Nightcrawler had died after 999 playthroughs out of 1000 life spans.
[Previous life had begun.]
[You have granted access to return to the past for the last time]
[You have connected to a new Earth 7856th Beta timeline server for the last time. Your system is downloading the necessary data for smooth operation.]
[Your unique rank had dropped and was being updated. Please wait a moment.]
[Currently, your qualification is 'regressor.']
'Fuck, my regression reset my stats to the past.'
The first thought that came to mind was when Nightcrawler was granted access to her previous life for the 999th time out of 1,000 playthroughs of Ascension to become a constellation.
On its axis, the world and the time zone around her rotate and change together. Of course, the burden on her vulnerable soul will be great, a burden she has carried for 999 playthroughs.
[This is the Planet 'Earth 7856th'.]
"Huu"
Then, as soon as consciousness returned to normal, Nightcrawler opened her eyes immediately and without uncertainty.
[Achievement Accomplished!]
['A regressor with the 999 memories of her previous life.']
[Reward: Memories Preservation. [All stats +29]
'Ah, and this could be considered an achievement.'
Nightcrawler pondered. Swipe aside the screen and carefully look around.
The calm wind flutters her long white-sliver hair.
"Hey, What is this?"
"In a hell's gate, I've never heard of anything like this!"
"What the hell is the Bureau doing?"
Murmurs and murmurs filled the atmosphere.
In a wide, open, crimson landscape, the same as the sky. Not a few people stood on the vacant lot near the center, perplexed.
All of them had different styles of dark hair, which, from above, looked like black beads amidst the crimson.
Nightcrawler was also familiar with the language they were speaking.
It was English.
'I'm back to the very first point.'
Nightcrawler was briefly flooded with emotion, but shortly after, her gold eyes opened sharply.
On the contrary, this was not on Earth, but in Hell, and it occurred on Earth.
A Hell Gate appeared at the intersection of the Angelo subway on February 7, 2030.
— — —
"Hey, I know you're excited for your 1000th playthrough's ascension to Immortality. But I needed to tell you something you should watch out for."
A voice uttered
"Speak? What is it?"
The voice smiled mischievously before continuing.
"For your last time on the path toward ascension, the place you conveyed from and where you will open your eyes is Earth, but also not Earth. Given that other tribulators and constellations are watching, it won't be easy to connect to you directly."
"Then where will I wake up?"
"That…"
The voice on a sacred throne gave Nightcrawler a brief rundown on what she should keep in mind before she granted her the 1000th access to her past life.
And one of the rundowns is the place she'd regressed to.
"Hell Gates is merely a fragment of a broken cluster of the netherworld... You have to use it to get stronger until…"
— — —
Although the voice offered its understanding that she couldn't see her family right away, Nightcrawler struggled to hate this.
If she'd returned home right away, she would fall into the pool of repeated emotions and be at a loss to train her body, which is still burning with the scars of her failures. Hence, this saved her a bit of trouble.
Inherently, the chosen of this instant Hell gate wouldn't welcome this unexpected situation.
"Damn it, take me back to my house!"
"Mom, what should I do?"
There were even instances of people who couldn't handle all this and sat on the ground, bursting into tears.
Spontaneous spawn.
Also called the non-programmatic gate, it is generated without any pulse or warning with a 1 in 1 billion chance, inflicting terrible damage on those unluckily chosen.
More so, if left alone, the large city of Angelo's population alone would face a more devastating aftermath than a normal outbreak.
However, the Hell Gate, as always, was indifferent to others without no participates amount limit.
[Congratulations on entering the Non-programmatic hell gate, Inner hell sanctuary.]
[Current number of participants: 1009]
DING!
The hell's crimson message appeared on top of the visitor's head, making an ephemeral noise.
[An error had occurred.]
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[An unknown participant had been found.]
[The number had been newly calculated.]
[Current number of participants: 1010]
Those with pale and puzzled complexions had no time to think deeply about the briefly mentioned 'error' and began to shout panickedly among themselves.
[To judge a participant's strength, a mission with appropriate difficulty will be assigned.]
[The Hell's Gate quest had begun!]
[Mission Theme: Restitution]
[Defeat the monsters lurking all over the 'Burning Mountain and climb the top of the Five Burning Mountains on the other side of the inner hell sanctuary.]
The Inner hell sanctuary is divided into a total of seven maze sections. Please note that the types of monsters that inhibit each mazy section are different, and the required reclamation method is also Restitution.
[All visitors may access the Spaintal Ring, 'Status Window, and 'Skill Window to aid their quest.]
[Please refer to the instructions given below.]
[We wish you good luck.]
[The first Mazy section had been opened.]
Shortly, the crimson message finished. Nightcrawler immediately jumped forward.
"I, I, that teenager...!"
"Hey, it's dangerous!"
People were startled and tried to catch her, but she had already left the safe zone to complete her quest.
"Hey, is she a walker?"
"She seemed too ordinary, though..."
Regardless of how low-level the Walkers were, they had a different vigor and aura than the general public.
Since they couldn't find anything around Nightcrawler, they overreacted a bit, concerned for her welfare.
"But doesn't she look familiar?"
"I think I saw her on the Internet."
