《System Reset: Forged in Nightmare [Returnee LitRPG Apocalypse]》


 1 — System Reset

    Alex always had a sense for danger, but betrayal had a distinct coldness to it¡ª bitter and unmistakable. When he thought he¡¯d grown numb to its bite, it surprised him once more, plaguing him with a bone-chilling omen.


    The Immortal will betray you.


    Now he laid twisting in agony, groaning. The betrayal was pushed farther from his mind as a jagged metal edge squelched across his stomach. Blasts echoed faintly from the chamber¡¯s center, muffled by the ringing in his ears; through blurry eyes and dense fog, he saw blood well from a contorted tear in his chest piece. Even his armor had turned traitor, it seemed.


    He blinked, clearing the last vestiges of the explosion¡¯s haze. By the time his sight returned he almost wished he were still blinded.


    Alex Smith


    Level 47, Expert Rank (Cursed)


    Former Nightmare Ranker


    Indenture: 100 years of service ¡ªor¡ª 100,000,000 Essence Crystals


    Class: Ironblood Reforger


    Bloodline: LOCKED


    Affinity: LOCKED


    Health: 27%


    Mana: 7%


    Stamina: 11%


    > Traits


    [???]


    > Titles


    Cowardly Survivor


    Backstabber


    Unlucky Bastard


    ¡­


    Dragonblade Forger


    > Attributes:


    Hardened Vigor


    Orion¡¯s Wrath


    > Ailments:


    Concussed


    Heavy Burn


    Bleed


    Alex was slumped against the chamber wall, a good ten feet below where the explosion threw him. His left arm was gone. He tried to stand and was met with fierce pain. It meant his legs¡¯ nerves must be intact, albeit their mangled state inspired no confidence they would carry him far. The blast¡¯s scalding temperature had acted as a crude cauterizing agent¡ªthat alone had saved him. It had also melted all but his head and chest into an indistinguishable, grotesque meld of his flesh and misshapen armor.


    Yeah¡­ it¡¯s over.


    Breathing shakily, he attempted to access his inventory but only triggered a cascade of error messages. Weaponless, potion-less, healer-less, his only escape was death. And even if I¡¯m blessed with a quick one¡­


    The Boss unleashed a guttural roar and he trailed off, squinting into the fog. Faintly, he could see the Demonic Core embedded in its chest¡ªthe prize they¡¯d risked everything to retrieve¡ªand for just a moment, his hand tightened around the hilt of his broken sword.


    Then he noticed the Immortal. His eyes caught on her shadow, where nightmarish silhouettes emerged from purple miasma, weaving with an unsettling gait. One of them stopped. Its neck contorted to return his stare, and in the second they locked eyes, Alex saw a twisted resemblance to the man the creature had once been. His gut sank, urging him to flee¡ªand that¡¯s just what he did.


    Pulling himself upright, he hobbled towards the opposite end of the chamber, away from the ongoing battle. It wasn¡¯t long before he found what he dreaded. Again, he was the only one left.


    Alex collapsed beside the corpse of his party leader with a ragged sigh. Jordan''s legs and lower abdomen had fused with his armor, similar to Alex¡¯s own injuries. Dissimilarly, the rest of his torso had been gouged away, leaving entrails strewn from yawned ribs. Likely, it was the only reason he hadn¡¯t risen as one of those abominations.


    Good. The man had earned his rest.


    Heck, Alex half-considered ending it all right then¡ªblowing himself up rather than risking becoming one of them¡ªbut he lacked the means. His lucky smith hammer was the only thing left intact and it made a poor weapon.


    That didn¡¯t stop him from reaching for it anyway, but when no hand appeared where it should have, he had to look down at his absent limb to stump his confusion. Bile rose in his throat.


    ¡°You might be lucky, Jordan,¡± he said. ¡°A clean death isn¡¯t any escape from necromancy. What happened to Frisk, Chon, Lyphie¡­ it will be coming for me too.¡±


    He was met only with silence, but he could imagine what Jordan might¡¯ve said to that. The old man with his half-lackadaisical, half-serious jests, leaning against the bar, bottle in hand and waving it about, ¡°Well shucks, Alex. Guess you just gotta survive then.¡±


    He laughed, his scorched throat burning. Survive how? The journey here took them three weeks. What, was he supposed to make the slow crawl back up on his last legs?


    Yet, on some level, he couldn¡¯t accept this as his end. If he¡¯d known an Immortal Ranker would be joining them, he wouldn¡¯t have¡ª


    Warning: HP has reached below 20%


    He grimaced, recognizing the lie for what it was.


    ¡°I have the most important job offer of your life,¡± Jordan had posed three weeks ago. ¡°But I can¡¯t reveal the client or the details. So, how much do you want to die?¡±


    ¡°Not at all,¡± Alex had answered. Yet here he was.


    He¡¯d known Jordan since his days on Earth; the man wasn¡¯t truly asking after wasn¡¯t a death wish, but about the strength of his endurance. How much longer could Alex bear it in this shithole? A decade? A lifetime? Even knowing the risk, he would¡¯ve accepted, and Jordan would''ve known that.


    There was nothing to begrudge him for. On a backwater planet like Uern, Immortal Rankers were practically the rarest of natural disasters. When the Death Priestess, Camilla, pays a visit and has you assemble a Master rank party, you oblige and hope the storm passes quietly.


    And if it had¡­


    No, Alex killed the thought, quelling his desire as that Demonic Core shifted into sight again. The Immortal probably thought he was already dead; it was best he kept it so. She was probably right anyway.


    The worst part was he couldn¡¯t even guess what she stood to gain from this. The mind of an Immortal lunatic was beyond him, but he couldn¡¯t conceive she¡¯d have any use for the Core at her realm. All that was clear was she had no intention of sharing it¡ªor leaving any witnesses. Dead men tell no tales when they march in your army.


    After all this time, to think he¡¯d kick it at the hands of a fellow Earther¡­ it was almost enough to make him laugh. Even if Alex told her they¡¯d fought together in the war, he doubted she¡¯d remember. She was the most self absorbed of her ilk, and he was unrecognizable from who he¡¯d once been. The Demonic Core was his only chance at starting anew.


    And there she was, toying with it.


    The Boss screamed. Alex sighed. It¡¯d been ten years since Earth had fallen, and with each year that passed¡­ this world had nothing left for him. No friends anymore¡ªonly acquaintances. And of those, the one he¡¯d known the longest lay dead beside him.


    Now, it was his turn to die.


    He laid back at the admission, staring up at the fog. No tears fell. He didn¡¯t tremble. He didn¡¯t even feel relief for finally reaching an end. He watched his life seep from every gash, and felt only one thing: the burn of a long dead fire within him.


    Belatedly, he realized he was still gripping his Wyvern sword¡¯s hilt¡ªjust the hilt, its blade having shattered in their final attack. He lifted her close enough to see.


    He remembered the shiver he¡¯d felt at the Immortal¡¯s betrayal, but more, he remembered the voice he¡¯d heard from his sword afterwards. She¡¯d spoken to him and their focus had narrowed to a knife¡¯s edge. The energy he¡¯d concentrated in her point¡­ the power behind that attack could only have come from one place. To think his first glimpse would come at his end¡­


    Alex laughed bitterly, cursing his fate. Then he closed his eyes. Soon a sound like a coursing river rose from the depths to embrace him, taking away the pain in his final moments. It brought him silence.


    At least until the system glitched.


    ?WARNING?


    Galaxy 2374 experiencing temporal divergence.


    Requesting authorization for temporal patching.


    ¡°What the¡ª¡±


    ***


    ¡°Alex, stop dragging your feet,¡± Jordan said.


    Alex stared at the man. Suddenly, words warped across his interface.


    4 Divergent factors detected.


    Scanning Iteration Prime for Divergence.


    Then the message glitched out, becoming forgotten to him. Now there was only Jordan. He stood at the Boss Gates, their runic glow casting his graying hair a tinge blue. But his ribs weren¡¯t exposed. His intestines weren¡¯t¡­.


    Jordan raised a quizzical brow. Alex¡¯s Dangersense sent a chill down his spine, warning him of¡­ something. Not danger exactly¡ªbut something. Strange. He was going crazy. They hadn¡¯t even entered the chambers and he was already imagining their deaths.


    And¡­ he was still staring, wasn¡¯t he?


    It was Jordan¡¯s coy smirk that finally got Alex to look away. He snorted. Whatever that sensation had been, it couldn¡¯t possibly matter now. In a few minutes they¡¯d charge through those gates regardless, and whether they met feast or famine relied solely on the Immortal¡¯s whimsy at this point. The only thing he could control was the condition of their equipment. So, he¡¯d see to that.


    He spotted Chon leaning against the far wall and thought to ask if he¡¯d had a change of mind about letting Alex mend his heirloom gauntlets.


    Chon grunted dismissively at his approach. ¡°Hmph. It¡¯s the deadweight.¡±


    Alas, it appeared not. Alex sighed. ¡°The only deadweight here is¡ª¡±


    His retort died on his lips as Chon¡¯s head exploded like a melon, showering the room in blood and brain matter. Alex¡¯s eyes widened, searching for any traces of the attack. His almost drew his sword when¡­ Chon towered over him, bringing all the height of his Half-Orc lineage to bear.


    ¡°The only Deadweight here is what,¡± he said.


    Alex gaped. Chon¡¯s head was still on his neck, where it was supposed to be, whole. He nearly fell on his ass as the barbarian thudded his shoulder. ¡°What¡¯s Jordan thinking? Leaving our backline to a Blacksmith¡­¡±


    Alex just watched him pass. The vision had disappeared as fast as it had come, leaving only the chill. Staring at the back of Chon¡¯s neck, he could almost recall it, but then he rubbed his eyes and it was like it never happened. Hallucination? Or just wishful thinking?


    Christ, I must be losing it.


    Or perhaps his trait was the one losing it. Afterall, he¡¯d never gotten it appraised as true Dangersense. Maybe it had gone haywire after three weeks spent with the Death Priestess; from bearing the killing intent she never bothered to suppress.


