The first thing Rei Ardent felt after reincarnation was… damp earth.
He expected a bed, soft linen, maybe warm sunlight through a window. Instead, he landed on a thick layer of moss. Cool, soft, and fragrant with soil and leaves.
Birdsong echoed through the forest canopy, mingling with the distant babble of a stream. Everything was alive, and entirely wild. No villages, no roads, no civilization in sight.
Rei sat up slowly, brushing dirt from his clothes. His hands felt different, stronger, younger, capable.
"So… I'm alive. And in a forest," he muttered. "Survival first, everything else later."
Then, a ripple of light appeared in his vision.
[Unique Skill "Avatar Creation" is available.]
[Would you like to access the Avatar Forge for the first time?]
Rei's pulse raced. This was it. His advantage. His cheat.
"Yes. Take me there."
The world blurred. Rei opened his eyes to an endless white space. Panels of light hovered, pulsing faintly.
A crystalline orb floated in front of him.
[Avatar Slot 1: Empty]
[Create New Avatar?]
His palms sweated.
"Let's do this."
Panels unfolded like blooming flowers: Appearance, Race, Talent Focus, Personality Parameters, Evolution Path Potential.
Rei's jaw dropped. Every option in the Forge could reshape reality.
He flicked the Race panel. Only one option was available:
Human — Available (default)
Beastborn — Locked
Drakonid — Locked
Sylvian — Locked
Arcane Construct — Locked
Shadowborn — Locked
Celestial Fragment — Locked
Lunar Seraph — Locked
Chimera Variant — Locked
Unknown Locked Forms — Locked
[Hint: Other races can be unlocked by discovering items connected to their kind.]
[Note: Additional races exist beyond this list, but they are currently locked.]
Rei frowned. "So… Human is the only one I can pick for now."
He selected Human for his first Avatar. Practical, simple, and adaptable.
Rei moved to the Appearance panel, scrolling through sliders with curiosity and growing excitement.
Hair color, eye shape, height, musculature, facial expressions, all could be tweaked. He paused on hair color. Silver… yes, that feels right.
Eyes: sharp, intelligent, not intimidating. Face: calm, focused. Build: athletic but approachable.
"Not too flashy… reliable, capable," Rei muttered. "Perfect for starting out."
Next, Talent Focus. Sliders, checkboxes, and branching options appeared:
Swordsmanship, Archery, Mana Control, Agility, Elemental Affinity, Perception, Adaptive Growth, Survival Instinct and more.
He tapped Swordsmanship, Mana Control, Fast Learner, and Agility. Balanced, versatile, practical. We need to survive first, grow later.
Personality Parameters appeared next. Rei scrolled, noticing subtle differences. Some personalities were strong but reckless, others loyal but timid.
He settled on: Calm, Loyal, Independent, Analytical.
[Note: Additional personalities available. Scroll to view more.]
He scrolled through dozens more, curious about the extremes. Some were reckless, others cunning, some entirely detached. He smiled faintly. Good. This world has variety. This will matter later.
Finally, Evolution Path Potential. Graphs, nodes, and branching lines flickered, some marked unknown. Rei leaned closer.
"So… growth and evolution depend on choices and experience," he whispered. "Not everything is fixed. Interesting."
[Yes. Growth potential adapts based on actions and choices.]
Rei examined the unknown nodes, imagining possibilities. A subtle thrill ran through him. This is power… not just a cheat, but a chance to shape someone truly unique.
The orb pulsed. Light spread across the panels. [Avatar Creation Complete.]
[Avatar 1 Awakening…]
A young man stepped forward in simple training clothes. Silver hair caught the dappled forest light, eyes calm and intelligent. He scanned the trees, then looked at Rei.
A system prompt appeared before Rei:
[Enter Name for Avatar 1]
Rei typed slowly, thinking. Strong, reliable…
"Your name is… Aster."
The orb glowed. Aster placed a hand over his chest.
"Aster. Accepted, my lord."
[Avatar 1: Aster — Synchronized. Shared Growth Enabled.]
Rei's heart pounded. He had done it. His journey had begun. And he wasn't alone.
"Let's get stronger together, Aster," Rei said.
Aster's eyes scanned the surrounding forest, calm and focused.
"Understood, my lord. We should first secure food and shelter. Everything else can wait."