1 A Second Chance

'If only we had realized what was happening sooner…'

'If only we were stronger…' 

'This wouldn't have happened.'

These words echoed incessantly within Valyr's mind as he watched the world he had lived his whole life in, the world he knew as Earth, gradually crumble into nothingness due to a game.

A game that everyone had no choice but to partake in.

Thinking about everything that led up to this point, Valyr asked himself where everything had gone wrong. 

As far as he could remember, all of them were informed a long time ago as to what kind of battle they were about to head into. 

Thus, it went without saying that they had prepared plans, countermeasures, and skills for certain situations that might arise in advance. 

With that level of preparation, one should expect that their side would most likely win. After all, there was a saying that went 'Knowing the enemy means winning half the battle.'

Yet, against all odds, the exact opposite happened.

Being at the front lines at the time, Valyr witnessed how the opposing side utterly ravaged theirs. 

With both of his eyes taking all the information that it could, all he could see around him was true and utter despair.

Without a doubt, those on his side were no match for the ones opposing them. Because of that, all of them eventually lost even the final shreds of their hope as the final battle ended on a somber note.

With those memories vividly flashing through his very eyes while his body was still drifting off in space, whether it was desperation or optimism that spurred him forward, he decided to make a wish to the heavens above. 

Even though he knew very well that he'd die very soon. 

Closing his eyes, he uttered out words only he could hear, letting the void around him do its task.

"If there's ever a being up above listening to me… I hope you could give me another shot."

"No. A second chance to make things right."

"Let me start all over again. Let me correct all the mistakes I've made."

"Please."

As he had finished saying those words, Valyr felt like his body gradually separate itself from reality, the fluids in it gradually evaporating off into space as he felt his body become unbearably cold. 

Eventually, his consciousness also headed towards the same path, slowly slipping off as Valyr embraced the sensation of true darkness.

However, not even a minute later, this darkness was quickly replaced by light, jolting Valyr's consciousness awake as he felt the current situation to be somewhat peculiar.

'Have I… have I been sent to the afterlife?' he asked himself, thinking that the best way to find out was to move his body. 

Surprisingly, in accordance with his thoughts, his arms and legs moved in response. With that, he felt that he was lying on something that was somewhat prickly yet also somewhat soft.

Letting his curiosity get the better of him, Valyr eventually opened his eyes, swiftly being greeted by the sight of a vast blue sky far above him.

At this point, he had realized that the heavens had indeed given him a second chance, giving him the opportunity to be reborn. 

Though, as he looked around for a bit more, this hope gradually flickered off, soon understanding that the heavens had only granted a part of his wish.

Far above him was a vast blue sky with billowing clouds similar to that of Earth's. However, the landscape that surrounded him was anything but similar, instead showing him the beauty of nature. 

Rather than be greeted by the sight of buildings, his sight was instead filled to the brim with vast plains, rock formations, as well as plants and trees as far as the eye could see.

Of course, that wasn't all. 

It also did not take long for him to notice that he was lying on top of a cart of hay, which was attached to the back of a wooden carriage.

Scratching his head for a bit, Valyr let out a low sigh. "I guess the heavens are telling me one way or another that my wish was just a bit too much for them." 

"Haah… is this their way of telling me to relax and enjoy this new life I've been given?"

Ding!

Just as he was about to accept his current situation for what it was, a bell chime resounded throughout the area, causing Valyr to look around as he wondered where it came from. 

For a second, his eyes widened in shock, feeling that the chime was awfully familiar to him.

Ding!

A few seconds later, the chime had sounded once more. However, rather than linger for a bit and disappear, it had instead given Valyr something more tangible.

Accompanying the sound he had just heard, something he had never expected to see in his current setting appeared in front of him.

A screen.

Rubbing his eyes in slight disbelief, Valyr sat up straight as he looked at the screen in front of him. 

At first, he asked himself if the heavens had taken pity on him after not granting his entire wish. 

After all, he had read multiple stories in the past where the main character would obtain a system of sorts that would help them adjust into their next world. 

However, as he gradually read through the text on the screen before him, these thoughts instantly disappeared, his body gradually shuddered from the excitement he felt.

[Initializing the Non-Player Character Advancement System…]

[Initial stages have been integrated. Modifying system to Variant GB…]

[Identity confirmed. Current user has been identified as Valyr Zeihardt…]

[Character has been fully examined. Information has been added into the system.]

[System fully activated. User can now access the system at any time.]

'You're telling me… the heavens actually listened to my wish?' 

At this point, no other thought could be found in his mind other than this. 

Clenching his fists in excitement before raising them into the air, tears began to stream down Valyr's face as he was now certain that the heavens had heard his wish.

Which was to be given a second shot at everything.

Taking a few deep breaths as he wiped away the tears on his face, Valyr pondered over his current situation a bit more, making sure to not miss every detail he came across. 

Though, in the midst of his thought process, he inwardly let out a mocking chuckle. "To think such a small change in my mindset would make such a great impact."

Pushing such thoughts to the side, he continued to look around his surroundings as the carriage he was on continued moving. 

At some point, Valyr eventually found a few familiar things he took note of in his surroundings, prompting him to try and browse through his memories from his past life.

Surprisingly, as he tried to recall where he was at the moment, he had noticed that next to no memories from his past life was erased during his death. 

In fact, if he tried hard enough, he felt like he could recall every bit of information that he sought.

'Does this mean I could recall everything that happened in my past life?' 

As he asked this question to himself, he decided to put his theory to the test, rummaging through almost all of his memories before eventually finding a piece of information that matched his current location.

"Considering the familiarity I have with the place and the direction this carriage is heading in, we're currently near the north side of the Veleos Plains," he murmured. 

"As for the place this carriage is heading to… judging by the roughness and size of the road, we're getting closer to a village."

"Then again, I could just ask the carriage driver instead." 

At these words, he faintly smiled, climbing up the stack of hay to find a young man at the front loosely holding onto the reins of a well-fed steed.

'In any case, it's quite surreal to find out I've been reborn into the game itself,' thought the young man to himself after thinking about his current situation for a bit more. 

'And I've turned into an NPC at that.'

'Then again, something like that isn't really a bad thing.' 

Lying down on the hay, a grin appeared on Valyr's face as he gazed up at the sky once more.

'After all, in the early game, there's far more things an NPC can do that a player can't.'