The morning sun peeked over the misty peaks of Mt. Qirin, casting its golden rays on the quiet village below.
Kael'tar, once the mighty Demon Emperor, stood in the middle of a modest field, his once-pristine hands covered in dirt.
It had been a week since his reincarnation, and the reality of his new life was beginning to settle in.
Gone were the days of commanding armies and hoarding treasures.
Now, his days were filled with backbreaking labor, feeding squawking chickens, and tolerating the incessant chatter of this body's younger brother, Ryn.
Kael leaned on his hoe, staring at the freshly plowed rows of soil with a mixture of frustration and grim determination.
His body was slowly adjusting to the grueling work, but it still ached in ways he never thought possible.
"Kael!" Ryn's voice rang out, breaking his thoughts. The boy came bounding over, his face flushed with excitement. "Ma said breakfast is ready! And guess what? She made your favorite—turnip stew!"
Kael sighed, wiping the sweat from his brow.
In his former life, he dined on roasted pheasant, spiced wine, and delicacies from across the realms. Now, he was expected to be excited about turnips.
"Wonderful," he muttered dryly, setting the hoe aside and following Ryn back to the house.
Inside the tiny kitchen, their mother ladled steaming stew into wooden bowls. She gave Kael a warm smile as he entered. "Good morning, Carseain. You've been working hard. Sit down and eat."
Kael sat at the rickety table, the aroma of the stew wafting up to meet him.
Despite his disdain for the simplicity of it, his stomach growled in anticipation.
As they ate, Ryn launched into another one of his tales about the village gossip. "Old man Haron says a merchant caravan is passing through tomorrow! They're bringing all sorts of fancy stuff—jewelry, silk, even weapons!"
Kael's ears perked up at the mention of weapons. His mind immediately began spinning with possibilities
That afternoon, Kael ventured into the village with Ryn in tow.
The streets were bustling with activity as the villagers prepared for the arrival of the caravan.
Kael observed everything with a calculating eye.
The layout of the village, the strengths and weaknesses of its defenses, the interactions between its people—old habits died hard.
As they passed the blacksmith's shop, Kael's attention was drawn to a rack of crude swords and farming tools.
He picked up one of the swords, testing its weight. It was poorly balanced, the blade dull, but it was a start.
"Planning to be a hero, Carseain?" Haron's gruff voice came from behind him.
Kael turned, raising an eyebrow. "Hardly. Just curious."
Haron chuckled, slapping Kael on the back. "Well, if you're curious, why not put it to use? There's a wild boar causing trouble in the eastern woods. Take care of it, and I'll let you keep that sword."
Kael smirked.
A test of skill, even against a wild animal, was better than nothing.
"Consider it done," he said, gripping the sword tightly.
The eastern woods were dense and shadowy, the air thick with the earthy scent of moss and damp leaves.
Kael moved carefully, his senses on high alert.
The forest stretched wide and untamed before Kael'tar, its dense canopy filtering sunlight into flickering patches of gold and shadow.
Armed with a dull, poorly balanced sword that felt more like a farming tool than a weapon, Kael ventured deeper into the eastern woods.
Each step crunched against the undergrowth, the sound unnervingly loud in the quiet wilderness.
In his past life, he could have incinerated the boar with a single thought.
In his previous life, this would have been laughable.
A boar? It would have been incinerated before it even knew what hit it.
But now, stripped of his powers and trapped in this frail human body, Kael was painfully aware of the steep uphill battle before him.
The forest felt alive, every rustle of leaves or snap of a twig causing his instincts to flare.
He gripped the sword tightly, the calluses on his palms reminding him just how much his life had changed.
A guttural snarl echoed through the trees, low and menacing, breaking the uneasy silence.
Kael froze.
His eyes darted around, searching for the source of the sound.
Then it came—a massive wild boar, easily twice the size of any ordinary one. Or maybe it's just an ordinary size, it's just that he became small.
Its tusks were long and sharp, its body covered in scars that told of countless battles.
Its small, dark eyes locked onto Kael, filled with primal fury.
