A few moments after his choice, the darkness around Sora gave way to a blinding light. For several seconds, he couldn't see anything. Slowly, his vision adjusted to the change, and he began to make out his body, the ground beneath his feet, and the world around him.
Coinciding with his return to what he assumed was his physical form, emotions he had buried deep began to rise to the surface.
Faces appeared before him, one after another.
Adele... He immediately recognized the young woman who appeared first. She had joined their team only a week earlier, and although Sora hadn't really considered her a friend, he had spent enough time with her to appreciate her kindness and generosity.
You joined our team just to make some money... and it cost you your life.
As he remembered the young woman, Adele's image faded and was replaced by Jérôme's. Like Adele, he had recently joined the group for the duration of Rachel's quest.
When the faces of his friends began to appear, tears welled up in his eyes—first Karim's, then Enzo's, and finally Lara's.
The three were the same age and had grown up in the same neighborhood, though they hadn't met until middle school. Four years of school had turned them into close friends, and the three years of high school that followed made them inseparable.
As their faces passed one by one, a final one replaced them...
Rachel…
Sora's tearful eyes narrowed, and his sadness turned into confusion. Fragments of memories resurfaced.
How could you do that? You were my very first friend—even before Lara and the others. When I first started kindergarten, you looked after me. I didn't understand French when I arrived, and you taught me my first words.
He remembered the little girl who had been the only one to play with him when he could only speak Japanese, searching for the moment when their relationship had changed.
I introduced you to my big brother, and you two ended up getting married... I was so happy for you.
Even after our world changed, we were still best friends. Until Nathan's death, all our memories were good ones…
Thinking about his brother's death, which came after the world began to resemble a "game," his confusion gave way to anger.
When you cried over my brother, I did everything I could to comfort you. I started leveling up so I could protect you.
If you're the one who killed him, that means... every tear, every conversation, every look while you were mourning... all of it was fake?
You planned his death? You planned mine?
The image he held of Rachel shifted, reflecting his emotions.
The friend with the warm smile turned into the cold woman who had stood over him as he lay dying.
Why? Why would you do something like that? Rage and disbelief tangled inside him as he searched for an answer.
The face of the one who had betrayed him finally faded away. And before Sora could sink any deeper, he heard a voice.
"Welcome, Sora."
The voice was gentle. Almost melodic. He took a step back, startled. Out of habit, he tried to summon his sword and the rest of his equipment.
But nothing happened.
A soft laugh echoed around him. Even though Sora could have taken it as mockery or provocation, the sound instead helped him relax.
"You've only just come back to life, Sora… Even if you could access it here, your inventory is empty." The voice no longer came from everywhere at once, but from a precise point somewhere in the mist around him.
Sora turned toward the source of the voice and saw a silhouette forming. As her voice suggested, it belonged to a woman. Sora had to raise his head to meet her gaze because she was floating several inches above the ground.
Her golden hair reached down to her lower back, drifting as if gravity no longer applied to it. Her eyes shone with a light so bright he couldn't make out their color.
Sora, stunned by her beauty, still managed to speak. "Who are you? Am I dreaming?"
"I am the Overseer," she said, with a smile on her face. "I didn't have to, but I wanted to see you take your first steps in person."
"Overseer?" Sora was confused by her answer and asked another question, "Overseer of what?"
She gestured with a small circle of her index finger. "All of this… But that's not important right now."
"Where are we? I can't access my inventory or my friendlist here."
"Here? This is just a Transition Space. Somewhere between life and death where you can calmly decide what your next life will be… A privilege granted by your [Prestige] ability."
Sora frowned. [Prestige] was the skill that gave him a second chance. And apparently, it came with features he hadn't known existed.
She knows about my innate skill…
This woman seemed to know more about it than he did.
"The description of your skill is a bit short, so if you want, I can tell you more." When Sora nodded, she continued, "Everything you were before dying, everything you acquired—it's all gone. That includes your gold, your inventory, everything. Once you leave this place, you'll start from zero."
Sora, who had hoped to keep at least some things from his old life, trembled slightly before nodding.
I figured as much… but it really sucks. I had millions of gold, and several equipment sets on me…
The woman smiled for no apparent reason before adding, "Aside from the system, and those bound to it, no one will know who you are unless you tell them yourself. You can be whoever you want, and no one will know."
