Realm of Myths and Legends Chapter 1 Izroth

The incessant drumming of rain against the pavement filled the night air.

An ordinary young man, Jin, with raven black hair, dark eyes, and an unremarkable build, found himself out late under the downpour. The weather forecast had failed to predict this storm, leaving him unprepared without an umbrella or raincoat. "Even if I catch a cold from this downpour, it will all be worth it when I finally achieve my dream. Then, I can truly take care of my mother and have the last laugh against all those who have wronged me," Jin mused internally, his grip tightening on the bag containing the brand-new, fully immersive VRMMORPG, Realm of Myths and Legends, or RML for short.

Beep Beep Vroooooom!

A motorcycle sped past Jin as he crossed the street, narrowly avoiding a collision and continuing on its way.

Startled for a moment, Jin became momentarily lost in thought after his near-miss with becoming a late-night news headline. He shook his head a few times, snapping himself back to reality. "I need to calm down and pay more attention to my surroundings," he murmured, attempting to soothe himself despite his heart still pounding rapidly. He finally reached the last main road before his home would be within sight.

Jin halted at the crosswalk, patiently awaiting the green signal. He had learned his lesson from the earlier incident and was determined not to repeat the same mistake. "I wonder what Mom is preparing for dinner tonight..." Jin pondered as the crosswalk signal finally illuminated green.

"Do you like my new ride, babe? My dad had it imported from overseas just for me," Wendell remarked, glancing towards his girlfriend.

"Your dad truly adores you to get you something like this," Genesis giggled, snuggling closer to Wendell's arm. She then pouted playfully, "Wenny, I spotted the most adorable purse at the mall yesterday, and I simply must have it~" Genesis edged nearer to Wendell, her chest brushing against his arm enticingly.

"Heh, you're my girl, and I always take care of my girl. Plus, you know I can't resist you when you put on that face," Wendell said, leaning in to plant a kiss on her lips.

Just as Genesis leaned forward to reciprocate the kiss, a faint silhouette of a person in the middle of the road caught her eye. "WENDELL, LOOK OUT!" she suddenly shrieked, jolting Wendell. He slammed on the brakes in a panic, causing the car to skid and swerve on the slick, wet road.

SKKKKKKKKKKKKKKRT... BAM! Bump bump..!

...

"What's happening...? Why can't I move...?" Jin thought to himself, his body sprawled on the cold, hard pavement. Suddenly, he heard voices filled with panic above him, uttering a few words before they hastily returned to their car and drove away.

"Huh...? Wait, don't leave me... Please, I feel so cold..." Jin sensed a warmth amidst the chill, which was the blood slowly seeping from a wound on his head. His vision grew increasingly blurry, and his consciousness began to wane. His eyes slowly drifted shut.

"Even though I'm still alive, they abandoned me... Even though I waited for the crosswalk signal... Am I going to die here...?" Jin yearned to speak, but no sound escaped his lips, and his body remained immobile. The rain intensified, and an eerie silence fell as if the world had ceased all noise. Jin's eyes closed permanently; he had died.

At the precise moment of Jin's death, a phenomenon akin to a lightning strike erupted from the sky, impacting his body. A peculiar light enveloped him before gradually subsiding, its brilliant glow extinguished.

...

Izroth, a legendary cultivator from another world who had ascended to the apex of the seven realms, suddenly experienced an overwhelming surge of agony throughout his being.

"I... I have succeeded. The Heavenly Immortal Print technique I devised has reincarnated me into another body."

Abruptly, Izroth endured an intensely sharp pain in his mind as a torrent of new memories flooded in. These memories did not belong to him but to the body of someone named Jin! "It appears the success was only partial. Originally, I should have reincarnated into a completely new life, but judging by the memories of this body, it has already existed for over two decades."

"What are all these unfamiliar memories pouring into my mind...? I have traversed all seven realms and have never encountered one like this. Is it called Earth?"

Despite the deluge of memories flooding his consciousness, Izroth could bear the agony. After all, having existed for millennia, a mere few decades was but an insignificant drop in the vast ocean of his life. Yet, amidst the influx, he stumbled upon a startling revelation: he was not within any of the Seven Realms! This was an astonishing discovery, as his level of cultivation meant there wasn't a place in the Seven Realms he couldn't traverse or was unaware of.

