Sora woke up in a daze, his body cold and unsteady. For a moment, his thoughts were a jumble as the memory of his death replayed in his mind. Something incredibly powerful had erased him in an instant, and he had no idea how.
'Was it a slap? A strike? A spit? I didn't even see it coming.'
It was over before he could comprehend anything.
His thoughts drifted to the studies conducted by the Public Universities, particularly their research on monsters above Level 80. According to estimates, such creatures possessed a power level of at least 150 billion. That kind of power was inconceivable, and it only existed because of the post-apocalyptic rules of Earth. The containment of these monsters in specific high-level areas suggested something even more terrifying: whoever orchestrated these world changes possessed even more power.
'If creatures like that are mere ants to the almighty power governing this world, then what am I?' he thought, a bitter smile on his face. Reality came crashing down—he was weaker than an ant.
Sure, he had unlocked new skills, surpassed his former self, and grown tremendously. But in the grand scheme of things, his power was insignificant. His potential might be infinite, but potential meant nothing without knowledge, skill, and time.
The familiar notification for his [Prestige] skill appeared in front of him, asking if he wanted to activate his innate ability.
[Innate Skill: [Prestige] has been Triggered]
[Do you want to use your [Prestige] to revive?]
[[Yes]][[No]]
He pressed [Yes] without thinking. The dark space that usually accompanied the activation of [Prestige] was replaced by a bright, blinding white void.
[Choose an identity for an immediate revival or create a new identity]
[Sora Hashino]
[Ralph Eden]
[New Identity (30-day penalty)]
He opted to keep his current identity, Ralph Eden, without changing his appearance. Unlike before, the lady's voice was absent this time. He didn't dwell on it too much, focusing instead on the reset.
As soon as he chose to keep his identity, he reappeared as an ethereal form floating above the area where he had died. A new notification popped up, indicating that he could revive anywhere within a 1,000-kilometer radius of his death point.
'Maybe it's because I didn't change my identity,' he guessed, intrigued by the added flexibility.
He chose to revive in a safe zone within a Level 1–9 area near Barcelona. As soon as he finalized the choice, mana swirled around him, reconstructing his body. Hiyoko appeared as well. Their bond remained intact, but Hiyoko's face showed a chaotic mix of confusion, surprise, and happiness.
Without warning, the tiny bird leapt onto Sora's belly, chirping and hopping excitedly as if checking to see if he was truly alive.
Sora smiled, feeling a warm sense of comfort from the little Piou's joy. "I'm fine, Hiyoko," he whispered, stroking the bird gently. "Let's go back to the city."
As he stood up, he checked his status.
[Status Update]
Profile: Ralph Eden (Sora Hashino)
Status: Alive (Prestige 1)
Talent Level: 4
Growth Factor: 4
Class: None
Body Level: 20
Energy Level: 200
Innate Skill: [Prestige]
Supreme Skills: [Mana Evolution]
Skills:
Sword Mastery (Level 1) Shield Block (Level 1) Critical Strike (Level 1) Dodge (Level 1) Mana Strike (Level 1) Mana Sweep (Level 1) Mana Piercer (Level 1) Mana Mirage (Level 1) Mana Regeneration (Maxed)
His class had been reset to none; his skills and power were back to the familiar starting point. All class-based skills were lost, but his classless skills remained intact. His Supreme Skill, [Mana Evolution], was still active and as powerful as ever.
When he was around Level 34 in his previous life, [Mana Evolution] had made him eight times stronger than a regular player. But now, with his [Prestige] multiplier at 4, [Mana Evolution] made him ten times stronger.
Doing the mental math, Sora was shocked. 'Forty times stronger than average players of my level. It's insane.'
His base strength was only five, but with the combined effects of his two skills, it was multiplied to an astronomical degree. This time, however, Sora felt different. He didn't let it get to his head.
"For now, I'm only Level 1. No use getting arrogant," he muttered to himself.
As he moved his hand, he noticed something else. 'I still have access to mana!!' He activated [Mana Eyes] and realized that his supreme skill allowed him to maintain control over his mana.
'Even the quality of my mana didn't decrease… This is beyond broken!'
He looked around the area and decided his first move was to retrieve his items from the bank. He didn't care about fighting monsters just yet. With Hiyoko perched on his shoulder, he strolled back to Barcelona, heading quickly to the bank. Once there, the clerk was surprised to see an adventurer he recognized return as a level 1 player.
"Why are you only level 1? What happened to you, Sir?" the clerk asked, but Sora ignored him, asking for access to his vault instead.
He retrieved all his stored equipment, as well as his training gear, and some money. The items he had deposited before resetting were still there, but he decided to sell them later; he wasn't in the mood for business.
'It was stupid of me to go to the same city after my reset… Oh god, why am I always making these dumb mistakes?' Sora complained before shaking his head and leaving the bank.
'Let's leave my job aside for a while and focus on increasing my strength in this life,' he thought, a glint in his eyes. 'It won't take 30 days to reset this time. I'll hit Level 50 as fast as I can.'
He was also not in the mood to relax or celebrate after what had happened in the Level 80 area. The memory of his death still weighed heavily on him. All the power he'd accumulated meant nothing in front of the beast that had killed him. He was nothing compared to the true monsters of the world.
