Pain.
It was the first sensation Kairo Dusk registered—sharp, piercing, raw. Like every nerve in his body had been set ablaze, like his very existence was unravelling thread by agonising thread. Then came the cold, creeping deep into his bones, chilling him to the core.
His lungs burned as if filled with icy fire, each breath a laborious gasp. His vision blurred, and reality seemed to twist, shatter, and then reform around him. The world bent and swirled, fragmented and strange.
Then, as suddenly as it began, the pain receded. The cold lifted. A strange calm settled over him, a hush in the storm.
And then—a voice.
Soft, mechanical, yet strangely comforting.
『Initializing System…』
The words shimmered before his eyes, floating in a glowing blue window that seemed to hover in the air, untethered from anything physical.
『Welcome, Kairo Dusk. You have been reincarnated.』
『World: Earthland – Region: Fiore』
『Gamer System Successfully Bound.』
Kairo's chest heaved. He blinked his eyes open and took a deep breath.
The air was crisp and cool, scented with pine and fresh earth. He was lying on a bed of soft grass, the ground gently cradling his aching body. Above him, a canopy of leaves filtered sunlight, casting dappled shadows across his face.
His heartbeat thundered in his ears as he tried to sit up. The muscles in his limbs protested, unfamiliar and sore, as though waking after a long, unnatural sleep. His hands brushed the dirt and leaves around him, grounding him in this new reality.
"…It worked," he whispered hoarsely. "I died. And now… I'm here."
Fragments of memory crashed through his mind in jagged waves: the screech of tires, the blinding headlights of a truck, a final desperate wish whispered in the dark… And then, nothing.
He'd never believed in second chances. Yet here he was—reborn into a world that seemed both fantastical and terrifyingly real.
His gaze dropped to his body. He wore a simple brown tunic, faded and rough-spun. Well-worn leather boots encased his feet, and fingerless gloves hugged his hands. A sturdy belt circled his waist, holding a small pouch and a sheathed dagger that looked surprisingly sharp.
The glowing window in front of him blinked again, pulling his attention.
『Tutorial Quest Activated: Welcome to Earthland!』
Objective: Reach the nearest town (5 km)
Reward: +100 EXP, 10 Silver Jewels, Basic Status Screen Access
Kairo exhaled slowly, processing the information.
"Guess there's no pause button," he muttered, half in disbelief.
He reached out instinctively and swiped the window away with a flick, like dismissing a menu in a game he'd once played as a kid. Despite the impossible nature of the situation, the interface felt oddly intuitive, as natural as breathing.
He pushed himself to his feet, muscles trembling but obedient. Around him, the forest was alive with sounds—the chirping of birds, the rustling of leaves, and somewhere not far off, the gentle roar of a river.
"I need to figure out what I've got," Kairo said, steadying his breath. "Menu".
A soft chime sounded.
Ding!
『Status Window』
Name: Kairo Dusk
Class: None
Race: Human (Reincarnated)
Level: 1
HP: 100/100
MP: 60/60
STR: 7
AGI: 9
INT: 12
WIS: 10
LCK: 5
Stat Points Available: 5
Skills: None
Titles: [Reincarnated One] — Slight affinity with unknown forces. +5% EXP gain.
Kairo blinked at the screen, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. No class. No skills. Just raw potential waiting to be shaped.
He flicked to the Skills tab. Empty.
Inventory? Minimal—his worn clothes, the dagger at his belt, a half-loaf of stale bread tucked into his pouch, and a flask of water.
He sighed and pocketed the dagger. "Alright, let's get moving."
⟡
The forest around him was peaceful, almost unnervingly so. The quiet pressed in on him, thick and heavy.
Thirty minutes passed with only the crunch of leaves beneath his boots and the occasional call of distant birds. The sun climbed higher, casting bright beams through the canopy, but Kairo's unease grew. Something wasn't right.
His chest tightened, breath catching. He could feel it—eyes watching from the shadows, a presence lurking just beyond sight.
Suddenly, a soft alert chimed in his mind.
Ding!
『Passive Skill Acquired: Danger Sense (Lv. 1)』
Effect: Slight tingling sensation when in danger.
A shiver ran down his spine.
Then came the rustle—sharp, deliberate—from the brush nearby.
Kairo's hand went to his dagger, drawing it swiftly.
Two glowing yellow eyes appeared from the darkness.
A beast.
Not just any animal, but a snarling, wolven creature, larger than a dog, covered in mottled grey fur, with three thick tails flicking angrily behind it. Its jaws froth with saliva, and it moves with deadly grace.
『Beast Identified: Forest Striker — Level 3』
HP: 80/80
The beast lunged at him, claws aimed for his throat.
Kairo barely rolled aside, breath caught in his throat as claws scraped the earth where his head had been seconds before.
His heart pounded wildly.
『Combat Mode Activated. EXP Gain Enabled.」
"Too fast…!" he hissed, scrambling back on instinct.
The Forest Striker surged forward again. Kairo ducked and swung blindly, the dagger slicing through the air.
『8 Damage Dealt!』
The beast snarled in irritation, more angry than wounded.
It struck back, claws raking across Kairo's arm.
『17 Damage Taken! HP: 83/100』
Pain flared sharply, but Kairo gritted his teeth.
"Think! Use your head—"
Suddenly, another window flashed before him.
『Combat Skill Unlocked: Improvised Manoeuvre (Lv. 1)』
Effect: Increases dodge chance and grants a small counterattack window. +5% AGI for 5 seconds. Cooldown: 30 seconds.
Without hesitation, Kairo activated the skill.
Time seemed to slow, the forest around him blurring at the edges.
The beast lunged once more.
Kairo twisted his body, sliding to the side with surprising grace. He rolled behind the creature and thrust his dagger upward into its flank.
『Critical Hit! 24 Damage Dealt!』
The wolf howled in pain and spun, furious.
Kairo pressed the advantage, stabbing again, adrenaline burning through his veins.
『12 Damage Dealt. Forest Striker HP: 36/80』
But the beast was far from finished. It lashed out, striking Kairo's ribs with savage force.
『22 Damage Taken! HP: 61/100』
"Damn it—just die already!" he growled, panting.
With every ounce of strength, he dodged the next swipe, dropped low, and drove the dagger deep into the wolf's chest, twisting it cruelly.
『Fatal Strike! 44 Damage Dealt. Forest Striker Defeated.』
The beast collapsed with a final, shuddering growl.
Silence fell.
Kairo sank to the ground, chest heaving, sweat trickling down his face.
Ding!
『+150 EXP Gained.』
『Level Up!』
'You are now Level 2! Stat Points +5, HP/MP fully restored.』
His vision swam with exhaustion and exhilaration.
Slowly, he opened the menu again.
『Stat Points Available: 10』
He took a deep breath and allocated carefully:
+3 STR → 10
+3 AGI → 12
+2 INT → 14
+2 WIS → 12
The forest breeze stirred the leaves overhead, carrying with it the faint smell of smoke.
In the distance, he spotted a thin column of smoke rising above the trees — a sign of civilisation.
『Tutorial Quest Updated: Reach Harven Town (2 km remaining)』
Reward: Access to Magic Affinity Assessment.
A grin spread across Kairo's face, tired but alive.
"Finally," he whispered. "A place to start."
He rose to his feet, flexing sore muscles, heart pounding with a new kind of hope.
"This world is dangerous," he murmured, stepping forward.
"But I've got a system. A second chance. And I'm going to make the most of it."