Sora knew the auction house system well enough not to need any guidance to use the interface. He had a rough idea of average item prices and knew exactly what to look for to maximize his growth.
What I really need right now are items that boost my XP gains. Even if they're extremely expensive, I'll need them for every reset.
With his limited budget, high-rarity items were out of the question.
What should I get first? A level-1 gear set? I'll need it when I reset…
Selecting level-1 items, he was relieved to see that their prices were practically zero. He checked a box to display items with bonus experience options.
Within minutes, he picked a full set for only twenty gold.
'Okay, for now this is nothing.' he thought as he equipped the items that materialized in front of him before resetting his search filters.
'I look a lot less ridiculous with a full set.' He glanced at his reflection in the polished floor and nodded, satisfied.
He displayed level-10 items with the options he wanted, frowned, and bought a full set.
Then he checked level-20 and level-30 gear.
Yikes. It'll cost more than fifty thousand just to gear up to level 30… and that's for common gear. Every rarity tier doubles the price…
He sighed, knowing the real difficulty would come later, with higher-level items.
The higher the level, the fewer items there are for sale. Scarcity alone makes prices skyrocket, regardless of quality…
He opened the description of a level-40 cape and shook his head.
A rare cape worth fifty thousand selling for a hundred thousand…
Satisfied with his research, he closed the window and estimated his future expenses.
Fifty thousand to gear myself up to level 30. Two or three hundred thousand for level-40 items. And I don't need anything for level fifty since I'll just reset once I reach it.
He smiled when he thought about his innate skill.
I can always upgrade my gear later, but I need this basic foundation. And I need a gold reserve in case something goes wrong. Thirty thousand gold is way too little.
Five hundred thousand should do it. Maybe even a million if I aim for rare gear or higher.
He glanced at the 77,024 gold he had left and grimaced.
I'm way off.
Remembering the gold dropped by monsters, he sighed.
Without counting the loot, I only made one gold per monster. And low-level loot is worthless. So monster hunting isn't an efficient way to farm gold for now.
Then he thought of the universal method people used to earn money.
Work.
He opened his job panel and quickly scanned through the professions he had unlocked over the years.
Blacksmith (Level 1)
Mining (Level 1)
Fishing (Level 1)
Herbalism (Level 1)
Human Resources Assistant (Level 1)
'Everything got reset…' he confirmed, seeing the levels.
'I was a level-49 blacksmith, level-32 miner, level-18 fisher, and level-7 herbalist…' The loss stung, but he forced himself to focus.
It sucks, but I can get it all back.
He ignored what he once had and focused instead on each job's potential to generate money.
Blacksmithing was my main source of income before the reset, and it's one of the best jobs in the game. But only at high level. There's no way to craft anything profitable at low level. Everything made before level twenty is sold at a loss…
'If I remember right, Nathan spent several hundred thousand gold to get me started in it.' Thinking of the required initial investment, he shook his head.
Mining and Fishing are gathering jobs. Even if they don't earn anything at low levels, they cost nothing to level and become profitable immediately. The materials gathered even help with associated crafting jobs… It's tempting, but God, the grind is so long and boring that just imagining it gives me a headache.
Sora sighed again. None of the professions he had unlocked seemed useful in the short term.
Then his eyes stopped on the last job on the list.
He chuckled.
Human Resources Assistant (Level 1)
Back before the world had transformed, he had earned a degree in human resources management and worked in that field for a few years. The System had translated that into a job in the New World—though at a low level.
"Assistant de direction des ressources humaines," he muttered, the French words coming out naturally before his brain switched back to the meaning: Human Resources Assistant.
'I never tried this job, but when I first got it, it automatically reached level four thanks to my experience from the old world. Normally, it's a safe job, and the pay isn't bad. Maybe I should try it?'
He'd heard that people with this profession were in demand, even if he wasn't sure why.
'If the pay isn't great, I can still level the job and earn more later. The rewards should increase. And if it's bad, I'll try something else until I find the best method.' He smiled to himself and focused on his next two goals.
'No matter what I do in this little village, it'll be less efficient than in a bigger city. If I want to find good opportunities before reaching a high enough Prestige level, I need proper equipment and preparation. And to get fully ready, I need more gold.'
Sora tried to balance his time between making money and preparing for his future Prestige resets.
He glanced at the level-9 sword hanging at his belt.
"I need to go to Córdoba," he said out loud as he headed toward an inn to gather information.
After fifteen minutes, a purchased map, and a few conversations, he knew exactly what to do to reach Córdoba.
'Before the update, it was pretty close. But now Córdoba is five hundred kilometers away. With my level, and all the detours I need to make to stay inside low-level areas, it'll take me about three days to get there.' He clenched his teeth at the thought of avoiding level-twenty and level-thirty monsters.
'I used to cross this kind of distance in a few minutes…' he thought, before taking a deep breath. 'But whatever. I'll reach—and pass—my peak soon enough.'
