It’s been a week since I awoke up in this new body. That day, old man Silan told me many things about this world, he explain it to me how this world works. First he told me that we are in the world of Gaia, and we are in the continent called Agesha, this place, where we at is almost in the boundary of the kingdom of Lumidla, which the reigning king ruled for over a thousand year, this is quite hard to digest, a king who ruled for over a thousand year, but the explanation will wait a little bit later, we are near in the village of Geran that is surrounded by mountainous range and a very dense forest. Old Silan’s house is near the foot of the mountain for he lives alone, his dislike for a crowd is evident in the way he live. Now that the location has been explained, he next told me about its inhabitant. The decedent of this world is like the usual fantasy world, elves, dwarves, humans, and so forth.

All the inhabitants of Gaia has a long life, in short, they don’t just die of old age, don’t get me wrong, they are not immortal, they can still die of old age but, it’s quite hard for them to die like that, they’re life span reach for thousands of year, so they mostly likely die of disease, sickness, death of blade, accident, and almost all of the harmful effect to the body, so it’s much more likely they die in this causes than that of old age which is quite rare, for almost all the people that live here in this world has a warlike nature.

Now, the other inhabitant of Gaia besides them is us Soulbounder. Which happen every 50,000 years and a few in between 50,000 years. Let me explain how I understand it. The normal inhabitants of this world, when they die, their souls leave their bodies behind, to reincarnate or to pass on or to go wherever the souls go.

The bodies that was left behid never decomposed, no that is not the right term to use, maybe in stasis? So in short, the dead bodies became a shell for a soul from the other world to take over. You may think that, why not the local inhabitant take over the bodies, I dont know the answer, but from what i heard, a soul from the same world can’t take over a different bodies from the same world when they die, unless its reincarnation or possesion.

The bodies that was left behind, heal itself overtime, till it can’t be a life threatening for the next soul that will inhabit the bodies, but not to the extent of a full body recovery. In short, if my present body has lost a leg or any other limb, it will not regenerate, if that is the case, I will be living in a body with a missing limb. Even if I’m not luckiest, its a good thing that my present body has all its limb especially the third leg.

For some other Soulbounder who is not as lucky as me, there was some cases in which some unlucky Soulbounder inhabit a charred body, the body healed itself but like I said, not in full recovery, which they walk like a charcoal. The luckiest Soulbounder, based on what old Silan told me based on their history, the Soulbounder inhabit a strong body like a warrior, and some, a body of a King or any other nobility. Which in some of them cuase a dire circumstances that resulted in war.

A Soulbounder is quite unique in this world, they may be called the strongest being in this world, for a Soulbounder retains the skill and the stat of the body they inhabited, muscle memory maybe, plus the Soulbound stat that doubles up or maybe more or less depends on what the stat gives, old Silan said Soulbound stat differs from person to person. The Soulbound stat is what made us one of the strongest in this world. But it doesnt mean we are the strongest by default. Like me, I inhabited an errand boy, I may be a Soulbounder, but I'm the weakest Soulbounder out there, a goat can kill me with a headbut.

A soul cannot inhabit a body with decapitated head, so the inhabitants of this world, if they don’t want their families, comrades or others that they have a close relationship with, decapitate the head from the bodies, which even if other tries to attach it again to the body, the body won’t heal it. There are also some cases in which fate do the act, like an unlucky fellow who died in some wilderness or left the body unsecured, in this situation, there are chances that the bodies can be ravage by others or devoured by some beast or wild animal, in which leads to a decapitate head. A body without a head, turns back to nature.

That was the only method they can avoid being Soulbound. Now, old Silan told me why there is a Soulblounder like me in this world. Every 50,000 years, appear a high condensation of mana, that which everyone wants, even the gods. The gods chose some representative in this world which will do their bidding for they cannot interfere themselves. But there was a big catch here, if the representative is originally from this world got the high condensation mana, only half of the high mana condensation the gods will get, the other half return or absorb by Gaia, but if the representative is a soul not from this world they will get more than half of the high mana condensation. This mana condensation is like a food for them, a high class cuisine, and for the person who acquired the mana get a boost in their own power and a reward if they offer it to a god, so it’s a win win situation for both parties, so everybody wants to acquire it, but not everyone can get it. This event cause or ignite a war between kingdoms, for they want to appease or be rewarded by their own god. Soulbounder was summon for this purpose, they arrive years before the mana condense, or arrive much earlier, this will give them time to be prepared and be accustom to their new body before they venture off on this world.

A Soulbounder can do anything they want, if they want to search for the mana or not, to take the mana for their own or offer it to god, and or to become stronger or just be lazy. But that is of course if they don’t face any troublesome circumstances like being forced by the kingdom, since they were much more stronger than the inhabitants of this world, many kingdom has find a way for a Soulbonder to work for them, and that was forcing them to work for them before they became stronger. They search for the Soulbonder, not much in the open, when they found one, they corner the Soulbonder then negotiate with them, if not force them to work for them, if this two or other method didn’t work the Soulbonder shall be killed before they became trouble for the kingdom, this is just a rumored though, as Silan told me.

The other stuff old Silan told me is about how this world works, this world has its own detail and numerical value, much like in game. If someone had a high grade identify spell, they can almost identify everything, even a pebble just lying in the road has its own detail. They can know where it came from and for how long it was around, they may know if it had some value, for example, someone identify a large rock just by chance, and found nothing, then some other guy with a high grade identify, identified the same rock and it showed that it have a large diamond inside it, that guy would be rich. But who’s stupid enough to identify every rock?

Old Silan taught me some basic command and rule, like how to open other windows other than the status window. Like the skill window, resistance window, and other stuff like to show skill description. There was an unspoken rule, don’t show your status to others, even those you trust, if they know how strong or how weak you are, it can be used against you.

Next is how to gain skills, you may learn it from other person or you can learn it by yourself, like how I learned calm mind. In this world, every action I make has its own consequences, but what consequences is that, nobody knows, just wish that it is always for your own good. Next he explained about standings. Which now I’m a Commoner Grade 1, standings is like a level in the game. And Commoner Grade 1 is Level 1, a noob in short. Standings is very important in this world, if you don’t have any high standing, you won’t just be accepted by anyone and be weaker than anyone. There are benefits when you upgrade standings, it boost up stats, and you can have a position of power in this world. Commoner Grade 6 can be a village guard and Commoner Grade 10 can be a village mayor. After Commoner Grade 10, it advances to Nobility Grade 1 which you can be a knight or a baron, the higher position in nobility can gain a much higher position in the kingdom, Nobility Grade 8 can be a king, after Nobility grade 10 is High Nobility Grade 1 which can be a High King, then High Nobility Grade 3 can be an Emperor and 5 can be a Saint. After High Nobility 10, nobody knows, because nobody still reach High Nobility 6, and there was only one emperor and two saints in all of Gaia’s History. You can advance in standings by making some accomplishments in this world, which is not easy, the accomplishment must be recognize by the gods or by Gaia herself.

And the last is how to register a name, I need to go to a temple, any temple with an altar, so I can register a name. I ask why this body doesn’t have a name, old Silan told me that all body doesn’t have a name, but the soul does. That’s why, when Garret died, this bodies name has been erased in the status window. I need to reregister it to the temple so I can have a name, if not, any accomplishment I make won’t be distinguish by this world. And I need to have an Identification Tablet, if I don’t have it, I can’t enter any large town or cities, and I can’t take jobs or quest in the guilds which is quite also important in making some accomplishments. I can still use Garret’s Identification tablet, but if I used it I can get caught and face a punishment which is a ban to take any job and quest in any guilds, which is bad. But I can still use it as a way to hide my identity as a Soulbond, so I will still keep it. To get an Identification Tablet, I must request it to the mage guild then go to a temple and drop a blood on the tablet. I must think this truly on how to get an Identification Tablet without them knowing that I’am a Soulbond later.

After old Silan’s explaining, we had a little chat, I ask some few question for him to clarify and he answer it. After that he left the room and return bringing a bowl of soup and something to drink. He told me that after I ate to take a rest so I can regain my strength back immediately. Then he leave me alone for the day. After he left, I realize that I was hungry, I ate the soup, while trying to digest what he told me. At first I was happy, very happy, because I realize that my previous body didn’t betray me, my body sacrifice itself to save my soul. I was crying again when I thought that, my precious body, so I decided in honor for my previous body’s sacrifice, I must train this skinny body. I need to make a plan on how I will go on from now on. Old Silan told me that I have two months to decide on what to do, because it’s still in middle of winter period in this place, my first plan was to rest so that my weakness buff will be gone, then exercise this body so I can also remove the atrophy stat. After that, I need to retrain this body, like how I train my previous life, every man needs a muscle to show. Then find someone who can teach me how to use weapons and make me stronger. That means I need to grind. I must live with a gamer mindset. Before I sleep I looked up what this body has for a skills.

Identify (Active) Apprentice Grade 9 (75.89% to the next grade) Shows detail of an object

The higher the Grade of this skill, will have much more detail on the object that was identified Running (Passive) Apprentice Grade 10 (10.11% to the next grade) You run much faster and tire much slower

+50% to running speed

The Higher the Grade of this skill will make you run much faster and tire much slower Hiding (Active) Apprentice Grade 8 (55.01% to the next grade) You won’t be found easier

+50% blending in to the surroundings

The higher the Grade of this skill will make you blend to the surroundings a little better Tough Skin (Passive) Apprentice Grade 9 (20.20% to the next grade) You won’t feel much pain if you get hit

+9% to Physical Defense

The higher the Grade of this skill will make your Physical Defense much higher Weight Reduce (Passive) Apprentice Grade 6 (35.53% to the next grade) You feel that the weight you carries in your body is much lighter

-10% to the original weight of the object you carries

The higher the grade of this skill will have much more effect in the object you carry Crafting (Passive) Apprentice Grade 4 (40.08% to the next grade) A craft skill or a combination of craft skill to make a new product.

+8% to all crafting skill

The higher the grade of this skill affects much better to overall crafting skills Smith Crafting (Passive) Apprentice Grade 3 (35.78% to the next grade) To craft something new out of ores, with the use of fire, water and force

Enhance the created item by 9%

The higher the grade of this skill enhances the created item much better Tailor Crafting (Passive) Apprentice Grade 2 (89.90% to the next grade) To craft something new out of clothing materials or the like.

Enhance the created item by 6%

The higher the grade of this skill enhances the created item much better Cook Crafting (Passive) Apprentice Grade 6 (64.45% to the next grade) To create a food out of raw edible materials

Enhance the created item by 12%

The higher the grade of this skill enhances the created item much better

This is all the skill Garret learned plus the skill I learned earlier Calm Mind, the skill this body has learned show how he has been order around and how he was bullied a lot. So that’s why he’s title is Errand Boy. Sigh~… I better put it in a good use. It’s still a good thing, in a game, crafting skill will help you a lot. Well his skill are all in defensive type like tough skin. He must learned it while he was being beaten by others, poor guy. Now, to check this body’s resistance.

Elemental Resistance Fire 10 (+2) (-6) Water 10 (+2) (-6) Earth 10 (+2) (-6) Wind 10 (+2) (-6) Light 10 (+2) (-6) Dark 10 (+2) (-6)

After taking a look at my skills and resistance, I ended my day and took a rest. 3 days after that, my weakness status has gone, in that three days, I was so thankful to old Silan for taking care of me but also annoyed because he keeps slapping my head, he said it became a habit doing it to Garret. I better stay away from the other villagers at the moment. At that time I ask old Silan how Garret died in the middle of the snow and never been found for 2 months. He told me what the villagers said, that maybe Garret can’t take it anymore the bullying done to him by the other people. Garret was an orphan of war, he was brought here when he was just 6 to be adopted by his aunt, but his aunt died 2 years later. Since then he became a target by other children who was a native in this village till he was 16 which is the age he also died. Since he has no relatives in this village, no one notice that he was missing except to those person who receive his help like the crafters and those that bullied him, no one cared much for him, so they just thought that he just left the village and never searched for him. What will happen if I return there with a stronger Garret body?

Also on that third day, I started trying to move my body, since weakness stat was no more, my body doesn’t feel that much tired, I tried to stand up first, after many rest and many tries I finally got myself to stand up without my hands supporting myself. After some quick rest, I repeatedly do standing and sitting up, so I can get used to it. Walking is still beyond my reach that day. In the succeeding days, I added some light stretching in my routine, and I gradually added some other routine if my body can take it. After a week, I started to walked, at first just inside the house, then if it’s a clear weather, I walked outside the house, the route was just around the house because there’s still a pile of snow in the surrounding place. I also started helping old Silan in some small chores like cleaning and cooking, I want to repay his kindness for taking care of me. Another week after that, atrophy stat was gone for good, now I was in my full strength, I started training my body like how I used to be that day. First thing in the morning I started running for about 10 kilometers, but just in the boundary of the place, I don’t want to get lost, what more surprising was, when I was running I gain some stats and some experience in running skills. Theres a soft tune warning me inside my head then some window notifying me that I can some stat.

You gained 1 stat to Agility You gained 1 stat to Endurance You gained 1 stat to Constitution

When I finished running, I accumulated a total of 3 stat in Agility, 2 stat of Constitution and 5 stat to Endurance, which made me quite happy, oh this precious stat. After running I helped old Silan in preparing for breakfast. After we ate breakfast, I do some cleaning around the house and take some quick rest after that. I continued my training after some quick rest, which is calisthenics, push-ups, sit-ups, and some weight lifting. I gained some stats in strength, agility, dexterity, vitality, and endurance doing this things. I keep doing this for two more weeks except running when there’s a bad weather, I also gained some level in running skill which leveled up to Journeyman Rank 1.

Running (Passive) Journeyman Grade 1 (0.11% to the next grade) You run much faster and tire much slower

+57% to running speed

The Higher the Grade of this skill will make you run much faster and tire much slower

Aside from this, my cooking skills also got a level up and I gained so much stat. I also learned some new skill that help me a lot.

Training (Passive) Apprentice Grade 2 (63.70% to the next grade) Your action of undertaking a course of exercise and other extraneous activity to prepare the body

2 times training more effective

The higher the grade of this skill enhances the training much better

This skill is quite OP, when I train my body it boost much more stat that I can get, 1 stat every 100 push-ups or so that I do became 2 times more with this skill, but since I also have my Soulbound status that made every passive skill 3 times more effective, my training skill became 6 times more effective, so instead of getting just 1 stat every time I train it became 6 stat. with this skill I’ll get stronger much faster than anyone. That’s why they said that a Soulbound is much stronger than any other else in this world.

“Show Status Window”

Status Window Name Need to be registered Title Errand Boy Standings Commoner Grade 1 Status Soulbound Strength 83 (+41) Agility 98 (+49) Dexterity 110 (+55) Constitution 88 (+44) Intelligence 16 (+8) Wisdom 10 (+5) Luck 10 (+5) Leadership 0 (+0) Endurance 130 (+65) Fighting Spirit 0 (+0)

With this routine, I spend over a month in this world already, and I think it’s time to learn something new. So that morning, after my morning run and were about to eat breakfast I talk to old man Silan.

“Mr. Silan, I have a favor to ask of you.” I said

“oh, and what is that? This is the first time you ask of me like this.” Old Silan replied

“Can you teach me your Skill?”