Prestige Grinding : I Can Reset My Level

Sora and Kara sat side by side in front of the lake, smiles of quiet satisfaction on their faces.

"Who would have thought this place would be so lively one day?" Kara said, her voice warm as she gazed out across the tranquil waters.

Sora nodded, his eyes scanning the [Time Space], now bustling with activity. The once-empty dimension had transformed into a realm where players trained and grew.

"It feels like those kids have claimed the northern part of the space as their own. Ever since Karim succeeded in breaking his contract, their motivation went through the roof. Look at them—training like their lives depend on it." He moved his gaze to the southern part of the space, where powerful figures clashed in intense battles. "Alius is still focused on training his elite familiars and undead. Sarsha, on the other hand, seems determined to settle her grudge. She's challenging Magnus and Nyx for the ninth time. Alius' summons are something else."

Kara's attention turned eastward. "If you ask me, the real monsters are Netsu and Hiyoko. None of Alius' generals can rival them. The Soul Links you have with them might be some of the best rewards you earned in the tower."

Sora followed her gaze to see Netsu and Hiyoko lounging near Kara's [Time Dragon], the three creatures releasing immense auras. A hint of pride swelled within him.

"They are strong," he admitted, a slight grin on his face. "But Alius has to split his resources among so many familiars, so it's only natural that these two are ahead. Yours isn't bad either—it's taking after its master, after all."

Kara chuckled softly. "I think we're ready for what's next. We've been training here for so long. Even Sarsha has maxed out her level. We've polished dozens of skills, and we're all countless times stronger than before. I'm honestly tired of training here." Her voice carried both joy and a yearning for action.

"It's time indeed," Sora agreed, surprising her with his approval.

After sending a telepathic message summoning everyone to the lake, it didn't take long for the group to gather.

They arrived in moments and the sound of their chatting filled the air.

"We're returning to the real world," Sora announced, his voice loud. Turning to the group of players who had once served Hannah, he added, "You guys can keep training here until you break free of your contracts if you want. We can adjust the time flow for you. Just knock on the door of Kara's mansion if you need to contact us."

Pausing, he turned to Karim and asked, "Do you want to leave with us? Hannah can't touch you anymore."

Karim hesitated but then replied, "I'll stay with the others to guide them. I won't be of any use to you… You're all so strong."

Sora nodded in understanding before turning to Sarsha. "What about you? Do you want to come with us?"

Sarsha gave him a mysterious smile and responded with a question of her own. "Are we currently in the Human Kingdom?"

Her question puzzled Sora, but he nodded. "Yes, we are."

"I can tell you the truth now. If we leave this space, I'll be automatically expelled from your kingdom and sent back to mine. Unless…" She let the word linger, "someone gives me a [Diplomatic Pass] and sets themselves as my anchor. Foreigners can't enter another kingdom without one."

Sora frowned at the new information. "I need to buy one? It costs 5,000 War Points…"

Sarsha grinned mischievously. "You can earn much more any time. Just pay up!"

Reluctantly, Sora opened his system and purchased the [Diplomatic Pass,] linking Sarsha to himself as her anchor. As he handed it to her, he thought, 'So the anchor acts like a guide, and the visitor can't stray too far. Interesting.'

Their preparations complete, Sora handed Sarsha a mask to conceal her identity. The group—Sora, Kara, Alius, and Sarsha—gathered at the exit and left the [Time Space].

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The moment they stepped out, they were met with an entirely different atmosphere.

The group stood amidst a dense, ancient forest in the depths of China. Towering trees stretched into the sky, their branches intertwined to form a natural net that filtered the sunlight into streams of light. The air was thick with the scent of moss and earth, the ground beneath their was covered with leaves. In the distance, the sound of rushing water was heard, accompanied by the occasional noise distant creatures made.

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Taking deep breaths, the group seemed to enjoy the change of environments.

The area was marked as a level 180 zone, and the oppressive aura of the monsters hidden all around it confirmed it.

