The demon commander’s blade came down hard, too fast for me to dodge. My body froze as the sharp edge sliced through my side, sending searing pain through my entire being. I tried to scream, but no sound came out. My vision blurred, and I stumbled, barely able to hold my sword.

Health: 10/317.

I was losing blood rapidly, feeling the cold, creeping grip of death tightening around me. The demon commander smirked as I collapsed to the ground, my vision narrowing to a tunnel. The battlefield around me faded into chaos as the sounds of my comrades fighting and dying slowly drifted away.

Health: 0/317.

I hit the ground, expecting darkness to claim me. But instead, a memory flashed before my eyes—one from a life I had forgotten. I was younger, standing in my parent’s living room, their faces contorted in anger.

I was back in my old house, sitting at the kitchen table, arguing with my parents. My father stood, arms crossed, frustration written all over his face. My mother, sitting across from me, looked at me with a mix of disappointment and worry. “Sam, when are you going to start taking life seriously?” my father said, his voice stern but desperate. “You’re wasting your potential.”

“I’m not wasting anything,” I shot back, frustration boiling up inside me. “Life’s not that serious, it’s… just a game. You work hard, you get things, you play your role. What’s the point of stressing out?”

My mother shook her head. “It’s not a game, Sam. You can’t keep coasting through everything. One day, you’re going to regret not giving it your all.”

“Why don’t you take life seriously, Sam?” my mother had said, her voice filled with frustration.

My father had sighed, shaking his head. “You act like everything is a game. You’re throwing your future away.”

I remembered brushing them off, shrugging it all off as just another argument. I was careless, convinced that everything would work out without effort, like I was invincible. But life wasn’t a game. That was something I should have learned long ago.

The memory shattered as if a giant hand had swiped through the scene, pulling me back into the present. I floated in a strange limbo, time stopped completely. The battlefield was frozen, demons in mid-strike, their snarls suspended in a grotesque tableau of violence. The once-blazing sun now seemed like a mere spectator, frozen in place.

Time had stopped. The demons, my comrades, even the fire and smoke that filled the air—everything was frozen in place, as though someone had hit pause on reality. I tried to move, but my body remained lifeless, my consciousness trapped within it.

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Then, a movement. A girl in her mid-twenties walked slowly across the battlefield, the only figure unaffected by the freeze. She was tall, with long silver hair cascading down her back, her eyes glowing faintly with power. She wore a simple white robe, pristine despite the chaos around her. Her expression was one of mild dismay, her lips pursed in frustration.

She glanced around the battlefield, her eyes sweeping over the frozen demons and humans alike. “I really could’ve wiped the floor with these demons in seconds,” she murmured to herself, her voice carrying a tone of regret. “But where’s the fun in that?” Her gaze settled on me, a faint frown tugging at her lips. “You’re always getting yourself into trouble, Sam. I suppose some things never change.”

She approached me with deliberate steps, the air around her shimmering as if it were alive. She knelt beside me, pulling a vial from her pouch. The potion inside shimmered with a soft, golden light. “Here’s a little something to keep you going,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. She gently administered the health and mana potion, her touch surprisingly tender.

As she stood, her eyes met mine one last time, a complex blend of sadness and hope in their depths. “Our fates have aligned once again, Sam,” she said softly, a hint of a smile on her lips. “You won’t hear any of this, but... we’ll meet again. We can live out the life you promised me, one way or another.”

With a final, wistful glance, she began to walk away. Her figure started to blur, dissolving into the surrounding stillness. As her form vanished, time resumed its relentless march. The world snapped back into focus, and I was jolted awake, my eyes snapping open.

Almost instantly, I felt my strength returning, my body knitting itself back together, the excruciating pain vanishing as if it had never been there. The potions worked their magic, restoring me to full health.

Health: 343/343.

Mana: 411/411.

I lay on the battlefield, my body revitalized and my senses sharpened. I looked around and saw the grim reality of our situation. My comrades and friends fought desperately, their strength waning. The demon that had struck me down was now advancing on me again.

With a surge of renewed energy, I dodged its attack with newfound agility. The rush of battle returned, more intense and urgent than before. I could feel the power coursing through me, my health and mana restored, my attributes heightened. As the demon swung at me again, I was ready. The battlefield’s chaos raged on, but now, I was no longer just a participant—I was a force to be reckoned with.

The demon commander who had killed me was still there, standing over me, confusion flashing across his face. His sword was still mid-swing, ready to strike me down again. But this time, I was faster. I dodged his attack with ease, my body moving almost instinctively.

Level up!

Level 18 achieved.

The surge of energy that came with leveling up hit me hard, my stats increasing in an instant.

Attributes:

Health: 343/343

Mana: 411/411

Strength: 53

Agility: 47

Sense: 41

Reaction Speed: 50

Reaction Time: 51

Intellect: 47

Perception: 45

Stamina: 41

Available Points to Upgrade Stats: 5