Chapter 33: A Player?
Far from where Ren currently lived, there was a village not far from the Neutral Continent. Five large continents spanned this world.
—The Eastern, Western, Northern, Southern, and finally, the Central Continent. And four of those Continents had their respective Races.
The Eastern Continent—The Land of the Elves.
Known for its never-withering giant forests, even in the depths of winter. The Elves lived and built homes amongst ancient trees that towered high enough to pierce the clouds.
They are famous for their natural magic abilities, archery, and long lifespans. To them, the world is a symphony of energy that must be kept in balance, and they are very arrogant.
They despise the Human Race due to humanity's disgusting greed, but they do not harbor outright hostility.
The Western Continent—The Land of Humans.
The place where great kingdoms have stood and fallen throughout long history. This continent is filled with magnificent cities, trade routes, and limitless ambition.
And this is also the home of those who seek power through violence, waging civil wars solely over inheritances, which causes suffering for the common people.
The Southern Continent—The Land of the Dwarves.
A rocky continent, filled with mountains—some of which are active—and mines that delve deep into the earth's core.
The Dwarves live underground or in mountains, forging weapons, metals, and artifacts. They are rough, stubborn, but possess a high sense of honor regarding their craftsmanship.
The Northern Continent—The Land of the Therians (Mixed Human and Beast Race).
A cold territory shrouded in eternal sand, inhabited by a strong race with savage instincts and extraordinary physiques. They value strength above all else, and to them, battle is the highest form of respect.
And in the center of these five continents lies the Neutral Continent, a place where races can meet without warfare—at least, outwardly.
...
Near the Neutral Continent lay a small village called Loren. In the streets, children ran happily as if the world was always like this.
Amongst the small wooden houses, there was one with an open window, and inside, a little girl was staring blankly into the air.
Her wheat-colored hair swayed slightly as the wind from the window hit it, and her eyes were bright green, sparkling like polished pearls.
If anyone else saw her now, they would see her staring at the air. But in the little girl's eyes, she saw a transparent screen.
---
======= STATUS =======
Player Name: Lia Elamin
Race: Human
Age: 10
Class: Storm Mage
Talent: Wind Genius
Mana Core: White
Blessing: Wind Goddess
Techniques:
All-seeing Eyes (???)
Quick Chant (Lv.5)
Skills:
Wind Tornado (Lv.4)
Wind Arrow (Lv.3)
Affinity: Chaotic Wind (Unique)
Stats:
Strength: F
Endurance: E
Agility: F
Intelligence: C
Stamina: F
Luck: C
Mana: C
Charm: D
Quests:
=======================
The girl, Lia, blinked once, then nodded slightly. "I guess this is enough for a start..."
She tapped the table in front of her while thinking. Then she looked at her status again with a small smile.
"Well, this isn't bad either!" Lia stood up from her seat, walking towards her room window.
"I didn't expect to go to another world like I read in novels," she said, looking at the children running in the street. "And what surprised me is that I reincarnated 80 years before the game's story begins..."
That was right. She had entered the world of the game she played, but strangely, she had reincarnated much earlier than the game started. She realized this when she was five years old.
Unlike the main characters who instantly become adults and enter the main story within a few months, Lia came much earlier—eighty years in the past.
At first, this made her want to cry, but seeing the troublesome events in the game, she felt happy to have arrived early.
Besides, her system wasn't too bad, unlike the cliché protagonists whose starting stats are terrible.
And isn't this good too? She could see the legendary figures when they were young here. Like her favorite character, 'that one.'
Just imagining it made her happy. Lia looked up at the sky and smiled, then she murmured.
"Hehe... I will definitely meet you, my favorite character!"
POV Ren:
"System," I murmured softly.
---
======= STATUS =======
Name: Ren Ozawa
Race: Human (???)
Age: 10
Level: 15 [1000/1500 EXP]
Rank: Novice (Intermediate)
Class: Mythical Magic Swordsman
Star Core: Tier 1
Blessing: God of Lightning, Zeus
Bloodline: Cosmic (Partially Awakened)
Techniques:
Martial Arts (Lv.5)
Lightning Breathing (Lv.3)
Stealth (Lv.1)
Skills:
Imagination (???)
