Opening my eyes to a familiar scene.
The sword approached my neck again.
Honestly...
It was becoming slightly repetitive.
But what can you do?
I ducked, avoiding the blade, and immediately sprinted into the mansion's halls.
I moved swiftly, taking the right pathway without hesitation and heading straight toward the weapons storage.
Stepping into the storage, I moved past all the weapons and headed to the area I hadn't gotten to explore before.
Right before me was an old wooden door.
I didn't hesitate and opened it only to be greeted with a cloud of dust that flew toward my face.
"Damn it."
I coughed, waving a hand in front of my face while covering my mouth and nose with the other.
'How long has it been since this place was last opened?'
When the dust settled, I stepped inside.
It was a small room filled with gardening tools.
'A shed?'
"...tch"
'I wasted my time coming here.'
Then I saw it...
An old jewelry box that stood atop the highest shelf as if no one was ever supposed to take it.
I reached to take it, only to realize I was too short.
'What am I doing?' I questioned myself. 'Its just a box.'
I turned to leave, then...
-Creeaakk
A faint sound came from behind.
I glanced back.
I saw the same shelf slowly tilting as if age had finally caught up with it.
The box began to slide.
Falling...
I stepped forward and caught it just before it hit the ground.
I stared at the box in my hand.
Then without thinking...
I opened it.
Inside the box lay a necklace with a thin gold chain holding a colorless gem.
I stared at the gem.
Something about it felt...
Strange.
Suddenly, the gem changed, color seeping into it, green slowly swirling.
Until the entire gem gleamed like an emerald.
"Beautiful."
Almost unconsciously, I put it on.
As soon as I did...
"Ghk-!"
I groaned in pain, a single word forcing itself into my mind, feeling as though my head was being split open.
'Fractus'
I collapsed on my back...
And died.
------
Opening my eyes
The repetitive scene before me once again.
The sword targeting my neck.
I ducked and ran.
Making my way through the pathway, arriving at the weapons storage again.
Moving straight to the shed, I opened the door, covering my face to protect myself from the dust.
I went in and grabbed a chair, stepped up, and retrieved the jewelry box.
I stared at the box for a moment, unsure what to think.
I then opened it, but...
Empty.
The box was empty, the necklace gone like it was never there.
"...What?"
I searched the shed.
But nothing.
'This doesn't make sense.'
Then I remembered.
The word.
I spoke aloud.
"Fractus"
My eyes widened.
The necklace had appeared before me, floating in the air waiting for...
'Me?'
Before I could react.
The necklace shot toward me, wrapping itself around my neck.
Strangely, it felt comfortable as if it had always belonged there...
With me.
Slowly, I felt a strange sensation spread throughout my body.
It was warm... like something was washing over me, like it was cleansing my body.
'...what the?'
I no longer felt drained. In fact, I felt energized, like I had woken up from a long rest.
Each movement I made felt lighter.
There was only one possible reason.
"...You." Staring at the necklace, I questioned it, "What are you?"
"..."
No answer.
I wasn't sure whether it couldn't answer me or just chose not to, but I decided not to dwell on it.
I turned to leave the shed.
Then suddenly...
A sharp pain pierced my abdomen.
"Ghk-!"
I fell to one knee, clutching my stomach as the pain spread.
It surged through me like wildfire, racing along my veins, seeping into every corner of my body. My muscles tensed. My breath hitched.
Then just as suddenly it...
Disappeared.
My body adjusted.
Then I felt it.
Something within me... no, I felt it everywhere around me.
"...Mana?"
My eyes widened.
I didn't know how… but I knew what it was almost instinctively.
I froze, unsure how to react.
Then I realized.
'The poison... its gone.'
'No, it was cleansed.'
And it was easy to know who had done it.
The necklace.
------
I decided to experiment with my newly acquired mana.
A smile plastered on my face as I spoke.
"Let's see what I can do."
Sitting in a lotus position. I tried to command the mana to gather in my hand, but... It didn't even move a bit.
My brows twitched.
'Again'
Still no change.
The mana didn't react to any of my commands, as if it was rejecting me.
I didn't give up.
I tried again.
Nothing.
And again.
Still nothing.
And again.
Until...
-CRASH
The statue had fallen again.
It startled me, breaking my concentration.
"Tch"
'It's just that.'
Just as I was going to try again.
'Wait...' I had thought, 'Where is he?'
The bastard, I couldn't hear him.
Usually, he would've found me by now.
I walked out of the storage, scanning the area.
He was nowhere to be seen.
'The poison... He can't track me without its scent.'
This meant he was blindly searching for me through the mansion.
A small, wry smile formed on my lips.
I went back into the storage to try using mana again.
Now I had a lot more time to practice.
------
Hours passed
Or at least it felt that way.
My body was drenched in sweat. My breathing ragged.
But finally...
The mana moved.
Not much, but it responded.
'...Yes!'
I guided it to my arm.
It began to feel stronger.
Then my eye
My vision sharpened, the world becoming clearer, more detailed.
I began to play around with this, focusing my mana on different body parts. Although my control was sluggish, clearly because I lacked experience.
The effect was clear, it enhanced a body part's functionality.
I couldn't move it outside my body, but I was able to move it inside my body.
I focused my mana into my ear. I couldn't manage both yet, but that was enough.
-step
-step
Soft, slow steps came from a distance.
'It's him.'
The bastard no longer walked confidently; his steps were no longer deliberately loud. They were slow, almost cautious.
I smiled and stood up.
I walked toward a certain sword, lifting it with ease.
'...I knew it was light.'
I stepped outside the storage and once again saw the bastard.
He stood at a distance from me near the arena. It seemed like he had yet to notice me.
I wondered if I could sneak past, but I threw the thought away. To leave, I needed to get rid of him, even if it wasn't going to happen in this life or... loop.
"Hey!" I shouted.
His head snapped in my direction.
This time, he didn't smile. He looked at me with an unreadable expression.
But there was one thing I could tell...
'He's angry.'
I calmly walked toward him and stopped a few meters in front of him.
"What?" I scoffed. "Angry the situation's not in your control anymore?"
He didn't reply and simply glared at me.
'He can probably sense my mana, that's why he's cautious.'
I opened my mouth to speak again, but before I could...
"Who..." He muttered.
"No... what are you?"
"Huh?"
I frowned.
'What's he talking about?'
I was genuinely confused.
"Did you think you could fool me?" He spoke again, his tone cold. "Humans have mana cores... You don't."
'I don't have a mana core?' I didn't know how to interpret his words. He was looking at me as if I were some sort of monster.
Then...
He rushed at me with a sword in his hand.
This time, I could see him move.
I reacted immediately.
Raising my sword and channeling all the mana I could into my arm, preparing to strike.
But... he stopped.
Mid-charge.
"...!"
A feint.
My eyes widened.
He moved back, releasing five tiny balls onto the floor.
They were smoke bombs.
A cloud of smoke blocked my vision.
'Damn it!'
I moved mana to my ear.
-step
'Behind!'
I turned, raising my sword.
I blocked the strike.
He moved back fast, fading into the smoke once more.
'Shit... think'
-step
'Left!'
He attempted to strike again.
I blocked the strike, deflecting it off my blade. I focused mana into my arm, pushing forward.
He staggered back.
I didn't waste the opportunity.
Focusing mana into my leg, I leaped at him, tackling him down as his sword fell from his hands.
I tried to stab him but...
I couldn't move my arm.
My shoulder had dislocated from the previous strike.
The bastard wasted no time.
He pulled out a dagger from his side.
'Shit!'
A sharp pain pierced my neck from the side.
'...Fuck'
I died.