NOVEL NEXT Chapter 11
Chapter 11
Limbo
Terrified and confused as I was, I managed to snap out of it much faster than before. I guess I’m getting used to the shock. Learning that I’d died once was tough, but realizing I’d died multiple times turned out to be easier to handle.
“First things first, I’ll go with the Death God’s Favor skill…”
At this point, I’d entered emergency mode. Normally, I’d have planned to learn the newly acquired Rear Blow skill. But knowing my life was as precarious as a fly’s, I desperately wanted to leave something behind for my next life.
Perhaps my previous selves – maybe even two lives ago – that’s why they maxed out that skill. It’s all the same me, after all, so our thinking probably doesn’t differ much.
“Ugh… damn it. This hurts like hell.”
I must have enhanced my stats too. Wading through the heaps of rat corpses and moving forward, I kept wincing. The wound where I’d been bitten had swollen up red and puffy.
The wound, covered in filth, throbbed painfully.
I focused on the injury.
[Physical Status]
[Condition: Infection – Continuous health deterioration. If not disinfected and treated, it will worsen gradually, eventually leading to death.]
[Remaining Health: 48/165]
Indeed. My health points had dropped since I last upgraded my stats, confirming the warning was no lie. The rate of deterioration seemed to be accelerating. I felt a buzzing in my head that was getting worse.
“Am… am I going to die like this?”
Damn. I haven’t even absorbed the memories from my past life yet. Did my previous self absorb memories from two lives ago? Would that mean I’ll receive memories from three lives ago?
With a feverish mind, I found myself thinking about all sorts of things. Dragging my increasingly broken body forward, I followed the lantern’s light onward.
“Hey?”
I was walking half-unconscious when…
Suddenly, a clear sound rang out and a bluish light flowed from my body. Though I initially thought it might be a hallucination, the light became brighter, showing it was real.
Taken aback by the unexpected situation, I immediately drew my sword.
“Shit!”
But soon my erratic heartbeat calmed down. The light emanating from my body was not only non-hostile but gave off a cozy feeling.
A refreshing, minty sensation enveloped me.
“What is this feeling…”
As I savored the cool sensation, the particles of light began to coalesce into one point. The light gathered into a circle and then whooshed into my backpack.
I hurriedly opened my bag and rummaged through the items, taking out a bottle glowing brightly.
“This is…”
An Ether Condensation Bottle.
Just in time, a familiar sound accompanied the creation of a panel to answer my questions.
[Skill Success – Ether Collection (Passive)]
[After sufficient time, water ether has been collected into the Ether Condensation Bottle.]
[Time remaining until next Ether generation: 3 hours]
“Water ether?”
As I murmured while gently shaking the condensation bottle, the panel conveniently appeared once more to clarify.
[Item Information]
[Name: Ether Condensation Bottle]
[Modifier: Stores ether created by the unique skill ‘Ether Collection.’ Current level storage count: 10 units]
[Details: A special bottle for storing ether, a contract item of the Death God Tanathrix. To use, place the bottle to your mouth and absorb the ether. This item cannot be destroyed.]
[Reinforcement: 0]
[Currently Stored Ether]
[Water Ether (1): Concentrated essence of the Water God Ekraush. Heals wounds and restores health.]
“Finally, recovery!”
I cheered after reading it all the way through.
How convenient! Just as I needed it, a recovery item falls into my hands! This truly feels like divine intervention.
“Oof… it says to place the bottle to my mouth and absorb…”
I decided to use it immediately.
I could barely stand up straight due to dizziness anymore. Following the panel’s instructions, I placed the bottle’s opening to my lips.
Before I could suck it in, the ether seemed to absorb me on its own.
Instantly, a refreshing sensation like an open sky enveloped my entire body. My body, glowing faintly blue, illuminated the damp sewer.
I widened my eyes as I witnessed the phenomenon occurring in my body.
“It’s healing…”
The wound that had been turning black and dying came back to life with fresh pink tissue, sealing up completely. The swelling disappeared in an instant, and vitality coursed through my body like never before.
