Chapter 2 – The World Beyond Death
At first, there was nothing.
No weight, no breath, no sound. Just a kind of emptiness that stretched forever.
Then came light.
Not the harsh white of hospital tubes or the dusty gray sky he had known last—it was softer, golden, almost liquid. It slipped past his eyelids and made his skin tingle.
Adi stirred. His throat felt dry, as if he hadn't spoken in years. The air smelled strange—fresh and sweet, like rain mixed with flowers he didn't recognize.
He sat up slowly.
Grass. Real, wet grass pressed cool against his palms. The blades glistened with dew, shining like glass under a twilight sky. Above him, clouds rolled lazily, painted in streaks of purple and orange. And far, far away, two moons hung side by side like silver coins.
Adi blinked hard. Once. Twice.
"What…?" His voice cracked.
Memory slammed into him like a punch. The building collapsing. The dust choking his lungs. Meera's terrified face. His arm wrapped around her, pushing her clear as stone and fire came down. The crushing weight. The pain. His own voice, hoarse, confessing what he'd hidden for years.
"I always loved you…"
And then—darkness.
His stomach twisted. He curled forward, pressing his forehead into his knees. "No. No, this isn't… I died. I died."
The grass muffled his broken whisper. He wanted to cry, but no tears came. His chest burned with a hollow ache, the kind that made it hard to even breathe.
Minutes passed—maybe more. Time didn't feel real.
Then, a sound.
Not outside. Inside. Like a bell chime, soft but impossibly clear. Followed by a voice—not human, not natural, but sharp and even, as if it had been carved from steel.
[Welcome, Adventurer. Initialization complete.]
Adi froze.
"What…?" His head jerked up.
The words weren't in the air. They floated in his mind, glowing faintly before his eyes. Transparent letters, hanging in space like a projection.
[Status Window]Name: AdiLevel: 1HP: 100/100MP: 50/50Skills: NoneInventory: Empty
He stumbled back. His heel caught on the grass, and he landed hard on his tailbone. The letters stayed where they were, hovering patiently, as if waiting for him to catch up.
"This—no, this isn't real." His hands shook. He tried to swipe the letters away, but they didn't move. They pulsed once, like a heartbeat, then stilled.
The voice came again.
[Tutorial initializing. Adventurer, please stand.]
"Adventurer?" Adi let out a shaky laugh. "You've got the wrong guy. I'm… I'm not—I'm nobody."
But his body moved anyway. Slowly, stiffly, he got to his feet. His old school uniform was gone. In its place were simple clothes: a linen tunic, rough brown trousers, and boots that looked worn but sturdy.
His breath came faster. This wasn't a dream. Not the kind he could just blink out of.
"Okay… okay, think." He pressed a hand against his chest. His heartbeat thudded fast but steady. His skin felt warm. The breeze tugged at his hair. He was here. Wherever "here" was.
A new shimmer appeared at his feet. Light condensed, then faded, leaving behind objects on the grass.
A sword—rusted, blunt at the edges. Two glass vials filled with red liquid. A map rolled tight with string.
[Beginner's Package unlocked.]Rusted Sword (Common) x1Healing Potion x2Adventurer's Map x1
Adi stared. His laugh came out harsh and broken. "This is insane."
Still, he bent down. His hand closed around the sword's hilt. It was real. Heavy, cold. The weight pulled at his arm until his muscles ached.
"Not a dream," he whispered. "Not a game either. Then… what the hell is this?"
The system chimed again.
Quest: Survive the NightObjective: Defeat 3 monsters.Reward: 50 EXP, 20 coins.Failure: Death.
His mouth went dry. "Death? I already…"
The words died in his throat.
A low rustle cut through the silence.
Adi turned. At the edge of the clearing, shadows shifted between the trees. Then he saw it—a small, twisted figure stepping into the fading light.
Green skin. Crooked teeth. Yellow eyes glowing like coals. A goblin.
Adi's breath hitched. His grip tightened on the sword.
The creature hissed, saliva dripping from its mouth, and raised a crude wooden club.
"No, no, no—this isn't happening," Adi muttered. His legs shook, but they rooted to the ground. He couldn't run.
The goblin screeched and lunged.
Everything blurred. Adi swung clumsily, his blade scraping the goblin's shoulder. The impact jarred his arm. The goblin snarled, lashing out with its club. Adi ducked too slow—the blow grazed his side, sending pain shooting through his ribs.
He gasped. Real pain. Sharp and searing. Not like in games. Not like anything he'd felt before.
Panic flared, but another part of him—buried deep, the part that had trained in secret for years—took over. His body moved, even while his mind screamed. A step to the side. A desperate swing.
The rusted blade cut deep into the goblin's chest. Hot blood sprayed across Adi's hand. The creature's scream turned to a gurgle, then silence. It collapsed at his feet.
Adi dropped the sword. His knees buckled, and he fell beside the corpse. His stomach lurched. He vomited into the grass, body shaking violently.
"I… killed it," he whispered, voice raw. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, tears stinging his eyes. "I actually…"
The system chimed, cold and emotionless.
Quest Progress: 1/3 monsters defeated.EXP gained: 10.HP: 70/100.
Adi's chest heaved. His sword lay beside him, smeared with dark blood. The smell was metallic and foul. He wanted to throw up again.
He hugged his knees, rocking slightly. "I'm not a hero. I'm not… I can't do this."
But the night sky didn't care. The last of the sun slipped away, and shadows stretched long. The forest around him pulsed with noises—growls, cracks, the shuffle of unseen feet.
Somewhere, deep in the trees, another goblin shrieked. Then another.
The system's voice echoed, sharp and final.
[Adventurer. Survive. Or perish.]
Adi's teeth clenched. He forced himself to pick up the sword again, though his arms trembled. His breath was ragged, but under it, something else stirred. A memory.
Meera's voice. Her tears. The way she had looked at him when he pushed her clear.
He had died for her once.
And if she was here too—if fate had truly thrown them into the same world again—then he would not give up. Not now. Not ever.
The brush ahead rustled. Two more goblins emerged, eyes gleaming in the moonlight.
Adi swallowed hard. Sweat dripped down his temple. His grip tightened on the blade.
"Come on, then," he muttered. His voice was hoarse, but steadier now. "I'm not done yet."
The goblins screeched and charged.
And Adi braced himself for the night.