Warning: Gore, Religious Beliefs, and Death
All of this is a work of fiction and all characters aside from my own belong to their respective works. Any and all characters and setting are purely imaginative and don't correlate to original life events.
...
In that mere moment before my demise, I wanted to strive beyond my emptiness. The hollow void in my chest reminded me of the absence of ambition. My religion wanted meekness in the face of oppression and forgiveness against evil, but I feared that I couldn't live up to its expectations. Our ideals clashed, so I made a new religion that I alone followed, a belief without a God.
I stood not as a victim but as a prosecutor. I was nothing in the vastness of reality, and I deserved nothing, yet I desired everything in life. I was bound by my principles, faith, and ambition. Whether I'd go to hell or heaven was up to the being I once followed, but until then I lived by my own ideals, though they were inspired by the faith I once followed.
I wanted to conquer the devil, but I failed. Injustice had led my path into total ruin. I was careful enough not to lead others into my misfortune, and my caution was rewarded with an isolated and quick death. In my last moments, images of a young girl flashed through my mind. My sister's killer walked free for now, as I had laid a trap that would ensnare him in his own undoing.
I prayed one last time to my God, not for forgiveness but to have a one-sided conversation. I didn't want to go to hell, but I knew I didn't deserve heaven either. Whatever occurred at my death, at least it was my own doing. I spoke to God like an old friend, talking about my experiences and the reasons I left him. I knew it didn't escape his omniscience, but I told him out of comfort rather than confession.
My blood leaked out of my body and into a puddle. I sensed my body weakening, and my vision began to blur. The steel ceiling started to fade into darkness. I lied to myself; my death wasn't anything but quick. At least the pain faded. My breathing slowed, and my heart began to give out. My pink and red intestines were spread apart from my opened gut, while my face was carved with a large grin slashed by a jagged knife. My eyelids were burned by candle fire.
This punishment filled my chest with a red-hot ball that wanted to lash out at anything in the world, while my body wanted to hide in a hole. I could do nothing but die in such a state, and yet, with each weak sensation, I could feel my desire to lash out and hide fade away.
The darkness clouded my vision, while the images of a young girl mixed with the sound of her laughter. I took one last breath, and the last sensation I felt wasn't the cold gray concrete against my bleeding back nor my torn clothing against my rough pale skin. Instead, it felt as if I was floating in the air and smelled the fresh scent of pine cones and the prickly scent of lemons gently caressing my nostrils.
My demise was certain; there was nothing I could do to overrule it. Every act that I had ruled as justified had inevitably become my undoing.
At least that was what I thought.
***
John was reincarnated without abilities. He was born without superpowers that would've let him dominate his new reality. Instead, a cosmic force provided him with two unique forms information lodged within his soul and mind. The knowledge was critical for his survival and dominance in his new world. Upon his re-birth, every creature on earth felt a sudden shift. Instinctively, they felt that their place of strength fell down by one rank.
John cried in the hospital signaling his new life. His mother smiled at her child and thought about their future together. Her daughter was her prize and joy, but a tinge sadness beneath her tear filled eyes told a different story. Her daughter's father had passed away two days before her daughter's birth. Despite the sadness at the back of her mind, she was determined to raise her daughter with all her might.
Fortunately, her daughter wouldn't experience the stress of financial limitations as she had enough wealth to spoil her daughter rotten. She hugged her daughter in the white cloth her finger being squeezed by the newborn. She smiled at her daughter as sweat poured onto her forehead she thought back on her husband's names for the child.
'If it was a boy, Danial and if it was a girl, Jane.'
"Jane Smith," she smiled softly. She handed the baby to the nurse and they moved her safely out the mother's room. She laid there on the white pillow glancing at her daughter's figure. She turned her head to the window overlooking the city and the soft orange glow that permeated from behind the tall buildings made of glass and concrete.
She sighed turning away from the view. Her face crunched up while clear tears fell from her eyes. She hated this being alone with her husband by her side. She slammed her fist against the hospital mattress.
"Ugh, why is it like this?" Her voice cracked as covered her face with her forearm ashamed of the tears falling down, she didn't want anyone to witness her tears nor reveal her momentary vulnerability.
Few years afterward, Jane had gone through the stages of life from a child, teen, and finally adulthood. The memories of her past life being with her since birth along with the unique information that would help her in life. Still, utilizing the unique information at a young age wasn't possible so she opted in living a mundane life.
