Round Two

I take a moment to regain control of my ragged breathing as the unsettling question echoes through my mind.

"Ryota…" Her voice is muffled against my chest, barely audible.

Disturbing images of Emilia, battered and barely clinging to life, flicker through my mind.

"Emilia! Are you alright?" I pull away in a panic, my eyes scanning her for any sign of injury.

"I'm fine. What's going on with you, Ryota? You're acting really weird all of a sudden…"

'No wounds... she's unharmed... What was that? Was it a hallucination? No, that pain felt too real. A few moments ago, I was in that cellar. Wait...' My gaze fixates on my right hand.

"It's still here…" I flex my fingers and clench my fist.

'It couldn't have been just my imagination... I died, I'm certain of it.' My heart quickens its pace once again.

'Calm down. Panicking won't get you anywhere. Don't think logically, Ryota. This is a fantasy world where anything goes. Your logical side will only get in your way…'

'Could it be the Goddess? Did she intervene? No, unlikely. She would've mentioned a plan for my revival if death were on the table... Still, the chance exists.' I gaze at the girl before me, concern etched on her face.

'Either this is just heaven or…time got reset…' The implications hit me, and my eyes widen.

"Ryota? Did you calm down? Do you still want me to lead you to where my insignia got stolen?" Emilia's voice interrupts my thoughts.

"Huh?" I scan the surroundings, recognizing the familiar setting.

'Oh yeah. This is the place where we introduced ourselves. I traveled two hours in the past…' A shiver runs down my spine.

'Why is it just me with these memories? Emilia seems completely unaffected…' I scrutinize Emilia's expression.

She notices my intense gaze and tilts her head.

"We can pause if you need a break, Ryota. Scratch that, I'll handle the rest. Thanks for all your help. You look a bit off, maybe you should rest…" Determination flashes across her face.

'No, I can't just leave her alone. I know the thief's hideout and the danger lurking there. If history repeats itself and I let her go alone…' The haunting image of her battered body resurfaces in my mind.

"Emilia…how important is this insignia to you? I have a feeling that getting it back won't be a walk in the park…" I express my concerns slowly.

'I can't just tell her I died and possibly went back in time. It has to sound plausible…'

Emilia looks down, her body trembling.

"I-It means more to me than my own life…" Her voice is meek.

"…" Speechless, a singular thought races through my mind.

'Why would you let something so important fall into the hands of a pickpocket?' I want to scream, but I manage to keep the frustration from showing on my face.

"Are you sure…? Is that insignia truly more precious to you than your own life?"

"Mnn…" She nodded.

'Crap…What do I do? I'm out of options…'

'I don't even have the full picture of what happened. I was in the cellar, we got attacked, and I was killed. Then, suddenly, I'm two hours back in the past. Hold on, what if I ask…' An idea sparks in my mind.

'System, did I just die?' I ask after a moment.

[ Affirmative ]

'So I did, huh? I knew it. That pain couldn't have been my imagination…' My hand instinctively moves to my stomach.

'So…why am I still alive?' I ask as I grit my teeth.

[ Your Authority took effect ]

'My… My Authority? What? What do you mean… hold on…' My eyes widen.

'System, pull up my status!'

[ Understood ]

[Status Page]

[Name: Ryota Kurogane]

[Level: 0 ➤ 3]

[Age: 16]

[Attributes]

- Strength: F+ ➤ D+

- Agility: F ➤ D+

- Intelligence: F+ ➤ C-

- Vitality: F- ➤ D-

- Willpower: D ➤ C+

[Skills]

- Fatestrider Gaze - Lv. 1

- Limit Breaker - Lv. 1

- Predators Presence - Lv. 1

[Authorities]

- ???

[Titles]

- Monster Groper

- First Blood

I ignore all the other changes in my status, honing in on the unfamiliar section just below my skills.

'I knew I recognized that word…I'm alive because of this? Why is it blank?'

[ The Authority in question has not been named yet ]

'Name? Oh, it was something simple like that, huh…' My gaze fixates on my supposed Authority.

