Fake Professor, Misunderstood As Strong-Chapter 314: A Fitting Reward For A Hero.

Location: Unknown, Time: Unknown.

"How are you feeling, Kayden?"

A calming voice rang out in the garden, jolting the dozing man sitting on the chair in front of the coffee table awake.

"Hmmm? What is… what's going on!? Where am I!?"

Kayden, who seemed to have just woken up from a deep slumber, panicked at the sudden change in the environment.

A deep frown appeared on his face as he noticed that his entire body was transparent and he could see right through himself as if he were a ghost or something.

"You are more perplexed than I expected you would be, Kayden. I thought you would have become calmer and more collected after living in a such a powerful body for so long…"

The same unfamiliar voice once again brought Kayden out of his shock and stupor; he stopped staring at his arms and body and raised his head to look at the person sitting opposite him.

There was an unfamiliar man sitting opposite him, but for some reason, his face seemed blurry, and Kayden could not properly perceive his existence.

It was as if the person was there and not at the same time; there was only one word that could describe him: 'bizarre.'

"What is this place? I remember I died… My body was completely shattered, my consciousness plunged in darkness as I caressed the head of student…"

"Wait… I can't remember his name… what was my body's name… How can this be!?"

Kayden was shocked to the core; he had lived in that body for nearly two years, and he couldn't have just forgotten his name so easily.

"Wait… Even before dying this time, I had already died once, and in that life… my name back then was? I-I forgot that too..."

"Wha-what's going on!? Who are you!?"

The 'bizarre' person took the coffee and sipped it before saying in a very calm and gentle tone,

"A person's 'name' is something that 'binds' them to their 'world'; it is the closest proof of one's existence. when you die and leave the previous 'world' behind, your 'Name' is left behind too…"

"Your previous name was 'Kayden Suha'... Kayden means 'warrior,' and 'Suha' means 'forgotten'; together they refer to a forgotten warrior... how fitting for you, right?"

"Names, identities and everything in the world are all just a part of a world's core; the only thing that is unique in an individual is their soul and their consciousness…"

"As for who I am? Hmm, people have many names for me… the 'Origin,' the 'Creator,' the 'World,' the 'Natural Order,' etc."

"But you can refer to me as 'Alden'… the word means 'Old Friend'…"

Hearing Alden's words, Kayden could not help but feel shocked to the core.

He had heard the mention of the 'Origin' and the 'Creator' in various places, and even the powerful being 'Rio Flash' mentioned his existence when Kayden was on the verge of death after sacrificing his own destiny.

"You… you are that origin that's said to be able to 'create' everything? 'Old Friend'?... Y-you!!!? You are the friend who got me into this game!!!!"

Kayden once had a childhood friend, who got Kayden interested in the game that Kayden transmigrated into.

Only now did Kayden remember that friend after he heard this familiar, gentle, and warm voice.

"You!! You are the one who sent me to this horrible place, didn't you!?"

Kayden was so angry that he tried to grab the coffee cup placed in front of him and throw it at the other person, but his hand went right through the coffee cup, as he had no physical form.

Kayden was present in this bizarre unknown place with just his soul and consciousness.

"Sh*t! I can't even vent my anger! This is so unfair!"

Hearing Kayden's tantrums, Alden laughed in a very calm manner, which was even more bizarre.

"You really are amusing… you lived in the body of 'Jareth Blaze' and almost adapted his calm and collected mindset, yet now that you are out of his body, you are back to your previous personality…"

"It's really amusing that a person can behave so differently just based on their circumstances…"

Kayden was Jareth's name in the previous life; he had forgotten the name because it was left behind in the previous world.

"Ugh… I wanna beat the sh*t outta you seriously; if only I could still use magic, I would spam 'T*ticular Tors*on on you, you bast*rd!"

Kayden had no other choice but to sit down and control his overwhelming rage; it took a while for all his memories to return, and he immediately noticed one crucial fact.

"Wait, I forgot the names of everyone I knew in this life as 'Jareth'… and I have also forgotten the names of others from my past life too…"

"B-but I remember her name! I remember 'Shinna' only! What going on here…"

Alden, the bizarre existence, replied to Kayden's question in a calm tone.

"Well, you had forgotten both of your own names too; I told you both of them just now, Kayden and Jareth…"

"You remember 'Shinna' because of your deep love for her… and also, because her soul had departed the world along with you…"

That statement was so shocking that Kayden almost fell from his seat.

"W-what the f*ck are you talking about!!!!? How can this happen!? How can Shiina die!? Th-this!? You must be lying!"

