NOVEL NEXT Chapter 2 : New Life
Sora's vision blurred as the light consumed him. For a brief moment, the overwhelming brightness made it impossible to focus on anything but the sensation of being pulled apart, like his very essence was being unraveled and stitched back together. Then, as quickly as it began, the light receded, and he was no longer floating in the void.
But before he could take in his new surroundings, a single thought anchored itself in his mind—Rachel.
The memory of her betrayal surged forward, vivid and raw. Her eyes, cold and calculating, as she struck him down without hesitation. The memory stung in ways that cut deeper than any blade. It wasn't just her act of betrayal—it was who she was. Rachel wasn't just anyone; she was Nathan's widow, his brother’s wife. The woman Sora had sworn to protect after his brother's death.
A surge of conflicting emotions gripped him. Anger—hot and blinding—washed over him first. How could she? How could the woman who had mourned beside him, who had shared the weight of Nathan's loss, turn on him so ruthlessly? Every shared glance, every conversation—had it all been a lie? Had she been planning this betrayal from the very start? His fists clenched at the thought of her smile, the way she had seemed so vulnerable, so trustworthy. It had all been a façade, a mask hiding the true Rachel beneath.
The anger simmered, boiling over into confusion. Why? Why would she do it? He had only ever wanted to protect her, to honor Nathan's memory. He had fought for her, bled for her, thinking that they were bound by their shared grief. They were both broken by the same loss, weren’t they? They had both loved Nathan. And yet, she had betrayed him so easily, like his life meant nothing.
The confusion twisted into grief. He had trusted her—more than anyone. She had been family. After Nathan's death, she had become the last connection Sora had to his brother, to the person who had always been his anchor. And now... she had torn that connection apart. In her coldness, she had severed the last bond between them, leaving Sora utterly alone.
The grief was suffocating. He thought about Nathan, how proud he had been of Rachel, how much he had loved her. Sora had sworn to protect her after his brother's death, to keep her safe as Nathan would have wanted. How could she betray not just Sora, but Nathan’s memory? A wave of guilt washed over him. Had he failed Nathan somehow? Was he not enough to protect the person his brother had loved so deeply?
But under the grief, something darker stirred—resolve. Slowly, the sorrow and confusion began to harden into something sharper. He wouldn’t let this betrayal break him. No, it would make him stronger. Rachel might have thought that her betrayal was the end of him, but she had underestimated him. He wasn’t the same naïve person anymore, and he wouldn't be again.
Sora's jaw clenched as his thoughts cleared. He wouldn't just survive—he would thrive. Rachel had betrayed him, yes, but this was not the end. It was only the beginning of his next chapter, one where he would leave behind the person he had been. Rachel wouldn’t recognize him when they crossed paths again. She wouldn’t know who he was until it was too late.
As the mist around him began to shift, a voice echoed through the emptiness, soft and melodic. "Welcome, Sora."
He took a cautious step forward, testing the stability of this strange new place. The ground beneath his feet gave way slightly, like stepping on clouds. Yet it held firm, offering him a bizarre sense of security in the midst of the unknown.
Suddenly, a voice echoed through the mist, soft and almost melodic. "Welcome, Sora."
Sora spun around, his hand instinctively reaching for a sword that was no longer at his side. The voice had pulled him from the turbulent storm of his thoughts, but the anger and hurt still simmered beneath the surface.
There was no one in sight—only the mist swirling faster now, as if responding to some unseen force.
"Who's there?" he demanded, his voice steady but laced with a warning.
From the mist, a figure emerged. It was a young woman, her form hazy and indistinct at first, but becoming clearer with each passing second. Her hair floated around her as if suspended in water, and her eyes glowed with an ethereal light. She wasn’t human—not entirely, at least.
"I am a guide," she said, her voice carrying a weight of authority. "Here to explain your next steps."
Sora narrowed his eyes, his pulse still racing. "Next steps? Where am I?"
"You are in the Transition Realm," the woman explained, her hands clasped in front of her, her voice calm, almost soothing. "A place between death and rebirth. This is where you decide your next course. Your Prestige skill has brought you here."
Sora’s jaw tightened. The Prestige skill—the very thing that had allowed him this second chance, this escape from Rachel’s betrayal. But it came with its own set of consequences. He had known that before activating it.
"Everything you were, everything you built," the woman continued, her gaze unwavering. "It’s gone. You will return to the world, but you will start anew. You may choose your new form—your new identity. But be warned, Sora Hashino, this is a true rebirth. No one will remember you, and nothing from your past life will carry over. Not even your name, unless you choose to keep it."
