Ten years later…
As the sun began to set, Caution stormed up a steep hill, drenched in sweat. The crimson cube followed close behind. Once at the top, he cracked his neck to one side and rotated both shoulders under a large oak tree.
The ten-year-old rhythmically bopped left and right, fists raised in a poised fighting stance. He jabbed once with his left, then once with his right
Damn it. It’s too slow.
After tutting, he repeated the action several times.
Too slow. Too slow. Too slow.
Caution gradually increased the complexity of his punches until he was shadowboxing, visualising the attacks of an old rival from another world. Every punch was too slow and even when the technique was perfect the force generated wasn’t enough.
The imaginary opponent, which replicated Flavio’s fighting style, annihilated him in the spar session. The shadow effortlessly dodged the attacks and performed perfectly timed counters.
There was something terribly off but he couldn’t pinpoint what. No punch met his standards, all of them being only just professional boxer worthy.
*THWACK!*
Caution suddenly lashed out at the oak tree, his right leg crashing into bark. While cursing loudly, he kicked the tree three more times as hard as his small leg could muster. A rain of leaves showered down on him.
I’m too weak.
The violent outburst was the culmination of pent up rage lasting ten slow years. He had been strictly following a training regimen from the moment he could walk. Though the progress made was rapid, it was impossible to be satisfied. Not when he knew what he was capable of in peak physical condition and especially not when every punch he threw was unconsciously compared to Manny, the heavyweight boxing champion.
The boy sighed and took a seat underneath the oak tree. It can’t be helped. I’ll get there.
From the hill’s peak, all of Caution’s home town, a small rural village, could be seen. Fertile grassy lands stretched on for miles where crops and cattle were abundant. Already, he had explored almost a third of the area from his 10 kilometre morning runs.
The farmers were cheerful and wholesome, always grinning ear to ear for some reason, and the small yet lively market place was typically congested, filled with shopkeepers selling food, weaponry and armour. Villagers always felt the need to start a conversation like it was their second job.
As crazy as it sounded, his home town was too peaceful. He needed a much harsher environment. Hardship and struggle encouraged strength and he had experienced this truth a thousand times in his previous life.
Status
Name: Caution Hunt (Level 2)
Titles: Ultimate Challenger
Health points (HP): 10
Mana consumption (MC): 0/6
Stats
Strength: 11 Agility: 15
Stamina: 20 Vitality: 2
Perception: 2 Magic: 3
Healing: 1 Free points: 0
Special items: Crimson energy store. (Creator gift)
Caution checked the HD leader board but the other competitors still had zero points which meant no contestant had been killed yet. Albert was ranked 473. Lennon was ranked 812.
Multiple questions flooded his mind, all of which had no clear answer. He felt completely in the dark. He didn’t know if he was ahead or behind the competition. He didn’t know if the overall stats he had were good or bad at this stage of the game. Without knowing how, he had levelled up and received five points, which he’d allocated to healing, vitality, stamina, agility and strength.
Part of him wanted to immediately hunt down the other nearby contestant for an early XP boost, but Caution dismissed the idea mainly for personal reasons.
He couldn’t kill a child, even if they were reincarnated. He just couldn’t do it.
There was no valid explanation, and Caution knew it was ludicrous. He was willingly taking part in a death game where he would need to eliminate countless other contestants to win. He had already decided to pass a moral threshold, a line many would view as evil, and yet…
Abeo was 10 years old. He just couldn't do it.
The sun disappeared below the horizon as Caution stared at the floating crimson cube. It illuminated his sullen facial expression and made him look quite villainous.
After some time, he put the bundle of thoughts to one side. There was no point worrying about what he couldn’t control.
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
The boy stood up, brushed leaves off his shoulders and dashed back down the hill.
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“He’s home!” Lilly yelled. “Yolga, big brother’s back!”
“He’s home?” a voice boomed from upstairs.
“Yes, he’s back and his big head is in front of me! I bet he thought we forgot. He really thinks we’re goofy, huh?”
“Good evening to you too,” Caution said.
Lilly spread her feet further apart and stretched her arms wide, blocking the hallway. “Hurry up! I need reinforces!”
“Reinforcements,” Caution corrected.
“I need reinforcements!” Lilly yelled.
“I’m coming!” Yolga shouted back. “Just one moment- whoops.”
Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud, thud.
Despite falling down a flight of stairs, Yolga was quick to his feet. He stood by his twin sister and emulated her glare.
Caution was conflicted about having younger siblings. He had always liked the idea of being an older brother but they were far too distracting. The twins were two years younger than him and too inquisitive for their own good. It was almost as if they could sense he was on an important mission and wanted to join in.
“What do you want?”
“Don’t act like you don’t know,” Lilly hissed. “You said if we did all your chores today you would teach us the art of boxing.”
“Whaaat?” Caution elongated the word in a dull tone. He regretted spilling the B word in a past conversation. “That’s crazy. I don’t recall saying that. I remember saying I might teach you boxing but I don’t remember it being a certainty.”
