Some kind of creepy RPG dream

What I initially thought was a barn turned out to be the back door of an orphanage. Apparently, my new mother had abandoned me in that place shortly after giving birth. Seconds later, an older woman came to my rescue through the doors in front of me and placed me in a crib next to another baby. I didn't understand her dialect, but she seemed devoid of any emotion upon seeing me outside in the middle of nowhere. Well, at least that's how it seemed to me. If I found an abandoned baby, my reaction would be different. I was in shock from what I had just witnessed, which may have influenced my catastrophic thinking.

Lying in the crib, unable to move or speak, I could only ponder. That moment felt eternal. I couldn't believe it. It seemed like I had been reborn, and to make matters worse, it appeared to be an extremely challenging situation. I didn't understand anything that was happening. I wondered if I was actually having a nightmare or if my memories had somehow been stolen and implanted into a baby. I wanted to consider any possibility other than the one that seemed most likely: that I had been born into a new world while retaining my memories.

I replayed the conversation I had with the girl before I died over and over again in my mind. What bad luck I had! I missed that one chance to go out with someone who showed interest in this misfit who always had his nose buried in books. I was so absorbed in my fantasy world, reading and creating stories, that dating someone was the last thing on my mind. The real world was too boring to waste my time on, and it seemed that my wish had come true by arriving in this new world that seemed anything but normal.

But could I at least have known what that girl would be like? I regretted the fact that I never knew her name. Then I remembered the truck sending us flying to the other side of the cafeteria, her lying on the floor extremely still, not seeming to be breathing. Maybe she died with me too. If so, did she also reincarnate here? Did she get reborn? Or was that simply her final world? I would have to find out.

I had too many questions, but the one that lingered in my mind the most was: What good was it for someone as ordinary as me to be chosen for rebirth in this world? Was there any way to know? The first message I received was the welcome message to the world. If I reviewed it again, maybe it would give me a clue. Well, how could I review it? I didn't see anything unusual in my field of vision, just darkness surrounding me. The baby next to me was fast asleep. It seemed like an ordinary night in my human world. I tried to slide my arms from side to side, simulating having a panel in front of me, but it didn't work either. I closed my eyes and imagined logging in as if in a video game. Nothing happened. I asked in my head if any imaginary being could give me information, but there was only silence. I even dared to think the words: "Link Start!" Obviously, nothing happened. No matter how hard I tried to speak, only a few sounds came out of my mouth. I was running out of options, feeling exhausted. I tried everything I could think of, but I didn't achieve anything. At last, I fell into a deep sleep.

[Achievement Unlocked: Sweet Dreams]

As if that wasn't enough, while I slept, I saw some kind of cinematic, which was even more absurd than everything else that was happening. I saw everything from above, as if I were inside a drone. I started seeing rice fields, then vast expanses of green where I noticed some unidentified animals. Later, I saw a crystal-clear river flowing down a steep mountain, its peak covered in snow. Further east, I observed several villages where people dressed very similarly, and in each of these places, there was a quaint marketplace. Following the marketplaces, there was a single castle similar to the Azuchi Castle in my world, which made me realize that everything I saw had the appearance of being located in medieval Asia. The creepiest part of it all was having musical accompaniment throughout the aerial tour, reminding me of the folk music from some MMORPG. If I had been in a different state of mind, I would have felt satisfied with the views and the accompanying music. Instead, all it generated in me was more and more despair. Where was I?

The journey came to a halt with a panoramic view of the castle and the village below it. The same mature female voice that informed me of the two achievements I had unlocked began a speech that left me frozen.

Welcome to Jōkuni. You must be wondering why you are here, right? We search for individuals in this universe who possess specific skills and requirements to inhabit this world without any issues. You have been chosen to be reborn and start anew here. Congratulations! Reborn individuals do not make up a significant percentage of the population, so you will often encounter people who are native to this land without any knowledge of reincarnation. We recommend that you keep your origins to yourself and not disclose them to the locals, as it would pose a problem if they were to find out.

This world is full of missions that will reward you and occasionally grant achievements like the two you have already witnessed. To level up your stats, you will need to complete specific missions that will reward you with amulets. These amulets can be exchanged for points to increase a specific statistic. Your level is equivalent to your years of life. At the moment, all your counters are at zero. You will be able to access the full player interface once you reach level three. For now, you can only replay the Tutorial Stage I. When you turn three years old, Tutorial Stage II will be activated, where you will learn about stats, skills, creatures, classes, equipment, weapons, pets, dungeons, achievements, and more. This is to prevent overwhelming you with information, as we know that adapting to this new life can be challenging at first.

For now, you can just focus on learning about your surroundings, learning the language, and successfully reaching level three. May your adventure in Jōkuni be enjoyable. Sweet dreams!

[Achievement Unlocked: Successfully Completed Tutorial Stage I]

[To replay this tutorial, you can access it through the book icon that has just appeared in the lower-left part of your field of vision]

To my surprise, after the speech, I slept peacefully. It was upon waking up that I was overwhelmed by the amount of information, both omitted and revealed. I had countless unknowns, and I was devastated to know that I wouldn't be able to do much in the next three years. As the days went by, I resigned myself to the idea that I had to start anew. All I could do was be patient and observe everything happening around me in detail. There isn't much to highlight about that period, which was hell for me. Of course, I memorized Tutorial I from reading it so many times. I had high expectations for what would come next, and I couldn't wait to do whatever it took to discover why I had arrived in that world.