I died on a rainy night.
The sound of thunder mixed with my shallow breathing as I lay on the cold ground, blood slowly soaking my clothes. The man who stabbed me didn't even look back. To him, I was already dead.
"So this is how it ends…" I whispered.
My vision blurred. Memories flashed through my mind—a life full of regrets, dreams never fulfilled, strength I never had. I clenched my fist, hating how weak I was until the very end.
Then everything went dark.
[System Initializing…]
A cold mechanical voice echoed in the darkness.
"System?" I thought. "Am I hallucinating?"
[Host confirmed.]
[Soul integrity stable.]
[Reincarnation in progress…]
Before I could understand anything, a sharp pain exploded inside my head.
I gasped and opened my eyes.
The smell of grass filled my nose. Above me was a clear blue sky—not the dark clouds from before. My body felt… light. Too light.
I slowly sat up and looked at my hands.
"They're… small?"
I was a child.
Panic surged through my chest. I jumped to my feet and saw my reflection in a nearby stream. A thin boy with messy black hair stared back at me. His eyes were sharp, but unfamiliar.
"This isn't my body…"
Memories rushed into my mind—this boy's life, his name, his suffering.
Name: Arin
Age: 12
Status: Talentless
My heart sank.
"Reincarnated… into a useless body?" I muttered bitterly.
[System Activated Successfully.]
A blue transparent screen appeared in front of me.
Name: Arin
Level: 1
Strength: 5
Agility: 6
Intelligence: 7
Talent: None
I laughed weakly.
"No talent. No power. Same as before."
Just then, a new message appeared.
[Hidden Condition Met.]
[Reward Unlocked.]
My breath stopped.
[Unique Skill Acquired: Endless Growth.]
[Effect: No limits on stat growth.]
My eyes widened.
"No limits…?"
For the first time, my heart started beating with excitement instead of fear.
I clenched my fist.
"This time… I won't die helplessly."
The blue screen shimmered as one final message appeared.
[Welcome to your second life, Host.]
A new world.
A broken body.
And a system that refused to let me stay weak.
💥 End of Chapter 1 💥