Chapter 3: First Steps of Understanding
The sun's final light stretched across the horizon, a soft orange glow fading into the growing indigo of night. The forest below became a sea of shifting shadows as the vibrant greens of the day gave way to an eerie darkness. From my perch on the sturdy branch, high above the ground, I could see the world change.
My compound eyes adapted quickly, fragments of the dim world around me piecing together into a nearly full view. The darkness didn't hinder my sight the way it had when I was human. Shadows that would have swallowed me whole before now appeared as intricate layers of light and dark. The faintest movement—a rustle, a flicker—stood out sharply against the stillness. My new eyes weren't perfect; they didn't give me a complete 360-degree view, but it was close enough to make me feel untouchable.
The forest was alive in ways I had never noticed before. The faintest rustle of leaves, the distant scuttle of insects, even the subtle shift of air currents—all of it was amplified by my heightened senses. It was overwhelming at first, but now, it felt like a second skin. I was no longer an outsider in this world; I was part of it.
The sounds of the forest grew louder in the absence of light. Leaves whispered in the wind, distant growls and chirps echoed from below, and unseen creatures stirred. For all its life and activity, the forest felt oddly still to me. I watched the sun's last glow slip beneath the horizon, leaving behind a single pale moon hanging in the sky. Its light cast long, fragmented beams through the branches above.
I crouched low on the branch, resting my weight evenly on my limbs. My wings tucked neatly against my back, the forewings locking protectively over the delicate hindwings. I flexed them instinctively, ensuring their position felt secure.
"This branch will do," I thought, surveying my surroundings one final time. It felt safe here—high above any immediate danger, with a clear view of the world around me. But safety was an illusion in this world. I knew that now. The forest was beautiful, but it was also deadly. Every shadow could hide a predator, every sound could signal danger. I couldn't afford to let my guard down.
It was time to check the system.
A familiar translucent screen blinked into existence in front of me as I focused my thoughts.
---
Name: N/A
Race: Mamti
Tier: 1
Level: 8
Body: 5
Soul: 14
Mind: 16
Stat Points: 1
Skills:
Blade Limbs [Tier 1 Level 2], Compound Vision [Tier 1 Level 1], Camouflage [Tier 1 Level 4]
---
I studied the screen carefully. It was the first time I could focus on it without being distracted by survival or discovery. Every detail on the page felt important, and I was determined to understand what it all meant.
The first thing I noticed was the glaring difference in my attributes. My Body value was only 5, far lower than the 14 in Soul and 16 in Mind. It didn't take long to guess why.
"Maybe this is because I was human before," I thought. My memories of my past life were scattered, but the struggles I'd faced were clear.
The descriptions expanded as I focused on each term.
Soul: "The unseen essence, raw and boundless, waiting to be shaped."
Soul. It wasn't something I had ever thought about in my human life. Back then, "soul" was just a word—a philosophical or religious idea with no practical meaning. But here, the system described it as the foundation of my being. A part of me wondered if it referred to mana.
Body: "The vessel, finite and fragile, holding the energy that drives existence."
This one was easier to grasp. The body was my physical form—the container for my soul and whatever energy it carried. It wasn't strong now, but it was sharp and efficient in its design.
Mind: "The bridge, linking power to purpose, guiding energy to motion."
The mind was the connection. It took the raw potential of the soul and channeled it into the body, turning power into action. Without the mind, the soul was just essence, and the body was just a hollow shell.
As I considered these descriptions, a theory began to form in my mind. The Soul was like a core, containing energy or essence. The Body was the vessel to house that energy, and the Mind was the bridge that connected the two. Together, they created a system—energy flowing from the soul, guided by the mind, and manifested through the body.
"Energy, motion, and form," I thought, simplifying it in my head. If I could improve my understanding of these three attributes, I might be able to use them more efficiently.
When I focused on the word "Mamti," the description for my race appeared:
Race: Mamti
"Silent stalkers born of patience and precision, the Mamti thrive in the quiet spaces where light falters. Their form is both weapon and shield, their existence a dance of survival."
The words felt eerily fitting. Silent stalkers... everything about this body was designed for survival in the shadows. My blade limbs, my camouflage, even my wings—all of them served the purpose of hunting, hiding, and surviving.
I read the description twice, then a third time. It was unsettling how easily this predatory identity fit me. I had never been a fighter before. But in this world, where strength and survival went hand in hand, I knew one thing: I wasn't helpless anymore.
Finally, I turned my attention to the skills. Each one expanded into a detailed description as I focused on it.
Blade Limbs [Tier 1 Level 2]: "Natural weapons, honed for the hunt, swift and unyielding."
I glanced at my blade-like limbs, flexing them experimentally. They were sharp, efficient, and deadly. In the faint moonlight, they gleamed like polished steel, promising to tear through anything in their path.
Compound Vision [Tier 1 Level 1]: "Eyes that fragment the world, catching even the faintest motion."
My compound eyes still felt strange, but undeniably powerful. They almost gave me a 360-degree view of my surroundings—close, but not quite complete. Every flicker of movement, every ripple in the shadows—it was impossible to miss anything around me.
Camouflage [Tier 1 Level 4]: "A gift to vanish, blending into the fabric of the world to evade or strike."
This one intrigued me the most. Level 4... I recalled using the ability earlier in the day, both on the ground and in flight. I had used it instinctively, first to hide and later while practicing my wings.
A series of notifications appeared as I focused on it:
Notifications:
[Camouflage] has leveled up to Level 2.
[Blade Limbs] has leveled up to Level 2.
[Camouflage] has leveled up to Level 3.
[Camouflage] has leveled up to Level 4.
So it had happened gradually throughout the day. I thought back to the way the darkness had clung to my forewings on the ground, wrapping me in shadows and making me nearly invisible. In the air, though, it had behaved differently. The darkness trailed behind me like a living shadow, breaking apart in the sunlight but still creating an ominous effect.
"It works differently in flight," I thought. "Probably because I was moving, and it was still daylight. But in the darkness, it might work perfectly."
It wasn't practical for stealth in broad daylight, but in the right conditions, it could be a terrifying weapon.
As I closed the status screen, a wave of exhaustion washed over me. So much had happened today—from my death at the protest to waking up in this alien body, to hunting, fighting, and learning to fly.
I leaned back against the trunk of the tree, folding my limbs neatly beneath me. My body settled into the natural resting pose of the Mamti, my forearms raised slightly, ready to react if danger approached.
The stars had fully emerged now, scattered across the night sky like shards of crystal. The single pale moon cast its glow over the forest, and the sounds of distant creatures hummed in the background. Up here, above it all, the world felt peaceful.
For the first time since my reincarnation, I allowed myself to rest. My thoughts slowed, and as the night deepened, I drifted into a quiet, dreamless sleep.