Prologue

In the present time, life has become far too monotonous. Devoid of danger, adventure, and fun - just a simple, mundane routine.

The sound of keyboard clicks echoed through the empty office of yet another company that exploited its employees and enforced overtime. It was already 2 AM, and most of the offices in the multistory building were deserted. Only the top floor, the twentieth, still had its lights on.

"Bastards..." Groans mixed with curses accompanied the rhythmic clicks of the computer mouse. "Bastar-r-rds..."

The screen illuminated with a green hue as an animation of a checkmark appeared, signifying the submission of another document for review. The man behind the computer reclined back in his office chair, letting out an exhausted sigh, feeling the weight of fatigue and the throbbing headache that plagued him.

Despite his discomfort, the office was empty. Most of the employees had either gone home or were on vacation. Looking around, the man wearily rose from his seat and shuffled towards the back of the room, where a small kitchenette was set up.

Opening the top shelf, he retrieved a small jar filled with pink cylindrical candies. Squinting his eyes, he struggled to read the label due to his tired eyes and the dim lighting. Deciding to take a chance, he opened the jar and brought it to his nose. Catching a whiff of a pleasant cherry scent, he shrugged and poured out nearly half of the jar's contents.

"Colleagues said these candies aid circulation... Let's give them a shot." The man let out a weary sigh and placed the candies into his mouth. "Mm... ugh, awful. How do people even consume these?"

He grimaced and walked over to the window, cracking it open to inhale the fresh air. Despite the height, he could still hear the cheerful laughter of students enjoying their time with their partners. His tired brown eyes squinted, and his black hair, tinged with streaks of gray, swayed gently in the wind.

"I envy them so much... I too would like to find my love, get married, have children, and peacefully live my life knowing it wasn't in vain." The man smiled self-deprecatingly, gazing at the bright object in the night sky, the moon. "Seriously, has my eyesight deteriorated so much that I can't even see objects from a distance?"

He frowned and rubbed his temples, feeling a bout of dizziness. Grappling with the sensation and barely maintaining his balance, he had to set the candy jar aside. Yet, the dizziness was overshadowed by the pain that followed. As though thousands of needles pierced his stomach, he suffered excruciating torment.

"AAAAA!"

His piercing scream undoubtedly drew attention, and a security guard on patrol rushed in. Spotting a man in his middle years near the window, struggling to maintain his grip on the kitchen shelves and screaming, the guard reacted swiftly.

"What happened?! Are you alright?" The elderly security guard burst into the room, shouting and hurrying towards the man who was barely able to support the sudden heaviness of his body.

The old guard's eyes widened in shock as he saw the shattered candy jar and read the label, leaving him flabbergasted. Grabbing his button phone, he dialed the emergency number. As the phone rang, he quickly explained the situation, "Initiate an urgent response! A person ingested rat poison and a significant amount at that. The address is..."

***

In a secluded hut, resembling a pile of boards more than a dwelling, a man with short, dark hair lay. His breathing was restless, and his face was flushed as if running a fever.

"Ah..." A pained groan escaped his lips as the man opened his eyes and abruptly sat up, causing a momentary darkness to cloud his vision. "Ugh... I'm getting old."

Once the momentary disorientation passed and he felt better, the man surveyed his surroundings and raised an eyebrow, realizing he was in an unfamiliar place.

"Um... my apartment was far from ideal, without a doubt. But... this place is just plain worse." Balancing on the edge of the bed, he stood up and winced at the discomfort in his legs.

Being barefoot, he accidentally stepped on a protruding nail on the floor, experiencing a spectrum of pain second only to stepping on a LEGO brick.

"What on earth..." He was on the verge of cursing when he suddenly heard drumming sounds. Before his puzzled eyes, a hologram materialized.

[Reincarnation System Activated! User Felix... welcome!]

[Current Reincarnation: 1]

[Talent Level: 1/10] [Talent Level: 1/10] [Appearance: 5/10] [Lifespan: 25 years (24/25 current)]

[Reincarnation Special Ability (1): Library of Knowledge]

"Huh?"

The man stared at the hologram in confusion, experiencing a strange sensation akin to first love. His eyes rolled back, and he found himself transported to an unfamiliar place. Looking around and noticing countless bookshelves, he was greatly surprised.

"Is this... a library?"

He had once visited a library considered one of the largest in the world, and even then, he had been amazed. But here, even after traversing endless corridors, he encountered a maximum of forty books. Fatigued from his wandering, Felix found an unoccupied table, pulled out a chair, and seated himself.

[^ Select a Book ^]

"Wow!" Felix exclaimed in shock as a screen appeared before him with a selection of options. He soon regained his composure, realizing there was no imminent threat. "So... is this some kind of collection?"

When Felix pressed the screen, the text transformed, revealing a list of book genres and topics.

[Education/Textbooks]: [Mathematics] [History] [Sciences] [Social Studies] [Languages (English, French, Japanese, Russian, Armenian, Hindi, etc.)] [Art] [Economics and Finance] [Psychology] [Politics] [Programming and Basics of Computer Craft]...

[Stories/Manga/Novels/Light Novels]: [My Interracial Harem of Beautiful Queens] [Reborn as a Teaspoon in Another World, I Gathered a Harem and Became the Strongest! My Story of...] [Berserk] [Blade That Cuts Through Broth]...

"Wow!" Felix exclaimed loudly, selecting a story and beginning to read, becoming engrossed.

Two hours later...

"Wow! This is indeed the same story I read as a kid!" Felix, still excited, noticed, as he continued reading.

After another two hours, Felix grew tired and automatically exited the library. His stomach rumbled, reminding him that he hadn't eaten anything. Quietly and carefully opening the door, Felix glanced around and realized he was in a forest. An immediate problem arose.

"I... don't know this forest, and I'm certainly not knowledgeable about edible berries," Felix slumped, feeling trapped.

Being in a different world, the berries here were likely to be different, and without caution, he might die from poison or something worse. However, driven by hunger, he had to venture out and cautiously explore the forest, hiding behind trees, barely hearing any rustling.

An hour of exploration later, Felix stumbled upon a plant that resembled an apple tree. He reached for the fruits, starting to pluck them. After smelling and making a cut with a sharp stone, Felix confirmed they were edible. Fully harvesting the tree, he retraced his steps, following the trail he had left behind.