Chapter Two (1)

FOREWARNING:

Please be aware that this chapter contains frustrating, shocking scenes and uncomfortable events used to express the protagonist's hardships that may be uncomfortable for the readers.

CHAPTER TWO

ENDLESS DEATHS MEANS... IMMORTALITY? (PART ONE)

There was once a saying that life seemed to be a game. We have won and lost, but there have also been times when we have failed. But there was never a moment when Kia imagined that everything would unfold like it's from a book-in fact, it was more like a game because of what she witnessed the instant she opened her eyes. She didn't have time to ponder where her classmates' bodies were or why she was suddenly lying on a table. She lost consciousness while sitting in a chair, no matter how much she thought about it.

Kia was horrified and terrified when she gazed up at the ceiling. There was a hologram floating in the air, similar to those seen in video games, and as she read what was written on it, her feelings worsened.

(❕) ALARM

You survived the hidden tutorial "Desires of the Mortal"

(❕) ALARM

[WELCOME, PLAYER]

The [SYSTEM] humbly congratulates the commendable player for surviving the tutorial.

(❕) ALARM

[THE GODDESS OF WAR, ATHENA] was moved by your bravery and determination.

(❕) ALARM

[THE GODDESS OF WAR, ATHENA] blesses and bestows the [TITLE: ATHENA'S DISCIPLE] upon you. May prosperity and victory be with [PLAYER: KIA]

Kia was left in awe, trying to process everything yet she only felt an excruciating pain in her head. Everything seemed to be taking place inside a fictional novel she enjoyed reading. A fantasy or science fiction book in which a character awakens and becomes a player. There's a hologram or a status window hovering in mid-air, with a voice saying what's written on it.

"But how? How did it happen? This is a reality, not a game nor a fiction. I'm still trying to process everything that happened. It happened so fast that I almost lost my mind if Gail hadn't been there. But tutorial? How did that turn into a tutorial? Many people perished, and our chances of surviving were 0.00001 percent. We did nothing but run and hide. I was pitiful, helpless, and powerless." Her body trembled as she whispered.

Kia began second-guessing and condemning herself, claiming that she deserved to die. She had completely forgotten about her wish and determination before she passed out. Her chest ached once again, and she lost her balance due to exhaustion. Her swollen eyes were constantly streaming tears. She screamed angrily. A loud scream to let out the pain she felt. Her two friends were just too important for her to forget about their deaths. When she was diagnosed with depression, they were there to support her. When she was having suicide thoughts, they were there to comfort her. They stood by her side at her ups and downs. And when her parents died, they were still there.

Her life came apart when she lost her parents, and losing her deceased friends was like losing the entire universe. Kia's voice cracked and her throats hurt, but she didn't stop screaming and crying until her tears turned... blood.

(‼️) ALARM

Your mental health dropped drastically, causing your heart to pump abnormally.

-5 HP reduction every second.

-You will lose your sanity.

(‼️) ALARM

Your remaining HP is now 25. [PLAYER: KIA GRIMALDI] needs to calm down!

(‼️) ALARM

INSANE STATE

[[PLAYER: KIA GRIMALDI] has gone insane! You won't be able to think, understand, listen, taste, feel, or smell anything. A [PLAYER'S] weakest state.

-[PLAYER: KIA] will have tantrums all the time.

-After 15 days, the [PLAYER] will die.

Kia had lost her mind, according to the system. She was completely oblivious to the several alarms that were ringing and Gail's arrival. Her friend ran in and embraced her as she tried to call her name. She did not, however, come to a halt. "Kia Grimaldi! Listen to me, please calm down." Gail said. She was crying alongside her. Kia, on the other hand, can't hear her because she's in the weakest state of a player.

Hours passed, she fell asleep.

She did not, however, wake up a week after.

Fifteen days later, she died.

(‼️) ALARM

YOU DIED.

'''﹌ ' ''

There was a place where there was utter darkness and you couldn't hear a sound, see a sight, smell a fragrance, or feel anything. No one will ever want to visit this place. A void. It was inside the universe but outside the world. And Kia found herself in that place.

"Huh!? Where am I? What happened? " She asked, searching the area but finding nothing. She attempted to recall anything, but the only thing she could recall was waking up and seeing a hologram.

When she thought about the word 'hologram,' a hologram appeared in front of her, showing her final moments on this world. She gasped and wanted to cry as she observed it all, but she couldn't experience the sorrow because of being a soul who had just departed her dead body.