    No matter. There was nothing to do now but get ready. Alex fastened his armor straps then traced the sigil for luck on the flat side of his forge hammer. He was no enchanter, but the act had long since become part of his ritual¡ªnot that it¡¯d helped the man he learned it from. He secured the hammer onto his belt, drawing his blade for a final inspection.


    Lys (Rare)


    A Wyvern blade hammered with the desperation to surpass one¡¯s limits


    Trait: Mana Induction


    She appeared just an ordinary arming sword¡ªher form indistinct by design¡ªbut a glint beyond her steel spoke to Alex.


    ¡°Thank you for your protection,¡± he said quietly, ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to ask for it again.¡±


    At the gates, Jordan repeated everyone¡¯s roles for formality¡¯s sake. Frisk, the young healer who was native to this layer, listened intently. The elven wind mage, Lyphie, stood beside him, her hand tugging at his pinkie. Chon just kept an indifferent attitude, glaring as Alex joined them.


    Alex was the only Expert ranker in this party, but he held no insecurity about his talents. A blacksmith capable of defending himself was worth his weight in gold for an enduring delve like this. And as a warrior, his role now was simple: Protect the backline. Call out threats. Ignore the Immortal¡¯s endless shadow that lurked further down the cavern¡¯s reaches. If he could just do that, maybe he could treat the last fifteen years as a bad dream and move on.


    Granted, it was hard to stay positive when the shadow materialized into something slightly more tangible behind them.


    ¡°Enough with the strategizing. If you lot could defeat the Boss on your own I would¡¯ve employed you for your swords, not your guidance.¡±


    The Death Priestess¡¯ voice echoed coldly. Looks of stricken fear flashed across his party¡¯s faces, reminding Alex that not everyone had the pleasure of knowing when they were watched. No one dared turn their heads. They wouldn¡¯t glimpse her form even if they did.


    Private message from Jordan: Have there been any changes?


    He showed no reaction to the message. Jordan was the only one who knew about his trait¡ªit¡¯d been one of the reasons he¡¯d hired Alex. But trying to parse the Immortal¡¯s intentions had proved futile. She cared so little to hide her foul aura that after spending three weeks with a constant chill down his spine, all Alex could determine was that she was incredibly dangerous, and that entering the Boss chambers with her would be a terrible idea.


    Jordan wasn¡¯t nearly as subtle when he read Alex¡¯s reply. ¡°Al-Alright. Everyone geared and ready? Let¡¯s get this show on the road, then...¡±


    Frisk hurriedly finished casting his protections. As soon as the gates opened, he cast an invisible seeking arrow to sound out its location. Unless the boss had slugs for legs, it wouldn¡¯t do any more than that.


    Alex crouched in a defensive stance beside Frisk and Lyphie while Jordan and Chon took vanguard, leading them in. The Boss chamber was vast and nearly circular, with a fog that thickened along the perimeter where they stayed hidden. Blue flames flickered on the chamber¡¯s opposite end, behind the shadow of a massive throne. Then something massive moved from that throne, blowing the fires out. He heard the doors slam shut behind them. All at once, everything unraveled.


    Unraveled?


    Alex stopped cold, his hair on end as the air turned stale on his tongue. Had that been what his trait was trying to warn him about? That everything was¡­ ¡®unraveling¡¯? What the hell did that even¡ª


    He glanced back. The healer wasn¡¯t moving forward with the group.


    ¡°Frisk! What¡¯s wrong?¡± He snapped.


    The young man stammered, ¡°N-Nothing, just had a sudden chill, that¡¯s all.¡±


    His face was pale. Though he seemed coherent, his eyes were far distant.


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°Relax,¡± Alex told him. ¡°It means noth¡ª¡±


    He saw it before it happened, like a glimmer of the future overlaying reality by a mere second. The healer¡¯s chest caved in and he fell dead.


    Divergence Factor located.


    Scanning Iteration 2.0 for Divergence


    Lyphie whirled back in confusion, her eyes unfocused. Alex instantly moved to cover her, only barely deflecting the ax that broke the fog near her head, skewing its path by mere inches.


    ¡°Healer down!¡± Jordan shouted. ¡°Defensive formations!¡±


    The Death Priestess ignored the order and rushed in¨Csomething Alex could only tell by the oppressive wave of dread that passed by.


    ¡°Dammit!¡± Chon cursed. ¡°How the fuck did it find us so fast! I thought we prepared for¡ª¡±


    The Barbarian grunted under the pressure of another ax.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter!¡± Alex shouted. ¡°No time for distractions!¡±


    There wasn¡¯t, but that familiar burn seared in Alex¡¯s gut nonetheless. He ignored it, his eyes darting for sharp movements in the fog. Even though his trait warned him of attacks, its thickness made it difficult to deflect them. The pattern of attack made little sense either. He deflected one ax, then immediately had to pivot as another emerged from opposite of Lyphie.


    Were there multiple enemies? No¨Che only felt one gaze on him. It was heavy, suffocating, and every bit what he¡¯d expect from a Boss with a Demonic Core.


    Another attack came. His hands throbbed, but instinct screamed for him to keep moving. He coursed mana through his steel and leapt, swinging down where he knew the next axe would appear.


    Fallen River


    It shattered against his blade. Sensing another ax, Alex seized the initiative with an upward swing again in the same motion¡ªReverse Current. It wasn¡¯t a formal skill, just the result of expert mana manipulation. It bought him precious time.


    ¡°Jordan!¡±


    ¡°Already on it!¡± Jordan yelled. He signaled Chon, and the two charged toward the chamber¡¯s center, where Alex sensed their foe. They needed pressure on that Boss yesterday¡ªgods only knew what the Immortal was doing!


    Normally, he¡¯d agree with grouping up but it wasn¡¯t the right move with Frisk dead. There¡¯d be no sustainability to their defense without healing, and Chon and Jordan¡¯s heavy armor and weapons made them a liability against these rapid attacks. Without Alex¡¯s senses, they could only leave the defense to him.


    Speaking of¡­


    ¡°Lyphie,¡± Alex barked, ¡°Snap out of it! Protection field, now!¡±


    The pale-skinned elf stood frozen. Then she finally tore her sunken eyes from the healer¡¯s corpse, surveying her surroundings as though she¡¯d only now realized a battle was underway. To her credit, when she finally raised her staff, her incantation was flawless.


    Alex slashed his blade in a sweeping arc, energy rippling outward. Then an invisible wall of wind shimmered around them and the next ax lost its momentum, clattering harmlessly to the ground. His vision was limited but he saw brief flashes of the hulking silhouette and heard the clashes of metal. Then, finally, his skin crawled from an all too recognizable miasma. Somewhere out there, the Boss contended with the Immortal.


    Alex allowed himself a moment to relax. Slightly. His hands shook uncontrollably. Even with the shock absorption of his sword¡¯s tang, he¡¯d been forced to use a two-hand grip deflecting those axes. Still, it wasn¡¯t their force that concerned him, but their precision. Each strike had come at his most awkward angle, and with the most difficult timing. It¡¯d felt like the Boss already had a read on him somehow, despite this being his first time fighting it. If his Dangersense hadn¡¯t warned him...


    He shook the thought, glancing at Lyphie. Jordan, Chon, the Boss, and the Immortal, were all just vague silhouettes to him, but judging by Lyphie¡¯s troubled expression, her spiritual sight revealed more than that.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Alex asked.


    ¡°Oh¡ªuh¡­ nothing. I think.¡±


    She clutched her staff, turning back toward the healer¡¯s corpse. Alex hadn¡¯t missed the glances shared between the two, nor their conspicuous absences. If he were kinder, he might have warned them off. But she was of elven blood. This wasn¡¯t her first loss; his kindness would only patronize her.


    Alex chewed his bottom lip. ¡°Do you regret coming?¡±


    He wasn¡¯t the talkative sort nowadays but he needed her focused.


    ¡°No,¡± she said, ¡°The layers are no home for an elf.¡±


    He nodded. Thankfully, this sparse exchange did the trick. Lyphie raised her staff, summoning all the wind spirits in the chamber, and chanted a lengthy incantation. Her silvery hair lifted as mana buzzed around her. The look in her eyes told him this would be a finishing blow.


    Alex gripped Lys¡¯s hilt tighter, retaking his guard. He was close. So close. Just one shard of that Demonic Core would contain enough essence to pay off his remaining indenture. Then once he was out of this shithole, there¡¯d be countless opportunities to trade out his dead-end Class. He¡¯d done everything he could. Now, all he could do was wait.


    Lyphie¡¯s mana surged. Her wind spirits chirped. A whirlwind condensed into a deadly point at the tip of her staff, aimed in the Boss¡¯s direction. Her magic swelled in potency, this battle¡¯s end imminent.


    Yet, a nagging feeling pulled Alex¡¯s attention elsewhere. He looked at the Healer¡¯s corpse, struggling to recall which attack it had been that had caved his chest.


    The Healer bore no wound.


    And when Lyphie unleashed a massive surge of wind¡ªonly to collapse immediately after, there were no wounds on her corpse either. Only the flickering vision of her head twisting from her neck. And the overwhelming sense that something had unraveled.


    Divergence Factor has been located.


    Scanning Iteration 3.0 for Divergence


    ¡°Alex! What the fuck are you doing?!¡±


    He stood in stupor at Chon¡¯s words, staring blankly at Lyphie''s corpse and the notification that glitched on his interface. This didn¡¯t make sense. None of it made any sense! His trait was screaming a warning, but with all the coherency of a babbling five year old for fuck¡¯s sake¡ª


    That suddenly changed as Alex¡¯s Dangersense made itself extremely clear. He dove to the ground, avoiding another axe, only belatedly noticing the elf¡¯s wind barrier had died along with her.


    ¡°You fucking deadweight!¡±


    Chon disappeared again through the fog. Alex grit his teeth. No one could blame these circumstances on an Expert ranker, but Jordan had trusted him to protect them. He¡¯d had one fucking job, and dammit¡ªhe just knew; If his promise hadn¡¯t been stolen from him, he¡¯d have nothing to fear right now.


    His insides roiled. His curse had long since taken the touch of fire from him, but he could still feel the cinders of its memory, burning him from within. He bit his lip, letting the pain filter his emotions out in a stream of dark red impurity, leaving his mind to sharpen. Then he channeled mana into Lys with no bother for rationing his supply. He wouldn¡¯t cower alone like some weakling while others fought for him.


