"Yes! Go on! Keep it grinding! I'm coming!"

Those were the kinds of words that couldn't be heard in a tiny village nestled in the tranquil valley between Eliza and Lux's towering peaks, which seemed untouched by the chaos of the outside world. Here, life was simple and predictable—except for Leonard.

At fourteen, he lived alone, orphaned yet eerily composed. His neighbors whispered about him.

How could a boy so young know so much? His hands moved like those of a seasoned farmer, tending the sheep and crops with the ease of someone who had lived this life before.

Well… this behavior was only possible because he was a reincarnated person.

Before becoming Leonard, he had lived as a young man named Felip, who had died of cancer. On Earth, he picked up basic farming skills while watching his parents tend to herbal plants, hoping they might cure his disease. Without realizing it, Felip had absorbed those farming skills, and they were instantly added to his starter pack when he reincarnated.

Leonard's daily routine in the tight-knit village was straightforward. He would trade his crops for a slice of meat at the old lady's shop or swap them for a bag of rice with the rice field owner.

Though the village was remote, it wasn't entirely cut off from the rest of the world. But Leonard didn't bother learning about it. His simple life was enough. Who knew what diseases lurked out there in larger society?

The house was too quiet today. Leonard wiped the dust from a cabinet, his hands moving automatically through the familiar motions. For months, he had avoided this room, letting the memories of his parents remain untouched, buried beneath the layers of time. But today was different. Something was nagging at him, a restlessness he couldn't ignore.

He reached for a pile of old belongings, sorting through them with an odd sense of detachment. These things had once been his parents', but they felt distant now, like relics of a life he was supposed to mourn but couldn't fully grasp.

Was this how it always felt? To lose people, yet not know how to properly say goodbye?

As he lifted a pillow, something unexpected slid out—a folded piece of paper. His heart gave a small jolt.

What was this? He had gone through his parents' room dozens of times before and never seen it. Slowly, almost cautiously, he unfolded the paper.

'Dear Leonard, our son...'

The words hit him harder than expected. His parents' voices seemed to echo in his mind, as if they had been waiting to speak all this time.

'I hope you're not feeling too overwhelmed by our passing. I know it must have come as a shock, and for that, I'm truly sorry. The illness we suffered from wasn't just physical—it was beyond any cure, because the truth is... we were cursed. There was nothing we could do to stop it.

Though this letter can't possibly carry all the feelings we wish we could express, there's one thing we need you to always hold on to, We love you, Leo. More than words can say. We wanted nothing more than to see you grow, to be there by your side through everything life had in store for you. But... we couldn't.

So, please don't waste your precious time grieving for us. The world is vast, full of wonders and mysteries waiting for you to discover. Even without us by your side, explore it, Leo—at least see half of it. Feel its beauty, its blessings.

That's all for now, my love. Just know that we'll always be with you in spirit, watching over you.

With all our love,

Mom and Dad

P.S. This is your father. I left something for you—a gift. It's in my drawer. You'll find an orb there.'

"Eh?" Leonard's chest tightened. A curse? The world?

He hadn't realized his hands were trembling until he felt the first tear slip down his cheek. "Why now…?" he whispered, swiping the tear with his forearm before standing, his mind swirling. His parents wanted him to leave. Wanted him to see the world they never could. But how could he, when his entire life had been about surviving?

As he opened his father's drawer, Leonard's eyes landed on a small silver orb, just the size of his fingertips, sitting alone in the empty space. With nothing else inside, he assumed this must be what his father had left for him.

He picked it up, feeling an immediate tingling sensation shoot through his hand, but pushed the feeling aside as he spotted another letter, smaller than the first.

"Instructions..." Leonard read aloud. "Crush the orb with all your might and brace yourself for the activation of this gift. Enjoy it, Leo!"

Puzzled, Leonard examined the orb more closely. It didn't seem like something that could be easily crushed, but his father's words left him no choice.

Rolling it in his palm, he felt its smooth surface. 'How am I supposed to crush this?' he wondered, before deciding to test his strength. To his surprise, it gave way more easily than expected.

As he clenched his fist, he heard a faint crack. His fingertips met the sharp fragments, slicing into his skin.

Hissing in pain, he bit down and endured. His father's instructions told him to brace himself, and now he realized that might include this injury.

"That's it?" he muttered, glancing back at the letter. "Activating the gift? What did Father mean by that?"

With no answers from his thoughts, Leonard moved to check his mother's cabinet, but the moment he stepped forward, his knees buckled. His body, no longer obeying his commands, slowly crumpled to the ground, paralyzed.

"Damn it... What is this, Mother? Father?"

His eyes shut against his will, and he lost consciousness. But instead of drifting into sleep, he found himself standing before a grandiose white building, its numerous tall pillars stretching toward the sky. A staircase led up into the structure, beckoning him closer.

Feeling an odd sense of familiarity, he took a step forward. No other objects or buildings surrounded him—just clouds swirling at his feet and a vast, sky-blue emptiness above.

"Am I hallucinating, dreaming, or is this some kind of pantheon?"

His feet carried him inside, revealing a majestic, ethereal interior. Vases and paintings adorned the space, showcasing sights beyond anything he had experienced in both his lives.

"Am I in a pantheon? It feels like something straight out of Greek or Roman mythology."

As he murmured to himself, a thunderous voice suddenly echoed through the hall, startling him so much he almost lost his breath.

"What the hell…!"

Figures emerged from the depths of the hall—three tall beings, each radiating an ethereal presence as they approached him with graceful strides.

"How could a mortal enter your castle?"

"I don't know. It's surprising that a mortal made it to my heaven. Thor, would you mind stepping aside for a moment? I will question this mortal."

"Hey, don't forget the ore I asked for. I'm thinking of creating a version of Mjolnir."

"Understood… Leave."

Panic gnawed at Leonard with each passing second as a colossal figure advanced toward him. He was frozen, unsure of what to do. The being resembled someone from Earth's mythology.

'Shit! Shit! It's Zeus! He will kill me! Wake me up from this nightmare!'

Though Zeus's face bore anger, it was the opposite of what Leonard had expected, sparking his curiosity about how a mortal had reached their abode after they had sealed the connection to Earth because of the advancement of human technology.

'Wake up, Leo! Wake up!'