Skills:

[Skill: Speed Surge (Perfect)]

Type: Buff

Description: Speed Surge greatly enhances movement and attack speed for a sustained period, allowing the user to move and react with incredible agility. The skill can be focused on specific parts of the body, granting precision and control over the speed boost.

Effect: Increases movement and attack speed for 3 minutes. The user can selectively channel the speed boost to specific limbs or actions for optimized mana usage, enhancing either footwork or hand movement as needed.

Bonus: Because of the incredible control over mana, and mastery of the skill, the surrounding mana make it easier for the user to move. Mana help reduce air resistance, and all kinds of pressure that are on the path of the user. Effect increases with the increase of proficiency in Mana Customization of the Mana Evolution Supreme Skill.

[Skill: Mana Shield (Perfect)]

Type: Defensive

Description: Mana Shield creates a durable and adaptive barrier of mana that surrounds the user or an ally. The shield's strength is directly proportional to the amount of mana input, making it versatile and capable of absorbing large amounts of damage.

Effect: Creates a shield that absorbs damage until it breaks. The shield automatically adjusts to the intensity of attacks, becoming stronger with more mana.

Bonus: The Loved by Mana effect from the Mana Evolution Supreme Skill enhances the shield. Mana flows into the barrier autonomously, constantly reinforcing it to protect the user.

[Skill: Amplify (Perfect)]

Type: Buff

Description: Perfect Amplify increases the effectiveness of the target's mana-based or physical abilities by channeling extra mana from the Amplifier. This skill now maximizes the efficiency of mana transfer, resulting in powerful enhancements without excessive mana loss.

Effect: Increases the target's skill potency by giving him mana, while using only 50% of the Amplifier's given mana. The Amplify skill also enhances non-mana-based abilities, such as physical strikes, providing a boost to them as well at half the cost in mana.

Bonus: Amplify can be stacked on multiple targets without major mana penalties. The same mana input can be used for several targets. The number of targets increases with the Mana Growth effect of the Mana Evolution Supreme Skill.

These three perfected skills were the pinnacle.

Each skill was listed as Perfect. Sora took a deep breath, satisfied. His foundation was solid once again. This seemed to be a tier of skill above anything he has ever seen in the past.

'Let's start running.'

It was late, but he could keep going. Hiyoko needed rest, so Sora transferred the little bird to the [Familiar Bubble] he had bought in Barcelona. The bubble was a protective space that allowed familiars to rest in comfort, isolated from the outside world. From the outside, Sora could see Hiyoko sleeping soundly on a small bed inside the transparent bubble, oblivious to the journey. If he wanted, Sora could make the bubble opaque, hiding his familiar from onlookers.

The bubble floated above his head, bobbing slightly in the wind as Sora activated [Speed Surge] and sprinted towards France.

He quickly passed the border, the Pyrenees mountain range fading behind him as he looked back at the land that had welcomed him for a month. He was now reborn, figuratively and literally.

"Goodbye, Spain!" he muttered under his breath with a smile, the wind rushing past him as he disappeared into the horizon.

As he sprinted toward his home, he activated his monster radar, ensuring that there was always an enemy group on his path. His new class, [Martial Titan], was leveling up rapidly, but he ignored the new skills for now. There would be time for that later. By the time he reached the vicinity of his city, it had been 1 and a half days since he left Barcelona. He was now level 38, much stronger than when he had been just a day earlier as a level 24 player.

His new class, [Martial Titan], had already maxed out, but unlike other players, Sora hadn't even opened a single skill description.

Standing outside the small city of Ales, Sora pondered whether to gain more power before entering. But then, he realized—he wasn't here to fight. He was here to see his parents. And besides, no one from his past would recognize him now. Even if someone who disliked him crossed paths with him, how could they know who he was?

The real challenge would be staying calm if he encountered Rachel or one of her accomplices. Who knew how much stronger she had become in the past two months? She wasn't even level 50 when they last met. She couldn't have improved that much, right?

"It doesn't matter," Sora thought. "I'll ignore her for now. Our time will come."

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He decided to enter the city and observe his old home first. Heading to the living area on the city's outskirts, Sora found a bench not too far from his parents' house. Activating [Mana Eyes], he peered inside. The house was empty.

He waited.

Twenty minutes passed like an eternity. Eventually, he saw two figures at the end of the street. His sharp eyesight recognized them immediately. His heart ached.

His parents were walking home, but they had changed. His father looked twenty years older, and his mother was supporting him as they walked. She tried her best to cheer him up, but the pain in her eyes was unmistakable. Sora felt a lump in his throat, his eyes moistening. He wanted to run up to them, tell them he was back, that everything would be okay—but he couldn't. Not like this. He wasn't the same person anymore.

They had changed so much in just two months.

He observed them closely, noting their levels—both still level 9, the same as when he left them. Civilians.

At least Rachel hadn't targeted them. Not yet.

Sighing in relief, Sora deactivated [Mana Eyes] and waited, watching as his parents entered their home. After calming himself for another hour, he finally stood up.

It was time.

He walked toward the door and knocked.

Sora knocked on the door and waited, his heart pounding in his chest. His mind raced, filled with questions about how to approach this. What would he even say? He was alive—yes, but he wasn't the same person they once knew. He had changed, inside and out, and his journey had taken him far from who he once was.