'Name…' My heart suddenly quickens, a sharp headache hitting me.

A name slips from my lips, as if I've been painfully familiar with it for a long time.

"Return By…Death…" I utter, and at that very moment, the translucent screen in front of me flickers and slowly vanishes.

[ Your Authority has been renamed ]

[ Authority : Return By Death ]

I snap out of my daze, gasping for air.

"Ryota?! Pull yourself together! Puck! Help me heal him!" Emilia exclaims, grabbing my collapsing form.

"You got it!" Puck emerges from Emilia's hair, directing his paw towards me.

Emilia follows suit, and a gentle blue light emanates from them, cascading onto my body.

My mind immediately eases as I bask in the soothing blue glow.

"Emilia…" I whisper.

"Ryota! Are you okay now? Can you hear me?" Her soft hands cradle my face as she turns it toward her.

"I-I'm fine…" I mumble, the headache finally starting to recede.

"Are you sure? What happened? You suddenly stopped, and now…" She fretfully murmurs.

'She's genuinely worried about a total stranger... You're a kind soul, Emilia.'

"I'm fine now, Emilia. Thank you…" I manage a small smile to reassure her.

Emilia breathes a sigh of relief, yet she continues to heal me.

"Emilia?" I inquire, confused.

"I'm just making sure. It will take a while, so close your eyes." She places her hand over my eyes, gently urging me to shut them.

I comply, letting my eyes fall shut and my body relax. All the tension drains away, leaving me at ease.

My body unwinds, but my mind races at full throttle.

'The Authority got renamed, or did I rename it? I don't recognize the name, but I said it as if it were second nature. Return By Death… pretty self-explanatory, huh? It's some kind of revival ability. But something this strong... there has to be a limit. Maybe one revival a month or something. Let's check.' I gulp and mentally command the system to provide details on the Authority.

[ Authority : Return By Death ]

[ Witch Factor : Envy ]

Return By Death enables the user to seamlessly revert to an unspecified "save point" established prior to their demise. Activating instantly upon death, the skill bypasses any delay between expiration and revival. There seems to be no discernible limit on the frequency of use.

"…" My mind grinds to a halt.

'What…?' I struggle to wrap my head around this supposed Authority.

'No discernible limit on the frequency of use? This can't be right…' My heart accelerates.

'System, does this ability have any limits on the number of revivals?'

[ It does not. Upon death, you will be revived back to an unspecified "save point". My examinations have not detected any limitations placed on this ability ]

'No way…something this broken can't possibly…'

'I'm alive right now. This is all the proof I need. I can't die, huh?' A smile creeps onto my lips.

"Isn't this too overpowered? Hahaha…" I chuckle.

"Ryota? Why are you laughing? Does it still hurt?" Emilia's concerned voice reaches me.

"I wouldn't be laughing if it hurt, now would I? I'm not a masochist. I was just giggling like an idiot because I have a cute girl taking care of me." A teasing smile plays on my face.

"Haah… it seems like you're really fine." I sense Emilia's hand leaving my face.

I sit up, getting my thoughts in order.

'I can't die. This is huge. If I have no risk of dying then…'

"Emilia, listen to me very carefully." I fix Emilia with a serious gaze.

"H-Huh? What's with you all of a sudden?" Emilia straightens up instinctively.

"Is this insignia genuinely this important to you?" I ask, locking eyes with Emilia.

She meets my gaze with equal seriousness. "Yes, it is."

"I see… Can you tell me what it's for?"

"I can't." She responds promptly.

"…" I maintain silence, maintaining eye contact.

"Got it…" I eventually break the silence.

I rise from the ground, brushing off my clothes with my hands.

"Stay here, Emilia. I'll be back…" I declare, turning away.

"Huh?" Emilia looks up at me, surprise etched on her face.

"I will retrieve your insignia. Just stay here and wait for me." I offer no further explanation, setting off down the road.

"Ryota!" I hear Emilia calling after me, but I don't stop.

