in a scene set within a verdant orchard, winds of sorrow blew, carrying fallen leaves that drifted like the colors of an autumn yet to come. Rows of black chairs, numbering between seventy and a hundred, were lined up, holding the Sahin¹ family.
In the center sat his father, Godfrey Larson², looking like a statue of a Greek god. Beside him was Sahin's revered mother, Sadim Banselkink³, with her heavy-lidded eyes. They were joined by servants—some weeping intensely, for Sahin had been a lifelong companion, a friend more than a master, who had saved them from homelessness, poverty, and cruel lords. Other friends and relatives were present, and at the forefront lay an open wooden coffin, wrapped in the roots of a young tree.
This was a tradition in the Hexagonal Religion. The roots of a fruit-bearing tree would be fixed around the corpse to feed on its remains. Friends and family would later eat from this tree in the Ancestral Orchard. Thus, the matter of their dead becomes part of them during the process of Identity Renewal, for they believed identity changes with time. By eating from his tree, they would benefit from his experience, while his body became beneficial to nature. Instead of a miserable graveyard, there would be an orchard of colorful fruit trees bearing the names of those buried beneath, nurturing those who loved them.
Among the attendees was Narella⁴, Sahin's fiancée, who had suffered an unknown attack. She was beautiful, with pale golden hair, surveying the crowd with a malicious smile. She listened to the eulogies—flowery from some, genuine from others, accompanied by apologies and forgiveness for any wrongs—ending with a kiss to his forehead.
Narella muttered under her breath:
"In death, everyone becomes a flawless angel."
Finally, it was Narella's turn. She squeezed out a few tears with the skill of a girl feigning sorrow. She approached the casket, dipping her face into the high-walled coffin that concealed her from view. She placed her mouth over the dead Sahin's lips, as if for a kiss, but instead, she vomited into his mouth. That vomit was alive, and it crawled into the dead Sahin's stomach as if consuming him from within.
Amidst a sensory void, Farid felt his existence floating in nothingness. The last thing he remembered was a split-second of sudden pain, as if something had pierced his brain, scattering his consciousness, followed by the shock of hitting the ground, paralyzed, before everything went dark.
He began to breathe with a stiff lung, as if every breath were tearing it apart. Seconds later, he was overwhelmed by an infinite sensation of happiness, as if breathing pure dopamine. A gentle morning breeze tickled his face and played with his hair—air so pure it carried a faint scent of vanilla.
He opened his eyes slowly, flooded by delicious, sharp new colors, vibrant as if from childhood memories. He stared up at the great tree beside him, the colorful leaves dancing in the breeze, and a sky of profound blue above. He felt a strange connection to his surroundings, like an extra sense enhancing his perception of reality—a spiritual awakening, dissolving into the ecstasy of transcendent existence.
< Am I... in Heaven?! >
Suddenly, a terrifying face with three eyes and sharp teeth loomed over Farid:
"WAAAKE UUUUUUP!"
Farid woke in a panic:
"WAAAAAA HHHH!"
In his shock, he bolted up, tipping over the coffin, the platform, and the sapling attached to him.
Farid, the world-famous scientist who had technically just blown up Planet Earth, was now in Sahin's body.
The Sahin family reacted instantly, attacking Narella, who had transformed into a cancerous monstrosity with vaguely familiar features. Meanwhile, the servants dragged Sahin away; to them, he appeared to have returned to life, but with a different Spiritual Root.
Narella, now a monster with sharp teeth and a halo resembling gum-flesh floating above her head, screamed:
"I created the Ninth! Why are you attacking me... I don't want to hurt you!"
Godfrey launched a rock attack that smashed into her face, creating a giant hole that literally destroyed it—a blow that would have instantly killed any human. Simultaneously, a guard stabbed her from behind, aiming for the heart. The sword exploded inside her, tearing her body into shreds.
But... no blood. She remained standing.
A smile formed on her perforated face as she spoke:
"You cannot hurt me, so don't even try. Even that woman sitting over there..."
She pointed at Sadim.
"...cannot hurt me. Don't cross your arms as if you can."
