Great Sage? Like in Tensura? My heart began to pound erratically. I came... I came back? The thought screamed through my mind. That horrific end, the pain... Was it all erased? I looked at the stall before me, the red, apple-like fruits, the same weary-looking vendor staring back at me with vague annoyance. Same place... Same moment...
[Answer: The 'Return by Death' phenomenon was confirmed upon your revival. Language data for the region has been loaded into your neural pathways. Modifications to your physical vessel have been implemented.]
"Language? Body modifications?" The vendor's grumbling suddenly made sense. "Are you going to buy the appa or not?!" I could understand him! But my body... I looked down at my hands. They seemed smaller, more delicate. I rushed to a nearby shop window. The reflection... wasn't me. Shorter, slender, with black hair and black eyes, looking almost like... a girl. What the hell?!
[Answer: Body modification appears stable. Cause undetermined, but occurred simultaneously with my activation.]
"Great... Just great..." I muttered, my head spinning. I had died. I had returned. I looked different. And I had an anime skill talking inside my head. This was... too much. Nausea churned in my stomach again.
My new appearance is a problem. Great Sage could analyze reactions, maybe? "Great Sage, analyze potential social reactions to my current appearance based on observed populace."
[Analysis: Androgynous features, petite stature, and uncommon hair/eye color may attract attention, potentially leading to unwanted interactions, underestimation, or misidentification (e.g., mistaken for female, child, or specific race like Elf due to perceived beauty).]
Wonderful. More variables.
I need to stay calm, I thought, trembling. Panicking won't help. But it wasn't easy. The memory of death was seared into my mind. That feeling of helplessness... That pain...
"Great Sage, any other abilities? Anything besides you and RbD?" I asked, clinging to a sliver of hope for some offensive power.
[Answer: Negative. Current confirmed Unique Skills: 'Great Sage', 'Return by Death'. No other skills detected.] [cite: user]
"Can you analyze RbD? Figure out how it works? The save points?"
[Answer: Insufficient data and operational level to analyze the fundamental principles of 'Return by Death'. Save point prediction possible only through inference based on user's existing knowledge database – acquired memories pertaining to the anime 'Re: Zero'.]
So, Great Sage couldn't magically solve RbD's mysteries, only work with what I already knew. Disappointing, but logical. My anime knowledge was now my most crucial asset, filtered through Great Sage's analytical lens.
"What about you? Can you evolve? Maybe into, say, Raphael? Or Ciel?" I tried, remembering Rimuru's journey.
[Answer: Evolution requires significant quantities of ambient mana or specific triggers currently unavailable in this environment. Probability of evolution under current circumstances is effectively zero.]
Right. No shortcuts there either. It seemed I was stuck with Great Sage in its base form. Still infinitely better than nothing.
"Great Sage,What should I do? I'm... weak. Just now... I was killed. I don't want that to happen again." This was a desire for power, it was fear. Fear of experiencing that agony again.
[Affirmative. Request to increase combat effectiveness perceived. Combat styles, weapon usage, and tactical information can be uploaded to your memory.]
"Really? You can... teach me how to fight?" I asked, desperately clinging to a sliver of hope.
[Affirmative. Various martial arts and combat scenarios from your memory can be analyzed and optimized techniques compiled for you. However, this is only information transfer. I cannot directly enhance your physical abilities (strength, speed, endurance).]
"So... just knowing isn't enough, I need practice too." I thought. And I need to get physically stronger.
[Affirmative. During your physical exercises, I can analyze your movements, correct errors, and calculate the most efficient training methods. This will significantly accelerate your physical development.]
That was something. I wasn't completely helpless. There was a way. But how would I start? Where would I train?
Then it hit me. That alleyway. Those three men. The ones who did this to me...
"Great Sage," I said, the tremor in my voice replaced by a cold desire for revenge. "Those attackers just now... Can we find them again? Do you know their location?"
[Answer: Based on the memory from your previous loop, the attackers frequent the nearby alleyways. Their likely locations can be predicted.]
"I want to fight them again," I said, clenching my fists. It was insane, I knew. They had just killed me. But I needed real combat experience. And a part of me... wanted revenge. Or at least, to settle the score for that helplessness. "With the basic techniques you taught me... Can I handle them?"
[Analyzing... Applying basic unarmed defense and counter-attack techniques, with a cautious approach, success is possible. However, risks remain.]
"I don't care about the risks," I muttered. If I died, I'd just come back, right? The thought was terrifying but also strangely liberating. "Upload those techniques. And then let's go find that alleyway."
[Uploading basic unarmed defense and counter-attack techniques... Upload complete.]
Again, that sudden influx of information filled my mind. My body seemed to instinctively understand certain movements. I was still scared. Still trembling. But now I had a purpose. I had no money, couldn't buy an Appa rom old man. But now I could fight back. Or at least, I could try.