Sora leaned forward. "I came back because of Prestige. After she killed me, I reset. But I needed time to grow stronger. That’s why I’ve been gone for so long. The last month, I’ve been training, pushing myself to be strong enough to handle whatever comes next."
His father paced the room, his mind clearly racing. "This is... hard to believe, Sora. You... you can reset, you said? Start over like it’s nothing?"
Sora nodded again. "It’s not easy. I lose everything each time. My level, my progress, my possessions. But I get stronger. I wasn’t able to come back because I hadn’t reached that point yet. And even after I did... I needed time. I was not ready"
They both stared at him, the disbelief still etched on their faces. His father crossed his arms, trying to make sense of it all. "If it’s really you, then... prove it. There must be something, something only Sora would know. You’ve told us things already, but... it’s too much to believe without something more."
His mother wiped her eyes, still holding on to some sliver of hope. "Maybe... maybe we can test him somehow."
Sora nodded, expecting this. "You want proof? Let’s go through it. Ask me anything."
His father stopped pacing, his brow furrowed as he thought. "Alright. Something from your childhood. What was the name of the treehouse I built for you and Nathan in the backyard?"
Sora didn’t even hesitate. "Fort Griffon. It was half-finished for weeks until you finally got the supplies to finish it. We spent all summer up there, reading comics and playing pretend."
His mother gasped softly, her eyes lighting up with recognition. But his father wasn’t done.
"And when you were eight, you broke your arm. Why?"
"I jumped off the tree in the park, trying to see if I could land like a superhero. Spoiler—I couldn’t."
His father’s gaze softened, but the tension in his body remained. "One more. What did you call your first bike?"
"Red Lightning," Sora answered, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Even though it was blue, not red. I thought the name sounded cooler."
His father slowly sat down, his stern expression melting away. His hands trembled slightly as he stared at Sora, the doubt beginning to fade. "It’s really you..."
His mother, still teary-eyed, moved closer to Sora. "I don’t understand everything you’re saying... but I believe you."
Sora smiled sadly, feeling the weight of their belief settling on his shoulders. "It’s me, Mom. I promise."
His father finally exhaled, running a hand through his graying hair. "We’ll figure this out. Together. I don’t care what abilities or powers you have now... I’m just glad you’re back."
Sora felt a sense of relief wash over him. He had feared this moment, worried that his parents would never believe him, that they wouldn’t accept the person he had become. But now, seeing the way they looked at him, he knew that no matter how much he had changed, he was still their son.
They embraced, and for the first time in a long while, Sora felt like he was truly home. But even as the warmth of their reunion filled him, he couldn’t shake the thoughts of what lay ahead.
Sora smiled. "Far enough to cover most of the continent without interruptions. No more communication gaps."
His mother looked up at him, grateful. "Thank you, Sora. This means... we won’t have to worry about losing contact with you again."
Sora nodded. "Exactly. You can call me anytime you need to, and I’ll do the same. There’s one more thing." He reached into his bag and pulled out a large sack of gold coins, totaling 500,000 gold. "This is for you both. Use it however you need—food, repairs, anything."
His father stared at the sack, wide-eyed. "That’s... a lot of money, Sora. We don’t need this much."
"I want you to have it," Sora insisted. "You don’t know how long I’ll be out there. And I don’t want you to struggle."
His mother’s voice quivered slightly as she said, "We’ll be fine, Sora. We’re just glad you’re back."
Sora smiled warmly, but his mind was already thinking of the next steps. "I’ll be training outside the city for a while. I need to master the skills from my new class. I’ll also be working in nearby big cities to level up my job when I can."
His father looked concerned. "How long will you be gone this time?"
"I’ll check in regularly, I promise," Sora said. "I can’t afford to lose focus right now. I need to master this class, and that means hunting monsters, testing my limits. But I’ll keep you both updated."
His mother placed a hand on his. "Just... don’t disappear again."
"I won’t," Sora reassured her. "Not like before."
His father nodded, but there was a lingering tension in his gaze. "And Rachel?"
Sora’s expression darkened. "I’ll deal with her. I’m sure I’m stronger than her, but she had allies. And i have no idea how strong they were. I’m not strong enough yet, but I will be. Right now, she’s not my main focus. But when the time comes, I’ll make sure she pays for what she’s done. For Nathan."
Silence hung in the room for a moment before his father finally spoke. "Then we’ll leave it in your hands. Just come back to us. That’s all we ask."
Sora gave them both a firm nod. "I will."
---
As Sora ventured into the wilderness, leaving the comforting sight of his parents’ home behind, he began to focus on his next task: understanding his new class, [Martial Titan]. He had pushed it aside for long enough, prioritizing his speed and mana-related skills, but now it was time to see what kind of raw power this class could offer.
He found a quiet spot in the forest, sat down, and finally started going through the list of skills he had unlocked. The booklet the kid in Barcelona had given him described the class as one focused on extreme physical strength and endurance—abilities that seemed perfect for a warrior who didn’t rely too much on mana, but instead on the sheer power of his body.
Sora smirked. "Let’s see what we’ve got."