Chapter 1: It’s not every day you get struck by lightning

The river flowed undisturbed, its gentle waves lapping against the bank as the night sky painted its surface black. Flashes of lightning split the darkness, each one followed by thunder that rumbled through the world.

Heavy rain poured against the surface and drowned out any sound that could be heard, only losing to the thunderous booms produced by the raging lightning that stormed the skies.

It was a horrible night to go hunting, a horrible night to wander into the wilderness, and a horrible night to be alone.

On the riverbank lay a young man, blood trickling from a wound on his head as wisps of steam rose from his body. Spreading across his back was a pattern resembling tangled tree roots. Not a birthmark or a tribal tattoo, but the scar left behind by a lightning strike.

Beside him rested a large rock, its surface stained crimson where his head had struck it. Blood ran down his unconscious face, pooling beneath his cheek as he lay motionless.

His yellow eyes shot open, his body rising from the ground soon after. He was lost, confused about why he was lying in the dirt and why his head was throbbing. Also, there was a dead animal next to him for some reason.

"W-What’s going on? Where am I?" His teeth chattered as the cold rain bit his skin. He had no shirt on, and the only clothing he was wearing, a loincloth, was drenched from the rain.

"Nngh!" Pain caused him to stand up slowly. A stinging sensation across his back made it difficult to stand, but he powered through it and stood up properly while clenching his teeth.

"Argh, my head." The young man took a second to collect his thoughts, trying his best to navigate through the throbbing pain so he could uncover some answers. Then it hit him: the reality of this situation.

"I-I was hunting, yes! I managed to catch a deer for dinner. But...but there was someone else here." He looked to his side and spotted the deer, then glanced in front of him and saw a person who was fried alive by a lightning strike.

He recognized the tattoo patterns over the dead man’s body, not one of his tribe, but of another, a rival. "Typhon Tribe." He muttered under his breath.

"Well, I guess Truck-kun took a day off, and lightning replaced him today. Wait, what’s a truck? And wasn’t I also struck by lightning? How am I even alive?!"

He was confused, seeing large huts made of metal and stone in his head, massive metallic birds roaming the skies. But he was also cold. So, picking up the deer, he started walking back home.

Mud covered his feet as the young man traveled down a familiar path, one he had been using for years. Even in the dark, he had no problem navigating back to his village. Along the way, he tried to make sense of what he was seeing, make sense of his jumbled mind.

If anyone were to see him as he is now, they would think he was possessed by a vengeful spirit.

"R-Reincarnation!" It was when he neared his village that he finally understood. He had been reincarnated into this world from another one. He didn’t understand how or why; all he knew was that he did.

"Holy shit! I can remember my past, but it also feels like I’m still me. I don’t really understand what’s going on, but I’ll clear my head when I’m back home."

Soon after learning who he was, the village entrance was within his vision. Mud kicked up off the ground as he sprinted toward his home, the slippery surface nearly causing him to trip more than once.

Standing guard at the village entrance were two tall, muscular men who took their roles seriously. Weapons were already drawn when they saw a person approaching, but after seeing who it was, they lowered their guard.

"Kanan? You’re back! Your hunt took longer than normal, huh?" The rain made hunting harder than normal, so the guards understood why he was coming back home later than usual. Still, it was normal to stop the hunt instead of continuing it.

"I would have come back sooner, but I slipped and hit my head." He showed them the bruise on his head. "Oh, and I think I was attacked by someone from the Typhon tribe. That part is a bit fuzzy."

"What?! The Typhon Tribe? I’ll alert the guards. Kanan, you should get that checked out. Make sure to stop by the healer before you go to sleep."

Kanan nodded. "Thanks, I will."

He strolled past the guards and into his village.

Round huts made of branches, mud, and some with stone stood close together, their roofs glistening in the rain. Warm firelight flickered through the doorways, sending smoke into the night air.

Villagers hurried between the huts, wrapped in animal skins, while the sound of rain mixed with quiet voices. Kanan walked slowly into the village and went straight to his hut, not going to see the village healer just yet.

"Aunt Glena, I’m home." Kanan took off his dirty sandals and walked to the fireplace, in the center of the hut, where Glena was stirring a pot.

Her smooth hips swayed from side to side as her skin glistened from the firelight. Black, silky hair slid off her back and down her shoulders. And her warm smile when she saw Kanan brightened up the whole hut.

"Kanan, dear! You’re back. I was getting worried." Glena walked over to Kanan and gave him a warm hug. His wet skin didn’t bother her; she was simply glad that he was safe and back home.

Kanan returned the hug, Glena’s smell soothing his throbbing head. He could feel her chest pressed against his own, and the sensation would have made him excited if it weren’t for how tired he was.

"Yes. I hunted a deer, but the rain came down, and I slipped and hit my head." There was no way he was going to tell her about nearly being attacked by the Typhon Tribe.

"What? Let me see." Blood slightly dripped down Kanan’s head as Glena pushed his hair back to inspect his injury. It wasn’t as bad as it looked, but it did need some attention.

What did catch her attention were the markings on his back. "W-What is this? Your back! Are you hurt?"

"My back?" He asked. "Well, it does sting a bit, but that’s about it."

"Go to Yala; she’ll heal you." Glena didn’t know why Kanan’s back was this way, but she didn’t want him to suffer any long-lasting injuries.

"I need payment." Kanan sighed.

Glena looked down at the deer he had caught for them. "You can use the deer."

"But—"

"No buts. We still have dried meat, and I’m cooking some stew right now. Your health is more important to me. So please, go to Yala to be healed."

Kanan sighed once more. He wasn’t about to argue with her. Glena always looked out for him, and he wanted to pay her back for everything she had done. When it came to his health, however, she didn’t play.

"Okay. I’ll go hunting again tomorrow. This time, I’ll find an even better deer for you."

"Fufu. I look forward to it."

Smiling, Kanan picked up the deer and left the hut, running toward the healer’s hut to get a check-up. He knocked on the door, and soon after, a beautiful woman answered.

"Oh, Kanan. What brings you here at this time?"

Kanan had seen Yala plenty of times before, and each time, he was always amazed at how beautiful she was. She wore a thin tunic that did nothing to keep her breasts from spilling out on the sides and had thick thighs that jiggled with each step.

"I-I’m here because I hurt my head and my back." He pulled back his hair to show her the wound and turned around to show his back.

"Oh dear, come inside, let me get you patched up."

"Okay." The moment Kanan stepped inside, something appeared before his eyes that left him stunned.

[Congrats on awakening your past life memories. Initiating the Village Growth System.]

"The fuck?!"