Chapter 2: A New Identity
Leon lay there for a long time, staring at the spot where the glowing blue words had disappeared.
His heart was still racing and his hands trembled, not from weakness this time, but from fear.
He had no idea what was happening to him.
The villagers thought he was a knight.
The old woman had thanked him for saving them.
But the truth was simple, he had no idea how to be a knight. In fact, he wasn't the knight the villagers thought he was. Somehow, he had replaced him.
And now… this. A "system"? Like the ones from the games he used to play?
His throat felt dry, and though he was hesitant, he whispered, "System Status...?"
A chime echoed in his mind. Then, just like before, glowing text appeared in the air.
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[Status Window]
Name: Leon Ashford
Age: 19
Race: Human
Class: Knight (Unranked)
Level: 1
EXP: 0/50
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HP: 70/100
MP: 30/30
Stamina: 30/50
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Strength: 10
Agility: 9
Endurance: 11
Intelligence: 10
Charisma: 8
Luck: 6
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Skills: Basic Swordsmanship Lv.1, Knight's Endurance Lv.1
Titles: [Confused Reincarnator]
Inventory Slots: 10
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Leon stared at the floating panel, his mouth half open.
"This… this is real," he whispered. "It's just like the games."
His eyes scanned the stats over and over Strength, Agility, Endurance… numbers, like he was some game character brought to life.
His own name was there, though the last name had changed. Ashford. He didn't know what it meant, but seeing it made his chest tighten.
Then his gaze landed on one particular skill: Knight's Endurance Lv.1.
The moment he focused on it, more text appeared.
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[Knight's Endurance Lv.1]
Passive Skill: Your body heals faster from wounds and exhaustion. Pain is also slightly reduced.
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As he read, he realized his breathing had steadied. His chest still hurt, but the sharp pain had turned into a dull ache. His muscles didn't feel as heavy.
Slowly, he moved his fingers and then clenched his fists. His strength wasn't fully back, but it was returning, bit by bit.
"…It's working," Leon muttered, his voice filled with surprise.
He tried moving his body, testing how much he could handle.
The bandages was pulled tight, and his ribs ached, but he pushed through, managing to sit up on the edge of the bed.
His breathing became harder, sweat forming on his forehead, but he was moving.
Just yesterday or whenever it was he'd been hurt, this would have been impossible.
For the first time since he'd woken up here, he felt something close to hope.
Leon raised his hand and tried another command. "Inventory."
Another panel appeared, displaying neat little slots, all lined up like empty boxes.
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[Inventory]
Beginner's Healing Potion (x1)
2–10: Empty
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His eyes widened in surprise. "It… really stores things?"
Leon grabbed the rusty sword leaning against the wall, eager to see if he could store it. It felt heavy and awkward in his hand.
He wasn't sure how to hold it right, and the broken edge looked pathetic. But it was real.
He whispered, "Store."
With a faint flash of light, the sword disappeared from his hand.
Leon's heart skipped a beat.
Excited, he grabbed the leftover bread from the table and tried again. "Store."
The bread vanished just like the sword, leaving him staring at the empty table.
He opened his inventory again, eager to see the result.
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[Inventory]
Beginner's Healing Potion (x1) Rusty Sword (x1) Leftover Bread (x1)
4–10: Empty
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"Holy shit..." He laughed nervously, rubbing his forehead. "It's just like in the games."
For the first time since waking up in this strange place, the fear in his chest eased, even if just a little.
Yes, this world was dangerous.
Yes, he was in the body of a dead knight.
But at least now, he wasn't completely helpless.
He had a system.
Leon pulled up the list of rewards again: Basic Swordsmanship, Knight's Endurance, Aegis Pendant, Inventory.
Then, he felt something cool against his chest, beneath the bandages.
He hadn't noticed it before, but now he realized he was wearing the pendant.
It gave off a faint warmth, almost comforting.
As his gaze focused on it, another line of text appeared in his vision:
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[Aegis Pendant]
Rare Item: A powerful charm that significantly increases resistance to damage and slightly boosts healing speed.
Passive Effect: Reduces the impact of pain, dulling discomfort.
Bound Item: Cannot be lost.
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Leon let out a shaky breath. "So that's why I'm recovering this fast…"
It made sense now. The pain weren't as sharp, and the tiredness wasn't overwhelming.
This pendant was doing its job.
He touched it again, feeling its cool surface under his fingers.
"Maybe… I'm not completely helpless after all," he muttered, a little more hopeful.
The thought settled in his chest, mixing with the fear and confusion. He didn't know what was going on, but one thing was clear: He wasn't just going to sit around waiting to die.
It was overwhelming. He had died, his old life was gone forever.
And yet here he was, in a new body, with powers he never imagined were possible.
Leon closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. He didn't have all the answers, and he didn't know what would happen next.
But he was alive, and maybe that was enough for now.
He looked at the glowing blue screen again, then whispered to himself:
"…This is my second chance. After everything... maybe I shouldn't waste it."
The weight of it all hit him again. He had died, his old life was gone.
And yet, here he was, in a new world, with a new body. He didn't know anyone here, but at least the villagers had been kind.
Maybe he didn't have to figure it all out right now. He needed to learn more about this body how it felt, how it moved, what it could do.
And with the system, he could get stronger. Maybe even stronger than the knight who had once lived here.
There was still so much he didn't know, but for the first time since waking up in this strange world, he felt a spark of hope.
This was his second chance. And this time, he wouldn't waste it.
Taking a deep breath, Leon straightened up. Whatever came next, he was ready.
He was Leon Ashford now. And whether he was ready or not, he had a new life to live and a new role to play.