'This is perfect. Absolutely perfect.' A grin plays on my lips.

'From my observations, Emilia holds a prominent position in this world. This insignia that she's trying to get back bears immense importance to her, and it doesn't seem to be solely about its monetary value. There's something more significant at play here. Emilia is quiet about the theft; otherwise, she would have involved higher-ups from the kingdom instead of handling it personally.' I increase my pace.

'If I make her indebted to me, I can easily establish a foundation in this world. The opponent may be strong, but there's no risk of death for me. It's like I've stumbled upon the perfect shortcut to climb the ranks. This is perfect…' My grin widens.

'Eh, who am I kidding? I also just want to help the kind girl who stopped to help me…'

'I need to get there faster. Too many pedestrians, so I can't run at full speed… wait a second, I have a perfect idea!' I look up.

'I am stronger. It's possible…' I think, spotting a massive bull demi-human ahead.

'Here goes nothing…' I accelerate and leap.

I land on the shoulder of the 4-meter-tall bull-person.

"Sorry about this, man. I'm in a hurry!" I apologize, jumping off his shoulder and onto a nearby rooftop.

"HEY?!" I hear the poor guy's angry yells.

'The rooftops here are perfect for this…' I smile, sprinting at full speed toward the slum's direction.

"Damn! I'm fast as hell!" I laugh as the wind rushes through my silver-white hair.

'I've entered superhuman territories with this speed… System, what's my current speed?'

[ Your average estimated speed is 45 mph ]

"Fast! Crap, here comes a jump…" My heart accelerates as I approach the leap.

"Let's gooo!" I hype myself up, adrenaline surging through me.

I leap just as the roof below me ends, soaring through the air. I remain airborne for a solid 3 seconds before my feet finally touch down on the next rooftop.

"Hell yeah! This feels so good!" I continue sprinting at full speed.

After about 6 minutes of sprinting at full speed, I finally entered the slums.

"I can't run on the rooftops here… Let's just take the road and walk the rest of the way. I'm feeling tired from all the running," I say as I land on the rugged ground.

I continue walking at a relatively brisk pace, finally catching sight of the cellar.

"There it is! This is further proof that the ability works. It's just as I remember it…"

"Is it some kind of hideout or-" I suddenly collide with someone turning the corner in front of me.

"Ah! Again? Sorry about that!" I look up at the person ahead of me.

'Oh crap, she's pretty…' My eyes widen as I catch a glimpse of her.

Standing with a stature that almost rivaled mine, she gives off the impression of someone in the bloom of their twenties. Her eyes, gently angled downward, exude an air of serenity within the gloom of the surroundings. The striking contrast of her unusually pale complexion against the dim backdrop makes her ethereal beauty all the more captivating.

Draped in a flowing black cloak, its open front reveals a snug, dark ensemble that traces the contours of her slender yet curvaceous form. Every movement showcases a bewitching aura that seems to linger in the air, leaving an indelible mark on those fortunate enough to witness her presence. There's a beauty mark right below her left eye that adds to her bewitching charm.

"Sorry about that, lady. Are you okay?" I put on an apologetic smile.

"Ara? I'm quite alr-" She paused as she had to block the blade that was about to pierce her throat.

Her feet slide backward by the force of my thrust as she lowers her knife to look at me.

"That voice… it was you…" My crimson eyes stare at her as the air around me gets heavy.

"Now, that wasn't very nice, was it? Who sent you?" She maintains a calm smile, her eyes betraying a subtle curiosity.

"…" I don't answer as I just stare at her.

"Hmm…such a strong scent. Did you know? I can discern a person's emotional state through their scent…" She remarks, inhaling the air around her.

"You're experiencing so many different emotions right now… panic, fear, and… excitement?" She tilts her head in confusion.

I lower my blade slightly, revealing a broad grin on my face.

I glance at my reflection in the blade.

'Yeah… I might have a few screws loose in my head…' I shift my focus back to the woman before me.

"It's time for round two…"