Sahin's mother spoke in her deep, lazy voice:
"You speak boldly... but I do not care for this childish provocation.
" Then she addressed everyone with eerie calm:
"Shouldn't we check on him first?"
One of the servants asked Sahin (whose focus was scattered by the new colors and hyper-realistic sensations):
"Master, are you alright?"
Farid thought to himself:
< When did I learn this strange language? And what are these colors? This clarity? Can they actually see Delta, my imaginary friend?... >
He replied, speaking their language with supreme skill:
"S... Stop! I know her. She is my friend."
"Do you know this cancerous monster?"
She replied for him:
"The monster is your mother."
"I know her,"
Farid said,
"but who I don't know is... you all?"
"Master, are you truly the Ninth?!!"
"What is the meaning of 'The Ninth'?"
Another spoke up: "Just as it was written in our religion. He is a Transmigrator! Glory to the Sixth!"
Lord Godfrey stepped forward, staring at Farid for a long time. He didn't know the appropriate reaction, but he stepped forward and embraced him, saying:
"I never expected to live to see this historic day, Master Ninth."
The Revered Sadim, his mother, was 1,690 years old and had 150 children. Sahin was just a number to her. But being the Ninth caught her attention. She called out from her seat:
"You fools, step away from him. Let me see him."
She observed him from her distant seat for a long time, then took out a notebook and wrote down some observations. It was strange; none of the attendees had ever seen the Queen of the Region show interest in anything. Her long life had bred an unparalleled boredom. But this was different.
A servant began to explain that he was the son of the Revered Sadim Banselkink and Lord Godfrey Larson. Emotions merged between grief for Sahin's loss and joy at finally receiving the Ninth.
Sahin's mother ordered them to give him a reception worthy of the one who would lead the people of Havenora to glory.
After a long celebration and Farid asking about the basics of this world, Lord Godfrey spoke about the Lena Nobles Organization, saying they would be overjoyed to know the Triangle was finally complete with the appearance of the Ninth.
Sadim spoke in her sluggish voice:
"Do not tell those fools until we see how the Ninth behaves. He does not seem ready yet; he knows little of the world. He will need therapeutic rest from whatever afflicts him. And we must decide what to do with this Enemy of Humanity."
Farid spoke with Delta Sigma while they stood alone. She looked like a fusion with Narella—blonde hair, three eyes, sharp teeth. He asked her in his native Earth tongue:
"Just tell me, Delta, what is happening here? Why can they see you? And what am I afflicted with?"
"Well, in short, Dan shot you from behind. The bullet hit your head and killed you. And I, being me, disturbed your eternal slumber and resurrected you... Hahaha."
"You bit—" He swallowed his anger. "Ugh. Damn it, why did you disturb me and bring me back to the hell of existence, woman? I died! Leave me dead. I don't want to live again."
"Oh, is it my mistake? Should I kill you again?"
She raised her hand as if to strike him.
A guard saw this. Though he didn't understand their language, he sensed danger and placed his hand on his sword. Farid reassured him with a hand signal and said to Delta:
"No, no, no. It's too late. I don't want to die now that I've become self-aware. There is a world waiting to be discovered. What I saw in the last hour has rekindled my childhood curiosity... Ugh, I feel my clothes have become tighter..."
Delta blushed, warming herself, her desire igniting as she looked at him. She shifted back to her usual white form. Farid, surprised, adopted a karate stance, but she hugged him. He quickly melted, listening to her whispering, trembling voice, sounding on the verge of tears.
"You don't know how many experiments I tried just to bring you back and take me out of my loneliness in this strange world. I can finally touch you and feel your warm embrace for real. You were the only one I truly found myself with, who understood me. Please, I don't want to lose you again. That is my only wish."
Farid wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close after her stiff posture relaxed. He rested his forehead on her shoulder:
"I still haven't processed all of this. But with you by my side, Delta, I don't have to worry about anything. You made me great before... and I'm confident you'll do it again. You really are an investment, my dear. But... why do you smell like vanilla?"
Lushihar interrupted their intimate moment:
"Master Sa... I mean, Ninth.."
"Call me Farid."
