Doomsday Tower Defense World, Kindling Platform #3318.

A blast of scorching air hit his face. The sound of panicked, chaotic footsteps jolted Orion awake, his eyes snapping open.

So… this is the world linked to the Rebirth Card?

He ignored his surroundings for a moment, his first instinct to assess his own state. He lifted a hand, looking down at a frail body. It was still the form of a giant, but the familiar bloodline power was gone. None of his supernatural abilities remained. All he could feel was a faint, lingering echo of the cosmic Rules he had begun to comprehend.

"Don't tell me I have to start from scratch again," he muttered.

Just as he was complaining to himself, a crisp, somewhat childish female voice sounded in his ear.

[Brave new commander, take courage. Pick up a weapon you favor and make your way to the ramparts to defend against the encroaching darkness.]

[The light of this world is yours to protect, yours to fight for.]

[Hope is on the horizon. Our shared fate is in our hands!]

The voice was young but full of passion, a warmth that seemed to instantly purify any negative emotions, calming his spirit.

Orion looked up toward the source of the sound. It came from what looked like a little girl, but wasn't. It was a roiling fire, burning brightly within a glowing formation on the platform. The girl's voice was emanating directly from the flames.

A Flame of Light… a Spirit of Light… the Will of Light…

A Tower Defense world… defend the light… strengthen its will…

Gazing at the seemingly eternal flame, Orion instantly understood his mission. This was the duty assigned to him by the Rebirth Card, a price he had to pay for the transmigration of his soul to this new world.

Arthas gave me this card for a reason, he thought. He wouldn't send me to some random place. There has to be something here I desperately need.

Orion had originally assumed the Rebirth Card would send him to a world of lords and territories, a familiar setup where he could quickly conquer land and gather faith. He hadn't expected a Tower Defense game.

"Whatever. First things first, I need to figure out the mechanics of this world."

Since he was already here, Orion pushed aside all other thoughts, deciding to accept his new reality and fully integrate into it. Following the girl's instructions, he walked toward the flame. It wasn't scorching as he'd imagined; instead, it radiated an indescribable warmth.

The moment he stood before it, a small spark leaped from the main fire and landed on him. At the same time, the girl's voice echoed in his mind.

[Valued Commander, you have received the blessing of the Will of Light. To the battlefield!]

Before Orion could even react, his entire being was teleported away.

He reappeared on a massive stone wall. After a brief moment of disorientation, he felt solid ground under his feet. His eyes focused on the scene before him: an endless, surging tide of grotesque creatures. They were monsters with semi-gelatinous bodies, the powerful hind legs of a grasshopper, and the bulk of a water buffalo.

"Kill 'em! Waste these goddamn Ricochet Slimes!"

"Archers, open fire! They're climbing the walls!"

"Focus on their legs! Even if you don't kill 'em, their own kind will trample them and you'll still get Kindling Points!"

As Orion tried to identify the monsters, the desperate shouts and roars of other commanders filled the air around him.

"Ricochet Slimes?" he murmured. A heavy trident had appeared in his hands, and he instinctively hurled it into the horde.

The weapon flew true, soaring straight into the open mouth of a slime and piercing through its body for an instant kill.

A chime-like sound registered in his ears, but he ignored it. He had just discovered something far more astonishing: the trident he had just thrown had reappeared in his hand.

Orion stood frozen for a second, then hurled it again. Another instant kill.

Staring at the trident that had once again materialized silently in his grip, his eyes began to shine with understanding. Driven by curiosity, he began throwing it faster and faster. Each time the weapon left his hand, it would reappear the moment he was ready to throw again, as if from an infinite supply.

"Hahaha! Look, another noob commander!"

"Check him out! Must be his first time on the front line, first time using a Light Weapon. I'm dying!"

"Cut it out. Everyone's like that their first time. You get used to it."

Orion didn't need to look to know the laughter was aimed at him. But the commentary wasn't finished.

"Yeah, but it's one thing to be a noob, it's another to be stupid. Look at him spamming his attack like that. He's gonna burn through all his stamina way too early."

"I bet he's the student of some useless commander from a city way in the rear."

"Are all the new commanders this pathetic? We're so screwed. The Will of Darkness is gonna swallow this world for sure."

Orion gripped the trident, ready to throw again and shove the words back down their throats. But just then, the Light Weapon in his hand flickered and vanished. His chest began to heave as he gasped for air.

He had forgotten. This was a new world, a new body. His bloodline powers were gone. He was nothing but a frail shell. Though it was the body of a giant, his strength had been nerfed to a pathetic level. By his own estimation, his current power wasn't even elite-tier.

A wave of exhaustion and hunger washed over him.

Just as he was about to collapse onto the ramparts, he was teleported back. In the spot where he had just stood, a flash of light appeared, and a new commander instantly took his place.

[Valued Commander, you have defeated 37 Ricochet Slimes in this defense wave, earning 370 Kindling Points.]

[As a Reincarnator, the 37 Ricochet Slimes have also granted you 370 points of Faith.]

[You have received 3 Loot Bags from your kills. Claim now?]

[Hint: Kindling Points can be exchanged with the Will of Light for survival and combat supplies. Open exchange now?]

"I want to exchange for survival supplies," Orion croaked.

A tray of food materialized before him. It held a platter of roasted meat, a bottle of water, and a single green nutrient pill.

[Valued Commander, you have spent 1 Kindling Point to redeem one Survival Ration.]

Orion, consumed by hunger, completely ignored the girl's voice. Like a starving wolf, he grabbed the meat in one hand and the water bottle in the other, devouring them in huge, alternating bites.

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