Prestige Grinding : I Can Reset My Level

Sora watched as Rachel spent the following days shut inside, avoiding everyone.

"An innate skill that rewards betrayal? What kind of psycho would create something like that?" she muttered.

Yet, no matter how much she tried to push the thought away, the promise of power tempted her.

"No, I can't do that. I'm not a monster. I'm not…" Her voice trailed off as she tried to convince herself.

Then, as an idea struck her, her eyes lit up. "Fifteen uses. Fifteen people. If I choose carefully… I could target the worst trash in society. Get rid of those who deserve it… and grow stronger while I'm at it."

Sora shook his head as he observed her. 'You even lie to yourself. It doesn't matter what you've been through. I know what choice you made in the end. I will never pity you, two-faced scum.'

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The memories continued to play, and Sora watched as Rachel entered a dungeon with a small group of players. She clutched her sword, following the others into the depths of the dungeon.

He recognized the leader, Jared, a young swordsman he had crossed paths with before.

Jared looked back at Rachel and smiled. "Don't worry, we've got this. Just stick close to me."

Rachel nodded, forcing a smile.

Her thoughts wavered. 'He's so kind to me… If he knew what my innate skill was capable of, would he still trust me this much?'

The group soon encountered a pack of beasts. Jared led the charge, cutting through them with his weapon. The others followed, their teamwork clumsy but effective.

Rachel stayed in the back, watching as the monsters' attacks grew stronger. Jared took several hits, his movements slowing as the injuries piled up.

"Rachel, cover me!" he shouted, struggling to parry an incoming blow.

She froze. Her gaze flicked to his wounds, as she started understanding how good the opportunity was.

Above his head, she saw something that increased the temptation.

Her chest tightened as dangerous thoughts arose in her mind. 'I could do it. Just one strike, and I'd be stronger. He's not a good person! No man helps a married woman without a good reason… right?'@@novelbin@@

Her grip on the sword tightened. She stepped forward and took a few steps in Jared's direction. But when Jared's eyes met hers, her resolve shattered.

Rachel forced a smile, and tried to calm down but her hands kept trembling.

Shoving her doubts and fear aside, she moved to intercept the monsters charging at her teammate, and attacked with all her strength.

Her mind screamed at her. 'I almost did it. I almost killed him. What's wrong with me? I can't kill someone who trusts me so much. And the look on his face... It's impossible. I'm a coward, but I'm not a monster. No matter how tempting it is, I won't let this skill control me.'

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Sora watched as days turned into weeks, Rachel's struggle with her skill growing more intense. Every battle, every moment of trust from her companions, tested her patience and willpower.

She began distancing herself from others, avoiding situations where her skill might tempt her. But the more she isolated herself, the weaker she felt.

One night, at home, Nathan found her sitting alone in the dark, the lights off. "Hey," he said softly, sitting beside her. "You've been quiet lately. Is everything okay?"

Rachel laughed. "Yeah, I'm just tired, that's all."

Nathan didn't press further, because he knew how she didn't like that.

Rachel had started feeling guilt as she had been avoiding Nathan for weeks. The reason was simple: above his head, she could see something that tormented her.

The thought alone was driving her crazy. 'If I used my skill on him… the power I'd gain would be unimaginable.'

But the more she thought that, the more she hated herself.

Sora sighed as he thought, 'You knew Nathan trusted and loved you more than anyone.'

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Sora, who had been closely observing Rachel's memories, had expected her to eventually give in to the temptation of her skill. Yet, to his surprise, she resisted. The trembling in her hands, the excitement in her eyes every time an injured ally turned their back on her—it all gradually faded.

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'If you resisted for so long… what made you change your mind?' Sora frowned, unable to understand.

Skipping past the less significant moments, he suddenly paused at a memory that caught his attention.

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'Where is this?' he thought, puzzled. The environment around Rachel was unfamiliar. It resembled a dungeon, but not one Sora recognized.

'I know all the dungeons near Ales… but I've never seen this one.'

Rachel stood flanked by Nathan and three other players. Together, they fought their way through the dungeon, beating down monsters of the demon race and carefully navigating the traps. They advanced quickly, with Nathan leading the team and Rachel following, but struggling to keep up.

When they reached the boss room, the battle was intense but short. The moment the boss fell, the party cheered as they opened the final chest to claim their rewards.

