A comet was soaring through the universe—its light the only beacon in the dark, lifeless void.
It traveled endlessly, seemingly for eternity. But it was not so. Suddenly, the comet accelerated, propelling itself toward a world on the horizon—a blue planet, brimming with greenery that pulsed with life and oceans so vast they appeared infinite.
The comet traversed the oceans and continents, its radiant glow unnoticed by anyone. No one saw it, felt it, or acknowledged its presence. But abruptly, it picked up speed again, as if it had found a destination.
The comet descended toward a small house, a humble dwelling reminiscent of those in quiet villages. Inside, voices could be heard—humans. But as the comet entered the house, a startling sight unfolded. People screamed in terror, clutching an unconscious child no older than nine in their arms.
Upon seeing the child, the comet seemed to make a choice. It moved with purpose, heading straight for the child's chest—and was absorbed.
..............
[Ding!]
[System found a body to host!]
...
[Ding...]
[Host synchronization...]
[1%]
[2%]
...
[13%]
...
[41%]
...
[89%]
...
[100%]
[Ding!]
[Host synchronization completed!]
[Ding...]
[System synchronization...]
[1%]
...
[3%]
...
[8%]
...
[43%]
...
[87%]
...
[100%]
[Ding!]
[System synchronization completed!]
...
[Ding...]
[Scanning host's new body!]
[1%]
...
[6%]
...
[29%]
...
[69%]
...
[100%]
[Ding!]
[Host body scanning completed!]
[Ding!...]
[System evaluation!]
[TRASH]
...
[Ding...]
[Finding a better body from the system database!]
[1%]
...
[73%]
...
[100%]
[Ding!...]
[Proper body found!]
[Ding...]
[Changing structure of host body!]
[1%]
[2%]
[3%]
...
[37%]
...
[85%]
...
[100%]
[Ding!...]
[Host body structure changed!]
...
[Ding...]
[Scanning host spirit root!]
[1%]
[76%]
[100%]
[Ding!]
[System scanning completed!]
[Ding!]
[System evaluation of spirit root completed!]
[None]
[Ding….]
[Finding spirit root from database!]
[1%]
[2%]
[9%]
[68%]
[100%]
[Ding!]
[Spirit root found!]
[Ding!]
[Spirit root synchronization!]
[1%]
[2%]
...
[33%]
...
[67%]
...
[100%]
[Ding!]
[Spirit root synchronization completed!]
...
[Ding…]
[Initiating host camouflage!]
[1%]
...
[100%]
[Ding!]
[Host camouflage initiated!]
[Ding…]
[Initiating host awakening!]
[1%]
[2%]
...
[99%]
...
[100%]
[Ding!]
[System deactivation!]
[1%]
[100%]
......
Suddenly, the boy—who seemed lifeless—opened his eyes, disoriented. "What's happening?"
Before he could process another thought, a woman burst into tears and hugged him tightly. "My child, you're alive!" she exclaimed with joy, her voice trembling, along with her, the other two characters smiled with happiness and relief.
"WTF?! What's going on?!" he screamed internally, staring at the woman holding him. Confused and slightly terrified, he tried to make sense of his surroundings.
"Where am I?!" he yelled in his mind, frantically looking around. He spotted two others nearby, watching him intently, as he remained on the ground, wrapped in the woman's embrace.
"And who the hell are they?!" he thought, panic creeping in. For the first time since waking, he forced himself to speak. Scratching the back of his head nervously, he managed, "Uh... who are you?" He laughed awkwardly, trying to mask his confusion.
The smiles on the faces of those around him faltered, especially the woman holding him.
"Better play dumb," he thought, heart racing. "If I pretend I've lost my memory, maybe I can figure this out."
But as he glanced at the people before him, he noticed their expressions—their faces pale, their eyes filled with sadness. It was as if their world had collapsed again.
The woman, whose gaze had been downcast, suddenly raised her tear-streaked face. Her trembling hand touched the boy's cheek, her voice barely audible through her sobs. "It's us, sweetheart... it's us..."
Her tears dripped onto the boy's clothing as she struggled to form a broken smile, her expression filled with both relief and sorrow. She was trying to accept the impossible—her son, whom she thought she had lost, was alive. But his words had planted a new fear within her—a fear of losing him again.
After a pause, her voice returned, trembling as she cupped his cheek with both hands, her tear-filled eyes searching his. "It's us... your family." Her words flowed with a mixture of joy and grief, and the river of tears from her eyes seemed unending.
........
"Why is she crying, damn it?!" he thought, his confusion mingling with an odd sense of empathy for the woman's sorrow.
"Wait... am I in a kid's body?!" The realization hit him like a lightning bolt. "I'm a little brat now?!" His eyes widened in shock as he looked down at his small frame—a nine-year-old's body. Emotions of confusion, helplessness, and frustration surged within him.
Then, like a tidal wave, the memory of his death came flooding back.
"That bitch pushed me down the stairs!" Rage bubbled up as he recalled the incident, his mind replaying it with searing intensity. "But why did I die?!"
His fists clenched, trembling with anger and the desire for vengeance. "Why did she push me?!" He lamented over his fate, his thoughts consumed by the injustice.
