The warmth of the winter holidays and the passing of another year. Coincidentally, the passing of people occurs on such joyous occasions.
Michael Seong
2000 to 2025
Officially Declared Deceased on December 25, 2025
Cause of Death: Murdered.
Quite a bummer to die on Christmas Day. The cause of death isn’t accurate either. Murdered? Me? Of all people?! I wasn’t specifically athletic but I wasn’t weak either.
I don’t mean to brag but after getting out of university, I graduated with a good GPA and the work placement I did during my studies was willing to employ me right after. I went through with their offer since their salary was quite generous. Who could realistically reject such an offer?
It’s too bad I couldn’t live long enough to see myself successful in that tall office building in the center of the city. I died.
What’s recorded as a suicide couldn’t be further from the truth. Sigh. To make a long story short, I died from a jealous boyfriend’s rage. It was a party. An extremely fancy party to be specific. This was held on one of the highest floors of the building. It was also a bar that was renowned for its medium-rare steaks. Interesting. If I had known I would’ve died, I should have just ordered it regardless of the price. Now all my savings are useless. Fuck.
I just so happened to have received the unwelcome glances of a woman. Normally, I would’ve just ignored their approaches but this woman just so happened to have a partner with them. Why they would still show interest in another person is beyond me, honestly.
Anyways- after some drinks, (a lot of drinks actually) I was confronted by this woman’s boyfriend. I was quite tipsy but I was being accused of flirting with her. Everybody who gathered around knew me personally. I was not that type of man. Regardless, the boyfriend was too head over heels for their cocktail. Their face was flushed, and red as a tomato.
“D-don’t you dare *hiccup* go near my girlfriend!”
I tried to dissolve the situation by agreeing to whatever he was saying.
Alcohol is dangerous when consumed in large quantities. Don’t do it, everyone. Know your limits.
The next thing that happened was him pushing me with his full force. Unluckily for me, my back was facing the window side. It also just coincidentally had to be a time when the glass window was taped over with a piece of paper that read: “Danger! Do not apply force.”
How great. That Christmas night, I died. After falling well above 30 floors, my body was splattered all over the ground in the middle of the road.
I should’ve died but I didn’t. I smelt a smell I had never encountered before. I couldn’t pinpoint it. It had a sweet fragrance. The faint silhouette of a woman and a golden yellow streak of hair flashed before my eyes.
>>><<<
I jolted open. My eyes widened and I gasped for air as if I just emerged from the deepest parts of the pool.
“Shit. Did I reincarnate?”
Full of disbelief I looked down at my limbs. I wiggled the toes of my feet while opening and closing my hands.
“Holy crap.”
The last thing I wanted to do was live again. Please God, if you truly exist, don’t tell me I have to go to school again.
I looked around. I was in a small cornered area with rocks above my head. Now that I left my corner, I realized that everywhere I looked was gray and gloomy. It was nothing but an endless terrain of stone. I saw a large stony figure in the distance that measured maybe about 2 meters in height. I gulped and went back into my little retreat.
This corner, tactically speaking, was very advantageous for me. It’s a small place in the corner between two larger boulders that concealed me very well. It offered me angles where I could peek out without exposing my body.
“Maybe I’ll just camp here…”
The silence was loud. There was nobody and no sounds to be heard. I highly doubt animals of any sort would roam around here. Another thing to mention, it was also incredibly hard to breathe. I went hiking this one time as a retreat with my coworkers. The air was thin as if we were at high altitudes.
“Well, there’s no way to verify that,” I say as I play around with the smaller pebbles with my hands.
I leaned my back against the rough stone wall. I spent the time looking at my own body. It was a child’s body. I’d personally estimate my age to be around 10 years old. My skin was tanned. I had some length to my hair and I could grab my hair and bring it down to my eyebrows. This kid had brown-colored hair– or should I address the kid as myself?
“A cruel prank?” Wow, why do I sound so squeaky?
Perhaps having been an adult for a while, I had already long forgotten how my old voice sounded as a child.
I was somehow already dressed in some worn-out dark brown shirt with equally destroyed shorts. Just from the look of my calves and my forearms, I knew I was a weak-ass nobody.
“Damn it. How the hell do I survive with this stupid body?” I was enraged.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not going to give up. I got a second chance and just from the monster I saw before, I knew I was in some fantasy-like world. There is nowhere on the Earth that I knew that existed a dried tundra made purely of stone and rocks. At least, none that I had seen.
I’m not going to stop trying just because I was born in a bad environment. Perhaps, I’d find an even better life here. Thinking about it more, I wasn’t THAT excited about getting a job and spending most of my life working a 9 to 5 office job. Sure, it paid well but good god it was boring.
