As he looked around, Sora realized he was standing in a small room. There was a straw bed in one corner, a handmade wooden chair, and a few rudimentary tools stored near the wall.
Seeing that nothing of value was in the room, he turned toward the only door he had found.
I guess that's the way out?
He looked down at his clothes and saw he was wearing simple white garments.
A t-shirt, underwear, and pants. At least they didn't leave me naked.
He gave the room one last glance before opening the door.
Behind it, he found a long hallway. Like the room, the corridor was lit by candles mounted on the walls. Sora wasn't surprised they stayed lit—magic was everywhere in this world.
Hearing nothing but his own breathing and footsteps, he followed the corridor walls for several minutes in search of an exit.
When the wall beside him suddenly ended, he found himself overlooking a wide open space.
I'm in an underground cave? he thought as he noticed a few details around him. Massive stalactites hung from the ceiling, dripping water that pooled into streams running along the floor. The cavern was illuminated by candles similar to the ones in the corridor, but the space was so huge that the few dozen light sources along the walls weren't enough to see clearly.
As Sora prepared to leap between two stalagmites on the cave floor below, a voice stopped him.
"Not so fast…"
Sora looked toward the source and froze. He didn't expect to meet anyone so soon after his reset. A small, heavily cloaked figure stood to his right, a hood pulled low over their face. The stranger remained perfectly still, staring down at the spot Sora had been about to jump to.
Sora's mind raced as he analyzed the situation.
Who is this guy? Where did he come from?
His heart pounded harder.
Despite his talent and potential, he knew he stood no chance against anyone in his current state.
"You're my new host, aren't you?"
The voice sounded again. It was both deep and high-pitched, as if several tones were blended together.
Sora didn't answer immediately. He took a step back and shifted his stance. If things went wrong, he needed to be ready to run or resist. He couldn't show his flank to a stranger.
The unknown person spoke to him as if they already knew him, but Sora had no idea who they were.
I don't know anyone who dresses like that, or has such a strange voice. Is he using a voice changer? And I can't see his face at all because of the hood.
The figure was about twenty centimeters shorter than him, but Sora never judged danger by size.
Unable to answer the stranger's question, Sora responded with his own.
"Who are you? Do you know me?"
The cloaked figure let out a soft chuckle, though Sora detected fatigue behind the sound.
"You want to know who I am? That's hard to explain," the figure said. "But for now, I'd say I'm a part of you. At least as long as you don't die for good."
Sora relaxed slightly, understanding that the person in front of him didn't seem intent on harming him immediately. He frowned and asked:
"And what is that supposed to mean?"
The figure stopped looking at the cavern and turned fully toward Sora. He was surprised to realize he still couldn't see their face. A thick black mist covered their features, like a mask obscuring everything.
The stranger seemed to understand why Sora was surprised and raised a hand to their face, instantly dispelling the mist and revealing the tender features of someone who hadn't even gone through puberty. They were younger than Sora expected, with dark hair and a smile that didn't quite look like one.
He looks like a young boy, but he acts older than me, Sora thought.
"You've just reset," the figure said, their eyes scanning Sora. "I know because you woke me up. Yet it feels like I've been inside you for years. Considering how long it took you to awaken [Prestige], you must have been incredibly weak for someone of your kind…"
Sora's fists tightened at his sides. He hated how exposed he felt, how this stranger knew more about him than he was comfortable with.
Feeling his anger rise, he asked, "That's impossible! She said no one would recognize me. She said I would start from zero! How do you know anything about me?"
The young boy smiled. "You mean that thing… She didn't lie to you. No outsider knows about your power. However, I am no outsider. I am a part of you, remember?"
"Most Innates can't awaken in this world. But I'm not just any Innate. I can do so, from time to time. I didn't intend to speak to you, but what she said earlier annoyed me."
"I had two things to tell you. First, there are three monsters sleeping down there. If you had jumped like you were about to, you would have woken all three and been hit before you even understood what was happening. That's why I stopped you. Second, don't listen to that idiot. If someone killed you in your previous life, kill them in the next one. That's part of what your power is for—so why not use it?"
"I'm tired of hosts who just wait and survive. Be a warrior and crush those who threaten you. Use this power to its fullest and do what you must to get your revenge. No matter what power your enemy has, you must find a way."
Sora was surprised by the amount of information and felt partially confused.
Why is everyone telling me what to do today? I already decided I'm killing Rachel anyway.
Remembering the boy had warned him about danger, he looked down and spotted three silhouettes lying between the stalagmites, barely visible due to the lack of light.
He was right… Level 3 and 4 monsters.