"...Master Farid, the carriage is ready to head to the palace to inform them of your arrival. The servants are waiting... Wait a moment, you are getting taller."
Farid and Delta headed to the carriage, pulled by intelligent horses with horns. They sat opposite each other, joined by Lushihar and a guard. Streaks of light from the window illuminated Delta's terrifying face in the dark carriage—smiling with needle-like teeth and three eyes, an appearance uncomfortable to everyone except Farid.
Lushihar, nervous about her appearance, spoke:
"Ahem... So, you are the one who killed Narella, her guards, and Sahin too. Just tell me, how are we going to patch this up for Lord Jacobian, her father, and the rest of the Lords? Or rather, how do we deal with you, Enemy of Humanity, when the law requires us to kill you immediately?"
Delta replied:
"Is this Narella more important than the Revered, Exalted, Great, Sophisticated, Cultured, Role Model, Noble, Savior, Handsome...|"
"Okay, okay, I get the point. Don't misunderstand, I wasn't criticizing the Ninth—heaven forbid. But I am consulting you to suggest a solution to cover up your existence, vanilla-girl, because you are known for intercepting convoys and killing innocents. Literally, the only thing shielding you right now is the Ninth."
"Let's tell them the truth. So what?! If they object, they object to the existence of the Ninth himself. I saw the satisfaction on Revered Sadim's face. The curse of the updates prevented her and her husband from having their numerical sum be Nine. So, as you know, Sahin (in parentheses), who is now Farid, is not a legitimate son but a son of Istibda' (surrogacy/breeding) marriage..."
"You mean I am a son of B.."
"No, it's normal here.
There are couples who cannot conceive, and your curse is the reason. I'll explain briefly without going deep into inheritance and the Moral Chromosome."
Delta continued, explaining the biological hierarchy of this world:
"Humans here are divided into Updates that carry additional features. These help you survive—because literally anything can kill you here—or they are luxury updates. After the First Great Extinction, humans discovered they were divided into numbers."
To understand this better, visualize the hierarchy:
"Types 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8 are normal people, the majority, called Prototypes. Types 3 and 6 can only be born if one of your ancestors carried this number. The curse of 3 and 6 was broken for those descending from ancestors holding their keys.
Only Number 9 remains.
Your father is Number 3.
Your mother is Number 6.
And 6 + 3 = 9.
But a 9 cannot be born because they do not hold the Key to the Curse. Therefore, Sahin—your previous body—was essentially adopted by them. How do I say this without being hurtful? Hmm... Your mother slept with another person with Godfrey's consent, and they considered the child their joint son, excluding the biological father... I hope you understand."
"Ugh, that's annoying."
Lushihar replied:
"Revered Sadim's marriage to Lord Godfrey is political, not for offspring. The Revered has 149 children other than you."
Delta continued:
"And you, today, are the breaking of this curse. You are the newest version of humanity: The Ninth. The Living Legend. The Closer of the Triangle. And I'll be blunt: girls will fall from everywhere just to have sex with you, and you will father thousands of children. So be ready."
Farid felt a chill of fear.
He looked out the window and asked:
"And what is that giant thing over there?"
"That is Megalophobia. One of the remnants of the First Extinction. It takes one step every month. Its height is approximately... hmm, get ready to hold your head... six thousand five hundred kilometers."
"Pffft." Farid laughed. "No, you're joking. That is literally the radius of Planet Earth... We are the size of viruses compared to it. And actually, that height is impossible. According to the Square-Cube Law, its weight would increase to the point where diamond itself couldn't support it, let alone legs like those."
"That is why it's called Megalophobia. The title 'Phobia' here is given to beings humans cannot kill or, in its case, understand. And forget Earth logic; it doesn't work here. There is different physics, different cosmic constants, and new concepts. Knowing you, you will enjoy discovering the oddities of this world."
Farid said:
"Wow, finally I've become a protagonist in a poorly written, illogical Isekai anime. Don't tell me there are silly clichés like dragons or those long-eared humans... oh yes, Elves, or Goblins, or Slimes, or the silliest of all, Mermaids. Haha."