    No more what-ifs.


    Alex pushed himself up and stormed into the chamber¡¯s center. His momentum lasted all of three seconds. He¡¯d expected an immediate struggle of life and death. That was not what he was met with.


    Time Warden - Level 330 Demon Realm Boss


    They knew its level would be below 400¡ªunusually low for a Demon Realm monster¡ªbut this was¡­ he¡¯d never seen anything like it. The Boss looked almost like an albino minotaur with a satanic goat¡¯s head. Its horns were twisted in elaborate curves, its fur shimmered like liquid silver, and its eyes were blank, gazing at everything with indifferent emptiness. It was beyond strange.


    No, strangest of all was the fact it was still alive. That instilled more terror in him than anything else, and the chill he felt firmly shattered any illusion of hope. He wasn¡¯t terrified by the boss. Only the fact the Death Princess hadn¡¯t bothered to kill it.


    Jordan and Chon were still fighting for their lives. He couldn''t blame them¡ªthey¡¯d probably never seen what an Immortal could do up close. But Alex remembered:


    A burn-scarred man sat atop an army of corpses. His eyes glowed red like a demon¡¯s, and his left hand clutched the beating heart of a World¡¯s Keeper¡ªcrushing it, sending a pulse of energy rippling across bloody horizons. The proclamation of Earth¡¯s ruin.


    Ten years ago, he would¡¯ve recognized it so much sooner. The way Camilla moved unseen to their eyes¡ªwith the grace of an assassin and the ferocity of a... no, how could he have been so blinded! If she¡¯d wanted the boss dead, she would¡¯ve simply strolled up and flicked it. That was what an Immortal Ranker was capable of.


    And that¡¯s almost exactly what she did.


    For the first time the entire delve, Camilla, the Immortal Priestess of Death, fully materialized. She wore long, leathery black opera gloves and a purple Hydra-skin dress that squirmed as though alive. Alex fell to his knees. The hems of her dress, nine writhing shreds, snapped at his face as she walked by.


    Chon and Jordan also kneeled. Not from any sense of fealty, but because they simply couldn¡¯t bear the full weight of her aura. The boss struggled under that same weight but broke free in a defiant roar. Enraged, it charged at her but Camilla didn¡¯t break a sweat.


    That was when Alex noticed another figure emerge from the fog behind him. Her body was pale, twisted beyond the point of recognition. Her voice was airy and husk as she incanted, but the spell was give-away enough. Lyphie raised her staff, and the Boss was forced to kneel.


    ¡°You.¡±


    Camilla pointed at Chon and he suddenly was standing. He stared down at his legs in amazement, then glanced warily at the Immortal. Something in Chon¡¯s eyes told Alex he hadn¡¯t expected her to be a woman. Something in the way Chon relaxed then only told him what he already knew. He was an idiot.


    ¡°This is taking too long. Kill it.¡±


    ¡°Naturally, revered Immortal,¡± Chon said.


    If he cared that one of their party members had been resurrected by the Death Priestess, he didn¡¯t show it. He approached the Boss, bravado in his step, rearing his gauntleted fist back for an empowered blow. Alex saw Jordan straining against his invisible chains, trying to warn Chon that something was off. His mouth moved, but no words came out.


    ¡°You will be vanquished by my fists!¡±


    Chon leapt and the Boss¡¯s head exploded like a melon, blood and brain matter splattering everywhere. Then the Core embedded in its chest burst into a crimson light that consumed everything.


    But just before it did, Alex saw it¡ªthe notification glitching above the core, right where the Boss¡¯s head had been.


    Fate Reversal


    ***


    Alex emerged from the fog expecting a struggle of life and death. Instead, he was met with Chon¡¯s corpse. Just like Frisk¡¯s and Lyphie¡¯s, the half-orc bore no wounds; it looked as if he¡¯d simply keeled over and died.


    Except Alex had seen his head burst in a million pieces.


    Divergence Factor has been located.


    Scanning Iteration 4.0 for Divergence


    Then Death aura animated his corpse. Bones stretched and bent beneath his skin then his flesh bubbled and popped and he leapt into combat as a new monstrosity. What Alex had to assume were Lyphie and Frisk joined him.


    Finally, Camilla emerged from her shadow form, materializing in front of the Boss. Overweight kukri knives appeared in her hands and a nine-horned mask materialized over her face. Her infamous Hydra-dress transformed as well: its hems becoming actual hydra heads. She passed Alex by with hardly a glance, hardly caring to oppress him as she strolled towards the Boss. The dreadful shiver down his spine told him all he needed to know.


    They had been betrayed.


    He chuckled bitterly. Of course they had. What were they even there for? They were nothing but ants; he was hard pressed to believe Camilla really needed their ¡°navigation¡±. An Immortal¡¯s intentions were impossible to parse¡ªand that had been Alex¡¯s only grounds for hope, but now it just felt dismissive.


    No¡­ the truth was he was too weak to do anything about it regardless. They¡¯d known it was a coin flip going in. It¡¯d simply landed on the side of Lady Death.


    Alex was dead. He knew that already, and hated his body for how it reacted, yet every fiber of his body screamed for him to survive just a little bit longer. Maybe if he waited at the gates, waited for them to reopen, he could¡ª


    ¡°Camilla! What¡¯s the meaning of this?!¡± Jordan shouted.


    Alex faltered in his step. His eyes scrunched tight as Jordan pointed his sword at the Immortal.


    ¡°This wasn¡¯t the deal!¡± He said. ¡°But no need for explanations, I can see what¡¯s going on.¡±


    The Death Priestess dissipated back into shadow, leaving her undead party members to play with the boss. She rematerialized, strolling towards Jordan. That idiot. He should¡¯ve just held his silence and prayed for the best. But no, Jordan was a man of disgruntled honor, bound by codes that rarely survived the necessities of war. He wouldn¡¯t flee his responsibilities, not while the betrayer who killed his team still breathed.


    Nervously, Alex channeled more mana into Lys only to realize he¡¯d never stopped channeling his mana. Stupid. Did he think this place would be his last stand? He didn¡¯t share his party leader¡¯s sentiment; it would only go to waste. He inched closer to the gates.


    ¡°I never should¡¯ve trusted you,¡± Jordan said.


    Then Alex froze. He knew those words had been for Camilla, but¡­


    No, he¡¯s been good to me over the years. Alex owed it to Jordan to witness his last moments. That was all he was doing. Witnessing¡­right?


    He watched Jordan close his eyes in prayer and when they snapped open his blade flared like an inferno, enchanted with his Constellation¡¯s power. Camilla also called upon her Constellation, a deathly aura gathering around her kukri knives and sucking the air out of Alex¡¯s lungs. A chill gripped him, harrowingly icy, like the frost that loomed on death¡¯s sickle. That was more than a death sentence. Alex needed to leave.


    And maybe he would¡¯ve¡ªif only he hadn¡¯t met Jordan¡¯s eyes. For in them, he saw no resentment, no judgement: Just resolve, mingled with grief and fury for his fallen comrades, and a silent plea meant only for him.


    Run, you damned fool. Run and live!


    The Death Priestess swung. Jordan¡¯s ability shimmered with greater heat.


    Alex didn¡¯t realize when he broke into a run. His body moved before he could think; it did the exact opposite of what he wanted. His legs pivoted, his sword evened at his chest. He condensed his entire remaining mana pool into his blade¡ªmore mana than he should even have.


    Lys trembled, cracks forming along her length from all that power. Yet, Alex could so clearly hear her voice, pressing him for more. Flickers of pure condensed energy leaked from her cracks like lightning. She sang, her pitch rising to a shrill crescendo.


    Camilla¡¯s eyes widened as he swung towards her with his strongest skill, their two abilities colliding.


    Energy Pierce


    For a moment, Alex forgot everything but the beauty of it.


    Sparks of white energy burst from the collision point. Lys screeched with fury, her cracks deepening as the energy consumed her. She was born for this moment¡ªevery hour in the forge, every drop of passion¡ªall for this final breath. The gates he¡¯d stared at mournfully his entire life opened just a crack, beckoning.


    Then Jordan¡¯s sword exploded, casting the world in crimson fire.


    Divergence Factor has been located.


    ***


    ?WARNING?


    Galaxy 2374 experiencing temporal divergence.


    Requesting authorization for temporary patching.


    ¡­


    Authorization granted.


    Completion: 1%


    2%


    Alex clutched his head, screaming, trying to remain cohesion. In the span of a second, the world flickered and glitched, folding in on itself a thousand times. Then before he knew it, he¡¯d returned to himself. Whole, once more.


    He bolted upright, groaning as his armor dug further into his flesh.


    Alex looked at Jordan¡¯s corpse, his eyes widening as his memories shifted. He¡¯d been so focused on his attack that he hadn¡¯t even noticed it at the time, but he saw it so clearly now. At the very last second, before his attack reached, Camilla had switched places with the boss¡­ then Jordan¡¯s detonation had killed it.


    Except, Jordan was the one who had died, not the boss. And it wasn¡¯t just him, either. Frisk¡¯s seeking arrow, Lyphie¡¯s wind, Chon¡¯s fists¡­ they had all suffered similar fates. Then if it¡¯d been Alex¡¯s attack---if it¡¯d been Lys¡¯ energy pierce that dealt the final blow instead of Jordan¡¯s explosion¡­ then would he be the one lying there?


    The thought shook him. His vision red and blurry, he brushed what remained of his shattered sword with trembling fingers. Lys¡¯ voice was gone now. He gave her one more squeeze, burning the feel of her hilt to memory. Before he let her go.


    Alex struggled to his knees. He¡¯d noticed one more thing when his memories shifted, and it gave him a terrible idea. An idea so terrible that he¡¯d probably be better off dying on the sidelines, struggle-less and forgotten. Instead he tried to walk.


    He forced feeling back into his legs¡ªby crawling at first, by painting the ground a trail of his blood. By letting it seep¡ªletting its warmth spread, and letting that pain in until hard-fought feeling had been won back in his legs and they could just barely support his weight. He stood finally, grunting with the effort; then stumbled forward. He signed the rune for luck on the only thing he still owned: His hammer.


