Abel hung in darkness, his mind numb. He barely felt the passage of time as his entire consciousness was enclosed in a blanket of warmth. He was lost in the abyss of darkness until his mind felt a slight nudge.
~...p, kid...~
~...ake up...!~
The nudges gradually grew more and more forceful, forcing him to emerge from that comfortable blanket of warmth. The moment he did, his mind was momentarily blinded by a bright light.
"You're finally awake, stupid kid." Audu's old voice called out to him from his right. The man sat cross-legged and held a wooden cane in his hand. It was most probably the cause of all the pokes and nudges Abel felt while he was unconscious.
As though waiting for him to wake up, memories began pouring into Abel's mind at once. Running into Aileen an her party. Watching as they faced off against Gnoll after Gnoll. Getting caught by the leader of the pack, fighting that leader, and then losing badly to the leader.
"My arms!" He sat up quickly and squeezed his fists. His arms remained intact, and so were his legs. In fact, all the scars that had previously accumulated on the limbs had now vanished. He was seated in a patch of green grass with a large fruitless tree providing shade from the sun. A cool breeze blew underneath the shade of the tree, keeping his body cool. A pair of black shorts and a sleeveless white shirt kept him covered.
A few paces away from him, Audu sat on a small rock that was conveniently placed by the tree. He leaned back and examined the vibrant green leaves that hung from the branches of the tree. When Abel looked closer, he could see many more wrinkles lining the old man's face than before. His white hair lost its previous shine was was in disarray.
"...Old man?"
"I'm okay, kid. Instead of worrying about me, you should prepare yourself." Audu smiled warmly at Abel. Although it was a bit stretched, it was genuine.
"What?"
"Don't worry. You'll understand in a few moments." He turned away from Abel, returning his gaze to the leaves.
It was then that Abel felt a shockwave go off in his head. His vision swam and his eyes lost focus.\
[Welcome, User. You may be experiencing shock, worry, fear, or excitement, but do not be concerned, for you are safe. You have just been revived from either death, or a near-death state. Your mental shock has been partially offset due to the effects of the Reincarnation System...] A voice spoke in Abel's mental space. [The System shall now begin analyzing your situation... Analyzing...]
[Analysis complete... You have been designated as the successor of the former User of this system. Your rights to the System are being restricted until you meet the standard and requirements set by the former User.]
[Your physical condition has been restored to the peak, as prior to your death... Your physical condition has been boosted by ten percent to compensate for your untimely death...]
"..."
"Strange, eh?" Audu turned to look down at Abel as he spoke. "That's what I first thought when I saw it."
[The former User has granted you the privilege of knowing his identity... The User before you went by the title of 'Heaven's Swordsman'...]
Abel's eyes widened in shock the moment he heard that title.
Heaven's Swordsman. A legendary figure known all around the globe for his unbeatable sword skills. When he still roamed the face of the earth, he was known to have single-handedly cleared an entire Tower within a single month.
Now, a month might not sound that short, but one had to know that the interior of Towers could be extremely challenging. The difficulty of each Floor increased and multiplied the higher you went. At first, it might be like 1+1=2, on the first three Floors, but from the fourth Floor upwards, it suddenly changes from 1+1, 2x2. The difference was very real.
Aside from that great feat, he had also conquered numerous other Towers around the globe. Wherever his sword flashed, blood sprayed and the heads of monsters went flying in the air.
"H-h-heaven's..." Abel couldn't breathe properly after realizing who's presence he was currently in. One of the world's most powerful figures was currently before him.
"Take it easy, kid. I'm no longer using that title so it's meaningless." Audu waved his hand dismissively. Although Abel wanted to argue with the validity of that statement, he only just ended up nodding absent-mindedly.
After seeing that Abel was starting to calm down, Audu then continued, "Now, you might be wondering what exactly is going on, hm?"
"Yes." Abel sat up on his knees and nodded fervently like an obedient puppy.
"It's very simple, depending on how you look at it. Let me start from the beginning. I... I am not from this world." He paused for a moment. "I come from a place that is in a far more advanced era. That place doesn't experience such disasters like here. It is called 'Earth'. There, technological wonders are the norm. We don't use wooden carriages, or giant tames lizards, or other strange docile beasts..." A deep sense of longing flashed through Audu's eyes as he thought back to his past life. He shook his head and regained his focus before continuing with his tale.
"Anyway, I had an accident, and before I died, a made a wish. I wished to be given another chance at life. A life I could live to the fullest. That wish came true in the form of the Reincarnation System. This System is basically a cheat code to life. I locked up most of its functions before passing it to you. You will need to work hard to gain access to every function. I believe in you, kid. That's why I chose you to be my successor... Don't let me down."
Audu got up from his perch, walked up to Abel, before patting him gently on the head and walking down the small hill where the tree was located on top of.