"Never encountered it before..." Izroth diligently absorbed and organized the fragmented recollections from Jin. Owing to the formidable strength of his soul, he could perfectly recall every sight and deed Jin had experienced, even events Jin himself couldn't access, such as his own birth. Izroth remembered these moments as vividly as if he had been present.

"I can sift through the remainder later. For now... I must address my current predicament." Izroth lay sprawled on the cold, unyielding pavement, mirroring Jin's state at the moment of his demise. Should he fail to rectify the situation swiftly, he might perish upon reincarnating into another vessel! How utterly lamentable that would be!

"M-My cultivation..! It's vanished entirely! This body is exceedingly frail, and the spiritual essence here is sparse. However, my soul's strength remains immaculate."

Izroth meticulously calmed his mind, focusing intently on his physical condition and the surrounding environment. "The spiritual essence in this world is incredibly weak; I cannot gather enough to circulate for the Boundless Emperor Void Perfection technique..." Izroth found himself in a precarious situation. He was unable to cultivate the heavenly law of this world due to the deficiency of spiritual essence, yet that very technique was his sole recourse for survival!

"Wait a moment... There is another method available to me, and since it relies on soul strength, I should be able to cultivate with it. The Heavenly Golden Body physique!"

A physique, unlike a heavenly law, does not demand a prodigious quantity of spiritual essence. It primarily requires a resolute heart and soul, enabling cultivation even with a minuscule presence of spiritual essence.

Izroth commenced the fundamental breathing exercises. Though challenging given his body's current state, it was a necessity for survival. Spiritual essence began to trickle into Izroth's body, staunching the hemorrhage from his head and restoring a meager warmth.

"I can currently cultivate to the initial stage of the Heavenly Golden Body physique. With this, I should be able to withstand a minor injury like this." Izroth had often lost limbs while battling legendary beasts, rendering an injury of this magnitude well within his tolerance.

After a few moments, Izroth finally mustered enough strength to stand. Despite feeling somewhat disoriented, he could now walk and was no longer on the precipice of death.

As he reviewed the memories, Izroth observed Jin's final moments in this world, a chilling glint entering his eyes. The individuals who had run Jin over were none other than his former best friend and ex-girlfriend! They had clearly recognized him yet callously abandoned him to his fate. They had succeeded in ending Jin's life and made no effort to ascertain if he lived or to summon aid!

"Though I have inherited your vessel, I have also inherited your memories from your soul. Thus, you could say we are now one and the same. I always repay kindness tenfold and contempt a thousandfold."

"I shall rectify all the injustices inflicted upon you; your vengeance will be served." As Izroth prepared to depart, a sense of incompleteness washed over him. He scanned his surroundings and spotted a plastic bag nearby on the ground—the very bag Jin had clutched until his dying breath. Izroth had overlooked it earlier while prioritizing his physique cultivation. However, for an inexplicable reason, a voice from the deepest recesses of his soul urged him not to abandon it.

Izroth approached the plastic bag, retrieved it, and peered inside. Within lay a box containing a headpiece, and a metallic card adorned with inscriptions and the letters 'RML' in the upper left corner.

"Player ID card...?" Many aspects of this world were novel and bewildering to Izroth, but his extensive travels across the Seven Realms had exposed him to countless strange phenomena, making him adaptable. Nevertheless, he remained astounded by some of the absorbed memories, particularly the prevalence of elements in this world that were confined to fantasy and legend elsewhere.

Clutching the plastic bag filled with gaming paraphernalia, Izroth began his journey home, guided by Jin's memories. As he walked, an overwhelming mix of excitement and apprehension surged through him. This excitement emanated from the core of his soul, as if a faint, lingering fragment of Jin remained, unable to depart due to unfulfilled regrets.

"It's a video game? I'll definitely play it! You've given me this body, even though it wasn't planned, so I'll fulfill your goal of becoming number one."

Though a fragment of Jin's soul faded, a small part remained, as if waiting for something. Since Jin's soul had merged with Izroth, he understood the kind of person Jin was – someone who never broke a promise.

"Don't fret about your mother either. As long as I'm in this world, no harm will befall her."

Izroth was an orphan in his original world, starting from nothing before a fortunate encounter set him on the path of cultivation. However, he could sense the powerful attachment Jin's soul had to his mother, feeling his deep love for her.

