The Man Picked Up By the Gods (Reboot)

prologue 1

A lone man stood dazed in an empty room. Signs of fatigue could be seen on his face and gray streaks could be seen on his hair; he was most likely in his latter 40s, though his figure seemed to deny that.

The man was dressed for sleep, wearing only a simple shirt and a pair of shorts, making it easy to see his figure. Contrary to his aged look, his body was tempered, overflowing with muscles and vigor.

“Huh…? Where is this?” [???]

When the man uttered those words, three people appeared before him.

“Have you come to?” [Old Man]

“Is your mind clear now?” [Boy]

“You know it would be nice if you said something.” [Woman]

“Umm… Yes. I’m alright now. You suddenly came out of nowhere, so I was taken back a bit. My apologies. Let me introduce myself. I am Ryouma Takebayashi.”

“There’s no need to be so formal. Let’s talk over tea.” [Old Man]

The old man waved his hand, and all of the sudden, a tea table appeared, atop which were cups filled with tea and pillows to sit on along the sides.

“Come, take a seat.” [Woman]

“Thank you.” [Ryouma]

The young woman smiled and implored Ryouma to take a seat, which Ryouma promptly took. The others took their seats as well; the woman sat on the right, while the boy sat on the left, and the old man sat opposite Ryouma.

When they had all taken their seats, everyone, including Ryouma, took a sip of their tea.

“I hope you won’t mind if I ask some questions.” [Ryouma]

“Of course not. That’s exactly what we’re here for. But I already have an idea what is you want to ask, so how about listening to our story first?” [Old Man]

“Well, alright.” [Ryouma]

After Ryouma nodded to show his agreement, the old man began.

“We are what you would call ‘gods’. I am Gayn, the God of Creation. The woman to your right is Rurutia, the Goddess of Love, and the boy to your left is the God of Life, Kufo. We are gods of a different world.

You might not know this, but last night, you died. When your soul left your body, we took it and brought it here to the divine realm.” [Gayn]

“I see. So that’s what happened.” [Ryouma]

Ryouma matter-of-factly accepted Gayn’s explanation as he sipped his tea. The three gods were bewildered at his reaction, especially the youngest-looking of them all, Kufo.

“Umm, wait, is that it!? Shouldn’t you be panicking a bit more and going ‘No way!’ ‘That can’t be!’ ‘Why did I die?’ or something?” [Kufo]

“You know… the others before you were all flustered when we talked to them.” [Gayn]

“Oh, don’t get me wrong, I am surprised, though I do admit that none of this feels real to me right now. Besides, if all this is nothing more than a dream, then I would eventually wake up, but even if it’s not, well… everyone will pass away anyway.

And I’ve already expected this to some extent. My work, you see, is really taxing. So taxing that many of my coworkers have had to retire early because their body broke down. Because of that I’ve always believed I would die an early death. Being able to live up to 39 or 40, depending which way you count, is more than plenty, all things considered.

Not to mention, as embarrassing as it is to admit considering my age, I’m a huge otaku of games and manga, so I’m quite fond of stories like this. I don’t have any family or relatives anyway, so this turn of events is a lot better than just burning away.” [Ryouma]

Ryouma was truly satisfied from the bottom of his heart, but that only caused the gods even more confusion.

“R-Really? Do humans really think like that? Hasn’t anyone ever told you your way of thinking is odd?” [Kufo]

“I don’t think it’s got anything to do with your hobbies either. There were plenty of people with similar hobbies as you, and they were all really flustered. So flustered, in fact, that some of them wouldn’t even listen. Just meeting someone who wasn’t gloomy was a feat in and of itself.” [Rurutia]

“Well, in any case, this makes things easier for us. Though this also leaves us with too much time on hand. Is there anything else you want to know?” [Gayn]

Ryouma became thoughtful for a moment before speaking.

“How did I die?” [Ryouma]

“Hmm? You’re starting there?” [Gayn]

“Yes. I don’t think there’s anything odd about my question though. After all, I don’t have any memory of dying.” [Ryouma]

“Well, you did die like that, so of course you don’t remember.” [Rurutia]

“You died from brain hemorrhage after hitting your head.” [Kufo]

“Huh!? Wasn’t I just sleeping in my room?” [Ryouma]

“Yep, you sure were. But then you sneezed while you were sleeping… A lot, in fact.” [Rurutia]

“You sneezed four times. Each time your pillow slipped and your head slammed into the ground. Unfortunately, your futon was the cheap sort, so it was too thin to cushion your head.” [Gayn]

“The impact wasn’t enough to wake you up though, so the internal bleeding just kept on going, and when dawn came, you passed.” [Kufo]

When he heard that, Ryouma’s eyes fell to the ground and he mumbled to himself, then suddenly, he bitterly cried out.