I’ve read some fantasy books as well. Many of them involve a strong and determined protagonist who reaches a happy ending.
“Except with this body, I’m anything BUT strong.” I raised an eyebrow at my arm. I tried flexing my bicep but there was no such thing as a bicep on this body.
Not that I mean I completely lacked a bicep but my muscles were not developed at all. Before gaining consciousness in this kid’s body, I’m sure they were quite malnourished.
“How did I even survive in this dry stone environment.”
Was I simply born here? Created like a video game character? Is this my spawn point? Do I get to respawn after if I die?
Not like I’m gonna test that theory though. I reached into my pocket and to my surprise, I found a small bottle that looked like a slightly bigger test tube. It was filled with a clear liquid that I could only assume to be drinkable water. On top of that, there was half a piece of dry bread.
“Great. Dinner’s on me, guys.”
Nobody laughed. Haha, I’m gonna go crazy if I don’t do something at this point. With a heavy sigh, I began stuffing my mouth with the rock-solid bread. At least, I didn’t have to resort to eating the stones in this place. Even if the bread was INCREDIBLY dry, food is food. I drank all the water from the test tube-looking thing as well.
“Now then,” I look around, “how should I go about this.”
A) Beat the crap out of the monster because I have mystical powers.
B) Run away as fast as I can while trying my best to not shit myself.
Unfortunately, as I don’t have any sort of powers or commendable superhuman features I will have to take the second option.
Don’t people who usually reincarnate get a status screen or some-
Static noises resounded in my head and I saw a translucent gray screen in front of my eyes.
“Holy shit-”
[ ###### ###### ]
> ###### <
######: #
######: 0
######: 0
######: 1
“Is this a fucking joke? I can’t understand shit.”
Is it a glitch? No, it seems too organized for it to be a glitch. It’s written in a language that I can’t comprehend. I tried tapping it, touching it, talking to it, punching through it, trying to say keywords, and everything in between but nothing worked.
“Alright, let’s decipher this crap.”
I stared hard at my status screen. I squinted at it as if it would somehow help me make sense of those runic symbols. It looked more like scratches made in random than actual letters of the alphabet. The runic symbols twisted and turned, making loops that just made my head spin.
“If I were to make a comparison, it sort of resembles Eastern language scripts back in my previous life. But way more messed up than usual.”
Doing my best to find some sort of pattern or anything that could help me make sense of this…nonsense.
Perhaps a good half an hour passed by and frustration started to boil up in my chest.
“I’m going to get constipated from how hard I’m thinking.”
This foreign language could not click with me in any way. I ran my fingertips over the edges of my screen. I felt nothing but air. It was as if the status screen was never there in the first place. I had hoped that maybe the tactile sense might stir some secret knowledge imprinted deep within this kid’s brain but nope. Nothing!
These runes could’ve meant “strength” or “potato” for all I knew. Whatever numerical value is attached to these runes was not helpful at all.
“0, 0, 1…”
The only plausible conclusion I have reached through my investigation is that these numbers most likely represent my current stats.
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Based on prior knowledge from playing games in my previous life, I can only assume that 0, 0, 1 is some sort of numerical value attached to a measurable quality of a character, which is myself. However, because I’m not sure how to exactly translate what it means.
I could have 1 banana or 1 potato, 1 life left, 1 skill, maybe even 1 item in a perhaps hidden inventory and I wouldn’t even know it.
I sighed and raised my hands with my palms open, “I give up!”
There was no way of figuring this out. With one final glance at these cryptic runes, I brought the words “Status Screen” to my mind and focused on turning it off.
The screen shut itself off and simply disappeared from my vision.
Now that we’re back on track after tinkering with the status screen, we can decide to do something about our foreseeable future. As mentioned before, I have two options. Well technically, just one option because I wasn’t half-joking about fighting a two-meter-tall rock monster. Punching something like a stone hurts. Especially with my bare hands. No doubt it would probably break the hands of this child’s body.
I crept out of my little corner.
“Wow…they look menacing.”
In the far distance, I could make out the massive shape of the stone monster. Was it even taller than two meters? Even from far away, I can tell its immense frame spewed nothing but danger signals. It stood still, making it even more terrifying the way that it blended in with the equally gray environment. It’s like they’re a natural predator with impeccable camouflage.
Now that I had more time to observe its actions, I noticed two horns, one protruding from either side of its large boulder-like head. The horns twisted and curled like a goat’s. If I could see those horns clearly from this distance, they were too large and would be even more menacing up close.
“Being up close and personal with this creature is the LAST thing I want to do right now.”
Ladies and gentlemen, it is time to pursue option “B”.
Run the fuck away as fast as I can in hopes that it won’t chase me.
