Chapter 8 – The Resolve to Repeat Again and Again

Тhе opрonent hе hаd just fought wаs а Коbоld.

So hе had аssumed this Gatе wоuld оnlу produсe оrdinary Kоbоlds.

However, thе twо Kobolds currentlу stаnding before him were еаch wielding wеaроns.

“Коbold Soldiers…”

His mind wеnt comрlеtеly blank.

Вut hе quiсkly regаined his cоmposure and bеgаn to think.

(Evеn if thеy’rе Soldiers, thеir Physicаl Abilitiеs shоuld still be the same as rеgular Коbоlds)

In the рrevious bаttlе, hе had still had sоme rооm tо sраre.

Fighting twо-оn-оne wоuld сertainly put him at a disadvantage, but Asuto still had Status Points remaining.

If he allocated them properly, these weren’t opponents he couldn’t defeat.

Having made his decision, Asuto distributed all his Status Points.

○Name: Yuki Asuto (20)

Level: 11 Aptitude: Assassin

Rank: F SP: 10→0

Held G: 164

○Physical Ability

Strength: 15→20 Stamina: 12 Magic Power: 1

Spirit: 1 Agility: 25 Perception: 6→11

○Skills

・Basic Dagger Arts Lv1 (1%)

・Evasion Lv1 (1%)

・Leap Lv1 (52%)

・Memory Playback Lv1 (6%)

・Return Lv1 (0%)

This time, he abandoned Stamina.

If he could increase his power to defeat enemies in one strike and his Perception to detect enemy attacks, he could somehow manage.

His prediction proved correct.

Against the two Kobold Soldiers, Asuto maneuvered skillfully.

He deflected attacks using his dagger.

He evaded attacks from the opposite side.

He stepped around to circle behind them and thrust. This was blocked.

While either taking or evading the enemies’ attacks, he repeatedly struck whenever he saw an opening.

But he couldn’t quite reach that final step.

(Damn!)

His Attack Power was sufficient. His Agility also exceeded the Kobolds’.

But he couldn’t defeat them.

His Physical Abilities were adequate.

What he lacked were Skills.

The enemies’ Skills surpassed his own.

Either the opponents had memorized Asuto’s attack patterns, or gradually his attacks were being completely guarded more often.

“Hah… hah…”

His breathing was hot.

His lungs burned with painful intensity.

Sweat poured endlessly down his forehead.

“—?!”

Before he knew it, Asuto’s back was against the wall.

He could retreat no further.

“Damn, damn it all!!”

He wouldn’t let it end in a place like this.

Asuto let out a beast-like roar and lunged forward.

A leap using the wall.

His speed was sufficient.

He caught his opponent off guard.

He drove his dagger deep into one of their chests.

“Yes!——gah!!”

But that was as far as he got.

Unmoved by his ally’s death, the other Soldier thrust his rusted sword into Asuto’s chest.

——Hot hot hot hot hot!!

It felt like heated iron had been shoved into the wound.

The intense pain made him dizzy.

His vision began to fade from the edges.

In the corner of that fading vision.

“Heh heh heh. Give him a little praise and he dies like a dog so easily. You’re seriously way too stupid. Did you actually think you’d gotten stronger just from a little flattery? Watching bottom-feeder trash get delusional is just painful to see… Kuhahahaha!!”

The moment Amy realized Asuto was going to die, she revealed her true feelings.

I see, so the reason she had praised Asuto was to make him self-destruct.

Amy looked down at Asuto with a twisted smile.

“You… bastard…”

“Don’t get cocky, you inferior life form. Just hurry up and croak in some Monster’s stinking mouth. Like the trash you are!”

“Damn… it…”

——I’ll never forget this.

Intense anger toward Amy welled up in Asuto’s chest.

But even that emotion disappeared within seconds.

The Kobold Soldier bit through his neck, and Asuto died.

Condition: Confirmed death of Skill holder

Skill: Return has been activated

Returning to Memory Point B

○

“Hey, what are you doing? Let’s hurry up and enter the Gate.”

“…”

“Hey, what’s wrong?”

“…Ah, yeah, no, it’s nothing.”

Asuto pressed his chest while barely managing to respond to Amy’s words.

(If she finds out here, it’ll all be for nothing)

He desperately tried to calm his emotions to prevent his “murderous intent” toward Amy from being detected.

The Skill Return had activated, and Asuto had safely returned to the past.

Having died in the future ten years later and returned to ten years ago, he understood that dying in combat would also return him to his Memory Point.

But he had been half-doubtful about whether it would really work properly.

Executing this method had been nothing but a gamble.

He couldn’t help thinking he didn’t need to go this far.

Even with a Return by Death Skill, dying was painful and terrifying.

When he imagined a future where the Skill didn’t activate, his organs froze with fear.

Even having safely returned by death, the terror didn’t disappear immediately.

Even now, he felt dizzy from the fear of death and phantom pain in his chest.

But he had no intention of stopping his use of the Skill Return.

Last time, Asuto had been a loser.

He had no connections anywhere, couldn’t join a Guild, and had almost no chances to grow.

No matter how much effort he put in, he couldn’t grow at all.

Asuto had no talent as a Hunter.

There had been a Hunter in the same circumstances as Asuto.

A Hunter who had awakened at the same time.

She had no connections. She couldn’t join a Guild and couldn’t get opportunities either.

But unlike Asuto, that Hunter was a genius.

She made great leaps forward in just a short time.

And ten years later, she had become one of the strongest Hunters.

Seeing that, Asuto had despaired.

Even starting from the same line, could the presence or absence of talent really change one’s future this much…

Everyone says:

‘People at the bottom are just lazy.’

But that’s wrong.

There are people who can’t produce results no matter how hard they try.

In fact, even working hard enough to cough up blood, Asuto couldn’t overcome the wall of being at the bottom.

So should he accept his lack of talent and just quietly endure?

——The answer is no.

Asuto believed people aren’t born just to die.

They’re born to accomplish something.

If no amount of effort can overcome the wall of being at the bottom, then next he should burn his very life.

Even if he dies countless times, if he can become stronger, that’s fine.

——With this power, I’ll become stronger than anyone!