It stayed there—floating in front of me like a quiet command I couldn't ignore.
[New Objective Generated.]
[Survive.]
[Grow.]
[Uncover the Truth Behind Your Death.]
I stared at it for a long moment.
"…That's it?" I muttered.
No detailed instructions. No rewards listed. No time limit.
Just three words that felt heavier than anything I had ever carried.
"Survive…" I repeated under my breath.
A bitter smile formed on my lips.
"I couldn't even do that the first time."
The memory of my death flashed again—the flames, the accusations, the cold certainty in that man's eyes before he killed me.
My chest tightened.
But this time… things were different.
I had a System.
Even if it was broken.
Even if it didn't belong to me.
It was still something.
"…Fine," I said quietly. "Then I'll use it."
I swung my legs off the bed and stood up slowly. My body felt lighter than I expected—less tense, more responsive.
Younger.
That realization hit me instantly.
I rushed to the small mirror hanging on the wall.
The reflection staring back at me wasn't the same as before.
My face looked… younger. Less worn. My eyes still carried the same memories, but my body had clearly returned to an earlier point in time.
"…I really did go back," I whispered.
Before everything burned.
Before I died.
My hands clenched into fists.
"Then I can change it."
A sudden flicker interrupted my thoughts.
[System Notification]
I turned my gaze back to the translucent screen.
New text appeared.
[Initializing Basic Function…]
[Condition Met: User Intent Confirmed]
"…Intent?" I repeated.
Before I could question it further—
[Generating First Quest…]
My heartbeat quickened.
This was it.
A real quest.
Just like the Awakened.
The screen flashed once.
Then—
---
[QUEST: The First Step]
Objective: Strengthen your body beyond baseline.
Requirement: Complete 50 physical repetitions (any form).
Reward: +1 Strength, +1 Endurance
Penalty (Failure): None
---
I blinked.
"…That's it?"
Fifty repetitions?
That sounded… simple.
Too simple.
Even for someone like me.
But then again—
I had no skills.
No magic.
No combat experience.
This System was starting me from nothing.
"…Fine," I exhaled. "We start here."
I stepped back, giving myself space in the small room.
"Fifty repetitions… any form."
Push-ups.
That was the easiest.
I got into position, placing my hands on the wooden floor.
"Let's see if this thing actually works."
I lowered myself.
"One…"
Up again.
"Two…"
It felt normal at first.
My body responded well, better than I expected.
But by the time I reached twenty—
My arms began to shake.
"…Already?" I gritted my teeth.
This body was still weak.
Still far from anything impressive.
But I didn't stop.
"Twenty-one… twenty-two…"
Sweat started to form on my forehead.
My breathing grew heavier.
By thirty—
My muscles burned.
"Damn it…"
I nearly collapsed.
But I forced myself back up.
"Keep going…"
The System didn't say anything.
No encouragement.
No updates.
Just silence.
It was all on me.
"Thirty-five…"
My arms trembled violently now.
Every movement felt heavier than the last.
"Forty…"
I gasped for air.
My vision blurred slightly.
But I pushed forward.
Because this time—
I wasn't going to die weak.
"Forty-eight…"
My body screamed at me to stop.
"Forty-nine…"
Just one more.
I clenched my teeth.
"…Fifty!"
I dropped to the floor immediately after.
My arms gave out completely.
I lay there, breathing heavily, staring at the ceiling.
For a few seconds—
Nothing happened.
Then—
[Quest Complete.]
A faint light pulsed through my body.
It wasn't overwhelming.
But it was noticeable.
Warm.
Like something inside me had shifted.
---
[Reward Granted]
+1 Strength
+1 Endurance
---
I slowly pushed myself up.
"…So it's real," I whispered.
I felt it.
Even with just one point—
I felt stronger.
Slightly, but undeniably.
A small laugh escaped my lips.
"…This is insane."
For the first time in my life—
I had a way to grow.
Not through luck.
Not through divine selection.
But through effort.
Through something I could control.
But just as that thought settled—
The System flickered again.
Violently this time.
My expression changed instantly.
"…What now?"
A new message appeared.
But unlike the others—
This one was different.
The text glitched.
Distorted.
---
[ERROR… ERROR…]
[Foreign Signal Detected]
[Forcing Emergency Quest Injection…]
---
My eyes widened.
"Emergency…?"
Before I could react—
The screen shifted again.
---
[EMERGENCY QUEST: Hide or Die]
Objective: Escape immediate threat within 3 minutes
Reward: ???
Penalty (Failure): Termination
---
My blood ran cold.
"…Termination?"
Then—
A sound.
Footsteps.
Outside.
My head snapped toward the door.
Heavy.
Multiple.
Getting closer.
And then—
A voice.
"Search the area. He should be here somewhere."
My heart stopped.
That voice—
I recognized it.
It was one of the guards.
From the night I died.
"…They're already here?" I whispered.
Panic surged through my body.
Three minutes.
That's all I had.
I looked around the room desperately.
No weapons.
No escape routes.
Just one small window—
barely big enough to squeeze through.
The footsteps grew louder.
Closer.
Then—
The door handle moved.
[Time Remaining: 02:17]
My breathing quickened.
This wasn't a second chance to relax.
This was a second chance to survive.
I turned toward the window.
"…Guess I don't have a choice."
Behind me—
the door began to open.
And in that moment, I realized—
My new life wasn't going to be easier.
It was going to be a hunt.
And I was still the target.