As the lake drew closer, I twisted my body mid-air, trying to position myself in a way that would soften the impact. I hit the water hard—ice cold. My breath vanished the second I touched it. My body felt like it was freezing solid.
But I survived.
I swam to the shore, shivering, soaked, and gasping for air. Pulling myself onto the muddy bank, I stared at the forest around me, then looked up at the sky.
> "Still alive..."
I stood up slowly, teeth chattering, and began walking toward the only place I knew—the capital of a small kingdom called Veldoria.
It took me a month to get there.
I lived off wild berries and herbs, sometimes risking poisonous plants just to stay fed. I used my knowledge from my past life to stay alive—avoiding beasts, finding shelter in hollow trees, and hiding from things I couldn't yet fight.
In my last life, I chose to become a businessman.
But in this life?
> "I can't wait to be a mage," I whispered, a smile forming on my cracked lips.
I broke into a run.
I ran all the way to the gates of Veldoria's capital, heart pounding with excitement and hope. But as I reached the tall, stone entrance, I was immediately stopped by guards.
> "Identification," one of them barked.
I looked up at them, feigning confusion, and gave them a lie I had already prepared.
> "I... I lost my memory. I don't know who I am. I lost everything."
The guards narrowed their eyes, but after a few moments of silence and a few awkward questions, they let me through. I was allowed into the kingdom.
Within days, I managed to create a new identity. Nothing fancy—just enough to pass unnoticed. A common orphan. No family. No history.
It was quiet work, but I used it to buy time.
Because I remembered something from my past life—the magic academy in Veldoria was recruiting soon. The way they tested their candidates had always fascinated me.
They tested soul force—a mysterious power tied to the depth of one's spirit. I never took it seriously before. But now, I had no other path. If I wanted to survive in this world—if I wanted to get strong enough to change fate—I needed to become a mage.
The test came a few weeks after I settled in.
To my surprise… my soul force registered as 2 stars.
I remembered the rankings: one star was useless. Two stars? Barely acceptable. Less than mediocre. But still enough to be taken in.
No one clapped. No one praised me. But I didn't care.
> "Even if I start at the bottom… I'll climb all the way to the top."
That was the day my new life began.