“I can’t accept it… Why? Why of all thing did I die from a sneeze!?” [Ryouma]

“Huh?” [Kufo, Gayn, Rurutia]

“I’ve survived the beer bottles of my boss, the iron pipes of middle-aged men, and even the countless abuse under my dad, and yet after all that, the one thing to actually take my life is a sneeze!?” [Ryouma]

Filled with grief, Ryouma lost sight of his surroundings as mumbled to himself.

“Ah, he’s depressed.” [Kufo]

“Even though he was perfectly fine after being told he was dead, what an odd kid.” [Rurutia]

“It seems he’s quite proud of his body. Well, he was forcefully trained by his father from a young age and driven right at the edge of death day after day. Hmm… Kufo, Rurutia.” [Gayn]

“What?” [Rurutia]

“Is something the matter?” [Kufo]

“There’s something about this kid bothering me. Come help me out while we wait for him to calm down.” [Gayn]

Gayn’s expression quickly turned solemn as he spoke, while the other two gods, sensing that something was amiss, answered back in words that couldn’t be heard by a human. Perhaps their efforts were wasted, however, as Ryouma was so depressed he couldn’t hear anything.

“Ah, sorry… I lost myself for a moment there.” [Ryouma]

When Ryouma recovered himself and lifted up his face, the gods were still there drinking tea as calm as ever.

“It’s fine. We’re usually free, and we properly scheduled our time with you, so there’s no rush. Moreover, we’re already used to people losing their minds after dying.

After all, human souls are connected to their bodies, so when you cut that connection off, a little bit of instability is to be expected. That instability usually results in one’s emotions going wild.

Anyway, the point is we really don’t mind, so don’t sweat it.” [Gayn]

“Time flows differently here in the divine realm and souls don’t starve. Having to wait four years before a human regains his sanity is pretty normal.” [Kufo]

“4 years!?” [Ryouma]

Ryouma was shocked.

“We can’t interfere carelessly when humans are panicking, or they might just needlessly put their guards up. Some humans also go crazy while we’re talking, but regardless, we usually just wait until they’re able to calm themselves down. Waiting up to four years is normal, so you’re still alright, Ryouma-kun.

Anyway, since you’re back, I hope you won’t mind if we continue.” [Gayn]

“Of course.” [Ryouma]

Gayn nodded.

“Right, well let me explain why we called your soul. If I were to sum up the reason in one word, it would be: Cliche. Do you understand?” [Gayn]

“Cliche? Ah… I believe I do. You wish for me to live in another world, yes? If so, will I be reincarnated or merely transmigrated?”

“You really are quick to pick up.” [Rurutia]

Rurutia was shocked to see Ryouma so easily understand what was going on, but Gayn ignored her and continued.

“You’ll be transmigrated, in a sense. I will be creating a new body for you to inhabit in our world, so you won’t have any parents.” [Gayn]

“Your new body will be much younger, so you could say it’s like being reincarnated. If you have any requests, I could alter your body as you please.” [Kufo]

“Exactly what age will my new body be?” [Ryouma]

“You’ll be less than 10 years old. At that age, you should be fine even if you get lost in a forest. You’ll look like a child to others, so they won’t be as suspicious and you’ll be able to safely go into a city. Of course, we’ll have some insurance too to ensure everything goes well.

Since you’re going to be an orphan in the otherworld, we’ll be sending you to a country that’s relatively tolerant of social statuses. With that there shouldn’t be any issues for you to live a normal life.” [Gayn]

“Thank you. For my appearance, just don’t make it weird. Is there anything in particular I need to do in your world? A mission of some sort?” [Ryouma]

“Nope. If there’s any, well, you’ve pretty much accomplished it the moment you’re transmigrated, so there’s technically none. You going to the otherworld is your only mission.” [Rurutia]

“Our goal is to transfer mana from your world into our world, which is currently very low on mana.” [Kufo]

Ryouma nodded upon understanding, but then it occurred to him.