But after a moment, he forced himself to calm down. "Wait... wait... take it easy," he muttered internally, attempting to piece together a plan.
"First of all, I'm... a damn kid now," he thought bitterly but his gaze shifted to the people before him
—a man with a fit physique, his shoulders broad and his posture straight, projecting an air of quiet strength. He stood under 1.85 meters tall, with short black hair neatly combed and coal-black eyes that seemed to pierce through the air. His face, while ordinary in features, bore a rugged charm that added to his presence. Despite his strong exterior, his expression was marked by deep worry and sadness.
Beside him stood another figure, a teenage boy around fifteen, with a lean and slightly athletic build, standing just under 1.80 meters. His hair was dark as the night sky, falling slightly over his forehead in messy strands. His face was striking, slightly above average, with sharp cheekbones and a jawline that hinted at his youthful masculinity. But his most captivating feature was his eyes—icy blue, so pale they seemed almost white, like the purest snow under sunlight. These eyes glistened with concern and an unmistakable sense of loss.
"Sweetheart?" The woman's voice broke his train of thought.
His attention snapped to her—the mother of the child whose body he now inhabited. Her beauty was nothing short of breathtaking, almost ethereal in its perfection. She had an elegant, hourglass figure, with soft, graceful curves and a slender waist. Her face was a masterpiece of delicate features, framed by flawless, porcelain-like skin that seemed to glow softly. But it was her eyes that truly captivated him—deep, luminous blue, holding the enigmatic depth of the ocean. At times, their color seemed so pale they verged on white, reminiscent of the purest snow glistening in the sunlight. They mirrored the same striking quality as the eyes of the older boy nearby, evoking both warmth and an almost melancholic beauty that was impossible to ignore.
"Wow!" he marveled, overwhelmed by her beauty. Yet, he felt no desire, only admiration.
"She's so beautiful..." he thought, then paused, sensing something unfamiliar. "But why do I feel... safe in her arms? Why do I feel... warm?"
He couldn't understand the comforting sensation, the maternal love he'd never known.
"...She's really pretty," he muttered in his mind, still trying to make sense of his situation.
...….
"Haa… good thing I told them to leave me alone for a bit," he said, running his hand across his forehead as if wiping away imaginary sweat from the mental exhaustion caused by the family's concern.
"So, let's see… First off, I'm a nine-year-old child, living with a family," he muttered to himself, analyzing the situation. But when the word family crossed his mind, a sudden warmth spread through his body.
It was the warmth of a word he had never been able to associate with himself before, a word that had haunted him. A word that his peers mocked him for, a word that had caused him pain, and one he had grown to despise. But now, in this new life, he could finally claim it as his own.
"I… have a family," he whispered softly, a faint smile tugging at his lips and tears beginning to gather in his eyes.
However, before they could fall, he quickly wiped them away with his hand. "I can't cry so easily… I barely even know them yet," he said to himself, his expression growing more serious, though tinged with a quiet resolve.
"But maybe… maybe I should thank her?" he muttered, his thoughts drifting to the girl who had pushed him down the stairs in his previous life.
"No… no," he said, shaking his head firmly.
"She killed me. She bullied me," he continued, frustration once again bubbling to the surface.
"And all of that… during my first year of university!" he shouted internally, lamenting the wasted time he had spent studying, only to die before achieving any degree or recognition. After a brief moment, he spoke again, trying to find some silver lining.
"Alright… calm down… At least I don't have to deal with them anymore!" he whispered, a small, relieved smile crossing his face.
"What do I know so far?" he asked himself, trying to piece together his current situation. Suddenly, a memory resurfaced—the strange sound he'd heard in his head right after waking up.
"Right! I heard something… but what was it?" he exclaimed in his mind, racking his brain. After a moment of concentration, the memory came flooding back.
| [Ding!] |
| [System deactivation!] |
| [1%] |
| [100%] |
"WTF?!" he screamed internally, glancing nervously at his surroundings. But deep down, he couldn't suppress the growing excitement, the grin spreading across his face.
"I HAVE A SYSTEM! HAHAHA!!!" he cheered inwardly, his excitement boiling over as his grin widened.
"Alright… calm down… deep breaths," he muttered to himself, attempting to steady his emotions, though the smile remained firmly on his face.
"How do they say it in those novels?... Ah, right," he said, recalling the familiar phrase.
"STATUS."
Before his eyes, a translucent blue panel appeared, slightly see-through and resembling something out of a game.
"OOOOOOO!!!" he shouted in excitement, the confirmation making his grin stretch even wider.
[STATUS]
[NAME: EVAN SOL]
[AGE: 9 years / 3 months / 6 days]
[LIFE SPAN: 79 years / 6 months / 19 days]
[CULTIVATION: NONE]
[BODY: ********]
[GRADE: |Top|Low|]
[...]
[SPIRIT ROOT: ELEMENTAL]
[GRADE: |Grand|Mid|]
[...]
"WOW… but what's cultivation? And this spirit root thing?" he asked aloud, excitement mixed with confusion as he stared at the screen.