Chapter 18
This is a fictional story by realTensai
Alvis' body shook, a higher might forcing it to move. He was in his comfort zone, fully at peace, yet his peace was getting interrupted. The higher might shook stronger and stronger and Alvis knew he would leave his comfort zone soon. He started hearing a voice, and before he knew it, he woke up.
"Wake up Alvis, you got—"
"Ahhh!"
Alvis woke up screaming, the sight of the wind arrow piercing through his heart still vivid. He gasped for air and instantly touched his chest.
His staggered breathing was steered by his increased heart rate, each inhale a struggle against the weight on his chest. He could feel how his heart almost broke out of his ribcage, just by touching his chest. However, that meant it was still there. As his eyes glanced around the room, the assassin was nowhere to be seen.
"What is wrong, Alvis?! W-Why are you sweating like that?"
Only then did Alvis notice the sweat pouring down his face. When he tried to wipe it away, he felt his hand shaking.
"I-I'm good," he said, clutching his face, "Just had a really terrible nightmare."
Alvis shook his head, trying to forget the radiating pain erupting from his core. However, in the next instance, Alvis felt the warmth of his mom, who went in to embrace him. It was a fleeting sanctuary, a fragile shield against the cold reality. Feeling how she patted his head, once again confirmed he was alive.
"It's over now. There is no need to worry. I'm here for you."
Her gentle voice filled Alvis' heart, letting him let go of the cruel memories. With those words, Alvis finally realized it was over.
I've respawned.
"Thank you, mom."
After Alvis had calmed down, his mother left the room, and he could organize his thoughts now.
Before thinking about anything, he grabbed his holo-watch.
03.08.2123
So I respawned, two weeks back to the first day of school.
The next thing he did was open up his blinking blue box.
NOTIFICATION
[YOU DIED!]
Experience is awarded for dying!
LEVEL 2: A lone girl
Mission: Save the girl
General:
Name: Alvis Silva
Race: Human
Class: Mage
Level: 3
Skills:
Basic mana manipulation Lvl. 3→Lvl. 4
Mastermind Lvl. 1-> Lvl. 2
Stats:
Mana: 81-> 91
Strength: 29
Intelligence: 72-> 80
Endurance: 36
Reflex: 32
Health: 45/45
Alvis closed his eyes, thereby closing his system. Right now, he couldn't even take in his improved stats, only one thought haunting his mind. The second he closed his eyes, the vivid image of the assassin and the wind arrow tormented him. The flashback replayed, leaving him trembling and twisting his inwards. He clutched his mouth, gulping down the vomit.
I have to calm down.
Through deep breaths in and out, Alvis' racing heart relaxed and thus his entire body. The heat radiating from his head cooled down, making his brain useful again.
Let's go over everything that happened.
Just a few moments ago, Alvis had died from an assassin attacking him. They caught him off guard, killing him in the night when he felt safe. Alvis clicked his tongue, the vampire assassin's last words echoing in his mind. He had hoped he wouldn't encounter more assassins, yet this hope just got crushed.
So, that means just like in level one, I have to survive.
However, he stared at his mission for this level, his eyes wrinkling. His mission still was to save a girl. So for him to clear this level, he would have to do that and also survive the assassin's attack.
Alvis gulped, his heart rate increasing again.
As if saving a girl isn't hard enough.
However, no matter how much he would complain, his situation wouldn't change. Only his actions could free him from this cursed loop. And he had two weeks to do that. He clenched his fist, resolve building up within him.
Now to the assassin.
Alvis didn't even have to close his eyes to remember her appearance. Without a doubt, it was a girl. Yet the sheer magnitude of her powers had his knees shaking.
I couldn't even defend myself.
The moment she had entered, Alvis lost control over his body. It had to be some type of hypnosis spell. Everything else wouldn't make sense.
I'll have to watch out for this in our next encounter.
That was right. In the coming two weeks, Alvis would prepare himself to face off against her.
She won't catch me off guard again!
However, even though this plan manifested in his head, his heart wouldn't calm down. His hair still stood up. No matter how long he had pushed this thought away, its shadow still loomed over his existence. The odd, familiar feeling he felt upon seeing her blonde hair was engraved in his heart.
A girl with incredible magical talent. Beautiful blonde hair and emerald eyes.
Alvis' body shook as the vision of the person who met all these criteria appeared in his head.
Don't tell me…?! I'll have to confirm this in school.
He stood up, his head still spinning, yet he put on his clothes and got ready for his second first day of school.
——
"Damn, it's way too full in here. I had to push my way through just to get a place."
"Please don't resort to pushing your way through in the future," Alvis stated, knowing how dangerous Dane's power was.
They were back in the hall, waiting for the entrance ceremony to start. It would be the second time Alvis would have to hear it, and he knew it probably wasn't the last. He would dedicate this loop to finding out what the heck he actually had to do. If he could find the girl he needed to save and also find out more about his assassin, this loop would already be a success.
Even though he looked at those two things as separate, it could very well be that they were connected. After all, his assassin was a girl, too. It would be some twisted shit if the girl he had to save was the girl that tried to kill him. But it was because it sounded so absurd that he couldn't rule out this possibility.
