I woke up with a sudden jolt. The first thing I noticed was the damp coldness around me and the sharp smell of earth. I was lying on a stone floor, my head aching, and my body felt like I had just been in a car accident. Slowly, I sat up and tried to take in my surroundings.
It was dark, but not pitch black. The faint glow of some kind of energy illuminated the space faintly. A cave. A huge one at that, all the reincarnation thing is still shocking me a bit, but not as much as it did before.
I blinked as a screen appeared in front of me.
[DING!]
Does Ryu want to start the System of Life?
[Yes / No]
I stared at the screen for a moment, unsure of what was happening. I didn't know what this "System" was, but somehow, I knew I had to accept it. It was my only way forward. I pressed the "Yes" button with my finger but it went right pass through the screen.
Thenn I thought to click Yes telepathically (if possible), and to my surprise, it worked! The screen seemed to respond to my thoughts, or maybe it was the power of this new world.
WELCOME TO THE SYSTEM!
Would you like to open Extra 1: Cave Home?
[Yes / No]
Extra? That word sounded familiar. I remembered the voice of the God-like figure who had told me there would be "extras" in the system. I wasn't entirely sure, but judging by the name, Cave Home could turn this cave into something more... livable.
I hesitated for a second, then decided to go ahead. Yes.
[DING!]
Extra 1: Cave Home Base has been opened!The cave has been converted into a suitable survival home.
I felt a sudden rumbling beneath me as the ground shifted. The stone walls of the cave seemed to move, rearranging themselves into rooms and spaces. It was as if the cave itself was coming to life. New furniture and lights appeared, and the space transformed into something much more hospitable.
I looked around in awe. There was 1 Bedroom, 1 bathroom (with a unknown source of water coming), a bunker, kitchen, storage unit, and many more things. The Bunker even had few weapons like wooden spears and stone arrows.
I was shocked. "This is more than I expected," I muttered. I wasn't sure how all of this had happened, but I wasn't complaining. I took a deep breath. Now, I needed to focus on something important: resources.
I had a lot to learn, and a lot of things to gather — wood, stone, metal, herbs, and other supplies. But before all that, I had to check something else. I raised my hand and said, "Status!"
Name: Ryu
Age: 15
Level: 1 / 500
Class: None
Race: Human
EXP: 0 / 100
HP: 200 / 200
MP: 150 / 150
Strength: 17
Speed: 15
Stamina: 19
Endurance: 17
Intelligence: 21
Wisdom: 13
Luck: 20
Stat Points: 5
"Wow…" I said under my breath. My stats were impressive, especially considering that I was in a new world with no training. I had more strength and stamina than I expected for someone just starting out. This world was beginning to feel like a game, and I couldn't help but get excited.
But I am curious that why my Wisdom is so low, I was considered to be "A Matured one" among my friends, seeing it so low doesn't feel right. Something is just feeling off, I decided to ignore the feeling and check my "Skills!"
[Opening Skill Window...]
[UNIQUE SKILLS]
❖ Skill Rewrite – Lvl 50:
A mythical-grade skill that allows you to alter any skill. The effect depends on the level of Skill Rewrite. Overuse (more than 10 times without cooldown) results in penalties.
❖ Everchange – Lvl 10:
A skill that lets the user adapt to their environment faster than any average human or monster. It's a passive skill that continuously improves adaptability.
❖Primal Instinct – Lvl 19:
A skill formed from Ryu's mindset in his previous life. When in danger, it boosts reaction time and stats temporarily.
➤ Increases HP and MP by 19%for a short period.
[UTILITY SKILLS]
❖Survival Expert:
This skill makes survival in dangerous environments easier, thanks to knowledge from Ryu's previous life. It also makes tools like hoes and pickaxes easier to craft and use.
❖Cooking – Lvl 6:
Improves cooking by 12%, allowing meals to restore more energy and provide small buffs.
❖Design Construct – Lvl 8:
Improves the quality of blueprints and designs made by the user by 16%. It's perfect for building better structures and items.
[COMBAT SKILLS]
❖Taekwondo – Lvl 62:
A martial arts skill inherited from Ryu's past life. Every punch, block, and kick can knock out enemies up to level 15.
