The smell of wet rain still lingered in the air, mixed with the sharp scent of freshly washed asphalt. The city lights flickered, reflecting in the puddles scattered across the sidewalks. Kael walked through the nearly empty streets, his thoughts drifting to trivial memories from the day. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Until a faint metallic snap caught his attention.
He turned his gaze to an old post where an exposed wire swayed gently in the wind. For a moment, Kael felt a strange shiver, an inexplicable unease. Before he could react, a blue spark jumped from the wire and struck him in the chest, piercing his body like a blazing spear.
The world around him vanished in the blink of an eye.
There was no pain. No blood. Only an absolute void.
Kael floated in endless darkness, as if trapped inside a vast chamber without walls, floor, or ceiling. He tried to move but found no direction or weight. He tried to scream, but there was no sound—his voice, his physical presence, everything seemed evaporated.
His body, or what once was, no longer existed.
As he floated, his mind was invaded by a torrent of memories—beloved faces, sunny days, laughter, words left unsaid. Everything mixed and blurred into an indistinct haze. Past, present, future… all scrambled without logic, like ink diluted in water.
Time seemed meaningless there. Seconds? Minutes? Hours? Perhaps days.
Kael felt his consciousness fragment, fragment… and almost fade away.
"Is this the end?" he thought, a thread of hope tangled with fear.
But in the void, no answer came. Only silence.
Then, slowly, a new sensation began to form. First, a subtle weight on his skin, a cold dampness, as if rising from a deep lake. Then, unfamiliar scents invaded his nostrils—the smell of burnt wood, wet earth, fresh leaves. A breath of life pulling him back.
The void opened like a veil, and Kael awakened.
He was no longer in darkness. Now there was a ceiling above his head—a simple wooden roof, aged beams cracked by time with cracks where morning light slowly seeped through. The air was fresh, filled with the scent of distant smoke and damp foliage.
He blinked, trying to adjust his vision, which was strangely sharp, as if every tiny floating speck of dust in the air was a world of its own.
Kael tried to move. He felt unknown muscles respond beneath his skin—strong, firm, as if this body were tougher than his old one.
Sitting on a thin mattress, covered by rough, worn fabric, he leaned forward, still dazed. The room was simple: walls made of joined logs, a rustic table with a metal basin and a water jug. Through the open window, he heard sounds of life—voices, horse hooves, distant hammering of tools.
Outside, beyond the window, were thatched rooftops, smoke rising from chimneys, and a soft blue sky. Children ran between small houses, and adults carried firewood. A modest village, full of life.
Kael took a deep breath, trying to understand. He felt strange in this body, but something inside fit perfectly. As if it were a new home for his wandering soul.
He tested his balance and strength, slowly opening and closing his hands. He felt latent power, unknown but present.
Suddenly, something glowed at the edge of his vision—a small translucent window appeared floating in the air.
[System]
Initializing...
Processing data...
Partial failure detected: Interference in affinity calculation.
Talent awakening in progress...
Memories began to reveal themselves in his mind. They were not his original memories but those of the body he now inhabited—the village where he was born, distant family, simple dreams of a normal life, the burning desire to someday be recognized as an adventurer in the local guild.
These memories blended with his own, in a slow and painful fusion.
As the mental pain eased, the system completed its process.
[System]
Name: Kael Draven
Age: 18
Mana: 120
Awakened Talents:
Unlimited Path(Divine Talent) — All paths in the world are open for exploration. Allows starting any class or path without prerequisites and partially fusing techniques and skills from different classes.
Negative Side: Each new chosen class reduces the experience gain rate in each specific class by 35% (cumulative).
Inhuman(Divine Talent) — Allows integrating traits, abilities, and physical characteristics from defeated or studied creatures, provoking physical and mental evolutions.
Negative Side: Each evolution reduces the "Humanity" attribute by 10%. At 0%, completely loses human appearance and part of human mentality.
Affinity: Reading error. Data unavailable.
Kael took a deep breath, his heart racing.
For a moment, he thought of the choices ahead, the battles he would face, and the mystery of this strange system that seemed unable to fully comprehend his essence.
But, for the first time since opening his eyes in this world, a faint smile appeared on his lips.
If this was a new beginning, then he was ready to face it—whatever it may bring.