image [https://imgur.com/WhoOcsh.png]

Gregor grinned from ear to ear. He was FINALLY level five! His overprotective and condescending Greeter was saying her goodbyes, but he was no longer listening. He couldn’t help but chuckle to himself, thinking about the skill he had gotten last night. He had split all his skill points between Mental and Magical, ignoring what his Greeter had said about Physical. He knew that swinging a sword hard wasn’t going to be the path to glory, and he had been right!

[Death is Not Enough to Kill the Likes of Me]

Passive skill

Twice per day if you die you will be sent back to the moment before death was inevitable.

You retain all memories gained before death.

He flicked his fingers idly, small crackles of electricity arcing between them. His other skill [Glorious Electrical Condemning Strike] cost him Mana to use, and with twenty mana he could only use it four times, but he found that not fully casting it allowed him to do neat little zaps without actually spending anything. The Greeter had stopped talking and looked at him with a tired expression. “So, can I go now?” He was already hoisting a bag onto his shoulder.

The Greeter waved to the door. “Yes. I do understand you feel very confident with your impressive skills, but please be careful. You are very unbalanced, and even lesser-”

The door shut solidly behind him as he strode out into the bright glorious day. He took a deep inhalation of the crisp clean air, enjoying the scenery before him. The Starter town he had found himself in upon entering this world was very quaint, and honestly he quite liked it. But he had grown bored. He was ready for some REAL adventuring!

He knew the nearest town was about a day’s walk along the wide paved stone road and he was well supplied. Apparently most Towns and even Cities would waive the cost on basic services for Chosen Heroes, and he couldn’t stop smiling at that fact. Free food, free drink, a free place to sleep! He would get stronger and stronger fighting on the side of Good, and he knew that his skills and stats were way better than any other Chosen that had arrived. “Chronomancer Lightning Archwizard” had a nice ring to it.

He strode down the path, whistling as he went. He had stumbled into this world through a very random series of events at his uncle’s old and rambling estate. His nineteenth birthday had occurred a few months back and he dreaded returning to the tedium of his Liberal Arts Education. But then he had found the hidden door behind the bookshelf, and then it had led him to the scrolls, and then he had pricked his finger, and then… well there had been that ghastly moment where he couldn’t seem to breath and his heart hurt so much. But whatever, he was in a fantastical world now. He rubbed a hand over his prickly chin. He thought he was looking quite dashing with his stubble and tousled hair. The Greeter didn’t seem to have any interest in being “social” with him, and the people in the Starter Town had all politely kept their distance, but he knew that in the Cities he was going to live like a rockstar. He spread his fingers apart, delighting at the crackling energy between them. Better than a rockstar!

He had been walking in thought for some time when he noticed something. Off to the side of the road there was an ancient and cracked path leading into the woods. A sign had been posted in front of the path with rusting chains crossed back and forth over it.

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[DANGER. BEAST DUNGEON. LEVEL FIFTEEN OR ABOVE]

Gregor grinned widely. He felt at his waist for the long thin sword his Greeter had gotten him. His other hand crackled gently with electricity. It was time to get some more experience, and perhaps some neat loot.

Pushing past the chains the deep and ancient forest loomed up around him. He had never been all that interested in forests, but he could tell this one had never been cut down, never been reduced. In spite of his power he felt small, his steps very quiet under the vast canopy. He firmed his shoulders back, looking around. Was this the Dungeon? Or was that still ahead? This game… well he guessed it wasn’t a game. This world really needed a better instruction manual.

He began to walk faster. He knew he was letting his guard down, but if he died then he could just “respawn” and he’d know EXACTLY what killed him, and then he would kill it, and so on. He shook his head, chuckling. The Greeter had said that skills would often get stronger along with levels, so this was just the beginning of his overpowered build.

He suddenly stopped, as up ahead he saw a huge statue. Bigger than a house it was covered in

moss and vines, and had perhaps once looked like a lion or some other beast. It had an open mouth, many of the teeth broken off, and in the maw there was only darkness. Was THIS the Dungeon?

Gregor put his large backpack down and dug around in it. If the Greeter had forgotten to pack him a torch he was going to be annoyed. Wait! Here it was! He then had to fiddle around for several more minutes attempting to get a spark onto the oil soaked rags. FINALLY he got it lit. He hoped matchsticks could be purchased in a real city.

The gloom of the entrance pushed back as he entered, his torch burning and sputtering, the oily smoke acrid. He waved it experimentally through the air, noting with pleasure that it didn’t go out. So, he could zap a monster, then if they didn’t die from that he could hit it with the torch. They would catch on fire and then he could stab it to death with his sword.

He grinned, and heard a rustling up ahead. The gloom was still dense, but he could vaguely make out vague shapes. Four glowing eyes reflected the light of his torch. They were big eyes.

He thrust out his free hand. “[Glorious Electrical Condemning Strike]!!” An arc of electricity slammed out of his hand and into the face of some kind of tiger bear thing. It yowled and reeled back, but at that exact moment the other one lept forward. It was huge and yet so fast. Gregor swung his torch around, and the tiger bear snarled. Then a massive paw swung out and batted the torch out of his hand. The torch hit the far wall and clattered to the ground in a spray of sparks.

“[Glorious Electrical Con-” He didn’t get to finish the skill activation as the Tiger Bear slashed him across the chest. He staggered back, gasping, but there was no pain. Was his leather armor too tough for the claws? Looking down he saw that the armor had not stopped the claws, and that parts of him were leaking out of his body. Big parts.

A deep sick pain unlike anything he had ever felt before swelled up in him, and he gasped, a bubbling sob escaping his lips. No. No that wasn’t right, that didn’t feel right at all!! He turned, clutching his belly. He needed to run. Pressure crunched down on his shoulder, and looking over he could see massive teeth, and a gigantic eye staring at him. This pain was white heat, burning him, ripping at him. The other tiger bear had joined the first. He desperately laughed. Okay he would die and then he could… his mind went blank as more pain surged through him. They were eating him.

He had always imagined dying as being a binary state. He would be alive, if he died his skill would bring him back to life. He did not imagine the transition. The pain, the sickness, the horror of it was not stopping. He did not understand how he could still be alive, not with this much pain. He had to end it he had to end it he had to end it he fumbled with his remaining hand at his sword. His hand was so slick with blood, his blood, that it wouldn’t come out. Screaming he wrenched it free, and then a tiger bear bit down on his arm, the sword clattering to the ground.

He was dragged back into the darkness of the cave, and oblivion descended slowly as he heard the mewing of tiger bear cubs.

[DANGER. BEAST DUNGEON. LEVEL FIFTEEN OR ABOVE]

Gregor stood shaking all over, in front of the sign.

He backed up with a strangled cry, sitting down hard. He began to choke with a kind of sobbing laughter, clutching at his body with his trembling hands. No. No no no that wasn’t right? Birds sang sweetly overhead, and the delicate sunshine warmed him. He was freezing inside. He looked down at his belly. Safe, whole. He felt that for a moment he could see his insides spilling out, and then he vomited messily onto himself.

He couldn’t stop shaking.