    Further ahead, a miasmic explosion flashed through the fog. The Boss still fled the Immortal, its wails growing increasingly desperate. Alex bit back the urge to vomit precious blood, fighting to stay conscious as he staggered closer to death. A stray blast of miasma whizzed past his face. He didn¡¯t bother dodging; his mind was focused on getting this right.


    Soon, the Boss¡¯s silhouette grew clearer. It stumbled almost aimlessly now, riddled with wounds, exhaustion and hopelessness in its every movement. Behind it, Camilla licked her blade.


    ¡°The Blacksmith, hmm?¡± She tilted her head. ¡°You¡¯re still alive? Good. That¡¯s good. Care to finish this for me?¡±


    Alex didn¡¯t stop to answer. He¡¯d wondered why she hadn¡¯t come to finish him off but now he realized his survival might not have even occurred to her. He was that insignificant. It''d always been like that. He, a mere ant, struggling to survive the battlefield of giants. Even now, the Immortal saw him as nothing; suspected nothing. It was time to teach her that ants could still bite.


    The Boss barely acknowledged his approach, its will having long since shattered. Alex stared into its eyes and didn¡¯t see an indifferent monster, but a creature, protecting what it was meant to protect: Its core. A core that with each death, with each timeline, he had seen become dimmer and dimmer until it held only a dull, flickering crimson.


    The same core that had once held his hope for the future. The Death Priestess laughed as Alex raised his hammer.


    ¡°How pitiful. Do you really expect to¡ª¡±


    Then he slugged the thing with Meld.


    Crack¡ª


    ***


    The world spun. Alex touched his stomach and the first thing he noticed was the threads of core that lined his arm where misshapen armor had melted in with his flesh. Then he noticed the blood.


    Ah, that¡¯s right¡­ I¡¯m dying.


    It seeped between his fingers in an unstoppable flood, and even the core he¡¯d pinned his hopes on was now dull and completely lifeless.


    It had been a crackpot theory¡ªcontingent on too many unlikely variables: He¡¯d hoped the core had weakened enough for a Blacksmith of his level to Meld it into metal, and even more blindly, he¡¯d prayed that the armor melting into his wounds might¡¯ve designated Alex as half-metal or something himself. Then if he could just siphon away its aura from it before it dissipated, and activated whatever the Boss had been using to resurrect, then perhaps he could¡¯ve healed his wounds or even add an immortal to his kill count.


    Yeah¡­ this was a mistake.


    Surprisingly, a few of those steps had actually worked, before Camilla screamed and blasted him into the wall. And now he was even more dead than before.


    Alex¡¯s vision blurred over the threshold to debilitating blindness. Vaguely, he could still see the Death Princess before him, her head tucked against her knees. She was crying.


    ¡°Oh, shut up,¡± she snapped. ¡°I can tell what you¡¯re thinking.¡±


    He tried to respond, to curse her, but his eyelids grew heavy and his mouth refused to move. She fumed, stamping her heels in anger. ¡°Do you even know what you ruined? That wasn¡¯t a stupid Demonic Core¡ªit was a Divine core! I mean, sure, call me immoral for getting you all killed, I guess, but¡ªah! Who cares! If not for this, you¡¯d have died to something else anyway! But no, you just couldn¡¯t accept that! You just had to ruin it! I swear, once you¡¯re dead I¡¯m going to¡ª¡±


    She went on and on, describing all the ways she was going to torture his soul. Alex¡¯s ears rang too much to hear it. His thoughts drifted farther away. He thought this must have been what Aashay had felt, when he¡¯d bled out at Drusik¡¯s Gates.


    Or Laura... though her death had been far more gruesome and unforgivable.


    Other names came to mind, other faces. Kirin, Nolan, Yara¡­ and countless others who had put their trust in him over the years. He hadn''t even been there for his sister¡¯s death. Nor the death of his first real party. They¡¯d stayed behind to protect their weakest member while he escaped with the return stone.


    2% HP


    Alex¡¯s body grew colder. Those expired cinders in his soul seared with a cold burn¡ªas dull as any other pain now. Once, a fire had blazed there, stoked with passion for his Blacksmith Class. He¡¯d had a vision of greatness, that he might combine it with his Warrior skill tree¡­ but no, fate wouldn¡¯t have it. They wouldn¡¯t have it. That dream had been robbed of him, and now the only thing he had to burn was regret.


    And yet, when Lys had sung her last¡­ it was all that captivated his mind now.


    1% HP


    He coughed, spitting blood.


    His already-fuzzy world now flickered with bright, almost blinding light. He always knew he¡¯d die alone. He tried to find comfort in the grip of his hammer, but he had dropped it when the Death Priestess attacked. Her arm was on his chest now, her death magic seeping into him¡ªa fate worse than death.


    Oh, how she must hate him.


    A bloody smile crept onto his lips as the Death Priestess took his soul.


    Skill [Meld] successful!


    Divine Core has partially integrated with Alex Smith.


    [Fate Reversal] activated.


    Error: Alex Smith has been targeted with [Fate Reversal].


    CRITICAL ERROR. ASPECT OF FATE IS DESTABILIZING


    PATCHING¡­ FAILED


    FATAL SYSTEM ERROR


    INITIATING SYSTEM RESET

 2 — One More Time

    The tap of a pen. A desk phone¡¯s sharp ring, a practiced response. Hushed chatter. A printer¡¯s thrum, the soft tick of a clock; clicks and clacks from countless keyboards. The sounds were vaguely nostalgic to Alex.


    He blinked in confusion.


    Wait, he was alive? How did he¡ª


    Oh.


    Lightheaded, he collapsed back onto the chair he¡¯d risen from. His limbs were weak. His vision was spotty, teetering on darkness. Was he still injured?


    Strange¡­. I can¡¯t see my HP bar.


    ¡°Hey, Alex.¡± Someone poked their head in from behind a wall. ¡°You look like you could use a Monster.¡±


    A monster. Alex startled, trying to find his sword. ¡°Where...¡±


    The man placed an ominous can in front of him. ¡°I¡¯m on my sixth myself¡­ Too bad we¡¯re not paid by the hour, eh?¡± He half-chuckled and half-writhed as he swiveled back behind the wall.


    Wait, not a wall, Alex realized in horror. No¡­ It was a cubicle. Not just one but a row of them, a whole room of cubicles, an entire¨C


    Oh God¡­ This is an office, isn¡¯t it?


    With a sinking feeling in his gut, Alex recognized exactly where he was. But that just couldn¡¯t be¡­ This place¡­it was beyond authentic; a hyper-realistic rendition of¡­ I don¡¯t even know anymore. He slumped into his chair and closed his eyes, letting the ringing permeate his brain. Three rings. You were supposed to let the phones ring thrice before answering¡ªneither too desperate nor too uncaring. Standard call center procedure.


    Right, Camilla was upset... so is this some kind of torture?


    Or had he survived?


    No. That still wouldn¡¯t explain this. His memory of those final moments were hazy, but he was certain he¡¯d died. Unless Camilla was secretly a Saintess...


    This must be a dream. I¡¯m walking around as her puppet, and this is the endless nightmare I must endure.


    Alex shuddered at the thought.


    He racked his brain for answers but couldn¡¯t find a reasonable explanation. Even if he was optimistic and presumed that integration with the core had succeeded, wouldn¡¯t he have just returned to the beginning of that fight? Not even a Divine Core was capable of something on this scale, right? He¡¯d died. He¡¯d literally felt his soul slipping away¡ªheading gods knew where. And yet here he was, of all places.


    HKR Software Management,


    Seattle, Washington, USA, Earth


    Absent-mindedly, he cracked open the Monster energy drink and let his eyes glaze over. His mind drifted away, mulling over questions he didn¡¯t have answers to, and his attention slipped off every subject. There was nothing deeper he could glean with shallow investigation. His brain would be wasting its energy. He just floated in his memories, seeing it all through a distant, foggy lens.


    ¡°Hello! Thank you for calling HKR Software! How can I¡­¡±


    A loud ring came from the cubicle to his left. Then another from behind him.


    Lovely. How nostalgic.


    Alex pinched his eyes. He peered at his monitor, which was overtaken by spreadsheets and graphs, split-screened across countless tabs: Data points for reference, unrealistic company projections, and borderline delusional quotas. With each passing minute, his memories became clearer. The inhuman hours, the scapegoating¡­ But what did it matter?


    The feelings attached to them belonged to a stranger now. In many ways the apocalypse had been the great leveler, carelessly tearing down the social constructs and hierarchies that gave the world he¡¯d known order. If this place truly reflected his past, then these quotas, projections, and profits wouldn¡¯t matter soon.


    He slugged down the rest of his energy drink¡ªthen crushed it.


    Wait, how soon?


    ¡°Yo, Alex.¡± His cubicle neighbor peeked in again. ¡°What¡¯s got you so spacy today? You won¡¯t need me to call an ambulance again, right? They won¡¯t reimburse you, you know. Management¡¯s changed insurance policies since last time. Did you sign the new papers?¡±


    ¡°What? Who even are y¡ªyou know what? Nevermind. Just tell me what day it is.¡±


    The man seemed like he¡¯d been about to answer. Instead, he suddenly went pale, looking past Alex, over his shoulder. Alex followed his gaze and saw a balding man who thumbed his suspenders with the attitude of someone who spent too much of his mornings in front of the mirror practicing his glare. Even before he spoke, Alex felt an all too familiar chill.


    ¡°Alex, the manager¨C¡±


    ¡ªwould like a word with you.


    Alex frowned, finishing the sentence in his head. This level of precognition from his trait was unnatural for anything short of a dagger in the back.


    ¡°You¡¯re nowhere near hitting your quota for this month,¡± the man sneered. ¡°And they want to know why.¡±


    He said ¡®why¡¯ as though the answer were obvious¡ªas if to insinuate that Alex¡¯s disheveled, un-showered condition was the very crux of the issue.


    After enduring a barrage of criticisms about his wrinkled shirt, Alex finally remembered the man: Jack, John, or something equally stereotypical. A pompous middle manager who¡¯d always been on his ass. He blabbered on and Alex felt like he was experiencing two re-enactments of his life, one from memory and the other on a delay. The d¨¦j¨¤ vu was too intense, too detailed for something from fifteen years ago.


