"...!"
Rohan, who had placed his hand in the space containing the random skill book, opened his eyes wide at the knowledge seeping into him.
Was it really the luck bead taking effect? His entire body trembled at the information filling his mind.
He hit the jackpot.
[Undying Ember — Rank: SS]
â Automatically activates 300 seconds after health reaches 0.
â Nullifies death and recovers 10% of maximum health.
â Cooldown: 720 hours (30 days) — Currently available
It was an unfamiliar skill he had never seen or heard of in Abyss City.
What caught his eye first wasn't the rank but the content.
'Resurrection 5 minutes after death...?!'
This was different from all the skills he had drawn from skill books so far. It was a power that changed causality.
If it worked without issues, it meant he had more than one life.
And it wasn't even a one-time use or with a 100-year cooldown, which would have been reasonable enough. The reuse waiting time was only a month.
"Whew, calm down..."
Is this how it feels to win the lottery jackpot when you desperately need money? His heart was pounding strongly.
Rohan took several deep breaths to calm his excitement.
He took out some cold water, gulped it down, and read the skill details carefully.
He noticed aspects that weren't clarified by the description.
'What happens if I die from my head exploding or my neck being cut off? What about dying of old age? Does it rewind time to the state right before death?'
His curiosity was abundant, but there was no immediate way to resolve it. It was impossible to experiment with this skill just to answer questions.
It was also forbidden to develop a habit of risking his life recklessly. If it failed to work for some unknown reason, it would truly be a meaningless death.
'Having a resurrection skill doesn't mean life becomes less valuable.'
That much was certain. He needed to keep reminding himself and remain vigilant.
This skill would shine brightest if it was never used in his lifetime.
Next, his eyes rolled around.
He confirmed the rank with two S's attached.
'So the highest skill rank isn't S-rank? In Abyss City, it was definitely... no, games don't matter here.'
Of course, there are many good skills even with lower ranks. After all, regardless of skill rank, the person using it is what matters.
Even so, SS-rank was unprecedented. He didn't even know such a thing existed in the world.
'Feeling amazing!'
Regardless, his goal was clear. To live in a way that would require using this skill as little as possible.
The mystique and security of having a spare life was enough.
'Even if the skill activates, ideally it should happen where no one can see it.'
The best scenario would be stabbing each other with an enemy, dying together, and coming back alone.
Think about it—it's 5 minutes from death to resurrection.
If he died in front of lovers or friends, what would happen during those 5 minutes waiting for the skill to activate?
'It would break my mental if I experienced that.'
It was something he didn't even want to imagine.
"..."
After finishing his thoughts, Rohan entered into meditation.
Consistent training was the only answer to achieving what he wanted.
..
..
The next morning at dawn.
Rohan, who had been sleeping in the dormitory bed, habitually opened his eyes and moved.
After quietly visiting Sion's mansion and finishing training in the basement, he came out to find Lete just waking up, appearing in a half-asleep state.
For pajamas, she was wearing one of the t-shirts Rohan kept at the mansion for comfort. Looking at the room she came from, it was transparent whose bed she had used.
To Rohan, these actions were just cute. It was good to see she had slept well.
"Lete, your hair looks like a bird's nest."
"What? Ack...! I-I'll go wash up!"
Lete touched her messy hair and, now fully awake, disappeared into the bathroom.
Lete joined them for breakfast time as usual. The scene didn't feel awkward at all.
At breakfast, Sion and Clara spoke first, telling Rohan to take good care of her.
Thanks to them seeing Lete off at the entrance saying they'd see her next time, Rohan continued a short date until the afternoon when Lete had to return.
And so, at the end of that pleasant time.
As departure time approached, the two came to the station.
Lete was holding Rohan's hand and sticking close to him while continuing casual conversation. She was clearly savoring every moment.
"Clara gave you a gift? What did she give you?"
"Hehe, it's a secret between us girls!"
Rohan didn't ask further and just smiled. What he felt at the mansion and sensed from their conversation was that Lete had become quite close with his lovers overnight.
It was especially impressive how much she had narrowed the distance with Clara. She said they practiced shooting and played games together.
— The skyship bound for Sepia Archipelago is now arriving.
The announcement indicated that boarding time was approaching.