Especially considering that she might be the girl…
As if reading his thoughts, the crowd broke out into cheers. The entrance ceremony got to the part where the student council had their speech. And with her on the stage, the crowd's reaction was given.
Her long blond hair illuminated the hall, her angelic smile brighter than the sun. However, it was upon seeing her green emerald eyes that Alvis broke out in a cold sweat. Every cell of his ordered him to run away, his vision shifting between her and his assassin. He clutched his chest, protecting his heart so it wouldn't shatter again.
I-It's her!
Alvis bit his tongue, blood spreading through his mouth, yet this was the only thing that kept him sane. His classmate, the perfect girl and most beloved student in the school, was an assassin who tried to kill him. There was no doubt about it. His body's reaction wouldn't fool him.
"This is insane."
His eyes were glued to the stage as he observed Lia's every move. The way she talked, the way she smiled, the way everyone cheered for her. It didn't add up. Why would someone like her work as an assassin?
Alvis clutched his head, doubt creeping up his brain, distorting reality.
I have to find out if it's true.
——
"Is it true Lia? Are you really going to stop?"
"Yes, it's just like I said at the entrance ceremony. I will stop being the student council president."
The same discussion as last time.
"B-But why?"
Maybe because she wants to be an assassin full-time now.
"We only have two years left and this year already counts for our final diploma. I want to focus more on school."
From afar, Alvis observed her actions. He made sure she didn't notice his subtle glances, else she might kill him here on the spot. Her smile didn't waver, yet Alvis couldn't trust it. If he wanted to learn about her true nature, he had to see through her facade. He couldn't let her charm enchant him.
"What is wrong Alvis? You look sick."
His seat neighbor Sekki was the one who talked to him. With his usual smile, he started the conversation. However, Alvis didn't even notice the way his face had darkened.
"All good," he said, exhaling. "Just some thoughts crossing my mind."
Sekki's eyes sparkled, his lips curving up into a smile.
"Is it about Lia's retirement? You think the class could collapse by losing its pillar?"
"What are you talking about?"
Sekki raised an eyebrow, an expression of surprise etching across his features. However, after examining Alvis, he just chuckled.
"I see. Forget what I just said."
I don't get this dude.
Alvis sighed, knowing better than to be annoyed by him. He had other things to worry about.
He reached for his phone in his pocket, taking it out in one clean go. It took him a few seconds to type in the message he needed to convey and with one click, he sent it, initiating the contact.
After that, Alvis shifted his attention to Dane, waking him up before Ms. Myth came. He woke him up faster than last time, a simple proof of his abilities. Not everyone could wake Dane up within a few seconds.
With Ms. Myth entering, the lesson began, and Alvis would have to listen to everything again. Only then did Alvis realize every lesson from now on would be a repetition of something he already knew.
He sighed.
This is gonna be the most annoying part of respawning.
——
Standing before Mr. Zweistein's lab, Alvis took one last breath in and out. He knew if he went in, he would be tested. In the initial loop, Alvis got caught off guard by the hologram rockets and thus failed Mr. Zweistein's test. However, this time, Alvis knew what would happen, so there was no way he would fail again. This was what he hoped, at least.
Composed, he entered. As soon as he set foot in the lab, two rockets flew at him. However, instead of panicking, he stood there unfazed. The two rockets hit him and created a loud bang with the impact, yet Alvis felt nothing.
He passed the test.
That was what he thought, but when a giant fireball approached him, he realized he wasn't done yet. The fireball flew straight at him, and Alvis didn't know if he should dodge it or not. However, the moment he felt its heat, he sidestepped to avoid it. He made it just in time.
The fireball hit the door, extinguishing as soon as it made contact. However, when Alvis saw that the fireball didn't even damage the door, he knew he had failed again. All that got confirmed when R-18 came out.
Shit!
"Well, you almost got it. You were right with the rockets, but the fire was a hologram, too."
Alvis sighed, accepting defeat. He knew he couldn't argue with him, anyway.
"Just one question. How come I felt heat from the hologram?"
This was what confused Alvis. He wanted to stay still, but the heat he felt made his body move instinctively.
"Oh, this is easy. We changed the interference pattern into an interactive one, so we could manipulate its characteristics. Thus we could add temperature to it. But don't worry, we would have cooled it down before it would have hit you."
It was only because Alvis was an inventor himself that he got what R-18 just said.
"But I thought this was impossible?!"
"Ha, this is a simple task. I can teach you how it works."
"Yes, please!"
Alvis couldn't hide his excitement after getting an offer like this. If he could learn how he could change a hologram's interference pattern, he could create some really crazy stuff. He could create interactive holograms.
——
His lesson with R-18 ended and, thus the first day of school. However, Alvis wouldn't go home just yet. He still had to meet him.
It took him five minutes to get to the fountain in the backyard. As he had expected, he wasn't there yet. Their appointed time would be in one minute, so Alvis didn't have to worry.
And just when the clock hit four, he arrived. The goblin wore his usual sunglasses, not letting one see his eyes. No matter how the weather was, he always wore them. Together with his black suit, those two things became his trademark.
"You called me," he said as he approached Alvis.
"Yes, I need your help, Victor."
"As long as the money is right, you can count on me."
"Of course," Alvis said, pulling out 100 Unis. "I need you to investigate Lia."