After use, the condensation bottle returned to its previous plain appearance. I placed it back in my backpack and tried moving my body.
It feels comfortable. Perhaps because I had just been in pain, it feels even more comfortable than when I first woke up.
“Since there’s water ether… are there other types too?”
I wondered, and as usual, the system immediately caught my curiosity.
Five different panels floated in front of me. Though it brought on some fatigue…
[Detailed Information – Ether]
[The condensed essence of the natural gods governing the Gaialant Dimension. Grants different effects to living beings according to the characteristics of each god.]
[Fire Ether: Condensed essence of the Fire God Ragnarok. Temporarily boosts attack power dramatically.]
[Water Ether: Condensed essence of the Water God Ekraush. Heals wounds and restores health.]
[Earth Ether: Condensed essence of the Earth God Thorcalte. Temporarily boosts defense power dramatically.]
[Wind Ether: Condensed essence of the Wind God Skyte. Temporarily boosts agility dramatically.]
“So there are four types…”
Meaning… if I had received any ether other than water ether this time, I would have met my end.
“Creepy.”
I dismissed the panel and shivered once. Did my awful luck turning around mean to prepare me for this?
I chuckled to myself, shaking off the stray thoughts, and began moving forward again with my lightened body.
“Is the residual memory nearby?”
At some point while exploring the endless sewer system, I realized it.
From some time ago, the lantern in my hand had started vibrating faintly. The light it emitted had grown much stronger than before.
“There it is.”
I stopped walking. I stared intently at a spot on the floor.
An ominous and sinister magic circle was there, drawn in what looked like blood – a dirty crimson color.
A continuous whispering sound could be heard, and over it, an indistinct vapor-like substance was constantly being emitted. The undulating form of the vapor resembled a screaming face.
“Looks pretty terrifying.”
I quietly stared at the dark and eerie light.
It felt like the light was whispering to me, inviting me closer. Come take your residual memory.
I clearly felt a strong and sticky intention. A grotesque sensation, as if someone was licking my spine with their tongue…
“Umph…”
I muttered and quickly diverted my gaze from the residual memory.
It didn’t seem healthy to stare at it for too long. Curiosity can be dangerous.
I stopped daydreaming and gripped the lantern firmly with both hands. Then I slowly brought it close to the magic circle.
The magic circle flashed with a sinister light. I shivered and looked straight ahead.
And I witnessed it.
“Wha…?”
My arm was flying through the air.
Let me repeat that, in case you didn’t believe me the first time.
My severed left arm was spinning through the air. I just stared dumbfounded with wide eyes.
Thud. The severed arm fell powerlessly to the ground as blood spurted from my shoulder joint. That’s when the searing pain arrived.
A pain beyond comprehension.
“Ugh, AAAHHH!”
I rolled around madly on the dirty ground, forgetting about the filth. I grabbed my shoulder – it felt like it was being burned with fire, so painful that the hand touching it felt cursed!
Looking directly at my shoulder, where my arm had been cleanly severed at the base, felt surreal. Seeing the blood gushing out just made me feel sick to my stomach.
“Uuugh! Uwaaaah!”
I ended up vomiting right there. My head felt like it was melting. It hurt. It was miserable. I couldn’t breathe.
Meanwhile, ting, ting, ting. The unrealistic sounds accompanying the panel kept confusing my senses right as I was about to collapse.
Just before collapsing. The Izanami’s Heart to which I had connected the residual memory had activated properly.
[Item Activation – Izanami’s Heart]
[Obtained residual memory from past life.]
[Restored 3 Strength points, 6 Agility points, and 0 Intelligence points.]
[Obtained lost skill – Rear Blow (Active) LV.2]
[Obtained lost skill – One Cut (Active) LV.3]
[Obtained lost skill – Ether Collection (Passive) LV.2]
[Recovered all memories from past life.]
“UUAAAGH!!”
I grabbed my head and collapsed right there.