Seeing the confusion on Sora's face, her expression grew more serious. "I imagine what you might be thinking, young human… Perhaps you believe this power is exactly what you need to get revenge on the one who sent you here."
When she saw his fists clench, she sighed. "You don't have to take that path… You could forget that woman, leave all of this behind, and do great things with [Prestige]."
Sora sensed genuine concern in the woman's eyes, but nothing she said made sense to him. Remembering Rachel's cold stare, an uncontrollable rage surged back to the surface.
I don't want to do anything great or important for this world. I have only one goal now that I'm alive again, and that's to take down that piece of trash.
If this woman is warning me, maybe she thinks my revenge will fail? She thinks I can't surpass Rachel? Or someone protecting her?
Sora clenched his fists even tighter at the thought that his childhood friend might be hiding even more secrets.
He shook his head.
Doesn't matter. I know what I have to do. Survive, grow stronger, and kill her. It'll take as long as it takes, but I'll see it through.
When he saw the woman land in front of him and shake her head at his silence, Sora wondered if she could read his thoughts.
"You are free to choose the path you like."
Once again, her voice calmed him. She stepped beside him, placed a hand on his shoulder, and continued, "You are here because you chose to take a new identity. Choose who you want to be."
The young woman snapped her fingers, and a screen appeared before him.
Sora saw a figure on the screen that looked exactly like him. A caption beside it displayed his height: 1.73 meters. His place and date of birth were written as well, along with his race.
Black hair, brown eyes, 62 kilograms. He confirmed everything was correct.
Seeing him remain still, the woman pointed at one of the details and changed it before giggling.
Sora watched as the character on the screen turned bald, and immediately felt a cold sensation on his scalp. He raised a hand to check and realized his hair had vanished.
Not in the mood to appreciate his new look or laugh along with the young woman, he took control of the menu and began customizing his appearance.
Remembering every characteristic that made him Sora Hashino, he changed everything. His new face was sharper, with a strong jawline and blue eyes. His hair was blond, completely different from the black hair he had before. His body was still lean but had more muscles, streamlined for agility and power. He was even a few centimeters taller than in the past.
The woman beside him stepped back a few meters, looked him over, then nodded. "Not bad. You will awaken in one month's time, as if no time had passed for you. Your journey will begin anew."
Sora nodded. He had a goal in mind, and would definitely reach it. Once the woman saw he was ready, the mist began to swirl around him, faster and faster.
However, before the mist consumed him completely, the woman's voice echoed through the air one more time. "Be careful, Sora. Being overconfident will not serve you but your enemies. You have a great innate ability, but you are not the only one. While your potential seems infinite, there are others out there that have already reached power levels you can't even imagine."
And with that, everything vanished.
Sora's consciousness faded, and for the first time in what felt like a long time, he slept.
When he awoke, his body felt… different. As he pushed himself up from the cold stone floor, his movements were slower, heavier, and clumsier. His hair, now blond, fell in front of his eyes, a change he wasn't used to yet. He glanced down at his hands, his fingers longer than before.
He turned, catching his reflection in a dusty mirror. Blue eyes stared back at him, and he was surprised for a moment. The man in the mirror was a stranger—and yet, he was also him.
You have been reborn!
Noticing the blinking notification he had missed, his lips curved into a smile. 'I am really back'.
"Status," Sora muttered, and the familiar panel blinked to life in front of his eyes.
[Status Update]
Profile: Ralph Eden (Sora Hashino)
Status: Alive (Prestige 1)
Talent Level: 2
Growth Factor: 2
Class: None (Level 1)
Body Level: 10
Energy Level: 10
Innate Skill: [Prestige]
Skills:
Sword Mastery (Level 1) Shield Block (Level 1) Critical Strike (Level 1) Dodge (Level 1) Mana Regeneration (Locked)
Sora looked over his updated profile, new name and stats and smiled. He was only level 1, but his stats were already twice as high as they had been at level 1 in his previous life.
With these stats, my Growth Factor, and my Talent Level, gaining experience will be a piece of cake. And next time, it'll be even easier! This is incredible!
"Let's get to work!" Excited, he stood up and looked for the exit.