“He tricked us,” said Yolga, already close to tears.
“I thought you would say that,” Lilly said in a stern voice. “That’s why you leave me no choice.”
“I see,” Caution replied. He was genuinely intrigued. “So is this the part where you call father like the baby you are? That sounds about right.”
“N-n-no!”
“Then what?”
Lilly didn’t respond for a few seconds before yelling, “We challenge you to a fight! My magic will blow you away.”
Yolga shot her a stare, eyes wide with shock. “We?”
“Relax,” Caution said with a grin. “I never said I wouldn’t teach you. I will after dinner and training.”
“But you just went training,” Yolga said.
“Magic training.”
“What magic?” Lilly scoffed. “You spend hours reading yet you can barely do a basic elemental spell.”
“You’re blind then,” Caution retorted. He flicked the crimson cube floating by his shoulder which rotated rapidly. “As you can see— or maybe not in your case— by my side is the result of an extremely difficult energy storage spell. Show some respect. I’m a prodigy.”
The twins gave sceptical stares and shook their heads.
“You didn’t create that spell,” Yolga said. “I refuse to believe it.”
“I think god took pity on you and gifted it to you,” Lilly snapped. “That’s the only explanation.”
“You can’t even draw power from it,” Yolga said. “It’s completely useless.”
“I think you stole it from someone,” Lilly said.
Caution’s ego dissolved. Aside from the stealing and pity remarks, they were pretty much correct.
He hung his head low.
Kids are mean.
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Caution ate his dinner in silence. Compared to his family, he stood out like a sore thumb. Everyone else seemed to be having fun, either laughing, chatting, or grinning. The twins boasted to their parents about all the spells they knew which was, of course, received extremely well.
Meal times were always the worst parts of the day. They were impossible to enjoy because they reminded Caution of all that he had lost. The pain was intense, rivalling the deepest of injuries in his previous life and there seemed to be no way to combat it.
Caution cleared his throat. “Father, please can you enter me into the Adventurer Academy?”
The room fell silent.
“No. We went through this yesterday. Just like we did the day before yesterday. You’re not old enough for the test. Sixteen is the recommended age.”
“But I’m strong enough," Caution replied bluntly. He wished for the old man to disagree so he could challenge him to a fight. It was a win-win. He could test his strength while proving his statement true.
“Yes, you are, son,” his father said in agreement. “In fact, you’re more than strong enough. I’m sure you could defeat every kid in this village.”
“Then why?”
His father and mother exchanged a concerned look.
“Caution, please be patient,” his mother said, her voice layered with worry. “There’s no rush. I know you really want to be an adventurer but you’re only a child once. Enjoy it while you can.”
The Adventurer Academy was where students learned how to become skilled adventurers. Graduates received an adventure’s license and were eligible to take on quests ranging from exploring new dungeons to protecting the world from dangerous threats. It was a great opportunity for Caution to get stronger, a clear stepping stone for growth. However, he agreed with his mother to some extent. Maybe he was being too hasty. Not because he was only 10 but because there was still lots of work that needed to be done. He hadn't read or applied all the magic books in his father's study yet and he still needed to develop a fighting style that worked for him. Boxing alone would not be enough.
As a parent himself, at least in another life, he understood her perspective. She probably saw a kid too eager to become a man. He considered telling his parents about The Half-Dead Game and the fact that he was reincarnated but decided against it. Even if they believed him, what good would it do them? Did they deserve to learn about such a shocking revelation? He despised the idea of dragging them into his mission which involved him disappearing from the world they brought him in.
Arguing was pointless. He would leave when he was ready, and he didn't need their permission.
“I understand, Mum,” Caution mumbled. “Sorry for making you worry. Thank you for the food.”
The family continued eating and shortly after his parents were praising the twins again. Then completely out of nowhere, a familiar voice from another life entered his mind:
This won’t beat you, Manny. You can fight this and win. I know you will wake up. I love you.
Caution gripped his fork and knife. Blood drained from his face and the world around him faded away. It was the voice of his wife. He closed his eyes and clung onto every word. Then another familiar voice entered his mind.
For the love of God, please wake up. I can’t lose you too, brother. I can’t.
Yemi. It was Yemi, his sister.
Dad! Wake up! Remember the football game? You said you would see me win!
Abeo. It was his son, Abeo.
Please wake up, Daddy. I miss you.
Phoebe. It was his daughter, Phoebe.
A seed of pain which had always been present intensified until Caution felt like there was a large gaping hole in his chest. He sobbed. Tears ran down his cheeks in streams. All the emotional stress accumulated over the years was finally released.
The familiar voices continued to enter his mind. Coach Azuku. Richie, Alkesh, and Connor. Everyone he cared about seemed to be surrounding his comatose body, cheering him on and giving words of encouragement.
Caution’s mother rushed out of her seat to hug him. “It’s okay, it’s okay.” She repeated the words again and again.
It wasn’t okay.
Until he went back to his real home, he would never be okay.