He was twelve-years-old when he died for the one hundredth time, and it was a boy named Donn Hawkings who had delivered most of these deaths to him.

  He didn't know how many days had passed by then, but if he had to guess, it had been about a month. His hair had grown long, and for some reason, it had turned white. He knew this because it now fell over his eyes, making it even harder for him to see what he had to face every day.

  Constant torture, and constant death.

  Donn used every skill he had to destroy him. Sometimes, he even discovered new skills in the process.

  Leox grew hungry, and thirsty, yet he was not allowed food or water. After all, his body could survive without it, even if it had dropped every inch of muscle and fat from his body.

  He grew to accept death. How could he fear it, after the hundredth time?

  He felt like he had experienced every pain imaginable. He no longer winced when blades pierced his heart, or earth crushed his skull.

  He accepted death, because it was all that he could do.

  ---

  Another day arrived, Leox was only killed twice that day, before Donn suddenly stopped and dropped his weapon. He looked at his hands in disbelief. A smile crept on his face. It was as though he had made some sort of revolutionary discovery.

  Leox checked the boys Overview. He could still do that, even in the state he was in.

  ---

  [Donn Hawkings]

  [Awakening Stage: Second Stage]

  [Classes:]

  > Apprentice Death Mage

  > Apprentice Earth Mage

  > Apprentice Swordsman

  > Novice Necromancer

  [Class Skills:]

  > Heavy Cleave (Swordsman Skill)

  > Extended Reach (Swordsman Skill)

  > Steel Steering (Earth Mage Skill)

  > Bouldering Grip (Earth Mage Skill)

  > Greater Death Sense (Death Mage Skill)

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  > Animate Remains (Necromancer Skill)

  ---

  Leox had figured out quite a lot of the skills Donn had possessed, though he was sure that some were still missing. However, now there was another area of his Overview that stood out more than just his many skills. It was his rank.

  Donn had reached stage two in the ranking system.

  Leox still did not know the effects that this had on ones powers. If he had to guess, it would at least be a general boost in magical and physical stamina.

  Donn continued looking at his hands, clenching and unclenching his fists. Then, he laughed like a maniac.

  "Stage Two. I've finally advanced! This new Overview is interesting..."

  These words weren't directed at Leox, but rather himself. Donn had long since stopped talking to Leox. He was nothing but a training dummy to him now. However, he had grown insane. He would often talk to himself, and sometimes even imaginary people who did not exist.

  "Father, I must tell father!" He shouted, before heading back down the tunnel, the same way that he always came.

  Then he stopped and turned back to Leox.

  "Ah, I almost forgot."

  With a singular swift movement, the tall boy drew his sword and thrust it forwards towards Leox. His Extended Reach skill had activated, which doubled the swords lengths. The blade was fast and precise. As always, it pierced through Leox's body with ease. This time, it entered through his neck. He felt himself struggling to breathe as he choked on his own blood.

  Another death. Could that have been the one hundred and first?

  Who cared. It was just another death. He had accepted this long ago.

  Leox was left to sit there alone, allowing his body to remake itself as it always did, when suddenly he realised something. For the past month, nothing in his overview had changed. His rank progression had remained the same, and he had gained no skills in any of his elemental classes. His immortal class had always stayed the same. Since it was already at the rank Grandmaster, he guessed that experiencing death did not contribute to his overall rank progression, nor were there any skills for him to awaken outside of 'Deathless Rebirth'.

  However, at that moment, he found himself awakening something new.

  It felt... strange. For some reason, despite having died just moments earlier, and being in the worst position of his entire life, a strange calm washed over him.

  He looked at his Overview.

  [Leox Lether]

  [Awakening Stage: First Stage]

  [Awakening Stage Progress To Next Rank: 7.5%]

  [Classes:]

  > Grandmaster Immortal

  > Novice Monk

  > Novice Fire Mage

  > Novice Water Mage

  > Novice Wind Mage

  > Novice Earth Mage

  [Class Skills:]

  > Deathless Rebirth (Immortal Skill)

  > Weave Current (Water Mage Skill)

  > Counterstance (Monk Skill)

  ---

  Leox laughed.

  The Monk Class. Had he really accepted death so peacefully?

  Surely the Allfather was mocking him by gifting him such a class.

  Then, he focused on the skill that had came with it. The understanding of what it could do filled his mind. Moments later, he found himself laughing louder. So loud that the tunnel rats started to scurry away in fear.

  Counterstance was an ability that allowed the monk to retaliate against physical skills and strikes aimed towards him, as long as the skills belonged to a class rank below, or of the same rank as the monk's. The retaliation would be performed as a powerful burst of energy that would attack their opponent all over, causing great impact.

  In other words, if a physical Swordsman of the rank novice struck him, he could activate Counterstance, converting their attacks against him, into an attack against them.

  On that day Leox realised that if the Allfather truly did exist, then he worked in mysterious ways.

  To allow him to end up in situation where he was forced to relive the worst moments of his life over and over again, only to eventually gift him a skill that could be his key to leaving this place?

  He was torn between whether he should curse at the god, or worship him.

  It was all too much for a twelve year old to process.

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