“Can’t you just transfer mana by itself?” [Ryouma]

“No. Putting it simply, there are walls between different worlds. Normally, mana can’t go past these ‘walls’, so we have to create a hole first. The problem is that opening the hole and maintaining it both require energy, so if just do it normally, we’ll run out of strength.

Fortunately, we have you! You’ll be unconscious during the process, but by stuffing your soul – reinforced by our power – in between the hole, we can keep it from closing while we transfer mana from earth to our world.” [Kufo]

“Our world relies on magic. If mana dries up, the daily life of the people will be affected, the monsters who feed on magic will die out, and the ecosystem will be destroyed.

Earth, on the other hand, does not use magic. They don’t have monsters either. Since they’re not using it, we figured we’d take some of it.” [Rurutia]

“If there’s no particular reason for mana to dry out, then could it be that the rate production of mana can’t keep up with its usage?” [Ryouma]

“Yes, exactly. There are a lot of reasons for it, but humans, in particular, find it very convenient to rely on magic. Because of that magic has experienced a lot of development, and gradually, the consumption of mana is getting bigger and bigger.” [Kufo]

“It’s not easy to reduce the consumption of mana. Moreover, if you use too much internal mana, your body will fall apart. So in the end it’s a lot easier to use mana from your surroundings. It’s truly a sad thing.” [Gayn]

As the gods grumbled about the humans, Ryouma alone became excited.

“Umm… Can I also use magic?” [Ryouma]

“Of course.” [Gayn]

“You bet.” [Kufo]

“You can.” [Rurutia]

“Really! Ah, sorry.” [Ryouma]

“It’s fine, it’s fine. When you’re transmigrated, you will have the same body as the native humans, so you’ll also be able to use magic. Of course, everything will depend on your training.” [Gayn]

“Also, as I mentioned awhile ago, we’ll be reinforcing your soul to keep the hole open, so as a result, some of that power will become a part of you. Even without any talent, you’ll be able to use magic. I’m not sure about becoming the best mage in the world though.” [Kufo]

Ryouma felt his face grow hot as the gods looked at him with amused expressions, but regardless, he was happy to find that he would be able to use magic.

“As for what magic you’ll be able to use… Let’s give you access to all the elemental magic.” [Gayn]

“Umm… Wouldn’t that be a bit too conspicuous?” [Ryouma]

The three gods laughed when he said that.

“Heh, the humans who come here say that a lot. Especially, the ones who read a lot of light novels.” [Kufo]

“But the thing is, while it’s not that common, it’s also not that amazing.” [Rurutia]

“Really?” [Ryouma]

“Yes. The people born with the talent aren’t few, and with enough effort, anyone can become proficient in all elements. In fact, there are about 10 to 20 people in any country’s knight order born with the skill.

There’s also the fact that while you might have a lot of elements that you can use, unless you train them all, you’re not going to get good at them. If you do train them all, the progress is pretty slow. Between someone who can cast elementary spells of all elements and someone who can cast advanced spells of a single element, which one do you think is more valued? The latter.” [Gayn]

“In other words, a jack of all trades and a master of none.” [Ryouma]

“Precisely.” [Gayn]

“Since there are no downsides to it, don’t you think it’s a perfect fit for you who wants to play with magic?” [Rurutia]

“Then in that case, I’ll take it.” [Ryouma]

After that Ryouma and the gods continued discussing about his would-be abilities.

“—Good, with this we’re done. But are you really sure you’re alright with all your bonuses being magic-related? We can also give you some close-combat skills if you want. Being able to use a lot of magic is nice and all, but consequently, you won’t be able to use strong magic right off the bat.” [Gayn]

“As long as I won’t have any problems living, I’m perfectly happy with what we’ve discussed.” [Ryouma]

“Alright. The most important thing is that you’re satisfied. Let’s move on to the last part.” [Gayn]

Sensing Ryouma’s resolve, Gayn took out a wooden plank on top of which were a sheet of paper and a feather pen and handed it to Ryouma. On the sheet of paper were everything they’ve discussed, and on the bottom-right was a blank space for Ryouma’s name.

