Arin blinked and rubbed his eyes. The soft light of the room faded into a strange, glowing interface that appeared in front of him. At first, he stared, confused. Nothing like this had ever existed before. There were numbers, words, and strange icons floating in the air, yet when he tried to focus on them, it all seemed blurry, like looking through fogged glass.
"Wh-what is this…?" he muttered to himself.
For a moment, nothing happened. Arin's small heart raced. He had accepted the Restart System, but he didn't know what to expect. He thought perhaps it would instantly make him stronger, faster, smarter. But looking at the floating interface, he saw nothing that made sense. He felt… ordinary. Nothing had changed—at least, nothing visible.
Then, a calm, mechanical voice echoed in his mind.
"System activated. Soul linked. You have entered the Restart World."
Arin froze. Soul linked? Restart World? The words sounded strange, but the voice was clear and authoritative.
"Do not be alarmed. All information and skill management will appear through the system interface. You may not see it yet, but your actions are now being tracked. Any effort you exert will be recorded and can become a skill."
Arin swallowed hard. "Recorded… as a skill?" he whispered. "I… I don't understand."
Arin stared at the interface. It still seemed strange and unreal, yet he could feel a subtle warmth inside his chest, like the system was already part of him.
"A new skill has been linked to your soul: Hard Work," the voice explained. "It has five proficiency levels: Basic → Intermediate → Advanced → Expert → Mastery. The more effort you put into your tasks, the faster your proficiency grows. Dedication will determine your progress."
Arin stared at the interface. It still seemed strange and unreal, yet he could feel a subtle warmth inside his chest, like the system was already part of him. Hard Work? Level 1 proficiency? It sounded… promising, but he didn't know how it worked.
"Wait… so just by doing things… I can gain a skill?" he asked. His voice trembled with a mix of excitement and disbelief.
"Correct. All tasks, no matter how small, are recognized by the system. Tasks performed repeatedly or with effort increase skill proficiency. Mastery requires dedication, patience, and consistency. Rewards will be granted as you grow."
Arin's mind spun. He had always been an average person, someone whose efforts went unnoticed. He had spent years working, struggling, studying, and trying to improve, yet it had never mattered. And now… the system would record his efforts? Every bit of hard work, every small improvement, every step forward could actually count?
He clenched his tiny fists. "So… even if I try my best at something small, it will matter?"
"Yes. Every effort is acknowledged. Proficiency will increase according to the dedication applied. Hard Work has been linked to your soul. You may begin at any time."
Arin's heart raced. He remembered his first year—the struggles, the little failures, the countless hours of trying without reward. And now… every action, every task, could help him grow. He could finally turn effort into something meaningful.
He looked around the small room. Picking up toys, trying to crawl faster, even observing his parents carefully—every little thing could become part of his growth. The idea made his heart pound with excitement.
"Your first task begins when you decide to act. The system will track your effort and proficiency automatically. Growth is measured not by talent, but by diligence."
Arin nodded slowly, feeling a strange warmth. It wasn't a flashy power or instant strength, but something more important. A chance. A chance to make every struggle, every effort, every drop of hard work count for something.
For the first time in his life, he didn't feel ordinary. Not completely. He had the system now. He had control over how he could grow. And most importantly, he could finally start turning small, unnoticed actions into something that truly mattered.
He clenched his tiny fists again and whispered to himself, "I'll work hard. I'll grow. I'll make this time count. Every effort I put in… it will lead me somewhere."
And somewhere inside him, the Hard Work skill glimmered quietly, ready to grow as he put in effort, from Basic all the way to Mastery.
Arin's small life had just begun… and for the first time, he felt a spark of hope.