After dinner, Kouta immediately retreated to his room. In this world, entertainment was non-existent. Ever since the year 743, when the natural enemies of humanity—the Titans—suddenly appeared, the world had been a nightmare. They viewed humans as nothing more than prey, devouring them in vast numbers.
In an era of cold steel and primitive weapons, humanity had no way to resist. The world collapsed. If it weren't for the three massive walls, the human race would have likely vanished long ago. When survival is a daily struggle, things like art and leisure become a forgotten luxury.
Over the years, Kouta had been bored to tears by the lack of technology. No computers, no internet, no manga. Fortunately, he could feel the light elements slowly manifesting within his body. Cultivating that power was the only thing that kept him from losing his mind.
Because he came from Earth, a world devoid of magic, Kouta had no formal training methods. He had to rely on "stupid" methods—meditation techniques he remembered from web novels. Since his human body had been partially transformed by the light in the void, he wasn't afraid of his experiments backfiring. However, while he was making progress, he was still far from being able to use his powers recklessly.
"I'm full!"
Mikasa, seeing her brother head for his room, quickly finished her last two bites, hopped off her chair, and sprinted after him.
"Don't you want more?" their father asked gently. His attitude toward Mikasa was the polar opposite of how he treated Kouta.
"No thanks!" Mikasa waved over her shoulder, already disappearing into the bedroom.
"This kid..." The man shook his head with a laugh.
Shia, however, watched them with a complicated expression. She was deeply worried about the bond growing between the siblings. They're still young, she thought, but in a few years, I'll have to make them live separately.
Time passed in the blink of an eye. Another year vanished, and Kouta and Mikasa turned nine. As the date approached, Kouta's vigilance reached its peak.
He knew the timeline. It was during this year that the traffickers would strike. He refused to let the tragedy of the original story repeat itself. If someone had to die, he would let his "father" die alone, but he would never allow Mikasa to be taken, nor would he allow her to fall into the hands of Eren Yeager.
I am a siscon, he reminded himself. Anyone who touches my sister is an enemy.
His focus on staying home to protect her meant his cultivation slowed down, but he didn't care. His physical fitness already far surpassed that of an adult man, and he could now channel enough light to kill several people at once.
He often lamented the lack of a Church in this world. As the Master of Light, he could absorb the power of faith. If this were a modern world with active religions, he would be a god by now. Unfortunately, the only religion left was the "Wall Church." He made a mental note to move closer to the walls later; he needed to get near those believers to harvest their faith.
One afternoon, Shia took Kouta and Mikasa into town to restock their supplies.
"Onii-chan, look at this!" Mikasa chirped, holding up a toy and leaning her entire weight against him.
"Mikasa, you can't pester your brother like that!" Shia intervened quickly. She saw how close they were getting and felt a strange, sour spark of jealousy and unease in her heart.
"Oh..." Mikasa pouted, dejectedly moving away from her brother's side.
Kouta smiled and reached out to ruffle her hair. "Go back home and I'll play with you then."
"Really?!" Mikasa's face lit up instantly.
Shia felt helpless. She knew this was a dangerous path for them, but her gentle nature prevented her from using a firm hand.
As they neared the cabin, Kouta's keen sense of smell picked up a metallic tang in the air. Blood.
A dark thought crossed his mind. So, you're finally dead.
"Ah!!!" Shia screamed as she pushed open the door.
Chapter Five: The Awakening
"Ah!!!"
Shia's scream tore through the quiet forest. She stood frozen at the threshold, staring at the carnage inside.
"Mikasa, Kouta, don't come in here!" she cried, trying to block their path. She didn't want her children to be scarred by such a sight.
But it was too late. Kouta and Mikasa had already stepped inside.
Even though Kouta knew it was coming, the reality was more brutal than he expected. His father's head had been severed completely; the headless corpse was slumped over, blood still geyser-ing onto the floor. The room was painted red.
Kouta's stomach churned. Waves of nausea washed over him. He realized with a bitter smile that he wasn't as cold-blooded as the protagonists in his old novels. He was still just an otaku at heart, and seeing a familiar person slaughtered was a shock to his system.
If I can't handle a single corpse, how will I face the Titans? he wondered. He forced himself to look at the body, suppressing the urge to vomit. He needed to harden his heart now, or he'd be dead later.
"Ah!!!" Mikasa finally screamed, her voice full of disbelief. Though her relationship with her father was strained, he was still her parent. The shock was overwhelming.
Kouta's expression suddenly shifted. "The blood is still flowing... they haven't gone far."
Shia and Mikasa froze.
"Hahaha! Smart kid!"
A shrill laugh erupted from the doorway. Three burly men stepped out of the shadows, blocking the exit. The leader held a blood-stained dagger, while another gripped a heavy axe. These were the traffickers.
"Boss, I didn't think they'd be back so soon," the man with the axe said with a greedy grin.
"Three descendants of the Orientals... we're going to be rich," the leader laughed, his eyes scanning the three of them.
"The boy too?" one of his subordinates asked.
"You kidding? Look at him," the leader said, gesturing to Kouta's perfect face. "There are plenty of nobles who would pay a premium for a child that beautiful. They have... special tastes for boys like him."
The disgusting implication sent a surge of pure fury through Kouta. He stayed still, calculating. They were armed, and his mother and sister were in the line of fire.
"Just surrender quietly and come with us!" the man with the axe barked, stepping into the room. He d
idn't view a woman and two small children as a threat. To him, they were already sold.