Universal Language (MAX)
Affinity:
Divine Star
Blue Flame (Unique)
Lightning (Rare)
Crystal Ice (Unique)
Water
Stats:
Strength: D [12/50]
Endurance: B [25/90]
Agility: C [0/70]
Intelligence: A [2/100]
Stamina: C [15/70]
Luck: –
Mana: S
Charm: B
Points: 7000 | Stat Points: 80
Cosmic Shop
Quests:
Main: Survive
Side:
Daily:
Incomplete
=================
---
I unconsciously leaned forward in surprise. My Endurance stat had risen another rank. Then I looked at my techniques and chuckled.
Yes, I gained [Stealth Technique] from fighting Calez. I learned the technique while fighting. But I didn't have time to use it due to the urgent situation, and I didn't know how to use it.
I covered my ridiculously grinning lips with my hand. Judging by how Calez used it, maybe I could disappear like mist. I would try it later.
I wanted to take a bath first, but before that, I increased my Strength and Agility stats by thirty stat points each. I put the rest into Stamina.
"Now then... where is the bathroom?" I asked, looking around the room, but seeing no sign of a bathroom.
I stood up from the seat and stretched my shoulders, which were still slightly stiff. As if she had expected me to ask that, someone entered the room: Amy.
"Go take a bath now, you stinker!" Amy said as she entered the room and saw me standing.
She was carrying a dry towel and threw it at me forcefully. I caught the towel and looked at Amy with a curious and slightly annoyed expression.
'She called me a stinker?'
"But, where is the bathroom?" I asked.
"Ah..."
As if remembering something, she grinned widely at me and turned, waving her hand at me as a signal to follow her.
"Follow me, stinker!"
My lips twitched, but I remained silent and followed her. As I walked out of the room, I saw that there were four rooms on the second floor.
We descended the stairs to the first floor. Bored, I asked Amy.
"Where is your grandpa, Amy?"
She looked at me over her shoulder when I asked, "He went out."
I tilted my head, raising an eyebrow. "Again?"
"He's just drinking coffee at a nearby stall, so don't ask too many questions and follow me!" Amy replied irritably, but she couldn't hide a creepy smile on her face.
I looked at her like that, feeling a bad premonition.
A few moments later, we arrived at the backyard. Amy stopped and pointed towards the small forest behind the garden.
"There's a small pond there, so take a bath there!" she said, her lips undulating as she suppressed her cruel smile.
I looked in the direction Amy pointed, then looked back at her with a flat face.
"Seriously? Outside?"
Amy nodded quickly, hiding her laughter behind her hand.
"Don't worry, there are no monsters there. Mostly just frogs..."
My eyebrow twitched slightly. "Frogs?" I repeated flatly.
Amy pretended to whistle as she turned around, waved her hand, and walked back into the house without looking back.
"Happy bathing, stinker!" she yelled before disappearing behind the door.
I let out a long sigh.
"That girl is truly…" I muttered, rubbing my temple.
I walked towards the small forest behind the garden. My steps made light sounds on the grassy ground. The air there felt cooler; the scent of moist soil and leaves was soothing.
A few minutes later, I arrived at a small pond. The water was clear, reflecting the blue sky and the surrounding trees. A gentle wind blew, carrying the faint scent of wild flowers.
"So this is what she meant…" I murmured softly, placing the towel on a large rock by the edge of the pond.
I took off the clothes—wherever they got them from—then casually removed the bandages wrapped around me, discarding them.
My entire body was finally clearly visible; the wounds had vanished as if they had never existed. I looked at my Excalibur and sighed softly.
"Oh dear..." I muttered in surprise. Then I looked around the pond.
"But... I don't see a single frog."
I looked at the calm water surface. My reflection was clearly visible—slightly tangled white hair, bright eyes despite just waking up, with speckles of stars in them that made them look mystical.
I crouched at the edge of the pond, dipping a finger into the water. It was cold. But for some reason, it felt refreshing.
Without wasting time, I jumped into the pond. The pond water felt cold but invigorating. I briefly thought that Amy was quite thoughtful after all.
"Turns out she can be kind too," I murmured softly while washing my face.
The sounds of birds and rustling wind made the place feel too peaceful.
Until...
"KYAAAAAAA!!"
I froze.