“Signing a contract after you die is a bit…” [Ryouma]

“Oh, you don’t like it?” [Rurutia]

“Not that I don’t like it. It just feels a bit… odd.” [Ryouma]

“Well, we can just do away with the contract if you want.” [Kufo]

“Huh?” [Ryouma]

Ryouma’s hand paused when he heard Rurutia and Kufo’s remarks.

“Actually, we’re just making sure that you’re fine with everything we’ve discussed and that you understand everything perfectly clear. The sign is just one method. If you don’t want to sign, we can just do it orally.” [Gayn]

“Really?” [Ryouma]

“We adjust our methods depending on the person. Oral is usually for little kids, as it’s easier.” [Rurutia]

After being told that, Ryouma read the contract carefully, and when he was sure everything was ok, he signed.

—The moment he did, a faint light suddenly wrapped around him.

“!?” [Ryouma]

“Calm down. That’s just a sign that it’s starting. You won’t get hurt.” [Rurutia]

“Unfortunately, these are the rules. After everything’s been decided, you won’t be able to stay long here.” [Kufo]

“Sigh… I wonder why the annoying ones stick around so long, but the nice ones always leave so quick.” [Gayn]

Hearing that, Ryouma understood that the time for farewells had come.

“I see… That’s unfortunate. But regardless, I won’t forget this act of kindness for the rest of my life.” [Ryouma]

“Don’t sweat it. It’s your life, so just live as you please. We’ll do our best to send you to a safe forest, so rest assured.” [Gayn]

“We’ll always be watching over you. And you know… This is the last time, so you can be a bit more selfish. We won’t mind.” [Rurutia]

“You really don’t have to be so formal with your speech.” [Kufo]

“Won’t you show us your real self?” [Gayn]

“…Right. Thanks for everything. I guess it really wasn’t hard to see through someone when he’s only going through the form.” [Ryouma]

“We are gods. Of course, we’d notice. And there were times when you stumbled on your speech.” [Gayn]

“You could have just spoken informally from the start.” [Rurutia]

“I didn’t think it would be polite to speak causally to gods.” [Ryouma]

“Of course, too much is bad, but you’re alright. Besides, my heart is big. I’m a goddess, after all.” [Rurutia]

“Right.” [Ryouma]

“Any plans once you arrive at our world?” [Gayn]

“If there’s anything worrying you, just say it.” [Rurutia]

“We’ll listen.” [Kufo]

Ryouma appeared thoughtful for a moment, but not a lot of time passed before he naturally said.

“Actually… I’m not good with people. I lived for 39 years, but I never got along well with others. Even if I go to the other world, I’ll still be me. I don’t really think that part of me would change after going to another world. Honestly, I find human relations are exhausting. Maybe I’ll just live alone by myself.” [Ryouma]

“You can do that too if you want. That’s life.” [Gayn]

“I also think it would be a waste though. I mean it is an otherworld. It would a pity not to travel.” [Ryouma]

“Then why don’t you live alone for a while, and then when you feel like it, travel?” [Kufo]

Ryouma asked if that was really alright.

“No matter what, the first place you’ll arrive in is a forest. If we just summoned you in the middle of a city, it would cause a huge commotion. So what you can do is to first live in the forest, and then afterwards go to the city. Besides, I’m sure you want to mess around with your magic, right?” [Kufo]

“Ah, now that you mention it.” [Ryouma]

“Just take it slow. You look like the type to diligently go through all the paths laid out before you, but this time, try going through them one at a time. And if in the end, you don’t go through them all, that’s fine.” [Rurutia]

You’ve already died once, so in one sense, you can really be reborn. You can live a life different from the life you lived on Earth. Especially since you’ll be a child in our world. Aside from things you need to do to protect yourself, you can just play and have fun.” [Rurutia]

“Oh, and let’s not forget that you’ll most likely be fine even if you come across some bandits with your skills.” [Gayn]

“Just live as I please and go on my own pace, huh. Then in that case, I guess I’ll stay in the forest for a while, and when I’m feeling like it, go out. Thanks.” [Ryouma]

“If you do go to a city, make sure to visit the church. We won’t be able to meet, but if you get the Oracle skill, we’ll at least be able to talk for a short while. The higher the level, the longer and more frequent.” [kufo]

“Got it. I’ll definitely drop by when I go to town. I don’t know when, but I promise it.” [Ryouma]

“Good, we’ll be waiting. When you drop by, we’ll talk lots.” [Rurutia]

“We have a lot of free time, after all. Ho Ho ho!” [Gayn]

When Gayn laughed the light on Ryouma began expanding.

