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I woke up resting against a wooden crate in a dark and narrow brick alleyway. First thing I noticed was the change in my attire.

When summoned into God's "pocket realm"—so to speak—I donned a white t-shirt and loose track pants.

They were the clothes I wore before my untimely demise.

Instead, I found myself wearing a rough-spun sackcloth tunic and ragged trousers to match. Both shared a dull beige color.

It was an unsurprising occurrence, given the deity's words before he sent me here.

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「You will start with absolutely nothing in that world—don't expect any divine protection from Me.」

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Perhaps God saw through my plan to pawn off my decent quality clothes for some easy starting funds. The old man could read minds after all.

While a couple of rags were far from nothing, it'd be impossible to sell them for a worthwhile price.

Besides, I wasn't wearing any underwear. I didn't want to go full commando for a little more than a buck.

Second thing I noticed, was I had decreased in body mass. Greatly.

It'd be more accurate to say, I had become ten years younger. I got up and stumbled towards the nearest puddle to confirm.

The reflection said it all: scrawny physique, rounded cheeks, diminutive stature.

Only similarities to my adult self were the messy auburn hair, emerald green irises, and light brown freckles lining my flushed pink cheeks.

My Irish side truly showed.

Notwithstanding the weight change, it was exactly what 12-year-old me looked like.

Of course, that were more conditions the geezer had for me.

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「If you think you can get by with your sharp tongue and experienced façade then think again! You're set to be reborn as a child a decade younger. Surely, you can tell the implications of such a rule.」

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I audibly groaned. Another one of my plots, ruined by a meddling divinity.

Age meant everything. Had I been sent here as a 22-year-old, I could've simply used my conversational skills to land a job in some merchant company.

Easy sailing from then on.

On the other hand, as a child, my opportunities were very limited.

My credibility would always be called into question. No matter the time period, you'd always take the adult's word over the child's.

Jobs were another issue. In a struggling economy, finding work as an adult would be difficult, let alone as a young boy.

Then again, this was pure speculation—I had no idea how this world's economy functioned. It could've been peachy for all I knew.

I had too little information to go by.

「Enough thinking to myself, I should really get moving...」

And a high-pitched mess left my mouth. It could've easily passed off as a girl's.

Have I not hit puberty yet?

I awkwardly swiveled to the bright bustling streets beyond the alley and couldn't help but totter as I made my way towards the light.

Moving in this body felt unbelievably strange. I always overestimated my movements.

It was lightfooted and easier to move in, but that only made it harder to get used to.

Imagine riding a rusty bike for several years. You grow accustomed to the resistance from the pedals and the weight of the wheels beneath you.

Abruptly switching to a newer and lighter bike out of nowhere and you'd almost instantly get overwhelmed by the freedom of this faster model.

In a nutshell, that was how it felt to move around in this body. It no longer felt like I was controlling "me".

The big and heavy adult body I lugged around had transformed into a compact and feathery vessel.

I could no doubt pull off feats I otherwise couldn't do as an overweight grown-up.

Overweight as in relative to my younger counterpart, obviously.

With every step, however, I gradually got used to moving around.

Finally, I reached the streets of this unknown town.

A bustling cityscape awaited me. Rickety carriages, gossiping passersby, and the occasional clanking from geared-up adventurers.

European-styled brick houses lined the cobbled streets. They were by no means posh, but neither were they run-down.

Wagons, swords, shields, not a telephone line in view—I was midst a medieval era kingdom. It was a setting I fondly recognized.

I could hardly contain my excitement. My mouth was agape with awe.

Nevertheless, my goal was clear: obtain information any way I could.

Although the first two conditions God set were quite challenging as they were—the final stipulation was a real pain in the ass.

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「You will know nothing. I won't divulge anything about this world to you. You will go in completely blind—unaware of its politics, economics, religions, and even its name. The burden of unknowing lies upon you. This is the final condition I leave you with.」

In hindsight, it was a terrible deal. Had I been sent to a world I was unfamiliar with, I could've found myself in a real pinch.

Well, it's not like I had a choice, to begin with...

That damned old man forced me into this after all.

「And if I refuse to do this?」

「Then you will rot away inside this endless limbo, stuck between heaven and hell.」

「What if I die in that world?」

「If you involuntarily pass on, and prove yourself a righteous being, then you will automatically make it to heaven.」

「Oh, if that's it—」

「HOWEVER!」

God glared deep into my eyes, as though he was speaking directly to my soul.

「Should you take your own life, or purposely move into harm's way to quicken the process, then I will have no choice but to send you to hell.」

---

Suicide wasn't an option either.

My only choice was to survive with my wits alone.

I pointed up to clouds and yelled as loud as I could. My resolve was strengthened and my mission was set.

「If that's how you want to play... then I accept your challenge, old man! I'm going to rule this world and claim all its riches for myself! Playing a good guy will be as easy as pie with endless wealth!」

I was definitely going to beat God at his own game. Besides, I was Lorenzo—the greatest Battleshift player that ever lived!

I finally had some purpose in my life.

「Huh..? Who's that bairn talkin' t'..?」

「Seems like livin' in th' slums has finally gotten to 'er...」

「Poor soul... And at a young age too...」

A crowd had surrounded me during my vociferous declaration. They all shared looks of pity as if they'd collectively witnessed a tragedy unfold.

My already-pink cheeks blushed a deeper pink. I could've died from embarrassment—though I refrained from doing so out of fear of going to hell.

I swiftly ran past the gathering of onlookers, constantly tripping as I made my way through the busy streets of this no-name city.

Then I realized something important.

They spoke English!

I stopped dead in my tracks. My biggest concern had been addressed.

Seeing European architecture from the middle ages had me worried the people here would speak some foreign drivel.

Thankfully they didn't.

Instead, most spoke in a unique hillbilly drawl that harbored a pinch of posh. There were those who possessed a neutral accent, much like my own, but this odd accent was prevalent among the populous.

At any rate, with the primary language of this region ascertained, I could confidently collect information about this world.

I started by locating the marketplace.

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