Reincarnated Into A World Of Elves As The Only Man

A translucent blue window materialized in front of Kaine, glowing softly in the darkness of his room. The text was clear and precise, displaying information that made his heart skip a beat.

"" Profile ""

**Kaine Light**

Race: Human

Age: 12

Intelligence: 11

Strength: 8

Agility: 5

Mana: None

Ability: None yet awakened

Skills: All Locked

Unique Skill: Entropy - 0% [Locked]

Stats Points: 0

Kaine stared at the floating display, his mind racing. "Wait, twelve? I'm twelve years old now?"

[Correct, Host. Your current physical form is that of a twelve-year-old.]

'That explains why my voice sounds higher and why I feel smaller,' Kaine thought, looking down at his hands. They did look younger, more delicate than he remembered. 'I went from seventeen to twelve. That's... weird.'

"And my name is spelled Kaine, not with a C?"

[The body you inhabit belongs to Kaine Light, spelled K-A-I-N-E. This is your identity in this world.]

Kaine studied the status window more carefully, his eyes moving from line to line. Most of it looked like something straight out of a video game, but the implications were starting to sink in. This wasn't just a game. This was his new reality.

"System, I need to understand what all of this means," he said, pointing at the various entries. "The mana, the stats, the skills. What exactly am I looking at here?"

[Which specific aspect would you like me to explain first, Host?]

"All of it," Kaine said firmly. "I need to understand everything if I'm going to survive in this world."

[Very well. Let me start with the basic attributes.]

New text appeared below the status window, organized in a way that was easy to read.

[Intelligence represents your capacity to learn, understand, and retain knowledge about this world. The higher your Intelligence, the faster you can master new concepts, languages, combat techniques, and magical theories. Your current score of 11 is above average for someone your age.]

"So it's not just how smart I am, it's how well I can adapt to this world specifically?"

[Exactly, Host. Intelligence in this context measures your ability to navigate the complexities of this realm.]

[Strength measures your physical power. This affects how much you can lift, how hard you can hit, and your overall physical resilience. Your current score of 8 is average for a twelve-year-old.]

"And I can improve this through training?"

[Correct. Physical exercise, combat practice, and challenging your limits will naturally increase your Strength over time.]

[Agility represents your speed, reflexes, and coordination. This affects how quickly you can move, how fast you can react to danger, and how gracefully you can perform complex movements. Your score of 5 is below average, which explains why you felt unsteady on your feet earlier.]

Kaine nodded, remembering how his legs had shaken when he tried to stand. "That makes sense. What about Mana?"

[Mana is the energy source that powers abilities in this world. Currently, yours shows as 'None' because your ability has not yet awakened. Once you reach the age of fifteen, your ability will manifest, and you will be able to see and use your Mana reserves.]

"Fifteen?" Kaine's eyebrows shot up. "I have to wait three years before I can use magic?"

[Abilities, Host. This world operates on ability-based power systems, not traditional magic. And yes, the awakening process typically occurs at age fifteen. It is a natural biological and spiritual development that cannot be rushed.]

Kaine frowned, feeling a bit disappointed. Three years seemed like a long time to wait, especially if people were already trying to kill him.

"What about Skills?" he asked, noticing how everything was listed as 'All Locked.'

[Skills will become available once your ability awakens. Until then, the system cannot grant you specialized techniques.]

"Wait," Kaine said, confusion evident in his voice. "I thought skills and abilities were the same thing. Like, aren't they both just... powers?"

[That is a logical assumption, Host, and many people make that mistake initially.]

The system paused, as if considering how to explain.

[Think of it this way: An ability is something you are born with, like having natural talent for music or being naturally strong. It is part of who you are at a fundamental level. Skills, on the other hand, are techniques you learn and practice. They are tools you develop to use your natural ability more effectively.]

"Can you give me an example?"

[Certainly. Imagine someone born with a fire-based ability. Their ability allows them to generate and control flames naturally. However, they would need to learn skills like 'Flame Control,' 'Heat Manipulation,' or 'Fire Blast' to actually use their ability in combat or practical situations. The ability is the raw potential; skills are the refined techniques.]

That made perfect sense. Kaine nodded slowly. "So I have some kind of ability waiting to awaken, and once it does, I'll be able to learn skills that work with it?"

[Precisely, Host.]

"What about Stats Points?" Kaine asked, looking at the zero beside that entry.

