My name is Gavin Harber. I was nineteen years old when my life lost all meaning.Back then, I lived a "normal" life. I was a college student by day and a fast-food worker by night. As the family breadwinner, I carried the weight of my parents and siblings on my shoulders. It was heavy, but I was happy. Or at least, I thought I was. That all ended because of a single, foolish mistake.It was a biting, cold morning. At 3:00 AM, while the world was still draped in silence, I turned on the heater to take a warm shower before my shift. I dressed, ate, and left—leaving the house while my family was still deep in their dreams.When my shift ended, I walked home under a darkening sky. That's when I saw it: a plume of black smoke rising like a funeral shroud. My heart sank. The closer I got, the more the nightmare sharpened. It was my house.

I tried to dive into the inferno—my parents and siblings were still trapped inside—but strong arms held me back. The heat was a wall; the screams were muffled by the roar of the flames.Later, the investigators gave me the verdict: a faulty heater. My heater.The guilt was a poison. "I don't deserve to breathe," I whispered to the empty air. In the depths of my despair, I chose to end my journey, hoping the darkness would swallow my sin.

"Where... am I?"

I opened my eyes, but there was no void. Instead, a sprawling cityscape stretched before me—grand, vibrant, and glowing with an ethereal light."Is this a dream?" I muttered. I wound up and punched myself square in the face. SMACK. The pain was sharp and real. If I can feel pain, I'm not a ghost. But I died... I know I did.I wandered the bustling streets, feeling like a shadow in a world of color. I stopped a street vendor, my voice trembling.

"Excuse me... what is this place?"

The vendor beamed with a warmth that felt alien to me. "Welcome, traveler! This is the City of Life. A place of eternal joy and boundless beginnings!"

"I see... thank you,"

I replied, bowing my head. A city of joy? Then a sinner like me shouldn't be here.I eventually reached a district called "Hearthglen." Lost in the echoes of the screams from the fire, I didn't see her coming.CRASH.We collided with enough force to send me reeling. My head hit the cobblestones, and the world spun into darkness. In that brief blackout, the nightmare returned. I heard my family's voices, distorted and hateful: "It's your fault!" "Why did you survive and not us?""I'm sorry..." I whimpered in my sleep. "I'm so sorry..."

"Hey... are you okay? Please, wake up!"

A soft warmth pressed against the back of my head. I opened my eyes to see a sky of sapphire blue, framed by the face of a girl so beautiful she looked like an illustration from a fairy tale. I realized then—I wasn't on the cold ground. My head was resting on her lap.I scrambled up, my face burning.

"I—I'm incredibly sorry!"

The girl stood, brushing off her skirt with a graceful smile.

"No, it was my fault! I was rushing to Aris House and wasn't watching the path. Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine,"

I managed to say, unable to meet her gaze. Her presence felt like pure sunlight, making my internal darkness feel even heavier.

"I'm Aurelia Sofia,"

she said, tilting her head.

"And you?I've never seen those clothes before."

"I'm... Gavin. Gavin Harber."

"Gavin? What a unique name! Hehe, it has a nice ring to it."

She gave me one last wave before

disappearing into the crowd. I stood there, alone again. I had no money, no food, and no home in this "City of Life." As the moons began to rise, I found a small alcove by the stone walls of a cathedral.Hungry and shivering, I curled into a ball. I had escaped death, but I couldn't escape myself. As I drifted into a fitful sleep, I wondered: Is this world my salvation, or just a different kind of purgatory?

I'm Gavin Harber and this is how I started my new life journey.

The sun rose once again, marking another day in this world."

- "I'm heading to the 'Aris' Adventurer's Guild,"

I muttered to myself.

- "It's time to find out how to officially become an adventurer."

When I stepped inside Aris House, the atmosphere hit me like a physical wall. The air was thick with the scent of ale and old leather. The people here... they were intimidating. Massive warriors with scars and rugged gear loomed over me. 'Are these really humans?' I wondered. But I couldn't back down now. I needed a way to survive—I needed Valis (currency).

- "Excuse me... how do I register?"

I asked at the counter.The receptionist looked up.

