The walk to his school was as unremarkable as it could be. Reece strolled through the estate, his footsteps light and unhurried, blending into the quiet rhythm of life around him. The morning sun was warm, casting a soft glow over the meticulously trimmed lawns and clean streets of the residential district. Occasionally, birds chirped overhead, flitting from tree to tree, completely unaware of the deeper problems that lurked beneath the peaceful surface of the world.
For a moment, Reece allowed himself to relax, feeling the gentle warmth of the sun on his face as he made his way to the nearest station. Hopping onto one of the bullet trains heading toward the city center, he settled into a seat by the window. The smooth hum of the train was almost therapeutic as the urban landscape sped by in a blur of grays and greens.
So peaceful, he thought, if only the world could stay like this.
His thoughts were anything but peaceful, though. The serenity of the moment was a sharp contrast to the whirlpool of memories, plans, and calculations spinning in his mind. Every second, every heartbeat, was another moment spent planning his next move. For someone like him, with more lives behind him than anyone could count, planning for the future wasn't a choice—it was a necessity.
"First things first—getting Prima back online," he muttered under his breath as the city buildings grew taller and closer, announcing the train's approach to the city center. He had to start with the basics, no matter how far ahead his mind wanted to leap. "For that to happen, I need to begin training in primal mana.
And for that to happen, I need the Tower's rich mana environment within the tutorial to start accumulating said mana." Prima was more than just an AI, more than just a companion. She was, in essence, a part of him—an extension of his soul, his mind, his memories.
Without her, he was incomplete. It wasn't just the practical benefits of having her hold and process all of his past lives' experiences; it was the emotional weight of all those lives that Prima helped carry.
Without her, it would be all too easy to drown in the flood of memories. As the train slowed to a stop, Reece stood and stepped out, letting his feet carry him toward the school gates. It was a place he had visited countless times across his lifetimes, but this time felt different. This time, his plans were carefully laid, his focus razor-sharp.
"Getting to the introductory stages of evolution with primal mana won't be difficult," he thought, absently watching as students bustled around the school grounds. Some were talking excitedly, others lazing in the grass or hurrying to class. They had no idea what was coming. No idea that their world would be upended in just a few short years. Reece couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy. So carefree. So hopeful.
It wasn't that he didn't understand their joy. He had been there, once, long ago. There had been a time when he, too, was filled with the same kind of youthful optimism, the kind that believed in a bright future where anything was possible. But time and experience had a way of hardening that innocence. "Crossing into the first stage of a Prime Human will be the challenge," he murmured to himself, trying to shake off the melancholy creeping into his thoughts. "It's best I do it after I've crossed into the 11th floor. There's no rush. I'll have a higher level and stronger mana access there."
As Reece passed through the familiar halls of the school, memories brushed against him like faint whispers—faces and voices from lifetimes ago. He walked slower than usual, letting his gaze sweep across the bustling courtyard, the rows of classrooms, the open spaces where students laughed and chatted, oblivious to the future looming ahead. He couldn't help but feel a little distant from them, a little removed from this place that he had once called his own.
"Damn," he thought with a slight smile, watching a group of students lounging on the grass, "People sure were happy and enjoying their youth, huh?"
There was a time when he would've loved to retire, to enjoy a peaceful life in one of his regressions, to live out his days in peace with his loved ones. But retirement wasn't an option. Not for him. Not with everything he knew. He shook his head. "Nah, a lazy life is for after I've put those gods on their knees and ensured that existence doesn't get snuffed out when the real threats appear."
The trip to the school's administration office was as mundane as it could be. Reece handed over his student ID, confirmed his student number, and waited as the clerk retrieved his graduation certificate. It was all routine. Too routine, really. The hum of the office's activities—the typing, the distant chatter, the rustle of papers—felt surreal compared to the gravity of the events he was mentally preparing for.
Just as he was about to leave, he heard someone call his name.
"Reece?"
Turning around, Reece stifled a groan. Of all the people he could run into on his last day here, it had to be one of his old lecturers. The man was a familiar face from his mana physics courses—one of the subjects Reece had excelled in, partly out of interest and partly because it was necessary for his future plans.
The lecturer was friendly enough, but he was a true academic through and through. He could talk for hours about theoretical physics, magic circuits, and the nature of mana flows without realizing how lost his audience was. And for years, Reece had been his favorite "assistant," dumbing down complex theories for the rest of the class.
