The wind roared past Pete's ears like he was in a tunnel, whipping his hair into a wild mess. He tumbled head over heels, the massive gate shrinking to a distant speck above him as he plummeted through layer after layer of swirling mist and cotton-like clouds.
Each one parted around him with a soft, almost ticklish whoosh, like diving into piles of feather pillows. Still, the sheer speed of the fall turned that gentleness into something terrifying.
Pete flailed his arms instinctively, trying to stabilize himself, but there was nothing to grab onto. He obviously did not have a parachute, and no convenient eagles swooped in to carry him, as in those fantasy movies.
"Okay, think, Pete, think," he muttered to himself. His mind raced faster than his body was falling.
Now that he came to think of it, this was not the classic isekai drop. Truck-kun victims got flattened and woke up in a new world. Goddess-summoned heroes got gentle portals or beams of light.
Pete got yeeted through a giant gate by a pissed-off deity whose dress had just been accidentally dismantled. Well, that was kind of his fault, but a punishment like this was going too far.
He forced himself to stop panicking and observe. That was the key in isekai—observation. In every game he had ever played, the pros constantly scanned their surroundings first, noted landmarks, and assessed threats. If this was his new reality, he needed data.
The sky around him was a perfect, unpolluted blue, the kind you'd only see in nature documentaries about places humans hadn't ruined yet. The sun hung high, and the sunshine felt warm. Everything felt… Well… Medieval.
Medieval. Right! The Robin Hood era. He racked his brain for scraps of history from the 12th and 13th centuries.
According to Robin Hood lore, somewhere down there, there were knights and castles and sheriffs extorting taxes. There would be electricity, but no internet or pizza delivery. That last one would sting a bit.
A pair of large birds circled lazily below, their wings spread wide. They were probably hawks or vultures. They didn't seem bothered by his freefall. One tilted its head, eyeing him like he was potential lunch.
"Great," Pete grumbled, twisting his body to get a better look. "First day on the job, and I'm already auditioning for carrion duty."
But seriously, how high up was he? Tens of thousands of feet? The ground wasn't even visible yet, just the endless sky fading into the horizon. If he hit dirt at this speed, it'd be game over before he even started. Splat!
But Goddess Aisling had promised reincarnation, that is, a new body and a new destiny. So maybe this fall wasn't meant to kill him. Perhaps it was the transition, like a loading screen in games.
Pete tried to calm his breathing, forcing himself to think calculatively. If he were becoming Robin Hood, what did that mean exactly?
Would he get only the hero's memories? Or would he start as a baby and grow up? Or would he drop in as a full-fledged Robin Hood with all skills pre-loaded?
The goddess had been vague on purpose, probably to mess with him after the whole dress incident. He winced at the memory. Accidental or not, stripping a goddess wasn't winning any favor points, and it was the stupidest thing he had done.
The air grew warmer as he descended, and the clouds began to thin out. Now he could make out patches of green far below. Vast forests stretched like a living carpet, dotted with winding rivers.
Tiny brown specks appeared, and those could be villages or castles huddled here and there. The raw nature was actually breathtaking.
Pete's excitement bubbled up despite the terror. This was it—the world he had dreamed about escaping to. Arrows would whistle through the air, merry men would laugh around campfires, and outsmarting fat sheriffs would plot with greedy princes. And he would be at the center, finally belonging somewhere.
But then Pete's shrewdness kicked in. Beauty and belonging didn't mean safety. Medieval times were brutal—disease, famine, bandits, wars. No antibiotics, no save points. He needed to land on his feet smartly and assess threats immediately, finding shelter or allies.
The ground rushed up faster now. The natural details sharpened—a thick canopy of ancient oaks, clearings with dirt paths, and a distant plume of smoke that might be a village.
Pete's stomach flipped. Was he really going to Impact with the ground in seconds? Then, everything shifted.
A soft chime echoed in his mind, like a notification ping from his gaming headset. Blue light flickered across his vision, forming words that hovered like a HUD.
[Welcome to the Legendary Hero System.]
[Reincarnation complete. Binding soul to Roster Entry: Robin Hood.]
[Initializing Dual Paths: Light of Aisling / Shadow of Morrigan.]
