Chapter 2 — Rebirth and Resolve (Polished Draft)
After the great rebirth, everyone in the world returned to childhood. Among them was Niruky is reborn with lower stats than his friends Lance and Sky. Even as kids, the difference showed — while they grew naturally into their powers, Niruky struggled to keep up.
Early Years
A few years passed. Nirki trained alone in the jungle near their village, determined to close the gap. His younger sister, Eriki, three years his junior, adored him but didn't understand why he was always exhausted during the day.
Eventually, she discovered his secret:
Nirki fought monsters at night to train.
He begged her not to tell their parents, and the two made a promise — a pact between siblings.
Lance and Sky's Privilege
Meanwhile, Niruky's friends lived very different lives:
Lance, reborn as a noble, trained under three masters:
a mage, a close-combat specialist, and a weapons instructor.
Sky, reborn as a prince, was taught by Garden Mask, the third-strongest wizard in the kingdom.
Garden was famous for overwhelming magical strength, mastery over weapons, and battle skills at both close and long range.
Compared to them, Nirki — a commoner — had no teachers at all. Everything he learned came from trial, error, and instinct.
Dreaming of the Magic Academy, Niruky wanted to enroll in the Magic Academy to learn properly, but his parents couldn't afford the registration fee. His next idea was to join the Adventurer's Guild, but they turned him away for being too young.
Five years later, finally old enough, he joined the guild in secret.
The Dungeon
His goal was simple:
Earn enough money for the Academy.
Inside the dungeon, he defeated goblins, slimes, and ogres — nothing too dangerous for someone with his hidden potential. What he didn't expect was a giant spider, the floor boss. After a tough fight, he managed to defeat it using his magic and brought back all the loot.
The guild was shocked by how much he collected. They gave him 200 gold — enough to pay his academy registration — and promised more.
Nirki kept returning again and again.
Until his sister found out.
The Consequences
This time she told their parents, and they were furious. Terrified for his safety, they forbade him from ever going back to the guild.
But when Niruky explained the truth — the boss he defeated, the money he earned, the chance to enter the Academy — their anger shifted into worry. They checked on him, made sure he wasn't hurt, and eventually supported him enough for him to return to the dungeon and finish earning what he needed.
The Academy
The Academy itself was connected to the kingdom's main dungeon, allowing students to train inside under safe conditions. Nirki admired it instantly.
Lance entered easily thanks to his elite training.
Sky was admitted immediately due to his royal blood — royalty were known for being powerful, and princes were automatically accepted without cost.
And Niruky, finally, had earned his way in.