Kia saw how much Gail cried with her. Her friend stayed by her side from the time she fell asleep until she died. Gail checked and talked to her lifeless body every day. Kia wanted to wipe the tears from Gail's eyes. When she died, her friend lost her smile. The System showed her what happened after her death, where her friend failed the first quest and died... mercilessly in the hand of those hideous monsters.

"How could I... how could I forget Gail?" She mumbled. Kia was filled with remorse and guilt. She had forgotten and had abandoned her one and only friend.

"Why am I always in regret and guilt even in my last breath? I'm such a pitiful and stupid person. That system was a chance for me to be strong, but I let it go."

(❕) SPECIAL QUEST

GAME OVER OR NOT?

[SYSTEM] grants you a chance to resurrect. However, you must complete a special quest.

REWARDS

- Resurrection.

- You will come back to the time.

Will you accept?

Your refusal means accepting death.

YES NO

"Huh? " Kia seemed surprised. An intriguing alarm sprang up out of nowhere, offering her a mission that could save her life. Her lips formed a smile as she started laughing maniacally, like a psycho. She couldn't stop laughing until her face became dark and sullen.

"What is this? Is this some kind of joke? Is the system some kind of god or what?!?" Kia screamed. She didn't hesitate to say 'yes' as she couldn't think of anything else. If she keeps thinking about the extraordinary events that were taking place, her head will ache.

(❕) ALARM

Transporting soul of [PLAYER: KIA] into another dimension.

-The player must close their eyes during the process.

Kia closed her eyes and surrendered to the system's will. Her soul was being sucked up to the point where, despite her current form, she was in excruciating pain. The pain was becoming unbearable. Her limbs felt dislocated, which caused her to scream at the top of her lungs. She suffered for a few more minutes before she could no longer feel the pain. Kia finally arrived at the said dimension.

(❕) ALARM

You have arrived at an another dimension. Welcome to the world named Se Diastasi, a never rotating globe that was divided into 3 different lands; night, dawn, and day. You are currently standing at a middle of a dessert in land of night.

(❕) ALARM

SPECIAL QUEST: SAVING THE RABBIT CLAN'S PRINCE

BACKSTORY

In a village in the land of night, where the beastman rabbit clan hides and resides, there was a sudden attack by a group of unknown monsters. The land of night was full of monsters living there, but they were attacked by foreign monsters that surely came from another place. They were confused about how they found their hidden village that can not be seen with naked eyes. The Beastmans, the clan of rabbits, are secretive and full of mystery. And to protect themselves and to solve the problem of extinction, they hide.

Without warning of the attack, the clan was mercilessly slaughtered. Most of the rabbits died, except for one who escaped. His name was Mevijun, the clan leader's son. Who never even looked back, turning away from his kin.

-----

TASK:

(1) SAVE THE ESCAPING BUNNY

DURATION: 10 DAYS

REWARDS:

(1) RESURRECTION

(2) TURNING BACK TO TIME

(3) UNKNOWN

PUNISHMENT:

(1) ERROR +#-$#(#(#

(❕) ALARM

PLACING YOUR SOUL INTO AN UNKNOWN TRAVELER'S BODY [TRAVELER: AUDREY]

(❕) ALARM

PROCESSING...

(❕) ALARM

COMPLETE!

Kia exhaled deeply, her eyes remaining closed. It had been a long time since she had taken a breath. It was wonderful and surreal to be living again. She slowly opened her eyes and found herself near a lake. It was literally a land of night, as the name implies, as there was no sunshine to be seen.

Kia wandered her eyes around. Because of the darkness, she couldn't see much at first. But, because she was able to view the surroundings when she concentrated, the body she was using was most likely not a human. The land of night was a barren wasteland. There were no plants or trees, and the ground was comprised of sand. The name "demon's lair" described this place perfectly. This land is uninhabitable for humans. But strangely, there was a lake in the middle of the dessert. If this world truly existed, she thought, the god who created it had to be insane to create a land for monsters.

"Although the quest is challenging, I must fulfill it. I will comeback to my world, so I must be strong. This is something I'm capable of completing, "she said in hushed tones. Kia boldly spoke those words, yet there was still a sliver of doubt in her heart. For the first time in her life, she will take charge of a life-or-death situation on her own. Kia was indecisive and resorted to relying on others, particularly her friends and family. Even when ordering food, she defers to others. There was no Gail, Stephanie, or Caureann to assist her this time.

Kia sighed deeply and closed her eyes tightly to calm herself. When she opened her eyes, she decided to go to the lake to wash her face. However, as soon as she saw her reflection, she was left in awe. The body she was currently using seemed like the body of a goddess. To be honest, her face was just too gorgeous to be real. Long black hair as dark as ebony, a round small clear face, gleaming crimson eyes, a faultless nose, and pinkish lips. She has a pale complexion, a tall stature, and an hourglass-shaped physique. A figure and a face that can turn any man's head towards her. She was, however, dressed inside in an old, torn red dress that she covered with a black hooded cloak.

