So this is how I die. Colorful flashes lit up the cavern in front of me as the Party of Heroes unleashed their most powerful spells trying to beat back the war hounds that had ambushed us, but it wasn't any use. I was bleeding out, already behind enemy lines, and what's worse was that they were being driven back step by step out towards the dungeon's exit. The flashes and sounds of battle faded slowly further and further away, and I realized one of the hounds had grabbed me by the neck and was dragging me further into the dungeon. I couldn't move, I had no mana left. Even if I could fight, the war hounds would probably beat me anyways. I wasn't cut out for this, and just like that it would end. No second chances.
With the last of my strength I checked my system once more.
[Name: Ray Gardner]
[Sex: M] [Age: 17]
[Lvl. 6]
[HP: 0.2/60] [MP: 0.1/20] [SP: 0/30]
[Class: Dark Swordsman]
[Skills: Dark Slash lvl. 2, Dark Magic lvl. 2, Improved Balance lvl. 1, Improved Reactions lvl. 1]
[Titles: Hero from Another World, Blessed of !9%&^)#]
I never did figure out who I was the blessed of… When we had first been summoned into this world, everyone in my class seemed to be blessed by one god or another, but mine didn't seem to show up on my status screen no matter what I tried, and eventually we had given up figuring it out. I wonder if they're disappointed in me. I thought as my consciousness began to fade into darkness. Goodbye God, whoever… you were.
It had been a regular afternoon at Ruttger's School for Internationals in Tokyo, Japan when a blinding light had suddenly engulfed class 2-A and left them standing in the gilded hall of the King of Renfast's castle, having been summoned from Tokyo into another world—one with magic and monsters, gods and systems. I had taken it mostly for granted—we were suddenly heroes, protagonists, blessed of the gods, I felt invincible looking at my first status screen, weak as I was, because I saw the potential, standing there with [Dark Swordsman] and [Lvl. 1], I felt suddenly like the sky was the limit, like I could do anything given enough time and determination. But now I'm about to die.
I hadn't paid too much attention to all the explanations and warnings. The King who had summoned us had gone on and on about a Demon King and Invasions from the North, and a Gathering of Gods. We were all told to go find our patron god in the Chapel of the Saints and pray to them, and a lot of my classmates apparently received visions and helpful instructions and tips on how their boon worked or what they should expect from this world. I never got any of that, nobody could figure out who my god was, but to me, strangely it didn't matter. I didn't care that I was still just in the background of my class, that my blessed status seemed more like a mistake than a relationship, I would make my way without the others, without the gods, without anyone standing in my way.
For the first week I trained relentlessly, shaping up my weak, indoor-type body and figuring out my skills and magic. After that I was the first to volunteer to go into the starting dungeon outside the capital, when Aaron, the hero of the class suggested it. The Captain of the Guards said it was probably too early for us, but we didn't listen, didn't care. We were invincible, or so we thought.
A week. I thought. I didn't even last a week. Wait…huh? I'm still thinking, didn't I die? Is this the afterlife, some kind of black void? Before, my life was flashing before my eyes, so that felt kind of normal, but now, I'm just sitting in darkness thinking, what the hell is going on? I tried to open my eyes, figuring I must still be alive somehow, but nothing happened. Weird…I tried to figure out what I should try next. Status. I said in my mind. And to my surprise a glowing blue window appeared in front of me.
[$ystEmm rE!n(tiAliz!ng…]
[N@Me: R@y G3$329)*]
[S#V: #] [AG*: !7]
[{v!. !]
[HP: #&/60] [MP: *!/20] [SP: _-/30]
[C!@sS: #!))_**)( S@))DK ]
[S&i!!s: Drk sl@Sh !v!. 1]
[T9t!eS: UnDe@d, Blessed of Melphinoe]
What the…My system screen is totally bugged out, except for…my blessed? Blessed of Melphinoe, what does that even mean, who is that?
[T9t!e: Blessed of Melphinoe, the goddess of death. Those who receive the blessing of Melphinoe may return from death. The body may fail, but the spirits of the servants of Melphinoe shall not perish]
'May return…from death.' So that's why I can still think…Hot damn, goddess! I thought you were useless because you never showed me your name! But still… 'the body may fail, but the spirit shall not perish,' is that why I'm just floating in the void? Did the war hounds eat my body and now I can't revive? If so, that's a pretty shitty deal, otherwise I'll just be stuck here. Oi! Goddess! How does this thing work, can I revive now!? A moment passed, then…
[S&i!! uNlOck*d: Return from Death]
Eyy, there we go, that's more like it! Alright then, let's try this baby out. Use skill: Return from death! The darkness around me flashed and simmered, my sensations spinning as I slowly re-entered the world of consciousness. "Uhh," I groaned, trying to sit up, my vision still swimming. Gradually my vision came into a dim, blurry focus, and I looked down at myself. Bones. Starch-white bones. I brought my hand before my face, and could see the tiny interlaced bones moving as if by magic without any flesh attached. f*ck me! I'm a skeleton now!