As he learned the name, some memories began to surface in Kevin's mind, like how to recognize words. "I can't read the text... but I can understand what's being said."
For a moment, he wasn't sure whether these were his own memories or ones inherited from the original owner of this body.
He continued rifling through the wallet in his hand, relying on his limited recognition of the characters, trying hard to find anything useful.
Identification cards, bank cards, and some strange cards he couldn't understand at all. Still, from these documents and cards, he managed to gather a few things.
For example, 'I' came from a country called the Kukan'yu Kingdom.
Kukan'yu Kingdom? Great. Never heard of it.
But it must be a major country. Wait... how do I even know that?
The moment he learned the name Kukan'yu Kingdom, some corresponding memories welled up from deep within.
This body was like someone with amnesia, requiring certain stimuli to trigger memories. And now, the Kevin who controlled it could retrieve those memories when prompted.
Was that normal? It should be normal. What else could he even assume?
Kevin smiled bitterly at the thought. He needed to learn more about himself and about this world. His eyes drifted toward the pile of clothes he had changed out of earlier, now lying in the corner. Maybe searching through them would trigger more recollection.
He acted immediately. Sure enough, he found many torn seams and holes, surrounded by bloodstains. But the more he looked, the more something felt... off.
Were these really marks from falling off a cliff?
Several rips looked strangely smooth like they had been sliced cleanly by scissors or a blade. Once the thought occurred to him, he couldn't stop seeing it. The more he looked, the more wrong it felt.
Wait... how did I die?
"Did you notice something odd?"
"!" A sudden voice behind him made Kevin jump. He spun around in alarm to find the man from earlier. He hadn't even noticed when the man entered. There had been no sound, no movement.
Seeing Kevin visibly startled, the man scratched his spiky hair.
"Sorry for scaring you," he said, "but I've been thinking, and I have a lot of questions for you. I don't have much time, so I'll get straight to the point."
What...? Kevin, still recovering from the shock, stared at him blankly.
He had just calmed down, just started piecing things together—and now the man's abrupt words threw him right back into confusion.
"My name is Ging. Ging Freecs," the man said.
Kevin nodded instinctively.
"I killed you. I killed you with my own hands."
"Huh?" Kevin froze. What the hell? Did he just drop that bomb like it was nothing?
Ging clearly wasn't finished. "We were enemies. So I killed you. But when I was preparing to handle your body, your wounds started healing.
I have confirmed your death. So, your resurrection… was unexpected. Not unheard of, but it didn't happen the way I've seen before. So I brought you back here, to see if you would wake up."
Hold on. Buddy, aren't you dumping way too much here? Ging's sudden revelation left Kevin's head spinning, as though someone had poured a massive amount of information straight into his brain.
Any plans or responses he had been forming evaporated in an instant. And yet… fragmented memories started flashing through his mind. It felt like he had fought this man before.
They were hazy, but enough to lend credibility to the man's words.
Kevin's hands drifted to his torso, fingers brushing over areas that should have been injured. Strangely, he still felt a faint soreness.
Wait. Something's off.
"You said… you've seen other cases of resurrection? Not just once?" Kevin caught the crucial detail. Was resurrection really that common?
Based on the faint battle memories in his mind, something was definitely off about this world.
"You caught that?" Ging replied. "Just as I guessed—you have some awareness of your current condition. But judging from your reaction, your understanding is far from complete."
He paused thoughtfully, then added, "It's like… having seen dragons in art, but never believing they exist. Until one day, you meet something that looks just like a dragon—and you call it that."
After that explanation, Ging turned and looked directly at Kevin. "You were terrified of your own reflection. That wasn't amnesia. It was more like... another soul, or another consciousness, entered your current body."
He said it. Just like that. Are you a detective or something?
The already-tense environment now felt almost unbearable—but strangely, Kevin found himself calming down. His mind kicked into overdrive.
He began recalling what had just happened since waking up. His behavior had indeed been abnormal—but given the situation, who wouldn't react like that?
Moreover, this man had the upper hand from the beginning—he had been guiding Kevin the entire time.
His tone, the pauses in speech, even the mirror placed just right to reflect Kevin's face—
There were likely even more details Kevin hadn't picked up on. All of it felt too deliberate. This man had planned it all in advance.
His worries were meaningless. This had always been a worst-case scenario. And now, the situation was...
Kevin slowly raised his head.
Ging met his gaze silently, not pushing, just waiting.
"Hah..." Kevin let out a long breath. This was pointless. This man had killed the body's previous owner. The fragments in his mind confirmed his strength.
And Kevin himself—he didn't have any combat skills, at least not in this body.
In terms of intellect, Ging was clearly no fool.
In fact, next to him, Kevin felt like a fool.
Whether resurrection, souls, or alternate consciousness—everything hinted at a world far beyond normal. Of course, there was still the possibility that Ging was lying. But Kevin's own fragmented memories backed him up.
And one thing stood out: there had been no "ding" or system message. So... no magical golden finger or cheat.
In the end, did he have to rely on this guy being a 'good person'?
"While I wouldn't call myself a good person," Ging replied, "I'm definitely not a bad one."
Mind reading...?
"It's not mind reading. Just observation."
Was I that obvious?
"Not really. I just know a bit about this kind of thing. I've studied it. Also, I have good instincts. And a sharp nose."
Wait, why are you listing your talents? Thus, with Kevin expressionless and Ging responding anyway, the two somehow carried on a conversation.
Ging then casually sat down, cross-legged, facing Kevin.
"Seems like you've digested what I said," he remarked. "You're thoughtful. You can judge the situation. I'm not threatening you—but you've seen my abilities. So let's talk frankly. Like a deal. You clearly need help right now. I can see your confusion and anxiety written all over your face."
Kevin exhaled and gave a slow nod. He now understood, with certainty, that Ging was no ordinary man.
A man who recognizes the moment and adapts is a true survivor.