"Isn't Audrey her given name? She is beautiful." She stated as she cupped her face softly. "She's also a vampire." Kia's sharp, pointed fangs protruded from her wide mouth. She thought that Audrey was far too gorgeous to be a mere adventurer and she wouldn't be surprised if she found she was a princess, queen, or goddess.

Kia shifted her attention back to her tasks. She set off immediately to seek the rabbit clan's secluded village. It is not visible to the naked eye, as stated by the system. The maiden searched for the village for six days without rest. She met multiple hideous monsters, but when they saw her face, the monsters ran as they screamed. Audrey must be powerful. At first, she was surprised that her body had such great endurance that she didn't need to rest nor sleep. Surprisingly, she didn't feel hungry nor have a thirst for blood. Myths describe vampires as 'blood suckers', but that doesn't seem to be the case for the vampires of this strange world at all.

Another day passed and it was the 7th day of her roaming around the land. Kia was losing her patience and there was no monster to ask because they kept running away from her. "Argh," she groaned and stomped her feet on a small rock.

An earthquake occurs when the ground begins to shake suddenly. Kia had no idea why, but before she could freak out, a village of rock houses appeared in front of her. She thought she had merely seen an empty dessert a short time before, but here was the rabbit village.

She was, however, already late. The system's predicted catalyst unfolds right before her eyes. The hamlet has already been infiltrated by foreign monsters. There was blood and screaming everywhere, and a small yellow rabbit was fleeing in her direction. Kia could see the small rabbit's tears streaming down his face.

"Run and do not look back, my son!" Screamed by a rabbit in a human figure who was trying to hold back the monsters with his sword. He was the clan's chief and the father of the rabbit that ran away.

Kia clutched the kana-wa, the weapon she'd been carrying since the beginning of the fight. The kana-wa is a circular blade with a sharpened edge both inside and out. It has three grips on three sides where it can be held for combat. She has no idea how to use it, but she has no option.

The clan chief didn't last long when he was cornered by a group of monsters who savagely chopped off his body with their claws. Kia trembled and was terrified that she wanted to vomit. Even though she had seen similar situations in movies, the sight was too much for her to bear. Reality was not at all like the fiction.

Kia rushed forward to the little rabbit despite her hesitation. The monsters were coming in on him and preparing to strike with their razor-sharp claws. When he passed her, she came to a halt and opened her arms, preparing herself for their attack. She assumed that if that rabbit lived, the quest would be over. However, when the creatures' claws pierced her chest, she was in excruciating pain, and blood poured out of her mouth. And,

(‼️)ALARM

YOU DIED.

(‼️)ALARM

YOU FAILED.

(‼️)ALARM

PUNISHMENT LOADING....

(‼️)ALARM

SYSTEM ERROR!

(‼️)ALARM

SYSTEM ERROR!

The deafening sounds of continual alarms from the system kept ringing in her head as she agonized from the pain. She began to scream while holding her head. She was unable to breathe and felt her entire body being sucked up once more. It was the sensation she had as she went through the portal. Her mind wandered to the idea of giving up at that point. Why must she suffer? What does the system really want?

The ache in her body vanished like a bubble, leaving no trace. Her breathing became more stable as the alarms in her head disappeared. As a result, Kia opened her eyes and found herself in front of the lake, where she had arrived when she entered the world of Se Diastasi. A hologram displaying the details of the special quest was floating in front of her. She was confused as to why it caused her to lose her footing and fall to the sand. There's no doubt that Kia returned on time.

She trembled in shock. "What is happening?"

Unexpected events occur, yet Kia is unable to comprehend all of them. Maybe she couldn't adjust, or maybe it was just too much for her naive mind to handle. It had been a long time since she had been able to sleep without thinking about her parents' deaths. Kia was left behind after the Grimaldi couple died in an accident.

Later that time, Kia chuckled as she shut her eyes. There was no time for doubt, but she was certain that whoever was behind the system wanted her to return to her world and regain her mental strength. But, in order to do so, she'll make Kia suffer and fear death.

She took a firm stance. Kia murmured, "Ridiculous," as she began walking to try to accomplish the quest for the second time. She roamed the Land of Night without resting, just as she had done the first time. After 5 days of going around, an alarm showed up that made her want to destroy the system. The quest's difficulty had clearly grown since the first time.

(‼️) ALARM

YOU DIED IN STARVATION AND LACK OF SLEEP.