At the age of 18, her mother had passed away from a car accident. The person that killed her was a woman that drove drunk and slammed her car into her mother as she was on her way to pick up Jane's birthday present. The woman survived and had the audacity to file for a lawsuit for coverage over the accident. She lost, of course, but had a light sentence of three years in prison with her driver's license being terminated indefinitely.
Jane attended and arranged for her mother's funeral. Her mother's employees and friends attended, while her distant family came only to sway her into giving them her mother's business. Their excuse being that Jane was inexperienced in working her mother's multi-trillion dollar business.
However, what they didn't know was that it was temporarily operated by their family maid, Stella. Stella was a genius when it came to operating her mother's company, which allowed her mother to spend time freely with her. Stella had taught Jane the ins and outs of running a business, so while she was a bit inexperienced she could run it, though with a bit of difficulty.
Jane denied her family's advances and blocked all contact with them. Her life was tough as it was and didn't need any more trouble in her life.
Jane sat down on a leather couch inside of her mother's office that she had in her mansion. Her mother left everything to her daughter that included her wealth and the company. Jane was the richest person in the world who had enough money to buy multiple counties and had enough to operate her mother's company. Jane was reminded of her mother's genius and influence when she saw a magazine with her mother's picture and lines of text underneath saying: the riches in the world and revolutionary inventor. Next to the magazine was a mask with high devices implemented on its facial features.
Her mother was a genius inventor. She had made many revolutionary devices including a skin mask that disguised her face, allowing her to go out in public without being recognized along with a high tech device that notified her bodyguards and law enforcement of any danger. However, the bodyguards were too slow to move her mother away from incoming danger as it was a sudden chaotic event that led to her immediate demise.
There was no hidden hand at play and even if their were, her mother would've picked up on it. It all came down to an accident nothing more.
"Ugh, I bloody hate this."
Jane placed her forearm over her eyes. Two narrow streams poured down her face. She glanced at the magazine of her mother and swiped it from the coffee table with her mother's light purple ashtray hitting the floor and shattering into purple pieces.
She walked to the window and glanced at the well-kept garden below and then turned her gaze toward the city in the distance. Her brows furrowed deeply as she clenched her teeth together tightly. She grind against her sharp canines. She pulled her phone from her pocket. She quickly dialed a familiar number.
"Do it."
She placed her phone back into her pocket and sighed. She walked away from her mother's desk and next to the coffee table. She picked it up the glass sharps one by one placing them on the table. She slowly stepped out of her mother's office giving it one last glance before heading to the exercise room.
Her mother had made it clear that she wanted her daughter to live a long and healthy life, she ingrained exercise and dieting into her daughter. Jane kept the routine making it a habit to exercise daily.
Although, Jane had a different plan for her exercise. She stretched her body, bending down to touch her toes and much more.
"When I reincarnated in this world, there were two techniques handed to me on a bloody silver platter: the Demon Method and Transcendent Taekwondo, both are extremely powerful techniques. I gander if I mastered them, then I would gain absolute power... Yeah, bloody right, but it should help against my future endeavors. This is gonna suck... Ugh, I hate exercising," Jane remarked, speaking to no one but herself. She could hear her deep feminine Australian accent hitting her ears.
While Jane kept the habit of working out it didn't mean she liked it. In fact, she found it deeply unpleasant on the upside if she mastered these techniques she wouldn't have to work out ever again. She knew that by mastering these techniques her life would become increasingly easy and it would also help to get over her grief at least that was what she thought.
Real life didn't work that way. No form of magic or invention could wash away a broken heart. Though, time healed all wounds and she needed to heal.
'The first technique: Demon Method, takes priority. The principal behind the technique is absolute strength through flawless function. It aligns the body, mind, and soul towards one goal: perfect efficiency. When I master this my body will reach human perfection. But, it requires a series of bizarre exercises and meditation to reach that state. Meanwhile, it will push my body to its very limit.'
She silently weighed the Demon Method within her mind. She furrowed her brows while cupping her chin with her thumb and index finger. A mental image of her bed flashed through her mind and she fantasized working out another day. She crushed that image and shook her head. She got into position by doing one handed handstand while mentally reciting the Demon Method's mantra that reflects her own beliefs.
'I'm nothing and will forever be nothing. The universe is the machine and I'm the gear. I'm nothing special and nothing great, I'm the cog in the machine.'
She slowly breathed in and out, her chest moving up and down while the cool air brushed against her arms. Her muscle shirt was being pulled down by gravity, but she ignored it and silently recited a different mantra that reflected the Demon Method's principles.
