The Fate of The Reincarnated

12. 1/15

The forest rustled as gusts of wind blew through it, and leaves flew in front of his face, but he didn't flinch or shift his stare. He fixed his gaze on Gin, regardless of whether the man was a friend from the cave he had a power. A power that could transport him to another area in an instant. "...."

Gin regarded Finn with confusion, wondering why he was behaving as if they were strangers. "Did you get a concussion from being teleported here?" he asked, trying to make sense of Finn's odd behavior.

Finn, still trying to take in his surroundings, replied, "Is that your class?" His gaze wandered around to fully grasp their current location.

"Yeah..." Gin acknowledged Finn's growing awareness but didn't dwell on it. "My class, [Pirate], allows me to teleport anything I can see to anywhere I can see or have been."

"Teleportation... You were the one that helped Kyla!" Finn's anxiety instantly vanished, and he embraced Gin in a warm hug. "Thanks." Though Gin wasn't entirely sure about the context, he didn't question it, appreciating the gesture that brought them closer.

"But anyways," Gin gently pulled away from the hug. "There are some things we need to talk about. From the cave incident to this world, we find ourselves in."

They sat on a fallen tree in the wilderness. The wind blew around them, tugging their hair and clothing with each gust. The gentle rustling of leaves created a pleasant background to their chat, and a faint aroma of dirt and nature lingered in the air.

Despite being ruffled by wind they found solace in the quiet atmosphere that surrounded them, creating a moment of connection amidst the natural beauty that surrounded them. The peaceful moment was immediately stopped when Gin began. “First of all, about our memories."

Finn raised an eyebrow at Gin's statement. "The mixer," he stated, trying to piece together the memories from their past lives.

"Exactly, I've more or less regained memories of our past lives. Some names and faces are blurry, but everything is here... everything except the mixer. That part remains cloudy and inaccessible," Gin explained.

"I'm in the same boat. The redhead in the cave seems to know something about it, and that's my current goal. I need to find him and get answers about what the hell happened that day," Finn replied, clenching his fist in determination.

"Okay, now that's answered. What about our classes? And am I the only one who hears a voice that calls itself my guide?" Gin asked, wanting to clear up some uncertainties.

"Nope. I have that too. Annoying, isn't it?" Finn responded.

"Nah, I actually like mine. She got me through some rough times," Gin said, feeling a connection with his guide.

Finn took a moment to reflect, wondering if he was the only one with an annoying guide. "That must be nice," he remarked.

"So, about our powers," Gin continued. He activated [Plunder], and instantly, a rock from the ground appeared in his hand. "My class is really good. It has its downsides, such as range and speed, but overall, it's helpful. What's yours?"

"Lie," Dusk advised, and Finn didn't question his guide's suggestion. "It's twin attacker. Basically, just speed and efficiency when fighting," Finn explained.

"Ahh, I'm guessing some people got the short end of the stick," Gin observed, and Finn laughed it off.

"Now onto more pressing matters. The demons," Gin brought up the topic.

"No, no. I want nothing to do with them. I fought one earlier, and that only strengthened my belief. I know we were gifted with a new life or whatever, but I'm going to use this as a second chance. Not a demon-killing adventure," Finn asserted, shaking his head at the thought of using his new life to fight a battle that might kill him before he could make the best of his new life.

Gin folded his arms, agreeing with Finn, but he couldn't shake a certain event from when he first appeared in this world. "Justice..." Gin's voice trailed off.

Finn looked at him curiously, the name ringing a bell. "Who is this?" he inquired, feeling a rush of memories flooding into his brain.

"A mutual friend, I'm guessing. Both of us were reincarnated in the same place. We joined the Juva Guild and went on a quest, you know, normal adventurer stuff," Gin explained, pointing at Finn's copper plate to emphasize his point. "During the mission... damn... it was just a fly head infestation."

Finn gave him time to talk, seeing the distress in Gin's face as he recalled the past. "A demon just appeared, as if from thin air. Justice... he could manipulate sound frequencies, so he used his ability first, and the demon killed him. Then—then—"

"Then...?"

"I ran," Gin admitted, putting his face down to avoid Finn's gaze, his voice choked with emotion. "I teleported myself as far as the guild. I ran. I ran. I ran. I... ran."

Finn walked toward Gin and patted him on the back, offering comfort and understanding. "At least you're safe now."

"It followed me. It followed me to a small village near here," Gin revealed, and Finn's eyes darkened as he absorbed the gravity of the situation. "I'm responsible... I'm responsible for the deaths of the entire village. The only person I could save was a young girl, and even then, the demon chased me. I had to leave her and run. I'm such a coward."

"Sir, it's not his fault. The only reason we're alive right now is because of Hex's intervention. They did not have that luxury," Dusk explained gently, trying to calm Finn's nerves.

"I have to get to the guild," Finn said, getting up and stretching his arms as if preparing to leave.

"Wait, there's one more thing I have to tell you," Gin said, and Finn felt as if the world around them had gone quiet. The blowing winds ceased, and the dancing trees froze in place. "What is it?" Finn asked, sensing the weight of the moment.

"Have you heard of the hunters?" Gin's arms trembled, catching Finn's attention.

"Who are they?" Finn feigned ignorance, although he had already gathered some information about the hunters from Emma in the Tavern's Cloud.

"They're a collective of demons intent on resurrecting the demon king—the very same demon king we're here to defeat," Gin revealed.

Finn's confusion grew. "So, was there a mistake? Did someone from the cave actually kill the demon king? Though, that seems unlikely. What's really going on? If the demon king is already dead, what's our mission?"

"Our mission is to prevent his resurrection," Gin explained, noticing Finn's glance.

"How are we supposed to achieve that? How can the demon king be resurrected in the first place?"

"I'm not entirely sure. However, it's possible that what the God in the cave meant was, the demon king WILL BE RESURRECTED and our jobs would be to make his death certain that or maybe stopping the demon king's resurrection is our true destiny in this world," Gin said, excitement lighting up his face.

Finn turned away, dismissing the idea. "I'm not interested in fighting the demon king or his 'hunters,' but if that's your goal, go ahead. I'm not getting involved," Finn stated, raising his arms above his head and stretching.

"Be careful. These demons are powerful. While I don't know much about the ones you fought, the hunters are even more formidable. Their mere presence felt like needles impaling my skin," Gin warned.

"Yeah, sure, sure," Finn replied, slowly distancing himself from Gin.

Gin smiled, noting Finn's character. "My memories of you aren't complete but this all feels new, your character that is. You're nonchalant to the danger we might face, but you're happy." Gin said, intrigued.

Finn shrugged. "What can I say? I'm just a guy trying to make a decent living in a world filled with absurdities."

"I'll find you, Finn. Stay alive," Gin said, activating [Plunder].

"You too," Finn muttered before reappearing at the gate of BaneStead. He scanned the area, looking for Kyla, but she was nowhere in sight.

Dusk chimed in, questioning Finn's decision. "Are you sure that was the right play? Wouldn't sticking with another member of the cave have been wiser?"

"Maybe. But you know what, Dusk? I want a new life, and new lives need new people," Finn replied.

"New people?" Dusk inquired.

"Exactly. Now, like I was saying—buffalo wings, here I come!"

Dusk felt compelled to point out, "You know they're made of actual flying buffalo, right?"

Finn chuckled. "I ate a crab made of tungsten earlier. There isn't much else that surprises me in this world."

"Fair enough," Dusk conceded.