Learning
Humans are creatures with inherent weaknesses.
They lack gills to breathe underwater, wings to soar through the sky, and sharp claws for hunting.
It's both impressive and puzzling why humans have managed to survive on Earth until now.
Research has shown that there are many bacteria and environmental conditions capable of instantly killing humans, yet strangely, humans lack organs or internal tools to counteract these dangers.
Even the smallest ant has a higher survival rate on Earth than humans.
Hence, some theories or conspiracies suggest that humans did not originate from Earth but are rather extraterrestrial arrivals.
However, the reality is that humans can still survive and even thrive.
They can dive into the sea without gills, fly into the air without wings, and become the rulers of all animals without claws.
The reason behind all this is humans' adaptability.
Humans possess remarkable cognitive abilities, such as abstract thinking, complex language, and sophisticated problem-solving.
Although some animals also have impressive cognitive abilities, such as primates and dolphins, their abilities are generally more focused on daily needs and survival in their natural environments.
Physically, humans may not be as strong or as fast as some other animals, but they have the ability to create tools and technology that significantly extend their capabilities.
Various animal species have physical and behavioral adaptations that enable them to survive in extreme environments. Humans also have the ability to adapt to various environments, but they often rely on technology and culture to do so.
Humans have an advantage in behavioral flexibility.
They can learn, innovate, and adapt to complex and rapid environmental changes. This allows them to overcome challenges that other species may not be able to.
They have the ability to cooperate on an extraordinary scale, forming societies, and building complex civilizations.
Although some animals can collaborate in small groups, humans' ability to communicate and coordinate effectively has enabled them to achieve remarkable feats in history and the development of civilization.
Humans may not win in a foot race against lions or tigers. However, in a marathon, no animal can beat them.
Their bodies seem to be designed not for quick victories but for enduring defeats and long-lasting triumphs.
Another word that can describe the strength of human adaptability is "learning."
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[Congratulations, you have died for the 46th time!]
The translucent blue panel once again reminded Aditya of how many times he had died.
Yet, he didn't cry, scream, or curse.
He fought hard to maintain his sanity, which was slowly slipping away. The pain from dying didn't diminish or lessen, but at least he was starting to get used to it.
Just like with working out, it's hard at first but gets easier day by day.
Perhaps Aditya had underestimated death because now he truly felt like someone was talking to him, maybe himself or maybe the people reading his story.
But it still felt quiet.
Maybe if he continued to suffer, more people would read his story.
Yup, Aditya slowly began to go insane.
"ATTACK!" The cue for his next death echoed, and Aditya once again urged his legs to run.
Once again, he encountered Bob.
Ah, Bob was the name he gave to the Majapahit warrior who always killed him.
Aditya had asked for the warrior's name before, but he only replied, "You're too weak to hear my name," with pride.
Of course, after that, Bob decapitated Aditya.
Since he didn't know Bob's real name, he called him Bob.
Why Bob?
Well... Aditya doesn't know either. Maybe you guys have another idea of a nickname for Bob?
Ah, he's talking to the readers again. Aditya is definitely and slowly going crazy.
"BOB, MY FRIEND! WE MEET AGAIN HAHAHA!" Aditya shouted gleefully.
"Who do you call Bob?" Bob asked before swinging vertically at Aditya.
Aditya had memorized Bob's greeting attack. He could even dodge it by closing his eyes.
However, like any experienced fighter, Bob's next attack was the deadliest.
Unlike monsters in the game, Bob didn't have a specific movement pattern, so Aditya didn't know what kind of attack Bob would unleash next.
Aditya sidestepped, but he didn't fully commit.
True enough, when he successfully avoided Bob's downward slash, Bob's foot was already blocking behind Aditya.
Aditya used his sword as a shield and leaned his body backward. Just as he was about to fall, Aditya performed a kick-salto towards Bob's head.
He used the force of gravity to make his attack more deadly. However, Bob easily evaded Aditya's kick before striking again.
