Ethan stood still that morning, his breath calm as fragments of his past life drifted through his mind like fading smoke. Reincarnation no longer shocked him, it felt almost natural, as if he had been waiting for this chance all along. His gaze shifted forward, locking onto the translucent screen floating silently before him.
The screen was massive, clear, and impossible to ignore. At the top-left corner, glowing letters formed familiar words: SYSTEM MESSAGE. Beneath it, cold lines of information revealed his new existence with merciless clarity.
DING!
[Name: Ethan Cole]
[Age: 7]
[1st Class: Executioner]
[2nd Class: None]
[Skills: None]
[Level: lv.0]
[Orb: 2]
Ethan exhaled slowly, his eyes narrowing as he absorbed every detail. Then, at the edge of the screen, a faint button appeared; [Quest]. Curiosity tugged at him, his finger lifting instinctively toward it.
Before he could touch it, the button pulsed and activated on its own.
"Ohh… so that's how it works," Ethan muttered, watching the text unfold as if the system had read his thoughts.
[Quest List]
[1. Reach Level lv.5]
[2. Learn a new skill for the Second Orb]
[3. Practice Sword Arts]
As the quest text faded, new information surfaced in his mind, as if the system itself was teaching him.
Orbs were power cores within the human body, one for natural talent, the other for an additional class chosen later.
Classes defined a warrior's path, while Skills were refined abilities earned through effort and growth.
Below the quest window, another button shimmered faintly. [Grand Quest]: locked.
Ethan stared at it briefly before dismissing the thought, his attention drifting elsewhere.
Reincarnation, the system, even the strange world, none of them frightened him. What truly unsettled him was the number beside his name, Age: 7.
"This body's fragile," he thought grimly, clenching his small hand. "How am I supposed to complete these quests like this?"
Just as his thoughts deepened, a sudden sound broke the silence.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
"Young master, young master, are you in there?" a soft female voice called from behind the door.
Ethan blinked, confusion flashing across his face. "Young master? Wait… am I royalty?"
The door opened slowly, revealing a young maid with a warm smile and gentle eyes. "Oh, there you are. Visitors have arrived from Beornleigh village. Come, let me help you dress."
Ethan could have refused.... mentally, he was still an adult, but… tsk, her beauty made resistance pointless.
As she dressed him, Ethan frowned slightly at the flashy, stiff clothing.
So this is how royalty lives… he thought, feeling both impressed and uncomfortable. When he stepped outside, rows of maids turned toward him, their whispers filling the air like buzzing birds.
"He's so cute…"
"I could stare at him all day."
"Young master really is charming, isn't he?"
The praise washed over Ethan, easing his tension in an instant.
Ha… I could get used to this, he thought, a faint smile forming. Walking beside the maid, he reached the mansion entrance and froze.
The mansion was enormous, its sheer scale overwhelming him. For a moment, he almost cursed his past life for being so painfully ordinary.
Standing at the gate were his parents; Zane Cole and Freya Cole.
Zane Cole, the village chief, radiated power even at rest. A master swordsman and a mage who wielded powerful fire magic and swordmanship class across both Orbs, he was known as the strongest blade in the country.
Beside him stood Freya Cole, a gentle yet deadly healer-archer whose calm presence balanced her husband's intensity.
Years ago, they had protected Almsworth from a devastating demon invasion. That victory crowned them heroes and leaders. Though Ethan's memories of this life were blurry, the pride in their eyes felt strangely familiar.
Soon, the guests arrived. Zane's best friend, Ander Mike, stepped forward with a booming laugh, followed by his wife Sera and their daughter.
Her name was Lisa.
Ethan's breath hitched the moment he saw her. Scarlet eyes shimmered beneath long crimson hair, her beauty sharp and unforgettable. He stared longer than he meant to, completely caught off guard.
"Hey, my man! Long time no see," Ander laughed, shaking Zane's hand.
"Come in, my friend," Zane replied warmly.
As the adults moved ahead, conversation and laughter trailing behind them, Ethan found himself alone with Lisa. Straightening his posture, he walked up confidently, or at least tried to.
"H-hey, my name's Ethan. What's yours?"
"My name is Lisa. It's nice to meet you," she said with a gentle smile.
Ethan blinked, no arrogance or cold dismissal. Just warmth.
Ha ha… this is unexpected, he thought, his heart oddly light. So this is what I missed.
They talked for a while, Ethan carefully acting his age, laughing and nodding like a child should. Then....
BAM!
A loud voice echoed across the courtyard.
"Don't get cocky, Zane! My daughter would win effortlessly in a sword duel against your son!" Ander boasted proudly.
Zane chuckled, folding his arms. "Let's see if your pride holds up. Remember, I am the strongest swordsman in the country. My blood flows through my son's veins."
The challenge was set.
Soon, Ethan and Lisa stood facing each other in training uniforms, wooden swords in hand. Their parents watched closely, eyes sharp with expectation.
Ethan tightened his grip, a faint smile forming.
Guess this new life won't be boring after all…
This was nothing more than noble culture training, something that happened once or twice a year among children of status. Even so, Ethan couldn't help but feel uneasy as he held the carved wooden sword in his small hands.
Are we really not too young for this…? he wondered silently, staring at the weapon.
Lisa said nothing in response, her expression calm and focused. She took a proper swordsman's stance, feet firm, posture sharp, and pointed her wooden blade straight at Ethan.
In that instant, the air around him shifted.
DING!
— SYSTEM MESSAGE —
[Quest: Practice Sword Arts]
Ethan noticed immediately, he was the only one who could see the screen. That alone confirmed it: this system was tied to his reincarnation alone.
