Chapter 29
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 school!" his mother said, looking impatient.
"Thank you, Mom," Alvis said, getting up.
His mother left his room and Alvis just sat on his bed, trying to digest what had just happened. His thoughts were still all over the place, yet the sight of Lia crying got burned into his head. Her tears were proof of Alvis' incapability.
I couldn't save her. Again.
Alvis slammed his fist against his bed. Only by biting his tongue could he calm down.
However, there was one thing Alvis now knew for sure. After listening to her past, he knew this was the only way to save her.
"I have to help her destroy the Assassin Organization."
No matter what, Lia wouldn't change her opinion about having to destroy the Organization. Her intense feelings of guilt and regret were too strong. However, even if she wanted to, she couldn't. Lia would always fail to kill the boss. And Alvis now also knew why.
Deep down, Lia still felt indebted to him. He was the one who saved her life and cared for her as a father afterward. Even though she knew he was an evil person who didn't even care about her, her feelings of gratitude were still there. Lia knew that and hated herself for it. She knew it was egoistic, and that was why she wanted to change. Yet, in the end, she couldn't. She would always hesitate to kill the boss.
She is way too kindhearted.
Lia couldn't defeat the boss on her own. That was why she had to be saved. That was why Alvis had to save her!
However, Alvis wasn't ignorant of his power. He knew his limitations and knew he wasn't strong enough to face the boss of the Organization. But if he wanted to save her, he had no other choice.
It was at this moment that Alvis decided.
A devilish grin formed on his face, and he knew no sane person could get such an idea. But Alvis always knew he wasn't normal.
Alvis would exploit his respawn abilities to its fullest!
He would use as many respawns as possible to get strong enough to defeat the boss. He would spend his time training and learning new spells and, near the end of every run, he would go to the Assassin Organization's hideout. There, he would fight them until they killed him. No matter how many times they would kill him, he would only come back stronger. And in the end, he would be strong enough to face their boss.
With that decided, Alvis started his suicidal training regime!
——
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 school!" his mother said, looking impatient.
Alvis had already lost count of how many times he had heard his mother saying those words. He tapped his head, making sure it was still where it should be before he then sat up.
"I've gotten further than usual."
He had been just one step short of arriving in the boss' room. But he hadn't seen the sword coming.
"This guy had really played dead just so he could behead me from behind."
Alvis shook his head, trying to move on.
With the last run concluded, Alvis felt ready. He had spent countless runs to get stronger and now he thought it was the time. Clenching his fist, he stood up.
He would end it for sure now. He would end his level with this run.
"I will save you, Lia!"
Alvis opened up his system to check how far he had gotten.
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: 9
Skills:
Advanced mana manipulation: Lvl. 2-> Lvl. 3
Mastermind: Lvl. 7-> Lvl. 8
Stats:
Mana: 136-> 141
Strength: 79-> 84
Intelligence: 125-> 130
Endurance: 82-> 87
Reflex: 81-> 86
Health: 125/125-> 130/130
This should be enough.
Strength-wise, Alvis was ready. Now all that was left was to fine-tune his plan. Alvis already had a pretty solid plan, built upon his experience of fighting the Organization so often. There were just a few things left he had to consider. One of them being Lia.
Even though his interaction with Lia, where she told him about her past, was for him almost half a year ago, he still remembered every detail of it. At the beginning of every loop, Alvis had written it down so he would never forget what happened in this loop. Yet the sight of her crying was already engraved in his heart and would never leave his mind. It acted as a source of motivation to push through so many deaths.
This time he would have to get to the same situation, but only change his answer in the end. Instead of saying to her she shouldn't go, Alvis would tell her he would help her. Together, they would then destroy the Organization. This was his plan, at least.
For it to work, though, he had to get close to Lia first. Alvis had kept his memory of their interactions and relationship, yet for Lia, this all never happened. Alvis would have to do the same things as in the run Lia told him about her past. Only then could his plan work.
——
Just like planned, Alvis spent the two weeks getting closer to Lia. From joining the student council to going on a date with her, Alvis had done it all over again. This time, their relationship developed even better. It was because Alvis already knew her so well, and even her past, that Lia felt safe around him. He wasn't someone from whom she had to put on a facade. The main events stayed the same, with only minor things changing. But now Alvis accompanied her home, and she just finished telling him about her past.
Lia looked at him, her green eyes full of confidence. After finishing her speech, she gained resolve.
"So there is no way you would change your opinion?" Alvis asked, just to make sure.
"No, come what may, I will destroy the Organization today."
Alvis sighed.
"Then I will help you. I may not look like it, but I'm pretty strong."
Lia's eyes widened as she heard his response. This was the last thing she would have expected.
"W-Why?! You have no reason to do that. And I don't want you to get in danger because of me!"
"This is my decision. I won't change it just like you won't change yours. I will save you no matter what."
Alvis said those words with such conviction Lia didn't even have to use her empathetic abilities to realize how serious he meant it.
However, Lia shook her head, unable to understand him.
"I..-I don't get it. Why? Why do you want to help me? Don't you realize you are putting your own life on the line? Why would you want to help someone like me after having heard about my past? I'm a murderer! A coldhearted killer! I'm egoistic and evil! I kill people just because I got told so! Someone like me doesn't deserve your help! I have to do it alone! Only then can I atone for my sins!"
Lia shouted, her normally calm voice trying to scare away Alvis. Her face displayed her desperation and, seeing how she almost cried, Alvis just felt he had to save her all the more.
"You ask why I want to help you?" Alvis said, unfazed by her fury. "Because you are a kind person. Do I need more reasons than that? I'm egoistic too, so I want to help a girl who is trying her best. I want to save you, Lia!"
Met with Alvis' most honest words, Lia broke down. Streams of tears flowed down her cheek as she couldn't hide her true feelings any longer. She fell on her knees, her hands on her face, while she cried her heart out. Lia, who always tried to put up a strong front, was in the end just a regular girl too.
Alvis stretched out a helping hand, signaling he was on her side. He wouldn't let her alone. Lia, who saw that, took his hand and stood up, her normally green eyes now red because of how much she cried. It was the first time Alvis held Lia's hand and only then he realized how small they were compared to his.
"T-Thank you, Al," Lia said, a weak smile on her face.
However, before Alvis could respond, he saw her eyes glowing up. And just like last time, he slowly lost consciousness.
"I'm sorry, but I can't let you die," he heard Lia whispering.
Please, not again!
——
Alvis opened his eyes just to be greeted by the familiar sight of his room's ceiling. Judging by the comfort he felt, he knew he was lying on his bed. However, he abruptly got up after he realized he had failed again. Just like last time, Lia hypnotized him, not letting him join her.
Fuck!
"Oh, so you are awake," his mother said, who just entered his room.
Normally, she is the one who wakes me up. This had never happened before.
"Mom… what is today's date?"
"Huh, today is the 17.08. Why you ask?"
The 17th?
"God, what's wrong with you? How come you fall asleep at school? This nice girl had to drop you off here."
Alvis' body acted faster than he could think. He immediately got out of his bed and ran off.
"Where are you going?"
"I will explain later!" Alvis said, already at the door.
He looked at the time and figured he still had a chance.
Lia had hypnotized him and then went to drop him off at home. Alvis had thought he had respawned, yet it was still the same day. Which meant he could still make it in time!
I won't let you die, Lia!