Sora opened his inventory and checked if he had everything he needed for the trip. He felt confident he could reach Córdoba without trouble since the only threats on the road would be the monsters in the areas he crossed.
'As long as I stay in the right zones, monster strength stays predictable. And before level 10, no player can harm me.'
Sora knew Innocents couldn't be attacked—not inside cities, not outside, not by any player from their own kingdom. But once someone reached level 10 and stepped beyond the city barriers, the world became far less forgiving. Anyone could kill anyone.
Satisfied with the contents of his inventory, Sora opened his status panel.
[Status Update]
Profile: Ralph Eden (Sora Hashino)
Status: Alive (Prestige 1)
Talent Level: 2
Growth Factor: 2
Class: None (Level 9)
Body Level: 40
Energy Level: 82
Innate Skill: [Prestige]
Skills:
Sword Mastery (Level 1) Shield Block (Level 1) Critical Strike (Level 5) Dodge (Level 5) Mana Regeneration (Locked)
Sora grimaced when he read his body power level and energy level.
I leveled up so fast that my body can't keep up… I need to fix this or it'll pile up over time, and I'll waste the advantage of my talent level.
He now had the strength of an average level-9 player. But because he hadn't trained his body, it couldn't match the growth of his energy level.
I forgot about this… Back then it didn't matter because I wasn't in a rush, but in this life, I'll have to work twice as hard to make sure my body follows my level.
Body training was essential. Growing stronger wasn't just about leveling up. To make perfect use of their strength, players had to condition their bodies to handle the speed, resistance, and resilience that came with higher levels.
'If I don't do it, I'll quickly become the weakest among players at my level…'
Sora remembered what his brother once told him when he had asked why Nathan kept training even after leveling up:
"Let's say your power is the liquid inside a cup. Leveling is like enlarging the cup. You can pour more liquid in, and the more volume it has, the happier you'll be.
"But what most noobs don't know is that what makes up the cup is just as important as the amount it can hold—maybe even more. If you level too fast, the cup becomes thin and fragile.
"Getting used to your body and mastering it is what strengthens that cup. And at the same time, you can keep training, push your body, and fill the cup. Whenever I level up, I make sure I master my improved body first, then I train to quickly reach my new limit."
Nathan's words faded from Sora's mind as he frowned.
My energy level is amazing for my level, but I'd probably lose to any elite player who went through what I just did. I'd probably even lose to any experienced level 9 player. I need to fix this as I level up.
I can't leave Córdoba without the tools for training. I need to focus on developing my body, and prepare for when I'll have to choose a class.
Considering what he needed for combat, he began listing everything mentally: speed, physical strength, endurance.
A balanced body is the best way to start.
Thanks to his combat experience, he remembered one final aspect of training:
I also need to improve my perception.
With his objectives clear, Sora returned to the auction house to buy training gear. He bought a set of training gear.
He read the description of the first set with a frown on his face.
Heavy Gear
Description: An advanced training set designed to improve the body's physical attributes. Prolonged use combined with physical exercise can increase physical strength and endurance. Can be worn over armor.
Warning: This type of equipment heavily slows movement and may cause injuries if the user moves too abruptly. It is not recommended for combat.
Sora scanned the description of the Heavy Gear. It was exactly what he needed to push his body.
I never liked this kind of equipment, but I've seen the results when Nathan used it. He trained with this to build explosive strength and endurance. I should've copied him earlier… It would've helped me grow stronger quicker.
Sora forced himself to stop thinking about his brother.
This will speed up my physical training. But it still won't be enough. I need more.
He opened the list of training equipment for sale and soon selected another item.
Torture Gear
Description: A training set designed to teach discipline and respect to unruly disciples. The damage inflicted by the gear is healed by the set itself. When used together with wide movements, it can improve endurance, pain tolerance, and overall body durability. Prolonged use can increase resistance to physical damage and slashing attacks. Can be worn over armor.
Warning: This type of equipment inflicts continuous damage and may cause injuries if the user moves too abruptly. It is not recommended for combat.
After purchasing the set, Sora grimaced.
Physical damage resistance is an incredibly useful stat… It would be a shame to skip it.
Re-reading the description, Sora sighed. 'I'll do anything to become stronger, I guess.'
Trying to ignore the pain implied by his last purchase, Sora immediately went back to browsing the list for more gear. After a few minutes, he added a third training set to his collection.
Slowed Perception Gear
Description: A training set designed to adapt fighters to high-speed combat. Its use drastically slows the user's perception of time. Prolonged use can improve reflexes and reduce reaction time. Can be worn over armor.
Warning: This gear is not suitable for real combat and may cause severe accidents if the opponent is fast enough.
Sora wore a wide smile as he read the description.
With this, my opponents will feel lightning-fast, and it'll get me used to fighting speed specialists. It'll make fights a lot harder, but if I pick my opponents carefully, the danger will stay manageable.