Without hesitation, he obeyed.
He dashed forward.
Lisa dodged effortlessly, predicting his movements as though she were sipping water on a hot day.
The courtyard fell completely silent as nobles, maids, and parents alike sat down to observe the duel.
Ethan wasn't fighting to win, he was simply practicing, just as the system instructed.
As time passed, something changed.
His eyes began to follow the flow of Lisa's sword, his body reacting faster, countering strikes he would have missed moments earlier.
But Lisa wasn't finished. Her stance shifted subtly, her aura sharpening.
In one clean motion, she struck Ethan's stomach, twisted her blade downward, and swept his leg.
He lost balance and hit the ground hard.
Before he could stand, a wooden sword hovered inches from his face.
The duel was over.
"Yes! That's my girl!" Ander shouted proudly, his voice filled with arrogance.
Laughter and praise followed, most of it directed at Lisa.
Ethan, you need more training. You're weak, so weak you'd die before a real battle even starts.
Lisa's voice was cold, her eyes distant, filled with disappointment rather than malice.
She turned away, walking back to her parents as they praised her talent.
Ethan's parents reacted differently, words of comfort and gentle smiles.
"Don't worry, my son. You'll do better next time," Zane said calmly.
Freya said nothing, only smiling as she gently petted Ethan's hair.
DING!
— SYSTEM ALERT —
[Practice Sword Play: Success]
[Learn a New Skill for Second Orb: Unsuccessful]
[Upgrade to Lv.5: Unsuccessful]
Lisa's words echoed painfully in Ethan's mind.
'Weak… pathetic… die before it starts'.
That night, as he stood beside his parents waving goodbye to their departing guests, Lisa suddenly turned back.
"Next time we meet," Lisa said calmly, "don't lose so easily."
Those words struck deeper than the insult.
Is she mocking me…? Ethan thought, his chest tightening.
Later, dressed in his pajamas, Ethan lay quietly as the young maid tucked him in with a warm blanket.
"Good night, young master," she said gently before closing the door.
Ethan tried sleeping but sleep didn't come.
Memories of his past life; messy, shameful, meaningless, flooded his mind.
Driven by restless determination, Ethan left his room and entered his father's library.
Book after book lay untouched, heavy with dust and forgotten knowledge.
"Hmm… magic learning books?" he murmured, pulling out an old, massive tome.
Blowing away the dust, he flipped through the pages, and froze.
The writing was ancient.
Yet somehow, he could read it.
"Black… Blade," he pronounced slowly.
In an instant, a black-tinted sword materialized in his hand.
Its edge was sharp, its design mesmerizing, radiating overwhelming pressure.
"It looks… legendary," Ethan whispered.
DING!
— SYSTEM MESSAGE —
[Executioner Weapon Acquired: Black Blade]
[Explanation: A legendary magic blade once used to slay demons]
[Added to Executioner Collection]
Only then did Ethan realize why his father had never used this book.
The language wasn't of this world, it was demonic, translated only through the system.
He kept reading through the night, absorbing every knowledge till the morning.
Morning arrived too quickly.
Zane found Ethan asleep in the library, books scattered everywhere.
"Ha ha ha! What's this, young man? Trying to learn magic?" his father laughed.
Ethan snapped awake, exhaustion weighing heavily on him.
At that moment...
[Executioner Book Deleted From World Eyria]
"Ohh great… what do I do now?" Ethan muttered, glaring at the system.
By noon, Zane brought Ethan to the courtyard to train.
A fire burned atop stacked wood and stone.
"Memorize this well," Zane said seriously.
"This is the Cole family fire magic, the very skill that drove demons away."
Ethan focused intently as his father formed a chant and separated a fragment of flame.
"Now you try."
Ethan repeated the words and the system reacted.
[New Skill for Second Orb: Success]
[2nd Class Unlocked: Mage]
[Skill Acquired: Fire Magic]
A massive fragment of fire burst forward, far larger than Zane's.
Zane stared in disbelief.
"…I should've known," he said slowly. "You'll be a fine mage."
Freya, watching nearby, rushed forward with joy.
"Come here, my prince!" she said, lifting Ethan into her arms.
Ethan wasn't planning on getting down anytime soon.
Damn… she's warm, he thought shamelessly.
Days passed in intense training.
Fire magic, swordsmanship, endurance, Ethan pushed himself relentlessly.
DING!
— STATUS UPDATE —
[Name: Ethan Cole]
[Age: 7]
[1st Class: Executioner]
[2nd Class: Mage]
[Weapon: Black Blade]
[Skills: Fire Magic]
[Level: Lv.5]
— NEW QUESTS —
[10 Push-Ups: Daily]
[10 Sit-Ups: Daily]
[1km Jog: Daily]
[Kill a Demon (Tonight)]
"…Kill a demon?!" Ethan screamed internally.
Is this system on my side... or trying to kill me?
That evening, the maid tapped his shoulder.
"Dinner is ready, young master."
"Please bring it here," Ethan replied calmly. "I'll continue training."
He didn't even hesitate.
Later that night, sweat drenched his body as numbers appeared.
[5/10 Push-Ups]
Pain burned through his arms, but he continued.
Time slipped away.
[10 Push-Ups: Success]
[10 Sit-Ups: Success]
[1km Jog: Unsuccessful]
[Kill a Demon: Unsuccessful]
Despite failure, Ethan smiled.
I'm getting stronger.
He glanced toward the dark forest beyond the mansion walls.
"…Guess I'll find my demon there."
And under the moonlight, Ethan slipped away from home.