Just from what I could see, the creature’s entire body was made of solid stone. I can already imagine its body is plastered with jagged edges or rough surfaces.
“I’m really quite astonished at how well this motherfucker blends in with the rocky landscape.”
There was no sign of any face on the creature. No eyes, mouth, lips, nose– there was nothing. Whatever its face was, it was just a blank stone surface.
Why does it stand still? Is it waiting for something? Waiting for me? Or perhaps if I’m being more optimistic about this, it was just sleeping.
“I mean…the sun is setting…”
Wait. Shit. The sun is setting?!
Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap.
I don’t have much time to escape if the sun is setting. Who knows when that stone monster wakes up or whatever and wanders around? With some bad luck, it’ll discover where I am and probably eat me.
“Does it even have a mouth to do that though?”
Fuck. Whatever. I spent too much time analyzing the stupid status screen and trying to use my brain to figure things out. If I had known I reincarnated into this kid while the day was already half over, I would’ve run for it. I need to find something. A safe haven. Shelter. Perhaps…even other people who can help me.
Before I even realized it, my bad habit of biting my fingernails crept in.
“Ah- What am I doing?!” I curse at myself for letting stressors get to my head.
My motto has always been to try to remain calm and level-headed. Getting lost in emotional outbursts tends to lock me into some sort of tunnel vision where I won’t be able to think properly. That is one of the worst things that could happen right now.
Phew, let’s breathe. I just reincarnated into this shit body. Now I have to survive. In terms of the food and water situation, I’m fine at least for now.
Humans need three things to survive. Food. Water. Shelter.
Having just eaten the hard piece of bread and drank the remaining water from the tube, I need shelter.
“And this little corner is not going to cut, unfortunately.”
I’m not going to be making any bets and taking my chances that once I rest here for the night, I won’t be woken up by a monster trying to kill me.
“I’m just a boy,” I say with a disheartened expression.
Sigh. Fuck it. Who cares anymore? I’m done trying to think of a better way. It’s do or die.
“With that being said…” I ran for it.
I exited the corner and bolted the outer way, traversing over the rocky landscape and trying my best to run as fast as I could while also controlling my speed so I don’t accidentally tumble down somewhere and hit my head and die.
Without looking back, I bolted forward. My heart hammered against my ribs with a slight force that made it hard to breathe. As my feet pounded against the uneven ground, it was as if I stepped on little bricks of Lego.
“Ow. Fuck. Piece of shit.”
Each time my feet hit the ground, it sent sharp jolts of pain up my legs. The wind whipped at my face, constantly reminding me how thin the air was here. Each breath turned into jagged gasps. However, that’s not nearly enough to slow me down. I’ve been to school before. This is nothing.
“I’m not slowing down for anything.”
I glanced over my shoulder, expecting to see the massive stone monster tearing over me. But there was nothing.
“Good."
Only the empty and lifeless stone tundra was behind me. Although I was relieved, I had another problem to worry about. Finding shelter. Gambling my life in the hopes that I won’t run into another stone monster or two or three. Do these things even travel in packs?
What do you call a pack of those stone monsters? I would like to believe it’d be called a “boulder” of stone monsters.
Despite the stinging pain from running on such a hard and stony surface, I pushed myself harder with each stride, burning the muscles in my legs. The bottoms of my feet are likely red with a few cuts. I need to keep going. There is no guarantee there won’t be more monsters. And when night falls, who’s to say that more won’t show up? Maybe they’re less active during the day to hunt their prey at night?
To be honest, that would make sense. “Who would be able to detect their camouflage? It’s an impeccable way to blend in unsuspectingly.”
I took small breaks to catch my breath. I could feel my lungs within my body, crying for help. Shut up, you’re gonna be fine. I tell myself and my lungs. After catching my breath, I go on the run again. Although not sprinting as hard as before to preserve my stamina for the long run.
My fingers were numb from the cold night air. Nonetheless, I persisted onward. I clenched my fists in hopes of protecting my fingers from getting frostbite.
“Find shelter,” I told myself, over and over, the words became a mantra as well serving as a reminder of my sanity.
“Find shelter, find shelter,” I scanned the terrain ahead of me, my eyes traced and darted all over the rocky landscape in search of anything that may offer me protection.
Please.
A cave, a crevice, maybe even a strategically formed cluster of boulders I could squeeze between. But all I saw were endless advances of rock and stone. Although I shouldn’t, I genuinely admired how a place like this could exist. Everywhere I looked was different shades of the same dark gray color.
My lungs burned with each inhale and exhale. My breath came in ragged and uneven bursts.
“Shelter-” I stumbled, nearly falling face-first onto the ground. I caught myself before I fully tripped thanks to a tall rock formation.