"Don't say that. This planet is literally the pinnacle of logic. I told you, logic and physics here are different, and you give me this superficial look. Don't worry, if the characters were like that, I would have committed suicide long ago or become the ruler of the planet, because it would be an anime full of pre-built characterization pieces."
Farid looked at Lushihar and the guard:
"And who are you, young lady, and you, guard?"
Both tried to speak, interrupting each other, but Lushihar continued:
"My name is Lushihar Vintalin, from the nation of Nordlina. My Spiritual Root is Six, and I am the Head Maid of Mayor Sahin Banselkink."
Delta interjected:
"You are from Update Six? Why do you humiliate yourself serving an older update?"
Lushihar ignored her but said:
"Stop spreading your damn viruses. The carriage smells filthy."
The guard spoke, preventing Delta from retorting:
"I... I am Alfonso Mentali. My Spiritual Root is One, and I am Master Sahin's guard."
Delta scoffed:
"Heh. Prototype."
Farid said:
"Alright, tell me about this Sahin."
" Why do you want to know about me? "
Farid was startled and looked around as if he heard a strange voice speaking from nowhere.
Delta asked: "What is it?"
"I heard a voice speaking right next to my ear."
" This whore stole my body. Couldn't you find a body other than mine? "
Farid covered his ears.
" It's no use. I am inside your head. "
Delta said:
"< Damn, he didn't die. > Don't worry, it's just symptoms of the transfer."
Lushihar looked at Delta with disgust. Farid looked out the window:
"Woooow. Walking trees."
Delta explained:
"This is the migration season of the Wandering Trees. Their pheromones are what's causing you this strange sensation of happiness. Let me show you something."
Delta ordered Lushihar to stop the carriage.
"I am not your maid, but for the Master, I will..."
They stepped out. Delta said to Farid, who could barely walk in his tight clothes:
"You've grown taller. You almost surpass Lushihar. The features of the Ninth Update must be revealing themselves gradually."
Farid, squeezed into his outfit, complained:
"Don't you have spare clothes?"
"No. Just endure it, Master."
Delta whistled at a tree and ordered Farid to open his mouth. The tree mimicked them—even Lushihar and Alfonso joined in—and pelted them with fruits. Some entered their mouths, while others covered their faces in red jam. Farid fell with a look of ecstasy from the delicious taste. Delta grabbed him, wanting to slap him, but he held her hand:
"I am conscious... no need for violence. What is this taste? I want more."
He got up, whistled again, and was hit in the mouth by another fruit. He wiped his face and began licking his hand.
"This is Heaven."
"Let's move."
"No, I want more!"
Delta grabbed him and shoved him into the carriage. After a long wait, they finally arrived at the palace. Lushihar exited the walking carriage, stepped down, and jogged until her momentum ran out right in front of the guard:
"Tell them to prepare. Sahin has become the Ninth."
*******************************
In a luxurious office filled with books and volumes, a young man stood before the window. He wore a formal outfit shrouded in pitch black, with a gray vest over it. His brown eyes were the color of desert sand, his hair thick, brown, and medium-length, and he sported a light stubble. His strong physique reflected the grandeur of a man in his mid-thirties.
He was staring down from the top floor of the massive white building he occupied.
Knock knock.
"Come in."
A balding man in a lab coat entered and said:
"Lord Gamatius, apologies for the intrusion. The Reality Anchor has recorded a spike in reality levels over the past five days that we haven't seen since the Previous Extinction. We checked the instruments; it is not a glitch."
"That is strange... Did you pinpoint the location?"
"Yes. We tracked the Moduli levels, and they led us to the Pascalina Sea, on the border of the Crimson Forest. The anomaly is approaching Madlina."
"Sir! Sir!"
The sound of running and shouting came from a distance until a messenger arrived, voice trembling:
"There is a Reality Containment Breach in this room! It's extremely high!"
"Damn it. Initiate the Obfuscation Protocol! Activate the anti-Narim! Are there any useful readings on the intent of this Observer?"
"We believe it is one of the Writer Entities. Its identification code is Nebraso.....{Scene Cut}
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You can find the character images and information in the comments of this chapter.