Kain’s eyes flew open, darting around the room. His heavy breathing sounded in the large bedroom. Cold sweat clung to his brow. His body was taut, stretched like a bowstring, ready to move at a moment’s notice.

He was just watching the three young people have a battle royale with those punks from New Hope. He watched their bodies fall. Were they dead?

And if they were dead, where was he?

Kain’s senses were on high alert. He may be a soul, but that didn’t mean there weren’t things in the New World that could harm him. He had spent ten years near those three; he knew very well that spiritual attacks could still affect him.

His eyes swept the room. He didn’t move from his lying position. Even if the position was vulnerable, he was a spirit, not many people would be able to see him, much less feel his presence.

But as he lay there, he realized that the room felt more and more familiar. He moved his hands and felt the coolness of the bed.

Cool? No. As a soul, he couldn’t feel the temperature. How could he feel the temperature now? Up and down, he moved his hand, feeling the texture and temperature.

His fingers curled around the duvet that covered him. The soft cotton and smooth fabric bunched under his palm. Kain’s breathing evened out. As he calmed himself, he felt the cool air rushing into his lungs.

His darting eyes had also stopped moving. He stared up at the ceiling. The midnight blue appeared black. The dim light shining in through a corner of the curtain told Kain exactly where he was.

He was in his bedroom. The bedroom in his villa. When he was alive. Before the world tore itself apart.

Slowly, as if getting used to his body, Kain sat up in bed.

’Is this an illusion? It has to be.’ Yet, he couldn’t help throwing the covers aside to get out of bed. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

As his feet touched the plush carpet, a sound he couldn’t quite name left his lips. He felt as if he had found an oasis after being in the desert for years. The sensation of being able to feel anything was something Kain had longed for.

Now, the feel of the plush carpet, the cool air licking at his skin, it was almost overwhelming. What took him by surprise was the weight. He had been weightless for so many years that walking made him feel like a newborn.

His legs wobbled like a newborn deer.

Still, he took his time and made his way to the place he knew the light switch should be.

Flicking it on, he squinted at the sudden brightness.

No matter how bright, it didn’t stop him from moving across the room. He looked around the room as he walked. While not one to flaunt his wealth, Kain knew what he liked.

The midnight blue walls seemed to absorb light. The king-sized bed he had just gotten out of was rumpled. On either side of the bed were bedside tables adorned with various personal items.

The various furnishings in the room were made with functionality and comfort in mind. Floor-to-ceiling windows were covered behind blue and grey curtains.

Kain continued walking, making his way to the large metal-framed mirror in the room.

He needed to look. He needed to know it wasn’t a dream. He had already pinched himself while walking, but he needed to see it with his own eyes.

When he finally stood in front of the mirror, he grinned. He ran his hand through his silver-white hair. Looking at his body, which had not yet lost weight. He wasn’t pale from the lack of nutrition or sunlight.

His tanned, healthy skin was a sight for sore eyes. His eyes were bloodshot, whether from excitement or disbelief, he didn’t care. His violet eyes stared back at him.

He chuckled softly at first, then spiraled into a deep belly laugh. It echoed off the walls. He covered his face with his hands, laughing until he couldn’t breathe. His breath came out in short bursts.

His eyes changed briefly, resembling a madness he rarely showed. He reined himself in. He straightened, a smirk plastered on his face. He relaxed his shoulders.

’Even if this is an illusion, I got to see my old self one more time.’

Turning on his heel, he went back to the light switch, turned it off, plunging himself back into darkness.

He went straight back to bed, hand running over the Egyptian cotton sheet. He sighed, having gotten into bed. If he is about to die, let him die in this illusion. It’s a good way to finally die.

As he lay in bed, feeling the softness, breathing in the cool air, he began to doze off.

When sleep was moments away, a chime sounded in his mind.

[Activating the Nuturing System]

[The host is required to nurture his children. Assist them in becoming leaders in the New World.]

[Complete missions to receive rewards]

[First Mission: Locate your children]

[Reward: Complete activation of the system, Portable nurturing station]

[Penalty: System unbinding and host death]

[Duration: One month]

Kain, whose eyes had flown open upon hearing the chime, was looking at the floating screen before him and listening to the mechanical voice in his ear.

A deep chuckle left him when he heard the penalty.

Death. The death he had long been waiting for. He expected it. But to disguise itself as something like this. What kind of playful deity plays with death in this way?

[The system is not a deity. If the host wishes to die, the system will unbind and find a new host.]

A thirty-second countdown appeared, and Kain narrowed his eyes. He sat up in bed.

’What the hell? Who wants to die? If I’m alive right now, I want to keep living. But aren’t I already dead? I’ve been dead for years.’

The answer came quickly.

[The host is not dead. According to the host’s memories. This would be considered a rebirth.]

[If the host does not wish to die, please advise.]

The countdown was now at five seconds.

’I don’t want to die! Stop the countdown.’

No matter whether the system was right or not, Kain didn’t care. If he were really alive, time would tell. He looked at the countdown, which had stopped with one second remaining.

His eyelids already felt heavy. The system wasn’t going anywhere. If it were real, it would be there in the morning. Right now, he is going to get some sleep. He hasn’t slept for ten years.

He closed his eyes, not concerning himself with anything else. Just as he drifted off to sleep, an unconscious thought crossed his mind.

’Children? Heh. I don’t have kids.’