One by one, the group exited the dungeon, their voices filled with excitement and relief that no one was harmed. But as Rachel stepped toward the exit, a notification suddenly appeared before her.

[You have met the requirements for a special event.]

[Would you like to stay inside the dungeon?]

Rachel froze, her eyes wide with confusion. "What's going on?" she muttered, curious.

Once she pressed [Yes], the air around her grew heavy, oppressive. A chuckle echoed through the chamber, sending shivers down her spine.

"You're an interesting child," a voice was heard, calm but sinister. Rachel turned around, searching for the source, but the room was empty.

"Who's there? Show yourself!" she demanded, trying to remain calm.

The voice ignored her command, continuing with amusement. "Your acts and thoughts don't align. You crave attention and the limelight, yet the more you struggle to rise, the lower you fall."

Rachel's expression changed, as if she had been seen through. "You know nothing about me. What do you want?"

"What do you want?" the voice countered. The question hung in the air.

Rachel hesitated, unsure how to respond. "I… I just want to be stronger enough to protect the people I care about. I'm tired of being a burden. I don't want to be… useless."

The voice chuckled again. "Noble words, but your mental power is telling me something else. You long for power, for recognition. You want to escape the shadows cast by those around you."

Rachel was surprised, shaking her head. "That's not true! I'm not like that!"

"Oh? Then why are you having thoughts of betrayal in that little head of yours? Why do you burn with envy when looking at others?" The voice softened, almost gentle. "You are not a bad person, child. But your desires conflict with your fear of doing what is good for you. It's tearing you apart."

Rachel's lips trembled, her protests dying in her throat. The voice was right. She hated it, but it was right.

"My dear, you have the potential to become something far greater than the ants that came with you today. I can help you reach the heights you dream of."

Rachel was tempted and asked, "How?"

"I can open a new path for you," the voice said simply. "You will grow stronger, faster, without needing anyone to help you. The choice is yours."

Rachel's heart pounded in her chest. It sounded too good to be true, but the allure of such a promise was incredible. "What's the catch?"

The voice chuckled once more. "Smart child. There is always a cost to power. But I'm not asking for much. Grow stronger. Reach what they call level 400 in your world and reach the coordinates I'll send you. You'll then be free to do anything you want and even keep the power I have given you."

A glowing contract appeared before her, its terms written in a language she couldn't decipher. However, for an unknown reason, she could perfectly understand what it meant.

When she realized she could become invincible without even betraying her loved ones, she was excited.

'If this means I don't have to hurt anyone, if I can become strong enough to help Nate and Soso… isn't it worth it? The contract doesn't need me to do anything before reaching level 400. This guy is shady, but the contract doesn't allow him to do anything to me. I'll find a way to back off if he turns on me.' Rachel considered her options.

Sora shook his head while hearing her thoughts, 'This idiot... You really signed a pact with the devil. If he can hear your thoughts and scan your mind, do you really think he'll leave such a loophole for you to use? You've always been a dumbass, but this is beyond stupid.'

Taking a deep breath, Rachel pressed her finger against the contract's signature space. The contract shone and dissolved into particles.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then the air around her grew colder. A deep sound was soon heard as the shadows began to regroup. They pooled together, flowing like liquid toward Rachel. They condensed into a small black sphere that hovered in front of Rachel.

Its surface rippling and Rachel started thinking it looked like black blood. Her body froze—not from fear, but from something that held her in place. As if the room locked her in place.

Rachel shook her head, her earlier resolve crumbling. "I… I don't think I want this anymore." She said.

But there was no answer. Without warning, the sphere shot forward, slamming into her chest. She screamed as the black liquid entered her body, burning like fire as it spread through her veins.

"No! Stop! Get it out of me!" she shrieked, clawing at her skin, trying to stop the dark energy burrowing into her.

Her body convulsed violently before she collapsed to the ground. The transformation lasted a few minutes. And just as suddenly as it started, the pain vanished.

Gasping for air, Rachel sat up, her body drenched in sweat. Her hands trembled as she looked down at herself. Notifications flickered before her eyes.

Sora's eyes opened wide as he read the notifications on Rachel's panel.

I'm aware this chapter may seem lackluster. This was written a while ago and I had trouble fixing the pacing while editing it. I'll rework it some day, before the official release of the series.

And to everyone commenting, I'm still reading every comment, and I'm sorry if I'm commenting less these days. I'll try commenting more in the future!

Wishing everyone a good day / night.