"We will start changing this world," Ray said, his tone steady but laced with quiet determination.
B, who had been lazily floating by the window, tilted his glowing head. "Changing the world?" he repeated, as if the words were a joke. "Wait, wait—what are you talking about? You don't even have breakfast money, and now you're talking about the whole world? Shouldn't we start with something smaller, like… you know, keeping your room clean?"
Ray gave him a glance, unfazed. "You'll understand soon enough."
B squinted at him, then sighed dramatically. "You humans and your vague hero talk. 'I'll change the world!' Seriously."
Ray ignored him, raising his hand slightly. "System, open my panel."
A faint chime echoed in the room, and a glowing blue screen appeared before him, filled with faint lines of light that shaped into readable numbers. Ray leaned forward, scanning them closely.
Power: 2
Body: 3
Stamina: 4
Agility: 3
Magic: 100
Soul: ∞
He blinked. "What…? That can't be right."
B floated closer, peeking curiously. "What now? Did you break something already?"
"Look at this." Ray pointed toward the screen.
The moment B's eyes landed on the numbers, he froze. Then his energy flared faintly with disbelief. "No way… that says your magic is a hundred! That's impossible! What did you do, swallow a star or something?"
"Yeah, I thought it was wrong too," Ray said quietly.
B started pacing in the air, muttering rapidly, "The average person starts at five. Ten if they're gifted. Even high-tier mages barely cross seventy after years of training! How the hell did an average guy like you manage this?"
Ray frowned, staring harder at the glowing digits. His System had never made mistakes before—not in his old timeline, not now. But before he could make sense of it, B suddenly went silent.
He had spotted the final stat.
Soul: ∞
The glow surrounding him flickered for a second, his joking tone completely gone. "Wait. Ray…" His voice dropped. "That… that doesn't make sense. Infinity? No creature in this world has an infinite Soul. Not even the Creator. What are you?"
Ray met B's gaze for a moment. A dozen words formed in his throat, but none came out. He couldn't say it. He couldn't explain that he had already lived—and died—in a world that collapsed under its own chaos. Not to B. Not yet.
"It's nothing," he replied, forcing a laugh that didn't sound convincing.
B narrowed his glowing eyes. "Nothing, huh? You really expect me to believe that?"
Ray turned away, rubbing his neck. "Just drop it, B. I don't even understand it myself."
B floated closer, folding his arms like a teacher about to scold a stubborn student. "You're definitely hiding something. I can smell trouble all over you."
Before Ray could respond, the sound of the door startled them both—click.
The door slowly opened, and a soft, cheerful voice broke the silence.
"Oh? You're actually awake this early?"
Ray turned, his expression hardening in surprise. Standing at the doorway was a girl with dark hair tied into a loose ponytail. Her eyes were a warm brown, glowing slightly from the sunlight streaming through the hall. She smiled at him, the same smile he had seen a thousand times before—one that used to make him feel safe.
"S-Sofia…" he whispered without thinking.
Sofia stepped into the room, carrying a small bag. "What's with that face? Did I surprise you that much?" she teased, laughing softly. "You usually sleep until afternoon. I almost thought I'd have to shake you awake again."
Ray didn't respond right away. His throat tightened, the sound stuck there.
He hadn't seen her in years—not since the day everything had fallen apart in his last life. But now, here she was again. The same voice. The same warmth. Alive.
For a moment, it felt like time had stopped.
She was his childhood friend, his only family after his parents had died when he was sixteen. She used to visit every day, bringing cooked food because she said she didn't want him "turning into a ghost." In this new life, she looked exactly as he remembered—carefree, kind, and a little bossy.
The sight of her hit Ray harder than he expected. His chest felt heavy, his heart pounding painfully in his ribcage. It was strange—he had faced death, chaos, and gods without blinking… but just seeing her here again made him feel like he might break.
"Sofia…" he repeated softly, almost as if confirming she was real.
She giggled, tilting her head. "What's with that look? You act like you haven't seen me in forever."
Ray smiled faintly, trying to hide how emotional he felt. "Maybe it just feels that way."
Sofia raised a brow. "You're weird early in the morning, you know that?"
He chuckled awkwardly. "I've been told."
She sighed, setting the bag on his desk. "Anyway, I brought food again. You know you'd starve without me, right?"
Ray felt his chest tighten again. She's the same… she still comes just like before.
Behind him, B hovered silently, watching the exchange with mild curiosity. "So this is Sofia," he muttered to himself. "Not bad energy… though she talks a lot."
Ray shot him a quick glare. "Shut it," he whispered.
"Huh?" Sofia looked at him. "Did you say something?"
Ray laughed nervously. "Ah, no. Just… mumbling to myself."
She shook her head, letting out a soft sigh. "You seriously need to go out more. It's your first day at the university—you're not planning to skip already, right?"
Ray blinked. "University… right." He'd almost forgotten.
"Seriously," she said, crossing her arms. "We're going together today. And don't even think about saying no, got it?"
Ray smiled for real this time, warmth flickering behind his eyes. "Yeah. That sounds good."
Sofia brightened instantly, her smile lighting up the whole room. "Good! Then get ready, I'll wait outside."
As she turned and walked back toward the door, sunlight spilled across the floor, outlining her silhouette. Ray watched her go, memorizing every small detail—the light in her hair, the way she turned her head slightly when she smiled. He never wanted to forget it again.
When the door clicked shut, Ray sat back down slowly, his chest still aching in a way that wasn't unpleasant.
B drifted closer, his tone softer than usual. "You really care about her, huh?"
Ray's eyes lingered on the door for a few seconds before he answered quietly, "Yeah. More than I ever said."
The faint hum of the System filled the silence again, the stats screen still open before him. The ∞ next to "Soul" pulsed faintly, and somewhere deep inside Ray could feel it—like that number wasn't just a value but a promise.
B folded his arms again, smirking slightly. "If you really plan on changing the world… I'm guessing she's part of that reason."
Ray's lips lifted into a faint smile. "You could say that."
As the morning sun bathed the room in soft light, he whispered to himself, "This time… I'll protect everything I couldn't before."
And somewhere inside him, the infinite Soul stirred silently—listening.