0.1 – Prologue! (Revised – April 6, 2026)

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PART 1 – First Life!

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What's the closest meaning to bad luck? Misfortune!

Bad luck is when something bad happens and we have no control over it. This is a definition that applies well to the term, but consider the following scenario: you were born into a simple and humble family. Your parents are loving, but at age 6 you lose your father, who was the main provider for the family. You are cared for by a hardworking and loving mother.

Your father's death can certainly be considered a misfortune, but it's an unavoidable event that occurred prematurely.

This misfortune was the trigger to change something in Matheus's life. He, unlike most children, was always more intelligent and perceptive, but still an innocent child who was understanding the world.

His father's death, the growing financial difficulties, and his heightened perception made him change, maturing too early in a world that won't stop for him to breathe and prepare.

So Matheus grew up strong and healthy, focusing on his studies and understanding dozens of things beyond the subjects taught in school. His grades were top-notch, he had no difficulties, and he excelled in math, spelling, chess, and other competitions.

His perfect academic results allowed him to skip several school grades.

At 14, he had already earned a scholarship and entered university to study Physics, completing a course that would normally take 4 years in just 2! His grades remained top-notch.

Matheus is a genius, even though he hates social events, becoming introverted from a young age. But he is determined, understanding that he could use his identity and achievements to benefit himself and his family, especially his mother, the only person in this world he truly cares about.

And so he participated in various programs, demonstrating his genius, learning several languages, and much more. This from a very young age, ensuring his mother could breathe and focus on herself.

His mother is a beautiful and intelligent woman; given time, she could pursue nursing, something she loved and dreamed of. Matheus continued to be the prodigal son.

And as time passed, the money dwindled, as he was no longer a child, no longer the young prodigy, now a brilliant adult who already had a Master's degree in Physics, having studied Chemistry and Engineering in between.

At 18, he had already secured a well-paid job at a research center, where he continued his studies and professional development. He never tired, always yearning for more knowledge.

At 19, he gained greater confidence from his colleagues and joined important studies. His great intellect helped him become useful and ahead of others, solving problems with ease.

And the money he received, the annual bonuses, research investments, salary increases, and much more. He earned a lot of money, invested and reinvested, prospered, and his mother was by his side.

It could be said that much of what he did was for his mother, so she wouldn't have to work anymore, even though she continued working because she loved nursing.

And at one of the research institute's events, his mother accompanied him, where he met the biologist Henrique, who worked at the same institute. The two fell in love, and at 22, Matheus was expecting a little sister.

When he turned 23, Matheus was working on research about subatomic particles, a smaller study, without much focus or large investments, purely for experimental purposes. However, a discovery was made by chance: they found supersymmetric particles, which until then were only a hypothesis.

Matheus was so happy, but while running to inform the institute's director, with other researchers by his side, he turned into a corridor, tripped, and when he tried to lean on the wall beside him, it crumbled.

He fell face-first onto the ground, but it wasn't as hard as expected, as he smelled grass and earth, which shouldn't be possible.

When he lifted his head, he was in a forest, blinking in confusion.

…

Matheus quickly accepted his situation; somehow he had been teleported somewhere, where, with his ingenuity and abundant knowledge, he tried to understand exactly how it happened.

He made calculations, sought knowledge about time and space, what would hypothetically be necessary for teleportation; perhaps an evolved species had pulled him here.

And if that's the case, is he himself or a copy? Because the question of teleportation is whether the person who disappears from one place and appears in another is the same person. Which would be the question of the existence of a soul.

Matheus questioned himself; he sweated, felt fear, but used exercises to calm himself, assessing his situation and knowing that he needed to stop his daydreams and hypotheses. He might be in a coma, or he might have injured himself while running down the hallway and doesn't remember.

Whatever the case, he feels pain, hunger, and thirst. The smell is vivid, so there's a possibility he could die, and like any human, he doesn't want to die!

…

Matheus searches for a water source; he also needs food, but that might be secondary. First water, then shelter, and then food.

But while searching, he finds people with dirty appearances and rustic clothing, as expected of people who work in the fields. They have Asian ancestry; a brief comparison reveals that they look Korean.

‘Am I in North Korea?’ – He automatically associated it with their physiognomy and the fact that they were probably looking for food in the forest.

He knows Korean, so he tried to speak with the other party where possible, but there are certainly many flaws in the conversation, as the other party seems to speak in an older, rural dialect.

This made him believe that he was indeed in North Korea. The precarious living conditions, because from what he knows, its people live in poverty and hunger under the dictatorship. All information gathered from those who fled his dictatorial regime.

He needs to find a way to communicate with the authorities, to get back home. He even needs to reach his superiors to inform them of this probable teleportation, for which he has marked his arrival location.

…

Matheus tried to communicate with the people, to appear kind, asking where they were. Names he didn't recognize, which led him to believe he was in North Korea, as he knew little of its streets and cities.

But upon arriving in such a rustic village, with humble people lacking any semblance of civilization, something that seems to predate the 20th century, perhaps even the 19th?

He tried to ask about the nation, other names he didn't know. The year they were in, a nomenclature he had never heard of.

Matheus persisted, even in the face of strong doubt and prejudice from the people, the limited communication, needing to sell his quality lab coat and one of his few clothes and sources of warmth for money, which he used to try to gather more information.

He sought to learn more about what these people knew about the world, since they didn't recognize what Korea, China, Japan, Thailand, etc., were, discovering that the inhabitants called the world Khanmai.

As he asked questions, and the adults became suspicious, they also asked questions. Matheus tried everything to find anything useful.