Finally, the last remnant of Jin's soul vanished, fully integrating into Izroth's soul. Izroth was now completely Jin.

Arriving home, Izroth opened the door and entered. He casually kicked off his shoes, placing them aside. His footsteps were eerily silent as he moved, as if his feet barely brushed the floor. He made his way to his room and then headed to take a bath.

After washing away the grime, Izroth slipped into the bath. A wave of relaxation washed over him as he closed his eyes, beginning to cultivate the Heavenly Golden Body physique. While the process was slow due to the world's scarce spiritual essence, it would still be sufficient to significantly strengthen his current frail body.

"This bath is rather small, but the convenience is quite nice," Izroth thought, finally having the chance to truly relax and sort through his thoughts.

"Realm of Myths and Legends... RML... I've never played a video game before, but according to the original owner of this body, it should be an interesting experience."

Completing his shower, he was on his way to his room when he heard the opening of a door down the hall. A woman emerged, appearing middle-aged. Despite a weary look and premature aging, her inherent beauty was undeniable. Long, silky black hair cascaded to her lower back, complementing her fair skin, large, captivating emerald eyes, and a slender figure that hinted at subtle curves. It was clear that in her youth, she could have been likened to a fairy.

This woman was Jin's mother, Reilei. Looking at her, Izroth felt a pang of heartache. She should have been radiant and joyful, yet stress and hard work had taken their toll. Though she hadn't given birth to him, Izroth felt a profound maternal connection to her now that Jin's soul resided within him.

A soft smile graced Reilei's face as she saw "Jin." However, her smile faltered, and she hurried towards him with evident concern. The mark on Jin's forehead had closed, but it hadn't fully healed, and he appeared somewhat pale from his earlier blood loss.

"Does it hurt? Did those thugs do this to you?" Her voice was as gentle and refreshing as an autumn breeze.

Izroth's heart clenched. He shook his head, replying, "I just slipped because of the rain, mother. There's no need to worry." He offered a smile to dispel her concern.

Reilei's gentle smile returned as she lightly caressed Jin's cheek. "You'll never stop worrying me, will you?" she murmured, shaking her head slightly and letting out a soft sigh of relief.

"I have to go to work now. Dinner is in the fridge; just warm it up. Try not to stay up too late, alright? Focus on your dreams, but don't neglect your health," Reilei said, walking toward the front door.

Izroth simply nodded. "...Thank you..." The words slipped out just as his mother's hand reached the doorknob.

Reilei turned, her face beaming with joy. "I believe in you and your dream. So don't worry about anything else and just focus on it. I will always believe in you, Jin." A sweet smile formed on her lips before she departed for work.

Izroth was momentarily taken aback. In his world, he had encountered countless women, most of whom were driven by hidden agendas or sought personal gain. To encounter such a selfless woman, willing to sacrifice everything for someone she loved, was an extraordinary rarity, even across the seven realms!

Jin's final wishes ignited a greater resolve within Izroth, transforming his intention from merely fulfilling a request to a personal ambition. After all, as the foremost cultivator of his previous world, he was driven to achieve the pinnacle in this new realm as well – specifically, within the domain of video games, RML!

"With the game servers launching in another 12 hours... I shall dedicate this time to cultivation, aiming to fortify my Heavenly Golden Body physique and further refine it."

Izroth retreated to his room, settling into a cross-legged position on his bed to cultivate while awaiting the official launch of RML. A palpable sense of anticipation for the uncharted territory ahead coursed through him; the unknown had always been the aspect he relished the most, regardless of the world he inhabited.

"From this moment onward, I am Jin. My objectives are clear: To triumph in RML, to care for my mother, and to exact vengeance upon those who have wronged me! I *will* become number one!"

An imposing aura enveloped Izroth, his eyes burning with an unyielding determination.

Thus commences the saga of Izroth, a cultivator from another world, embarking on his quest to become the greatest gamer in the Realm of Myths and Legends; the greatest gamer the world has ever known.

12 hours elapsed...

Beep... Beep... Beep... System booting! Full immersion engaged... Performing scan... Player ID verified as authorized. Please enter your character name.

"Izroth"

Welcome, Izroth, to the Realm of Myths and Legends!