The day Kairen's world ended was nothing like the stories.
No thunder split the skies. No divine hand descended. No hidden destiny revealed itself with shining light.
It was just another gray day on Earth, another day where the world turned its back on him.
Kairen stood on the skeletal frame of an unfinished building, twenty stories above the streets below. Wind whipped against his thin frame, tugging at the oversized work shirt clinging to his sweat-soaked skin. His palms were raw, blistered from carrying rusted steel beams. The foreman had cursed him out twice already that morning, accusing him of laziness even though he hadn't paused once.
"Oi, brat!" The foreman barked from below, his belly straining against his reflective vest. "Move your ass or you'll sleep hungry tonight!"
Kairen swallowed hard and bent his back again. The metal screamed against his shoulders as he dragged it across the platform. His vision blurred for a moment, but he forced himself onward.
Hungry tonight? He hadn't eaten properly in three days.
It wasn't always this way.
The Weight of Debt
Kairen had been nine years old when the world collapsed. His parents—good, kind people who worked themselves to the bone—had been crushed in a car accident caused by a drunk businessman. The man had walked free. His parents had left behind nothing but debt.
Money they had borrowed desperately for his father's medical treatments. Loans from the kind of people who didn't forgive.
By the time Kairen had learned what the word interest truly meant, collectors were already banging on the door of their crumbling apartment.
He had begged, pleaded, worked odd jobs. But a child's hands could only earn pennies.
The debt had followed him like a shadow. Every step he took, every breath, the weight grew heavier. By the time he was fifteen, he owed more than he could ever repay.
And so he worked wherever he could. Construction sites. Garbage runs. Factory shifts. Dangerous jobs no one else wanted. Jobs that paid pennies because they knew an orphan boy had no choice.
The world had not given him mercy. Only hunger, exhaustion, and despair.
A Fragile Hope
Yet still, in some small corner of his heart, Kairen had clung to hope.
Hope that maybe, just maybe, if he endured long enough, something would change.
At night, when he lay on his thin mattress in a crumbling slum apartment, staring at the cracked ceiling, he would whisper into the dark:
"If there's another life… let me not be powerless."
He didn't pray for riches. He didn't pray for fame. He didn't even pray for happiness.
All he wanted was strength. Strength to stand tall. Strength so no one could take everything from him again.
The Last Day
The steel beam slipped from his hands.
Kairen gasped as it teetered, sliding toward the edge of the scaffolding. He lunged forward, gripping the rough surface with torn fingers. His muscles screamed as he pulled it back, veins bulging along his thin arms.
The foreman cursed again. "Clumsy bastard! You'll kill someone one of these days!"
Kairen's lips trembled. He wanted to scream back, to say he was trying, that he hadn't eaten, that he hadn't slept properly in days. But his voice caught in his throat.
He couldn't waste energy. He had to keep moving.
Hours blurred into one another. Sweat drenched his clothes, dripped into his eyes, burned like acid. The sun set behind gray clouds, and still the work continued.
Then came the accident.
Kairen's foot slipped on a patch of wet cement. His body lurched, momentum carrying him sideways. He slammed into the beam he carried, the impact sending it clattering against the frame.
For one heartbeat, silence.
Then the world roared.
The beam snapped free, smashing into the supports. Screams erupted as the scaffolding shook violently. Kairen's vision spun. He reached for something—anything—to hold on to.
The rusted rail gave way beneath his fingers.
And then he was falling.
The Fall
Wind tore past his ears. The sky and ground spun together in a dizzying blur.
In those endless seconds, Kairen's life flashed before his eyes. His parents' tired smiles. The collectors' fists pounding the door. The foreman's curses. The hunger. The loneliness.
Is this it?
His chest ached. Not from the fall, but from the crushing realization.
I never had a chance. I was always powerless.
Tears welled in his eyes, torn away by the rushing wind.
In those final moments, Kairen whispered again, not to anyone in particular, not even sure if anyone could hear.
"If there's another life… please… let me be strong."
Silence
Impact.
But there was no pain.
No shattering bones, no final gasp.
Just silence.
Kairen opened his eyes slowly.
The gray skies were gone. The scaffolding, the buildings, the streets—they had all vanished.