[Choose one]
Pete's eyes widened. Of course, there was a system in this kind of game. Yes! But dual paths weren't standard; they appeared in rare games and were called ROUTES.
Most systems were straightforward—level up, get skills, and save the world. Regardless, he must choose one. Aisling had seemed all light and vines, but her parting shot about him failing suggested she wasn't entirely in his corner.
[Starting Level: 1]
[Lives Remaining: 13]
[Base Stats Allocated. Body Reconstruction in Progress.]
Thirteen lives. Like extra continues in an old arcade game? That was huge! It meant he could experiment, take risks, and learn from deaths without a permanent game over.
It was shrewd of the goddess to exact such petty revenge, giving him just enough rope to hang himself multiple times.
Pete's body tingled, and warmth spread from his gut outwards. The flab he hadcarried his whole life began to shift, melting away like ice under the sunlight.
Toned muscles sprouted, and his limbs lengthened slightly, straightening his posture and form. He felt lighter and stronger.
Pete wasn't superhero-ripped, but fit and agile. That checked out for the body of a forest outlaw who could notch arrows and swing from branches.
"Finally," he thought with a grin. "I'm ready."
The ground was close now. A thick forest canopy was rushing up at him fast. But instead of panic, calm settled over him. The system was active, and the transition was obviously controlled.
[Skill Acquired: Basic Archery (Level 1)]
[Skill Acquired: Stealth in Woods (Level 1)]
[Skill Acquired: Hero's Insight–Observe hidden details in surroundings.]
They were nice skills for starters. Archery made sense for Robin Hood, and so did stealth. And that passive Hero's Insight was probably gained because he had been calculative during the transition. Interesting.
Pete crashed through the treetops, and branches whipped past without scratching. The leaves rustled like they were giving him a warm welcome. Then he hit the forest floor, rolling instinctively to bleed off momentum.
Thud. Soft moss cushioned the landing. He felt no pain, and it was sust a gentle stop, like falling onto a gym mat.
Pete lay there for a moment, staring up through the canopy at patches of blue sky. Birds chirped nearby, and insects buzzed. The air smelled of earth and pine, fresh and exotic.
He sat up slowly, taking stock of his stats. He had a new body, lean and athletic, clad in a simple linen tunic and trousers, and boots that felt worn for a year.
A hooded green cloak was draped over Pete's shoulders. His hair was longer and darker.
Pete touched his face experimentally. He had a sharper jaw and a strong chin. He probably looked like a young adventurer straight out of concept art.
"Status," he whispered experimentally.
The HUD flickered obediently.
[Name: Robin (Pete Harrison)]
[Title: Outlaw-in-Waiting]
[Level: 1]
[HP: 100/100]
[MP: 50/50]
[Strength: 12]
[Dexterity: 15]
[Vitality: 10]
[Intelligence: 14]
[Wisdom: 13]
[Luck: 8]
It was a balanced build. Naturally, the system gave him high dexterity for archery and stealth. Intelligence and Wisdom were decent, meaning he could plan, learn new skills, and spells maybe later.
Unfortunately, Pete's luck was low. Ah, was that because of the debacle with Aisling's dress?
[Inventory: Empty]
[Quests: None Active]
The system pinged him to choose one of the dual paths again—a small icon pulsed—(Aisling?), (Morrigan?).
Pete figured that, since it was not a mandatory choice yet, he could put it off till later. He'd explore the world and consider everything carefully. With 13 lives, he could test boundaries.
Standing, Pete scanned the surroundings with his new passive skill. Hero's Insight highlighted faint trails on the forest floor, edible berries on bushes, and distant footprints.
Did they belong to deer or were they human? His query was answered immediately as quiet footfalls approached from the underbrush, and they were multiple.
Sensing danger, Pete ducked behind a tree with his heart pounding. That was too early for the first encounter?
He heard voices murmuring in a language he could clearly understand, even though they were rough and heavily accented.
"There are tracks here… and they are fresh."
"Yeah, I thought I saw something through the underbrush."
Were they bandits, guards, or something worse?
A burly man in chainmail stepped into the clearing with his sword drawn. He looked around for a moment, and then his eyes narrowed right towards Pete's hiding spot.
"You there! Show yourself!"