    He pulled out his phone, trying to recall how to unlock it. Then startled when he saw his wallpaper.


    Alyssa...


    Her hazel-blue eyes stirred up a myriad of emotions that had laid untouched for years. Her cheeky smile, the way her auburn hair curled messily around the earmuffs he¡¯d bought her, the way she¡­ just everything about her. He hadn¡¯t been able to find a picture after Earth fell, and since he¡¯d lost the one he¡¯d had...


    Except¡­ Earth hadn¡¯t fallen here, had it? Even if this was a dream¡ªno, who even cared if it was? If the Integration hadn¡¯t even begun yet, then maybe he could¡ª


    His stomach lurched as another realization dawned on him.


    ¡°Hey, Alex! Are you even listening? You¡¯d better have an answer prepared when you get to the GM¡¯s office!¡±


    Alex was, in fact, not listening. He sprang to his feet, shoved past his balding middle manager, and bolted from the cubicle. He checked the date on his phone, checked it again, and then checked the time.


    September 22, 2023. 11:07 pm.


    It was a day he would never forget¡ªthat no one could forget. He only had one hour.


    Fuck. Why couldn¡¯t he have just had a normal existence-less afterlife? This timing was damn conspicuous! Was it a nightmare after all?


    ¡°Hey! Is this what they call cold quitting? What am I supposed to tell the higher-ups?!¡±


    ¡°Tell them this, Jonas!¡± Alex shouted back. ¡°Tell them they¡¯ll have better things to worry about soon!¡±


    Adrenaline kicked in and he broke into a run.


    ¡°My name isn¡¯t Jonas¡­¡±


    Alex rounded a corner, the middle manager¡¯s shout fading behind him. He glanced at his screensaver again: It was a photo from Alyssa¡¯s middle school graduation in 2020¡ªthe last year he and his sister had been on speaking terms. Taking a deep breath, he dialed her number. It went to voicemail on the first ring.


    Of course she wouldn¡¯t pick up.


    He dialed again¡­ and again, but his fifth dial went immediately to voicemail. He ran through the vaguely familiar city streets, his thumb fumbling to find where he had his address saved. Then he went to check his credit balance, hesitantly prying open his eyes.


    Only $62.34.


    He chuckled pitifully, then emptied most of it on an overpriced uber. As soon as his driver pulled over, he jumped into the backseat.


    ¡°Code?¡± the driver asked.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the code?¡± He repeated.


    ¡°Uh right, it¡¯s uh¡­ 2832. Please be quick, it¡¯s an emergency.¡±


    ¡°Seat belt?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sure.¡±


    Alex clicked himself in. He gave his thanks to the driver, both for taking the fastest route onto the viaduct, and for only making a few meager attempts at pleasantries. Meanwhile, Alex worked the dexterity back into his thumbs, typing one of the longest messages he¡¯d ever written. He stared at his phone, bewildered.


    How do I send this without sounding crazy¡­


    He couldn¡¯t. But with no other choice, he sent it anyway. It didn¡¯t matter if his sister didn¡¯t believe him, but he hoped she would at least read it. If there was even a tiny chance that this was all real, then the world would prove him right soon enough. And this¡­. was all he could do for her. She lived in Los Angeles¡ªcloser to where they¡¯d grown up.


    Ironic, wasn¡¯t it? Here he was, fifteen years in the past and just a few hours too late to change anything.


    Perhaps it was because he¡¯d been sent back here, to a place where such gestures once held any meaning at all, but for the first time in a long while, Alex found his hands clasped together in prayer.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    Please, Lys, listen to your older brother just this once.


    Don¡¯t choose Nightmare.


    ***


    Alex had his driver drop him off at the nearest convenience store to his apartment, as he had some items to buy before returning to his unit. The concierge cleared him through the lobby and he¡¯d bolted up the stairs, hunching over to catch his breath once he reached the fourth-floor landing


    The plastic bags digging into his arm were packed with cheap snacks, borax, lighter fluid, and as much canola oil as $20 could buy you in Seattle.


    Which was enough to drag down his withered body, even if it wasn¡¯t much.


    He wouldn¡¯t have stopped if he weren¡¯t genuinely concerned he might faint at this rate. His pre-apocalypse physique was in terrible shape. It was a wonder how he¡¯d even survived the tutorial in his... first life?


    Is that what I¡¯m calling this now?


    He huffed, lamenting that he didn¡¯t have an inventory to shove all this stuff into, but he¡¯d be damned if he went in empty-handed this time. Everything he had on him when Integration began would teleport with him, and he intended to make use of that. Even if it just meant ransacking his apartment for a fistful of granola bars or whatever else he could find.


    I hope we paid the water bill.


    Another set of stairs later and Alex¡¯s breath already came hot and heavy. This wasn¡¯t the body he was used to. He exited the stairwell, and after a minute, the elevator dinged. Only then did he realize he couldn¡¯t even remember which floor he lived on. Would his adrenaline have just taken him all the way to the rooftop? Or would he have collapsed halfway there?


    Thankfully, muscle memory kicked in, and he pressed the correct button.


    Floor 7.


    The elevator ascended. Alex stared at his reflection in the mirror, tracing his face with a vague sense of dysphoria. The last fifteen years had been entirely erased from his body¡ªit was as though he were looking at a complete stranger. He touched his stomach, where his innards had bled out only moments ago. It was smooth, intact. Yet on the whole, his fifteen years younger self looked much closer to death. His frame hung taut and fragile. His pale skin was unmarred by scars, but it clung to his bones like wet rice paper.


    However, what struck him most was the familiar look in his eyes¡ªthe one thing that hadn¡¯t changed. The elevator chimed. Alex stepped into the hallway, his legs wobbly. He retched.


    This can¡¯t be real.


    To be back here after so long. That meant it was all gone. Everything he¡¯d done¡­ everything that had happened to him¡­ all the suffering, all the hardships¡ªreset. Reduced to nothing.


    He knew he¡¯d asked for a second chance, just¡­ not like this.


    He pulled out his phone again. The photo was an old one. Alyssa had only been twelve, and Alex... the man he used to be, with that careless smile and the shitty goatee of a man who could just barely grow one¡­ how could that be the same person?


    He checked his messages.


    No reply.


    His lips pursed into a thin line. Something he¡¯d been asked just a few weeks ago came to mind unbidden. ¡°Hey Alex, what would you do if you could go back to the very beginning?¡±


    The man hadn¡¯t been an acquaintance. Just an over-familiar drunkard, with more booze behind his words than sense.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to clock the next person who asks me that,¡± Alex remembered answering.


    It wasn¡¯t like he¡¯d never thought about it¡ªeveryone had. And everyone had the same answer; they¡¯d do things differently. But what did that really mean? A quick stop at 7-Eleven before the apocalypse? No, that made little difference on its own. It was just his experience taking over, years of restless instinct telling him to prepare for the next battle.


    Then what? What was his real answer? It wasn¡¯t like he wanted to relive that hell. But what could he really change? At this rate, wouldn¡¯t he just experience it all again as he had the first time?


    His hand hesitated on the doorknob and he pulled out his phone again. His face reflected off its dark surface, and he finally understood what was so familiar about his eyes.


    They held no hope.


    But so what?


    With a shaky breath, he braced himself, turning his keys. He didn¡¯t have the answers. Perhaps this really was a dream¡ªor a nightmare even¡ªbut that was a stupid hill to die on. If there was even a chance the Integration was coming, he had to be ready. Because that was how he survived.


    He entered his apartment.


    ¡°Alex?¡±


    A man with a tapered buzz cut turned toward him from the couch, his expression incredulous.


    ¡°Cameron¡­ Long time no see.¡±


    Alex walked past him into the tiny kitchen and started rooting through the cabinets. Shin ramen and canned soup, a low stock of both. Go figure. Seattle was expensive and making a shitty living meant there was little time leftover to cook. He grabbed a plastic bag and started tossing food in. Then he picked up a lone mandarin orange that sat dusty on the fridge top, his mind distant.


    The TV played some random SpongeBob episode as background noise.


    ¡°Long time no see?¡± Cameron repeated. ¡°Look, man, if you didn¡¯t look like complete shit right now, I¡¯d think you were dodging me. And why are you acting like a squirrel about to get its nuts stolen?¡±


    Alex noticed a slip of paper by the sink that read, Do them yourself.


    He walked past it, tucking the unused slow cooker under his arm, mentally shrugging. You never know. It might come in handy somehow.


    ¡°Seriously?¡± Cameron¡¯s expression became concerned. He turned the TV off. ¡°Hey, man, you know we gotta talk. About all this. And rent.¡±


    Alex paused, frowning in consternation.


    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious! Man, we¡¯ve known each other for a long time, and I¡¯ve covered for you before¡ªbut this? This is a bit much.¡±


    Alex stared blankly. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m a little dazed out. What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Dude, it¡¯s been four months. You literally owe me over three grand, and I¡¯m not sure you even can pay me back¡ªand hey, don¡¯t say you¡¯re too tired to talk. I-¡± Cameron exhaled, then calmed himself. ¡°Listen, I hate even saying this because I¡¯d much rather help a brother out, but this has got to stop. If¡ª¡±


    ¡°Cameron,¡± Alex said firmly.


    His former roommate paused, taken aback by the severity in his tone. Alex took a moment to think. To remember.


    Shit, rent.


    The thought brought him halfway between manic laughter and a tired sigh. He somehow managed to repress both, facing Cameron. Standing at full height, his friend cast an imposing figure, with hard eyes and round glasses that did nothing to soften the intensity of his frown.


    How much should I tell him?


    Certainly not the whole truth. And ¡°friend¡± felt... complicated. Well no, they had been friends once, hadn¡¯t they? Not close ones¡ªAlex hadn¡¯t been close to anyone¡ªbut close enough to survive living together. For a bit. That had to count for something, right?


    He glanced around the room. The curtains were open, fluttering in the night¡¯s breeze. A pile of clothes and another forgotten note lay in the corner with some scattered items. Thinking clearly, none of it was remotely useful for the apocalypse.


    Cameron was looking at him expectantly. Friend or not, the man might be dead in a few hours.