[Stats Points are rewards you earn by completing quests and challenges. These points can be allocated to increase your Strength, Agility, or Mana directly, without the need for traditional training methods.]

"So I could just dump points into Strength and become super strong instantly?"

[Within reasonable limits, yes. However, there are restrictions on how Stats Points can be distributed.]

"What kind of restrictions?"

[Stats Points can only be applied to Strength, Agility, and Mana. Intelligence cannot be improved through Stats Points allocation.]

"Why not?"

[Intelligence represents knowledge and understanding that must be earned through experience and learning. There are no shortcuts to wisdom, Host. You cannot simply assign points to make yourself smarter. You must study, observe, and grow intellectually through your own efforts.]

Kaine found himself respecting that limitation. It made sense that some things couldn't be gained instantly. Real understanding had to be earned.

"That's actually kind of fair," he admitted. "What about getting these Stats Points? How do I earn them?"

[The system will present you with quests and challenges as you progress. The difficulty and importance of each quest determines how many Stats Points you receive upon completion. Some quests might give you one point, while others could reward you with ten or more.]

Kaine nodded, absorbing all the information. Most of it made sense in a video game logic sort of way, but there was still one thing that caught his attention.

"System, what's this 'Unique Skill: Entropy' thing at the bottom?"

There was a pause. Longer than usual. When the system finally responded, something in the tone of the text seemed different. More serious.

[That, Host, is your ultimate skill, Host.it is... special ]

"Special how?"

[Entropy is the power of destruction and chaos. When you find yourself in situations involving destruction or chaos that you have caused or influenced, and you do not succumb to fear, this skill grows stronger. The percentage represents how much of its potential you have unlocked.]

Kaine felt a chill run down his spine. "Destruction and chaos? That sounds dangerous."

[It can be, Host. But it is also potentially your greatest strength. The more chaos surrounds you, the more powerful you become, provided you maintain control and do not let fear dominate you.]

"What happens if I do get scared?"

[The percentage can decrease if you are overwhelmed by fear or lose control during chaotic situations. Entropy feeds on confident destruction, not panicked chaos.]

Kaine stared at the floating text, trying to process what this meant. He had some kind of ultimate skill that got stronger during disasters, as long as he stayed calm. It sounded both incredible and terrifying.

"How do I know when it's activating?"

[You will feel it, Host. And the percentage will increase when you successfully navigate chaotic situations without losing your composure.]

The conversation died as Kaine's mind drifted back to the demon encounter. That massive red creature with its spiked weapon, the way it had effortlessly punched through his hand, the pure terror he'd felt when he thought he was going to die.

If that was the kind of thing he'd face in this world, he needed to get stronger. Much stronger.

"System, where can I learn more about this world? About demons, magic, abilities, all of it?"

[I am certain there is a library within your family estate, Host. Noble families typically maintain extensive collections of books on history, magic theory, and combat techniques. It would be an excellent place to begin your education.]

"A library," Kaine repeated. That made sense. Rich families would have libraries, especially if knowledge was power in this world.

He looked out the window again at the magical lights dancing across the city. Somewhere out there, people were walking around with abilities that let them control elements, fight demons, and probably do things he couldn't even imagine yet.

And he was a twelve-year-old kid with no ability, locked skills, and a family that apparently had enemies willing to summon war demons.

"I need to get stronger," he said aloud. "I should find that library and start studying right away."

[While I understand your rush to learn, Host, I would recommend taking today to rest. You have just experienced death and reincarnation. Your mind and body need time to process this transition before beginning intensive study.]

Kaine wanted to protest, but the system had a point. Now that the adrenaline was wearing off, he could feel a deep exhaustion settling into his bones. The kind of tiredness that went beyond just physical fatigue.

"You're probably right," he admitted reluctantly. "But tomorrow..."

[Tomorrow, we will locate the library and begin your education in earnest. Rest now, Host. Knowledge is often the difference between life and death, but so is knowing when to recover your strength.]

Kaine nodded, feeling a sense of determination settling in his chest despite the fatigue. He'd died once already. He wasn't going to let it happen again.

"Tomorrow I'm going to find that library," he said, settling back from the window. "And I'm going to start learning everything I can about this world."

[An excellent plan, Host. For now, allow yourself to adjust to your new circumstances.]

As the status window faded away, Kaine continued staring out at the city for a few more moments. Three years until his ability awakened. Three years to prepare for whatever was coming.

He just hoped it would be enough.