Darkness. An endless void. Nothing above or below, just an immense expanse of nothingness. That's what surrounded Noah.
So this is what awaits us after death?
Noah wondered.
__________________________________
CONGRATULATIONS, YOU HAVE UNLOCKED THE TITLE "THE SECOND TIME IS ALWAYS BETTER"
CONGRATULATIONS, YOU HAVE UNLOCKED THE TITLE "SECOND TIME RANKER"
__________________________________
WARNING!! THE SYSTEM WILL BE LOCKED UNTIL THE MOMENT OF CHOICE
__________________________________
A light so blindingly bright washed over Noah, making him instinctively close his eyes, and then, once again, silence.
Or so it seemed.
"In 1904... Russia... in order to..."
What the hell is going on??
Noah slowly opened his eyes. The empty, dark void no longer enveloped him. Instead, he found himself in a completely different setting. In front of him was a large classroom filled with students. At the center of the room, a short, chubby man pointed to a blackboard where a map was projected.
What the hell...
Before him, an open laptop displayed a Word document full of notes. Noah's eyes quickly darted to the bottom-right corner of the screen.
____________________
10/9/2022 10:09
____________________
What the hell! You're telling me that...
____________________
10/9/2022 10:10
____________________
Shit.
Noah quickly turned toward the window of the classroom. At that exact moment, the sky split in two, as if it were a painter's canvas being slashed.
Suddenly, a message appeared before his eyes.
__________________________________
CONGRATULATIONS! PLANET 340SH, KNOWN AS EARTH, HAS BEEN SELECTED FOR THE SPONSORS' ENTERTAINMENT!
__________________________________
Noah stared in disbelief at the sky tearing apart, the message still hanging in front of him like a cruel joke.
Holy shit. I'm really back at the start of this shitty game! Ten years in the past?!
He barely had time to process the gravity of the situation before another notification flashed before his eyes.
__________________________________
CHOOSE A "JOB" CARD AND BEGIN YOUR ADVENTURE!
__________________________________
In front of Noah's face, a group of cards floated in midair, each marked with a distinctive design. The back of each card displayed a brief description of the so-called "job."
However, Noah was well aware of the deception hidden behind each card. Once a role was chosen, that card would vanish, making it impossible for two people to have the same job. But more importantly, Noah knew the most crucial fact:
Not all roles were created equal...
Hidden somewhere in the design of each card were stars, ranging from one to five, indicating the amount of power each card held.
Well, I guess my choice is obvious...
His eyes locked onto a single card, depicting a grim reaper standing atop a pile of skulls.
__________________________________
Job: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Necromancer
__________________
The one who commands life and death. With legions at his command, he spreads panic among enemies, and every fallen opponent becomes a pawn added to his army.
A commander who moves in the shadows, ready to wreak havoc in the mortal world. A demon disguised as a human.
__________________________________
Noah extended his hand toward the tarots. The moment his fingers touched it, the card vanished, leaving behind a pitch-black aura. The dark smoke swirled around him, enveloping him in a gentle, yet ominous embrace.
__________________________________
CONGRATULATIONS! YOU HAVE OBTAINED YOUR FIRST ROLE!
STATUS IS NOW AVAILABLE!
__________________________________
Good, time to get started.
__________________________________
CONGRATULATIONS! YOUR PROGRESS FROM THE PREVIOUS RUN WILL BE IMPORTED!
WARNING! ONLY PROGRESS AFTER DEATH WILL BE IMPORTED!
CONGRATULATIONS, YOU HAVE OBTAINED THE TITLE "LOSER"!
CONGRATULATIONS, YOU HAVE OBTAINED THE TITLE "FOR A HANDFUL OF FLIES!"
__________________________________
"S-sta-status..."
Noah stammered, still unsure of what was happening.
__________________________________
Name: Noah Gallagher
Gender: Male
Level: 1
_________________
Job: Necromancer
_________________
Titles:
Loser - Definitely unlucky in the game, let's hope you're luckier in love. All EXP gained will be doubled.
For a Handful of Flies – The one who flew too close to the sun. Your job level will be increased by 1. After the upgrade, this title will disappear. Continue? [YES/NO]
The Second Time Is Always Better – The one who has tried his luck before already knows the way. Information about the game world will be provided. To activate, you must infuse mana into your eyes.
Second Time Ranker – The one who dominated a run. The last survivor. Skills consume half of the MP.
__________________________________
Skills:
CORPSE RESURRECTION LV. 1 – The power to raise the dead and command them.
With each level, the number of minions under your control will increase.
Number of minions: 0/1
__________________________________
Strange... "For a Handful of Flies", huh?
These bastards sure have a weird sense of humor. But the effect of this title is incredible, even though I've never heard of it before... and this option...
Noah's hand reached toward the screen, his finger brushing against the panel.
__________________________________
DO YOU WANT TO USE THE TITLE "FOR A HANDFUL OF FLIES"?
[YES/NO]
__________________________________
[YES]
__________________________________
CALCULATING ACHIEVEMENTS...
CONGRATULATIONS! YOUR JOB LEVEL HAS INCREASED!
CONGRATULATIONS! YOUR JOB LEVEL HAS INCREASED!
CONGRATULATIONS! YOUR JOB LEVEL HAS INCREASED!
CONGRATULATIONS! YOUR JOB IS EVOLVING!!
__________________________________
What the—
__________________________________
NEW ROLE: REINCARNATION OF THANATOS
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
DESCRIPTION:
Child of the night. Your love for blood and violence is woven into your very existence. You don't control death; you are death itself.
__________________________________
T-T-Ten stars?!?!
An impossible event had just unfolded before Noah's eyes. In ten years, nothing like this had ever happened. Even five-star roles were considered legendary, and had Noah not seen one with his own eyes, he would've never believed they existed.
As these thoughts filled Noah's mind, a powerful aura enveloped his body, black as the night and adorned with small, nearly imperceptible lights, resembling stars.
_____________________
Hm... Looks like the others have chosen their cards as well. She must've already acquired her role...
A series of flashes, each varying in color and intensity, appeared around Noah.
If I remember correctly, she should be—
At that moment, a blinding explosion of light filled the room, obscuring the figure at its center.
Slowly, a silhouette began to emerge from the radiance.
If I recall, that should be Isabelle McDonald... and her role was...
"Dragon Knight."
As the light faded, the girl finally revealed herself in all her splendor: long blonde hair cascaded down her shoulders, framing a perfectly proportioned face, almost unnaturally flawless. A fine, straight nose separated two cat-like piercing blue eyes.
I don't remember her looking this... stunning. Then again, the last time I saw her, I'm pretty sure it was me who blew half her face off.