[The Two-Second Countdown]

「2 seconds remaining.」

The collar tightening around my neck began to glow a deep, ominous red. If you’re wondering what an Ancient Magic Restraining Device is, think of it as a sophisticated time bomb. The principle is simple: you set specific conditions, and once those conditions are met, it goes boom. I’d love to take this terrifying piece of jewelry off, but—it’s not that easy. The Ancient Magic Restraining Device suppresses the body and disrupts mana flow. Plus, it’s durable enough to withstand just about any impact. It’s essentially a prison and an execution device rolled into one. In short, I’m screwed.

「1 second remaining.」

Still, I held onto a sliver of hope. You see this kind of timer-based bomb in movies and dramas all the time, right? But there’s no guarantee it’ll actually go off. It’s a golden rule of storytelling to stop the timer with about one second left to build tension—

—BOOM!

My body is sinking into the deep, dark water. The Ancient Magic Restraining Device worked with pinpoint accuracy, without a single millisecond of error. What a cold, heartless machine—it clearly doesn't care about "golden rules." I suppose I’m dead. The afterlife. If such a thing truly exists, I suspect this is it. The bright light shimmering on the surface is drifting further away. Down at the bottom, where I’m headed, a pitch-black abyss is opening its jaws wide.

A sudden thought occurs to me. What was my life, anyway? Being worked like a corporate slave, then spending every night until dawn obsessed with games. Then, I transmigrate into the game, only to be blown to bits without even knowing why. What a ridiculous, unfunny life. Regret washes over me. If I had known it would end like this...

'I should have played harder and seen the hidden ending before dying.'

The abyss drew closer. Slowly but surely, I am approaching the total annihilation of my existence. ...Is this it? If I just surrender my body to the current, is everything over?

That was when it happened.

My body, which had been sinking like a limp piece of seaweed, began to emit a blue light. Ah, right. I had this. That changes things.

'I don't want to die.'

Nine Stars is the world I know best. It’s practically my home turf—why should I have to die here? I’m more confident in my ability to play this game than anyone else. Damn it, not yet. I don't want to die!

I snapped my eyes open. I straightened my sinking body and frantically kicked my limbs. Let’s go back up—toward the light.

The message I’d seen once before flooded my mind again.

"Ugh...!"

The first thing to greet me in the land of the living was a wave of intense pain sweeping through my entire body. A groan escaped my lips at the unbearable agony. My whole body ached as if I’d been beaten senseless by a professional boxer—but first, I checked my body. The situation was the same as before. Chains binding my limbs. The silver necklace hanging around my neck.

The countdown resumed immediately upon resurrection. Does this piece of junk ever break? No, I don’t have the luxury of being angry. My objective is clear. I need to mobilize all the knowledge and wisdom I’ve accumulated while playing Nine Stars to escape this place. Don’t panic. I can do this. I understand this game better than anyone else. Alright, let’s get started.

「4 seconds remaining.」

First things first. "Status window." I said it out loud. Nothing happened.

「3 seconds remaining.」

"Status open." "Check information."

「2 seconds remaining.」

No, I need to check my status window first. I need to know what abilities I have and what I can utilize. But how do I check it? In a game, you just press a keyboard button, but I don’t know the method here. Could it be? A thought suddenly struck me. Maybe it’s not done by speaking.

I closed my eyes and focused, gathering my will. Then—

"...Frostwind?" I muttered to myself. So that was it. With the trait Undying, why hadn't I realized it sooner? That means I’ve possessed the body of a Lich—

「1 second remaining.」

—BOOM!

... ... ... Hey, wait a minute. I was looking at my status window. You have to give me time to think! Did you really have to blow me up so heartlessly? Can't you offer some "service time" like at a karaoke room? Anyway, I died, and I was resurrected again.