- "Registration is simple, kid. But there's a processing fee of two Gold Coins."

-"Eh?! Two Gold Coins?!"

I gasped. My heart sank.

- "I—I'm sorry. I'll have to come back later."

I walked out, my head hanging low. No money meant no registration. And without registration, I couldn't earn money. It was a classic "Level 0" paradox.

- "Wait... I have an idea."

I found a local tavern and walked in, hoping for a break. Luck was on my side.

- "Um, are you hiring? Even just for odd jobs or extra help?"

- "Actually, we're short-staffed today,"

the owner replied, eyeing me up.

- "We need a hall assistant. You're hired. Go to the backroom; there are spare uniforms there."

'Is it really this easy?' back in my old world, I would have needed a resume, three rounds of interviews, and a mountain of requirements. Here, a simple "Help wanted" was enough.I worked until my muscles ached, but the rhythm of the tavern was oddly comforting. As the sun dipped below the horizon, the owner handed me my pay.

- "Here's 25 Silver Coins. Good work today."

- "Thank you so much!"

I bowed, the Japanese habits of my past life slipping out.

- "Come back tomorrow, kid!"

As I walked back to the abandoned church that served as my temporary shelter, I spotted some discarded cardboard. To others, it was trash; to me, it was a luxury mattress. I had been sleeping on the cold stone floor, and my back was screaming in protest. I stopped by a stall to buy food, but the prices were insane—5 Silver Coins for a single loaf of bread! I bought two, deciding to save one for tomorrow, and tucked away the remaining 15 Silver into my "Gold Coin Fund."I was setting up my cardboard "bed" inside the ruins when a voice called out from the shadows.

- "Gav?"I froze. "S-Sophia?!"

- "What are you doing here?"

she asked, her eyes wide with worry.

- "Oh, uh... nothing much! I just... I sleep here. I don't exactly have a house yet, haha..."

I felt a surge of shame. Of all people to see me living like a stray, it had to be my crush.

- "Why didn't you say something?"

Sophia stepped closer, her expression softening.

- "Come with me. Stay at my house. It's the least I can do to repay you."

- "I couldn't! It would be a burden on your family..."

- "No excuses! You can pay us back once you've made it as a top-tier adventurer, okay?"

I couldn't refuse her kindness. At her home, her family treated me like one of their own. They gave me a warm meal that tasted like heaven and allowed me to wash away the grime of the city.

- "This is your room,"

Sophia said, opening a door. "It's small, but I hope it's okay."

- "It's more than enough. Thank you, Sophia."

- "There's a spare mattress in the corner. Sleep well."

The moment I lay down, the softness claimed me. But as my body relaxed, my mind wandered back to the tragedy—the day I lost my family. I woke up in the middle of the night, tears stinging my eyes. I wiped them away, fueled by a new determination. I had to get stronger.After days of grueling work at the tavern, I finally saved enough. I returned to Aris House, but this time, I walked straight to the counter. To my surprise, Sophia was there, wearing a guild staff uniform!

- "Sophia? You work here too?"

She smiled and guided me through the process. As she explained the guild's rules and the quest system, I found myself distracted. The light from the chandeliers caught her eyes, making them sparkle. She was truly beautiful.

- "Gav? Are you even listening?"

- "Ah! Sorry... I just... I got lost in your eyes for a second."

Sophia's face turned bright crimson, and she fumbled with the paperwork.To hide my own embarrassment, I quickly grabbed a Level 1 Quest from the board: [Subjugation: Kill 15 Slimes. Reward: 100 Silver Coins.]I rushed to the fields outside the city. It was harder than I thought—I had no sword, no armor, just my bare fists. I had to rely on my reflexes,

punching the gelatinous monsters until they burst. Finally, the last one dissipated.[Quest Complete!]Back at the guild, I turned in the quest and received my 100 Silver Coins. But more importantly, a blue translucent screen flickered in front of my eyes.[LEVEL UP!]I felt a surge of heat flowing through my veins. I opened my status window and carefully allocated my new points. I needed to survive, and I needed to hit hard.[Points allocated to: STRENGTH and STAMINA]My journey as an adventurer had truly begun.