Chapter 2: Rebirth and the Beginning of Training

The sharp, cold wind stung Michael's face as he gasped for air, awakening in a new body, in a new world. His eyes fluttered open to the clear blue sky, framed by the tops of swaying trees. A moment ago, he had been drifting in the void, and now here he was, alive again.

Or was he?

"Michael!" a deep voice barked.

He blinked, focusing on the figure looming above him. A man in military fatigues, his face hardened by years of discipline and command. The man's eyes, however, held an intensity that felt oddly familiar. Dad?

Michael's mind struggled to reconcile the two realities. He was no longer the man he had been on Earth, and yet the memories of his previous life were still fresh. His father, as he now understood, was not the same man he remembered from Earth. This man was a military officer—his new father—and apparently, he had expectations.

"Get up. We don't have time for you to lie around. You've got training to do."

Still groggy, Michael pushed himself to his feet. His body felt foreign, smaller and leaner than before. He glanced down, realizing he was no longer in his adult body, but in that of a fourteen-year-old boy.

"What the hell?" he muttered, his voice sounding younger, higher-pitched.

Before he could make sense of his transformation, a sharp notification flashed in his vision, startling him.

Sign-in System activated.

He blinked, and the translucent words lingered in front of him.

Location: Military Base. First sign-in available.

What the hell is this? Michael thought.

Would you like to sign in? the system prompted, waiting for his mental command.

For a brief moment, the void and the mysterious figure from before rushed back to him. This was it—his second chance, and this was the system that was supposed to help him get stronger.

Yes, he thought, taking the plunge.

A soft chime rang in his mind.

Sign-in complete. Congratulations! You have received: Basic Combat Knowledge (Level 1).

Instantly, Michael felt a wave of information pour into his mind. It was subtle at first, but soon his body began to move with more confidence, as if muscle memory had been implanted into his limbs. His father noticed the shift, a hint of approval in his eyes.

"Good," his father said, turning sharply. "Follow me. We've got a lot of work to do."

The First Year of Training

Michael's new life was not a normal teenage existence. From the moment he stepped foot into this world, he was thrust into a grueling regimen of military training. His father believed in discipline, and that meant no room for error.

Every day, without exception, started at the crack of dawn. At 5 a.m., Michael was already on his feet, running through the morning fog as his father barked commands. The physical training was brutal—endless running, bodyweight exercises, and calisthenics that pushed him to the brink of exhaustion. His muscles ached every night, but every morning, he found himself back at it.

The Sign-in System became his lifeline. Every new location his father took him to, every new situation, offered a chance for improvement.

One month later – The Shooting Range

The echo of gunshots filled the air as Michael stood on the shooting range, the weight of the pistol foreign in his hands. His father stood behind him, watching every movement like a hawk. "Steady your hands, focus on the target," his father instructed, his voice as sharp as the cold morning air.

Michael's first few shots went wide, missing the target completely. Frustration bubbled up inside him, but then something clicked—a notification flashed in his vision.

Sign-in available: Shooting Range.

Michael mentally accepted, feeling a familiar rush of warmth as the system responded.

Sign-in complete. Congratulations! You have received: Basic Marksmanship (Level 1).

Suddenly, his hands felt steadier, his focus sharper. He took a deep breath, aimed at the target again, and fired. This time, the bullet hit its mark, squarely in the center of the target.

His father raised an eyebrow, nodding slightly. "Better. Keep practicing."

Two years later – Martial Arts Mastery

By the time Michael was sixteen, his body had changed. The lean, awkward frame of his fourteen-year-old self had been replaced with hard muscle. His father had ramped up the physical training, pushing him into combat sports—jiu-jitsu, Krav Maga, Muay Thai. It didn't matter what the discipline was; his father made sure Michael learned them all.

The system was constantly working in the background, providing him with incremental upgrades.

Sign-in available: Dojo.

Congratulations! You have received: Basic Martial Arts Knowledge (Level 2).

With each sign-in, Michael's body adapted, his reflexes quicker, his movements smoother. But the training wasn't just physical. His father drilled discipline into him, constantly reminding him that there was no room for weakness in the real world.

"You're not here to play games, Michael," his father would say, wiping sweat from his brow after an intense sparring session. "The world out there? It's dangerous. You need to be ready."

Ready for what? Michael wasn't sure yet, but he knew that whatever was coming, his father was preparing him for something big.

Life Outside of Training

Though his life was dominated by training, Michael wasn't completely isolated. The military base his father was stationed at was home to many families, and over the years, Michael had made a few friends. He wasn't exactly the most social kid—between the physical exhaustion and his father's strict rules, there wasn't much time for hanging out—but there were a few kids his age he got along with.

One of them was Daniel, a mechanic's son who had a passion for cars. It was through Daniel that Michael found himself drawn to the world of street racing. During the rare weekends when his father let up on the training, Michael would hang out in Daniel's father's garage, learning the basics of car maintenance.

"Check this out," Daniel said one day, popping the hood of an old Mustang. "You ever work on an engine like this?"

Michael shook his head. "Not really. But I want to learn."

And learn he did. By spending hours with Daniel, Michael picked up the nuances of working on cars. He found a strange sense of satisfaction in the precision of the work—just as he did in his combat training. There was something calming about the hum of an engine, the smell of oil, and the feel of tools in his hands.

Sign-in available: Garage.

Congratulations! You have received: Basic Car Mechanics (Level 1).

The Last Year: Advanced Skills

At eighteen, Michael had become something of a machine himself. His body was honed through years of training, and his mind was sharp, thanks to the countless hours of tactical and combat lessons his father had put him through.

But it wasn't just physical skills that Michael gained. His father, ever the strategist, made sure that Michael learned the more technical aspects of military training as well. Hacking, cybersecurity, surveillance—his father ensured he was as skilled with a computer as he was with a gun.

One evening, after a long day of training, Michael sat in front of the computer in their small house on the base. His father had given him a new challenge—break into a secure server as a test of his cyber skills. It was difficult, but Michael's mind was wired for challenges. He cracked his knuckles and got to work.

Hours passed, and just when he was about to give up, a notification appeared.

Sign-in available: Command Center.

Congratulations! You have received: Advanced Computer Skills (Level 2).

Suddenly, it was like a puzzle piece fell into place. His fingers flew across the keyboard, each stroke more precise than the last. Within minutes, he was in. The server was breached, and his father, watching from the doorway, nodded approvingly.

"You're ready," his father said, his voice low but filled with pride.

"For what?" Michael asked, pushing the chair back.

His father smirked. "The real world."