This is driving me crazy. I feel like I’m losing my mind. I’m not just saying that—I genuinely feel like my brain is going to snap. The biggest problem is that while the body is resurrected, the mental damage carries over. I’ve seriously considered it. Why am I putting myself through this hell? Wouldn’t it be easier to just give up? To sink into that dark bottom of the sea and find peace. If I don’t break this insane cycle of dying and reviving every five seconds, my sanity is bound to collapse.

S-stop...! If you keep killing me like this... m-my head is going to break...!

'Crazy.' What was that monologue just now? That was a bit dangerous. What am I thinking? I might already be half-insane.

「4 seconds until execution.」

'Pull yourself together.' I steel my resolve and recall the method to disable the Ancient Magic Restraining Device. As I said, this brutal seal is incredibly sturdy. However, that doesn't mean there’s no way out. I’m an expert at this game, and I obviously know the escape methods by heart.

The first method is using magic. This is possible if both Magitech and Mana Control skills are at Advanced Level 5 or higher. 'But I checked earlier, and I don't have any skills.' Can't be helped. Skipping this method.

Second, mechanical disassembly using lockpicking. If the Trap Disarming skill reaches the maximum level, you can use your tongue and a single strand of hair to strike the weak point of the restraint even while your limbs are bound. This... honestly, there’s zero chance of that. Unless you’re the Rogue King Akasha, no character could pull off such a martial-arts-novel-style technique.

「3 seconds until execution.」

In the end, I only have one option left. I have no choice but to use the final method. I moved my body, reciting the knowledge stored in my head. First, I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠shake the chain on my left arm. Next, the right arm. Then the left arm again. Left leg. Right arm. Finally, I shake my neck. I have to be careful with the exact order. If I’m off by even a little, the necklace will explode instead.

Clink, clink—

Then, a new message appeared.

Good. My knowledge is working. Gaining confidence, I shook the chains in the specific order again.

Gulp. After swallowing hard, I spoke the deactivation code.

My frail body, freed from the chains, was roughly tossed onto the cold floor. Liberation. I massaged my aching limbs. I never realized before how happy it is to have a free body. 'Anyway, this confirms it.' The final method to disable the device is meant for only one person. Specifically, the person who used the device to lock me up. Only that guy knows the deactivation code. That’s why the hint is something only he would understand.

However... 'I knew the deactivation code too.'

For reference, the deactivation code was "Eagle." The hint, which looks like an obscure poem, is the fight song of the baseball team I used to support. It’s a hint that NPCs within this game would never use. In other words, putting all this information together—

'The person who locked me up is that bastard, Michael.'

Michael, the player character I used to control. That guy is the one who used the device to restrain the Lich. It was absurd. My own creation, whom I had built and raised, had dared to lock up his creator and mess with me. I still can’t guess how this situation came to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠be, but regardless, it happened.

What’s important to me now isn't "why this happened." It’s "what I’m going to do about it." I ask myself. What am I going to do? ...Isn't the answer obvious?

'Since it’s come to this, I have no choice but to clear Nine Stars as a Lich.'

Honestly, the conditions are extremely unfavorable. Michael is in a state where I’ve poured my heart and soul into finishing his growth, whereas I, as you can see, am in a miserable state. My stats have hit rock bottom, and all my skills and magic are gone. If you compare it to a footrace, I haven't even arrived at the stadium yet, while Michael is right in front of the finish line. But if you think I’ll give up easily, you’re mistaken.

'Let’s see who wins.'

I barely managed to lean against the wall and stand up. My ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠legs were trembling like a newborn fawn’s just from standing. ...What a pathetic body. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠My limbs are unnecessarily thin, and my skin is pale, as if it’s never seen the sun. I have to raise this frail girl somehow and conquer the game... Let’s get out of this room first. The moment I made up my mind and took a step, my knees buckled and collapsed.

Ah, damn it. Estelle, can’t you even walk? My legs just won't hold any strength.

...No wonder. That explains why I had no strength in my body. S-someone, give me some food.