Morning sunlight spilled through the paper-thin shoji screens as Akira stirred from sleep. His senses had adjusted quickly—more quickly than he expected—to the rhythms of this world. He no longer flinched when he caught his reflection and saw Satou's face instead of his own. The boy he used to be—glasses, hunched posture, weary eyes—was beginning to fade into memory. Yet his soul remained his. That part couldn't be erased, no matter what world he was in.
He sat up and flexed his hand. No stiffness. No sluggishness. The body responded with precision. He wasn't just living in Satou's body—he was thriving in it.
[New Daily Mission: Maintain Physical Readiness]
Complete morning exercises and meditation.
Reward: 10 Points
Bonus: +1 to Constitution (First Completion)
"Figures," he muttered, swinging his legs out of bed. "Even reincarnation doesn't excuse morning workouts."
In the garden behind the house, Akira moved through basic sword drills with a wooden bokken. Towa watched from the stone step, mimicking the motions with a stick far too big for his hands.
"Your grip's too high," Akira said between strikes. "Hold it lower. Like this."
Towa adjusted, tongue sticking out in concentration. The boy reminded him of his own little brother—not by blood, but the younger cousin he used to tutor in math back home. The one who cried when Akira left for college.
Is he mourning me? Akira wondered suddenly. Do they even know what happened?
A chill crept through him despite the morning sun.
Breakfast was subdued. Sachi hummed while chopping vegetables, Ayaka folded cloth napkins with quiet precision, and Towa noisily slurped his miso soup. The hum of domesticity calmed him more than any System notification.
Still, his mind wandered. The memory of last night's goblin attack replayed in fragments—the tension in his chest, the surge of Wind Blade magic, the stunned gasps of the villagers.
Current Points: 30
Available Skills: Unlock New Tier?
He hadn't spent any yet. The options were overwhelming—new abilities in elemental magic, physical enhancements, and passive resistances. But what unnerved him was the tab labeled Cognition. Its sub-branches were locked, but their names lingered in his mind like whispered temptations.
Empathic Link
Memory Dive
Dream Sync
"Creepy," he muttered under his breath.
After the meal, he left home to explore more of Elaris.
The village bustled with post-market cleanup. Merchants packed up their stalls. Children chased each other through the alleys. Farmers dragged carts of straw and feed. The town itself was modest—more rustic than the cities Satou usually visited in the light novel—but it had charm: lantern-lit bridges over shallow canals, stone fountains surrounded by flowering trees, and a sprawling tavern at the village center called The Brass Mug.
Akira strolled through the square when another chime echoed in his head.
[Mission Alert: Investigate the Disturbance]
A resident has reported strange noises near the abandoned shrine outside town.
Reward: 25 Points
Bonus: Skill Gem (if completed before sundown)
"An abandoned shrine?" he muttered. "Classic."
Still, the timing felt off. Too convenient. Was the System generating these events? Or just notifying him of existing ones?
Either way, it was better than waiting for trouble to find him.
The shrine lay a kilometer beyond the village, half-swallowed by the forest. A narrow path wound through trees twisted with moss and creeping ivy. Birds flitted overhead, their songs uneasy. When Akira reached the gates, he saw the once-proud structure in ruins—pillars cracked, wooden slats warped with moisture, fox statues covered in lichen.
He stepped over broken stones cautiously, hand brushing the hilt of the training sword he'd borrowed from the village guardhouse. The System hadn't granted him any real weapons yet—not without spending points—but the wooden blade had enough weight to it. At least against weak monsters.
The air grew colder as he passed the archway.
[Environment Detected: Unstable Spirit Field]
Optional Sub-Mission: Cleanse the Shrine (Requires Spirit Affinity)
"Yeah, I don't have that," Akira whispered, scanning the shadows.
Something moved inside the shrine's inner sanctum.
A scraping. A shuffle.
He edged closer, straining his ears. When the doorway creaked open, he caught a glimpse of something pale and hunched—like a child, but wrong. Its skin was stretched taut, gray with decay, and black glyphs spiraled across its limbs like tattoos drawn by madness.
"Wight…" he breathed. The light novel had mentioned them—once-human spirits corrupted by cursed land.
It turned its head toward him—and screamed.
Akira leapt back, swinging his wooden sword instinctively. The creature lunged—too fast, too erratic. It clawed at his side. Pain blossomed. Not deep, but sharp.
[HP -12]
Skill Activated: Combat Reflex - Tier 1
The System responded before he could. A rush of energy surged into his limbs. He ducked, rolled, and struck the creature's leg. It buckled. Akira leapt back and threw up a hand.
"Wind Blade!"
The arc of air caught the wight mid-scream, tearing through its torso. The creature exploded in a swirl of ash and whispered curses.
He stood panting, blood trickling from his side.
Mission Complete: +25 Points
Bonus Achieved: Skill Gem (Cognition - "Dream Sync")
HP Restored
Status: Minor Bleeding [Cleansed]
The reward screen flashed, but Akira barely noticed. He was staring at the floor where the creature had fallen. In the ash, something remained—a pendant, rusted but intact. A tiny silver feather. He knelt to pick it up.
Item Acquired: Memory Token (Bound Spirit)
For a moment, the world faded. And then he saw it—through another's eyes:
A girl kneeling at this shrine. Weeping. Praying. Her voice trembling.
"Please… let me see my brother again."
The vision vanished.
Akira stood slowly, the pendant clenched in his hand. His heart pounded—not just from adrenaline, but from something deeper. That wight… was protecting her wish.
He left the shrine with heavy steps.
Back in Elaris, the sun dipped low as he crossed the bridge into town. Villagers greeted him with nods, unaware of what he'd faced.
Ayaka met him at the gate, arms crossed.
"You were gone a long time," she said.
"Had something to take care of."
Her eyes narrowed. Then softened. "Did you win?"
He chuckled, ruffling her hair. "Yeah. I did."
That night, he sat on the roof, staring up at twin moons.
The System interface hovered before him. He considered the new gem—Dream Sync. It was under Cognition. He hadn't equipped it yet. But now he wondered if it might show him more. Memories. Regrets. Wishes.
Was this the point of his rebirth? Not just power, but understanding?
His hand drifted to the pendant, now tied around his wrist.
"Who are you?" he murmured.
Behind him, a window slid open. Towa poked his head out. "You coming to bed?"
"In a bit."
The boy hesitated. "You promise?"
Akira met his eyes and smiled.
"I promise."