MIDNIGHT PRINCE: Empire of Sin

Where was he? Just what the hell was happening here?

Confusion spread through Adam's mind as he observed the unknown scenery surrounding him. He was supposed to be at his home right now, bathing in icy cold water, in order to open the so-called Eyes of Truth.

But right now, there was no such thing happening. No sensation of wetness or coldness was being registered in his mind.

All he could feel was the gentle breeze of the wind as he stood in a beautiful and vast grassland, seemingly without an end as it stretched beyond the horizon itself.

But more than anything, what caught his attention was the man peacefully sitting under the shade of the tree as if he was asleep. Looking unfettered from the woes of the world.

'Was I called by some kind of entity like Akasha again?'

This situation was very similar to the one he went through not long ago when he died for the first time. Yet it didn't quite feel that way either.

'Did I maybe die again?'

He did not have the time to ponder on his thoughts as words flashed in front of his eyes. Like a transparent screen that etched itself into the void of reality…

[Start of the synchronization process…]

[Target – Prince Siddhartha Gautama]

[Compatibility – Extremely Low]

Adam did not have time to ask anything, before he felt like his whole world was shifting and soon, information began to pour into his mind.

He saw… He felt… A man born to be king, living all his life in the confines of his house, never knowing the pain and suffering of the world outside his golden cage.

When that young man came of age and finally marched outside.

The young man's life changed forever as he witnessed four enlightening sights.

The first sight was an old man. From this vision, Siddhartha understood that people became weaker as they aged. This was an incredible discovery for him as he understood his parents had made sure to always change his servant before this happened.

The second sight was Illness. Like a parasite that would eat you up from the inside out. No living being could escape the bounds of illness.

The third sight was Death. As he looked at a corpse being carried away on the shoulders of its relatives, he understood that like illness and aging, death too was something that could not be escaped from. At least not under the confines of mortality.

The final sight was… A holy man searching for the Truth of the universe and from this, a similar desire was born in his heart. One to understand the Truth of the world. The Truth that encompassed all of existence.

Why did humans grow old, fall ill, and then simply die? Why did this inevitability exist in this world? Why couldn't it be in any other way than this fixed state?

Siddhartha wanted to find out why people suffer and how it might be possible to end this suffering of the masses.

He decided that he would leave the palace and his family behind to go into the world to try to find some answers to that burning question. He gave up all his possessions and expensive clothes to try to understand more about the suffering of the poor.

He went from abundance to poverty and understood the reality of both worlds. As such he decided to seek the middle path. Perhaps the most optimal path of pursuing the Truth.

All of this, the path Siddhartha worked on throughout his life, was experienced firsthand by Adam.

He experienced a wealth of the like he could have never imagined and suffered through poverty that made his current condition with his mother seem like a happy and carefree dream.

He lived through a forty-nine days long Fast.

Fought against the demon Mara and his army of monsters as he rejected all temptation.

And finally, he slept under the Bodhi tree and went through the seven stages of enlightenment.

Common sense.

Awakening.

Revelation.

Great Work.

Illumination.

Transfiguration.

Cosmic Consciousness.

On that day, the human known as Siddhartha Gautama died and was replaced and renewed by Buddha Gautama the Celestial being.

Adam's mind was opened to the reality of the universe and being as he was currently, he was unable to face his own Truth.

Who was he?

He was Adam Gospel.

Then who was Adam Gospel? What worth did he have in such a limitless universe?

Such thought became fleeting, full of insignificance in the grand scheme that was reality.

Adam… No Budha continued to show his love to the world.

Showing the path of the Middleway to the world. Teaching his enlightenment to the mass and the Four Noble Truths.

Life is suffering – Suffering is due to desire – The cure is letting go – By Walking the path of virtue[1]

The remainder of Adam's sense of self concluded, having experienced and soaked the knowledge and experience of the Celestial being accumulated throughout his life…

'Indeed…. This is the Truth.'

It was then… A small doubt crept up in his consciousness.

Was this the life he wanted to have? With what kind of mindset did he live all his life until nw? Was… The middle path truly the right way for him?

No. It was not.

The last dregs of his consciousness screamed at the top of their lungs. Like a bug about to be swallowed by the fierce wave of the vast ocean.

But it was this small cry that allowed him to fight back from becoming assimilated into the dream.

It was like a jolt. As if the reenactment of the Big Bang happened in his mind.

By rejecting The Truth of Budha, he rejected His enlightenment.

From Cosmic Consciousness, he fell all the way back to the start of everything. Blind to the world and the truth.

But… This was enough.

"The word 'I' did not exist. As such, 'I' do not exist either. If there is nothing to compare against, then how can a being that cannot be defined exist?"

"From one perspective, this world and the universe were created with our birth and would perish with our death."

"I do not exist. I am simply… The World."

He was Adam Gospel.

An insignificant and very small being in the grand cosmos. But he was born with that cosmos and was one with it.

His existence was in no way worthless for he was the very Origin of this World that surrounded him. He was…

The World itself…

'I am me. I will decide my own truth and walk on that path with my own will.'

A small enlightenment. So small it was almost laughable when compared to the Buddha. But once again this was enough.

The path of enlightenment was composed of seven steps.

Out of those seven, he now stood on the second step— Awakening.

As Adam's mind and soul left the body of Buddha, he could see the celestial being giving a smile full of compassion to him.

A small regret germinated in his heart, but he immediately crushed it. He had made his choice and he would live with it. That was how the being called Adam Gospel walked his path.

With no remorse…

[Synchronization end…]

[Acquisition of the Eyes of Truth successful]

This should have been the end of it. But…

[For one who has witnessed a cosmic truth of the world… The Crown that enlightens one's path with knowledge opens itself…]

[Sahasrara Chakra— The Crown… Unlocked…]

[The power of Origin resonates and gives birth to a new Skill]

[Name: ????

Description: ???

Effect(s): ???]

[Further analysis is recommended]

[1]: Those are the Four Noble Truths. Normally the Fourth truth is to walk the Eightfold path. But I summarized it in my own words. /the-eightfold-path-450067 If you are interested in the Eightfold path you can see it here. Also before anyone asks. No, I am not Buddhist. I am Christian.

(AN: This story will be the death of me. Lol, I hope that the amount of research I do will be rewarded. This is the True Story of the Buddha by the way. Well, the 4th Buddha. There are 28 Buddhas. But all of them had the same experience. Rich family, witnessing the four sights. Giving up on wealth. Going on a Pilgrimage. Reaching enlightenment under a tree and so on and so forth.)