Chapter 2: A New Beginning
Alex floated in darkness. Or maybe he was lying still. It was hard to tell. His body felt small and weak, but his mind—his mind was wide awake.
He couldn't move much. Couldn't speak. Couldn't even open his eyes for long without them stinging. But inside his head, he was thinking. Thinking a lot.
A faint scent hung in the air—warm milk and soft linen. Somewhere nearby, someone breathed gently, their chest rising and falling with calm rhythm. A hand brushed against his tiny arm, and a muffled voice cooed in a language he didn't know.
So… this is real? I'm really reincarnated?
He tried to stay calm, but nothing made sense. One second, he was walking home after another dull, rainy day. The next, he was… this. A newborn in a completely different world, hearing strange voices and seeing glowing words in his mind.
A fantasy world. With magic. And a system. Like those novels.
That part, at least, he understood.
He had read plenty of stories like this in his old life. Late at night, lying in bed when he couldn't sleep, he would scroll through webnovels on his phone. They were all kind of the same—but he loved them anyway.
A normal guy dies. Reincarnates. Gets some kind of power or system. Magic, monsters, swords. Sometimes a harem. Sometimes revenge. Sometimes building a kingdom. Always a chance to start over.
I used to think, "If that was me, I'd do things right. I'd rise. I'd make something of myself."
It was a comforting thought back then. Something to hold onto while everything around him fell apart.
Alex hadn't always been miserable.
As a kid, he was average. Not a genius. Not useless either. Just… normal. He had dreams, like everyone else. He wanted to be a game designer once. He liked to draw and daydream. He had a few close friends. Nothing special, but nothing broken.
It all changed in his teenage years.
He started skipping school more often. Not because he hated learning, but because nothing felt real anymore. The world seemed fake. Cold. Like a machine built to crush people like him. He made dumb choices. Picked the wrong friends. Got into fights. Drifted away from his family.
Then came the jobs. The low-pay, dead-end ones.
One after another.
Day in, day out. Wake up, work, eat, sleep. Repeat.
No one expected much from him. After a while, he stopped expecting much from himself, too.
The friends left. The family grew distant. The dreams faded.
And then came the silence.
The kind of silence that stayed with you even when the world was loud.
I messed up so much. All the chances I had, I threw them away. And I always blamed everyone else but myself.
He didn't have anyone left at the end. Just himself. And even he was tired of who he'd become.
But now… I've been given another chance.
Alex didn't know who gave it to him. A god? Fate? A glitch in the universe? Didn't matter.
He had a new body. A new world. A new life.
And maybe, just maybe, a chance to do things different for myself.
I don't care about being some hero or chosen one. I just… want to feel alive again. To matter. To not waste this life like I did the last.
He didn't know what this world would bring. It could be dangerous. Harsh. Maybe even worse than Earth.
But this time, he wouldn't run. Not again.
He had regrets. Deep ones. But he could carry them with him, not as chains—but as lessons.
Let's do this right, Alex. No more hiding.
---
Suddenly, his mind lit up. A faint chime echoed inside his head, followed by a soft, mechanical voice.
[Genius System Activated]
Welcome to the world of Eridale.
Initializing basic interface...
A translucent screen appeared in front of his vision, floating gently like a hologram. It didn't hurt to look at it. In fact, it felt… natural. Like it belonged in his mind.
---
[Genius System – User Status]
Name: Alex
Race: Human (Infant)
Age: 0
Level: 1
Class: None
Title: Reincarnated Soul
Condition: Healthy
Mana Core: Dormant
Intelligence: 8
Creativity: 9
Adaptability: 10
Willpower: 7
Luck: 5
Physical Stats: [Locked due to infant state]
So this is my starting point…
The system seemed focused on mental stats—intelligence, creativity, adaptability. Not brute strength. Not yet, anyway.
A system that grows based on how I think, learn, and solve problems… not just how hard I punch things.
Alex smiled inside.
I can work with this.
He didn't need to be the strongest swordsman. He didn't need a thousand spells. If the system rewarded smart choices, planning, and insight—he could build a path. Slowly. Carefully. One step at a time.
I may be a baby now… but I'm not starting from zero. Not really.
He had his memories. His mind. His regrets. His hopes.
And now, he had the Genius System.
A woman's soft voice hummed a lullaby. His new mother? He wasn't sure, but her warmth soothed him. The world outside was still a blur of sound and light, but inside, Alex felt calm. More than calm. He felt ready.
For the first time in years, he felt something like peace.
He had no idea what kind of world Eridale really was. He didn't know what dangers lay ahead, or who he would become.
But he had a second chance.
And this time, he would not waste it.