Inside a modest home, a boy was observing a black chain that was coming out of his fore finger. The chain wiggled like snake and wrapped around his arm, from his wrist to his elbow.
"At least it's something good. If I can improve my Arcane Essence, then the chains can become the most versatile power." The boy said with a smile on his face.
Slowly another chain started to form from his middle finger, then his his ring finger, then his pinky finger, then his thumb and finally from the middle of his palm.
All six chains wrapped around his forearm, intervening with each other instead of overlapping. The chains formed a black gauntlet and vambrace. Knocking on the chain armor he created on his forearm, he muttered to himself "It's strong. But I have to get stronger."
Just then, the door to his room opened and a woman came in while holding a baby in her hand. Seeing the chain wrapped around the boy's hand, she said "Are you disappointed, Nick?"
"Nope." Nick replied with a smile on his face as he patted on his bed, for her to sit.
As she sat down, she handed the baby to Nick and ruffling his hair, she told him "Your father and I have saved enough for the entrance exam fee. If you want to attend the Academy, then you should attend the entrance exam."
"It's alright mom." Nick said, without taking his eyes off of his sibling "Nora was born a year ago. There are a lot of expenses in the house, I don't want to burden our family by going to the Academy."
Looking up to her, he said "I'll join the adventure guild and start raiding dungeons to help our family or I'll join the border army. And when the time is right, let's sent Nora to the Academy."
His mother smiled at him and pinching his cheeks, she said "You can join as work student and do adventuring while studying at the academy. And you don't have to worry about us, we can save enough to send Nora, when her time comes."
"Are you telling me to study at the academy for the next eight years, away from my family? Not gonna happen." Nick said with a serious tone, that said that he wasn't budging from his decision.
His mother sighed and asked him, as his brown locks passed between her fingers "Then what about dungeon raiding? Isn't that dangerous and time consuming. As for the border army, aren't more people dead than on duty in the border army? There is a chance of us losing you in one of the dungeon or to a demon from the Desolate Lands. So think it overnight and make your decision."
Taking baby Nora with her, she told Nick "Whatever decision you make, know that your father and I will be proud of you."
As his mother went out of his room, Nick fell back on his bed and looked out the window, observing the twin moons.
'Sigh... Going to the academy and working as an adventurer at the same time will be difficult, but not as difficult as being in the border army. But if I join the army, I'll have steady income, which will help the house hold expenses to a greater extent. Father's hunting and mother's baking could only produce enough Fangir for a family of three.' Shaking his head, he stood up from his bed and went to close the window.
Before closing the window, he saw a white haired red eyed boy looking at him from the street. Seeing the boy, Nick raised his eyebrow and mumbled "What's Silas doing here alone?"
Before he could think of something that would prompt Silas to look at him, Silas motioned Nick to come out of his house.
Shrugging, Nick closed the window and went to the kitchen downstairs and told his mother "Mom, I'm going out with Silas."
"Alright. But be back soon, your father will be back from the hunt." His mother shouted out as he went out of the house.
"Roger that." Saying that, Nick went out of the house and walked in the direction, Silas was waiting for him.
Looking at the red eyed boy, Nick asked "What's up?"
"You're going to join the border army. Right?" Silas asked, his red orbs locked with Nick's hazel orbs.
"Yeah, that or being an adventurer." Nick shrugged as he replied.
Taking a deep breath in, Silas told Nick "Nick, I think it will be for the best if you join the Academy and after graduation you can join the army or the adventurer guild."
Nick raised and eyebrow at that and asked Silas "Why are you interested in my future?"
Scratching his cheek, Silas said "I don't know if you will believe me. But, yesterday night, I had a dream." With all the seriousness he could muster up, Silas continued "I saw demons invading the Capital, Polar, and massacring everyone stationed there. The one leading the demon army was a High Orc who had it's tusk broken and a large scar on it's abdomen."
Tilting his head upward, he continued "It told the Third Prince that it got those injuries from a soldier of the border army. And that soldier was using his Essence, chains, to fight against the demons, giving enough time for the rest to notify the kingdom."
Looking back at Nick, Silas said "That soldiers name was, Nick of Ironwillow."
Nick raised his eyebrow and asked Silas "So did you regress or something?"
Silas's eyes went wide in surprise and asked "Waaa?"
Nick chuckled and tapping Silas on his shoulder, Nick said "If what you are saying is true, then for the better future, I should join the academy."
Silas stood there dumbfounded and couldn't say anything, so Nick continued "If I become much stronger than the border soldier Nick, then the demon's might fail in their invasion."
Coming out of his stupor, Silas asked "You believe me. Just like that. No questions?"
Nick shook his head and said "Yep."
"Why?" Silas asked, confusion written all over his face.
"Just because." Nick shrugged, then asked Silas "So, we will be attending the academy together."
"Yeah." Silas smiled at the prospect, while his mind was going in overdrive to understand Nick, the boy standing in front of him.
"Alright. That was all I had to tell you. See ya." Quickly bidding goodbye, Silas bolted from the street to his home, where his siblings were waiting for him.
While running, Silas was thinking 'Where did Nick hear about regression? I only got that rune stone from the Avian Dungeon in the Polar Mountains. My grimiore said that it can only be used one time by one person. Does that mean, Nick had gotten the rune stone first from somewhere else and he still have memories of that timeline? Or is he someone who can keep his memories even if someone else regressed?'
Questions, that didn't answers at the moment started to form in his head, as he ran towards his home. Before turning the corner, Silas looked back at Nick and saw him turning around and walking towards his home in a slow pace.
'Who are you? Or what are you, Nick?' Silas asked in his mind as he watched the hazel eyed boy walk back to his home.
Watching Silas running at top speed, Nick thought 'A regressor huh? Not that much surprise since I'm a reincarnator myself. Will there be returnee too? Should have asked Silas about it, maybe he knows or doesn't. Either way, it's alright. My goal won't change in anyway after all. Since I was an orphan in my first life, I vowed to protect my family in this life, and that won't change just because there is a regressor and returnee in this world.'
Turning around, he started to walk towards his home while thinking 'A regressor means that, he is the favored son of the destiny. They will do their utmost to see him succeed in his destiny. For that, the destiny of normal people are thrown away without any thought. But, I'm an anomaly, or I like to think I am, as I'm a reincarnator. I should prepare myself to what's coming and protect my family to the bitter end, if I have to.'
His black chains manifested from his hands again and wormed it's way to his face, looking at the chain, he said "To think I was able to injure a high orc without any magical training, but just imagination. What would happen if I was properly trained in the academy and then faced off against the demons?"
Pondering for few moments, Nick said to himself as he tilted his upwards, locking his eyes with the twin moons in the sky "Let's find out in the future, shall we?"