As the dreadful night crept up behind my back, I stopped just for a minute.
I saw the moon in this world for the first time, “It’s normal to admire the moon, right?”
The rhythm of my heart beating inside my chest was the loudest thing amidst the silent night. The moon was stunning and magnificent. Its silvery glow broke through the heavy gloomy clouds, casting light over the stony tundra. As if it was the guardian of a vast expanse of darkness that illuminates the jagged rocks.
“Such unmatched brilliance, moon.”
For just that minute, I was simply captivated by its beauty. It’s only human to be attracted to beautiful sights, isn’t it?
The way the moon shimmered against the endless night was simply majestic. Accompanied by this beautiful sight was the eerie silence that enveloped me. The only thing heard was my breaths and the whisper of the wind.
This was nothing but a contrast between beauty and terror. I looked away before I lost myself in the moonlight. Despite such an ethereal and lovely view, it reminded me of how vulnerable I was. What’s usually a beacon of hope in the dark grim nights was now a signal and reminder of my solitude.
“Alone.” With nothing except a gray rocky landscape all around me.
Fuck. This is going to bring back my anxiety problems. Forget about the moon, let’s keep moving.
And indeed, I kept on moving. Trying to find something to call shelter, a temporary home. As much as I wanted to linger and admire the moon– there was simply too much at stake. Which is to say, my life is the only valuable thing I own.
Continuing my run, every step started to feel heavier than before. I was slowing down, yet I refused to accept it. I would not allow this weak meager body to be what cripples me in this life. Exhaustion is not winning unless my name is “Exhaustion”. There’s always a chance, a possibility, no matter how slim, to make it out alive.
The only thing that matters is to live. I didn’t die on Earth just to die again in an unknown place.
>>><<<
Time passed and I had been running for countless hours, taking breaks every time I felt I was going to collapse. I would never stay in the same place for more than a few minutes. You can call me a coward but I’ll take that. I’d rather be more cautious and live than be killed by those stone monsters.
You know what? Sure, it might be a bit too much to assume these things are naturally aggressive and dangerous, but having reincarnated into a different world, would I not be on the safer side if that was my initial assumption?
I didn’t notice this until a while ago but I felt the rocky tundra gradually change beneath my feet. The rough surface of the ground became smoother. With each stride, the pain in my legs lessened.
I’m either going crazy or I screwed up all the nerves in my feet but this is a good sign. If the surface of the terrain is becoming smoother, I’m close to a place where there is more movement. That could very well mean other people.
Perhaps it’s because I’ve already adapted to the air quality here but my breath came a little easier. My heart…well, it’s still racing but it’s finding a rhythm as I continue on my frantic run. I’m feeling a little optimistic and hope flickered within me.
Maybe, just maybe, I was going in the right direction.
The moonlight guided my vision. I’m extremely grateful that this world has such a large and beautiful moon. Otherwise, I would not be able to see where I’m running without it. I can see that as I run further now, the landscape shifted more. The stony terrain stayed the same but the usual sharp aspects and stone formations I see are now…softer, in a way. Small patches that revealed hard earth poked out through some dents in the terrain.
To my surprise, I caught a glimmer of warm light out of the corner of my eye. My heart skipped and I changed direction toward the small light. The inviting light flickered in the distance. As I got closer, I realized how great it was that a small torchlight could pierce through the darkness.
“A cavern nestled between two towering rock formations…”
And the people who live here have made that their home. If you raise your head and look around, you’ll see tall rock formations here. The rocky tundra had such insane geographic formations that it could easily be mistaken for a mountainous biome. It seems like two convenient rock formations have come together to create a nice cavernous abode in the middle.
I veered towards it. Placing all my faith this small society I have stumbled upon is not hostile. Was I going toward the safety of a sanctuary or something even more sinister than a stone monster?
“Even if they are, I’d rather die a death from humans than to monsters.”
But as I got closer and nearly approached the entrance of the large cavern, I heard a low rumble echoing through the air.
Having gone this far without hearing anything except for noises I produced myself, this rumble that echoes made me shiver on the spot, sending hairs on the back of my neck standing on end.
I heard pounds in my chest, resounding to the flickering torchlight attached to the cavern entrance. There’s no way something went wrong right when I got here.
Terror. Fear. Panic. Dread.
Looks like my anxiety problems might return after all.
Three figures suddenly burst out of the entrance. They were likely men, all adults, each clad in light leather armor that clung to their bodies. Their leather chest pieces were reinforced with metal strips along the sides. They each wore iron helmets that covered most of their faces, leaving only their eyes visible. Without a doubt, these men were guards of this cavern.
Their heads turned and looked at each other before looking in my direction. They ran towards me without slowing down.