Each training set he bought served a specific purpose, and Sora already pictured himself switching between them depending on the situation to get the most out of his training.
I'm so used to fighting with a body countless times stronger than this one that using this weak body has been torture. If I use these sets well, my physique will get much closer to what I want it to be.
He opened his inventory and selected the first set he had bought. The [Heavy Gear] appeared in front of him, and he equipped it without hesitation. He strapped the weights to his armor—on his arms, legs, and abdomen.
Once fully equipped, two notifications appeared:
[You have equipped training gear.]
[Special boost activated: Due to your innate skill, [Prestige], all training effects are increased. Growth Factor: 2. Training efficiency doubled.]
Sora's eyes widened.
'What the—?' He hadn't expected this. His Prestige ability seemed to have even more advantages than he thought.
'Doubled efficiency? Let's go!!'
He didn't even notice the blissful smile forming on his face as he eagerly moved around, trying to get used to the weight of the set.
When he didn't feel any immediate progress, impatience crept in. After one last glance at his inventory, he headed toward the village's exit. Spotting a road circling around the village, he hurried toward it.
'Let's start training with something simple.'
Knowing it would be suicidal to wander into higher-level monster zones and pointless to go back to extremely low-level ones, he began running around the village.
The weights were crafted by specialists who combined magic with traditional forging techniques, and each piece weighed several dozen kilograms. After barely a hundred strides, Sora—who had started at full speed—was forced to slow down. He hadn't even been running for a minute before sweat began to bead on his forehead, and his skin started to heat up.
But used to physical exertion, Sora didn't let himself falter and forced his body to keep running. His legs began to burn, and it felt as if the weights strapped to them grew heavier with every passing second.
'My body is so weak…' Experienced as he was, Sora adjusted his pace in response to the screams of pain coming from his muscles and kept moving forward.
After an hour, Sora finally stopped to catch his breath and read the notifications floating in front of him. Noticing the approving looks from the two guards nearby, he gave them a small wave before wiping the sweat from his forehead.
I can't take another step. I need to rest…
Rather than return to the village to rest, Sora swapped the [Heavy Gear] for the [Torture Gear] and began stretching. The equipment behaved exactly as promised in its description—and inflicted countless tiny wounds all over his body.
The stinging, cuts, and small impacts multiplied rapidly, bombarding him from head to toe. The damage was minimal, but the constant, unrelenting irritation pushed Sora to his limit. He struggled to focus on his stretches.
'The damage is negligible, so just use this time to recover your stamina. Relax. Relax. Relax. Think of something else…'
He tried hypnotizing himself, but it was useless. His skin itched, his muscles were tense, and every second felt like torture.
After fifteen agonizing minutes, Sora unequipped the set and threw it onto the ground. A single session had nearly traumatized him. Still, reluctant to waste the gear, he picked it up again and returned it to his inventory.
Once he had recovered enough stamina to train with the [Heavy Gear] again, he equipped it and resumed jogging.
As he cycled between the two training sets throughout the day, he slowly grew accustomed to them. But by the end of the afternoon, he collapsed on the ground, utterly exhausted. His body was tingling, every muscle trembling, his back pressed against the dirt as he stared up at the sky.
He was unable to stand and couldn't return to the inn, but he read the notification floating above him with satisfaction.
[Your body level has reached 122.]
'A single full day was enough… That's insane.'
Caught between astonishment and joy, he could hardly remain calm before such a result.
'122… That's around the average for level 11 players. And I'm only level 9!'
Sora did the math quickly and realized that it would be nearly impossible for any player his level to stand a chance against him.
'I expected this life to be better than the last, but this is beyond anything I imagined. So this is what people feel when they grow at lightning speed and leave everyone else behind?'
As he basked in his success, a face suddenly surfaced in his tired mind—a distant face that reminded him of how far he still was from his true goal.
Sora weakly raised his hand toward the sky.
'Rachel… You may be far now, but don't worry—I'm coming. I'll surpass you, and crush you.'
His excitement cooled, his thoughts darkened, and his earlier sense of achievement felt much smaller. As his consciousness faded, Sora felt something tighten around his raised hand.
His eyes widened. Someone stood beside him, reaching down, gripping his hand firmly.
"Young man, you're incredible. Usually, players who wear that kind of training gear give up in under an hour. But you kept going until you collapsed. Then you got back up, and continued. Again and again."
A second guard's voice drew Sora's attention, and he caught a glimpse of the man from the corner of his eye.
The guard holding Sora's hand helped him stand before lifting him onto his back.
"Liope, you have no idea how bad his condition is… His body is completely drained."
Sora felt the guard named Liope place two fingers on his neck to check his pulse, but he didn't resist.
Seeing that the two guards meant no harm and were simply carrying him to an inn at the center of the village, he allowed himself a small smile.
'Sure, I'm still insignificant… But this is only the second day of my new life. I won't be insignificant for long.'