“…It’s time.” [Kufo]

The light gradually grew stronger until it covered Ryouma’s vision.

“…Everything’s ready, it seems.” [Gayn]

“Farewell and live happily, alright?” [Rurutia]

“I will… Thank you… Thank you so much!!” [Ryouma]

“Now go! We can’t keep the door open forever!” [Gayn]

“Our blessings are with you.” [Rurutia]

“May light illuminate your path!” [Kufo]

“Enjoy your new life!” [Gayn, Kufo, Rurutia]

After that the light swallowed Ryouma.

When the light vanished, Ryouma was gone, and so were the gods.

Tl Note:

This is the reboot (the author calls it revised) of TMPG. It will be posted monthly. This is the chapter for last month, so there’ll be another chapter at the end of this month.

Also, the formal and informal speech the gods were mentioning were just the Japanese formal and informal speech.

prologue 2 part1

“Work… Tabuchi-kun, the report is underway…” [Ryouma]

Ryouma woke up under the shade of the trees, deep inside the forest. Just as the gods told him, his body had returned to his tens. When he woke up, he was leaning on a tree with a set of hemp clothes on.

Ryouma woke up muttering. As he did, he looked around him, still half-dazed.

“A forest? It wasn’t a dream, I see…” [Ryouma]

As the scent of the earth and the wind wafted to Ryouma’s nose, he gradually remembered why he was here.

“Oh, right… I’m in another world. Hmm?” [Ryouma]

Ryouma noticed a leather bag and a book the size of a notebook placed in front of him. When he looked at the cover of the book, on it were words from a language clearly not Japanese. It read: Letter. The sender seemed to be the three gods who invited him to this world.

“Gayn, Kufo, Rurutia…” [Ryouma]

As Ryouma read out the names written down, he recalled the gods he met.

(They already explained things to me before sending me off. They even gave me knowledge and power. Yet they still went the extra mile and left me this letter. I guess it’s a lot closer to a manual than a letter, though…”)

Turning the book, he saw three things written on the first page.

The first thing written was about the world.

This world is known as Seiruforu. There is a place known as Gana Forest in the Riforu Kingdom. Monsters are relatively rare here, making it a safer place compared to other forests.

The second thing written was about Ryouma’s current situation. Though the forest was safe, it wasn’t perfectly safe, so the gods suggested that Ryouma go to a livable place as soon as possible. The gods included a small map.

The last page was bound tight, and on it read: “Read the next page only once you’ve arrived at the designated area.”

Ryouma smiled at the gods’ graciousness, then Ryouma stood up. When he did, he felt an odd sensation attack him.

“My body really has turned into that of a kid’s… Ryouma Takebayashi, 39-years-old, single, occupation: systems engineer. The only thing I have left is my memory. Reminds me of a certain detective.”

Ryouma might have heard the gods inform him of what will happen beforehand, but he still couldn’t help be shocked when he actually saw his body back to that of a kid’s. When he was sure nothing was off, he started moving his body.

Ryouma slowly moved his body, starting with the simple opening and closing of his hands and the bending of his legs, then he started stretching. Gradually, he made more complex movements. When he was finally able to perform the martial feats his father had taught him in his past life, he stopped.

Ryouma turned toward a nearby tree, then as his eyes narrowed, he sent a sharp kick toward its trunk.

“PI!”

“Chi chi!”

An explosive sound resounded throughout the forest as the tree Ryouma kicked easily broke, causing the birds resting on the nearby trees to flee. In the ensuing panic, some of the birds even fell. Meanwhile, Ryouma calmly pondered on what had just happened.

(Strange… My current strength is either equal or greater than it once was. It doesn’t make any sense, but for some reason my body moves a lot easier. Of course, the reach has significantly been reduced, but… In any case, it seems the only thing I’ll have to get used to is the reach problem. Walking or running doesn’t seem like it’ll be any trouble, but as for the rest, I’ll have to catch up with my new body first.)

With that, Ryouma went back to the tree beneath which he had been sleeping and took a good look at the map. On the map were two locations pinned. One indicated where he currently was, while the other indicated his destination. After gauging the distance, he stored the map into the bag. At the same time, he noticed there was a knife left for him, so he placed it by his waist for easy access, then he walked to the place the gods told him to go.

