Hmm… since I always come back to this place after I die then how about The After Death? I nodded to myself impressively. Yes, that’s a good name.
…ughh
The splitting headache again.
Will this always happen after I die? I must say, I won’t be getting used to this.
The pain vanished. And I was suddenly facing myself in the mirror. Now that I think about it, After I die, it always returns me to this place. I wonder if this is supposed to be my save point just like in games.
If I remember correctly, the skill was called ‘Rewind Through Death’. I wonder what effects it has.
“Status Panel.” I uttered under my breath.
I thought I could see the description of the skill to know it better and how to utilize it, yet nothing appeared. No blue screen floating in front of me.
“Status Panel.” I said again. Nothing.
Strange, it was working just a while ago, why would it not work now. Ah, is it because the voice didn't appear yet? That’s the only conclusion that I can make based on the situation, it is also most likely that that's the case.
But, if the status panel wasn’t appearing, does that mean my skills would also not work? That could also mean that if I die during this time, I won’t rewind… I need to be careful.
After drying myself I put on the same clothes that I wore at my previous deaths. I didn’t head to my class yet because there was something bothering me.
It was on how I died previously. I suddenly smelled gas in the air but when I checked my canister gas it didn't seem to have a leak, and that gas smelled more like car fuel.
I can still remember it vividly, after I smelled the gas, I heard a spark then the walls swelled up and exploded. The explosion seems more likely to have come from the outside.
What was happening out there anyway while I died three times? I need to figure that out.
But there's that thing who can kill me in a blink of an eye every night. I also need to figure out what that thing is or else I won't be able to walk outside freely.
Hence, I thought of attending my class. Before I went, I emptied my bag and stuffed it with various necessities. Flashlights, snacks, clothes and all of the things that will be of use to survive alone.
Ah, right. I can't forget that it will be fine if I won't have the need to use it but if what I thought is true, then I will definitely need this.
Packing up all I need; I was about to leave my house when I stopped my tracks. I grabbed the picture frame of my mom from the table. I can't leave this alone here.
“Mom, I don't know what will happen from now on, but it will be guaranteed to be dangerous. Please I hope you can watch over me and protect me, as you always have done.”
***
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Time went fast. I already attended my five-hour long class and was about to leave the university.
A clear glass door was the only one separating me from the outside. I haven't gone out yet. I was waiting, waiting for the voice to come.
[The evolution of world E#0126 has begun.]
[Congratulations on entering the evolution stage! As a reward, you will be given a random skill set.]
[Skill set ‘Infinite Death’ has been gifted to you. Check your Status Panel to see more details.]
It's here! Then— “Status Panel.”
Right after I muttered the phrase, a blue screen popped up in front of me.
[Name: Noah Wilson]
[Class: (Unclassified)]
[Level: 1]
[Rank: –]
[Title: –]
[Quest]
[Health: 100]
[Stamina: 80]
[Mana: 180]
[Strength: 6]
[Agility: 8]
[Health: 10]
[Stamina: 8]
[Mana: 18]
[Magic Power: 4]
[Blank Points: 0]
[Death Count: 3]
Skill Sets (1/3):
[Infinite Death] (God-Order Skill Set)
[Click to interact]
I clicked the ‘Infinite Death' skill set, and another blue screen popped up.
[Skill Set: Infinite Death] (God-Order Skill Set)
- Death is you and you are death. You cannot escape it.
Skills:
[Rewind Through Death] (First-Order Passive Skill) (Upgradable)
- Able to go back in time at a specific spawn point after dying. Spawn point will save randomly. (19 hours left until it can activate.)
[???] (Locked) (Death Count: 25 is required to unlock.)
[???] (Locked) (Death Count: 50 is required to unlock.)
…
There was a total of ten skills in this one skill set. The other nine were locked, except for ‘Rewind Through Death’ which I already used many times. It seems like a certain number of Death Count is needed until they're unlocked.
Does Death Count refer to how many times I died? That means I need to die 25 times just to unlock one skill!? There’re still eight skills left, and the count needed keeps increasing. Dying 25 times already sounds hurtful enough.
While I was checking my Status Panel, I saw someone walking towards this direction across the street. I suddenly remembered the thing that can instantly kill anyone. Just as I was about to go out and warn him. The moonlight illuminated his appearance, which made me stop.
I wasn’t sure if anyone can call him human anymore. He was wearing tattered clothes as if it was teared by something pulling at it. His skin, white pale as if his blood has stopped circulating. A small growl occasionally comes out from his mouth.
I was speechless. This person’s appearance was similar to something that I often see in apocalyptic movies.
As you probably already guessed, yes, it was a zombie.
Was the world really ending? I didn’t know. But there was one thing that I was sure, it was that I needed to survive.
That’s right. Just as I promised my mother.
Slash!
A flash of light from above came down, waking me from my thoughts.
The head of the zombie rolled down to the ground, its rotten blood spurting from its neck. It was too fast. I wasn’t able to see anything.
Some kind of animal landed close to the head, it used its sharp beak to break the head in pieces and gulped each of them deliciously. I wasn’t sure if I was just being delusional but I saw the bird grow a little bit in size after eating the head.
I realized, this must be the thing that kills me every time in my past deaths. The process was too similar to how I died. Witnessing myself what likely it had done after it killed me made me uncomfortable.
The bird savored every bit of the flesh. The bird was similar to a raven, all of its body was covered by a jet-black feather, if it wasn’t for the moonlight I wouldn’t even be able to see it. A long sharp black beak protruded in an arc, looking like a scythe that craved to behead someone.
In fact, this bird wasn’t just similar to a raven, it is a raven! The characteristic of it was just so abnormal that they can be considered to be completely different.
This raven was simply too big compared to its normal size. It almost had the same size as a dog. It must have eaten a lot of zombies, to grow that big.
I was impressed and worried at the same time. Worried that I won’t be able to escape that raven.
GROOOWLL!
Suddenly I heard a screeching growl behind my back.
What was in front of me now was a zombie. Its eyes stared at me bloodshot, acidic saliva kept coming out of its mouth.
It jumped and pounced towards me, its hands reaching out. I was startled. There was still a considerably good amount of distance between the two of us yet it was able to cover them in just a single leap.
Of course, I won’t let it feast at my body.
I rolled towards the side, dodging the zombie’s attack. Sure, it was strong, but its speed was like a turtle, I can easily dodge them with ease.
I smirked at the zombie who crashed itself at the glass door. Somehow, I was starting to enjoy this.