about to happen!

[Awakening Mission Completed!]

[Nexus Seed System will fully initialize shortly]

After reading it, he looked down at his body, watching that entire evil thing being sucked into his chest and slowly disappearing.

’This... I... am I finally free now?!’

Euphoria took over him. Without that curse, he felt like he could reincarnate normally and finally live.

’This system...’

He didn’t know what this system was. Those green windows appeared from time to time, but they never seemed to have any use during his first reincarnation. All he found out from them was that they were some kind of system or whatever.

This time, however, that system was finally doing something.

But...

[WARNING!!!]

Another screen appeared, now completely red and alarming.

[Six Celestial Senses detected]

[Activating safety seal]

[Nexus Seed System and all of its functions will be locked. To reactivate it, add a small amount of pure celestial energy again.]

’WHAT?!’

James was stunned and kind of... no, completely desperate.

’Fuck, they’re chasing me! And how the hell am I supposed to get celestial energy again?!’

*Buzz*

A sharp buzzing sound pierced through his existence.

Suddenly, he was violently pulled forward. It was as if an invisible hand inside that magical river was dragging him somewhere.

His eyes widened, already knowing exactly what was about to happen.

’Am I reincarnating?!’

It was the last thing he thought before his consciousness faded completely.

***

Years later.

Suddenly.

...

...

...

”Who am I?”

James’s consciousness awakened alongside an intense pain spreading throughout his entire body. Chaotic thoughts flooded his mind, and a groan escaped his lips.

”Boy, you finally woke up? Thank God... I was worried sick.”

A gentle voice sounded beside him, filled with relief and emotion.

James slowly opened his eyes.

His blurry vision gradually cleared, revealing the face of a woman.

She looked a little over twenty years old. She had silver hair, long pointed ears, and blue eyes with an almost green tint.

’Wait? She’s definitely not human.’

James was shocked because all of her features looked exactly like an Elf from fantasy tales. Those creatures were supposed to be beautiful and eternally youthful. But... this woman had a few deep wrinkles marking her tired face.

At that moment, she was staring at him with eyes full of tears and genuine concern.

”Son, you scared your mother so much.”

Her trembling voice made James’s heart shake in a strange way.

”Mother???”

He repeated the word hesitantly, looking at that face that felt both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time.

After all...

He had never truly had something like that before.

Then, the memories came back.

The blue void.

The six stars.

The millennia of pain.

The river of reincarnation.

Everything.

At the same time, green screens appeared before his eyes.

[Nexus Seed System has been reactivated]

[Basic system is ready for use]

[Activate?] [Yes / No]

For a moment, James stayed frozen.

Then a violent euphoria exploded inside his chest.

’FUCK! I’M FINALLY FREE!’