Frontline Empress

"You… bastard…" I muttered, feeling his crimson blade pierce my heart, the terrifying release of death fogging up my mind. 

"It is unfortunate that we meet again like this." 

"It truly is…" My voice trailed off. 

As the man unsheathed his blade from my chest, he stood above me with cold eyes. The silver and quartz palace we resided in had been dyed red with blood. The sound of battle and death resounded almost elegantly outside like a choir of angels was personally greeting each soldier to heaven. 

I regretted it. I regretted everything. All the mistakes I made. All the friendships I ruined. All the lovers I had lost. In my path to domination, I had cut off everything from me, becoming a sole figure on a throne of nothing but solitude. A throne built upon the corpses of millions all because of me… yet the thing I regretted the most was not killing him. No, not the one standing above me, but him. The one who took everything from me. The one who plunged the world into nothing but chaos. 

If only I had a second chance. If only I was able to redo that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that. And that… AND THAT!

[You have been selected as a Primary Candidate]

[Do you wish to accept this path?]

In my blurry vision, a duo of floating blue panels appeared before me, their almost royal-designed, silver-outlined edges calling to me. Beckoning for me to say something. Yet, the blood in my throat caused me to only choke up a mouthful of dark bodily fluid. A concoction of mana, miasma, and blood. 

Nevertheless, in my mind, with my last fleeting thoughts, I uttered, 'Yes…'

… 

The woman gasped, snapping her silver eyes open. "ARGHHH!" 

With her silver hair soaking up blood from below, her whole body suddenly screamed in agony. Her silver chestplate was splintered and fractured, a longsword piercing straight through her sternum, the broken edges biting into her flesh. Each breath burned like fire, her body shuddering under the weight of it. She let out a raw, choked scream, her voice swallowed up by the sounds of clashing metal and the cries of the wounded around her.

The battlefield stretched wide before the towering stone wall of the fortress. It loomed right in front of her, foreboding and relentless, its sturdy frame holding strong against the relentless siege. The air was thick with dust and smoke, the pungent scent of blood and burnt iron permeating the chaos. Warriors clashed furiously on the churned, muddy ground, where countless bodies already lay motionless.

Above, arrows rained down like dark feathers from the ramparts, streaking toward the fighters below. Her blurred vision caught the silver and crimson glints of shields locking, swords slashing, and the thunderous cries of soldiers meeting at the front lines. The dying sun cast a grim red glow over the scene as if the heavens themselves mourned the battle unfolding below.

Gritting her teeth, she clutched her chest plate, her hands slick with blood. Every movement sent shocks of pain surging through her, but the instinct to survive overpowered her agony. With a trembling hand, she grasped the hilt of the sword impaled in her chest, feeling its brutal weight anchoring her to the ground. 

"URGH! ARGHHHHHH!" She yelled while instinctively waving her hand around with her thumb and pointer finger extended, a common signal to the ally medics to drag her away. 

Two healers spotted her desperate signal amidst the chaos and dashed to her side, their faces steeled with the grim determination of battle-hardened medics. They swiftly knelt down beside her, one gripping her shoulder to brace her as the other began to carefully pull her up.

"Stay with us," one of them muttered, his voice firm as he adjusted his grip, his gaze flickering briefly to the longsword protruding from her chest. Blood poured around its blade, but with a steadying nod, the two healers worked together to hoist her up, dragging her limp form across the battlefield.

The journey back was nothing short of brutal. They maneuvered her over the bodies of the fallen, her own blood mingling with the slick, blood-streaked mud beneath them. Each step jolted her wound, and she could feel her consciousness slipping, her vision narrowing as they pulled her over broken spears, splintered shields, and twisted remains of weapons. Her boots left crimson trails on the ground, the mud swallowing each streak as if to erase her passing.

Through her foggy vision, the towering gates of the fortress walls came into view, and the already lowered drawbridge allowed passage for retreating soldiers and wounded alike. The healers dragged her across it where guards helped escort her through.

