The white nothing faded into a rushing tunnel of color and noise. Chen Hao felt a heavy squeeze, then a sudden, biting cold.
He gasped. His lungs hurt. He was drowning in thick, sticky fluid. He kicked, small arms and legs pushing against a soft wall.
A last, big squeeze pushed him out into a bright light and a loud roar that was more a feeling than a sound. He was caught, held upside down. A sharp slap stung his bottom.
His new body acted on its own. He pulled in his first breath of this new place and cried out.
It was a weak, thin cry. He was put down on something warm and soft. Tiredness hit him hard. His sight was blurry—mixes of brown and green and reddish skin.
A face came over him, blocking the light from a rough wooden ceiling. It was a woman's face, marked with sweat and tears, framed by messy brown hair stuck to her brow. Her eyes were the deep green of a forest pond, full of huge relief and love.
Describe the mother. She has the face of an european beauty. Use the word European
The woman smiled down at him, her face glowing even in the dim light of the hut. She had the high cheekbones and fair skin of a classic European beauty, her features sharp and clear like a statue carved from pale marble. Her hair, damp with sweat, was the color of wheat fields under a summer sun. She traced a calloused finger down his tiny cheek.
"My boy," she whispered, her voice rough but firm. "Oh, my lovely boy."
Chen Hao looked up at her, his mind loud with the weight of two lives. He knew this woman was his mother now. He also knew he had another mother, far away in another world, who had buried an empty box.
A bigger shadow joined hers, blocking more light. A man leaned in close. He had a thick brown beard and shoulders as wide as a tree trunk. His face was kind, but tired. He looked at the baby with eyes as blue as a summer sky. His hair was the color of straw, tied back loosely. His rough finger, gentle as a falling leaf, touched Chen Hao's tiny cheek.
"Strong lungs," the man said, his voice deep with pride. "Welcome to the world, son."
The woman smiled down at him, her exhaustion forgotten for a moment. She looked from her son's face up to her husband's. "He has your eyes, Torin," she said, her voice soft and full of wonder. "And your hair, too."
The man, Torin, let out a soft laugh. "And your stubborn chin, Elara."
They were quiet for a moment, just looking at him. Chen Hao—no, he was someone else now—looked back, his new eyes slowly focusing. The world was a rush of strange smells: wood smoke, damp earth, dried herbs, and the sharp, clean scent of his mother's sweat.
"A name," Elara said softly, brushing his dark, wet hair from his forehead. "He needs a strong name."
Torin nodded, thinking. "Kael," he said, the word solid and sure. "For the mountain wind. It's fierce and free."
Elara's smile widened. "Kael," she repeated, testing it. She looked at her husband.
"Kael Vale," Torin said. He placed a big, gentle hand on the tiny chest of his son. "A good name for a good life."
[System Initializing…]
[Soul Preservation Active]
[Reincarnation successful. Would you like to view your status? (Yes/No)]
The words hung in the air of his mind. Kael, now Chen Hao again inside this tiny body, thought a single word.
Yes.
A blue screen snapped into view behind his eyes. An avatar of himself floated at its center—a baby with small tufts of dark blonde hair and eyes that were the bluest blue he had ever seen. He stared at his own image, so foreign from the face he remembered.
Below the avatar, text scrolled:
───────────────────────────
KAEL VALE
Race: Human (Infant)
───────────────────────────
HP ....... 5/5
STR ...... 0.1
AGI ...... 0.2
VIT ...... 0.5
CON .... 0.8
INT ..... 11.7
WIS ..... 10.3
───────────────────────────
Abilities
› Appraisal
See the name, level, and core attributes of any living being or significant object. Gain basic insight into strengths, weaknesses, and nature. Information depth scales with your own intelligence.
› Stat Steal 2
Upon delivering a killing blow to a target, you permanently steal 10% of their highest base stat (Strength, Agility, Intelligence, etc.). The stolen stat is added to your own. Works across all worlds and systems.
