Lumberling, a 42-year-old civil engineer, grew numb to the monotonous rhythm of modern life. Hoping to rekindle his sense of wonder, he set out on a solitary nature trip, only to stumble upon an ancient, forgotten pyramid. A strange red light burst forth, killing him instantly… and binding itself to his soul.

Cast adrift in the void, his soul found no rest, until he awoke in the body of a young foot soldier, bleeding and broken on a war-torn battlefield in a world not his own.

Determined not to die again, Lumberling fights to survive in this brutal new realm where knights clash with monsters, kingdoms rise and fall, and mysterious powers shape the fate of nations.

Armed with a strange ability to devour the essence of those he slays, he begins to carve out a new path, one forged by blood, strength, and sheer will.

But power alone may not be enough. In a world where danger lurks in every shadow, and ancient forces stir in the dark, can a lost soul rise above fate… or will he be consumed by the very essence he seeks to control?

Dust clung to their cloaks as Lumberling and Skitz moved from city to city, the weight of exhaustion hidden beneath their steady steps.


First came Veldran, a neutral city nestled in the crook of three old roads. Smoke curled lazily from its chimneys, and traders from every banner waved their colors in uneasy harmony. Here, they scoured old guild halls and quiet towers where hermits once whispered of arcane skill books, but found nothing. Not a single trace of the mental fortitude skill Lumberling sought.


Chapter 65 - Chapter 64: Steel, Silence, and Smoke