Inside, she was rushed to a healer's tent set up in the shadows of the fortress walls. The scent of burning herbs and antiseptic oils filled the space, mingling with the stench of blood. The healers carefully laid her down on a makeshift cot, one of them immediately placing his hands over her chest and whispering an incantation, while the other readied his hands to remove the sword.

"Brace yourself," he warned as he slowly slid the sword from her chest. Fresh blood poured from the gaping wound, spurting with every weak pulse of her heart. Her vision dimmed even more, and she gasped as pain seared through every inch of her torso. But before she could fully succumb to the darkness, a faint, soothing warmth began to fill her chest as the other healer channeled healing magic into her.

A soft green light enveloped her torso, sealing flesh and sinew back together, knitting skin around her sternum as her organs settled back into place. The healer's hand hovered just above the open wound, pressing the magic deep within, mending tissues and repairing what had been nearly destroyed. Slowly, the blood flow lessened, and her breathing became steady, the pain gradually fading away as the magic took hold.

As her vision returned, she was greeted by the same yet different panels she had seen before dying.

[Congratulations! You have been confirmed as a Primary Candidate!] 

[Name has been downloaded]

[Race has been downloaded]

[Level has been uploaded]

[Stats have been uploaded]

[Skills have been uploaded]

[Please say "Status" to get started]

"Urgh… I'm hallucinating… give me a potion…" The woman muttered, her voice raspy and hoarse as she didn't realize it, but she was currently choking on blood. The healing magic had numbed her body so much that even something as simple as this was far-removed from her mind.

"Please don't talk," The other healer, a female elf urged. 

"We unfortunately ran out of potions a while ago. You are going to have to deal with this for now," The initial healer, a male human explained, causing the woman to grunt with discomfort and unease. 

It wasn't long before the wound was fully healed, but it had taken a lot out of the healers working on her. If she hadn't been a liutenent she would have been left out to die, yet her prior initial hard work had just barely been able to save her. 

"What is happening…" The woman muttered, still dazed as she looked at her hands. She sat on the edge of her cot, turning her hands back and forth to see that her fair hands had returned to their once calloused appearance. It was almost as if she had returned to her early years as a soldier.

Obviously, she was confused as to how she was still alive. I mean, she had just died. Her heart had been ran through with a sword so big the blade was practically as large as her torso. Not only had it destroyed part of her heart, but practically every other organ within her. 

It wasn't long before the wooziness of the healing magic dissipated and reality soon set in. She looked up at the panels hovering before her and with slight suspicion uttered the following words… "Status." 

『Status』

[Name: Ophelia von Aubessec]

[Race: Human] 

[Level: 1/10] (0/10) XP Needed

[HP: 4/10 | MP: 0/0 | SP: 3/5]

[Visual Intelligence: 5] 

[Linguistic Intelligence: 25]

[Logical Intelligence: 15]

[Kinesthetic Intelligence: 1]

[Musical Intelligence: 3]

[Interpersonal Intelligence: 15]

[Intrapersonal Intelligence: ERROR]

[Naturalistic Intelligence: 3]

[Skills: [Silver Tongue] [Commading Voice] 

[Passive Skills: [Regressor's Memory] [Regressor's Active Recall]

.

"Hmmm?" She rubbed her eyes, making sure she wasn't just hallucinating. In the back of her mind, she knew there was still a chance, but it looked too real. In fact, it was so real, she could touch the panel. 

As she reached out towards it, confirming she wasn't just hallucinating, she pressed on the upper section of her status. 

.

[Name - Ophelia von Aubessec] 

[Description: This is your birth name. Your first name: Ophelia, meaning benefit, and your second name: Aubessec, meaning obsessed.]

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She looked around, scanning the room to see if anybody else saw this massive panel in front of her. If anybody else was able to see it by now surely they would have pointed it out… right? Was this just for her to see? 

Moving her hand down, she pressed on the section depicting her race.

.

