'Damn it. I have been scammed! I endured pain for absolutely nothing, not even the thrill...'
Kyle's eyes snapped open to the same sensation he had felt before dying. His Stamina remained at the same level, and so did his Vitality. This time it did not appear to be a reset as before; perhaps that had merely been a one-time trial.
At present, the only discernible change was that, after withdrawing the sword from his heart, the grievous wound had sealed itself instantly, leaving only a pronounced blade-shaped tear through his already filthy and blood-soaked garments, now drenched with even more crimson. He felt no pain from that wound, yet, more importantly, he received no boon from the Abyssal Orb.
It truly seemed a swindle, for this was not the outcome he had anticipated. It was as though he had died and endured all that agony for nothing of worth. Worse still, nearly thirty points of his Spiritual Energy had been drained for activating the item this time.
