Magic System, Second Chance?
Samuel Raveish was the undisputed master of his digital realms, an otaku recluse whose life revolved around the precise optimization of fantasy RPGs and the meta-knowledge of countless light novels. In his cramped London flat, he lived an existence of comfortable detachment, perfecting character builds and conquering virtual gods, always musing, "If only life had a reset button."
Then, his cynical wish was brutally granted. A blinding flash, a rending agony, and Samuel awakens in Aetheria, a vibrant, chaotic medieval fantasy world brimming with powerful, unpredictable magic called Primordial Aetheric Currents. Before his eyes, a persistent, translucent blue screen flickers: "ERROR: SOUL INTEGRATION FAILED. REPEAT ATTEMPT 622,822,031."
Samuel’s initial reaction is pure gamer logic: he's the chosen protagonist, this is his Isekai fantasy, and the "error" is merely an overpowered cheat ability. He quickly discovers his "cheat": Return by Death. Each excruciating death sends him back to a "last stable state," usually his humble cot in the "Stumbling Stag" inn of Oakhaven, memory intact, but body reset.
But Aetheria is no game. His first attempts to "optimize" his life and "quest" his way to power are met with humiliating, agonizing deaths. He stumbles into Dire Beasts in the Elderwood, falls victim to simple traps, or dies from mundane poisoning, forcing him to endure the visceral horror and cumulative psychological toll of dying repeatedly. His reliance on meta-knowledge crumbles against a world that doesn't play by rules, where even low-level threats can be deadly, and magic is wild and untamed.
As Samuel loops through minor local conflicts, like the mystery of The Missing Child & Whispers of the Weaver, he repeatedly interacts with the first faces he comes to know in Aetheria: Elara, the pragmatic innkeeper; Lyra, the kind-hearted healer; and Roric "The Keen," the suspicious watchman. These initial encounters and the shared (though for them, forgotten) experiences within his loops teach him the immediate dangers and societal norms of this brutal new world, grounding him in its harsh reality before his journey inevitably leads him beyond Oakhaven.
Unbeknownst to Samuel, a far grander, more insidious force subtly governs Aetheria: The Grand Conclave of the Aether. Operating through seemingly benevolent Virtuous Arch-Orders and shadowy Sinful Arch-Orders, the Conclave seeks absolute control over all Aether and, by extension, all life. As Samuel’s loops lead him to uncover deeper secrets beyond Oakhaven, his unique ability to learn from death might make him an unwitting disruptor to the Conclave’s meticulously crafted schemes, drawing their chilling gaze.
This is the story of Samuel Raveish, an otaku forced to shed his cynical detachment. Enduring countless brutal deaths, he must navigate a world of genuine chaos and unexpected humanity, struggling to bridge the gap between his optimized gamer mind and the raw, painful reality of true existence. Can he master his terrifying "cheat" to not just survive, but to truly live and find purpose in a world that consistently defies his expectations, even as the powerful Grand Conclave moves to control all of Aetheria?