He soon had to cowardly resort to children for information, since the adults were difficult. But when he went to children, he ran into trouble with parents who didn't want their children interacting with foreigners.

Even with so many obstacles, he sought to learn more, but soon had to get more money for food. He returned to the merchant to sell all his high-quality clothes, getting a new set of clothes of very dubious quality, but it was all he could afford at the moment to fill his stomach, and he felt cheated, but there was little he could do.

If he tried to negotiate, this merchant, who had strong men, would probably beat him, steal his clothes, and leave him at their mercy; they might even kill him just for being a foreigner who asks too many questions.

Now with food and some more common clothes, he struggled to get a ride on a cart to the nearest town, where they were attacked by bandits.

The bandits wielded primitive weapons. Matheus, who was no warrior, much less someone full of courage, cowered in fear, but then someone came to his rescue.

A calm, polished-looking old man in white robes, seemingly of high quality and something one would normally see in stories of Murim Martial Arts—not that Matheus knew of such things, he had never been the type to read them.

And this old man, wielding a sword, seemed to dance among the bandits, a magnificent and otherworldly scene. Matheus watched in disbelief as an old man, who appeared to be in his 60s, took down more than a dozen strong and healthy men. Matheus hesitated, but went to the old man and thanked him, innocently asking how he was able to do all that. The old man, with a curious look at the young foreigner, simply said, "It's martial arts."

With this discovery and the old man curious about him, Matheus tried to hide his identity, because he knew. He knew while talking to the old man, as a younger group approached and greeted him as a respectable elder.

Matheus is no longer in his world. Now he wants to know more about this world and unravel the mysterious phenomenon that brought him to this mysterious world and find a way to return.

But it was difficult, extremely difficult.

This world is full of prejudice against foreigners; if it's absurdly difficult for ordinary people to learn martial arts, imagine how hard it is for a foreigner over 20 years old.

But Matheus is a genius, a researcher with a wealth of information and techniques that are revolutionary for this world.

So, to begin his research, he had to find sources of income. But it was difficult, extremely difficult, and he went hungry for a long time, losing weight every day, feeling he could die in the streets.

But he created his own opportunities. One lucky day, he saw the Governor of Yiopoi State, who was known for being kind and welcoming.

Matheus proved to be a learned man, with immense knowledge and wisdom that befits his age. The Governor received him, gave him food and security, in exchange for his services and advice.

With each passing day, the Governor became more impressed with his talents, how he was improving grain production, revolutionizing long-range weapons, and much more.

But because of who Matheus is, prejudice would follow him all the time in these lands. He had to hide his identity, use a false name, and always conceal his appearance so that the Governor who welcomed him wouldn't suffer from rumors.

If news were to surface that the State Governor had a foreigner of unknown origins advising him, it would be very damaging. A foreigner in power is difficult to accept.

But he adapted, for he is Matheus, a genius!

He studied the world's structure, being forced to shift much of his focus to become a much better advisor and remain useful in every way.

He learned about military strategies used in that world, and how the common people differ from those of Murim.

Murim is composed of factions and clans, while outside of it lies the Empire.

Matheus needed to focus his studies on public life and stay away from Murim, even though he had a great desire for his martial arts.

With his thirst for knowledge and talents, Matheus became the best political and military advisor the Governor of Yiopoi could ask for.

Under his rule, the State of Yiopoi prospered to the point of being envied by other Governors and Ministers of the Imperial Court.

The Governor often visited the Court, receiving awards for tax collection, new laws that were implemented for the benefit of the common people, new techniques developed to extend the shelf life of food, and much more.

Matheus did not receive the credit he deserved; he was the one who did all this. But he had a house that most would not dream of possessing, and his belly was full.

If he were the lustful type, he would have any woman he wanted. But Matheus was focused on studying ways to return home, with the Governor being considered his only friend, who knew his story, that he came from another world.

And amidst what should have been his peace and prosperity, the world proved to be unkind to anyone, not even to those who strive the most.

War broke out. But it was not a confrontation between Nations or States, but rather the Murim!

Murim, the World of Martial Arts, is divided into various factions and clans, which, in the unlikely event that they all unite, could conquer the world in a matter of days. Imperial power cannot withstand them.

And in the State of Yiopoi, the Murim war erupted. The scale of it was greater than anyone could imagine; the reasons were incomprehensible.

So many rumors circulated that the Governor, Matheus, and several other nobles couldn't understand the logic of this conflict involving martial artists with forces ranging from 10 to 100 men, and which began to affect the common people.

The Imperial Court had to send investigators; they wanted answers to the conflicts. And this investigation led to Matheus, who had isolated himself, spending his days studying books, living secluded in a house built in the very place where he arrived in this world.

Imperial troops captured him for being a foreigner. In the midst of all this conflict, a foreigner, certainly a suspect. They even believed it was black magic, which is why they brought his documents, many of which were in unknown languages.

Matheus remained silent about who supported him; he was, after all, his friend. But the Governor, a just and honorable man, didn't stand idly by and went to the Court to defend Matheus, telling him how useful he could be to the nation.

But the government wanted to know more about Matheus, his knowledge, his home, everything!

They believed he might be part of the cause of the conflicts; perhaps he was, it didn't matter. He was valuable and dangerous. Being a foreigner and wielding so much power and influence was what condemned him.

He was imprisoned and tortured; they didn't believe his stories. And in a cell, he spent the rest of his miserable life. Growing old and finally committing suicide, hoping that in doing so he would find peace.