Kaito could still hear the sound of their laughter echoing in his memory, mingling with the clanging of armor and the low murmur of families saying goodbye.
But laughter had not brought them home.
When the survivors returned months later, only two or three returned and Those who remained carried injuries—some visible, others hidden deep in their spirits. And Marcus and the other three were not among them.
The news of their death had been delivered bluntly, almost carelessly, by a surviving officer. "Fell during the third assault." That was all they said before moving on to the next name.
Kaito had been devastated. Marcus, Elias, Lucas, and Calvin had been more than cousins to him—they were brothers in all but blood. Losing them had carved a hollow ache in his heart that no words could ever mend. And they had not been the only ones. Everyone who went to that battlefield had been either his cousin or his uncle; even both of his granduncles had joined the call to arms, hoping to reduce the family's losses as much as possible.
But once they arrived, they were separated, organized into the army according to their martial ranks. Even his granduncles, both at Rank 4, had been considered weak in that massive clash of powerhouses. His second grandfather had fallen in battle, while his eldest grandfather had been gravely wounded. The injuries had damaged his martial foundation so severely that a genius like him, who should have risen far higher, was forever stopped at Rank 4—even after the later surge in spiritual energy that made cultivation easier for everyone else.
It had been a bitter lesson in the cruelty of the world. And it was one Kaito had sworn, deep in his heart, never to forget.
Kaito's gaze lingered on Marcus, Elias, Calvin, and Lucas, the memories of that tragic year bleeding into his thoughts. In his past life, those four hadn't simply gone to war by choice—the entire chain of events had been set in motion by the cruel politics of the era.
At the time, the Ren branch in Silvercrest City—Kaito's immediate family—had also been summoned, by the Kaelas family, the Silver-ranked power whose territory included Silvercrest. The Kaelas summons came with an alternative: instead of sending people into the front lines, they could offer resources of equal value. It had been a bitter choice, but one his father and grandfather had agreed upon almost instantly. They knew the truth—sending unprepared family members into that slaughter was nothing more than offering them up as cannon fodder.
So they paid. And the "payment" Kaelas demanded was staggering. Rare ores, high-grade medicines, and stored Federation credits—enough to cripple the Ren family's finances overnight. By the time the transaction was over, half of the family's wealth was gone. That single blow was something they never fully recovered from.
Kaito understood now that this crippling loss had been one of the key reasons the Orion Syndicate was able to destroy them years later. The Ren family, weakened both financially and in martial strength, had struggled to regain its footing—leaving them exposed and vulnerable when true enemies finally came knocking.
Worse still, the news of the ancestral branch's summons came only after his family had made their costly deal with Kaelas. That was when they rushed to the Ancestral Estate—only to find Marcus, Elias, Calvin, Lucas, and scores of others preparing to depart under the orders of the Soelerin family.
The Soelerins had also offered a similar "resource exchange" option, but the price they demanded was far beyond anything that even Kaito's family could afford after their recent losses. And also because the number of people they were taking from the Ancestral Estate was far greater than what Kaelas had asked of Silvercrest. Even if Kaito's family had scraped together every last credit, herb, and ore, it would not have been enough to replace all the manpower Soelerin demanded. They were helpless, forced to watch as their kin marched toward what Kaito already suspected was a death sentence.
When the reports of the battle came in, the names of the dead were read aloud. Kaito's grandfather had stood among the elders, face pale and unreadable, and after even hearing his second brother's name among the dead, he was totally devastated.
That night, his grandfather had locked himself in his quarters. The room was silent for an entire day. When he emerged, they went straight to the Ancestral Estate to participate in the mourning rites. But Kaito remembered vividly how his grandfather couldn't bring himself to meet the eyes of his eldest grandfather. In the old man's mind, the blame lay squarely on his shoulders.
Kaito recalled his grandfather's words when they were finally alone: a bitter confession that he had boasted, when leaving the Ancestral Estate years before, that he would return with the strength and resources to make their family untouchable—that the principles that kept them weak would be proven wrong by his own hands. But in the end, he hadn't even been able to fulfill ten percent of that promise.
Even then, Kaito had understood the truth—resources alone could never protect them. No matter how many treasures they possessed, greed would always find a way to strip them bare. The only real shield was strength.
Now, standing here in this new life, with all his family alive and well, Kaito felt a wave of fierce, almost overwhelming gratitude. The air seemed clearer, the sunlight warmer, simply because they were still here to enjoy it.
He placed a hand on Marcus's shoulder once more, gripping it firmly. "It's good to see you all again," he said, his voice carrying a weight that none of them seemed to notice.
One by one, he patted their shoulders, letting his gaze linger on each face—Marcus's wide grin, Elias's sharp eyes, Calvin's steady calm, Lucas's youthful eagerness. They were alive. Alive, and standing before him.
Inside, Kaito made a silent vow.
This time, it will be different.
This time, there would be no blind obedience to orders that sent good men to their deaths. No careless sacrifices for the sake of political maneuvering. No more sending his family into the jaws of death without a plan.
No matter who it is…
Whether it was the Soelerin family, another Silver-ranked power, or even the Federation itself—if they sought to harm the Ren family, they would answer to him. And unlike in his past life, he now possessed both the knowledge and the will to strike back.
This time, none of them would be taken from him.
…..
Kaito turned back to Marcus and the others. They were laughing about old school punishments and who had cheated at shuttle runs. It felt good—easy. No stiff formality, just brothers catching a breath after too long apart.
"Good to see you idiots again," Kaito said with a grin, bumping Marcus's shoulder. "How're you holding up?"
Marcus flashed the same lopsided grin he'd worn since they were kids. "Better now that I've seen you. Also—have you heard about Glory? I finally wore my parents down. Took months, but we just got approval tonight. We were about to order helmets."
"Same here," Elias added. "We pooled our savings, but we're still short."
Calvin cut in, smirking. "I told them to wait for a discount. No one listened."
It was then
Kia's soft chime flickered.
"Delivery convoy is five minutes out," she said.
Perfect timing.
Kaito then shook his head at them saying. "Don't order anything. I've already got you covered. I built a studio, and I want all of you in. I've made room for every cousin."
They blinked at him.
"For real?" Marcus asked.
"For real. I didn't buy helmets—I ordered Bronze-grade cabins. One for everyone."
For a moment, the hall went still. Then it erupted into a mess of cheers, laughter, and shouts. No false politeness. No 'don't spend money on us' routine. Just clean, honest acceptance. That was how it had always been with them. Not just friends—family.
Marcus slapped his forearm with a grin. "Then I won't even pretend to refuse. Thanks, brother."
"Thank me in the game," Kaito replied. "Also, the cabins will be here in five minutes. I need you to grab all the cousins and bring them to the indoor training gym."
Marcus was already moving. "You heard him! Spread out and ping the group—west wing dorms, east quad, terrace. Ten minutes!"