Equipped with his Level 1 sword, Sora left the city and prepared to head into the wilderness. But as he was about to move, shouting caught his attention. Curious, he approached the commotion.
A group of players was bullying someone. The victim, a level 5 civilian, was desperately fighting a Level 9 [Giant Mosquito], while his tormentors, players ranging from level 12 to 19, blocked his escape. They laughed and taunted him, cutting off his retreat and watching him suffer.
From what Sora overheard, the leader of the bullies, a level 19 player, seemed to have a petty motive. The victim had apparently caught the eye of his sister, and he had threatened the boy to come to this place to make him "disappear."
Sora was about to walk away, uninterested in their drama, when the leader of the group noticed him. "Just a Level 1 noob... he's not a threat, but we can't leave any witness alive," the leader spoke to an assassin in his party.
"Take care of him," he whispered. The assassin nodded, his hand reaching for a [PK Token]—a rare item that allowed players to attack civilians outside the protection of a city.
The assassin crept toward Sora, but as he approached with a dagger in hand, Sora waited. When the assassin struck him, he dodged, and a notification appeared.
[Legitimate Defense System activated.]
[You may now defend yourself against all members of the attacking party.]
He sighed and swung his weapon. A flash of mana surged through his blade as his [True Mana Strike] sliced the assassin in half. The player died instantly, his body hitting the ground before he could even register what had happened.
Sora felt a rush of energy as notifications filled his vision.
[You have killed Ramen, a Level 15 player.]
[Level up!]
[Level up!]
[Level up!]
[Level up!]
[Level up!]
[Level up!]
[Level up!]
[Level up!]
Sora ignored the notifications and watched the player's body on the ground. He began murmuring to himself to stop his legs from shaking.
"They're just monsters." The first time, he seemed to doubt his own words.
"They're just monsters." The second time, he repeated the phrase a bit louder.
"They're just monsters." The whispers grew louder and louder.
As Sora's level shot up to 8, his body and energy levels soared. He could feel his strength returning, his muscles tightening, and his mana overflowing.
He stopped hesitating and rushed toward the remaining players. Despite lacking the [Speed Surge] skill he had grown accustomed to, his body moved faster than they could react. He relied on [Mana Mirage] to confuse them before sending out a [Mana Sweep] that obliterated most of the group and the [Giant Mosquito] in one go.
[Level up!]
[Level up!]
[Level up!]
[Level up!]
[Level up!]
[You are Level 13.]
"Damn it!" he spat as the survivors looked at him in terror. Sora hated fighting other players, but some people couldn't help but provoke him.
"They're just monsters," Sora repeated.
Only the Level 19 leader and two others remained standing, shaking in fear. They had just watched a Level 1 novice massacre their entire group with ease.
"What the hell are you saying? We're human, just like you!" the leader shouted, panic setting in as he tried to flee.
Sora was conflicted. 'If I were still the old Sora, I'd have let you run… But how do I know you won't take revenge or ask for help? Trash like you are just monsters.' He stopped thinking and started moving. He didn't give them a chance to run for long. With a single blow, the bully fell to the ground, dead.
Sora used [Mana Sweep] on the two remaining players and sheathed his weapon. Without a word, he turned around, tossed a few gold coins and a shield to the bullied player, and watched from a distance as the boy returned to a safer zone.
When Hiyoko peeked from inside his gear, he covered her eyes and said, "It's fine, they're just monsters…"
Sora's voice was hoarse, and his gaze was sad. He had killed very few people in the past, and each time, it had been in self-defense. Whenever he was forced to kill, he always tried to convince himself that monsters stood before him, but it was never enough to dull his guilt.
Sora stroked Hiyoko and sighed. "I need to go back to hunting to think about something else."
Equipping his level 10 gear, Sora moved to the next zone. In just a few hours, he had reached Level 20. By nightfall, he was Level 24, cutting through threats in zones far above his level.
He returned to Barcelona, entering an inn to rest. The day's events had stripped away any desire to visit the city or grow attached to it. He was becoming stronger every day, but even as the power rushed through his veins, he knew it was still just a fraction of what he'd wielded the day before.
The room was quiet, the only sound coming from the chirps of Hiyoko, who was perched on the window watching the player activity in the core of the city. As he stared at the ceiling, his mind wandered back to his parents. He hadn't thought about them much in the chaos of leveling up, but now the memories came flooding back.
His heart ached, remembering how they had lost not just one son, but both. Their first son, Nathan, had been killed years ago, most likely by Rachel, and their second son had "died" two months ago.
Sora clenched his fist. Rachel, their childhood friend and the one who had betrayed him, had taken Nathan away. His parents must still be in the dark, never knowing the true reason.
'I didn't forget you, Rachel. You won't see me coming and I'll make you regret it.' As his sadness turned into anger, he tried to breathe.
'I need a new class before heading home.' His parents didn't know he was alive, and the idea of revealing himself after all this time was... terrifying. But he had to see them. They deserved the truth, and he wanted to protect them, no matter the consequences.
With his mind set on the future, Sora turned toward the window. He glanced at Hiyoko, who chirped softly before jumping to his side and tucking her tiny body under his arm. He allowed himself a small smile before pulling the thin blanket over them.
"Goodnight, Hiyoko."