He sat up, testing his limbs. Memories of Arlen's life flooded in: training with his aging father, sneaking into the village library, watching travelers as they spun stories of the great cities, dungeons, and legendary beasts. Arlen's dreams had been small, but Nathan's ambitions began to grow.
First, survival. He needed to understand this body's limits. He called up the System again, focusing on his status.
[Status: Strength 8, Agility 7, Intelligence 11, Endurance 6. Skills: None unlocked. Experience: 0.]
Low for a world of warriors and mages, but he could work with this. He'd start with the basics: physical training and information gathering. He remembered the monsters—how they moved, how he'd nearly died. He'd need to grow stronger, fast.
Through the smoke of the ruined village, he found survivors. Some wept, some searched for loved ones, and some eyed him warily. He kept his head down, helping where he could, learning the rhythms of the place. Every night, he trained in secret: push-ups, sprints, wrestling with the weight of his own thoughts. Each time he exhausted himself, he felt the System's silent encouragement:
[+1 Endurance.]
Once, a window popped up unexpectedly:
[Skill Unlocked: Basic Swordsmanship.]
He grinned. Progress.