    Four months of unpaid rent¡­ I guess I was a pretty shit roommate.


    Alex sighed. There were cigarettes on the side table and a longing he thought he¡¯d abandoned rose in his chest. He left the slow cooker with some of the food on the counter and walked to the balcony, sliding open the door.


    ¡°A quick smoke?¡±


    Apprehension lingered in Cameron¡¯s expression, but some of the tension drained from his shoulders. ¡°Don¡¯t you know it. Finals are a bitch this quarter.¡±


    Finals, huh¡­


    Alex leaned over the railing, gazing out into the night sky.


    11:39 pm¡­ roughly twenty-one minutes.


    Lights sparkled from skyscrapers across the water like dazzling emeralds. When Alex had first come to Seattle he¡¯d expected constant rainfall but contrary to rumor, it was more like an on-and-off drizzle¡ªa constant mist that dampened the shoulders and filled your nostrils with the scent of rain. He¡¯d grown to like it.


    He¡¯d wanted to show his sister it someday.


    ¡°Alex¡­¡± Cameron said, passing the cigarette, ¡°You¡¯re in a different kind of mood today. You aren¡¯t thinking of doing it, are you?¡±


    Alex coughed, his lungs burning. ¡°No, Cameron. I¡¯m a lot of things, but not suicidal.¡±


    Cameron went quiet for a second. ¡°Yeah, I know. I used to wonder for a while. Was why I tried to hook you up with¡ªuh, nah nevermind. It was dumb. I just figured you would¡¯ve done it already if you were gonna. What with¡­ you know.¡±


    Alex shrugged, masking a wince. It¡¯d been long since anyone poked that sore spot. He still remembered¡ªmore clearly than he wanted to.


    He checked his phone again. No reply from his sister, and there wouldn¡¯t be. He let it fall into his pocket and passed the cigarette to Cameron, resting his head against the railing.


    Seattle. A new city; a fresh start. Or so he¡¯d thought at the time. As it turned out, criminal records follow you across state lines, and it doesn¡¯t matter how young you were or how minor the infraction was. All he¡¯d wanted was to take custody of his sister from foster care, to take care of her himself. To do that though he¡¯d needed money, and sure, he¡¯d made some mistakes, told some lies along the way, but he¡¯d worked hard to end up where he did. He was good at his job. If the system was rigged against him why wouldn''t he cheat a little?


    Unfortunately, the law didn¡¯t agree with that sort of thinking. Neither had his employers. And by the time he¡¯d lost his only chance at living with his sister, all the money in the world had become worthless to him. Coming to Seattle, Alex knew the truth now, he¡¯d just been running away.


    No wonder she doesn¡¯t want to see me.


    He took another puff, watching the embers fall. Cameron shifted uncomfortably next to him. ¡°So, look. I¡¯ll just tell you it straight. I know you don¡¯t have the money, Alex. If you did, you would¡¯ve just gambled it away already. I don¡¯t know what else to do, man. You don¡¯t talk to me, you don¡¯t ask for help¡­ I tried, is what I¡¯m saying. But you... you¡¯ve got to go. I can give you a week, and after that¡­¡±


    Silence hung between them, heavy and final.


    Yeah, that¡¯s understandable.


    Alex turned, meeting Cameron¡¯s eyes properly now. Memories stirred¡ªthe house parties they¡¯d gone to, getting wasted after the bars closed, hotboxing in Cameron¡¯s mom¡¯s minivan... They were all in the far stretches of his memory, but they were still there.


    He took a breath, then flicked his cigarette. ¡°You¡¯re a good friend, Cameron. Better than I deserved. I¡¯ll¡­ pay it back if I ever get the chance.¡±


    Cameron was perplexed, but Alex simply grabbed his things, only pausing for a moment to ransack the cabinets and closets for a few other essentials. He took in the old apartment one last time before giving Cameron a half hug. Cameron squeezed him back, saying more with that one gesture than words ever could.


    Goodbye, my friend.


    ***


    The view was better from the rooftop.


    Alex set his bags down beside him and looked out over North Seattle¡¯s shopping districts and suburbs, a strange feeling washing over him. Across the water the downtown buildings still lit up the night, but he knew it wasn¡¯t all as pretty as it appeared¡ªhaving huddled himself to sleep on their sidewalks many cold nights in his youth.


    I¡¯ve come pretty far.


    The thought was unexpected. He¡¯d come up here half-thinking this might be the time he jumped for real. But he really had, in a way. He¡¯d been an asshole¡ªstealing his friend¡¯s money, taking advantage of his kindness. Of course, he had his reasons¡ªcause for all the sorrow, self-pity, and spite he¡¯d felt back then¡ªbut ultimately, he¡¯d still done it. He¡¯d done much worse in his life. The kind of stuff that didn¡¯t even compare.


    But in the end, he¡¯d died trying to save one, hadn¡¯t he? A friend. Now that they were both dead, Alex could admit it. That¡¯s what Jordan had been to him.


    A friend.


    He coughed, reached into his breast pocket, and after some hesitation, dropped the cigarette box over the roof¡¯s edge. These lungs are going to be a bitch in the apocalypse, aren''t they?


    He pulled out his phone, screenshotting most of what he¡¯d texted Alyssa, minus the heartfelt message. This wasn¡¯t really what he¡¯d meant by repayment, but he compiled the key points in a new message and sent it to Cameron too. Then he turned off his notifications. Goodbyes should be final, in his opinion. His friend still wouldn¡¯t live. His sister probably wouldn¡¯t either.


    But Alyssa was wise beyond her years. If she saw it¡­ well, there was always a chance. He just knew better than to get his hopes up.


    Five minutes left.


    He looked out over the city. Seattle at night¡­ This would be the last time he could see it. At least the way it currently was¡ªwhole and everything.


    The city wasn¡¯t perfect, but it had been his city. Once, it had been his entire world, but now it just felt small. So fragile. Those towering buildings might scrape the sky, but he knew one scratch from the apocalypse could send them all toppling.


    He checked the time again. Less than a minute now.


    The railings were cold under his grip. The wind gave him a chill, and he realized that he had forgotten to pack warmer clothes in his reluctance to enter his room. He was still wearing his work suit, just like he had been in his first life.


    It wasn¡¯t a laughing matter.


    But he laughed anyway¡ªa derisive snort.


    Money, rent, a bad date, old friends, bad roommates, finals, studying, college, work¡ªnone of it mattered. The apocalypse would come and whisk them all away. Like it had for everything in the end.


    He looked down at his hands. If any of this is real, at least. And if it¡¯s not¡­


    The thought tapered off, too painful to finish. The idea that this could all just be a dream or illusion¡ªthat the Integration was just a figment of Alex¡¯s imagination¡ªwas a nightmare more terrifying than anything Camilla could¡¯ve conjured.


    His phone rang. He didn¡¯t look at it. It was probably Cameron, trying to get him to a proper asylum after his last text. Apocalypses and such. Maybe he really did think Alex was going to end it now.


    And maybe¡­ just maybe¡­


    Alex lowered his head, his lip trembling. Then he made his decision. He clutched his bags, grabbed the railing, and hauled himself over the edge.


    He plummeted.


    The wind roared in his face. His stomach churned as he fell. His hair whipped in the icy air. In the distance, Seattle dipped below the horizon. The ground rushed closer, bringing with it the foul lurch of death¡ªand right when he thought he might¡¯ve actually killed himself, the world shook, and Alex found himself frozen in place.


    He smiled with conflicted relief. This world was far too sane a place to live in.


    Integration 192 of Universe 39F72 has begun.


    Please await further instructions as assessment completes.


    Welcome to the Multiverse.

 3 — Initiation

    As a blinding light enveloped Alex, a voice¡ªgenderless, neutral, and cold¡ªresounded across the world.


    <b>Assessment underway¡­


    Planetary Grading: C+


    Metaphysical Manifestations: D-</b>


    <b>Beginning terraformation. Integrating Metaphysical Manifestations.</b>


    <b>Starting System announcement.</b>


    The voice shifted to a man¡¯s.


    <b><i>Natives of Universe 39F72, Integration 192, Local Name: Earth.</i></b>


    <b><i>Congratulations.</i></b>


    <b><i>You have reached a point of development suitable for beginning Integration into the System.</i></b>


    <b><i>The leaders of your world have accepted our offer and chosen to join the System. To ensure a smoother transition, a tutorial will begin for all sentient and sapient species of planet Earth.</i></b>


    <b><i>One hundred days (local time) will be provided to complete this tutorial, during which you will become familiar with the System interface and how to utilize it. Afterward, there will be a brief grace period before the planetary campaigns initiate an invasion to claim your planet.</i></b>


    <b><i>You have been given a chance to fight for its sovereignty and become a rising power within the Multiverse. Should you succeed, Earth will join under the System as a new sovereign.</i></b>


    <b><i>Good luck.</i></b>


    <i>¡°Good luck,¡±</i>  it said, as though it were wishing a neighbor well on their venture rather than sending most of humanity to their deaths. The casualness sent a shiver down Alex¡¯s back.


    The announcement ended, and his reality shifted. He stood in a dark void where size and distance held no measure. The only tangible things were the collage of stars, their sparkling sight surrounding him entirely. They shone blue, red, white, with colors vaster than imagination, and all of them seemed to be watching him.


    Which was an absurd notion. They wouldn¡¯t be watching <i>him </i>of all people, but perhaps one of their vassals were keeping tabs.


    He walked forward, plastic bags crinkling at his sides like candy wrappers in the silence. Though there was no visible ground, faint light shimmered beneath his feet, forming a platform with each step. He came to a stop and tentatively reached out until his fingers met cold stone. His hand slid over the chiseled, patterned surface of the first gate¡ªthe Gate of Awakening¡ªtrailing just enough to cause a faint glow.


    He followed the grooves until his fingers found a smooth orb embedded in the gate¡¯s center. Suddenly, dark, obsidian light surged from the orb, piercing into the core of his core. Power flooded through him. Space seemed to ripple like curtains in a breeze, and as effortlessly as that, Alex awakened.


    <b>¡°Hello, Alex Smith. Welcome to the Sanctum,¡±</b> a voice said.