'Through my will, I'll attain perfection not because of my uniqueness, but by my foolish ambition. I'm at war with my flesh but it'll rise anew with order and purpose. Temptation won't spoil my heart, irrationality won't corrupt my mind, and my flesh won't hinder my spirit. I'll conquer the devil and become a saint.'
She hopped from her handstand and sat crossed legged on the black matted ground. She pressed her hand against the black mat feeling the cool sweat pressed against her soft hand and skin. She lifted her body again though still cross legged.
She slowly closed her eyes. The clear windows of the exercise room fading to black along with a large black screen TV mounted on the wall before her. Her chest heaved up and down her soft breath exhaling from her mouth.
'To be absolute, one must undergo failure repeatedly and adapt. They must tread a path of misery without hesitation. One must trample on finite expectations to evolve to infinity. Evolution is non-consensual but by the one who conquers God's law makes it a choice.'
She calmly sat down on the mat her breathing heavily as her chest heaved rapidly upward and downward. Sweat poured down her forehead as she leaned back onto her arms providing support on the black. Whatever these mantras were doing, they were seriously taxing her body beyond its normal limits. She could feel the lower side of her torso ache in pain and soreness.
'I never thought my body will reach its limits after a few minutes. It's best to stop here, if go any further then my body will collapse from exhaustion. I don't want to be a bloody corpse.'
"Oi, Stella, if you ain't muckin' about, care to make lunch? I'm hungrier than a polar bear on crack and thirstier than a fish swimming in a volcano. I could damn well eat a bloody giraffe," Jane said too exhausted move her as she noticed Stella in the TV's reflection.
After eating dinner, she headed off to the shower and then to bed. For the next few months, she planned to hone her body to perfection. This world was a dangerous place, as she wasn't reincarnated in a world absent of extraordinary situations. No, unfortunately, she had reincarnated in a world thriving with the absurd.
A few weeks had passed, and she had made some progress with the Demon Method. Noticeable physical traits were apparent on her body. Her muscles were denser, and her skin was flawless. Beneath the skin of her back, her muscles were subtly taking the form of a smiling demon. Her overall physical capabilities had improved, though she had yet to test them due to constantly training with the Demon Method.
Currently, she was resting moments before she would test her newfound strength. On the TV was a video of a large robot facing a human with a red cape and a blue uniform. The cameraman zoomed in as reporter Lois Lane gave her report on the situation. Jane had unfortunately reincarnated into the DC universe, but luckily she was the richest person in the world, with the best security and protection known to man.
That was seemingly useless when it came to protecting her mother. An ironic thought circulated in the back of her mind, causing her eyebrows to furrow downward in the middle from time to time. Hence why she wanted to master the Demon Method and then move on to Transcendent Taekwondo. She wanted to protect herself and the people close to her.
Jane glanced at the maid moving about the house, talking to people on the phone. Stella wanted a status report and was making sure another patent was issued so they could reveal her late mother's next invention. Jane glanced back at the TV and saw a destroyed robot and no Superman.
"Dickhead, finished that quick? He ain't a slowpoke, that's for sure. Maybe I can give that mate a beer one of these days as a thank-you. Knowing him, he won't accept any money, that's for sure. All it'll do is call his secret identity into question. Ain't no way I'm gonna endanger the ol' boy scout," Jane remarked, her voice casual but amused.
Her words were overheard by Stella, who walked behind her mistress after finishing her conversation about company matters.
"Mistress Smith, it's quite unladylike to speak in such a vulgar manner. I fear you won't be able to get a husband any time soon with that mouth of yours," Stella said, placing a hand on her face with a sorrowful expression.
"Oi, Stella," Jane glanced up at the maid behind her and smirked. "I ain't interested in romance. 'Sides, if I ever do fall in love it would be with you."
"Oh, I failed to realize your taste. Forgive me," Stella's eyes widened a bit, and a small smile crossed her face. "Though I fear you don't suit mine."
"Fair enough," Jane shrugged and walked toward the training room. Stella followed behind her with elegant steps.
"How's business so far?" Jane asked idly her boots clicking and clanking along the porcelain tile floor.
Stella replied that business was booming and heading in the right direction, though she noted that there were minor inconveniences that needed to be dealt with.
"Is the training room in order?" Jane asked as they were a few meters away from their destination.
"Everything is in place. I had the workers get everything ready as you desired," Stella said, her steps clicking along the white tile floor. "It begs the question: what training method are you using to get such results?"