➤ Infusing it with mana increases its power by 31%.
I was impressed. The skills I had were powerful, especially Primal Instinct. I always had sharp instincts in taekwondo or while camping, but to see them become a skill was a surprise.
And then there was Skill Rewrite. I was a little cautious about it. A skill that could alter other skills? That was powerful, but it could also be dangerous if overused. Still, for now, I had to focus on learning how to control mana.
That would be the key to boosting Taekwondo even further. I wasn't a complete beginner in martial arts, so having mana to enhance my punches would make me unstoppable.
I closed my eyes, sitting cross-legged and trying to feel something — anything. I focused on my breath and the energy inside me.
I exhaled slowly, centering my mind.
[DING!]
New Skill Unlocked!
Meditation – Lvl 1:
Calms the mind and slowly restores 10% HP over time.
[DING!]
New Skill Unlocked!
❖Mana Manipulation – Lvl 1:
Grants access to the mana flow within the body, allowing basic control.
I grinned. "There we go."
I focused again, channeling the mana toward my fists. It felt like fire and wind merged, dancing through my arms and condensing in my palms.
[DING!]Mana Manipulation – Lvl 2:
[DING!]Mana Manipulation – Lvl 3:
[DING!]Mana Manipulation – Lvl 4:
"Hah… I really do adapt fast. Must be Everchange."
I looked at my hand, now faintly glowing with pale blue energy. My first step into magic. Into this new life. The skill surely was unique for a reason—it might even be too overpowered. My Mana Manipulation is literally just Level 4: right now. I need to stay focused and grind both it and Meditation a while longer.
I lay on my bed, panting and drenched in sweat, but a small grin curled up on my face as I looked up at the translucent screen hovering above me.
❖Meditation Lvl 10:
Meditating increases HP recovery by 100% of current HP. Over-exerting this skill may cause temporary exhaustion.
❖Mana Manipulation Lvl 14:
Allows user to manipulate mana with 28% accuracy. Decreases mana of weaker enemies by 7%.
I was tired, but not worn down. Probably the side effect of the meditation skill being overused—but it was worth it.
After a short rest, I stepped out into the forest. Towering trees swayed gently in the wind, and I had to admit—this forest was massive. If I played my cards right, I could gather everything I needed to set up a decent base.
[Player Started Gathering Resources]
Suggested Base Requirements:
1. Drinkable water supply (30 days)
2. Wild Boar Meat ×31
3. Wood Logs (Huge) ×3
4. Wood Logs (Medium) ×5
5. Wood Logs (Small) ×7
6. Smelted Coal Ash ×2 pouches
"Wild Boar Meat, huh? Time for some hunting," I muttered. For water, a nearby river should do—unlike the bathroom water, which I still couldn't confirm as drinkable. Wood was easy to find, though I'd need tools to chop it. Coal ash and wild boar meat, though… those were going to be tough.
Wild boars in my world usually moved in packs. If that's the case here, I'll need to split them up and deal with them individually—traps would help with that.
First, I opened my inventory.
{Opening Inventory!}
[Inventory]
[Wooden Spear] ×3
Crude spears made from sharpened wood. Deals basic damage to beasts.
[Curing Herb] (Bag) ×1
Basic medicinal herbs that heal HP by 10 points.
[Drinkable Water Bottle] ×6
Bottles containing 5 liters of purified drinking water each.
[Cooked Meat] ×12 Grills
Cooked boar meat that heals and prevents starvation of the gamer.
[Crude Trap Kit] ×1
A trap system that can be used to capture small beasts.
[Beginner's Kit] ×1
Contains items for beginner-level players.
[Rare Lottery Ticket] ×1
My eyes narrowed at the last two items. The lottery ticket had to be an "Extra"—there's no other reason for it to be here. But what intrigued me more was the "Beginner's Kit." Its description was vague but mentioned "players"—plural. Which meant… there might be others like me.
If reincarnators exist, then I might not be alone. The thought was strange. Why would a god create an extra world just for a bunch of memoryless people? Something doesn't add up.
"System, open Beginner's Kit."
