In this Second Chance at Life, where I can see skills as clear as day, everything feels like a breeze. And to make it even better, I’m spending my days joyfully with my First Love. - Chapter 1

Name: Sashima Yasushi
Level: 1
Job: None
Skills: [Appraisal Lv. 1]
Unique Skill: [Repetitive Trial]

“Yeah, I knew it.”

It was a little after six in the morning—two hours later than my usual wake-up time. Whether it was due to the habits I’d formed as a child or the absence of an alarm, I couldn’t say. The house was still quiet, my parents presumably asleep. Sitting up in bed, I examined my hands. They were small, the hands of a child. And sure enough, hovering above them was that familiar game-like status window.

Last night, I’d been too tired to bother with it. But now, in the morning light, I realized that this must be thanks to the [Appraisal] skill listed in the window. As for the “Lv. 1,” well, it was probably self-explanatory.

The unique skill, [Repetitive Trial], intrigued me more. In my previous life, I’d excelled at repetitive tasks—slicing cabbage, assembling artificial flowers, typing endless lines of text. Maybe that’s why I had it. Or perhaps I’d possessed it all along but couldn’t see it until now. Either way, the skill felt strangely fitting.

Despite this surreal situation, a part of me had begun to accept it as real. I wasn’t dreaming. I hadn’t imagined myself back in my six-year-old body. Somehow, impossibly, it had happened.
Or… was my former life nothing more than a vivid, 26-year-long premonition? The thought crossed my mind, but I shook it off. Whether I’d returned to the past or experienced some kind of prophetic dream, the result was the same. There was no point debating the chicken-or-egg scenario. It wouldn’t change my reality.

Looking back on my life as a 26-year-old, I had no regrets about leaving it behind. No partner, no real accomplishments, and a work schedule that ultimately killed me. I’d wished to start over more times than I could count. Perhaps this was a second chance—a gift from some benevolent god.

Dwelling on it wouldn’t help, though. Overthinking wasn’t my style. Instead, I decided to make the most of the situation.
And there was one small blessing I couldn’t ignore: today was Saturday. Back in 2020, December 16th had been a Wednesday, which meant I would’ve been heading to work. But now, as a six-year-old, Saturday meant no kindergarten.
“Well, at least I don’t have to rush anywhere.”
With that settled, I shifted my focus to the mysterious status window. It was time to experiment.

“Mom! I’m going out to play!”

“Eh? It’s so early! Be back in time for breakfast, okay?”

“Got it! See you later!”

Outdoors, the crisp morning air filled my lungs as I set off toward the nearby park. I had one goal in mind—test the limits of this [Appraisal] skill.

“River. Tree. Tree. Asphalt. Grass. Tree. Tree. River. Bridge.”
I jogged along the park trail, mentally noting the labels that popped up whenever I focused on an object. [Appraisal] triggered as I observed the world around me. Could I have done this indoors? Sure. But running through the park was far more satisfying. In my past life, I’d been on the track team for three years in middle school, and the love of running still lingered.

The rhythm of my breath, the pounding of my heart, the clarity of focus—it all felt freeing. Running made everything else fade away. No worries, no pain, no sadness. Just the pure act of moving forward.

“River. Yamamomo Tree. Yamamomo Tree. Asphalt. Grass. Inumaki Tree.”

The variety of labels began to expand. The Yamamomo trees were a familiar sight—they dropped their berries all over the park in June. The Inumaki trees were just as I remembered them. As for the river? Too small to have a name.
It was just an ordinary park, but [Appraisal] made it feel new.

Name: Sashima Yasushi
Level: 1 → 2
Job: None
Skills: [Appraisal Lv. 2], [Agility Boost Lv. 3], [Stamina Boost Lv. 3]
Unique Skill: [Repetitive Trial]

“My level went up! And I got new skills!”

A passing jogger gave me a bemused smile as I shouted in excitement. Right—six-year-olds yelling about level-ups probably weren’t an uncommon sight. I chuckled to myself, reminded once again of my new reality.

The [Agility Boost] and [Stamina Boost] skills were a surprise. Both were already at Level 3. Could it be because of my past life? My years on the track team had honed my running form and efficiency. Perhaps that experience carried over, granting me these high-level skills.

This realization led me to two conclusions.

First, efforts from my previous life seemed to translate into skills or abilities in this one.
Second, progress was quantifiable. If I worked hard, my efforts would be reflected in my skills and levels.

“Effort pays off! I can actually see it!”

The thought filled me with an unparalleled sense of motivation. Seeing tangible results from hard work was exhilarating. Whether it was the skills themselves or some game-like adrenaline rush, I felt unstoppable.

With newfound energy, I continued running, pushing myself to the limit, [Appraisal] firing at everything I passed. Eventually, I collapsed from exhaustion, gasping for air.

Of course, I missed breakfast. My father found me sprawled on the park grass and dragged me home. I was promptly scolded and whacked on the head for making him worry.

But even as I rubbed my sore scalp, I couldn’t help but smile. For the first time in a long while, I felt alive.