Some of them, who enjoy watching Twitch live streams, recalled Nightcrawler, and their eyes widened.
"Is she the 'Dark Heiress?
* * *
"Ah, this sucks!"
Nightcrawler had a frown throughout the run.
The searing atmosphere is burning her lungs, the mucky ground submerges her feet, and the worst problem is her body choking and gasping for air after not running for a long time in this atmosphere.
‘First, I need to figure out the exact condition of my body in the past.’
"Open the system window."
[Cannot open window]
[Access rights had been nullified.]
[The system had been partially updated.]
[Open the status window using the 'The 999th regressor' credentials.]
[Nightcrawler Noelle Graham]
Ascension Path: Dark Dao Heiress?
Title:??? (Error)
Affiliation: ??? (Error)
Strength: ??? (Unknown)
Agility: ??? (Unknown)
Stamina: ??? (Unknown)
Cultivation: ??? (Unknown)
Skill Possessed:
??? Lv.??? (Unreadable)
??? Lv.??? (Unreadable)
??? Lv.??? (Unreadable)
Authorities Possessed:
??? Lv.??? (Unreadable)
Note: Unable to read a lot of information due to the data being unknown.
Additional stats: 29]
The '999th Regressor' was the rank given to a person who had regressed through 999 playthroughs due to failures in ascension to the constellation—immorality.
Although she had failed all 999 playthroughs and got her stats, power, and items reset during her regression accession, her reward for that is Daos for a bit smoother progression on the 1,000th day on Earth.
'I mustn't fail this time or…'
But the content of the status window is currently a mess.
"What nonsense."
Since she fell from the path of ascension to a mere human, it's impossible to retain every 999 playthrough status window contents.
The fact that it still recognized her ascension path was a blessing in and of itself. Unsurprisingly, if that even appears at any given point in time,
'This's—weird!'
Nightcrawler narrowed her eyes after a deep sight.
Despite that, this past her should at least need to have some stats the current her could make use of, which she couldn't find regardless of how hard her eyes darted.
She frowned, wondering if her 1000th was like a reset from the start.
[Based on the updated date, the content of the displayed window is updated.]
[Nightcrawler Noelle Graham]
Ascension Path: Dark Dao Heiress (Unusable)
Title: No
Affiliation: Nebula sanctuary of the High heavens.
Level: 0
Strength: 3
Agility: 3
Stamina: 3
Ether power: 0
Skills Possessed
None
Dao possessed:
Soul Devourer Lv. 1 (New!)
Shadow’s Short Sword, Lv. 1 (New!)
Note: Regression has been confirmed, and all existing information has been reset. Check out the newly-given aces.
Additional stats: 29]
Fortunately, I guess I can't start from the bottom.'
Nightcrawler quickly tapped on the new Dao she possessed with her index finger.
[Soul Devourer]
Description: A Dao only used by special emissaries on the path of ascension to immortality
The soul of the slain target can be stored, and karma can be extorted by burning them in the flames of limbo.
Skill Level: 1
Type: Path of Dao.
Effect: injury recovery. Physical body strengthening
…
[Skill: Shadow’s Short Sword]
Description: A Dao only used by special emissaries on the path of ascension to immortality
This skill can be used to feed on the shadows of those who have broken their ‘oath’.
Every mortal has a shadow; the other half of the soul will be judged according to the sins of their crimes, and the executor is given the right to feed on the shadow of the offender as compensation.
Skill Level: 1
Type: Path of Dao.
Effect: Shadow eater. Punisher of the sinner
'I didn't expect that every 'past me' would possess these amazing skills before embarking on the path of ascension to the Constellation.'
Asserted that the two powers granted by her past self were all enormous.
'So until then…'
Nightcrawler closed the system window and returned to reality.
'I'll become stronger, and as quickly as possible, I'll shine brightly to surpass my failure self.'
Shortly, Something flashed before her eyes.
['Hell Yunnan' has detected you!]
Swoosh!
Among the burning landscapes overhead, a burning serpent that was the size of a human forearm opened its jaws and lunged toward Nightcrawler.
Although it was hot enough to bring her heat-resistant hoodie and turtleneck underneath, Absent of nervousness, Nightcrawler quickly pulled out something from her spatial ring.
And swung it ferociously.
Fortunately, as an Amateur of her past self, only Amateur items existed in his spatial ring.
[You have equipped 'Rusty Short Sword for Amateurs'!]
[Attack initiated.]
The rusty short sword in Nightcrawler's pale hand easily dug a hole between the serpent's jaw and tore it apart.
A sterile slice.
Whoosh!
Boily magma spewed like a fountain from the snake, spilling in two.
Ding!
['Hell Yunnan' had been successfully defeated in one blow!]
[A perfect attack.]
['Skill: Low-Grade Swordsmanship had been learned as a reward.]
[Level Up!]
[Strength has been increased by 1.]
[Agility has been increased by 1.]
System blue messages spewed out one after another; after the end, a long-awaited message appeared.
[An Immortal tribulator, 'Scribe of the Heavens,' is looking at you with interest!]
'Eh, …. acting all godly now, huh? I will be the regressor that makes those bastards drool.’
Nightcrawler smiled coldly as she recalled the Dao Constellation, which was watching from beyond the path of ascension.