"A-rank adventurers? So what? Didn't you hear what that boy just said? He carried several dragon corpses down from the Crimson Dragon Mountain Range!"
"Wait... do you think this boy could be the one who caused the dragons' uproar in the first place?"
The Crimson Dragon Mountain Range was home to countless flying dragons, a perilous no-man's land for humans.
Flying dragons were formidable magical beasts with few natural predators. A pack of them was nearly untouchable, as few creatures or even humans posed a significant threat.
But in recent days, a large number of dragons had fled the mountain range in apparent panic. And now, this unknown and powerful boy suddenly appeared nearby, casually claiming he'd carried dragon corpses down the mountain. His presence sparked wild speculation among the tavern's patrons.
"You're insane," someone scoffed. "An individual dragon requires an S-rank adventurer to even stand a chance. And to terrify an entire pack of them to the point of fleeing? That would take the strength of one of the 'Seven Great Powers.'
Look at that boy—he's just a kid! Sure, he's strong—he trounced the Jackal brothers—but no way could he have caused the chaos in the Crimson Dragon Mountain Range."
"I agree," another chimed in. "He might be S-rank or above, but the dragon panic? Not a chance.
He probably just took advantage of the chaos to scavenge a few corpses."
While the tavern patrons debated his identity, Wood continued devouring the feast before him, seemingly unconcerned.
He had no reason to care—they weren't wrong about one thing: the dragon panic was his doing.
Initially, Wood had only planned to teach a few troublesome dragons a lesson, killing a handful to gather funds.
But the situation escalated. Like kicking a hornet's nest, his actions drew more and more dragons to his location, all perceiving him as a powerful invader.
Annoyed by the sheer number of dragons swarming him, Wood eventually unleashed his Conqueror's Haki.
The overwhelming kingly aura swept across the mountain range, sending the previously fearless dragons into a state of primal terror. Feeling the absolute dominance of a higher life form, they fled in all directions, desperate to escape.
Burp!
After finishing the massive spread of food before him, Wood leaned back, finally feeling satisfied for the first time in two years.
His unexpected return to this world had been quite the surprise.
After the Paramount War, Wood had returned to Dark Abyss Island severely injured. When he finally regained consciousness, he discovered that his "World Simulation System" had granted him two more simulation opportunities.
Upon reviewing the system's logs, he realized that a task had been issued during the war: "The Brightest Star of the Paramount War."
The task required Wood to engage with prominent figures during the war, with rewards based on his performance and the attention he garnered.
Caught up in the heat of battle, Wood hadn't even noticed the task's existence. By the time it automatically completed, he had already achieved outstanding results: defeating the "World's Greatest Swordsman," clashing with two Admirals, and holding his ground against the Four Emperors.
The system judged his performance as "excellent," and the rewards had been deposited while he was unconscious.
Wood wasn't about to complain. Completing a task without even trying and receiving rewards while lying in bed? He'd take it.
When he prepared to use one of his simulation opportunities, the system offered him a choice: return to the Mushoku Tensei world. Without hesitation, Wood agreed. He still had unfinished business in that world, and the chance to return was too tempting to pass up.
To his relief, he hadn't started over as a new person. Rising from the dirt of his grave, he found himself still in his original body—Wood Greyrat.
Two years had passed, and while his body had grown during that time, it had retained its former strength, sparing him the effort of retraining his Haki and physical skills.
He was grateful. If he had returned with a new identity, he wouldn't have known how to face his family in this world.
But this wasn't a reset; it was a continuation—a resurrection.
Now, he needed to find his family. Two years was a long time, and he had no idea where Rudy and the others might be. His first destination would be the Holy Country of Millis. Even if he couldn't locate his immediate family, the Latreia estate, his mother's family home, would be a good starting point.
Unbeknownst to Wood, as he left the mountain town near the Crimson Dragon Mountain Range, his family arrived just a short while later.
His mother, Zenith, and father, Paul, accompanied by his sisters Norn and Aisha, had come to visit his grave.
Two years ago, Wood had sacrificed himself in a desperate battle against the Dragon God, manipulated by the schemes of Hitogami. His death had fractured the once-harmonious Greyrat family.
Though Rudy had done nothing wrong, his unwitting involvement in Hitogami's plan had led to Wood's death. Paul and Zenith, though not openly blaming Rudy, had grown distant from him.
For Norn and Aisha, however, their resentment was far more pronounced.
To them, Rudy was nothing like Wood.
Rudy, as a brother, had always been absent. They rarely saw him and felt no connection to him.
Wood, on the other hand, had been their hero.
He was the perfect elder brother—kind, gentle, and always there when they needed him. No matter how dangerous the situation, Wood had protected them, time and time again.
In their eyes, Rudy was irresponsible, cowardly, and lecherous. Wood, however, was flawless—a true knight from a fairy tale.
In short, while Rudy was still their brother, he could never compare to Wood. To Norn and Aisha, ten Rudys wouldn't equal one Wood.
