I Need Money to Level Up

Chapter 1: Chapter 01 - Awakening

Raiden's consciousness emerged from the depths of sleep, only to be met with a shock that jolts his senses awake. The sound of rushing water reverberates in his ears, accompanied by the unmistakable sensation of being drenched. Water drips from his tousled hair onto his face, instantly causing him to shiver.

As he blinks his eyes open, Raiden finds himself surrounded by a weird scene. The flickering light of a single dim candle casts eerie shadows across the cramped space. Disoriented and confused, he slowly checks his surroundings, his gaze falling upon the encircling metal bars that form a confining cage.

Raiden's body feels unfamiliar, a mismatched vessel that doesn't align with his memories. As he looks down, he discovers he is clothed in tattered, oversized rags, barely covering his short frame. The realization strikes him with a mix of disbelief and distress, he has somehow awakened within the body of a ten-year-old boy.

His surroundings reveal a bleak enviroment. The cage itself seems to be located in a dimly lit room, its walls stained and weathered. A lingering musty smell hangs in the air, suggesting the absence of cleanliness and care. Sparse beams of light seep through small cracks in the walls, revealing dust particles suspended in the air.

Raiden's heart races with questions, his mind struggling to piece together the puzzle of his circumstances. Who would imprison him in this manner? And why has he been thrust into the body of a child? The weight of confusion and fear presses upon him, amplifying the urgency to understand his situation.

"What the hell... what kind of dream is this?"

"Time to work, slave."

Raiden had a few things to say about that, but after getting up and hearing the sound of chains in his legs, perhaps protesting about that wouldn't be fair. Raiden's body had been reduced to a mere shell of skin and bones. Every contour of his skeleton was painfully visible, his limbs resembling fragile twigs barely holding his weight.

The realization of his own malnourishment hits him like a punch to the gut. Raiden's stomach churns with hunger, reminding him of the prolonged deprivation he has endured. He can feel his ribs protruding through his frail chest, evidence of the neglect and mistreatment he has suffered.

Not only does Raiden bear the physical toll of starvation, but he also discovers a layer of dirt and grime covering his skin. His body is covered in a thick layer of filth as if he hasn't been given the opportunity to wash or cleanse himself for a very long period. The accumulation of dirt on his face, hands, and ragged clothing serves as a reminder of his dire circumstances.

Adding to the distressing sight, Raiden notices a series of scars etched across his body. These marks tell stories of pain and abuse, a testament to the torment he endured during his captivity. Some scars are fresh and raw, probably recent injuries. In contrast, others have healed over time, leaving behind jagged reminders of past trauma.

The combination of Raiden's skinny appearance, the dirt clinging to his skin, and the network of scars show a bleak picture of his existence. The man who called him a slave approached and opened it while keeping a sword and a whip filled with thorns on his waist. Still, he was two meters tall and pretty muscular... it wasn't a good idea to try his luck against him now.

Raiden left the cage and proceeded to move. Soon, he found others in a similar situation, and he decided to follow them. He had no idea what was going on, but for now, he decided to endure and observe. Hopefully, that crazy nightmare would end soon...

It didn't take long for Raiden to realize that they were in some sort of cave or mine. There was no light around, and the air was too dusty... Some of the other slaves were coughing hard, and that was bad since they were all kids... they didn't have the chance to grow up properly, so they weren't that resilient against sickness. Since everyone looked as bad as him, Raiden could tell that it was only a matter of time before the disaster was to befall them.

Before long, they reached the end of a tunnel where some people who didn't look like slaves at all were hitting the walls with pickaxes. Along the way, Raiden saw a bunch of armed guards with spears and swords. All of them had whips, though.

Each slave, including Raiden, began to work and carry things on their weary shoulders, lugging heavy rocks and stones towards the cave's exit. The weight presses down on their weakened bodies, threatening to break their spirits along with their backs.

After walking for five minutes, they reach the end of the cave and throw the rocks to the other side. They were in the middle of a mountain... Raiden looked around for anything, but he only found an endless forest.

"The hell am I?"

Four armed guards were watching the slaves there with their eyes and hands ready to grab their weapons and hit any troublemakers. Raiden quickly turned around and resumed his work. He had to do that several times to study them, but they didn't drop their guard even once.

One of the guards was a merciless figure of authority, standing tall with a whip in hand. His cruel eyes scan the slaves, his impatience very visible. As Raiden struggles to keep up, his aching muscles pleading for a break, he becomes a target for the guard's wrath.

The whip cracks through the air, its searing sting landing mercilessly on Raiden's already battered frame. Pain shoots through his body, but his determination keeps him moving forward, refusing to succumb to the torment. He had a really hard time holding himself back from glaring at the man.

"You will be the first one to die..."

However, as Raiden witnesses a fellow slave, a girl, falter under the weight of her burden, he instinctively steps forward to shield her from the guard's anger.

The whip lashes out once again, this time finding its mark on Raiden's exposed back. The agony intensifies, but his act of pure reflex does not go unnoticed. The guard's sadistic satisfaction at inflicting pain clashes with the flicker of admiration that briefly flashes in his eyes.

However, the consequence of Raiden's selflessness was severe. Even after working from dawn to dusk, he was denied any respite or sustenance; he was left without a single meal that day, the pangs of hunger gnawing at his already depleted strength. The injustice of the situation fuels his determination, as anger and defiance mix with his hunger-induced exhaustion. The other slaves only had half of the bread, and it was old, though... but it felt really tasty while Raiden watched them eat.

"I have to leave this place and return home..." Raiden thought and then recalled a medium-sized apartment, and then the image disappeared from his head when a head-spitting pain began to torment him. "My memories are... I can't remember anything aside from my name and.... Ugh!"

The pain returned with full power, and Raiden had to take several deep breaths to make it disappear. At least it didn't leave any brain damage... instead of that, it gave him something very valuable.

You have unlocked the skill Money is Power (MAX)

Raiden - Lv 01 (0/100)

HP: 04/10

MP: 10/10

STA: 05/10

Raiden blinked several times, trying to understand what was going on... he recognized the game HUD, but he didn't think that he would see one there. When he tried to think of reasons as to why he could see that now, the headache returned... it seemed that the answers lay in his memories from Earth.

"Why can't I... ugh! Try to recall anything!" Raiden thought while holding his head.

It was useless... the answer to the question as to why he was there might be in his memories too, but he will probably die if he insists on recalling it. Regardless, at least he knew what it was, so while he couldn't recall the knowledge in detail, it was fine for him to know indirectly. It was like electricity in a bulb; you will be fine using it as long as you don't get rid of the glass.

"Let's see..."

Raiden - Lv 01 (0/100)

HP: 04/10

MP: 10/10

STA: 10/10

Strength: 01

Vitality: 01

Endurance: 01

Magic: 01

Spirit: 01

Wisdom: 01

Dexterity: 01

Quickness: 01

Perception: 01

Fortune: 00

Free Points: 00

Skills: Money is Power (MAX)

Magic:

Passive:

"Just like a... fucking hell..." Raiden thought and then sighed. "I need to get used to not thinking too much about this. In any case, at this point in time, I can say for sure that I was transmigrated or I reincarnated as a boy in another world, but only now have I recovered my memories, to some extent. I guess my awakening also awakened this system..."

Money is Power (MAX): you can use your fortune to level up yourself, your skills, and other things.