Aditya knew he wouldn't win by sheer strength against Bob. His sword could slip or, worse, his hand could break when their weapons clashed.
So, Aditya followed the direction of Bob's attack, allowing his entire body to absorb the impact instead of just his hand.
But Bob wasn't impressed with Aditya's swordplay; he swiftly executed a stabbing motion. Aditya once again used his sword as a shield and prepared to step back while receiving Bob's attack.
Unfortunately, Bob's sword suddenly changed direction. Instead of aiming at Aditya's chest, the tip of Bob's sword targeted his neck.
Aditya didn't have time to adjust his grip on the sword, so Bob's sword pierced his throat.
He didn't scream, swallowing the pain while smiling at Bob. "Nice move, Bob!" that's what he wanted to say.
But unfortunately, his vocal cords were already destroyed, and blood began to fill his airways.
Bob pulled his sword from Aditya's neck and walked away to find a new enemy without even looking back at Aditya.
Not long after, Aditya ran out of blood, and death came calling once again.
[Congratulations, you have died for the 47th time!]
"WOW, BOB IS TRULY AWESOME!!" Aditya cheered as he came back to life.
"Oi shut up! Don't scream like a woman, you're embarrassing us Sundanese people!" a voice came from behind Aditya.
It was a voice he knew well.
Aditya turned around and saw the Sundanese warrior who had killed him several times before.
"Sorry, Jeff, I'm just excited to fight Bob again!" Aditya named the Sundanese warrior Jeff.
Why Jeff?
Well... Aditya didn't know either. Maybe you have another idea for Jeff's name?
Ah, he was speaking to the readers again.
Jeff grumbled, "Who are you calling Jeff?! Focus ahead, idiot! Don't show your back to the enemy!"
"Okay, okay, you're such a grump, Jeff. I bet you don't have a girlfriend," Aditya smirked.
"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Jeff growled.
"ATTACK!!!" Wisesa's voice rang out again.
Aditya met Bob once more.
They both danced beautifully, and Aditya managed to deflect five of Bob's attacks before being killed again, his head severed.
[Congratulations, you have died for the 48th time!]
"BOB! THIS TIME I'LL BE ABLE TO FEND OFF SIX OF YOUR ATTACKS!"
"Who do you call Bob?"
Aditya only managed to parry four of Bob's attacks before his hands were severed and his throat slit.
[Congratulations, you have died for the 49th time!]
"Jeff, do you think that cloud is like a cat?"
"SHUT THE FUCK UP!"
Aditya was killed this time by Bob as he attempted to embrace his stubborn teammate.
[Congratulations, you have died for the 53rd time!]
"Bob, do people these days wear underpants?"
"Who do you call Bob?"
Aditya managed to parry six of Bob's attacks before his chest was pierced by the sword.
[Congratulations, you have died for the 58th time!]
"Jeff, are you married?"
"SHUT THE FUCK UP!"
Aditya managed to fend off eight of Bob's attacks before being killed once again.
[Congratulations, you have died for the 66th time!]
"Bob, do women today wear bras?"
"Who do you call Bob?"
Aditya managed to fend off ten of Bob's attacks before being killed.
[Congratulations, you have died for the 72nd time!]
"Jeff, with your ugly face don't you get mistaken for a genderuwo (an ugly demon from Java)?"
"SHUT THE FU—"
Aditya managed to scratch Bob's arm before his eyes were gouged out and his head was hit until it broke.
[Congratulations, you have died for the 86th time!]
"Bob, are there condoms in this day and age?"
"Who do yo-"
Aditya managed to make a big cut on Bob's arm.
[Congratulations, you have died for the 106th time!]
"Jeff, that cloud looks like a shit!"
"SHUT-"
Aditya managed to get Bob down.
[Congratulations, you have died for the 156th time!]
"Bob…"
[Congratulations, you have died for the 176th time!]
"Jeff…"
[Congratulations, you have died for the 187th time!]