"You feel like taking them out?" the young boy asked with a grin.
Sora would've preferred to refuse, but he couldn't find any path between the stalagmites that didn't require passing near a monster.
"I don't really have a choice," he murmured, nervous about waking them. Even so, he didn't seem afraid.
The stranger's smile widened, and he stepped closer to give Sora a pat on the shoulder. "That's the spirit I like! Come on, I'll give you a hand!"
[You have accepted the quest : "Survive!" (E)]
A notification suddenly appeared before Sora's eyes, and before he could ask the person next to him anything, the stranger handed him a dagger.
Knowing the fight would be impossible without a weapon, Sora accepted it without hesitation.
[You have acquired the quest item: [Soul Dagger (Fragile)] (F)]
When he read the description, his face fell apart.
"What is this thing? It's worse than the worst item I've ever had…"
The stranger looked both embarrassed and offended. He stammered, "I'm just as weak as you are… That's the best I can do."
Sora was stunned by the explanation. His strange companion took a few steps back, then snapped his fingers. As if by magic, the flames of every candle in the cavern flared brighter. The entire cavern became clearly visible, and Sora glanced toward the mysterious figure.
"Thank you…"
Without another word, Sora jumped down into the pit and landed several meters below. The moment his foot touched the ground, the ear of one of the creatures twitched.
This is my first fight since the reset, and it's against monsters higher level than me. No way I'm dying at the spawn…
Sora observed the creature as it woke and realized he didn't recognize the species.
[Failed Experiment – Level 3]
Well, that tells me nothing… Sora thought, realizing the name wasn't helpful. He focused instead on its appearance to figure out its traits.
The grotesque creature stood one and a half times his height, with long arms, twisted horns, and massive claws at the end of each limb. Sora lowered his eyes to the tiny dagger in his hand and took a long breath as the creature rushed toward him.
When it was barely ten meters away and he prepared to dodge its charge, he kept the two other sleeping monsters in sight.
I need to kill this one before the others wake up.
With his experience, he knew that in this world, a single creature sensing a human's presence was enough to trigger an attack.
The monster leapt at him, and just as he expected, its movement was simple and predictable. Sora dodged easily. When the creature's back was turned, he jumped to reach its height and struck its neck with all his strength.
Seeing the blade cut through the monster's weak point, he felt a surge of relief—until he saw the dagger snap the moment it hit the creature's spine. His expression froze.
The name of the item in his hand had changed: the word "Fragile" was gone, replaced by "Broken."
That scammer!! I knew it was junk!
Conscious that he couldn't complain in the middle of a fight, he tightened his legs and wrapped them around the monster's wounded neck. The beast thrashed wildly, trying to throw him off, but Sora held on, using his experience and body control to keep his legs locked in place. His eyes scanned its body, searching for another weak point.
The creature bellowed, its roar echoing through the cavern, and with a surge of strength, it rammed itself against a stalagmite. Pain shot through Sora's body as the impact knocked the air from his lungs, but he still didn't let go.
After failing to hurt its eyes, ears, or even its nostrils, Sora finally found something. A soft patch of flesh existed on the top of its head. Without hesitation, he drove his fist into it with all the strength he had.
The monster screamed at the top of its lungs, confirming to Sora that he had hit the right spot. But without a death notification, he didn't stop. He struck again and again until his prey finally collapsed.
Despite his first victory, Sora didn't celebrate.
If the weapon hadn't been garbage, I would've killed it in one hit… And the other idiots wouldn't have woken up.
Sora used the lifeless body at his feet and pushed himself upright. His breathing was ragged, and the wound the monster had inflicted was throbbing sharply. Even so, he forced himself to ignore the pain in his back and focus on the two creatures approaching.
The second creature, larger and more heavily built than the first, didn't wait for him to recover. It charged, its massive feet shaking the ground with every thunderous step. Sora's brain screamed at his body to move, but his limbs responded sluggishly.
This level 1 body is so slow!! Even with that thought, he managed to dive aside just in time to avoid being crushed.
His shoulder slammed against another stalagmite. Pain flared, but he clenched his teeth and forced himself back up. The creature was above him in less than a second.
He could neither be weak nor hesitate in such circumstances.
Sora's mind raced. This one is too big, and even stronger than the other. I can't kill it without a damn weapon.
As the creature prepared to skewer him with its claws, Sora noticed it was less agile than the previous one. He dodged its attack again by slipping between its legs—and stared in disbelief as the creature injured itself by driving its claws into the cavern wall.
Am I hallucinating, or is this thing completely stupid? Seeing the creature's claws intact but its limb bleeding, he got an idea.
