Sora’s vision blurred as the light consumed him. For a brief moment, the overwhelming brightness made it impossible to focus on anything else. Then, as quickly as it began, the light receded, and he was no longer floating in the void.
But before he could take in his new surroundings, a name appeared in his mind—Rachel.
The memory of her betrayal surged forward, vivid and raw. Her eyes, cold and calculating, as she struck him down without hesitation. The memory stung in ways that cut deeper than any blade. Being betrayed by anyone else would not have hurt as much. Rachel wasn’t just anyone; she was Nathan’s widow, his brother’s wife. The woman Sora had sworn to protect after his brother’s death.
A surge of conflicting emotions gripped him. Anger washed over him first. ’How could she? How could the woman who had mourned beside me, who had shared the weight of Nathan’s loss, turn on me so ruthlessly?’
’Every shared glance, every conversation—had it all been a lie? Since when had she been planning this betrayal from ?’ His fists clenched at the thought of her smile, ’The way she had seemed so vulnerable at his brother’s funeral.Had it all been a facade, a mask hiding the true Rachel ?’.
’Why? Why would she do it?’ He had only ever wanted to protect her, to honor Nathan’s memory. He had fought for her, bled for her, thinking that they were bound by their shared grief. They were both broken by the same loss, weren’t they? They had both loved Nathan. And yet, she had betrayed him so easily..
The confusion twisted into grief. He had trusted her—more than anyone. ’She was family. We were friends for since kindergarten. And I was the one to introduce her to Nathan... They got married and I was so happy for them... Why did I bring that snake into the family ? Did I get my brother killed?’
The grief was suffocating. He thought about Nathan, how proud he had been of Rachel, how much he had loved her. Sora had sworn to protect her after his brother’s death, to keep her safe as Nathan would have wanted.
But under the grief, something darker stirred—resolve. Slowly, the sorrow and confusion began to harden into something sharper. He wouldn’t let this betrayal break him. No, it would make him stronger. ’You might have thought that this is the end for me, but you have underestimated me. You are quite unlucky, even I wasn’t aware of this innate skill. And I’ll make you regret this. This is my promise to you."
Sora’s jaw clenched as his thoughts cleared. He wouldn’t just survive—he would thrive. He was stabbed in the back, yes, but this was not the end. It was only the beginning of his next life, one where he would leave behind the person he had been. Rachel wouldn’t recognize him when they crossed paths again. She wouldn’t know who he was until it was too late.
As the mist around him began to shift, a voice echoed through the emptiness, soft and melodic. "Welcome, Sora."
He took a cautious step backward, worried about encountering danger. However, nothing unexpected happened, and he started looking for the voice around him.
Sora spun around, his hand instinctively reaching for a sword that was no longer at his side. The voice had pulled him from his thoughts, but the anger and hurt still simmered beneath the surface.
There was no one in sight—only mist swirling faster now, as if responding to some unseen force.
"Who’s there?" he demanded, his voice trembling but laced with a fighting spirit.
From the mist, a figure emerged. It was a young woman, her form hazy and indistinct at first, but becoming clearer with each passing second. Her hair floated around her as if suspended in water, and her eyes glowed with an ethereal light. She didn’t look real.
Before the mist consumed him completely, the guide’s voice echoed through the air one last time. "Be careful, Sora. The path ahead is fraught with danger, and being overconfident will not serve you but your enemies. You have a great innate ability, but you are not alone. There are others who have power, but you merely have potential."
And with that, everything vanished.
Sora’s consciousness faded, and for the first time in what felt like ages, he slept.
When he awoke, his body felt... different. As he pushed himself up from the cold stone floor, his movements were smoother, quicker, more controlled. His hair, now blond, fell in front of his eyes, a stark reminder of the changes he had chosen. He glanced down at his hands, his fingers leaner and more agile than before.
He turned, catching his reflection in a dusty mirror. Sharp blue eyes stared back at him, and he felt an unfamiliar sense of detachment. The man in the mirror was a stranger—and yet, he was also Sora.
His lips curved into a grin. ’I am really back’.
You have been reborn
"Status," Sora muttered, and the familiar panel blinked to life in front of his eyes.
Profile: Ralph Eden (Sora Hashino)Status: Alive (Prestige 1)Class: None (Level 1)Title: InnocentPower Level: 10Energy Level: FBody Level: FTalent Level: 2Growth Level: 2
Skills:• Sword Mastery (Level 1)• Shield Block (Level 1)• Critical Strike (Level 1)• Dodge (Level 1)• Mana Regeneration (Locked)
Innate Skill:• Prestige
Sora studied the numbers, his grin widening. Despite being reset to level 1, his stats were already double that of an average beginner. Strength, agility, endurance—each stat translated into raw power.
His talent level was now 2. And that meant he would be twice stronger than someone who had the same abilities but a talent level 1.
His growth level was equally doubled. ’This means leveling up will be a piece of cake compared to before. This is doubling every time ?? This innate skill is incredible’
This time, there would be no hesitation. He would become the hunter, not the hunted.
Death wasn’t the end. It was a new beginning, and Sora had every intention of taking full advantage of it.