…
[Congratulations, you have died for the 195th time!]
…
[Congratulations, you have died for the 206th time!]
…
[Congratulations, you have died for the 226th time!]
…
[Congratulations, you have died for the 248th time!]
…
[Congratulations, you have died for the 260th time!]
"Huft! Huft! Huft! Huft! Huft! Huft! Huft! Huft!"
Aditya knelt in a pool of blood his body riddled with gaping wounds beyond repair. His face was pale from the loss of blood, his right hand useless and his left arm limp from the elbow.
The white bone on his chest can be seen along with the beating heart and expanding lungs. Aditya no longer resembled a human, but rather a fresh zombie still oozing red blood.
Yet, he smiled.
His face glowed with a light far different from his dire state. The reason? A dead Majapahit warrior lay before him.
And that corpse was Bob.
"Hahahaha," Aditya began to chuckle gleefully, though each breath could make The Rock scream in pain.
"I told you I can do it! I told you that I will kill you! See! It only took 260 deaths! HAHAHAHAHA!" Aditya's laughter was so intense it shook his body.
Several of his organs fell to the ground from the large hole in his chest, but Aditya paid no mind.
Finally, he had won.
This game was not impossible to beat.
Bob's death gave hope to Aditya, who was starting to feel insane.
But before he could laugh further, a sword suddenly pierced between his eyebrows, ending Aditya's 261st journey of life.
[Congratulations, you have died for the 261st time!]
Opening his eyes, Aditya was greeted once again with the same sight as when he was resurrected. But this time, there was no anxiety in Aditya's heart; the joy of turning the impossible into possible filled him with excitement.
Aditya turned around to find Jeff's wrinkled face. As usual, he greeted him with the friendliest tone he could muster.
"Hi Jeff! Your face really looks like a monkey's asshole."
"Shut the fuck up! Who do you call Jeff!?" Jeff replied with a hiss like an angry snake.
"Hahaha... you know, Jeff, in the previous round, I managed to kill Bob! You know, Bob, that Bob, yes, that Bob, no, Bob, that Bob, you know Bob! Hahahaha!" Aditya was ecstatic.
"I said shut the fuck up! Stop yapping and be ready to fight!" thundered Jeff, growing more annoyed.
"Oh, don't worry, Jeff. This time I will kill Bob again, and maybe next time I can kill Bob 2, Bob 3, Bob 4, and so on. Hahaha... just relax, I will kill all the Majapahit warriors in front of us!"
"Don't get cocky, you weakling! Who even is Bob? What kind of parent names their child Bob?" Jeff said with a furrowed brow.
"Hahaha... you're really funny, Jeff," Aditya laughed, and right after that, the cue from Wisesa sounded again.
"ATTACK!!!"
Aditya ran with such fervor to meet Bob once again.
Based on his experience fighting Bob thus far, he believed he only needed a few dozen more deaths to kill Bob without getting hurt.
This made him so excited that even the voices in his head faded away.
However, Aditya should have realized by now that the creator of the Pendant of War didn't want his players to win.
"Huh?" Aditya responded, surprised.
Right now, he saw two Bobs in front of him.
Perhaps their faces were different, but Aditya, who was already going mad, could no longer distinguish one face from another.
So, when he encountered two Majapahit warriors blocking his path, Aditya immediately thought Bob had just duplicated himself.
Rubbing his eyes, but Bob 2 still remained. Bob was right in front of him, raising his sword high before swiftly striking Aditya and Bob 2 still eyeing him like a tiger eyeing his prey.
Shaking his head, Aditya took a step back, intending to defeat Bob as he did before.
However, too focused on Bob, he failed to notice Bob 2 circling from the side. Before Aditya could deflect the next attack, Bob 2 had plunged his sword into Aditya's stomach.
The pain made his body pause for a moment, but it was enough time for Bob to decapitate Aditya.
[Congratulations, you have died for the 262nd time!]
"Eh?"