The rain fell steadily over the small village of Grey Hollow, the sound of droplets striking uneven cobblestones echoing through empty streets. Nestled in a remote valley far from the kingdom's bustling cities, Grey Hollow was a place forgotten by progress, where poverty and fear ruled in equal measure.
Kael trudged through the mud-slicked alleys, his head bowed low against the chill of the storm. His tattered shirt clung to his frail frame, offering little protection from the biting cold. Each step sent a jolt of pain through his side, where fresh bruises and cuts marked yet another day of humiliation.
"They'll never stop," he muttered, his voice barely audible over the rain.
The events of the afternoon played over in his mind. A group of boys—sons of the local miller—had cornered him in the market square. They had laughed as they shoved him to the ground, pelting him with stones and taunts.
"Cursed child," they had sneered. "Your parents probably left you because even they didn't want you."
The villagers had watched, their faces blank with indifference. Not a single hand had been extended to help him.
Kael wiped at his face, unsure whether it was rain or tears that streaked his cheeks. He was tired—tired of the pain, tired of the isolation, tired of being the village's scapegoat.
His feet carried him to the edge of Grey Hollow, where a decrepit shed sat in solitude. Its warped wooden door hung ajar, creaking with each gust of wind. Kael stumbled inside, collapsing onto the dirt floor.
The air inside was damp and musty, but it was dry. Kael pulled his knees to his chest, wrapping his arms around himself as he tried to ignore the hunger gnawing at his stomach.
"I can't keep living like this," he whispered.
The darkness of sleep crept in quickly, but as Kael's consciousness faded, a strange sensation gripped him. It was as though his very soul was being pulled from his body.
"Do you seek a second chance, wanderer of worlds?"
Kael's eyes shot open. The shed was gone. He floated weightlessly in an endless void, surrounded by stars that shimmered like diamonds. The air—if it could even be called air—was warm, comforting.
"Who… who's there?" Kael's voice trembled, though it echoed with surprising clarity.
"I am a fragment of the cosmos, a guide for those unbound by their worlds. You are not meant to perish here, child of two lives. You are meant for more."
Kael blinked, trying to process the words. "Two lives? What do you mean?"
The voice, deep and resonant, seemed to hum with amusement.
"You have walked the threads of fate before. This is not your first life, Kael."
Memories Kael hadn't known existed surged forward, crashing against his mind like a tidal wave. Images of a distant world—bright and chaotic, filled with towering skyscrapers and boundless possibilities—flashed before him. He remembered himself as a researcher, a man obsessed with unraveling the mysteries of existence. That life had been full of ambition but devoid of satisfaction. And now…
"I was… reincarnated?" Kael whispered.
"Indeed. And now, I offer you a choice."
A choice? Kael felt a flicker of something he hadn't felt in years: hope.
"What kind of choice?" he asked.
"The chance to rewrite your destiny. To rise above this world and grasp the power that lies beyond. Will you take it?"
Kael hesitated. The scars of his current life made him doubt his worth, but the idea of staying powerless and hated was unbearable.
"I'll take it," Kael said, his voice trembling but resolute.
The voice chuckled, a sound both reassuring and awe-inspiring.
"Very well. Then awaken, Kael of Grey Hollow. Awaken, and rise."
Kael's eyes snapped open, and he gasped as air rushed into his lungs. His body jolted upright, his mind spinning.
The familiar scent of the shed returned, but something was different. The ache in his limbs had vanished, replaced by a strange warmth that coursed through his veins.
Before he could make sense of it, a faint chime echoed in his mind.
[SYSTEM ACTIVATED: ETHEREAL INSIGHT & BOUNDLESS AUSTERITY]
Kael flinched, his eyes widening as a translucent screen materialized before him. The words hovered in midair, glowing faintly in the dim light:
[Ethereal Insight]: The infinite understanding of all techniques, laws, and concepts. Mastery is achieved upon exposure.
[Boundless Austerity]: Reduces all costs—Essence, resources, and time—to zero for cultivation, creation, or technique usage.
Kael stared, his breath caught in his throat.
"What… what is this?"
"Your golden finger," the familiar voice from the void answered, faint but distinct. "A gift from the cosmos to unlock your true potential. With these, the limitations of ordinary beings will no longer apply to you."
Kael reached out, his hand trembling as if to touch the glowing screen. The text flickered before vanishing into nothingness, leaving him alone once more.
For a long moment, he simply sat there, his mind reeling.
Ethereal Insight? Boundless Austerity? The implications of such powers were staggering. Infinite understanding meant he could grasp techniques and concepts instantly, while Boundless Austerity removed the burdens of cost and effort. These weren't just gifts—they were cheats, abilities that defied the very fabric of reality.
Kael clenched his fists, his heart pounding. For years, he had been at the mercy of others, powerless to change his fate. But now…
"They called me cursed. They beat me, mocked me, and left me to rot," he whispered, his voice steady despite the storm of emotions within him. "But that ends here. I'll rise above this miserable life. Above this world. No one will ever look down on me again."
Kael stood, his frail frame feeling lighter than ever before. The rain outside had slowed to a gentle drizzle, and the first rays of dawn peeked over the horizon.
He stepped out of the shed, his eyes fixed on the distant hills that marked the edge of Grey Hollow. For the first time, the future didn't feel like a burden. It felt like a challenge—a challenge he was finally ready to face.
The villagers wouldn't know what was coming. The orphan they had cast aside was no longer powerless. He was no longer just Kael of Grey Hollow.
He was something far greater