He floated in an endless void, black yet not oppressive, vast yet suffocating. Tiny sparks of light drifted like stars, pulsing faintly.
Kairen blinked. Am… am I dead?
His voice echoed into the void, carried endlessly with no reply.
For the first time in years, he felt… weightless. The crushing burden of debt, hunger, exhaustion—it was gone.
But the emptiness was terrifying.
Is this all death is? Just… nothing?
The Voice
[ Child of two worlds… ]
Kairen froze. The voice was neither male nor female. It resonated directly in his soul, vibrating through his very being.
He spun, searching, but the void remained empty.
"Who… who are you?"
[ One who listens. One who answers. One who binds. ]
The sparks of light pulsed brighter. They swirled, converging into intricate shapes, forming symbols he couldn't comprehend.
[ You wished for strength. You longed to not be powerless. ]
Kairen's chest tightened. My prayer…
[ The world you knew could not grant it. But beyond, there lies another. ]
His breath quickened. Another world?
[ Eternia. ]
The name struck like a bell, reverberating through him. Images flashed in his mind—vast continents, towering mountains, beasts with wings that blotted out the sun, warriors wreathed in flames, sorcerers who bent the stars themselves.
A world of power.
[ Do you accept? ]
Kairen's fists clenched. The weight of his short, miserable life bore down on him. He remembered his parents' death, the collectors, the hunger, the loneliness. The endless despair.
And in that moment, there was no hesitation.
"Yes."
His voice rang strong for the first time in years. "I accept. I don't care what it takes. If there's another life—if there's a chance to be strong—I'll take it."
The sparks blazed like suns.
[ Then rise, bearer of the Infinite. ]
The Passage
Light consumed him.
It wasn't like sunlight, or fire, or anything he had ever seen. It wasn't just brightness—it was warmth, weight, and presence. It filled his body, his veins, his thoughts, until he thought he would drown in it.
Then the warmth turned to pressure. His soul lurched, pulled as if by invisible chains. The sparks that had surrounded him earlier swirled faster, becoming a vortex of blinding brilliance.
[ A vessel awaits. ]
Kairen's breath caught. He wanted to ask what that meant, but his body was already dissolving into the torrent of light.
The void vanished.
The First Breath
Darkness returned, but this time it wasn't empty. It was heavy, thick, suffocating. Kairen's lungs burned. He gasped—air seared down his throat, raw and cold. His chest heaved violently.
His eyelids fluttered open.
And for the first time since his fall, Kairen breathed.
He lay sprawled on rough stone, his small hands clutching at the dirt beneath him. His body trembled. Every nerve screamed that he was alive, fragile yet undeniable.
He blinked rapidly, vision adjusting. Around him stretched narrow alleys choked with shadows. Shattered planks leaned against crumbling brick walls. The air stank of rot, piss, and smoke. Rats skittered between piles of trash.
Kairen pushed himself up slowly, his heart pounding. His gaze dropped to his own hands.
They weren't his.
The fingers were smaller, thinner. The skin was pale but smudged with grime. He lifted them higher, his breath catching.
"I'm… a child?" His voice was higher-pitched, trembling.
Staggering to a puddle nearby, he peered into the murky reflection. A gaunt boy of perhaps five years old stared back. His hair was black and messy, sticking up in wild tufts. His face was sharp but smeared with dirt, his gray eyes unusually clear despite the exhaustion etched into them.
It wasn't the face of the fifteen-year-old boy who had fallen to his death. It wasn't his Earth self at all.
This was… new.
The Slums of Astralis
A scream pierced the distance, followed by harsh laughter.
Kairen flinched. He turned toward the sound, his stomach twisting. At the mouth of the alley, two older children shoved another boy into the mud. Their clothes were ragged, their ribs showing beneath filthy skin. One of them snatched a crust of bread from the fallen boy's hands and bit into it greedily.
The victim cried out, only to be kicked in the stomach. He curled up, sobbing. The others laughed and ran off.
Kairen's chest tightened. It was the same everywhere—Earth or here—the strong preyed on the weak.
His fists clenched.
