In the prosperous planet of Earth, there existed a company so powerful that its name alone commanded respect Kine. It was the pride of the nation, built from nothing by a man known for his sharp mind and unbreakable ambition: Tom Mitsuru.
Tom Mitsuru had everything—wealth, influence, and a beautiful wife, Jennifer Mitsuru, who adored a life of luxury. Their mansion stood tall, filled with elegance, warmth, and the promise of a perfect future.
And then, their son was born.
They named him Hiba Mitsuru.
At first, everything seemed normal. But within a few months, something began to feel… off.
It started the day Tom proudly carried baby Hiba to his company, eager to introduce him to his employees. Smiles filled the room. Congratulations echoed through the halls.
Then, chaos struck.
A fire broke out in Tom's office—sudden, violent, unstoppable. Important financial documents, contracts, and records—everything burned to ashes. The damage was catastrophic. Within days, news spread: *Kine had fallen.
Tom couldn't understand it. The fire had no clear cause.
But it was only the beginning.
That same evening, Tom returned home, his mind clouded with loss. He placed Hiba gently on the sofa in the living hall. Behind a grand painting on the wall was a hidden safe—filled with the last of their wealth.
Jennifer was in another room, unaware.
Hiba, curious and restless, found a lighter lying nearby. Innocently, he played with it—flickering the tiny flame in fascination.
A spark.
A moment.
And suddenly—the painting caught fire.
The flames spread quickly, devouring the hidden safe behind it. By the time Tom and Jennifer rushed in, it was too late. Their remaining fortune turned to ash before their eyes.
Silence filled the room.
Then came anger.
Then fear.
Then a thought they both tried to deny—but couldn't ignore.
Misfortune… follows him.
Days turned into weeks, and strange incidents kept happening wherever Hiba was present. Broken items. Sudden losses. Unexplainable accidents.
The warmth of the house faded.
Love turned into distance.
Distance turned into resentment.
Until one day, Tom and Jennifer made a decision that would change everything.
They took Hiba on what they called a "picnic."
The journey led far beyond the city, past the crowded streets, into a quiet, deserted place near a forgotten town named Rawn.
"Stay here," Jennifer said softly, forcing a smile.
"We'll be right back," Tom added, avoiding eye contact.
They never returned.
---
Hiba waited.
Minutes turned into hours.
Hours turned into night.
And slowly… the truth sank in.
He had been abandoned.
---
Life became cruel.
Hiba grew up on the streets—hungry, cold, and alone. He begged for food, slept in alleyways, and survived on whatever little kindness strangers showed him.
Years passed.
One day, weak with hunger, he sat near a roadside when a passerby stopped and handed him a few coins. It wasn't much—but to Hiba, it meant everything.
Clutching the money tightly, he rushed to a small store. He bought instant ramen and a cold drink—the simplest meal, yet it felt like a feast.
For once… he smiled.
As he stepped out of the store, he carefully held his food, afraid of losing it. His eyes scanned the road as he prepared to cross.
That's when he saw her.
An old woman.
Slowly walking across the street.
And from the distance—a truck.
Speeding.
Unstoppable.
Time seemed to freeze.
Without thinking, Hiba dropped everything and ran.
"Watch out!" he shouted, grabbing the old woman and pushing her out of harm's way.
For a brief moment, there was silence.
Then—
A deafening crash.
Pain never came.
Only darkness.
---
In his final moments, as his consciousness faded, a single thought echoed in his mind:
Why…?
Why was my life like this?
What did I do… to deserve this misfortune?
The world went silent.
Everything disappeared.
---
And then—
Light.
---
Hiba opened his eyes.
He was no longer on the road.
No pain. No hunger. No cold.
Just endless white in every direction.
A vast, empty space.
Silent… yet suffocating.
He slowly stood up, his heart pounding.
"Where… am I?" he whispered.
No answer came.
But suddenly—
A presence.
Something… watching him.
Ancient. Powerful. Unseen.
A voice echoed through the emptiness—
Deep, calm… and overwhelming.
"Interesting…"
Hiba froze.
The voice continued—
"So, you are the child… cursed by misfortune."
The voice faded…
And silence returned.
Hiba's body stiffened as he slowly turned around.
"Who's there…?" he asked, his voice echoing slightly in the endless white void.
Then—
The space in front of him began to distort.
Like glass cracking… yet without sound.
A soft glow emerged.
And from that light—
Someone stepped out.
A girl.
No… not just a girl.
Her beauty was beyond anything Hiba had ever seen. Silver-like radiance surrounded her, her presence calm yet overwhelming. Every movement she made felt elegant, almost unreal—like she didn't belong to any ordinary world.
Hiba's heart started pounding.
"W-Who are you…?" he asked.
The girl looked at him.
Her eyes—deep and mysterious—held something unexpected.
Regret.
"My name is Ruine," she said softly.
"I am the one who governs fortune… misfortune… luck… and unluck."
Hiba froze.
The words echoed in his mind.
Misfortune…
Before he could react, she continued—
"And you, Hiba Mitsuru…"
Her voice trembled slightly.
"…are the result of my mistake."
Silence fell once again.
Hiba's expression slowly changed.
"…What do you mean?" he asked, confusion filling his voice.
Ruine stepped closer.
"For reasons beyond your understanding," she said, "you were born with something no human should ever possess…"
She paused.
"…Max-level misfortune."
Hiba's eyes widened.
Memories flooded back—the fire, the loss of wealth, his parents abandoning him, the endless suffering, the loneliness… and finally, his death.
All of it.
"…So… my life…" he muttered.
Ruine lowered her head.
"…It was because of me."
For a moment—
Everything felt heavy.
Hiba stood there, silent.
This was the truth.
Not fate.
Not coincidence.
But a mistake.
And yet…
He slowly let out a breath.
"It did hurt," he said honestly.
Ruine's fingers tightened slightly.
"But…" Hiba continued, scratching his head awkwardly, "you're apologizing, right?"
She looked up, surprised.
"…Yes."
Hiba gave a small, tired smile.
"Then… it's okay."
Ruine's eyes widened.
"You… forgive me?" she asked, almost in disbelief.
"I don't really understand all this god stuff," Hiba said, "but staying angry won't change anything."
For a brief moment—
The void felt warmer.
Ruine's expression softened.
"…You are kinder than I expected."
She raised her hand, and the space around them shimmered faintly.
"As compensation," she said, her voice now carrying a divine authority, "I will give you another chance."
Hiba blinked.
"…Another chance?"
"You will be reincarnated," she continued, "into a different world."
The space around them began to change—faint visions appearing in the air.
Towering castles.
Glowing magic circles.
Warriors covered in aura.
Creatures beyond imagination.
"A world filled with magic… mana… and miracles."
Hiba's mind went blank.
"…Magic?" he whispered.
"…That kind of world actually exists?"
"This time," Ruine said, looking directly at him, "your fate will not be the same."
A soft golden light gathered around her.
"No more misfortune."
Hiba felt something shift.
"…Then what will I have?" he asked.
Ruine stepped closer.
Her voice echoed across the void—
"In your next life…"
"…you will be granted what stands at the opposite extreme."
The light intensified.
---
To be continued…