Bab 2: Chapter 2: A New Life
Pitter-patter.
Waking up to the sound of rain in my ears, I open my eyes.
Then, intuitively, I was able to realize one thing.
'Is this a new life?'
Sigh.
I let out a sigh and assumed a sitting position.
The period right after reincarnation is when I'm most vulnerable, and the feeling of immense loss is palpable. The energy that I've diligently accumulated in my dantian for 10 years and this unimpressive body is what welcomed me.
'Reincarnation feels unpleasant, to say the least.'
I am different from other people because I am a reincarnator. To me, death is just a new beginning.
'I'll think about this later.'
I listened carefully, preparing for the imminent shock. Though I said I'm a reincarnator, my way of reincarnating is quite unique. It's almost like possession.
Since my first life, I have always reincarnated into someone who has died.
In my second life, I was reincarnated as a young soldier who died on the battlefield.
In my third life, I was reincarnated as a martial artist from an unknown clan, having drowned in a pond and floated lifelessly along the lakeside.
'Quite unique, isn't it.'
And there's another peculiar thing—my name never changed. As if my existence was meant to be Han Seojin, I was always reincarnated into someone named Han Seojin. And this time is no different.
Memories sleeping inside me begin to surface.
「Is this really the offspring of the Iron-Blood Sword Clan? A thing that couldn't even be chosen by the system…?」
「How could the clan leader have such a child? One who wasn't chosen by the system, nor by mana!」
「Compared to him, the second daughter is an unparalleled genius, hoho…」
An old man looks at me with eyes full of contempt.
I saw the eyes of a woman filled with hope at the fact that her own son is better than the eldest. And the gazes of a younger sibling who always looked at me with pity.
I frowned.
There was something wrong with how I recalled the memories. This body's life should unfold like a movie, but this time, it didn't.
'It's strange how the memories are sporadic.'
It's probably because of one reason—when the body's past is not good.
'It seems like this life won't be smooth sailing either.'
My second and third lives were somewhat harsh, but this life seemed to be incomparably harsher than those.
'Well, what can I do.'
Still, there was something—. Once I regain my memories, I will exact revenge on those who made this body like this.
'Rest peacefully.'
After a moment of silence for the original owner of this already dead body, I pushed the memories to a corner of my mind and then realized something astonishing.
"Could it be?"
My first life spent as a professional gamer, I set an unparalleled great record in the history of gaming.
My second life set in a fantasy world, I studied magic, became a great sorcerer, and ultimately perished together with a Demon King.
My third life in the world of martial arts, I combined the magic learned in my previous life with martial arts and roamed the world.
Indeed. In my first life, having tasted modern civilization, I didn't get to experience modern conveniences in my next two lives…!
'Is there cola in this world?'
In my second life, there was a time when I desperately wanted to drink cola.
Back then, I was so desperate to drink it that I had this vague knowledge that carbonation could be created by putting liquid through electricity… and about 50 people were sacrificed in that experiment… And yet, I couldn't make the carbonation.
When about 50 mages were sacrificed just to create one liquid, protests stormed in, and I had no choice but to give up. In that sense, wouldn't cola, even if it doesn't require the sacrifice of 50 mages, be considered the water of life?
'I should set out in search of cola.'
But where is this place? I can smell pungent dust in the air. Though hard to hear over the sound of rain, I could feel faint signs of life.
'An abandoned factory.'
Click-clack, click-clack.
My steps were full of confidence, as if nothing in this place could harm me.
An enemy?
Something is slowly approaching me. It's hard to think of them as friendly since Han Seojin had died just a moment ago,
'Roughly about three people.'
Tsk.
I clicked my tongue. As expected, this life too was immediately fraught with danger. Should I call it the downside of reincarnation? Since it involves possessing a dead body, there's no helping it. First, I need to check the condition of my body.
'…Huh?'
I let out a hollow laugh. This body is not in good condition. My reincarnation only revives the wounds that led to death. Therefore, the physical strength and mana sensitivity are random, but usually, they are considered to be of unparalleled talent.
'Physical strength is at its weakest. No training in stamina either…'
Digging deeper into my memory, I wasn't blessed with magical power either. And I don't seem to possess any rare traits.
It seems like I grew up in a somewhat prestigious family, but…I wasn't chosen by the ability known as the system in this world.
Despite that, this body also lacked mana. Instead of despairing, he should have at least practiced the minimum.
'It's okay.'
Because the one who possessed this body is me. Even if I have absolutely no talent, I can always become the best.
'No, thinking about it, he might have talent in another area.'
When I recall, this guy's face was extraordinary.
'Hmm, a genius of a face.'
The faces of my past lives weren't bad either, but the body I've possessed this time has a face so outstanding that even I am impressed. This life is that of a facial genius… Collecting my thoughts, I got up.
Then, a translucent window appeared in front of me.
[The system is loading…]
…Is this what they called the system? With the system, users could see their abilities and gain a power called 'traits,' right? I deduced information about the system while recalling.
'This world requires one to be chosen by the system, right?'
The original owner was abandoned by the system for some reason. However, as soon as I was reincarnated, I was chosen by the system.
'Is this something that gets engraved into the soul?'