Rohan stopped by the convenience store at the station to buy drinks and snacks for Lete.
"Sigh, I don't want to go back..."
Standing in front of the train with its doors open, Lete made a sad face and hugged Rohan.
Feeling the strong reluctance to let go in the arms wrapped around his waist, Rohan gently stroked the girl's head.
"When will you come next time?"
"...I don't know. I want to come next weekend because I miss you, senior, but I've also applied to Orion Academy, so I want to focus on studying and training for now."
"I'll buy you something delicious when you come for the entrance exam."
When he conveyed his support, Lete's expression brightened and she smiled broadly.
Then she expressed a small wish.
"Senior... would it be okay if I called you once a week?"
"Of course. It's not a bother at all, so feel free."
"I'll send messages every day too!"
"Even small things are fine, so let me know how you're doing. Let's talk about other things too."
Satisfied with his answer, Lete buried her face in Rohan's chest and took a deep breath.
Having fulfilled her desire, the girl made up her mind and boarded the train.
Until the moment the train departed, they continued waving to each other through the window, and she took pictures of Rohan.
*****
Time passed quickly. From a certain day, the heat carried by the wind began to diminish.
Summer had passed.
Rohan diligently attended the academy and devoted himself to training every day. He prided himself on never having trained carelessly.
The Heaven Sun Holy Saint Sword and Flash Step techniques began to harmonize, and the fourth sword, Red Cloud, had also reached a considerably high level of completion.
Naturally, the resurrection skill had never been activated.
Noah still followed him during break times. But now she wasn't hiding while following.
She just followed behind and asked where he was going, playing pranks. Noah also introduced him to stray cats that had crept onto the academy grounds.
The heat was gone from the wind, replaced by coolness.
Juyeon still hadn't set up the movie date.
But what was certain was that Juyeon hadn't forgotten. It was easy to tell when they exchanged glances during conversations.
In November, Lete came to Elysium Academy City.
It was the day of her interview and exam for Orion Academy.
Due to the popularity of tournament videos and the chaotic world where force had become essential, competition for Orion Academy admission was fierce. Regardless of the actual substance, the number of applicants was unprecedented.
But in the practical test, Lete was outstanding.
Afterward, she enjoyed a date with Rohan and spent a day at Sion's mansion before returning.
She said she played games with Clara all night.
December was busy for Rohan with things other than training.
It was final exam period at Orion Academy.
With his mind constantly clear, he had become stronger in theory. His concentration and comprehension were at their peak.
After taking the written exam satisfactorily and checking his answers, his skills had improved enough to surprise Ichinose.
And what Rohan was looking forward to most was the practical exam.
The day of the academy's practical exam was also the day of Lete's acceptance announcement.
The final practical exam wasn't a student tournament.
It was an exam where teams hunted monsters, completely relocating the venue like the first semester's deserted island exam.
The location would be revealed on the day, so even Rohan didn't know where it would be. After the educational reforms, not much was predictable anymore.
When he arrived at the academy, he saw transport ships on the grounds for relocation.
He wondered where they were going. Other students arriving at school couldn't take their eyes off them either.
Rohan headed to the classroom first.
As he was about to unpack his equipment and sit down as usual, Ichinose approached.
"Rohan. How are you feeling?"
"Ready to fly. How about you, Ichinose?"
"I'm good too."
"Did you see the transport ships outside? Looks like we're going far again this time."
"Noah went to the transport ships and asked an employee where we were going, but they said they wouldn't know the route until they received it. It seems they're being very careful about security after the attack incident on the deserted island."
Rohan liked that the academy was trying to respond without reducing the scale of the exams despite having experienced Omega's attack.
"She actually went and asked? She really hasn't changed."
"Many other students were asking too. Everyone must be curious. And... Rohan?"
"Yes?"
"After this exam, if you have time..."
Ichinose's brave words didn't continue to the end. Rohan and Ichinose's heads turned sharply. A moment later, the rest of the students also turned their heads.
They looked outside through the window.
A black spire standing proudly as if it had always existed in Elysium Academy City.
It emitted light along with ominous magical power.
'Don't tell me again...!'
Before Rohan could even curse, a notification window appeared.
[A quest has been generated]