A few moments later, the door creaked open, revealing his mother. Her eyes were tired, carrying the weight of the last two months, but she smiled gently, more out of habit than true happiness.

"Good evening," she greeted, her voice soft and polite.

Sora hesitated, suddenly unsure. His throat was dry. "Hi… I'm…" He trailed off, his own words catching him off guard. The usual confidence he had built over these weeks seemed to vanish in front of her, this woman who had raised him, cared for him.

"Are you here to see someone?" she asked, noticing the awkward pause, her eyes scanning him as if trying to place his face.

Sora took a deep breath, deciding to rip off the bandage. "It's me, Mom. It's Sora."

Her smile faltered, confusion flashing in her eyes. "Sora? What are you—?" She shook her head, dismissing the idea immediately, as if the notion was too painful to entertain. "That's impossible. My Sora is dead. Please, don't joke about something like this."

His heart squeezed painfully in his chest. He had expected this, but hearing the words still hurt more than he anticipated.

"I'm not dead, Mom," he said, stepping forward slowly. "It's really me. I know I look different, and I know it's hard to believe, but…" He trailed off again, uncertain how to convince her.

Tears welled up in her eyes, and her hand gripped the doorframe tightly. "This isn't funny," she whispered, her voice breaking. "If this is some kind of cruel joke, please stop. We've already lost too much."

Sora clenched his fists, feeling the helplessness settle in. He couldn't stand seeing her like this—so fragile, so worn down. "It's me, I swear. I can prove it." He racked his brain for something only he would know, something she couldn't deny. "When I was little, I used to call you maman étoile because I thought you were like the stars in the sky—always watching over me. No one else knows that."

Her eyes widened, her breath hitching as the familiar words washed over her. She hadn't heard that name in years. Slowly, disbelief gave way to hope.

"S-Sora?" she stammered, her voice barely audible. "How… how is this possible?"

Before he could respond, his father appeared behind her, frowning at the conversation. "What's going on here?" he asked, his voice gruff but weakened by age. "Who is this?"

Sora turned to face him. "Dad… it's me. I'm back."

His father's eyes narrowed, taking in the sight of the young man standing before him. He looked so different, yet there was something familiar in his posture, the way he stood.

"You look nothing like him," his father said, his voice harsh but laced with uncertainty. "You sound nothing like him either."

His mother was the first to react, stepping aside to let him in. "Come inside," she whispered, still shaking, her hands trembling. "We need to… talk."

Sora followed them inside, his heart heavy with the weight of their disbelief. The living room was the same as he remembered—familiar, comforting, yet overshadowed by the sorrow that had filled it in his absence.

Sora sat quietly, staring at his parents. He could feel the tension in the room, the weight of disbelief hanging heavy in the air. His mother's hand still rested on his arm, as though she feared letting go would make him vanish. His father, though trying to hold back emotions, was clearly on the edge of breaking.

"How?" she finally asked, her voice small. "How are you here?"

He knew he couldn't keep this hidden from them. They deserved to know the truth—everything.

"There's something you need to know," Sora said, his voice soft but steady. He locked eyes with his parents. "Something I haven't told anyone."

His mother's grip on his arm tightened slightly, her brows furrowing in concern. "What is it?"

Sora took a deep breath, preparing himself for their reactions. "I didn't just survive by chance. I… have an ability. It's called Prestige. Every time I reach a certain point, I can reset—start over from the beginning. I lose my level, my items, everything… except my skills. I come back stronger each time. That's how I'm still here."

His father blinked, his frown deepening. "Reset? What are you talking about?"

Sora hesitated, then continued. "When I die or when I choose to reset after reaching a high enough level, I start from the beginning. My body and appearance can change. I can even take on a new identity. That's why I look different now. It's still me… but I've been through this process."

The silence was thick. His mother stared at him, tears welling up again, but this time out of confusion. "Sora, I don't understand… you've… reset? That's why you look like this?"

He nodded slowly. "Yes. I can start over. It's part of this new reality. It's not just me—i'm sure there are others with incredible abilities"

His father leaned forward, his expression hard to read. "And why didn't you come back earlier? If you can reset… why now? Why not when you first… disappeared?"

Sora's chest tightened. "I couldn't." He paused, gathering his thoughts. "The first month after I died, everything changed, I wasn't reborn yet. I had to wait for a month before coming back and the place i appeared in was extremely far from here … On top of that, I was afraid of coming back as ... My killer could kill me again. "

"Your killer??" His father was shocked at those words

"Yes, Rachel killed me, and I didn't want to meet her at my weakest", his eyes red, with anger rising, he explained.

Both his parents froze at the mention of Rachel's name. The room grew even quieter. His father's fists clenched.

"Rachel?" his mother whispered, her voice barely audible. "Rachel… killed you?"

Sora nodded, eyes dark. "She betrayed me. And… Nathan."

His father stood up, anger flashing across his face. "What do you mean? Nathan died in an accident—"

"No," Sora interrupted gently but firmly. "It wasn't an accident. Rachel killed Nathan. She confessed it to me right before she killed me. That's why I've been gone. I didn't come back because I was dead."

His mother covered her mouth, her eyes wide in disbelief. She shook her head as if trying to process everything. "I can't… believe this. Rachel… how could she…"