› Preserve Soul (Passive)
Upon reincarnation, the soul is wiped clean of its memories. This skill stops that. You keep every memory. Your soul is locked. It can never be destroyed, damaged, or erased by any attack, ability, magic, or curse. You persist.
───────────────────────────
Kael stared at the screen only he could see. A strange mix of feelings swirled in his tiny chest. He still had his skills. The system worked. That was good. He had his memories. He was still himself.
Then he looked at his stats.
Strength: 0.1. Agility: 0.2. Vitality: 0.5.
He was weaker than a newborn kitten. He couldn't lift his own head. He was stuck in this helpless, soft body. He had the mind of a man who had saved a billion people, but the body of a thing that couldn't even roll over.
The intelligence and wisdom numbers were high. That was his old mind, trapped inside this new flesh. It just made the rest worse. He knew exactly how weak he was.
He was in a new world. He had power. But he would have to wait. He would have to grow.
Kael focused on the man leaning over him. A small, neat screen popped up in his vision.
───────────────────────────
TORIN VALE
Race: Human (Adult)
───────────────────────────
HP ....... 270/270
STR ...... 31
AGI ...... 19
VIT ...... 27
CON .... 30
INT ..... 9
WIS ..... 14
───────────────────────────
Abilities
› Axe Mastery 2
Grants +20% damage when using axes in combat. Attacks are executed with increased speed and precision, resulting in a higher chance to successfully hit targets.
› Bow Mastery 1
Provides +10% accuracy when shooting with bows. While the user can hit stationary targets, their ability to hit moving targets is still limited.
› Trap Mastery 1
Increases the effectiveness of simple traps by +15% for concealment and activation. Traps are easier to set, though effectiveness against larger creatures may not be significantly enhanced.
───────────────────────────
He shifted his gaze to his mother.
───────────────────────────
ELARA VALE
Race: Human (Adult)
───────────────────────────
HP ....... 80/80
STR ...... 10
AGI ...... 9
VIT ...... 8
CON .... 9
INT ..... 11
WIS ..... 14
───────────────────────────
Abilities
› Cooking 1
Has a slightly better than average understanding of how to prepare local ingredients to make them safe and palatable. Can reliably produce simple, filling meals.
───────────────────────────
Kiren analyzed the system and noticed that the amount of vitality, and hp has an 1 to 10 ratio. His father had an vitality of 27 therefore he had 270 hp.
Kael studied the numbers. His father had a strength of thirty-one. His mother's intelligence was eleven.
He thought a question at the system in his mind. What is average for a human?
A new line of text appeared at the bottom of his status screen.
[Average base stat value for an adult human in this world: 10]
His father was more than three times stronger than an average man. His mother was slightly smarter than most. They weren't just farmers or villagers; they were capable, skilled people.
Then he looked at their listed abilities. Axe Mastery 2. Cooking 1.
How do abilities work? he asked silently.
The system responded instantly, its text cool and clear.
[Abilities are skills honed through practice, training, or inherent talent. They are categorized by proficiency levels using numbers, with the number representing mastery. Proficiency affects effectiveness and efficiency in performing related tasks. Abilities can also be activated through skill stones or other means. ]
Kael stared at the glowing screens only he could see. He didn't cry. He was too busy reading.
Elara's smile faded. She looked from her quiet son to her husband. "He's so still, Torin. Shouldn't he… shouldn't he be crying more?"
Torin watched the baby. Kael's blue eyes were wide open, fixed on nothing they could see. His tiny brow was furrowed in deep thought.
"He's taking it all in," Torin said, his voice a low rumble. He placed a huge, gentle hand over Kael's chest, feeling the steady heartbeat. "Look. He's strong. He's just… thinking."
"Babies don't think," Elara whispered, but her worry was easing.
"This one does," Torin said, a slow grin spreading under his beard. He leaned close to Kael's face. "What's out there, little mountain wind? What do you see?"
Kael blinked. The screens vanished. He saw his father's kind, tired face above him, full of love and a quiet curiosity. He saw his mother's anxious green eyes. He was here. This was his family now.