Kazuki didn't remember the exact moment he died—only the weightless fall into endless darkness. Then, silence. Then warmth.
When he opened his eyes again, the sterile ceiling of his Tokyo apartment was gone. Instead, above him stretched a clear blue sky. The smell of fresh soil and wood smoke filled his nose, carried by a gentle breeze.
He cried instinctively.
That cry is what saved him.
A pair of trembling hands lifted him up. An old man's voice, weary but kind, murmured softly, "You poor little one... abandoned in the forest? Hush, now. You'll be safe in Holy Spirit Village."
And just like that, he was reborn.
Years Passed
The villagers named him Kazuki, assuming he was a refugee from some border conflict. He was raised communally, but mostly looked after by Old Jack, the same elder who found him in the woods.
At age four, Kazuki's consciousness matured faster than others his age—his mind was sharper, memories clearer. He had retained his knowledge and thoughts from Earth, though he pretended otherwise.
Kazuki had smooth, jet-black hair that just brushed his shoulders, often a little messy from play. His eyes were a calm grey, quiet but sharp, as if he was always watching and thinking. His face was pale and delicate, with a serious expression that made him seem older than he was. Though small, there was a strange stillness about him—like a tiny storm waiting to wake.
One night, as the moon hung low and the crickets whispered in the grass, he felt something click inside his mind.
Ding.
[System Initialization Complete.] Adaptive Martial Soul and Genetic Optimization System Activated. Synchronizing with host... Current Status: Awaiting Martial Soul Awakening. Active Assistance: Locked. Passive Scanning: Enabled.
Kazuki's eyes snapped open in the dark. He didn't move, didn't breathe loud enough to alert anyone nearby. Instead, he stared at the thatched ceiling above and let the moment sink in.
"A system... and it waited until now to say hello?"
The interface floated silently in the back of his mind—a calm presence that didn't speak unless prompted. He asked no questions. Not yet. It made one thing clear:
Until he awakened his martial soul, it would not intervene.
No help. No enhancements. No shortcuts.
"Fine. I'll earn it the way they all did... and then pass them."
Kazuki blended in well. He was quiet, polite, dependable. The kind of child adults appreciated and other kids ignored. Which suited him perfectly.
He learned quickly: farming techniques, how to fix carts, basic etiquette, and above all, Douluo Continent's rules. Spirit Masters were revered. Spirit Hall governed all soul master activity. And the annual Spirit Awakening Ceremony was everything for children his age.
He learned that Tang San, another child in the village, was considered a prodigy—quiet, hardworking, with a blacksmith father who rarely spoke.
"So this is him. The blue silver grass genius. The 'twin martial soul' protagonist."
Kazuki watched Tang San silently.
Every morning, he saw Tang San sneak out early, practicing odd martial arts under the mountain mist. They looked refined, measured—but Kazuki saw the cracks. The transitions were inefficient. The breathing technique borrowed from incomplete Eastern methods. The footwork, while flexible, lacked true grounding.
"This is the great Tang Sect training you inherited? It's not even suitable for this world's energy system…"
But Kazuki never spoke his thoughts aloud. That would draw suspicion—and worse, attention.
He was content watching from the sidelines.
"You'll gain your fame, Tang San. Your arrogance. Your hypocrisy. And I'll be right there—smiling—when I take it all apart piece by piece."
By his sixth birthday, Kazuki had already concluded many things:
* Tang San was clever, yes—but far from untouchable.
* The world revered Spirit Hall publicly, but there were cracks in their influence.
* The Shrek members that would one day become legends? Most were unstable, arrogant, or blind to their flaws.
* And Yu Xiaogang, the so-called "Master," was a man Kazuki already dismissed without meeting.
He would never kneel to them.
Not Spirit Empire's enemies.
Not the false saints of Shrek.
"This world will not shape me. I'll shape it."
The morning of the Awakening Ceremony arrived with a faint fog, as if the world itself were holding its breath.
Kazuki stood outside the Spirit Hall, shoulder to shoulder with the village's other six-year-olds—among them, Tang San.
His heart beat steadily.
The System whispered softly.
[Spirit Awakening conditions met.] Martial Soul status: Pending. Soul Power: Calculating... System assistance unlocking after successful binding. Prepare for synchronization...
A faint smile touched Kazuki's lips.
Whatever was inside him—whatever he had brought from Earth, fused into this world—it would soon awaken.
And when it did?
The real game would begin.
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This is my first time creating a fanfic. There might be mistakes and some issues with grammar or other mishaps.
This fanfic is mostly my take on how I imagine the world if Douluo would be, mainly focusing on an original character inspired by swallowed star.
I hope you enjoy.