Sora looked down at his hands, the weight of the decision pressing down on him. His body, though familiar, felt distant. Everything he had once been—his skills, his strength, his connections—all of it had been stripped away, leaving him raw and vulnerable. But this was also an opportunity.
"I've read about the options," he said slowly, recalling the lines of text he had seen before activating Prestige. "I can change my appearance. My identity."
The guide nodded. "Yes. You can leave behind everything that ties you to your past. No one will recognize you—not your enemies, nor your friends."
Sora’s mind flashed to Rachel again, to the coldness in her eyes as she betrayed him. No, he couldn’t risk her finding him again. He couldn’t trust anyone, not even those he once called allies. Changing his identity meant severing every tie to the person he had been, but it was the only way to ensure his survival—and his revenge.
"I need to be stronger," Sora muttered to himself, more determined than ever. "Stronger than I ever was. Stronger than Rachel. Stronger than anyone."
The guide watched him closely, her expression unreadable. "Then choose, Sora. Will you keep your old face and risk the dangers that come with it? Or will you embrace a new life, one free of the shadows of your past?"
Sora stared into the swirling mist, his thoughts swirling just as wildly. He had to let go of who he had been. He would never be that person again. Rachel wouldn’t get the satisfaction of seeing the same man return. No, he would come back as someone entirely new—someone faster, sharper, more ruthless. He had no more room for weakness.
"I’ll change," Sora said, his voice firm with resolve. "My appearance, my identity—it all goes."
The guide raised a hand, and a translucent screen materialized in front of him, displaying a variety of features—face shapes, hair colors, eye colors, body types. It was like designing a character from scratch in a game. He could choose to become anyone.
For a moment, Sora hesitated. The possibilities stretched out before him, endless and tempting. He could become a completely different person—so different that no one would ever suspect who he truly was. But in the end, no matter what face he chose, no matter what body he inhabited, deep down, he would always be Sora. And that was enough.
With quick, decisive movements, he made his selections. His new face was sharper, with a strong jawline and piercing blue eyes. His hair was blond, completely different from the black hair he had before. His body was leaner now, more streamlined for agility and precision—built to strike swiftly and without hesitation.
When he was done, the guide nodded, her gaze approving. "It is done. You will awaken in one month’s time, as if no time had passed for you. Your journey will begin anew."
Sora felt a strange sense of relief as the mist began to swirl around him once more, faster and faster. But this time, he wasn’t afraid. He had made his choice, and he would live with the consequences.
Before the mist consumed him completely, the guide’s voice echoed through the air one last time. "Be careful, Sora. The path ahead is fraught with danger, and the world will not remember you. But you are not alone. There are others who seek power, as you do. You will meet them soon."
And with that, everything vanished.
Sora's consciousness faded, and for the first time in what felt like ages, he slept.
When he awoke, his body felt… different. As he pushed himself up from the cold stone floor, his movements were smoother, quicker, more controlled. His hair, now blond, fell in front of his eyes, a stark reminder of the changes he had chosen. He glanced down at his hands, his fingers leaner and more agile than before. Every part of him felt built for speed and precision.
He turned, catching his reflection in a dusty mirror. Sharp blue eyes stared back at him, and he felt an unfamiliar sense of detachment. The man in the mirror was a stranger—and yet, he was also Sora.
His lips curved into a grin. This was his second chance.
"Status," Sora muttered, and the familiar panel blinked to life in front of his eyes.
Profile: Ralph Eden (Sora Hashino)
Status: Alive (Prestige 1)
Class: None (Level 1)
Title: Innocent
Power Level: 10
Energy Level: F
Body Level: F
Talent Level: 2 (Growth Factor)
Skills:
• Sword Mastery (Level 1)
• Shield Block (Level 1)
• Critical Strike (Level 1)
• Dodge (Level 1)
• Mana Regeneration (Locked)
Innate Skill:
• Prestige
Sora studied the numbers, his grin widening. Despite being reset to level 1, his stats were already double that of an average beginner. Strength, agility, endurance—each stat translated into raw power. His Talent Level stood out to him as well, and he knew it meant one thing: growth. He would learn faster, grow stronger, and evolve far more rapidly than he had in his first life.
This time, there would be no hesitation. He would become the hunter, not the hunted.
This wasn’t the end. It was a new beginning, and Sora had every intention of taking full advantage of it.