Sarsha adjusted her mask, glancing around. "To think I'm already stronger than max level monsters. This feels so good," she muttered. "Are we about to hunt the infamous Hannah that you keep mentioning over and over?"

Sora shook his head, his expression darkening. His voice turned cold as he answered, "No. It's time to get rid of Rachel."

Alius, aware of Sora's plan, added, "And Sarsha, you're not hunting anyone. You better keep that mask on and act human. If word gets out that we smuggled a Dark Elf into the kingdom, we'll have a lot of problems."

Sora ignored the duo and spread his mental power to its limit, trying to sense the boundaries of his scanning ability. Feeling his mental power stop abruptly at the border of the level 180 area, he frowned.

"I can only scan one area at a time. It feels like the system is blocking my mental power beyond this region," he explained to the group. Pausing, he added, "I'll have to ask Sin Soo-Yun."

After a brief chat with his information broker, he received the update he needed.

"She's still in Japan," Sora said, addressing the group. "In a leveling area near Tokyo, to be precise. It's the perfect time to strike."

Adjusting the settings on his mask, he made a few changes to his appearance and the name displayed above his head.

Sarsha, noticing the transformation, asked in confusion, "Why are you disguising yourself as Alius?"

Kara sighed, shaking her head. "What a messy situation," she muttered as she noticed the name displayed above Sora's head:

Sora smiled and said, "Who told this idiot to use this face in the first place?"

Alius scratched the back of his head, looking embarrassed. "Let's just get moving," he muttered.

Sarsha continued to pester them with questions about their disguises and Rachel, but the men ignored her completely, leaving Kara to awkwardly mediate.

Moving through [Void Tunnels], the group traveled at incredible speed. Vast distances vanished in an instant, the usual resistance of the world nonexistent within the tunnels.

Sora led the way, his expression unreadable. The forest behind them faded as the landscapes of Japan came into view after they crossed the sea.

Soon, the leveling area near Tokyo appeared—another dense forest filled with high-level beasts. The area was brimming with energy, and monsters roamed freely between the trees and scattered clearings.

Hovering in the sky, cloaked behind Sora's [Veil], the group overlooked a clearing where someone was in the midst of battle.

Rachel moved quickly, her sword strikes strong and precise. Every motion exuded efficiency and ruthlessness, her actions those of a veteran warrior. Despite being under-leveled and alone, she dominated the monsters, turning the clearing into her personal hunting ground.

The group remained hidden, watching in silence.

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Kara's thoughts drifted to Rachel. She had once been Sora's childhood friend and Nathan's wife. After Nathan's death, she had been the closest person to Sora. The one he relied on when his world had fallen apart. Sora had told Kara about the bond they once shared, the moments they spent together, the trust he had in her.

Her gaze shifted from Rachel to Sora. His eyes were locked onto Rachel, and the coldness in them sent a chill down her spine. It wasn't the look of someone preparing to face an enemy in battle. It was deeper, colder. A gaze full of hatred, the kind that preceded something terrible.

Her chest tightened. She knew what Rachel had done to Sora when he was weaker, when he had been nothing but a level 49 player. When he had been trusting and vulnerable. And she knew that Alius, his alter ego, had seen and experienced it firsthand. Yet at this moment, Alius's expression betrayed nothing.

To see Sora now, staring at Rachel with such icy detachment, Kara realized he had long buried whatever fondness he once had for her. There was no hesitation, no lingering doubt in his gaze.

Breaking the silence, Kara's voice was soft. "Sora… are you sure about this?"

His response came instantly, but it was devoid of the usual warmth he had when speaking to her. "I'm fine. I'm ready."

Alius, standing beside him, spoke next. "Let's end this."

Kara glanced at Rachel again. She was lying on her back now, catching her breath after taking down a particularly large monster. Her face was tilted toward the sky, unknowingly staring in their direction. For a fleeting moment, Kara wondered if Rachel had sensed them. But she shook off the thought—Sora's ability made it impossible.

Sora stepped forward, his voice colder than Kara had ever heard it.

"Don't interfere."