Huff… Huff…
Ravin's back was drenched in cold sweat as he lay on the ground, his eyes clenched tightly as if he were still trapped in a nightmare. Even after what felt like hours, his chest still rose and fell unevenly, his nerves refusing to calm down.
He couldn't forget the pain. Pain that had stretched into something endless.
He remembered it clearly—his body swelling, pressure building until everything burst apart—and then, just as suddenly, waking up in the exact same place the strange system had brought him to.
Alive.
Again.
After staring at the never-changing sky for who knew how long, Ravin abruptly sat up and let out a strange laugh.
"Hehe… guess I'm not that strong after all," he said, forcing cheer into his voice. "But hey, at least I'm not starving anymore… and I even feel something comfortable inside me."
He ruffled his hair, shaking loose the dirt clinging to it, and stared toward the distant tower.
"Alright, let the past be the past!" he shouted lightly. "Let's see if I actually gained something after popping like a balloon. Status."
———
[ Status Window ]
Name: Ravin
Age: 16
Race: Human
Condition: Peak Condition
Strength: 2
Agility: 3
Vitality: 1
Mind: 7
Soul: 5
Mana: 50 (Body and Soul Capacity Reached)
Skills:
— Checkpoint (Death Count: 1)
———
Ravin fell silent after reading his status, his eyes staring at the white screen in front of him, unmoving.
"So… that comfortable feeling was mana, and all it took was dying a single time…"
A small laugh escaped him. "Ahaha… HAHAHAHA."
What started as a soft chuckle quickly turned into uncontrolled laughter. It took a while before he finally stopped. When he did, he wiped his face and began muttering to himself, pacing slightly as he sorted through his thoughts. Eventually, his gaze drifted toward the countless trees surrounding him.
Each one bore strange, vividly colored fruits. He had a theory about what they did. But just to be sure…
He walked toward a tree bearing small, peach-colored fruits. They looked soft and harmless, inviting even.
The closer he got, the more his hand shook.
"Should I do it?" he asked himself.
He waited a few moments. Then he smirked slightly and answered himself, "Yes. I know I need to do this. It's fine. I'll be fine…"
-----
Ravin was once again lying on the ground where he had started. His body trembled, but this time his eyes weren't clenched as tightly. When he checked his status, new lines flooded the screen.
Aura.
Dark Mana.
Holy Mana.
Spirit Power.
Aether.
Essence.
Qi.
Too many to count.
And beneath them—
———
Checkpoint (Death Count: 54)
———
Looking at the number he just felt numb, he stared a bit more and let out a hollow chuckle.
"I thought I'd died a lot more times."
He pushed himself up, legs unsteady, and faced the massive tower looming across the lake, "Hehe, I guess it's time to check the tower…"
Forcing his shaking body into motion, he began walking. Halfway there, he suddenly jerked his head to the side.
"What?" he muttered.
After whispering something only he could hear, he continued toward the white bridge.
When he reached the bridge and looked down at the still, crystal-clear water, an impulsive thought crossed his mind—to jump in and see what would happen. He was very tempted but he shook his head and continued walking forward, already adding the idea to his to-do list.