Stella noticed the physical changes and the total air shift around her mistress. She felt a primal power oozing from her body and a subtle pull to get closer to her, a pull she usually felt with the opposite sex, though she ignored it and casted as a trick of the mind.
"It's something I invented," Jane quickly made an excuse. "My mother is a master of engineering and science, while I'm good at mastering the body."
Stella nodded along, thinking that Jane's mother's talent had rubbed off on her.
"It explains the changes," Stella concisely remarked. They entered the training room, where Jane noticed the weights and saw that the treadmills and cycling equipment were gone, just as she'd intended.
Stella noticed that Jane was cupping her chin and staring blankly into empty space.
"What's on your mind?"
Jane glanced toward Stella; her head didn't move a bit, a creepy gesture but fitting with Jane's usual character. She glanced back into empty space.
"Nothing," Jane deflected as she made her way to a large dumbbell. "I've always wanted to know how strong I am. Be cool if I'm stronger than a bear, though. I always wanted to hug one."
She reached and picked it up with ease. It felt as if she were lifting a slim packet of paper.
"Hoh, ain't that interesting," Jane said, dropping the weight onto the floor. It crashed into the wood and created a crater. "How much did it weigh, Stella?"
"It, um, a ton!" Stella said in surprise, stepping back when Jane dropped the dumbbell.
'Can the human body even do that?' Stella silently observed Jane's superhuman feat of strength and gulped nervously.
"A ton? How?" Jane questioned, though she noticed strange devices around the dumbbell. "Does it manipulate gravity somehow? Did I pick it up at its max setting?"
"I was going to explain the equipment's functions, but you moved too fast for me to explain," Stella said, gesturing to the equipment around her. "Some of the workers adjusted the equipment's setting, testing if it functioned properly and must've forgotten to switch the equipment back to its standard setting."
"I see," Jane surveyed the area. "Make sure they are thorough next time."
"Understood," Stella nodded.
"The equipment has the unique function of manipulating its weight through subtle gravity manipulation. Each device was personally designed by your mother, as you can see," Stella said, gesturing to the small initials on the equipment: ES, Emma Smith. "They were designed with superhumans in mind but can still be used by regular people."
Stella walked over to where the dumbbell was embedded and tapped its side, which caused a blue holographic slider to appear. She swiped it down with her finger and picked up the dumbbell as if it were a piece of paper. She tossed it from one hand to the other and handed it back to Jane.
"So, messing with the slider on the side manipulates its weight. Can it go higher than a ton?" Jane glanced at the slider.
"No, that's its maximum limit," Stella shook her head. "There's also a safety feature that prevents these weights from being hazardous."
She took the weight from Jane's hand and moved the slider to its maximum limit. Before the weight could take effect, it immediately reverted back to its baseline setting.
"If someone were to mistakenly set the weight higher than their threshold, it would reverse back to its baseline weight," Stella balanced the dumbbell on her finger. "This is what would happen if the weight were to fall on a human body."
Stella moved the slider to a ton once more and dropped the weight on her foot before it hit its safety measure. It fell at immense speed, but upon detecting a life form underneath it, the weight abruptly halted in midair. Stella picked it up, and the weight returned to its base state, which she lifted with ease.
"It's quite a well-thought-out design," Jane said, trusting Stella's knowledge and not interfering while she tested her mother's invention. However, beneath her calm veneer, her heart was beating a mile a minute.
"Are there any weights that can go higher than a ton?" Jane examined the different weights around her.
"Only one, and that is the dumbbar. Its maximum weight capacity is 1,000 tons, and it has numerous safety features that prevent any destruction around it," Stella said, pointing to the dumbbar with a few weights welded on it. They were for appearances only, as its weight was controlled by gravity.
"Does it function the same as the dumbbell?" Jane stepped toward the dumbbar that rested on a blank mat. "Does it also apply to the bench press?" She pointed to the experiment a few feet away.
"Yes, both apply," Stella nodded. "Though the function of other equipment is a bit different from others."
Jane lifted the dumbbar on its maximum setting. It didn't budge. She moved the setting lower, and it still didn't move an inch. She got it to 25 tons and lifted it. She could feel her body strain under the pressure and dropped it back down. She heaved while feeling the faint sweat drip from her body. There was a subtle scent of lavender permeating from her.
Stella could smell Jane's faint scent. Jane tested the equipment around the training room for fun. She planned to build her strength with both the Demon Method and weight training, as she saw it as a proper method for better conditioning and accelerating her progression with the Demon Method.
Jane ended her day with dinner and a shower. She headed off to bed with a book in hand, reading before she drifted off to sleep.