And it was activated immediately as soon as I was reincarnated. This thing called the system… or the entity that created the system seems extraordinary.
But that's not what's important right now.
There's a faint rustling of movement nearby, and there aren't any usable weapons nearby.
No, there is something. I saw two nails lying on the ground.
'Let's pick these up for now.'
Trudge.
I can hear footsteps.
They're quite close.
Now that they're here, I can clearly feel it.
The number of people is… three.
They were blatantly making noise, yet it was quite hard to tell if there's an assassin among them.
I could be captured at any time. I felt their confidence.
"Why does our Young Master run away and cause such trouble?"
"Sigh, lower your voice."
"Brother, do we have to do this even though we're a class of our own?"
"It's because we have class that we can serve the Young Master like this."
"Ah, is that so. Hehe."
A contemptuous laugh.
'He may be called the Young Master, but it doesn't seem like he's treated as one.'
This is a pretty good sign. The more they let their guard down, the more advantageous it becomes for me, though it's somewhat irritating to be underestimated by such fools.
'I've got no idea how big this place is.'
That's the problem. I don't know how many enemies there might be here so I have no choice but to move while conserving as much magical power as possible.
'Let's deal with the two who seem the easiest first.'
Closing my eyes, I sense the mana around me, realizing that this body lacks the blessing of mana and physical talent.
I close my eyes and feel the mana around me. This body has not been blessed with mana and lacks physical talent as well. However, I am a reincarnated soul that has lived countless lives, and I am a man who could overcome what one might call adversities.
I possess the ability to convert my third life's special privilege, Heavenly Martial Body, into martial arts skills, and I am a genius who created a technique that exhibits powers similar to my second life's special privilege, Heavenly Eyes."
'Of course, I must first escape from this place.'
Closing my eyes, I try to feel the mana around me. As I muster my will, I can feel the mana around me flutter. The concentration of mana in this place is sparse, and there's something ominous too.
'Is this place a dark sorcerer's laboratory?'
I don't usually smirk, but this reincarnation keeps making me do so from the start. All sorts of resentful spirits have mixed and combined with the mana. Using this kind of thing is a bit ominous.
'There's no helping it, really.'
Now's not the time to be picky. Clicking my tongue internally, I summoned my will to gather mana at my fingertips.
Woosh─
As I gathered mana, I filtered out the impurities. However, even after one filtration, I could feel the tainted mana. With a small amount of mana, I engraved spells on the two nails.
'Never thought I'd be engraving spells.'
In my second reincarnation, I almost reached the pinnacle of magic. Perhaps that's why my abilities are such that I can perform average low-circle magic with practically no effort.
Yet, it's almost laughable that I now have to inscribe and chant spells for basic telekinesis magic. If in my second and third lives I was blessed with mana, in this reincarnation, I'm practically a discarded body.
Thud.
I sat down on top of a box, ready to welcome them grandly.
'The problem is that one inevitably remains. Should I push myself a bit?'
In the early days of my previous life, there was always this risk.
Smirking, I pondered, 'When have I not pushed myself?'
Clank.
I can hear them walking on a steel plate. Just as I was preparing a ritual for one who seemed more dangerous than the others, they appeared before me.
Three men.
One with a mohawk haircut, a man who looked taciturn, and one built like a muscular pig.
"Huh?"
The muscular pig looked at me and snorted, while the mohawk guy slightly frowned and the taciturn man looked at me as if puzzled. The most imprudent one, the muscular pig, stepped forward.
"Young Master, you're here."
The muscular pig smiled brightly as his muscles disgustingly writhed, and I smiled back at their amusing appearance.
"I'll ask you one thing."
"Huh? What question?"
The puzzled expression adorned the face of the muscular pig as he asked.
"You guys killed me, right?"
"What are you talking about? You're alive and well…ah, is it because I was playing with a dagger and stabbed you?"
Cause of death, excessive bleeding, and there did seem to be blood all around.
'Alright, I'll kill these three guys.'
"Then, Young Master, let's start this. Oh, this time, I'll break your legs so you can't do anything foolish, look forward to it."
The muscular pig smirked.
My stomach churned. I felt worse than I thought I would.
"Let me ask one last thing."
"What is it, Young Master? I'm getting tired of this."
I grinned.
"Is this world such that weaklings like you can run amok?"
"…What?"
"Has this guy gone mad? Brother, I'll take care of him."
The muscular pig strode forward.
"Young Master, just because we call you as such, do you really think you're something special? Or have you gone mad?"
"Lower your voice."
"What?"
I smiled and activated the spell.
Creak.
Very softly. A sound that sounded like pressurized air.
The spell engraved behind the nail began to slowly activate.
'Activate.'
Speed enhancement. Accuracy enhancement. Bullet speed enhancement.
Three spells engraved on two nails were fired.
Crack!
Before the muscular pig and the mohawk guy could say anything, the nails that burrowed between their eyes turned their brains into mush.
Thud.
I looked at the muscular pig and the mohawk guy. Both of them collapsed at the same time.
"I'm talking so shut up. Your breath stinks."
Of course, my voice will never reach them again.
As I walked towards the shivering man, I asked, 'Shall I tell you an interesting story?'
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone