When I opened my eyes, I was back in my office again.

I groaned loudly, dropping my head onto my desk. "Why do I keep coming back here in my dreams," I murmured before standing to go find…

Wait, who was I going to find?

"Kathy? No, Katie..?"

It felt like it was right there, but for some reason, I couldn't grasp the name. Instead, I tried to focus on their face. But… I couldn't. It was like my mind had hazed over, and important details were being blocked by something.

Suddenly, a short, fat bald man peeked his head around the corner. "Hey there, knucklehead!" He says, flashing a wide, toothy grin that disappears just as fast. "I need those reports—"

"Sorry, who are you?"

The man stares at me for a minute before his facial features start to disappear into a black void. Finally, there's nothing left except a dark hole for his face. I watch in slight horror as he turns, walking off calmly.

"Did I just forget him out of existence??"

'FOCUS.'

Right, right. I had to go look for… Charlos? No, that's way off.

Shaking my head clear, I speed-walked over towards the corner of the floor, heading for a group of cubicles over there. I walked past the first, second…

I paused by the third. 'Is this it?'

I peeked inside. A woman with long, flowing white hair that seemed to reflect light itself sat in the office chair, reading a book. No, wait… it was a comic.

"Oh, sorry," I mumbled as she looked up, but she simply gave me a smile. I didn't know who I was looking for, but it wasn't her. Her golden eyes looked inquisitively at me, a hint of curiosity in them.

"Do not worry yourself about it, dear boy," she said, with a voice that held a tone promising she was much wiser than her age suggested.

"It is just one more down. You will soon escape this nightmare, I promise."

I couldn't really understand her words, and for a moment I continued to stare at her as if entranced. Suddenly I returned to my senses, and lowered my eyes. "Right, thanks."

"Anytime, Klum."

I gave the woman a small smile and a nod before walking one more cubicle down. I peeked hesitantly around the corner, as if the person inside would attack me as soon as they saw me.

A girl no more than 5 feet tall sat in the office chair with her legs crossed, clicking keys on a board with letters on it, and staring at something that looked like my Life Statscreen. She reached up to brush some of her light brown hair away from her face, and the hand was so skinny I was afraid the weight of the hair might break it.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

"Ah…" I wanted to speak, but I had no idea what to say. The girl perked up, turning to see who was at her cubicle.

A dark void met my eyes, and the second it did I found it incredibly hard to breathe.

"Luke, you're here," a monotonous voice echoed out of the empty hole, addressing me with an intense pressure.

Sweat began to bead on my forehead as I grabbed my chest to try and lift the weight off my lungs. "Who… is Luke?" I wheezed. The lady tilted her head, and the disappointment she exuded nearly brought me to my knees. She stood, walking slowly over to me, until she stood in front of me looking up at my face.

"What is my name?" The voice asked, waiting patiently.

"I… don't… know," I managed to squeeze out. The only breathing I could manage was incredibly shallow.

She reached up, setting a bony hand gently on my shoulder. Instantly, I fell to my knees as they lost all strength. The black hole looked coldly down on me before repeating itself firmly.

"What, is, my, name?"

"I… don't…"

I couldn't finish the sentence. All the air rushed out of my lungs, and I desperately tried to pull more back in, to no avail. The darkness began to spread, filling my vision until it was all I could see. 'It's going to swallow me,' I thought blanky.

"What. Is. My. Name?"

"Christy!" I shouted loudly as I bolted upright. Something cold, wet and sticky registered on my left hand, and I looked over to see a pool of blood had stained my pants, sleeve, and even my Arm guard. The clothes were something I had woken up in and had no change out for, so they were already pretty dirty, but now they were going to be crusty, too.

My memories returned to me in a flood, and as I gained full cognition I held my head in my one clean hand. "Ugh, this headache… What the hell?"

I slowly began to remember the events that had transpired before I passed out. Looking over, I confirmed that the now half-dried pool of blood was from the Ogre's head. It had smelled like it was rotting before it had even died, so I had no real estimate of how long I had been knocked out. My best guess was the sun, which had gone from in the sky to almost beginning to set.

But, I didn't know how to read hours using the sun, so I didn't even try.

First things first, I opened my Life Statscreen to officially see my new Level Up.

Ding!

[EXP: 144/50]

[EXP: 143/51]

[EXP: 142…

Just like last time, the numbers transferred over until the right side had doubled. I let out a low whistle. "That thing nearly killed me, but I almost leveled up twice because of it."

I decided the first thing I would do was check my vitals, to check if I was still in danger of dying.

[Health: 24/40]

[Mana: 38/38]

[Stamina: 30/40]

I breathed out a sigh of relief. For now, I was in the clear. It wasn't anything perfect, and I wouldn't survive another Ogre, but it was good enough.

"Next order of business: stats."

I scrolled down a bit, and soon a frown grew from my lips. "What…"

[Free Stat(s): 3]

[Due to the user's immense growth and a request of the World Lines, stat point gains have been reduced.]

I had gotten less stats, just because of the achievements I never asked to get? "Figures," I sighed. 'Guess I'll just have to get as many of those as I can.'

"And what the hell are the World Lines, anyway?"

I had once asked the tutorial the same question, but the tutorial had refused to respond then, and it wasn't like I could ask it now.

In an attempt to forget about my growing questions about this world, I took a look at my stats, my frown growing. With less stat points, I wouldn't be able to passively grow my DEX as I ensured my survival with other stats. After several minutes of debating, I put one stat into DEX, and left the other two alone. No one said I HAD to use my points right away, so it might be best to hold onto them until I need a specific one. That would best help me respond to situations.

Looking at the ugly head again, I finally noted that its giant fangs had disappeared. "Ah, that's right." I pulled up my inventory to see four new additions; two swords, and two knives.

Nodding approvingly, I decided to look at the new skill I had learned again before I appraised the weapons. Scrolling down in my Life Statscreen, I tapped on the new skill, Underdog, to read about it.

"12%, huh," I mused. "And it can evolve. I wonder if that causes the percentage to go up once I do. This skill could be overpowered for me now, even if I come across another Ogre."

I grinned. I had barely beat the child Ogre, and I was sure if I hadn't let my guard down, I could've survived in much better condition. With Underdog, I may be able to even beat a teenager.

The thought made me giggle, until I realized that I myself had been reset to a teenager.

[Age: 17]

That still baffled me a bit. Usually with reincarnation, you started all the way from scratch. Like coming out of the womb from scratch. Yet, I had just suddenly woken up.

"And the tree I woke up against," I pondered, remembering the burnt and cracked tree. "It's clear lightning struck it, but how come my clothes or skin wasn't burnt?"

I gasped suddenly. "No way. Was I brought here on a bolt of lightning? Does that, like, make me a son of Zeus or something?!"

Frantically, an attempt to stand was made, but my foot caught on my ankle. I fell face first towards the puddle of blood, and with no better alternative I caught myself on my hands and knees, splashing droplets and chunks of ogre blood all over the front of me.

My fed up expression had a pressure more intense than a certain black hole in my nightmares. My hands hung limply in front of me; I looked like I was pretending to be a Tyrannosaurus Rex and I did not care if I did.

Before I did anything else, I marched through the forest, following the sun, as I was dead-set on finding a body of water one way or another.