2 hours later.

Along the way, Ryouma came across some “monsters”, living organisms that didn’t exist on Earth, but they were all weak and ran away on their own, so Ryouma just ignored them.

With his small legs, it would take him a considerable amount of time to traverse the distance he needed, but thanks to the knowledge the gods had given him, he was able to identify the herbal and edible plants along the way, making things that much more convenient for him.

After walking through the dimly lit forest, Ryouma finally arrived at its depths. As the trees opened up and bare rocks were revealed, Ryouma was greeted by a cliff. When he was certain that he was safe, he put down his belongings and did as the letter instructed him.

“Oh? There’s a river nearby? This should be a good place to settle down.”

Ryouma would mutter to himself from time to time as he read his letter. He wasn’t even thinking of going out of the forest, as he was intending to live in the forest first just as he had discussed with the gods.

“There seems to be a tent provided, but I think a cave would be better considering there are monsters and all.”

With a tent, even a big animal would be enough to cause Ryouma trouble, so he approached the cliff and placed his index finger on the surface of the rock while he read the letter. On the page of the letter were instructions regarding the usage of “magic”.

“The first step is to calm down, then one is to gather inside his body… Like this? …My body fills like it’s being filled with water like a balloon or something, ugh…”

Though Ryouma complained with his mouth, he was still somewhat happy and excited, so he couldn’t help but smile.

However, while he might have indulged himself with otaku hobbies like light novels and games, and while he might have imagined himself using magic countless times during break, Ryouma has never actually used magic.

“Umm… After sensing magic in the body, I am to… move it by imagining it moving, and I am supposed to direct it outside. There.”

Ryouma read the instructions aloud as he tried to follow them, giving off an atmosphere akin to that of an old man struggling with technology. As he imagined magic flowing out of his fingertips, magic power began to flow out.

Magic has 12 elements. They are:

Neutral, Fire, Water, Wind, Earth.

Ice, Electricity, Wood, Poison.

Light, Darkness, Space.

Mages are able to change the element of their magic power according to the image within their mind, and then invocate a spell with a chant.

When Ryouma read that part, he chose the earth spell out of the many spells listed in the letter.

“Magic power shall flow into the cliff and the crumbling rocks shall… ‘Break Rock’.”

With a clear image, Ryouma chanted those last two words, and suddenly, though only a little, a small hole was hollowed in the part of the cliff he was touching. It was only small enough for about three index fingers to fit in, making it more like a dent than an actual hole, but when Ryouma saw the spell take effect, he couldn’t help but laugh to himself.

(How long has it been since I last enjoyed myself? I was always pulling all-nighters and overtimes and accompanying my boss to drink… It’s not like I never had any time for leisure, but… Yeah, it’s been awhile, hasn’t it? Since I last felt like this.)

Though Ryouma kept a tight watch on his surroundings, he casted Break Rock after Break Rock with a foolish expression on his face.

prologue 2 part2

After casting spell after spell for a while, Ryouma muttered to himself.

“This isn’t very efficient.” [Ryouma]

(I’ve finally started to get the hang of it, but at this rate, I won’t finish before the sun sets. Besides, there should be a limit to the number of times I can use magic.)

As Ryouma thought that, he decided to take a break and draw water from the river. When he came back, he opened the letter again.

(It would be great if there’s something I can use, but in the worst case, I’ll just have to use that tent. I’ve slept some in one back on Earth, so it should be no problem… Ah.)

While Ryouma was looking for a solution to his predicament, he came across a page that showed his status.

(Status, huh. Well, this should be convenient. At the very least, I’ll be able to understand exactly what I can and can’t do.)

When he looked at the page again, it read:

Name: Ryouma Takebayashi

Gender: Male

Age: 8

Race: Human

(My name and gender is the same as in my past life. I don’t really remember what sort of kid I was back then though. All I remember is that my dad beat everything into me. Anyway, moving on…)

HP: 10,486

MP: 102,300

Note: For an average person, their HP would normally be around 1000, while an adventurer, a soldier, or a trained person would normally have theirs between 2,000 to 3,000.