    Alex turned around. With his magic-senses restored, the starlight was now enough to illuminate his surroundings. The Sanctum couldn¡¯t have been called a room; it lacked identifiable walls or boundaries. But it felt less like the endless expanse it had appeared to be before.


    A vaguely human-shaped figure now stood in the center of the Sanctum.


    <i>The Guardian,</i> Alex thought.<i> The one who oversees the System¡¯s gates.</i>


    The being¡¯s smooth eye-sockets glowed faintly. Its pale, almost holographic body was textured like a mannequin¡¯s but layered with something slicker, like plaster. Its jagged, insincere smile was too sly to be considered cordial and it wore its business suit as if convinced that was all it required to pass for a human.


    The guise wasn¡¯t convincing¡ªnot to someone who had seen its true form.


    <i>System,</i> Alex commanded.


    Immediately, a virtual screen materialized before Alex, blocking the Guardian from sight. Though he¡¯d only been an hour without the System, seeing the familiar blue screen brought him an odd comfort.


    Then he actually read his screen¡ªand horror set in.


    <b>Alex Smith</b><b>, Unranked</b><b>


    </b>


    <b>Class: N/A</b><b></b><b>


    Level: 2</b>


    <b>Health: 92%


    Mana: 100%


    Stamina: 44%</b>


    <b>> Traits</b>


    <b>[???]</b>


    <b>> Titles </b>


    <b>None</b>


    <b>> Attributes</b>


    <b>None</b>


    <b>> Skills</b>


    <b>None</b>


    <b>> Stats</b>


    <b>Vitality: 2</b>


    <b>Strength: 1</b>


    <b>Dexterity: 2</b>


    <b>Fortitude: 2</b>


    <b>Perception: 4</b>


    <b>Arcane: 2</b>


    It was gone¡ªall of it. Alex gaped. Every stat, every ounce of progress he¡¯d earned over the years, it¡¯d been taken from him. And of course it had. He certainly didn¡¯t <i>feel </i>like someone with an Expert ranker''s stats. But having the System actually quantify his weakness was a visceral blow. To think all that effort just be erased...


    <i>Dammit.</i>


    He ground his jaw, then just sighed in exasperation. On another day, this might have been devastating. Today, it was just tragic, and he was a little burnt out on tragedy. He released his fists and that made him remember the supplies he¡¯d brought. With a flick of his wrist, they were sent to his inventory.


    He was about to close the screen when a notification popped up.


    <b>Welcome to your stat page! Here, you¡¯ll be able to see the quantification of all your progress. Let me guide you through¡­</b>


    Alex couldn¡¯t dismiss the guide with a mental command; his settings must have reset. Instead, he had to manually close the window¡ªa relatively minor inconvenience, but still tedious for someone used to mental commands for the last fifteen years.


    <b>¡­In addition to your three conditions, each awakened has six attributes¡­</b>


    Irritatingly, even closing the screen didn¡¯t stop the intrusive voice. Its buzz grated directly into his skull.


    It took him a minute to find the right setting.


    <b>Are you sure you would like to disable orientation mode? Yes or¡ª</b>


    <i>Yes. Please.</i>


    In Alex¡¯s first life, it had taken him too long to realize the System¡¯s help resources were comprehensive enough <i>without </i>the ostentatious speeches.


    The voice finally stopped, leaving only the guide¡¯s last triggered screen.


    <b>Stat Glossary</b>


    <b>Vitality:<i>


    the capacity of one¡¯s body to grow and recover from stress and damage.</i></b>


    <b>Strength:<i> the capacity of one¡¯s body to exert force or pressure.</i></b>


    <b>Dexterity:<i> the capacity of one¡¯s body to exert control over its motor functions.</i></b>


    <b>Fortitude:<i> the capacity of one¡¯s mind and body to maintain function under duress.</i></b>


    <b>Perception:<i> the capacity of one¡¯s mind to comprehend and process sensory information.</i></b>


    <b>Arcane:<i> the capacity of one¡¯s spirit to channel mana and cast magic.</i></b>


    <i>Patience¡ªthe capacity of one¡¯s sanity to not self-destruct from this bullshit.</i>


    Alex sighed as he closed out the window.


    Begrudgingly, he knew this wasn¡¯t strictly a bad thing¡ªhe wasn¡¯t stupid. With his curse, he¡¯d been so deep in trouble that nothing sort of, well... all this, would¡¯ve been enough to set him entirely back on track. He <i>understood. </i>But just because medicine was good for you didn¡¯t mean you had to like the taste of it.


    <b>Orientation ended!</b>


    The last of the notifications vanished, bringing the Guardian back into view¡ªmuch closer than before. Its soulless, plaster-like sockets gleamed with what could only be intrigue.


    <b>¡°Curious, Mr. Smith. It says here you¡¯re human¡ªnot beast-blood, nor vampire, nor mage¡ªbut a natural-born human, yes?¡±</b> The Guardian straightened, clasping its hands behind its back as it circled inquisitively around him. <b>¡°Strange that you would adjust so fast, Mr. Smith. What¡¯s even more bizarre is that none of the stars in this sky seem to be taking special interest¡­¡±</b>


    The Arbiter trailed off as if expecting Alex to reveal some secret in the silence. He offered nothing, reminding himself that as personable as it seemed, the Guardian was not alive¡ªnot anymore. It was a representative of the System, devoid of fleshly urges or desires. Nothing untoward would come of its interest.


    But it was still creepy as fuck.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have anything you want to ask me? No ''Who are you?!¡¯ or ''Waah, where is this?¡¯ No?¡±


    <i>I suppose I could fake confusion.</i>


    But really, there¡¯d be no point. He couldn¡¯t hide much from the System itself.


    <b>¡°Not a talker, I take it, Mr. Smith. In that case¡­¡±</b>


    The Arbiter adjusted its tie and, with a flourish, extended a white envelope toward him.


    Alex¡¯s heart pounded.


    He already knew what it was. With some resignation, he touched the seal. The envelope vanished in a flash, and its contents appeared as text on his interface.


    <i>Dear Alex Smith,</i>


    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    <i>The High Justice Council of the Multiverse acknowledges your potential as the pinnacle of what your world has to offer and extends to you an invitation to an alternate tutorial, <b>Nightmare.</b></i>


    <i>¡°Stretch your wings! Test your strength! Vanquish evil from all worlds! The risk may be great, but the rewards are worth it. So come and prove yourself against the terrors of the night! We hope to see you there!¡± ¡ª Council Member Justin</i>


    <i>Note: This is an exclusive opportunity¡ªonly one million spots are guaranteed. If you refuse, yours will be given to the next in line.</i>


    <i>Sincerely,</i>


    <i>The High Justice Council</i>


    The words faded, leaving Alex holding the physical letter. He promptly crumpled it up and tossed it into empty space, where it shimmered on contact. It wasn''t very explanatory, but that¡¯s what the Guardian was for¡ªnot that Alex needed reminding of what Nightmare was really about.


    ¡°Tell me,¡± Alex muttered. ¡°What was my priority in the queue?¡±


    <b>¡°What makes you think you weren¡¯t first to receive this invitation?¡±</b> The Guardian deadpanned.


    It was a stupid question, so Alex didn¡¯t answer.


    <b>¡°You were the 3,562,202nd to be invited.¡±</b>


    He grunted. About what he¡¯d expected, though it was nice to have confirmation. This ¡°opportunity¡± had cycled through over two and a half million people before reaching him.


    <i>Exclusive, my ass.</i>


    Sure, it put him in the top 0.0005% of Earth¡¯s magical potential, but in the grand scheme of the universe, that kind of talent was meager. Anyone noteworthy before Integration would¡¯ve been among the first hundred thousand invites, and most likely knew to pass it up.


    <b>¡°I will say, there¡¯s a quite generous signing bonus¡ª¡±</b>


    ¡°Shut up, I¡¯m thinking.¡±


    A white lie. There wasn¡¯t much to consider anymore. He already knew what he had to do, even if it terrified him. Just the thought of going back to that forsaken world made him quail. He didn¡¯t want it.


    But he¡¯d already made his choice.


    <i>Alyssa, I¡¯m sorry.</i>


    He didn¡¯t know if he had anything to be sorry for, but guilt gnawed at him. The standard tutorial took place on a terraformed earth; if she was going to die again it¡¯d most likely happen in those first days, while he¡¯d be trapped in Seattle, out of reach from her.


    No, Alex had to prepare for what came <i>after</i>. Because even if she made use of the information, he¡¯d sent her, no ordinary amount of power could guarantee her safety once the invasion began.


    And if it was power he was after...


    <i>Then Nightmare it is.</i>


    Alex clenched his fists, meeting the Guardian¡¯s unblinking gaze. Above its head, a timer began counting down from five minutes. He matched the thing¡¯s toothy grin with grim determination.


    It wasn¡¯t just for Alyssa. The decrepit world of Nightmare and the monsters that hellish tutorial unleashed on Earth still haunted his dreams. He couldn¡¯t run from that. There were too many wrongs that needed righting¡ªwrongs that he¡¯d never have the strength to face if he ran away now. He was sick of being on the knife¡¯s edge, of being weak in a world full of predators. He¡¯d been betrayed, misled, and ruined way too many times. He wasn¡¯t going to sit back and watch as it all happened again.


    This time, he¡¯d take charge of his fate, no matter the cost.


    <b>¡°Very well then,¡± </b>the Guardian said.<b> ¡°I¡¯m certain we will see each other soon, Mr. Smith.¡±</b>


    For the third time that day, Alex was engulfed by light. As his world disappeared, the Guardian¡¯s smile twisted into something far more sinister.


    ***


    <b>Signing bonus received.</b>


    <b>Basic Essence-Refinement Method has been integrated.</b>


    <b>Inventory has been augmented to Grade C.</b>


    <b>Universal translator has been updated with all Earthen languages along with 500 additional ones.</b>


    <b>[Inspect] has been added to the interface.</b>


    <b>[Identify] has been added to the interface.</b>


    <b>Additional Shop privileges have been granted.</b>


    <b>Your balance has been started at 1,000 Essence Crystals ¡ª non-consumable.</b>


    <b>Welcome to the Nightmare! The Council of High Justice applauds your decision. What bonus set woul¡ª</b>


    <b>Bonus Set C selected.</b>


    <b>x1 Standard Dagger</b>


    <b>x1 Leather Armor Set</b>


    <b>x1 Bag of Beef Jerky</b>


    <b>Skill: [Stealth]</b>


    The items appeared with a <i>thwump</i>, collapsing into a pile at Alex¡¯s feet. Strangely, he had no need to check his System, he literally <i>felt</i> the stealth skill settling into his soul, intertwining with his being. He frowned at that.