The beast pawed at the ground, snorting loudly, and Kael realized it was about to charge.
"Alright," Kael muttered, adjusting his grip on the sword. "Let's see if this body has what it takes."
The boar charged with terrifying speed, a blur of muscle and rage.
Kael barely had time to dive to the side, rolling awkwardly as the beast barreled past.
The sword slipped from his grasp, clattering against a rock.
"Damn it!" he cursed, scrambling to his feet and grabbing the weapon.
His heart pounded in his chest as he faced the boar again.
The beast turned, snorting and stamping its hooves, clearly unbothered by its first miss.
Kael gritted his teeth.
In his former life, a flick of his wrist would have ended this.
Now, he had to rely on skill and strategy—both of which were severely hindered by this pathetic body.
The boar charged again.
This time, Kael sidestepped and swung the sword in a wide arc.
The blade connected with the beast's flank, but the dull edge barely cut through its thick hide.
The boar let out an enraged squeal and turned on him with renewed fury.
Kael danced backward, narrowly avoiding a swipe of the boar's tusks.
His breath came in ragged gasps, his muscles already screaming in protest.
"Is this what it's like to be weak?" he muttered, frustration bubbling up inside him. "How do mortals survive like this?"
The boar charged a third time, and Kael ducked, aiming for its legs.
The sword struck true, slicing into one of its hind legs.
The beast stumbled, letting out a pained roar, but it didn't go down.
Kael stepped back, panting, his arms trembling from the effort.
His blows were clumsy, lacking the precision and power he once commanded.
The boar turned, its injured leg barely slowing it down.
Blood dripped onto the forest floor, staining the leaves red, but the beast's rage was undiminished.
Kael raised the sword again, his grip slippery with sweat. "You're one stubborn creature," he said through gritted teeth. "But so am I."
The boar lunged, its tusks aiming for Kael's midsection.
He twisted his body, narrowly avoiding impalement, and brought the sword down on the beast's back. The blade sank in, deeper this time, but it still wasn't enough to kill.
The boar bucked wildly, throwing Kael off balance.
He hit the ground hard, the wind knocked out of him.
For a moment, the world spun, and he could hear the beast snorting above him.
With a surge of desperation, Kael rolled to the side just as the boar's tusks slammed into the ground where he had been.
Grabbing the sword, he scrambled to his feet, his vision blurry but his resolve firm.
"This ends now," he growled.
As the boar charged again, Kael stood his ground.
At the last possible moment, he sidestepped and plunged the sword into the beast's neck with every ounce of strength he could muster.
The blade sank deep, severing vital arteries.
The boar let out a final, agonized squeal before collapsing in a heap. Blood pooled around it, soaking the earth.
Kael stumbled back, his chest heaving, his entire body trembling.
He stared at the lifeless beast, a mix of exhaustion and triumph washing over him.
For a moment, he just stood there, catching his breath.
Then, with a dry chuckle, he muttered, "I used to destroy armies. Now I'm struggling with a boar. How the mighty have fallen."
He wiped the sweat from his brow and glanced at the dull, bloodied sword in his hand. It wasn't much, but it had gotten the job done.
He dragged the boar back to the village with difficulty, this was another ordeal in itself, but as he trudged through the forest, he couldn't help but feel a spark of pride.
It wasn't the grandest victory of his life, but it was a step forward—a reminder that even in this weakened state, he was still a warrior.
And warriors didn't stay down for long.
Back in the village, Kael dragged the boar carcass to Haron's doorstep.
The older man whistled, clearly impressed. "Well, I'll be damned. You actually did it."
Kael dropped the carcass unceremoniously at his feet. "I'll take that sword now."
Haron handed him the blade, a grudging respect in his eyes. "You've earned it."
As Kael walked back to the house, the sword slung over his shoulder, he couldn't help but smile.
'The road to power is long and arduous,' he thought. 'But I've walked it before. And this time, I'll walk it faster.'
But as he walked, Kael felt his back hurting. Then he remembered that he hit the ground hard while fighting a boar.
He was momentarily speechless.
"What a fucking weak body!" He cursed under his breath.