{Opening Beginner's Kit!}
➤Survival Waterproof Tent ×1
➤Metal Axe of Precision ×1
➤Mana-Ration Food ×4
➤Thick Leather Jacket ×1
➤Healing Potions (Basic) ×10
➤Camp Gear ×1
➤Random C-Rank Skill Orb ×1
The axe was just what I needed. I held out my hand like an anime protagonist summoning his weapon—and it worked. The axe materialized in my grip, heavy yet balanced, as a new screen popped up.
--[Equipment Details]--
<
Type:Weapon
Grade:★★ [Uncommon]
Durability:92%
A strong axe that highlights enemy weak points when wielded. Grants +15% crit chance when mana is channeled through it.
I couldn't stop grinning. My luck seemed to be off the charts. I approached a massive tree and saw a faint glowing dot near its base—a weak spot. I swung. The tree fell instantly with a clean crack.
"Alright… let's begin deforestation."
After chopping enough logs and locating a clean river nearby, I stumbled across a pile of blackened rocks—coal remains. I ground my axe blade against the pile and collected the ash.
Just as I was patting myself on the back—
ROAR!!
A deep, beastly roar snapped me back to reality. I dove behind a tree, instincts flaring.
[DING!]
[A New Skill Has Been Obtained!]
❖Stalking Lvl 1:
Increases efficiency of stalking by 5%.
"…I feel personally attacked," I muttered, frowning at the skill name. I climbed the nearest tree to get a better look. There—they were. A group of wild boars, snorting and stomping aggressively near the clearing. Jackpot.
I opened the Crude Trap Kit, impressed by its variety: Snare Traps, Pitfalls, Vines, Crush Traps. I picked a Pitfall Trap, reinforced with wooden spears, and laid Vine Tangle Traps as backup.
Then I remembered the cooked boar meat grills in my inventory. Perfect bait. I placed grills in different directions, each paired with a hidden trap. Then, using mana to enhance my speed, I darted back and forth placing them swiftly.
[DING!]
[Mana Manipulation has Levelled Up!]
[New Skill Unlocked!]
❖Mana Dash Lvl 1:
Increases speed by 5%. Consumes 3 Mana Points per minute.
I smirked and activated Mana Dash and rushed toward the location where no traps were laid. A few boars, lured by the smell, had split off from the group.
Perfect. I kicked one directly in the head, sending it crashing into a tree trunk. The other three turned toward me, fury in their eyes.
I picked up the grill, took a massive bite of the meat, and locked eyes with them. "You mad?" They charged. I dropped the meat and gripped my iron rod. One came first—I ducked and stabbed it right through the skull.
Another boar rammed the fallen one, accidentally tripping. I didn't waste the chance. I slammed the rod into its throat—instant kill.
The last two came as a pair, but I was ready. The first one lunged; I sidestepped and brought my axe across its neck, severing the head cleanly. But the last boar hit me hard in the ribs, slamming me into a tree.
[HP: 190/200]
"Ugh!" I gasped, clutching my side. With my free hand, I raised the glowing axe—mana coursing through it like electricity. The boar charged again. My eyes spotted it—behind the leg, a faint glimmer.
"Gotcha." I ducked low and spun, axe slicing clean into its heart. The boar crashed into the tree behind me, dead. I collapsed to the forest floor, breathing heavily.
[DING!]
[You have Levelled Up!]
[New Skills Unlocked!]
❖Axe-Battler Lvl 1:
Increases combat efficiency with axes by 1%.
❖Vulnerum Visus Lvl 1:
Latin:"Sight of Weak Points"
Allows detection of enemy weak points up to 10 levels above user. 25% chance to work on enemies 15+ levels higher.
Cooldown:15 seconds
I checked my status: Level 3. Not bad. My grip tightened on the axe. It felt like an extension of my body—like it belonged.
"EverChange really is too overpowered," I chuckled, turning toward the path home. "Let's get back to the cave and get everything sorted."
Somewhere over the river, a figure loomed. The Old God smiled, watching the stream of light from the River of Monitoring fade.
"Looks like I was right about you… my child," he said softly. Turning back toward his throne, he muttered one last thing.
"Time will tell you about your true power, Ryu Noir."