The sobbing boy crawled away into another alley, clutching his stomach. Kairen remained frozen, torn between instinct and fear. His new body was frail. He couldn't even stand without wobbling. What could he possibly do?
His throat felt dry. This place… this world… is no kinder than the last.
And yet, something within him sparked.
If this was his new beginning, he wouldn't spend it cowering.
Hunger and Realization
Hours passed. Kairen wandered the maze of alleys, searching for answers, for people who might help. But the truth became clear quickly: these were the slums, the bottom rung of society.
Everywhere he looked, children and adults alike glared with suspicion, clutching their scraps of food tighter. Many ignored him altogether. Some spat at his feet. A few reached out, only to try and steal what little he had—nothing.
By nightfall, Kairen's stomach was screaming. He stumbled back to the same puddle where he had awakened, collapsed against the wall, and pressed a hand against his hollow belly.
The hunger was worse than he remembered on Earth. This body was smaller, weaker, already malnourished.
He shivered violently as the cold crept in.
I died once already. Am I just going to die again?
The thought clawed at him. Fear welled in his chest. But then his parents' faces flashed in his memory, and the promise he had made in the void echoed: If there's another life, let me not be powerless.
He grit his teeth.
"No," he whispered hoarsely. "Not this time."
The First Fight
The sound of footsteps pulled him from his thoughts.
Three children, older and broader, entered the alley. Their eyes gleamed as they spotted him huddled against the wall.
"New rat," one sneered, cracking his knuckles. "Got anything on you?"
Kairen's pulse spiked. He shook his head quickly. "No."
The second boy snorted. "Then we'll take your place. This spot's ours now."
Before Kairen could react, a fist slammed into his cheek. His head whipped sideways. Pain blossomed hot and sharp. The boys laughed.
Something inside Kairen snapped.
He staggered to his feet, wobbling, and swung wildly. His small fist connected with one boy's chest. It wasn't much, but the surprise made the bully stumble back a step.
The others jeered and retaliated, fists and kicks raining down. Kairen grunted, gasped, but refused to fall. For every blow he took, he swung back once, twice, clawing, shoving.
The fight ended quickly. Outnumbered and weaker, he was left sprawled on the ground, bruised and bleeding. The bullies spat on him and left.
Pain throbbed through his body. Tears blurred his vision.
But beneath the pain, something else stirred.
It wasn't despair this time.
It was anger.
And beneath the anger, a faint glow.
The First Glimmer
Kairen blinked. The puddle beside him shimmered faintly, ripples dancing across its surface though no wind blew.
A faint hum filled his ears.
Then words appeared before his eyes.
Glowing, translucent text hovered in the air, sharp and clear against the darkness:
[ System Initialization… ]
Kairen's breath caught.
[ Host detected. ][ Syncing soul fragments… complete. ][ Error. Duplicate system signature found. ][ Primary System: Eternia Standard Awakening (Locked until Age 10). ][ Secondary System: Infinite Growth (Override Active). ]
The glow intensified, bathing the alley in pale light.
Kairen's heart hammered. His lips trembled as he whispered the words.
"A… system?"
System Awakening
The glowing words lingered before Kairen's eyes, burning into his mind.
[ Secondary System: Infinite Growth (Override Active). ]
His chest rose and fell rapidly. A system… he had overheard the bullies talking earlier, about awakening at ten years old, about power and destiny. Could this be what they meant?
But… why him? He was only five.
And why two systems?
As if sensing his confusion, the words shifted.
[ Welcome, Host. ][ You have been granted the Infinite Growth System. ][ Unlike conventional systems, this system is not bound by levels, paths, or restrictions. ][ Growth Potential: Infinite. ]
Kairen stared, slack-jawed.
Infinite…?
On Earth, he had been chained by debt, crushed beneath burdens he couldn't escape. Every path was blocked. Every opportunity denied.
But here…
His trembling hand reached toward the floating text, as if afraid it might vanish. "Show me," he whispered.
Status Window
The glow reshaped into a panel.
[ Status ]
Name: Kairen
Age: 5
Race: Human (Unverified Lineage)
Body: Weak / Malnourished
Spirit: Dormant
Primary System: Locked (Activation at Age 10)
Secondary System: Infinite Growth (Active)
Attributes:
Strength: 1
Agility: 1
Endurance: 1
Willpower: 3
Luck: ?
