His eyes opened again, and he looked around. He was in a strange old wooden house, sitting on a bed. To his left was an old worktable with a chair, and to his right hung paintings of dragons and other mythical creatures. The room was lit by a single hanging lantern, its light surprisingly bright—almost like a modern electric bulb. The walls were made of wood and cobblestone.
He glanced down at his body, and his eyes widened. His body was bigger than before, his hands noticeably larger than the first time.
He tried to get off the bed but fell to the floor. Ouch! It hurts!
Am I reincarnated? Or is this a dream?
No, if it was a dream, I wouldn't feel pain.
And this isn't a game. This is real.
He touched the old chair. The texture was tangible—the feeling was real. As he moved forward, he hit his little toe on the chair's edge. Ouch! That hurts!
Tears started to form in his eyes. Why am I crying so much? Is it because I'm a kid?
---
The door suddenly swung open as an old man entered the room. He had a long white beard and a weathered, hanging face. He wore loose, flowing robes that looked worn but elegant—like something a wise sage or a traveler from a distant land would wear.
He walked toward the kid, gently picking him up and lifting him high.
"Why are you crying, Rayen?" The old man's voice was deep and cracked, yet carried a tone of experience and wisdom.
"Ra-rayen?" The kid stammered, surprised to hear himself say the name aloud.
"Yes, that's your name. Rayen Omiosen," the old man said with a gentle smile. Before Rayen could ask anything, the old man set him back down on the bed.
"Wait here. I've prepared something for you."
With that, the old man left the room.
---
Is this the same old man I saw before?
The old bastard who took me away?
What did he prepare for me?
Rayen sat there, confused and uneasy. What's going on? A new life? Is this… a second chance? Or it's just another hell...
Before he could think more, the silence broke—the old man returned. He was holding a plate high above his head, clearly trying to keep its contents hidden from Rayen.
The old man took a deep breath, then said,
"Congratulations! You're three now!"
Rayen tilted his head, confused.
Seeing his reaction, the old man chuckled. "You're three years old now. You should be happy!"
He slowly lowered the plate. Sitting on it was a dessert that looked a lot like pumpkin pie, with a single candle on top—shaped like the number 3. Rayen stared at it, realizing what was happening.
He's… celebrating my birthday?
"I found you on this day," the old man said with a smile. "Now blow this candle, then I'll let you eat this sweet."
Rayen looked at the plate, then at the old man. He opened his mouth, struggling to speak.
"Wh-why? You're… celebrating my bi-birthday?"
His thoughts swirled as he clenched his fists.
Not even my own parents celebrated it. They just gave me ten rupees and said, 'buy whatever you want'—that was it.
Even their 'happy birthday' was drier than the money I got.
But then, the old man's voice gently cut through his thoughts.
"Why, you ask?" He sighed. "My parents didn't celebrate mine, but… isn't it normal? To celebrate and enjoy the fact that you were lucky enough to be born?"
Rayen's eyes widened. He looked down as tears started to fall down his cheeks.
Why am I even trying to explain what's normal to a child who hasn't seen the world yet? the old man thought, then let out another sigh.
With a soft smile, he said, "Now blow the candle, or the sweet will go cold."
Rayen leaned forward and blew out the candle. The old man clapped gently, then walked over to grab another plate. He cut a piece of the dessert and served it carefully.
"I'm sure you'll like it," he said.
Rayen didn't say a word. He ate the sweet, tears still streaming from his eyes.
Th-thank you… thank you, thank you, thank you!
Rayen finished the dessert and gently placed the plate aside.
"Th-that was delicious," he said.
The old man chuckled. "That's quite a big word for a little kid to use."
Rayen's eyes widened.
Damn… I'm a child here, not that unemployed 29-year-old anymore.
Why the hell did I talk so much? Did he notice something?
Did I just expose myself?
No... I've got to be careful. I can't let him know I'm reincarnated.
Without another word, Rayen laid back down on the bed, pretending to be tired.
