The morning sun cast golden light over the roofs of the village as Ray stood in the center square, holding the list the village chief had given him. The names of the sick, the starving, the forgotten—it weighed heavier than any weapon he had ever carried.
But he wouldn't carry that weight alone.
"Alright, listen up!" Ray shouted to the group of kids that had gathered around him. Some were the same ones who'd trained with him before; others were new, drawn by the whispers that Ray was doing something again.
The kids looked curious, but also nervous. Most were between 8 and 13 years old—barely older than Ray's new body.
"We're going to help everyone in this village who can't help themselves," Ray said, voice steady. "Sick grandmas. Old people who can't walk. Kids with no parents. We'll give them food, medicine, water—whatever they need."
The kids exchanged glances.
"But…" one of them, a boy with messy hair, raised his hand timidly. "How? We don't have anything…"
Ray smiled. "We do now."
He pulled several items from his inventory, laying them out: basic medicine packs, clean water flasks, some cooked meat, dried rations, herbal kits, even makeshift crutches.
The children's eyes widened.
"Where did you get all this?" asked a girl in a worn-out tunic.
Ray grinned. "I made them while you were sleeping."
They gasped, murmuring in awe. He didn't tell them the truth about the system shop—it was easier this way.
"Here's how we'll do it," Ray said, unfolding a rough map of the village. "I've divided it into four areas. We split into teams. One team delivers food, one gives medicine, one checks on the weak and reports if anyone needs help moving, and one stays with me for heavy lifting. We're going to fix up houses, bring in firewood, and help plant the sweet potatoes."
Three days. That's all Ray planned to take.
Three days to turn the tide for every last forgotten soul.
---
Day One: Hope in Motion
The village saw something it hadn't in decades—children running not for games, but with purpose. Ray's plan unfolded smoothly. Every group followed his instructions carefully.
In the eastern quarter, two kids delivered water and cleaned wounds with the herbal kits. In the south, Ray helped an old man sit up for the first time in days, feeding him warm meat and sweet potatoes.
Some villagers looked on in disbelief.
"Ray's got the kids working harder than the adults," someone whispered.
"He's doing more than any of us ever could…"
Even the chief watched silently from his porch, arms crossed, a proud glint in his eyes.
That night, Ray didn't sleep much. Instead, he quietly leveled up again from a small fight with forest wolves.
> [LEVEL UP: Lv. 7 → Lv. 8]
Closer. Just a little more...
---
Day Two: Fixing the Forgotten
The kids grew more confident. Ray taught them basic first aid. They learned how to carry firewood and set up shelters for those who had broken roofs.
Ray found a paralyzed elder and, using two crutches from the system shop, helped him walk a few steps with the aid of the kids. The old man's eyes filled with tears.
"I thought I would die in that bed," he said hoarsely. "But now I'm standing…"
Ray didn't respond. He simply gave a nod and helped him take another step.
He spent the afternoon with his heavy-lifting team rebuilding one of the collapsed huts near the edge of the village. It wasn't perfect—but it would survive the next rainstorm.
The bond between the children grew. They weren't just helping—they were learning responsibility, pride, teamwork. And they laughed while doing it.
---
Day Three: A Village Reborn
By the third day, even the most hopeless corners of the village had changed. No one lay dying alone anymore. Every elder had warmth. Every child had food.
Ray stood on a small slope overlooking the village as the sun set on the final day. He could hear laughter in the distance—children running by, proud of their work. A few adults were helping now, inspired by what they'd seen.
The chief walked up beside him, resting a hand on Ray's shoulder.
"I don't know what kind of spirit you have inside you, boy. But you've done something this village thought impossible. You've united it."
Ray looked out quietly.
"It's not perfect," he said. "We still have to defend ourselves. There are monsters. Raiders. We're weak, still."
"But not broken," the chief replied. "Not anymore."
Ray clenched his fists. He checked his status.
> [LEVEL UP: Lv. 8 → Lv. 9]
He was close now.
One more level. One more step—and he'd unlock his class awakening.
Then, the real fight could begin.
But for now, Ray smiled—just a little—as he looked over the reborn village.
He didn't save the world. He didn't fight a demon lord.
But he saved a hundred people from giving up on life.
And that… that was enough for now.