Kayden felt as if his soul was shattered from inside out and his heart was broken into a thousand pieces, but no tears came out of his eyes, as he didn't have eyes to cry; he was just a soul with a consciousness.

He was helpless, he was weak, and he was broken.

"Ugh… why are you doing this to me… I get it now… it was you who placed the 'System' inside my soul; it was you who directed my destiny, didn't you… I just wanted peace not this torture…"

Alden sighed, looking at Kayden's depressed face and replied in a soft voice,

"You are overthinking it actually. Shiina loved you a lot; she couldn't imagine living in the world without you. she committed su*cide after killing the butler who was responsible for instigating her father into killing you…"

"She took revenge for you, Kayden, and then she departed from the world together with your soul. her choice was noble in her own way; by questioning it, you are questioning her love for you…"

Kayden could not even argue with Alden's logic.

Yes, it was indeed true that Shiina loved him just as much as he loved her; he became Jareth, but he was still remembering her over and over.

She became the mental barrier that protected him from the constant corruption of the sea of miasma and many other horrors of that rotting world.

He was able to help everyone and save everyone; he was able to become a 'hero,' and he was able to accept his own sacrifice without any regrets.

"What do I do now… If I had died without knowing all this, I could have been at peace… but now, how do I rest in peace if the person I loved died in such a way…"

"I don't understand. What are you? why have you summoned my soul here when I already don't belong to this world anywhere…"

Alden smiled at Kayden's words and replied in a calm voice,

"The threads of destiny were actually attached to the body called 'Jareth Blaze.' your own soul was always free from them; you worked hard as 'Jareth Blaze' and fulfilled the main mission of the 'System' given to you…"

"You saved billions of creatures, saved the 'Hope' of thousands of civilizations, and are the first person who has successfully defeated the Endless Sea of Miasma head-on!"

Alden got up from his seat as he spoke in an excited tone.

"Don't be depressed, don't be sad; you have achieved great feats! You are a hero! And every hero deserves a reward worthy of their sacrifice…"

"Take my hand once again, 'Old Friend,' accept the reward that you have earned with your own merits…"

Kayden had died due to his own mistakes; he had died, and his story would have been over if Alden hadn't transmigrated him to this world as a carrier of 'Hope.'

Now that his 'duty' as the 'Hero' has finally come to an end, it is necessary that he gets the 'retirement reward' he deserves.

"You asked me why I summoned you here, didn't you, Old Friend… I summoned you here because I want to give you the reward that your heart desires the most…"

Before Kayden could figure out what Alden was saying, Alden created a reddish-orange string out of nowhere and raised his hand towards Kayden.

"Take this string… As the 'Origin,' it's not that big of a deal for me to change a few rules to reward my dear friends for their great service…"

"I offer you a new 'Chance.' I offer you a new 'Chance' to be with the person you always wanted to be…"

Kayden's eyes widened in shock as he heard those words.

"B-but didn't you say Shiina had already died… t-this… don't tell me…"

Alden smiled and nodded his head at Kayden.

"Yes, I took kept her soul safe just like I did yours… you have earned the right to live with her in this world by achieving great feats…"

"It wouldn't have been possible in ordinary circumstances, but to pay off the debt I owe you, I will reward you generously too… after all, we are old friends…"

Hearing Alden's words, Kayden could not sit still anymore; a determined look appeared on his face as he got up from his seat.

Alden smiled and tied the string to Kayden's wrist and spoke with a giggle,

"Be happy; I, the 'World,' bless you with happiness. I, the 'World,' bless you with a peaceful, healthy life…"

A smile finally appeared on Kayden's face as he spoke in an awkward tone.

"Err… although I don't kind of like you for the fact that you threw me to do your dirty work of saving the world…"

"But for letting me be with Shiina once again, I thank you from the bottom of my heart…"

Alden giggled at Kayden's words as he said,

"You will lose most of your memories once you become a new person, but you will be able to fall in love with her once again and stay with her…"

"You might forget what great merits you have done, but I, 'The World' itself, will remember them forever for you…"

"Thank you, old friend, farewell…"

The 'Creator' patted Kayden's head as if he was proud of him and ruffled his hair to tease him.

"If you want, you can ask me for other blessings too you know… For example, how many children do you want? Enough to make a football team?"

Kayden almost punched Alden in the face at those words.

"You are really irritating! Leave my personal life alone man! I am going now! Farewell!"

With that statement, Kayden's soul disappeared from the garden as he departed for his next life.

The Creator shook his head at his cheeky nature and felt amused at the thought of peeping into Kayden's next life.

"Hehe, Jareth has fulfilled his role; he's made the 'Sea of Miasma' bend to its knees… Next, it's your turn to be on the stage, Rio…"