Regression

Huff huff...

The icy cold burns on my skin. I tighten the jacket I'm wearing and force my legs to move, dragging my legs across the snow.

my vision is blurred by the fierce blizzard but it will be alright. once I get my hands on that... my life will change.

I no longer have to live as a loser.

I no longer have to disappoint my family.

No one will bully my family and me anymore...

I just need to get to it...

Countless adventurers have perished trying to get to the artifact. The rumoured artifact is said to be dwelling in this cold, harsh biome.

Artifacts are magical objects that grant the wielder power. Be it enhanced senses, powerful magic, or extreme talent.

I need it.

I need the artifact.

In this world where the strong rules, I am at the bottom of the food chain. With absolutely zero talent and no affinity for any sort, my fate is already decided from the start.

huff huff...

I...

No...

I am starting to feel sleepy.

I can't... I can't fall here...

I need to remember... everyone back home... my sick mother... my younger brothers and sister.

A black shadow looms over me.

?

Something is... in front of me?

A monster?

Shit... I don't have any strength left. I can't even move.

I try to open my mouth but my dry, cracked, bleeding lips gave up.

I am going to die.

I will freeze to death like the other adventurers...

No...

I don't want this to be the end...

I...

I collapse to the ground in front of the mysterious figure. My blurry vision cannot make out who it is... but one thing is for sure, it's a frail, small girl with long hair.

She smiles at me before touching my hair.

"blue...hair... pretty," she says.

W...hat...?

My consciousness fades as I try to make out what the figure was saying.

-----------------

Ugh...

It's too bright... I wake up to the sound of chirping. The forest? No... this familiar sound.

!!!!

A soft bed. A ceiling made out of spruce plank.

It cannot be...

I jump out of bed and look around.

The window beside my bed. The door across my bed and a wooden table with a chair beside the door.

Why am I back here? This is the house my family used to live in when I was young. Did I not die?

Or... is this some kind of event that happens after death where I go through all my life events...

When I am 32 years old, I will explore the region of Death, a deadly cold biome littered with monsters above category 6, and die attempting to find the artifact of life.

The weakest monsters belong to category 1. and the pattern continues as stronger monsters will be assigned to higher categories. as of now, the strongest monster humans have ever faced is a category 8.

...

Suddenly the door to my room burst open.

!!

"Hey, wake up- oh you are awake." says my mother.

...

my young mother...

it's really her. I cannot believe it... her pale skin from her sickness is gone... her beautiful elegance is still here...

I...

I walk up to my mother and hug her.

???

"?? S-Son? what's wrong?" she says.

"I'm sorry..." I mumble.

"uh.."

Despite being confused, my mother return the hug.

-----------

Did I actually go back in time?

I stare at the mirror and pinch my cheek.

The eye bags, scars, bruises, it's all gone.

My young self... My 17-year-old self.

I clench my fist.

I have to prevent the future from repeating itself.

Currently, my family is living a somewhat normal lifestyle because of my father. My father is the General Paladin of the Imperial army.

But, he will be betrayed by his most trusted comrades. That's when my family starts breaking down.

I wash up and went to the breakfast table.

"Huwa..." my sister says as she walks to the table. She is still half-asleep with her bed hair.

Woah... she grew fast.

I smile at her as I compare her with her future self.

"Hey! Christina, you have to wash up first!" shouts my mother.

Christina, my younger sister.

Two boys are already chomping down the food at the table. Mane and Lee. My two younger brothers.

I sit down and enjoy my first ever meal with my family in a while.

*Ding*

?!!!

A hologram panel suddenly pops up in front of me.

-----------------

Several minor side character is detected nearby.

Would you like to extract their plot armour?

[Yes][No]

-------------------

...

What?

I look around and see everyone glowing in white.

"Uhh, why are you glowing?" I blurted.

"Juh, Wuff du yoi neam? (huh, what do you mean?)" Mane replies with his mouth full of food.

"Loi, stop talking nonsense and eat your food. And Mane, don't talk with your mouth full!" my mother says.

Am I the only one who can see them glowing?

And this plot armour... the plot armour in stories?

Although I'm curious to find out what is happening, if they have plot armour, I shouldn't take it from them.

I press No and the hologram panel disappears.

After breakfast, I quickly went outside to experiment with the phenomenon I encountered.

My house is a huge cabin in the middle of the forest beside the main capital.

I ran to the capital. The capital consists of three sections. The first is built on the base, The second on the slopes of the mountain and the third, where all the royalties reside, is on the mountain.

The capital is built around and on a tall mountain so that it can be seen from far away and can be glorified as the strongest city humanity owns.

I enter through the main gate to the first section,  showing the guards a silver coin.

The coin is engraved with a sigil to testify that the person is a citizen of the capital and not a spy from other races.

Once in, I look around.

Nobody is glowing. I remember my family being a minor side character, thus they have plot armour. But ordinary people in the first section are mere background characters... it makes sense.

This time, I climb up to the second section.

Suddenly, galloping can be heard.

"Get out of the way!" a deep voice shouts.

!!

I dodge in the nick of time as a carriage almost ran over me.

*Ding*

-------------

Main Character detected.

{Irina Nelson}

would you like to extract her plot armour?

[Yes][No]

---------------

Irina? She's the daughter of the Sword Saint. With an extreme talent for swords, she has manifested a sword aura at the age of 6 and has conquered several competitions.

I gulped as I press Yes.

-------------

Extraction success!

-------------

-------------

Plot armour value increases by 500

current plot armour rank: 2

-sword talent extracted

current sword talent: A-rank

-------------

Woah!

... This is similar to all those system stories I read when I was bored.

Coincidentally, at that exact moment, I heard a familiar voice behind me.

"Oh? What's this loser doing at this section?"

I turn around to find 3 people. They are wearing a blue coat with black jeans decorated with several jewellery and gold.

"Just because your father is a General doesn't mean trash who can't even carry a sword properly can walk around in the second section." Says Carl.

Carl is the guy in the middle. His brown gelled up hair, sharp red eyes, and big figure can intimidate even the strongest will.

The other two are Kim and Lily. They are brother-sister twins who rely on Carl and look down on everyone just because they have money.

I sigh at Carl. "Since when babies who can't even go to the toilet themselves at night qualified to attend the Academy."

!!!

"H-How did you even know that?!" says Carl.

You told me in the future.

Carl pops a vein and draws his sword. "You fucking piece of- You dare humiliate me like this?"

Go ahead, attack me. I am a man with 12 years of combat experience, even though I had no talent, a chickling like you is a piece of cake.

Suddenly, the carriage with Irina on it stops moving. The door swings open and a long silver-haired girl with blue eyes steps down, draws her sword and points it at Carl.

"3 against 1, especially when this civilian is an unarmed novice, do you not acknowledge my presence at all?" says Irina

"...tch fine, you got lucky Loi. When you come back to the Academy tomorrow, prepare to face my sword," says Carl. Carl gestures the two to follow him and they walk away.

Irina stopped for me? Is the plot armour already working? But no, I cannot leave them be. All those years of bullying and hatred I accumulated, I will return them.

I walk past Irina after Carl.

!!!

"Huh-"

I ran towards Kim and jump, drop-kicking him in the nape.

"Argh!"

!!!

"Y-You, what are you doing?!" Carl shouts.

By reflex, Carl went for his sword and attempt to draw it but I grab his wrist and pry it away from his sheath.

"AHHHH!!"

"Sure... I will meet you at the Academy tomorrow for a duel. Look forward to it."

With just that sentence, I let go of Carl's Wrist and walks away.