"Ah, Reece! Good to see you! I just saw your name on the graduation list. Are you attending the leaving party?" The lecturer's smile was wide, and his eyes lit up as though they had just encountered their favorite puzzle to solve.
Reece put on a polite smile, though inwardly he winced. "I, uh, hadn't planned on it. I've got a few things to take care of before heading off. You know how it is."
The professor beamed at him, launching into a brief but intense conversation about recent developments in mana research. Reece listened, nodding occasionally, though his mind was elsewhere. While his lecturer's enthusiasm was genuine, and Reece appreciated the man's intellect, he couldn't wait to escape the conversation.
After what felt like an eternity, Reece excused himself and headed for the school's open-air café to grab a quick lunch. The sun was still warm overhead, and the gentle breeze that swept through the courtyard was refreshing. He selected a modest meal, knowing it would be his last "normal" one for a long time.
As he sat down, trying to focus on the upcoming tasks—getting Prima online, accumulating mana in the Tower—he was startled by a familiar voice.
"Reece!"
Seriously, how many people are gonna recognize me huh. But then he looked up and froze.
Standing before him, with that familiar smile that made his heart ache, was Lorna. Her eyes sparkled with recognition, and behind her was her good friend, Nia.
"Reece! For a moment, I thought I had seen someone else! So glad I ran into you—I thought it'd be only Nia and me picking up our certificates today!"
"Hey, Reece," Nia added with a grin, waving as she slid into the seat beside Lorna.
Reece's smile was strained as he greeted them, gesturing for them to join him at the table. Of all the people to run into today, Lorna was the last person he wanted to see. It wasn't because he didn't care about her. Quite the opposite.
In most of his regressions, Lorna had been more than a friend—she had been his partner, his wife, the mother of his children. In many of those lives, they had shared decades together, raising a family and facing the Tower's dangers side by side. He loved her deeply, and that was precisely the problem. Because in more than three-quarters of his regressions, she had died. Brutally, painfully, and almost always because of him.
He had lost count of how many times he'd watched her die. How many times he had cradled her broken body in his arms, the light fading from her eyes as he whispered desperate promises of revenge. In many of those lives, it was the deaths of his loved ones—Lorna, her then best friend Nia, and others—that had driven him to the edge of madness, pushing him to seek vengeance against those who had wronged them. And each time, it had ended the same way: with his own death, his regression, and the cycle starting over again.
"Sometimes regressing feels like a curse," he thought bitterly as he forced a smile, watching as Lorna and Nia sat down.
Lorna was as bright and cheerful as ever, her personality as warm as the sun shining down on them. But Reece knew that wouldn't last. Soon, she would be forced into the Tower, just as he had been, and the things she would experience there would change her forever.
"Same here," Reece replied, his voice steady despite the turmoil brewing inside him. "Wasn't planning on getting mine today either, but some things came up, and I needed the document sooner rather than later."
"Really?" Nia asked, tilting her head. "Like what?"
Reece shrugged, keeping his tone casual. "Nothing too serious. Just some research opportunities I'm pursuing. They wanted the paperwork early."
He hated lying to them. But the truth—that he was heading into the Tower to prepare for the upcoming conflicts, to ensure his family's survival when the world inevitably crumbled—was too dangerous to reveal. Competition among young climbers was fierce, and the last thing he needed was for anyone to know his plans before he was ready.
"Lucky you," Lorna said with a sigh, leaning back in her chair. "You've always been brilliant. I'm sure you'll do great with your research. Meanwhile, Nia and I are still trying to pass our mana evaluations so we can get decent jobs."
They laughed, but Reece felt the familiar sting of regret. He knew what was coming for them. They would struggle for a few months before eventually being pulled into the Tower by circumstances beyond their control. And that was where everything would begin to fall apart.
I won't let it happen this time, he thought, determination hardening in his chest.
After some small talk, Lorna and Nia rose to leave, but as they turned to go, Reece called out to her.
"Hey, Lorna..."
She paused, looking back at him, her eyes bright with curiosity.
"I just wanted to say... goodbye. We might not get a chance to talk for a while. I probably won't be at the reunion."
Lorna's expression softened. "Goodbye? What do you mean? Are you..."
Before she could finish, Reece stood, nodding briefly before walking away. He didn't trust himself to say anything more. Not with the memories of all the lives they had shared still so fresh in his mind. He didn't want to get too close—not this time. He couldn't afford to.
As he left the school grounds and headed for the metro station, memories of the past washed over him in waves. The weight of those memories pressed down on him, but he forced himself to focus. There was no room for weakness. Not now. Not ever again.