The morning sunlight streamed through the small window, waking Kain from a restless sleep. He sat up, rubbing his eyes, feeling the weight of the new reality settle in. He was no longer the 20-year-old programming prodigy who spent hours in front of a computer screen. Now, he was just a five-year-old boy in a world of swords and magic.
But I'm not helpless, he reminded himself.
The Programmer's Toolbox was still accessible. He could feel it, like a hidden layer beneath his thoughts, ready to be summoned at will. It was his secret weapon—a tool that no one in this world had, not even the strongest warriors or wisest mages.
Kain climbed out of bed and dressed in the simple clothes left for him—a rough woolen shirt and pants. His tiny hands felt awkward in them, the boy's body still foreign to him. As he made his way to the kitchen, the familiar smell of breakfast greeted him, and he found his mother, Elena, already at the table, preparing a meal.
"Morning, Kain," she said, her face lighting up with a smile as she handed him a plate of bread and cheese. "Your father's out on a job. He won't be back for a few days."
Kain nodded, taking the food, but his mind was elsewhere. He needed to test the Toolbox—to see if he could really manipulate this world like he had the game. After quickly finishing his meal, he slipped out of the house, heading toward the edge of the village.
The village of Wynton was quiet this time of day. The adults were busy with their chores, and only a few children ran around, playing near the fields. Kain knew he needed to find somewhere private to experiment with his abilities—somewhere no one would see.
He walked down a narrow dirt path that led to the forest just beyond the village. The trees grew denser as he moved deeper into the woods, the sounds of the village fading behind him. When he was sure he was far enough, he stopped.
Alright, let's see what I can do.
Kain brought up the Toolbox interface, and the familiar blue window materialized before him.
> Programmer's Toolbox
Status: Active
Abilities: IDE, Debugger, Code Execution
He grinned. First things first—he needed to adjust his stats. He opened the stat window, the one that showed his current strength, agility, and intelligence.
> Kain
Age: 5
Strength: 2
Agility: 3
Intelligence: 10
Skills: None
"Let's give this a little boost," he muttered to himself, navigating to the Code Execution tool. This was where he could input lines of code to change the game's parameters—well, his new world's parameters.
He typed in a simple line:
Increase Strength by 5 points.
The code executed instantly, and the stat window updated.
> Strength: 7
Kain felt a strange sensation course through his body—a sudden warmth, like his muscles had tightened. He flexed his small arms, not feeling much different. But he knew it would take more than just changing the numbers. His body needed to adjust to the new strength, or it would be useless.
He had learned this the hard way in the game. If you boosted your stats without training, you wouldn't be able to control the power. The system could boost his strength, but it couldn't teach him how to use it.
Time for some training.
Kain scanned the area, spotting a fallen tree not too far away. It looked heavy—perfect for a test. He approached it, bracing himself. His small hands gripped the rough bark as he tried to lift it.
At first, nothing happened. His body wasn't used to this kind of exertion. But after a few attempts, he felt it—a shift. The tree moved slightly. He strained, pulling with all his might, and to his amazement, the log lifted off the ground, if only a few inches.
His arms trembled, and he dropped the log with a grunt, panting. So the strength works, he thought, wiping the sweat from his brow. But he'd need to keep training if he wanted to handle it better.
The next thing on his list was agility. He needed to be faster, more nimble, especially in a world where monsters roamed freely.
He brought up the Toolbox again, typing:
Increase Agility by 5 points.
The stat updated, and Kain immediately felt a lightness in his body. He tested it out, running a few paces forward. His legs moved faster, but he stumbled, almost tripping over a root.
Definitely need more practice with that, he noted, catching his breath. Agility wasn't just about speed—it was about balance, precision, and control. He'd have to train his body to keep up with the stats if he wanted to use them effectively.
---
Kain spent the next few hours testing different aspects of the Toolbox. He didn't want to make any drastic changes just yet—he didn't want to attract attention before he was ready. But small tweaks here and there, boosting his strength and agility slightly, would help him get started.
As he practiced, he also thought about the world he was in. From the memories of the boy whose body he now inhabited, he knew that Arathia was a land filled with adventurers, magic, and dangerous creatures. His father, Darren, often spoke of the monsters that roamed the wilds—goblins, trolls, even the occasional dragon.
But there were also great opportunities in this world. Adventurers were revered, and the kingdom's knights were said to wield incredible powers in combat and also mages. Kain had no desire to become a knight, but the idea of exploring the world excited him. He could see himself hacking his way through this reality, bending it to his will and uncovering its secrets.
For now, though, he had to be cautious. He was still just a child, and he knew the dangers that came with standing out too much too soon. If anyone found out he had this power—this ability to manipulate the very fabric of the world—they might see him as a threat. He couldn't afford that.
---
As the sun began to set, Kain made his way back to the village. His body ached from the training, a good kind of ache. He was already starting to get used to the new strength and agility, but he knew he had a long way to go.
When he returned home, his mother, Elena, was waiting for him.
"Kain, where have you been all day?" she asked, her hands on her hips.
"I was playing near the forest," Kain said, offering a sheepish smile. His memories of the boy helped him play the part, even if he still felt strange being this young.
Elena sighed but didn't press further. "Well, stay out of trouble. And don't go too far into the woods. You know what your father always says about the creatures that live there."
Kain nodded, though he knew that someday he'd have to face those creatures. Someday, he'd be ready. With the Toolbox at his disposal, he could become stronger than anyone in this world—he just needed time.
As he sat down for dinner, Kain thought about his next steps. He'd continue training, testing his abilities in secret, and slowly grow stronger. This world was full of potential, and with his knowledge of the game and the Toolbox, he had a massive advantage.
But he also knew that power came with responsibility. If he wasn't careful, he could lose control, attract the wrong kind of attention, or worse—break the very world he now lived in.
For now, he would play it safe. But soon enough, Kain would hack his way to the top.
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