    Soon, others began to teleport in.


    ¡°What? Where is this¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hah! Come on, this can¡¯t be re¡ª¡±


    ¡°Molly? Molly? Goddammit, pick up the phone!¡±


    Alex sat himself on the edge of the grass clearing, shoving jerky into his mouth. The bag wafted an intense umami smell that made his stomach gurgle. Arguably, his greatest regret from his last life was not grabbing a bite before the apocalypse. Even if this would only recover a fraction of his stamina in his malnourished state, it warmed his stomach nonetheless.


    Still, 44% stamina was horrendous for what he¡¯d be up against. The caffeine from the can of Monster he¡¯d downed was beginning to kick in¡ªit would help bridge the gap a little¡ªbut he should¡¯ve looted the employee fridges while he was at it.


    Alex gave a regretful sigh. All around him was chaos. People were worried, panicked, and confused, shouting or mumbling as more newly Awakened teleported in behind them. There¡¯d been only a handful at first¡ªthose like him who had wasted little time on their decision or others who were too shaken to think clearly. Alex ignored the ruckus and began strapping on his armor: torso first, then greaves, tassets, and bracers. By the time he¡¯d fitted it all, a steady flow of newcomers were arriving.


    A voice spoke from over his shoulder.


    ¡°What the¡ª¡±


    Alex glanced at the broad man as he finished materializing. He was built like a professional wrestler¡ªand given what he was wearing, he probably was one.


    ¡°Where¡ªhey, did you talk to that Guardian thing too? Options¡ªwhat do I¡­¡± He went silent, then tapped the display in front of him, and a pile of items appeared at his feet.


    <i>Bonus Set B,</i> Alex noted as he immediately set his System to invisible. At least the man had been decisive with his decision.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Alex asked, ¡°what skill did you choose?¡±


    Asking was just a courtesy¡ªit was <b>Guiding Light</b>, a fairly standard scouting skill with some particularly neat uses when creatively applied. Almost all of the bonus selections came with one skill or another. The System pulled some strings to increase learning proficiency for the first equipped skill, so all the offerings were relatively suited to the person¡¯s natural aptitude and rarely too out there.


    Alex had half-hearted hopes that he might open a dialogue for cooperation, but the man just sneered. He looked at Alex with judging eyes.


    ¡°What, did you think I¡¯d tell you? That Guardian thing said only one-tenth can make it out anyway.¡±


    <i>And that¡¯s why talking to the Guardian is a waste of time.</i>


    Alex wasn¡¯t surprised enough to be disappointed, and resisted a snort as the man stalked away. A <i>tenth? </i>If that many of them had made it out, maybe Earth¡¯s fate would¡¯ve been different.


    He finished the last of his jerky as a crowd developed in the middle of the clearing. Some people were still out of sorts, but the reactions were mixed now. This was Nightmare¡ªmost of them were athletes, mathematicians, geniuses, or eccentrics of some sort, and they were all here because they had a deadly ego, unless they thought they were still dreaming.


    He heard specific words echoing over more often now: challenge, fantasy, and game. He watched as a decently built man tugged pitifully at a gigantic, greater-than-great-sword sized hunk of iron, clearly already regretting his choice of weapon.


    Alex looked down at his own dagger; he saw how his spindly wrist bent from its weight when he let it go slack. He didn¡¯t inspire much confidence, did he?


    Heck, he was probably scrawnier than everyone else gathered here today. He¡¯d seen the look in that man¡¯s eyes when he¡¯d asked about his skill. Hardly a passing glance, and he¡¯d already been dismissed from mind. He knew what went through people¡¯s minds as they looked at him. He looked <i>weak</i>.


    Rather, he <i>was</i> weak. He glanced over at the mosh pit of heightened emotions where everyone had gathered. This didn¡¯t appear to be the same group of people from his first life, but their reactions were similar enough. They all fitted their armor like bad cosplays, straps not nearly tight enough. Some of them wore serious expressions, while many just waved their weapons around like they were the toys they would slay the dragons with.


    They were a familiar sight. People¡ª<i>normal</i> people, all things considered¡ªwho were in over their heads, unaware of the death about to befall them. None of them were mages, which meant Alex was probably the only one who knew what was coming.


    His trait suddenly did something abnormal, showing him a strange vision: Gray clouds swooped overhead, looming there, casting a dark shadow over the field. He watched as the crowd turned toward him in unison. Their eyes seemed starkly pleading, even as they melted into bloody goop. Flesh fell away from their faces, revealing patches of bone and wound, and their empty sockets bore into him. In that moment of truth, he saw them as the dead men that they were.


    The sensation passed in a second. Sunlight bathed the clearing as if it had never been disturbed. No one even spared him a glance; the chill in his spine receded.


    He thought about it then¡ªof going in there, introducing himself, finding some capable individuals, stringing them together into some semblance of order. There were still a few people with skills worth considering in the bunch¡ªlike the healer with Bone Restoration, who was currently¡­ making his own bones firmer? Or the buff guy with a good sword-swinging skill who was wielding a¡­ scythe. That wrestler with the Guiding Light skill was a good lead, in any case.


    But then he caught the drift of a heated argument between the wrestler and a sharp-tongued woman as they vied for leadership. Their altercation was growing scarily tense for people who¡¯d just learned magic. He glanced again at his measly dagger.


    No, there would be no room for cooperation there.


    <i>Not yet.</i>


    Stifling a yawn, Alex stretched, then rose up, cracking his back. His bones were frail beneath his skin, and blood rushed to his head in a way that was oddly refreshing as his vision failed for a second. He folded his blazer, loosened his tie, and slid the dagger beneath his belt into its accompanying sheath.


    The sun had begun to set behind the mountains unnaturally fast, creating a sudden dusk. The forestry was flush with sounds mimicking life, and the clearing would¡¯ve been the perfect place for a twilight picnic if not for the fresh circling of bony crows and the graying grass.


    Subtly, the influx of new people started to slow. It was about time.


    A dark, orb-shaped void appeared in the center of the clearing. He counted the crowd at thirty-four as they stared at it, dumbfounded.


    <b>00:59</b>


    <b>00:58</b>


    <i>No, thirty-five.</i>


    As Alex turned the other way, he spotted the pitifully small woman who¡¯d been the last to teleport in. She¡¯d probably spent the entire countdown indecisive on the invitation¡ªand just like he once had, she decided to partake.


    As he disappeared into the tree line, he gave a silent prayer for her next life. And in that same instant, he decided how he''d like to spend this one.


    Survival was a goal for the weak.


    So Alex would be weak no longer.


    <b>0:00


    </b>


    <b>Nightmare has begun. Starting Players: 999,836</b>


    <b>Mandatory scenario has been triggered.</b>


    <b>Title: Initiation


    </b>


    <b>Player Count: 35</b>


    <b>Rewards: 1,000 Essence Crystals</b>


    <b>Skill Paths unlocked for purchase in shop.</b>


    <b>Basic Skills Catalog</b>


    <b>Clear Conditions:</b>


    <b>Survive the attack or end up as the one to receive immunity.</b>


    <b>Good luck!</b>


    ***


    Jun had always believed there was nothing he couldn¡¯t overcome through effort. He¡¯d believed it when he¡¯d spent his nights cramming to get into Harvard Medical, when he¡¯d made enough money to get his mother a heart transplant, and right up until the very moment monsters started pouring from the gate and killing people.


    No amount of effort would have prepared him for this.


    ¡°Please! Somebody¡ª¡±


    A woman stumbled and shrieked as she was assaulted somewhere behind him. By the time he mustered up his courage to help her, her screams had turned into gurgles. Then only the wet sounds of a monster feasting remained.


    <i>I¡ªI should help her.</i>


    He ran faster.


    Branches whipped past his face, his legs stinging from countless scrapes. Tears welled in his eyes, but he didn¡¯t slow down. It was dark now¡ªweirdly, when he thought about how quickly the sun had fallen¡ªbut he stayed alert, straining to hear inhuman snarls or footsteps. Though, all he heard were screams and the clang of metal from the giant armored knight.


    It wasn¡¯t like they¡¯d been clueless. They hadn¡¯t expected anything good to happen when the countdown ended. But there were just so many of them! Those sharp teeth, their beady little eyes¡­


    And that armored knight? It still freaked him out. Someone had sent a pulse at its head, knocking its helmet clean off, and he¡¯d seen underneath. There¡¯d been no one inside.


    Jun forced himself to run harder.


    There was a skittering sound to his left and another scream to his right. He slipped on something slick and came face to face with a decapitated head and the creature feasting on it. He reached for his sword¡ª


    The creature snarled as it launched itself at him.


    ¡ªbut forgot he¡¯d already dropped it.


    ¡°Ahh!¡±


    Jun shielded his eyes, ready to be torn to pieces.


    But no matter how long he sat frozen, his body remained whole. His heart resumed its beat; he slowly opened an eyelid.


    A man¡¯s shadow blurred, and suddenly, the creature had a dagger embedded in its neck. The shadow shifted, revealing that it belonged to a lanky kid. He was unhealthily skinny and had a pale complexion visible even in the dim moonlight. Anemic, or maybe just an insomniac. The kid struggled to pull his dagger free as he kicked the limp body down.


    ¡°Nice skill you got there,¡± he said. ¡°Shame you¡¯re using it wrong.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Your skill,¡± he repeated. ¡°Saw you using it earlier. What do you say we help each other out?¡±


    Jun hesitated. ¡°Y-You mean to survive?¡±


    The kid could barely support his weight. He looked like he was in need of serious medical attention. But there was something in his eyes, and the way he carried himself, that felt¡­off.


    He glanced back toward the carnage, exhaling a slight chuckle.


    ¡°Survive? No, we¡¯re going to <i>win.</i>¡±