Outskirts of Persina City
A silent night veiled the sky.
Along the riverbank, a few women worked and chatted in hushed tones, their laughter mingling with the soft sound of flowing water. A rare sense of harmony blanketed the area. Above them, posted on the slope of the riverbank, male guards kept watch—eyes sharp, posture rigid.
"Damn, this is exhausting... The undead numbers are still rising. What the hell is going on with that damn Abyss? It's already been two years since this mess started," muttered a guard in his twenties, his face twisted in frustration as he scanned the still night. His sigh carried the weight of a prophecy he half-feared was becoming real.
"Shut up. It's our job. Or do you want to go without dinner tonight?" barked an older guard, smacking the younger one on the back of the head. His gaze remained fixed on the horizon, but his expression betrayed the same unease. The city's outer defenses were far from secure, and with the adventurers dwindling and no reinforcements from the kingdom, they had no choice but to endure.
"All we can do is try… That's all we've got left," Wendolf said, his tone heavy with resignation.
As he spoke, something caught his eye—a body floating downriver, drifting silently toward them.
His posture stiffened as he activated his skill, [Life Sight], a basic detection ability granted by the Adventurer's Guild to identify the difference between a corpse and the undead.
"Human body. Vital signs detected," he announced, loud enough to draw the women up from the riverbank.
They gathered quickly, eyes widening as they spotted the figure—a boy, no older than his teens, pale and motionless as the current brought him in.
"I'll get him. Keep watch for undead," a ranger said swiftly, diving into the river. With practiced strokes, he reached the boy and pulled him to shore.
They rushed him inland, calling for a medic.
"Vital signs are stable—only a minor head injury," said a young woman in her twenties after examining him. Placing a hand over the boy's chest, she summoned a soft golden light that washed over them both. The boy's wounds faded, healing rapidly under her touch.
"Lady Elsa... how is he?" the broad-shouldered guard who first spotted the boy asked, concern clear in his voice.
Elsa, her blond hair glinting under the moonlight, offered a reassuring smile. "He'll be fine."
"That's a relief."
"Still…" Her smile faded slightly as her brow furrowed. "It's strange. His body is completely void of mana. Not suppressed—just… gone. He may have exhausted it all. Or maybe he has an extremely low recovery rate."
She rose with a sigh. "Let's take him to my house for now. We'll have the Head check on him later."
"Okay! Let's do that..."
+
"Hmm..."
With a faint groan, Ken stirred, flexing his fingers and toes as sensation returned to his limbs. The ache in his body reminded him of what happened—the last memory flashing in his mind was the sudden flood that tore through his so-called safe zone.
He sighed, recalling the final notification from Starlink—the mysterious system granted to him upon reincarnation.
Who would've thought that the "monster-proof" zone would fail due to something so mundane?
'It promised protection from monsters but never said anything about natural disasters…' he thought bitterly.
"Whatever," he muttered, gazing at the unfamiliar ceiling. "With the little food I had left, I probably would've starved anyway. At least I made it out."
His eyes wandered across the modest room. The sight of actual furniture—walls, shelves, a table—filled him with a wave of unexpected nostalgia. After months spent surviving in isolation inside a damp cave, just seeing something made by human hands felt like a luxury.
He tried to sit up, but a sharp weakness pulled him back down. His limbs felt like jelly. Completely grounded. Still, gritting his teeth, he twisted his torso and managed to prop himself slightly—until a soft voice interrupted him.
"I don't think you should be moving just yet. It could be dangerous."
A young woman stepped into view—elegant, calm, and beautiful enough to steal the breath from his lungs. Ken blinked, momentarily stunned by the sight.
'How… insanely pretty.'
"Right…" he murmured, trying to sound composed. "Then I guess I'll just… lie down for a bit."
"That's good," she replied gently. "Let me help you."
Ken was still struggling to raise his legs when he felt her cool hands guide them into position. Her touch was light but firm, steadying his body with practiced ease.
"Thanks. This is the first time I've felt this weak," he admitted, glancing at his limbs with frustration.
"You were close to drowning," the woman said. "But somehow, you stayed afloat. From what we can tell, all the mana in your body was completely drained. What you're experiencing is mana depletion fatigue—it's a common reaction in cases like yours."
Her voice was professional but kind. Still, Ken's mind had already drifted elsewhere.
Starlink.
His so-called cheat—a system gifted to him after his death and rebirth into this world. Back on his home planet, he had been a nobody. But when death claimed him, he awoke in a strange liminal space, faced with bizarre questions by an unknown presence. His answers shaped his fate—and earned him this power.
Starlink. A system full of potential...
And yet, he had no idea how to use it.
Not yet.
"My name is Elsa. Mr. Wendolf—the man at the riverbank—was the one who spotted your body," she said while gently inspecting Ken's arm.
Ken watched her closely, his eyes drifting from his weakened limbs to the faint glow that seemed to radiate from her. A soft golden film shimmered briefly over her skin, and a warm current spread through his body. The sensation was soothing—almost divine—and he let himself bask in the silence, amazed at how something so simple could feel so comforting.
The warmth faded. A light sheen of sweat had formed on Elsa's forehead.
"With this, your body should start healing on its own. I'll bring you something to eat," she said with a small smile and quietly left the room.
Ken remained silent, his gaze lingering on the door.
'She feels like some kind of noble... but this place—'
He scanned the room again. It was simple, almost rustic. Nothing extravagant. Still, the care in its design suggested someone important—or at least well-respected.
'Maybe I've been thrown into some old-age world. A tribal society, perhaps? In a place like this, even a modest hut like hers might belong to someone with status.'
Before he could think further, Elsa returned with a wooden tray. On it was a light meal—some fresh vegetables and fruits arranged with care.
She placed the tray beside him and picked up a spoon.
"Say ahh..." she said playfully, holding the spoon near his mouth.
Ken flushed slightly. "U-Um... I can feed myself."
"Then go ahead. Take the spoon from my hand."
She raised an eyebrow, almost challenging him.
Ken hesitated, then tried—and immediately realized the futility of it. His arm barely moved. He let out a soft sigh of defeat.
With a knowing smile, Elsa gently fed him the first bite.
"You look like a sheltered kid," she said teasingly as she offered him another spoonful. "Which family are you from? And why were you out there, floating in the river like that?"
Ken hesitated for a moment, then answered honestly. "Honestly... I don't really remember much. Just… I was in a cave. Then came the flood. Everything else is a blur."
"I see..."
Her eyes lingered on him with curiosity and a flicker of concern. She leaned in slightly, brushing a crumb from the corner of his lips with her finger.
"Well, don't worry. I'll take care of you. The Head of the Outer City personally asked me to watch over you."
Ken blinked, surprised by her kindness.
"If you have nowhere to return to, just stay here. I'll make sure you're safe."
Her tone was warm—reassuring—but there was something else in her voice too. A soft sadness that briefly flickered in her eyes before she masked it behind a cheerful smile.
"I am 18, you know. I can take care of myself," Ken muttered, trying to assert some dignity.
"That's perfectly fine," she replied with a chuckle. "I'll still be needing your help too."
That last sentence caught him off guard.
She turned away quickly, changing the subject—but that brief sadness in her expression lingered in his mind.