Matt felt lightheaded.
There was nothing around him—only darkness and a strange coldness that seemed to wrap around his soul. His consciousness slowly faded as he drifted in the endless void.
Many people on Earth talked about near-death experiences, about their lives flashing before their eyes when they were about to die.
But Matt felt none of that.
There was only silence… and darkness.
At one point, he felt something strange, as if his soul was being pulled through a tunnel by an invisible force.
Time passed.
Or at least it felt like time passed.
He didn't know how long it had been.
Then suddenly—one day—Matt woke up.
"What… is happening?" he muttered weakly.
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(From here, the story continues from the main character's point of view.)
---
I had a terrible headache.
It hurt so much that I almost felt like smashing my head against the wall in front of me just to make the pain stop.
Suddenly, a thought struck me.
"Wait… what's happening? I thought I died… I even remember that strange pulling feeling."
Yet here I was—very much alive, despite the pounding pain in my head.
How is this possible?
I slowly looked down at myself.
Why was I so short?
And what were these clothes I was wearing?
Confused, I pushed myself up from the ground and looked around.
I was inside a cave.
The air was damp and cold, and the walls were rough stone. But what truly shocked me was the creature sitting a short distance away.
It looked like a dog… but it was enormous.
"What the hell…?" I whispered.
"I've never seen a dog this big in my life."
Just as the fear began to settle in, the headache suddenly returned—stronger than before.
And along with the pain came something else.
Memories.
Memories that were not mine.
They flooded into my mind like a rushing river.
My name… was Aron Velton.
My father's name was Yan Velton, and my mother's name was Rem Velton.
The Velton family was one of the noble families living in a small country called Hiran, located on the continent known as Sector Three.
For a long time, I sat there in stunned silence.
I could barely comprehend what had happened.
Not only had I been reborn in another world… I now had a family.
According to the memories of the original Aron, this world was filled with magic.
Knights, mages, healers, and countless other magical professions existed here.
However, the Velton family was not among the most powerful families of the country.
"We are considered a small noble family," I murmured quietly.
From the memories I had inherited, I learned about the history of this world.
Around ninety thousand years ago, the world had been invaded by countless monsters.
They came in all forms—small and large, weak and powerful.
Humanity had nearly been wiped out during those early days.
But during that chaotic era, something unexpected happened.
Humans began to awaken mana within their bodies.
Magical affinities appeared, and people started developing various magical techniques and combat styles.
That was how magic first began in this world.
The monsters had entered through mysterious openings known as Cracks—dimensional rifts that connected this world to unknown realms.
No one knew how those cracks had first appeared.
And no one knew how they were eventually sealed.
However, not all creatures that emerged from the cracks were mindless monsters driven by bloodlust.
Some of them were intelligent.
Those intelligent beings were called Sapiens.
They came in many different forms.
Some resembled goblins.
Some looked like werewolves.
Others had completely different appearances.
But despite their differences, they all possessed intelligence comparable to humans.
I leaned back against the cave wall, overwhelmed by the information swirling inside my mind.
So I died on Earth… and somehow ended up in this magical world.
It sounded exactly like the cliché stories and novels I used to read.
Still confused, I continued sorting through Aron's memories.
This planet was called Nirom.
It was nearly ten times larger than Earth.
The world was divided into twelve continents, each one referred to as a Sector.
However, only seven sectors were habitable.
The remaining continents were completely controlled by monsters and other alien races.
In a strange way, the appearance of the cracks had been both a blessing and a disaster.
They had introduced mana and magic into the world…
But they had also brought chaos, destruction, and the deaths of millions during the early years when humanity struggled to survive.
Over time, powerful families rose during the long wars against monsters.
Eventually, these families became the rulers of the different regions of the world.
The family I now belonged to—the Velton family—controlled a territory roughly the size of modern-day Germany.
Unfortunately, much of the land was harsh.
Nearly one-third of the region consisted of rocky mountains and rugged hills.
Even so, the Veltons were a respected family.
They were known for their bravery and martial strength.
Although their power had declined compared to their former glory, the family still maintained a strong reputation.
Most members of the Velton family chose the path of knighthood or magic.
Interestingly, the family did not force its members into any particular path.
Each person was free to choose whether they wished to become a knight, a mage, or something else.
There were also some Magic Swordsmen—individuals who trained in both martial combat and magic.
However, such people were rare, as mastering both paths required exceptional intelligence and talent.
The country the Veltons belonged to was called Hiran.
In this world, most countries were formed by alliances between powerful families.
These alliances allowed them to protect their territories from monsters and hostile forces.
There was also a form of global government.
It consisted of selected patriarchs from influential families across the world.
Although families ruled their own territories independently, representatives were chosen through voting among the major families.
This governing body usually stayed out of local affairs.
However, in extremely serious situations—especially matters involving human rights or global threats—they could intervene.
All families were technically members of this world organization, which existed to maintain a basic standard of order across the planet.
As I continued sorting through the memories, I discovered another important detail.
I wasn't just a random member of the Velton family.
I was the son of the heir.
My father, Yan Velton, was the third son of the current patriarch.
Which meant…
I was part of the direct bloodline.
Then another memory surfaced.
I had a younger sister.
Her name was Lily.
I sighed softly.
"Well… great."
"Now I have a sister too."
I rubbed my aching head, completely overwhelmed.
Matt… who was now Aron… sat quietly in deep thought.
This new life was going to be far more complicated than he had ever imagined.