Feeling the monster pursue him again, he jumped back up to the ledge where the corridor entrance had been.
From his new vantage point, Sora scanned the cavern. The third creature, smaller and more nimble than the others, was hanging back, watching the fight unfold with what looked like intelligence in its eyes. It was moving slowly and looking right at him.
Sora narrowed his eyes.
The level 4… Looks like the smart one of the group. If it takes advantage of a distraction while I'm fighting the big one, I'm done for.
As he thought about the third opponent, the enraged screams of the brute below snapped him out of his thoughts.
The second creature, frustrated by its failure to crush him, roared in fury and jumped toward him. Having chosen his position intentionally, Sora was ready for such an attack.
He waited until the last moment, then leapt down from the ledge, landing where he had killed the first monster. The jumping creature, too slow to stop its momentum, slammed headfirst into the ceiling of the corridor. The impact sent a shower of rocks on the top of its head, but the beast didn't go down. It shook off the stones and rocks, and stood up once again.
As Sora looked at the furious beast to assess the damage he had dealt, he heard a sound behind him. He tried to move, but once again, his body was too slow. Before he could do anything, he felt a sharp pain in the back of his head.
He stumbled, and a wave of dizziness overtook him.
'What was that?' he thought, clutching his head. Upon seeing the stone that just hit the floor behind him, and the hand covered in blood from touching his head, he understood the third creature had thrown a rock at him.
He did that with a damn rock? As he started feeling frustrated, he forced himself to calm down and looked for his enemies.
The level four creature, who had just sent a stone from behind him, sensing his weakness, was darting forward. The smaller, faster monster jumped at him, its claws aimed straight for his throat.
Am I seriously dying here? His mind raced to find a way to survive with a body this weak. As despair crept in, Sora forced his body into an uncomfortable twist to avoid the killing blow. Even then, the claws grazed his shoulder, tearing through skin and muscle.
As he forced himself to counterattack with his other arm, the creature moved back and distanced itself from him once again.
Blood ran down his back, head, and elbow, but Sora ignored his injuries. One creature had jumped down and was preparing another charge, while the other circled him, looking for an opening. He was trapped between two deadly threats with barely any time to think.
I'm dead if I don't kill these two. Unless… I run?
His thoughts focused on finding a way out. As he looked around, his eyes landed on the first creature he had killed. Its claws still gleamed sharply.
Can I use that? he wondered as he moved toward the corpse.
Seeing the huge beast ready to charge in his direction, he sprinted toward the body, every muscle in his legs screaming from the intensity of the effort. Just as the second monster was about to slam into the running Sora, he dove forward. The creature roared as it smashed in another stalagmite.
Sora grabbed the dead beast's claw and tried to tear it out of its body before the other beasts attacked him. After a few failed attempts, he turned to find the huge creature standing behind him, and slashing in his direction.
From the corner of his eyes, he even saw his other opponent in a throwing motion.
Sora instantly processed both pieces of information. He raised the corpse arm and placed it in front of him, and moved his head to the side to dodge an incoming stone.
He smiled when he saw the shock on the brute's face as it sliced through its fallen ally's arm—and a stone struck it straight in the eye. Taking advantage of the monster's stunned reaction, Sora used the severed hand as a weapon and slashed its throat.
Sora yanked the claw free and ducked aside as the massive corpse crashed to the ground with a heavy thud.
But there was no time to celebrate. The third creature was already upon him, its claws slashing through the air. Sora spun around and barely managed to deflect the strike with the claw still attached to the severed hand.
Only one left! And it can't sneak attack me anymore.
Forced back several steps, he took a deep breath and prepared for the final fight.
Looking around, he noticed the creature didn't seem eager to rush him again. When he saw it trying to pick up an icicle that had fallen from a stalagmite, he frowned and sprang into action.
Not a chance.
Sora accelerated toward the beast, and it abandoned the weapon to get into a defensive stance.
He swung the claw in a wide arc to slash the creature's throat, but the monster easily dodged the telegraphed attack. As if he had anticipated the dodge, Sora spun behind it and struck the back of its neck with a sharp blow.
The creature screeched in pain, twisting violently, but Sora held on, forcing the claw even deeper. When he removed the claw, the creature's body stopped convulsing, and fell to the ground.
Breathing heavily, Sora staggered back, his vision blurry. The cavern had fallen silent again, the only sound the occasional drip of water falling from the stalactites.
That was close, he thought. If there had been one or two more, I'd be dead.
As he replayed the fight in his mind, thinking of how he could have fought better, a voice echoed through the cavern.
"You survived!"