"Such a perfect and gentle brother, yet he died because of another irresponsible brother…"
For Norn and Aisha, there was no forgiveness for Rudy.
It wasn't just Wood's family who harbored resentment toward Rudy. Even Rudy himself was consumed with guilt, believing that his actions had indirectly led to the death of his twin brother, Wood.
Had Wood not chosen to stay behind to buy them time, he would never have perished.
In every aspect—personality, strength, talent—Rudy had always felt inferior to Wood. If it were possible, Rudy often wished he could take his brother's place. At least then, their parents and sisters might find some solace.
Burdened by guilt and distanced from his family's cold indifference, Rudy couldn't bear to stay at home any longer. He relocated to the Kingdom of Ranoa and enrolled in the Ranoa Magic University.
Rudy's reasons for attending weren't simply to experience campus life or avoid his family. He was also pursuing a way to bring Wood back to life.
Through his encounter with the Dragon God, Rudy had come across a certain black-haired girl during their time at the Crimson Dragon's Maw. She was none other than Nanahoshi Shizuka, a fellow otherworlder.
Unlike Rudy, who had been reincarnated directly into this world, Nanahoshi's body had been physically transported here.
But unlike Rudy, who had grown to love this world, Nanahoshi despised it. Her body was ill-suited for this realm, and she had been tirelessly researching ways to return to her original world.
Over years of study, Nanahoshi had uncovered many of the world's secrets and even developed summoning magic capable of connecting to alternate worlds.
According to her research, this world and their original one were connected in some way, and there were countless parallel worlds within the greater multiverse.
Nanahoshi theorized that while Wood might have died in this world, it might be possible to travel to a parallel world where Wood still lived, rescue him from death, and bring him back to their timeline.
The mere possibility of saving Wood was enough to draw Rudy into Nanahoshi's circle, where he became one of her most trusted collaborators.
To Rudy, it didn't matter if the Wood they saved came from a parallel world. Even if it wasn't "his" Wood, it would still be Wood.
Though it might seem unfair to another timeline's Rudy and his family, leaving Wood to die in any world felt even more unjust.
Thus, Rudy resolved to intervene and bring a version of Wood back to this world.
During his year at Ranoa Magic University, Rudy had formed close bonds with people like Cliff Grimoire and Zanoba Shirone.
Now approaching fourteen years old, Rudy had also made a name for himself as an adventurer, earning the moniker "Quagmire" for his impressive abilities.
Although he primarily focused on supporting Nanahoshi's research, Rudy occasionally took on adventurer requests from the guild to fund her projects.
It was during one of these moments, just after returning from Nanahoshi's research base, that Rudy noticed a letter waiting on his desk.
The letter detailed reports of large-scale destruction caused by fleeing dragons from the Crimson Dragon Mountain Range.
Flying dragons weren't ordinary beasts—few adventurers could stand against them. The letter pleaded for Rudy's assistance in resolving the crisis, promising a generous reward.
But Rudy wasn't particularly moved. He wasn't a saint, and dragon-related destruction didn't stir much sympathy within him.
Besides, his recent missions had earned him more than enough funds to sustain Nanahoshi's research, which had just shown significant progress. She had even managed to summon small items from their original world. Rudy was reluctant to leave during such a critical moment.
As Rudy prepared to write a polite refusal to the guild, the door to his room swung open. A short, mushroom-haired boy stepped in, holding another letter.
"Rudy, you've got mail. Looks like it's from your family," Cliff said, handing the letter over.
Rudy's expression shifted to one of surprise as he took the envelope.
Ever since Wood's death, Rudy's relationship with his family had been strained. Aside from a single letter he had sent home to inform them of his enrollment at Ranoa Magic University—and Zenith's brief, formal reply—there had been no contact.
For his family to write to him now could only mean something serious had happened.
Rudy hastily tore open the envelope and began reading. As his eyes scanned the contents, his expression morphed from calm to alarmed, then finally to fury.
Cliff, who had been observing quietly, couldn't help but ask, "Rudy, did something happen at home?
If you need help, just say the word. My family does have some influence in the Holy Country of Millis."
But Rudy didn't respond. Grabbing his staff, the "Arrogant Water Dragon King", and throwing on a cloak, he stormed out of the room.
"Cliff, tell the academy I'll be gone for a few days. It's urgent."
Without waiting for a reply, Rudy disappeared down the hall, leaving Cliff with no chance to press further.
The reason for Rudy's urgency—and his rage—was clear from the letter: Wood's grave had been desecrated.
And as if that weren't enough, the grave was located in the Crimson Dragon Mountain Range—the very area the guild had mentioned in its request about the dragons.
It wasn't a coincidence. The two incidents were clearly connected.
With anger burning in his chest, Rudy raced toward the Crimson Dragon Mountain Range, determined to uncover the truth behind this affront to his brother's memory.
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