[Race - Human]

[Description: Versatile, tenacious, and endlessly ambitious, humans are a race known for their adaptability and unyielding drive in the face of challenge. Their relatively short lifespans inspire them to achieve much within a limited time, and as such, they are some of the most diverse and culturally rich inhabitants of the planet: Velleity.]

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Seeing as how her eyes weren't just playing tricks on her, she pressed on the remaining sections of her status. She struggled quite a bit though as her index finger trembled with fatigue. 

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[Level - 1/10 | 0/10 XP]

[Description: This indicates how strong the shell of your mana core is. The closer you are to reaching your level cap, the stronger the shell of your mana core will be. Reach level 10 to either evolve or select a class.]

.

[HP (Health Points)]

[Description: This indicates how far you are from death. The closer to 0 you are, the closer you are to dying. This stat can be inaccurate at times depending on the host's mental resilience and discipline unless it is below 2.]

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[MP (Mana Points)]

[Description: This indicates how much mana fluid your mana core has in liters. The closer to 0 you are, the closer you are to having mana withdrawal. This stat can be inaccurate at times depending on the host's mental resilience and discipline unless it is below 2.]

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[SP (Stamina Points)]

[Description: This indicates how fatigued you are. The closer to 0 you are, the closer you are to having total paralysis due to fatigue. This stat can be inaccurate at times depending on the host's mental resilience and discipline unless it is below 2.]

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[Stat - Visual Intelligence]

[Description: The ability to think in images, visualize accurately and abstractly, and create mental images to solve problems. This intelligence is often found in architects, artists, and engineers.]

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[Stat - Linguistic Intelligence]

[Description: The skill in using words effectively, both in writing and speaking. People with strong linguistic-verbal intelligence are typically skilled in reading, writing, telling stories, and memorizing words, and they may become authors, speakers, or journalists.]

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[Stat - Logical Intelligence]

[Description: The capacity for reasoning, problem-solving, and understanding complex concepts. Individuals with this intelligence excel in logical thinking, pattern recognition, and numerical operations, often thriving as scientists, mathematicians, or engineers.]

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[Stat - Kinesthetic Intelligence]

[Description: The ability to use one's body skillfully to express oneself or to achieve specific goals. This includes good coordination, balance, and manual dexterity, making it common among soldiers, athletes, dancers, and surgeons.]

.

[Stat - Musical Intelligence]

[Description: Sensitivity to rhythm, pitch, melody, and tone. Those with musical intelligence often excel in singing, playing musical instruments, and composing music. They tend to be musicians, composers, or sound engineers.]

.

[Stat - Interpersonal Intelligence]

[Description: The ability to understand and interact effectively with others. This involves good communication skills, empathy, and the capacity to sense others' moods and intentions. People with strong interpersonal intelligence are often teachers, counselors, or leaders.]

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[Stat - Intrapersonal Intelligence]

[Description: The capacity to understand oneself, one's feelings, motives, and desires. This intelligence allows for self-reflection, introspection, and emotional awareness, often found in philosophers, psychologists, and self-aware individuals.]

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[Stat - Naturalistic Intelligence]

[Description: The ability to recognize and categorize plants, animals, and other objects in nature. This intelligence is often present in biologists, environmentalists, and those who work closely with nature.]

.

[Skills]

[Silver Tongue - A skill that allows you to easily gain the favor of somebody that you believe is of lower intelligence than you. There are restrictions.]

[Commanding Voice - A skill that allows you to give orders without much trouble. Is only able to be used during battle.]

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[Passive Skills]

[Regressor's Memory - A passive skill that allows you to retain all memories of your past life.]

[Regressor's Active Recall - A passive skill that allows you to recall all memories of your past life in incredible detail.]

. 

"What… is this…?" Ophelia muttered, a smile slowly stretching across her face. For some reason, the sight of this got her heart pumping. "So… from what I can tell. I have regressed 300 years? Back when I was 20 years old? How amazing is that?" She clasped her hand around her mouth, grinning from ear to ear.