[Cold air bit at his lungs.]
[Thin.]
[Sharp.]
[Mountains rose like broken blades against the sky.]
[Abaksa stood at the base.]
[Alone.]
[The journey had taken two days.]
[Two days of pushing a body that still hadn't recovered.]
[Two days of ignoring Kael's warnings.]
[Two days of silence from Earl Bruts—]
[Which somehow felt worse than anger.]
Butler Kael— "If you leave now, you may not come back."
Abaksa Einsro— "Then I'll come back stronger."
[That had been his answer.]
[And now—]
[He was here.]
[The mountain.]
[The same one.]
[The one from his previous life.]
[His fingers tightened.]
"…It's the same…"
[The path.]
[The slope.]
[The wind.]
[Unchanged.]
[Unforgiving.]
[Memories surfaced.]
[A younger Tirvan.]
[Climbing alone.]
[Training until his body broke.]
[Repeating it.]
[Again.]
[And again.]
"…This is where it started."
[But this time—]
[He wasn't here for strength.]
[He was here for something else.]
[He began climbing.]
[Each step slow.]
[Careful.]
[Loose stone shifted beneath his feet.]
[The wind pushed against him.]
[His body protested immediately.]
"…Still weak…"
[But his eyes remained steady.]
[Outcome Awareness: Active]
[He saw the safer path.]
[The unstable rocks.]
[The route that would collapse.]
[So he avoided them.]
[Not faster.]
[Smarter.]
[Hours passed.]
[The sun moved.]
[And finally—]
[He reached it.]
[A narrow ridge.]
[Hidden.]
[Almost invisible unless you knew where to look.]
[He stepped onto it.]
"…Here."
[His breath slowed.]
[This was the place.]
[In his past life—]
[He had missed it.]
[Walked right past.]
[Someone else had found it.]
[Someone who grew stronger because of it.]
"…Not this time."
[He moved toward the cliff face.]
[At first glance—]
[Nothing.]
[Just stone.]
[But—]
[Outcome Awareness flickered.]
[A faint distortion appeared.]
"…There."
[He pressed his hand against the rock.]
[The surface shifted.]
[Like water.]
[Then—]
[An opening.]
[Hidden.]
[Sealed.]
[Forgotten.]
[Abaksa stepped inside.]
[Darkness greeted him.]
[But not empty.]
[Old.]
[Quiet.]
[A small chamber.]
[At the center—]
[A chest.]
[Covered in dust.]
[Untouched.]
[His heartbeat slowed.]
"…So it really existed."
[In his past life—]
[This had changed someone.]
[Given them an advantage.]
[Something he never had.]
[Until now.]
[He approached.]
[Slow.]
[The chest didn't react.]
[No trap.]
[No system warning.]
[Just… waiting.]
[He opened it.]
[Click.]
[The lid lifted.]
[Inside—]
[Glass vials.]
[Filled with liquid.]
[Different colors.]
[Crimson.]
[Gold.]
[Deep blue.]
[Power.]
[Raw.]
[Condensed.]
[Item Detected…]
[Ancient Enhancement Potions]
[Grade: High]
[Abaksa's breath hitched.]
"…This is…"
[Not ordinary.]
[These weren't common resources.]
[These were…]
[Opportunities.]
[His hand hovered over them.]
"…If I take these…"
[The future changes.]
[Someone else loses this path.]
[But—]
"…That's the point."
[He picked one up.]
[Crimson.]
[Effect: Physical Reinforcement]
[His grip tightened.]
"…This is what I need."
[No hesitation.]
[He uncorked it.]
[Drank.]
[The effect—]
[Instant.]
[Fire.]
[It spread through his body.]
[Violent.]
[Unforgiving.]
Abaksa Einsro— "—!"
[His body locked.]
[Muscles tightened.]
[His veins burned.]
[The pain—]
[Was worse than the trials.]
[Because this—]
[Was rebuilding him.]
[From the inside.]
[He dropped to one knee.]
[Breathing shattered.]
"…Don't… pass out…"
[His vision blurred.]
[His heart pounded violently.]
[Body Reconstruction in Progress…]
[His bones felt heavier.]
[His muscles… denser.]
[Stronger.]
[The pain peaked—]
[Then—]
[Stopped.]
[Silence.]
[Abaksa exhaled.]
[Slow.]
[He looked at his hand.]
[Different.]
[Not fully.]
[But noticeably.]
"…Better."
[His breathing stabilized.]
[His body—]
[No longer on the edge of collapse.]
[Physical Threshold Increased]
[Plot Armour Compatibility Improved]
[He looked back at the chest.]
[More potions remained.]
[Gold.]
[Blue.]
[Stronger effects.]
[More risk.]
[His eyes narrowed.]
"…Not yet."
[He closed the chest.]
[Careful.]
[Strategic.]
[Because now—]
[He understood something.]
[This wasn't just power.]
[This was timing.]
[He stepped out of the chamber.]
[The mountain wind hit him again.]
[But this time—]
[He didn't feel weak.]
[He felt…]
[Stable.]
[Grounded.]
[Ready.]
[Far below—]
[The world continued.]
[Unaware.]
[That something had already changed.]
[And somewhere—]
[In a distant place—]
[A figure paused.]
"…Strange."
"They should have reached it by now."
[Silence.]
"…Did someone take it first?"
[The path had already begun to diverge.]
[And Abaksa…]
[Had taken the first real step ahead of fate.]