Chapter 1: Transmigration
VANE
Action music is recommended, and illustrations are available in the chapter comments.
Abruptly awakened by a deafening clamour, I shook off lingering traces of sleepiness as my body jolted awake.
Blinding lights forced me to squint, and the cacophony of sounds was muffled by the ringing in my ears.
Prying myself from the ground, I cautiously surveyed the unfolding spectacle through the gaps between my palms.
"IGNITIA!" to my right, a hooded figure bellowed, conjuring a radiant yellow sphere.
BOOM
The sphere rushed forth, and my eyes tracked it to an unimaginable spectacle:
CLANG RUMBLE
BOOM BOOM
PULCH CRUNCH
Explosions of fiery red, clashes of swords, and the whizzing of arrows painted a gruesome scene.
My nostrils recoiled at the sickening scent of blood, and thick black smoke weighed my lungs.
A battlefield!? my eyes widened, and I jounced my head frantically to awaken from my dream, yet the tableau remained unchanged.
Stepping back in shock, my legs unintentionally minced through viscera, grabbing my attention.
SWISH
Alerted by the whistle, I leapt aside, narrowly evading an arrow's deadly trajectory.
TWANG
Regaining my balance, I sought cover behind some trees, inhaling deeply to steady myself.
What the heck is happening!? I furrowed my brows and looked past the tree only to be met with the same view.
From a bar in one moment to a fantasy world the next, and a battlefield at that, I creased my brows, the bewildering shift of events leaving me aghast.
As time trickled away, I looked at the ravaged forest ahead, contemplating escape from this bizarre scenario.
Intent on surviving, my body twitched to run, but a prominent bell rang, grabbing my attention;
DING
[Transmigration successful.]
[System activated, Issuing quest!]
[Quest: Survive the 'Battle of Thalasia' and move to safety.
Difficulty: A
Reward: ???]
A monotonous voice echoed, and the world around me slowed—blood splatter froze, smoke hung in suspension, and people were inanimate. But none of it caught my eye.
The Battle of Thalasia, and the system... was I transmigrated into Cairus? I pondered, as the scene aligned with the novel.
The Battle of Thalasia was the prelude to 'The Reincarnated Hero,' a fantasy novel set in the world 'Cairus.'
To add to the surprise, the system; a companion bestowed upon the protagonist, appeared in front of me, baffling me.
Gathering my thoughts, surprise overwhelmed me, and the world felt unreal, but I could feel it vividly. What happened to me?
DING
[STATUS
(HOST)
Name: Vane
Titles: Transmigrator
Age: Body- 18; Soul- 27
Gender: Male
Race: Human (body)
Body Stage: Mortal stage
Class: None
Condition: Normal
(STATS)
Strength- F+
Agility- F+
Energy- N/A
Endurance- F+
Vitality- F+
Intelligence- S-
Charm- A
(SKILLS)
Currently unavailable
Tip: Use the map function to get to safety.]
Another ring interrupted my surprise, as I gazed at the interface I had always seen in the novel—status.
Except for my intelligence and charm, everything else was at the peak of the mortal stage—the weakest stage.
A status window—it truly is the system, huh? And why is my age bifurcated, did I possess someone? I looked at myself, but my outfit remained the same.
Syst-!
DING
[Caution: The map has a radius of 1.5 kilometres, the time dilation is in effect for 30 seconds, and a cool-down of 1 minute is applied after using it.]
My question was interrupted by the system's alert, and the limited time forced me to move on.
Unable to click my tongue, I accessed the map, the only available function, voicing it in my mind.
It displayed a blue screen with terrain, white dots for humans and a blue cursor marking me.
The usage period was decreasing, so I highlighted a spot, shaded in green by the system and sought to escape.
Glancing around the field, I spotted a knife and a sword, but I couldn't wield the latter. A few more seconds, and;
Dashing toward a fallen warrior, I unsheathed the knife, veering toward the sparse woods.
Scarred muddy terrain filled with thin trees and the fallen, met my eyes, accompanied by the pungent mix of roasted wood and blood.
PULCH CLANG
"GUAAAGHH, GURGH—PLE—GAH!"
BOOM RUMBLE
"PLEASE, I HAVE A F—GURKH!"
Agonized screams echoed as the ground quaked beneath the onslaught of war, while smoke cast a gray hue upon the sky.
I scowled at the grim scene where lifeless bodies and entrails were strewn onto the dull grass, while vultures circled overhead.
What a shitty world, I cursed, and avoided the soldiers, maintaining stealth behind trees and bushes.
"ARGH—HE-HELP, SOMEONE, PL-PLEASE," a soldier was ensnared by a trap, marked as a red dot.
There were many deserters, and they either succumbed to traps or their enemies, but some managed to escape and ran aimlessly.
Slowly but surely making progress, I neared an untouched forest, and my options were split between a detour around it, roughly 50 kilometres.
Otherwise, I could traverse through the wild forest, around 20 kilometres, but harbouring unknown dangers.
Both of them are horrible, I mused, clicking my tongue in irritation, but I don't have a choice.
Weighing my options, I decided to journey past the forest, by nightfall, to avoid any soldiers or traps.
The familiar fauna and flora in the woods, coupled with the system, offered a sense of assurance.
As I neared the wild forest, the evening sky revealed its clarity, free from the heavy smoke that once bombarded my senses.
15 kilometres more, I was away from the core of the battle, and I rarely saw any hints of activity; strange.
Many soldiers might have died by the traps or by their enemies, but some must have escaped.
Unease crept through my gut, as I saw the desolate field, and every step weighed me, forcing me to halt due to nausea.
SWISH
An arrow whistled past me just as I began to halt, and I spared no time;
System! I willed, and time spontaneously slowed, while I calmed myself.
That was extremely close! I reprimanded myself, vowing to be more vigilant, and after a brief pause, I continued.
Examining the map, I couldn't identify the source—'A-grade difficulty,' a stark reminder of the challenges. It couldn't be easy, could it?
With time suspended, I deciphered the arrow's trajectory, calculating the unseen assailants' position. Soon, time resumed.
"SHIT! IT MISSED!"
"YOU STUPID IDIOT!"
"CATCH HIM!"
They had to be in a group, didn't they? I furrowed my brows, irked by their numbers.
Fortunately, they were inexperienced, given their lack of coordination and young voices. Despite their tender foot, they still gained land over me, while I sprinted.
Clicking my tongue, I exerted more power and my muscles rampaged, while my lungs expanded, carrying air to my drumming heart.
I darted towards the forest, determined to evade them in the dense embrace of the foliage, hopefully.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone