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Waking up, I felt a soreness spreading through my back. And opening my eyes, I realized I was resting against a wooden crate in a dark and narrow brick alleyway.
First thing I noticed was the change in my attire—the white t-shirt and baggy jeans I donned had changed completely. Instead, I found myself wearing a rough-spun sackcloth tunic and ragged trousers to match; both shared a dull beige color scheme.
It was an unsurprising development, 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 He saw through my plan to pawn off my stylish modern clothes for some easy starting funds. The old man could read my mind after all.
And while a couple of rags were far from nothing, it'd be impossible to sell them for a worthwhile price. Besides, there was the issue of not having underwear beneath my apparel, and I didn't want to go full commando for merely a buck.
Second thing I noticed was my dramatic decrease in body mass.
More accurately, I had become ten years younger. Staggering to my feet, I stumbled towards the nearest puddle to confirm.
The reflection made it clear to see: scrawny physique, rounded cheeks, diminutive stature.
Only features I'd retained were the messy auburn hair, emerald green irises, and light brown freckles lining my flushed pink cheeks. It was impossible to hide my Irish heritage.
Notwithstanding the weight change, it was exactly what I looked like as a 12-year-old.
Of course, that was another part of the many conditions the geezer had set 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 to be sent to this new world ten years younger. Surely, you're aware of the implications of such a rule.」
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Audibly I groaned—another one of my plots ruined by a meddling divinity.
Appearances meant everything. Had I been sent here as a 22-year-old, I could've simply used my adult mien and mature conversational prowess to land a job in some merchant company.
It would be easy sailing from then on.
On the other hand, as a literal child, my opportunities were drastically limited.
My credibility would always be called into question. No matter the world, you'd always take the grown-up'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...」
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And what left my mouth could only be described as a high-pitched squeak. My voice range had gone up a dozen octaves.
Have I not hit puberty yet?
Awkwardly, I swiveled to the bright bustling streets beyond the alley and couldn't help but totter as I made my way toward 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. Naturally, you grow accustomed to the resistance from the pedals and the weight of the wheels beneath you.
Abruptly switching to a newer, lighter bike out of nowhere and you'd 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 a heavy college student.
Heavy as in relative to my younger counterpart, obviously.
With every step, however, I gradually got used to moving around.
And 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 they were far from run-down.
Wagons, swords, shields, not a telephone line in view—I was amid 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.」
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In hindsight, it was a horrible deal to take. Had I been sent to a world I was unfamiliar with, I could've found myself in a real pinch.
Well, it wasn't like I had a choice, to begin with...
That damned old man forced me into this after all.
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「And if I refuse to do this?」
「Then you will rot away within this endless limbo, trapped 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.」
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Suicide wasn't an option either.
My only choice was to survive with my wits alone.
I pointed up to the clouds and yelled as loudly 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 the Good Samaritan you want me to be will be as easy as pie with an endless purse!」
I was definitely going to beat God at his own game. Besides, I was Lorenzo—the greatest Battleshift player that ever lived!
Finally, I had a real use for my years of MMORPG experience.
「Huh..? Who's that bairn talkin' to..?」
「Seems like livin' in th' slums has finally gotten to 'er...」
「Poor soul... And at a young age too...」
A crowd surrounded me during my vociferous declaration. They all stared at me and shared looks of pity as if I was a sad sight to behold.
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.
Swiftly, I ran past the gathering of onlookers, constantly tripping as I weaved through the busy streets of this no-name city.
It was then that I noticed 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.
And thankfully they didn't.
Instead, most spoke in a unique hillbilly drawl that harbored a pinch of cockney. Some 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.
And no better place to start than locating the marketplace.
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