Infinite Retry
Save file loaded.
Welcome. Temporary user Kim Siu.
"Fuck... my neck?"
The memory of my neck being sliced clean off lingered, and right before my eyes floated a bizarre status window.
Died on May 23, 20XX at 16:20 due to gate mixing phenomenon.
That is your fate.
"But how the hell am I still alive?"
You are in the midst of the tutorial.
What the hell do you want me to do?
Survive and Escape
📍 You are fated to die here.
Defy your fate and prove your worth.
🎁 Reward: Fate Points & Feature Unlock
Escape from here? How?
Direct assistance is unavailable during the tutorial.
"Fate Points? What do I even use those for?"
Fate Points are earned by twisting or altering your predetermined fate.
They can accomplish many things—acquiring various abilities, modifying reality, trading for items, and more.
"Abilities? Items?"
Was there no way to get them right now?
Cannot disclose.
"Hey, loser, why do you keep mumbling to yourself in the corner like a weirdo?"
"Sorry, Minji. I'll keep it down."
As if that whole ordeal had been a dream, there was Kang Minji, same as always, greeting me. I'd been her partner for a long time now, and truth be told, she never said a word to any other guy but me. Her mouth was a bit rough around the edges, sure, but she never treated me too harshly.
I'm supposed to die?
You have already died.
That wasn't a dream just now?
...Yes.
I awakened, right?
Did that mean I had to fight that monster again? The memory of my neck being severed made the nape of my neck prickle with phantom pain.
If it's a tutorial, does that mean I can keep repeating this?
Yes. You may repeat indefinitely. If you choose to forfeit, it ends there.
...
To survive this place, I needed to smash that skeleton bastard I'd encountered earlier. With this worthless body that couldn't even wield mana properly, I had to defeat a Skeleton Knight—the slayer of low-rank hunters.
Can I even win?
I turned my head, and there was Minji. Recalling how she'd tried to protect me even in that dire situation brought a wave of guilt crashing over me. I was too weak. I hadn't been able to help her at all.
Fuck... I can do this.
Everyone ignored me, but I'd endured this long thanks to my unbreakable will. Even if I kept dying, as long as I had chances to try again, I wouldn't give up here. I'd keep challenging it.
"Hoo... fuck, what's the worst that can happen? I die?"
"Hey! What are you mumbling about by yourself?"
"This time, I'll protect you."
"Wha... what the hell are you saying, you loser freak...?"
Temporary Save Point loaded.
Loop 2.
I didn't even get a chance to swing before I died. Not to the Skeleton Knight, but just pummeled to death by regular skeletons. The image of Minji desperately trying to shield me stirred up a deep pang of regret.
"Hoo..."
I picked up the sword from the corner. It still felt awkward in my grip. I'd trained with it before, but real combat was a different beast. One slip-up meant a fatal wound, and there were no second chances beyond my loops.
My second death. Who else had experienced death twice already? My hands trembled from the fear and trauma, but glancing at Minji made me feel pathetic. She fought to protect me even in the worst situations— was I really going to quit after just two failures?
No way. If I were that type, I'd have given up long ago.
I'd endured being ignored and told to quit by everyone. I'd toughed it out this far.
Just two deaths. I can do this.
I gripped the sword again. I was weaker than that thing. Physically, it was like a child versus an adult. But I had infinite attempts.
Save Point...
If I failed this time, I'd just try again on the third loop.
"Fuck, I can do this."
Through the fragile barrier on the verge of shattering, I spotted the skeletons. Low-rank monsters, sure, but their numbers made them tricky.
"I can do this!!"
"Shut up, you idiot!"
"Yeah... sorry, Minji."
Temporary Save Point loaded.
Loop 3.
I admit it. My swordsmanship was nuclear waste levels of useless. I'd thought I'd trained hard, but I got wrecked without landing a single hit.
"Fuck..."
Just three failures. Three failures are nothing in a game, but when they're deaths, it's a whole different story. The final moments before dying kept flashing back—my arm flying off, my leg severed, the agony replaying endlessly.
Worse still was watching Minji die protecting me, over and over. Every time I saw her leaning against the wall with that gloomy expression, taking a breather, an indescribable emotion surged within me. I wanted to protect her, no matter what. I wanted to get her out of here alive.
A knight from some epic tale might pull it off, but I was an unawakened loser.
"Yeah... quitting after three deaths in a game would just make me a spineless pussy."
I grabbed the sword from the corner and swung it through the air. The motion was still clumsy. In contrast, the Skeleton Knight's swordplay was near-perfect.
"Perfect...?"
Temporary Save Point loaded.
Loop 10.
I swung the sword with my eyes closed. Compared to before, my stance was more stable, the blade whistling through the air with speed.
I recalled the Skeleton Knight's wrist movements—how it gripped the sword, how it swung. I replayed it endlessly.
Still not enough.
It wasn't nearly good enough to beat it yet, but now I could at least smash the skulls of those basic skeleton grunts. My physical stats wouldn't grow no matter how many loops, so the only way to get stronger was through technique.
In that sense, the Skeleton Knight was the worst enemy and the best teacher. Mimicking its swings made my swordplay sharper, more powerful.
I opened my eyes to find Minji staring at me, wide-eyed.
"..."
"What? Something weird?"
"Nothing..."
At first, she'd sneered at my swings, but now she was changing. Even to her, my skills were visibly improving.
"Minji."
"What, loser?"
"Let's get out of here alive."
"...What the hell are you saying, idiot...?"
Temporary Save Point loaded.
Loop 50.
The mana stone generating the barrier flickered out, and the skeletons finally poured in.
"Hey, stay behind me."
Minji muttered as she slipped on her combat gloves.
"I can fight too."
"You think hunting's a joke? If you can't even awaken, stay back!"
The hulking Skeleton Knight, glowing with an eerie light, loomed ahead as waves of smaller skeletons surged forward.
"I awakened."
"You did? Wh... when?"
"Just now."
Clattering toward us, the skeletons closed in. I charged first, cleaving the skull of one lunging at us. It was weak, but channeling a bit of mana into the tip shattered its head clean.
"Mana's still low! Handle the small fry!"
"Hey! Loser! No, Kim Siu!! What the hell are you doing, it's dangerous!!"
I bolted toward the Skeleton Knight, glaring arrogantly from the rear. I'd awakened with the Deus Ex Machina system, but my body—mana, stamina, strength—was still trash. To survive, I had to use what little power I had efficiently.
"You fucking bastard!!!"
I rushed the Skeleton Knight hiding behind its minions. I precisely crushed the skull of a skeleton charging from the right. Next, duck under the one from the left. Barely dodging, I pressed on without pause. Then roll forward to evade the rear attack. Squeeze through that low-left gap to reach the knight.
Minji's combat sounds echoed behind me, but I couldn't afford to look. The Skeleton Knight, intrigued by my approach, ordered its minions to fall back.
Thus began our duel. It swung arrogantly. Blocking its blade sent a heavy shock through my wrists and arms—the gap in strength was clear.
Next is a thrust from the left!
I twisted right, its sword grazing past. It didn't stop, thrusting relentlessly. Dodging with moves honed through dozens of deaths. I took minor scratches from mistimed dodges, but nothing fatal yet.
To fell it, I needed to shatter the core in its chest. To reach the core, I had to get past that old, battered armor—which was surprisingly durable.
I parried its swings, aiming for the core behind the armor, but my shitty body wouldn't allow it.
"Fuck..."
My slowing swings betrayed my dwindling stamina.
"Ah..."
"Hey!!! Kim Siu!!!!!!"
"Failed again."