[ Special Notice: Host carries a hidden bloodline. Verification requires further growth. ]
Kairen's eyes widened. A hidden bloodline? His pulse raced. Could this mean he had parents here, too? Someone who… cared?
He shook his head. That didn't matter now. What mattered was the panel itself.
Strength: 1. Agility: 1. Endurance: 1.
He grimaced. So I really am as weak as I feel.
But then his eyes locked onto the final line.
Infinite Growth (Active).
The First Quest
New text scrolled across the panel.
[ Quest Generated: Survive the Slums ]
Objective: Endure seven consecutive days without dying.
Reward: +2 Strength, +2 Agility, +2 Endurance, Skill: Pain Tolerance (Lv. 1).
Failure: Death.
Kairen swallowed hard. Seven days?
His body ached from the beating. Hunger clawed at his stomach. The cold seeped into his bones.
Seven days in this hellhole felt impossible.
And yet…
He clenched his fists.
He had died once already. This time, he would not let despair win.
Pain and Resolve
The next day, the bullies returned.
Kairen saw them coming. His body screamed for him to run, but he stood his ground. When the first fist came, he raised his arms to block. The blow rattled his bones, pain shooting up to his shoulder. He gritted his teeth and swung back.
His punch was clumsy, weak—but it landed. The boy cursed and kicked him hard in the ribs.
Kairen collapsed, wheezing. But he pushed himself up again, eyes blazing.
The fight ended the same way as before, with Kairen on the ground, bruised and bleeding.
But this time, something was different.
A soft chime echoed in his mind.
[ Progress Recorded. Host has endured. ]
And then:
[ Skill Acquired: Pain Tolerance (Lv. 1). ]
A strange warmth spread through his body. The pain dulled slightly, the sharp edges blurring.
Kairen's lips curled into a faint smile.
It worked.
He could grow.
The Hunger Test
By the third day, hunger gnawed at him relentlessly. His body was weak, trembling. Every step was an effort.
He scavenged scraps from the garbage piles, fought rats for crumbs, even drank from the filthy puddle that reflected his battered face.
Each moment of survival, the system acknowledged.
[ Progress Recorded. Host has endured. ]
On the fourth day, he stumbled upon a stale piece of bread in the mud. Two other boys spotted it at the same time.
They lunged.
Kairen snarled, hurling himself into the struggle. Fists flew, nails scratched, teeth bit. Pain flared across his body, but he refused to let go. His determination burned hotter than their desperation.
When the fight ended, he was bleeding, gasping—but the bread was still in his hands.
He devoured it, every bite a victory.
The system chimed again.
[ Strength +1. Agility +1. Endurance +1. ]
Kairen's eyes widened as warmth surged through his limbs. The hunger didn't vanish, but he felt… sturdier. Faster. Stronger.
For the first time, he wasn't weaker than yesterday.
The Seventh Day
Nights blurred into days, days into nights. Each moment was survival, each breath a battle.
By the seventh day, Kairen's bruises had faded faster than they should have. His punches landed harder. His steps were lighter. He could endure the hunger, the cold, the pain.
When the system chimed again, he nearly wept.
[ Quest Completed: Survive the Slums. ]
Reward Applied.
[ Updated Attributes: ]
Strength: 4
Agility: 4
Endurance: 4
Willpower: 4
[ Skill Acquired: Pain Tolerance (Lv. 2). ]
Kairen stood tall in the alley, fists clenched.
He was still only a boy. Still only five. But compared to when he had first arrived, he was no longer the same.
A fire had been lit.
The Promise
Kairen stared up at the stars peeking through the smoke-choked sky. His lips trembled, but this time, it wasn't from fear.
"On Earth, I was powerless. Here… I won't be."
He pressed a hand over his heart, feeling the steady thump of his new life.
"This is my second chance. And I'll climb higher than anyone."
His voice hardened, echoing off the alley walls.
"I'll become strong enough that no one can ever take everything from me again."
The system pulsed softly, as if acknowledging his vow.
And somewhere far away, in a chamber of shadows, a cloaked figure stirred.