“What kind of freak am I supposed to be then?” [Ryouma]

(I mean, sure, I might have worked out a bit more than most young people or those bigwigs with their bulging stomachs, but I don’t think that’s enough to make such a big difference. The magic power makes sense since the gods said my magic power would naturally increase as a side effect of their procedure, but that shouldn’t apply to HP.)

MP had a note under it just like HP. Normal people had 100 MP. Warriors that bolstered their fighting abilities with magic ranged from 500 – 700 MP. A normal mage ranged from 1,000 – 5,000 MP, and a royal court magician ranged from 10,000 to 50,000.

(Well, more won’t hurt. Now about those skills…)

Domestic Skills

Domestic Chores LV10

Etiquette LV7

Musical Instrument LV3

Singing LV3

Calculation LV5

Battle Skills

Close-Combat Mastery LV7

Sword Mastery LV7

Knife Mastery LV6

Hidden Weapons Mastery LV7

Spear Mastery LV4

Bow Mastery LV6

Staff Mastery LV6

Weight Control LV4

Throwing Weapons Mastery LV7

Stealth Mastery LV7

Traps LV6

Body Control LV6

Spirit Cultivation LV5

Magic Skills

Familiar Magic LV1

Barrier Magic LV1

Healing Magic LV1

Alchemy LV1

Fire Magic LV1

Water Magic LV1

Wind Magic LV1

Earth Magic LV1

Neutral Magic LV1

Electric Magic LV1

Ice Magic LV1

Poison Magic LV1

Wood Magic LV1

Light Magic LV1

Dark Magic LV1

Space Magic LV1

Magic Perception LV1

Magic Manipulation LV1

Increased MP Recovery LV1

Production Skills

Pharmacy LV6

Smithing LV1

Architecture LV2

Woodworking LV2

Molding LV4

Drawing LV4

Resistance Skills

Physical Pain Resistance LV8

Mental Resistance LV9

Health LV7

Special Skills

Survival Skills LV3

Focused Mind LV5

Greater Vitality LV3

Greater Stamina LV6

Greater Regeneration LV3

Titles

Usurper

One Who has Lived Through Misfortune

Favored Child of the Gods

Disciple of the Sage

Disciple of the Martial God

Blessings

Blessing of Gayn, the God of Creation

Blessing of Kufo, the God of Life

Blessing of Rurutia, the God of Love

(Regarding skills, a level 1 means that one has learned the basics. A level 2 indicates that one is an apprentice, while a level 3 indicates that one is learned. 4 indicates proficiency, while a 5 means first-class. From 6 beyond is the mark of an expert.

I guess the 39 years I spent wasn’t for nothing. A lot of the skills seem to have taken inspiration from the things I learned in work and school. Stuff like programming which isn’t relevant to this world aren’t written, though.

Titles and blessings don’t really seem like they’ll be much use right now. Now, what to do?)

Ryouma turned to the next page and read the explanations written about various skills. 10 minutes later, one skill caught his eyes.

Spirit Cultivation, a skill that strengthens one’s life force.

By sensing one’s ki beneath the stomach and by letting it flow throughout the body like one does with magic, one’s physical faculties are heightened. By allowing the ki to course through one’s weapons, the sharpness of the weapon increases, making it much more powerful. The use of Spirit Cultivation can become second-nature after regular use, so there are cases when its practitioners use it unaware.

(This is probably the reason why I moved so much awhile ago. I should be able to use it well once I understand it. Now, where is that earth spell… Ah, found it.)

The elementary earth spell, Rock. A spell that hardens soil and transforms it into either rock or stone. The shape can be molded according to the will of the mage.

“‘Rock’” [Ryouma]

As Ryouma used the spell on the crumbled parts of the cliff, the earth and sand quickly turned into stones.

“Good. ‘Rock’. ‘Rock’. —” [Ryouma]

Using the same spell several times, Ryouma created a short stone rod. Using Break Rock, Ryouma thinned its end, creating a shape akin to that of a beast’s fang. After completion, Ryouma held his newly made rod with a backhand grip as he walked toward the cliff.

Ryouma took a deep breath as he circulated ki from his right arm to his rod, then he slammed it down onto the cliff.

“Ha!” [Ryouma]

Ryouma’s hardened rod slammed into the cliff, boring a hole deep enough for half his finger to enter.

When Ryouma saw his rod take effect, he slammed the cliff again, boring holes faster than when he just chanted spells.

