// Awakening on the Frozen Shore
Listening to the distant chirping of birds and feeling the warmth of the sun's rays hitting his face directly, a young boy in his early twenties slowly opened his eyes.
"Huh…"
His vision was blurry, the world spinning gently as if he had surfaced from deep water. His eyelashes trembled, sticky with frost, and a sharp cold bit into his skin. The warmth on his face felt strange. Too real. Too gentle.
"Where… am I?"
His voice came out hoarse, unfamiliar even to his own ears. He swallowed dryly and pushed himself up, squinting against the light.
"Could this be heaven?" Nil muttered as he rubbed both eyes with his hands, trying to wake himself fully.
The scene before him stole his breath.
Behind him stretched an endless blue ocean, its surface shimmering like liquid glass under the sunlight. Gentle waves rolled toward the shore, crashing softly against pale, frost-covered sand. Far in the distance, an island floated on the horizon, partially obscured by mist, giving it an unreal, dreamlike presence.
Before him rose a majestic range of snow-enveloped mountains, their jagged peaks piercing the clouds as if challenging the heavens themselves. The mountains seemed endless, layered one after another, their icy faces reflecting the sun like silver blades.
Separating the ocean and the mountains was a vast green valley.
But it was no ordinary valley.
The grass glowed faintly under the sunlight, each blade radiating a soft emerald hue. The trees towering within it were three or four times taller and thicker than any tree Nil had ever seen on Earth. Their trunks were massive, bark etched with strange natural patterns, while every leaf emitted a subtle green light, shimmering gently as if breathing.
Even the birds were wrong.
Small birds perched on branches and rocks, yet they were nearly double the size of the birds Nil remembered from Earth. Their feathers shone in vibrant colors, blues and golds and silvers, their cries echoing clearly through the air.
The entire view felt unreal. Artistic. Like something painted by a mad god with too much imagination.
"The hell…?" Nil whispered.
For a brief moment, awe swallowed everything else.
Then pain arrived.
"Aa… ahhh—!"
A loud scream escaped his lips as agony exploded through his body.
It wasn't a dull ache or distant discomfort. It was sharp, raw, and overwhelming, as if countless needles pierced through every inch of his flesh at once. His knees buckled, legs trembling violently as warm blood trickled down his skin and stained the pale sand beneath him.
He collapsed forward, barely catching himself with shaking hands.
"Damn it…!"
His breath came in ragged gasps. His entire body screamed in protest as if it had been torn apart and barely stitched back together. Cold wind swept across the shore, sending violent shivers through him and making the pain even worse.
"Am I… not supposed to be dead?" he muttered in disbelief.
He clenched his fists, nails digging into his palms.
"Why am I feeling pain?"
A terrifying thought crossed his mind.
"Wait…"
He slowly raised his hands before his eyes.
"This… this feels different."
Nil froze.
He looked down at his body.
His skin was flawless and radiant, unscarred by acne or marks he had lived with his entire life. His frame was tall, broad-shouldered, and muscular, like that of a trained athlete. Every movement felt powerful, heavy with potential strength.
Covering his body was a noble cloak, embroidered with intricate patterns along the edges. Though it was torn in several places and stained with blood, its material still radiated an air of authority and status.
This was not his body.
Not even close.
"My body…?" Nil whispered, scanning himself from head to toe.
His old self had been thin, average-looking, nothing special. This body, however, looked like it belonged to someone important. Someone powerful.
Shock coursed through his veins.
"This isn't my body!"
As he struggled to understand his situation, an unbelievable thought struck his mind like lightning.
"Am I… reincarnated?" he muttered.
His heart began to pound.
"Like in novels?"
The more he thought about it, the more it made sense. A strange world. A new body. Painful awakening. Everything screamed fantasy reincarnation.
He clenched his teeth and pinched himself hard.
"Aah—!"
The pain was immediate and sharp.
"…It hurts."
Nil exhaled shakily, then laughed.
"Damn. This is real."
His laughter grew louder, echoing across the frozen shore.
"Yoohoo… I'm reincarnated!"
He threw his head back and laughed like a madman.
"Nothing can be better than this!"
Tears streamed down his face as emotions overwhelmed him.
"Thank you, step-brother, for killing me," Nil muttered with a twisted smile, his voice cracking as he laughed and cried at the same time.
His joy, however, was short-lived.
As the adrenaline faded, pain returned with double intensity.
Blood continued to drip from multiple wounds across his body. His clothes were soaked, his skin numb from the cold. Every gust of icy wind made him shiver violently, his teeth chattering uncontrollably.
The sun above offered some warmth, but it wasn't enough.
"I need… to calm down," Nil muttered, forcing himself to breathe steadily.
He closed his eyes and tried to focus.
If he had reincarnated, then this body should have memories. Knowledge. Something to help him understand where he was.
He concentrated, trying to access memories that didn't belong to him.
Nothing came.
Instead, a soft, melodious childlike voice echoed inside his mind.
[System Initializing… 1%]
[5%… 23%… 54%… 89%…]
[Initialization complete.]
[Congratulations on obtaining the Cosmic System.]
Nil froze.
Then his eyes widened.
"Hahaha…!" he burst out laughing.
"Finally! I also have a system!"
His laughter rang with pure joy.
"My death was worth it," he muttered, eyes shining. "A new life and a system? Jackpot."
He clenched his fists excitedly.
"System, introduce me to your functions and everything I need to know," Nil commanded.
The moment he spoke, a translucent purple panel appeared inside his mind. Rows of information floated effortlessly, perfectly clear, as if etched directly into his thoughts.
He didn't need to focus on it. He simply understood it.
°|~ Cosmic System ~|°
[Name Given by User: None]
[Cosmic Coins: 000]
[Quests: None]
[System Shop] ... [Lucky Draw]
([Unopened Box: Beginner Gift])
[System can manage user's personal items after setting commands.]
[Other functions unlock according to progress.]
"This is awesome!" Nil shouted, excitement overpowering his pain.
"At least I have a system shop. That means I can buy stuff… weapons, skills, anything."
Then a thought struck him.
"System, why didn't you fuse memories yet?" Nil asked.
The panel flickered.
[Detecting memories: No previous record found.]
[Brain cells severely damaged.]
[Certain death within one day if not cured.]
[System recommends the Host undergo body scanning.]
Nil's heart dropped.
"…What?"
"Do it. Do it fast," Nil said hurriedly, wiping sweat from his forehead despite the cold. "Scan my body and heal all injuries immediately."
"I don't want to die again."
He swallowed hard.
"Who knows if I'll get another system next time?"
[Scanning body…Scanning complete.]
[Detected destroyed core and multiple critical injuries.]
[Beginner Gift Box converted to Survival Box.]
Notifications flooded his mind.
[Obtained: World's Common Information]
[Obtained: Cosmic Horizon Ring x1]
[Obtained: Minor Healing (Passive Skill)]
[Obtained: 2000 Cosmic Coins]
[Obtained: Northern Lord's Garb x1]
Nil collapsed backward onto the cold sand, staring up at the sky.
"…I survived." A slow smile spread across his face.
"This world," he whispered, "better be ready."