A completely different kind of pain swept over me like a wave. It was so intense that the pain from my shoulder disappeared. My head felt like it was going to explode.
“Hello. Are you a hero?”
“It’s all your fault. I won’t let him suffer anymore.”
“Just die quietly. I have nothing to say.”
A torrent of information and memories. Someone’s words. Thoughts. Situations. Forgotten pains and emotions.
And death. Countless deaths.
All the deaths I had forgotten came rushing back into my mind all at once.
It happened in an instant. But to me, it felt like an eternity.
“Huff… huff… huff…”
The memories came back. I learned how my past self had died.
And how many times I had died in this sewer already.
“…17 times. Counting only the ones I remember, I’ve died 17 times.”
Apparently, all of my past ‘selves’ had managed to complete the residual memory collection before dying, no matter how they perished.
Though there could have been more before the 17th time, the overlapping memories end at the 17th reincarnation. Meaning at least up to the 17th past life, I had finished collecting the residual memory and succeeded in transferring the memories.
About 3 times, I had died due to infection from rat bites or other absurd reasons. But the cause of death for the remaining 14 times was all the same.
The person who cut off my left arm just now. The someone hiding in the darkness of the sewer.
All of it was that person’s doing.
“I’m… about to be killed!”
That’s why I understood exactly what was happening right now. And I knew.
It’s too late. I’ve already been marked as prey by that person. I’m definitely going to die.
The only thing I need to do right now is one thing.
“Shit!”
I immediately got up and started running for my life.
I retraced my steps exactly. Though it was hard to discern the way in the dark with my blood low, I desperately started feeling my way back.
“I have to… I have to escape!”
I know. I know that with my current pathetic state, I can’t escape from that person. But still, I ran. At least this wasn’t meaningless flailing.
That’s proven by all my past selves who have died until now.
“Make sure… to leave the residual memory… as close as possible when I respawn!”
That’s why I was retracing my steps exactly.
Back to where I first woke up. Near the intersection of the sewer by the pile of corpses.
I was making progress.
From around the 11th death, after obtaining the residual memory, I would immediately assess the situation and always start retracing my steps. Of course, I was killed before reaching the starting point every time.
But they… no, I wasn’t wasting my time.
With each repeated death, the location of death has been getting closer and closer to the starting point.
That’s how it was this time too.
“Just a little… more!”
I rounded the corner at a right angle. I could see it already. I could see hope.
Just as I was about to put more strength into my legs…
“Planning… to escape?”
A grotesquely distorted voice came from behind. It was a death sentence. The world spun before my eyes.
Crunch! A heavy thud echoed. It was the sound of my own body. I had been struck from behind by something massive.
“Kyaaah!”
My body flew through the air and crashed heavily onto the ground.
Crunch, crack. Those were the sounds my body made as I tumbled uncontrollably along the ground. Instinctively, I knew it was the sound of my body breaking into pieces.
“Khah… huff… kiiik…!”
My mouth couldn’t even make human sounds anymore. A metallic grinding sound came out each time I breathed. It was the sound of my life slipping away.
The world was bright red from the blood pouring out of my head. Through the crimson-tinted sewer vision, a shadow was wriggling closer to me. Fear overwhelmed me.
Clickety-clack. Clickety-clack.
The sound of a small figure dragging a sword came closer. I strained my neck to glare at it.
My vision was blurred. I couldn’t make out the face.
“You… bastard…”
The memories had returned, but I still didn’t know. Who this guy was.
Why? Why is this bastard trying to kill me?
Numerous questions flooded my mind, but I didn’t ask. I had already asked that question in about the 6th past life.
“Just die quietly. I have nothing to say.”
This bastard never gives any answers.
So instead, I gave him a malevolent grin.
“I’ll see… in my next life… I’ll progress even more…”
I’ll discover your true identity. And kill you.
My words were cut off before they could finish.
The last thing I saw was the sickening gleam of a blade falling toward my neck like a guillotine.