"You're going to sleep? Alright then, I'll leave you be," the old man said kindly. "But if you need anything, just call me."
With that, he quietly stepped out of the room.
---
This child… just yesterday, he looked half-dead, the old man thought to himself. Since I brought him here, he was breathing—but empty. He never moved, never opened his eyes, like he was stuck in some kind of deep sleep.
But today… he woke up.
The last two years, the birthday sweet I made always went to waste. I thought the same would happen again this year. But then—he awakened.
It's the first time he's moved since the day I found him. He was barely surviving, but now… something's changed.
---
The next morning, Rayen slowly opened his eyes.
Is it morning already?
He rolled off the bed and walked toward the door. It took some effort, but he managed to open it. As it creaked open, he looked around. To the left was a small kitchen, and to the right, another room—probably the old man's. Two windows let in warm, golden sunlight that filled the hallway.
In front of him was another door. Curious, Rayen walked over and grabbed the handle. It resisted a little, but with some struggle, he finally got it open.
The moment it swung outward, bright sunlight hit his eyes. He squinted, shielding his face with his hand.
So bright… I didn't remember feeling sunlight since I was born in this world.
As his eyes slowly adjusted, he saw the world outside. Stretching all around were open grasslands and distant hills. The land was vibrant with green grass and scattered trees. Aside from the house he stood in, there wasn't another building in sight.
He stepped outside, taking in the scenery. To his right were green mountains, and far in the distance—thick forests.
Just then, he felt a tug at his clothes—like something was chewing on them. He turned to his left and jumped back in surprise.
A small lamb was nibbling at his shirt.
Startled, Rayen screamed and started running. The little lamb, amused, chased after him.
He ran left—but ended up in a patch where several more sheep were peacefully grazing. That only made him panic more.
He wasn't pretending. He was genuinely scared, shouting and crying as the fluffy lamb chased him across the field.
As Rayen ran into the herd of sheep, they calmly stepped aside, making space for him. He kept looking back at the little lamb still chasing him—until suddenly, he bumped into something solid.
He looked up.
It was the old man.
The little lamb stopped in its tracks, then trotted back to the herd. But Rayen, still scared, grabbed tightly onto the old man's robe and buried his face in it.
The old man smiled softly.
Perfect… he's making progress. He's starting to show fear, react to things, behave like a child. He's acting like a normal kid now.
With that thought, he gently lifted Rayen and placed him on his shoulder. Then he started walking away from house.
"Where are we going?" Rayen asked, eyes wide as he looked around from above.
"You'll find out soon," the old man replied, walking steadily across the open field.
From his elevated view, Rayen scanned the surroundings. The terrain—the green plains, the shapes of the hills, the scattered trees—something about it all felt eerily familiar.
Wait... these landscapes… these mountains… they remind me of something.
I can't recall the house I was in, but these terrains—I'm sure I've seen them before.
They look just like the Greenlands of the Human Empire… in WuXhun Online.
His eyes widened.
Am I… inside WuXhun Online? Is this really that world?
But… this doesn't feel like a game. There's no status window, no UI, no missions. I can feel pain, I can feel the wind, the warmth of the sunlight—this is real.
And nerve gears don't even exist. Something this realistic shouldn't be possible.
Then the realisation hit him like a storm.
Am I reincarnated into WuXhun Online's world?!
His heart pounded.
If that's true… doesn't that practically make me omniscient? I know the structure of this world, how the powers work, the progression systems… I even know how to reach the Eternal Guardian.
But then a new thought crept in.
Still… I don't remember this old man, or this house, anywhere in the Greenlands of the Human Empire. The buildings, the NPCs… they're different.
Could it be… that this world is reset? That everything is shuffled?
If that's the case, I need to learn more—about the current civilizations, their leaders, their locations.
But even then… I have the edge. I understand the power system. I know the foundation. That's enough to start again—and rise.
Yeah, I can rise... I can rise again as the Strongest Player!