“Tch! It broke! ‘Rock’” [Ryouma]

Whenever Ryouma’s rod broke, he would fix it and begin digging again. By the time the sun had set, Ryouma had only managed to dig out a hole big enough for him to store his belongings. Despite that, because Ryouma had to use Spirit Cultivation and Magic, which he was unfamiliar with, a wave of exhaustion hit him.

(This is it for the day, I suppose.)

When Ryouma walked away from the cliff to get the food and water he’d gathered, he suddenly found himself staring at the scenery.

“Amazing…” [Ryouma]

Before Ryouma knew it, the world outside had been dyed in the color of the setting sun. The trees and the leaves reflected the red of the sun onto the leaves and plants outside of its reach. Ryouma was speechless at the beauty of that sight.

As the red sky began to fade, a resplendent starry sky filled its place.

(There’s so many stars. How beautiful. How long has it been since I last saw so many stars? In fact, how long has it been since I last had the opportunity to take in my surroundings?)

No one answered Ryouma’s questions, but regardless, Ryouma was satisfied. And with a face full of satisfaction, he took his belongings and carried them into his cave.

Ryouma took a blanket from his bag and spread it over the ground, creating a place for him to rest, then as he leaned onto the wall, he took a mouthful of food. He’d only gathered fruits and herbs he could eat raw, so there weren’t much, but he was still able to fill his belly, while still leaving about half of everything he’d gathered.

(I’ll eat the rest tomorrow. I should sleep now. I have to gather ingredients and things I can use in my day-to-day life tomorrow. There’s a lot to do, but there’s also a lot to gain.)

After eating his fill, Ryouma blocked the entrance of his cave.

“Gayn, Kufo, Rurutia, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for your kindness…” [Ryouma]

Ryouma’s busy legs finally stopped, taking refuge in the embrace of the soft blanket around him. As his words vanished into the dark of the cave, the sound of snoring could be heard not long after.

Meanwhile, in the divine realm, three gods were peeping at Ryouma. These gods were – of course – none other than Gayn, Kufo, and Rurutia, the gods who sent Ryouma to Seiruforu.

“Everything seems to be going well.” [Gayn]

“Yes, we have also managed to bestow him power without any difficulties.” [Rurutia]

“He’s managed to find a place to live in as well. It should be smooth sailing from here.” [Kufo]

The three gods expressed their relief in the blank white space.

“Indeed, but let’s keep watching him for now. We might have made a deal with him, but it would ache my heart to see him happen into some unfortunate accident. And besides, he’s piqued my interest.” [Gayn]

“Sure, Gayn.” [Kufo]

“I agree, let’s keep watching. That aside, just what on Earth is the earth god thinking? I can’t believe he actually meddled with the destiny of a living person.” [Rurutia]

After showing their approval to Gayn’s proposal, Rurutia suddenly spat her disgust for the Earth God.

“Calm down, Rurutia. Grumbling here won’t do any of us any good.” [Gayn]

“But I’m concerned. You are too, right, Gayn?” [Rurutia]

“Well, yes. Even if it’s not always with malicious intention, there aren’t a lot of people whose destiny has been tampered with. To begin with, the fact that gods aren’t supposed to so easily tamper with a person’s destiny is common sense. And stealing a person’s fortune is just incorrigible.” [Gayn]

“He even went as far as to use ‘Trials’. I can’t believe he would actually have some reason behind all this.” [Rurutia]

Trials are a kind of opportunity the gods can give to the people living in the mortal world to help them; usually it is given when a great danger is looming over a great multitude, though ultimately, when it is given is completely up to the gods’ discretion.

When a trial is passed, the people who have undertaken the trial are given great power as reward.

“That god might have intended to hurt him, but in the end, a trial is a trial. If you can live through it, you can gain power.” [Rurutia]

“And though the trials were suppressed to little misfortunes in his everyday life, after so many, the effect is bound to accumulate.” [Gayn]

“Even a little trash here and there can one day form a mountain, in other words. Though the power he gained never benefited him in his work or luck, his body ended up becoming freakishly strong. It’s fortunate though, because otherwise…” [Rurutia]

“It’s because of that that we noticed. And from looking at his memories, it seems even his father—” [Kufo]

While Ryouma slept, the gods chattered among themselves about matters he did not understand.

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