Icarion gasped as he shot upright, lungs burning as though he'd been drowning moments before. His fingers clawed at the ground beneath him-a soft, dewy grass, not the cold obsidian stone of the Citadel. Blinking rapidly, he took in bis surroundings: a serene forest drenched in twilight, where fireflies danced like scattered stars and the air smelled of pine and rain.
This isn't the Labyrinth.
A surge of panic hit him, and he scrambled to his feet, his heartbeat thundering in his ears. He wasn't wearing his shattered armor anymore. Installed, he was dressed in a simple tunic and boots that felt foreign yet familiar. His hands, now unscarred, trembled as he inspected them. He turned in a circle, scanning-anything-to explain what had happened.
Then it hit him: the voice. The promise. The second chance.
"This isn't real," he muttered, his voice shaky. "It can't be."
[System Reinitializing...]
A chime rang out, clear and sharp, followed by a glowing interface materializing in front of him. His breath caught as lines of text began to form in crisp, golden letters:
Welcome to the Grand Abyss System.
Player: Icarion Veyr
Level: 1
Class: Undefined
Starting Zone: The Verdant Hollow
Objective: Survive
"What the hell is this?" Icarion muttered, instinctively reached out to touch the glowing words. They rippled beneath his fingers, as though made of liquid light.
[Tutorial Initiated.]
The voice, through synthetic and detached, felt oddly comforting after everything he'd been through.
"Welcome, Icarion. Your world has been reset, and your journey begins anew. The Grand Abyss awaits your ascent. Your first task: adapt or die. The choice is your."
Before he could process the world, the forest around him shifted. The air grew colder, the light dimming as shadows stretched unnaturally long. The cheerful chirping of birds was replaced by a guttural growl that sent shivers down his spine.
Out of the darkness stepped a creature. It was humanoid in shape but wrong in every possible way. Its skin was translucent, its ribs visible through a gelatinous torso, and its fingers ended in sharp, claw-like protrusions. Its head was a featureless mask of bone, save for a single glowing red eyes in the center.
[Hostile Entity Detected: Wraithling - Level 3]
The system's notification popped up in the corner of his vision, but Icarion didn't need a second warning. The Wraithling moved like a predator, its limbs contorting as it stalked toward him.
"Adapt or die," Icarion whispered, his mind racing. He clenched his fists, willing his body to remember the combat instincts he'd honed in his previous life. But as he tried to summon his blade-any weapon-his hands remained empty.
[New Skill Unlocked: Improvised Weaponry]
[Pick up an object to activate.]
Without thinking, Icarion dove for a thick branch lying nearby. As soon as his fingers wrapped around it, the system chimed again:
[Improvised Weapon Equipped: Makeshift Club]
The Wraithling screeched and lunged. Icarion swung the branch with all his might, connecting with the creature's head. The impact sent vibrations up his arms, but the Wraithling barely staggered. It lashed out with its claws, slicing through his tunic and drawing blood.
"Damn it!" he hissed, jumping back. His heart pounded as he analyzed the situation. The creature was stronger and faster, but it wasn't invincible. He just needed to find its weakness.
[Combat Analysis Available: Exploit Detected - Target the Eye.]
The system's prompt was like a lifeline. Icarion gripped the branch tighter, feinting to the left before spinning and driving the makeshift club straight into the Wraithling's glowing eye. The creature let out a bloodcurdling scream, its body convulsing before collapsing into a heap of translucent goo.
[Wraithling Defeated.]
[Experience Gained: 25 XP]
[Skill Unlocked: Basic Combat Mastery]
[Health Restored: 10%]
"Well," he muttered, wiping the goo from his face, "that's one way to start over."
But there was no time to rest. The shadows of the forest began to shift again, and more red eyes glimmered in the distance. A low growl reverberated through the trees, deeper and more menacing than before.
The system chimed one last time:
[Quest Updated: Survive the Night.]
Icarion tightened his grip on the branch, a grim determination settling over him. He wasn't the same broken warrior who had failed before. This time, he would climb higher. He would survive.
Because this was his second chance-and he wasn't going to waste it.