The Beginning After the End

King Grey had it all, power, wealth, and the loyalty of his subjects, yet he died alone. The Beginning After the End opens with his mysterious death and immediate rebirth as Arthur Leywin, a baby born to a loving family in the magical continent of Dicathen. Arthur carries the memories and intellect of his previous life, but he must relearn everything from crawling to casting spells. His journey through childhood becomes a careful balancing act: pretending to be an ordinary kid while secretly mastering elemental magic and preparing for a darkness he glimpsed before dying.

First serialized on Tapas in January 2017, the web novel quickly gained a following for its blend of isekai tropes with genuine character growth. TurtleMe, the pen name of Brandon Lee, wrote the story, and the webtoon adaptation launched in July 2018 with art by Fuyuki23. Yen Press began publishing English print volumes of the webtoon, and by February 2026, ten volumes were out, with the eleventh scheduled for August 25, 2026. The series has expanded into an anime, with Season 1 airing in Spring 2025 and Season 2 following in Spring 2026, both on Crunchyroll.

What sets this series apart is how it handles the weight of past experience. Arthur's maturity creates friction with his new family and peers, especially as he grows into a prodigy at Xyrus Academy. The story explores second chances, the cost of wisdom, and whether destiny can be rewritten. While it leans on familiar genre conventions, the execution and emotional depth have earned it a dedicated fanbase, a thriving wiki, and active discussions across Reddit and social media. [edit]