He sprinted faster, getting closer to the oblivious beast. He slid under it and then drove the blade directly into the cracked section of the bone armor with every remaining ounce of his strength in his body.

The sword pierced through and deep.

The ape froze, its roar cut off directly. Silver’s eyes widened as he looked at the sword buried deep to the hilt.

’It worked...’

Then the beast moved. He didn’t have time to get out of the way. One massive bone-covered elbow slammed backwards into Silver before he could retreat.

The impact shattered any thoughts he had been having.

CRACK

Something cracked loudly inside his body. The world spun afterwards. Silver felt himself flying backwards through the air before crashing directly through the edge of a steep rocky slope hidden beneath the grasslands.

He tried to hold onto the edge of a few grasses and stones, but his hands barely twitched.

Then he fell.

The world blurred around him as he hit stone, dirt, and everything he couldn’t even place. He rolled uncontrollably down the slope as broken rocks tore against his body repeatedly.

Somewhere above, the ape roared one final time then silence followed.

Silver hit the bottom hard enough that the darkness swallowed half of his vision instantly before it came again, but it wasn’t the best.

He tried to sit up but his body refused to move it felt so heavy as though lead had been pressed on top of him. Warm blood slowly spread beneath him slowly.

Far above the slope, distant and fading, he thought he heard Shawn shouting his name but the sound grew weaker quickly.

Everything did. Silver noticed he was slowly losing his senses but he didn’t know which one at the moment. Everything just felt like a lot.

The sky above looked surprisingly dim now probably because the sun was now fully setting.

Night was slowly approaching much to the oblivious Silver demay.

’Cold’

Silver’s breathing turned slower and heavier. Pain faded gradually too which terrified him more than the pain itself because he understood what that meant.

His fingers twitched weakly against the dirt, then stopped. He tried as hard as he could to keep his eyelids up but they were slowly becoming too heavy to bear.

’Isn’t this how I’m going to die. On my second day of reincarnation’

As darkness finally began swallowing the edges of his consciousness completely...

A blue translucent notification flickered faintly before his eyes.

[Target affection increased.]

Ravenna Arkland:

-5 → 1

Reason:

Positive emotional response detected.

Registered trigger:

Smile.

Another notification appeared afterwards.

[Reward issued]

• 200 affection points.

• Advanced sword skill fragment.

• Utility skill acquired: [Poller trick]

Skill description:

Allows temporary creation of floral constructs through soul energy manipulation.

Purpose:

Emotional engagement.

Silver stared weakly at the screen as his vision started to fully fade. He couldn’t really see everything properly.

’...Flowers...?’

Silver blurred vision lingered on the translucent screen weakly.

’Of all things, flowers’

His body was too slack that he couldn’t even master the ability to laugh.

It seems the system decided to announce its presence since in his pain Silver had completely forgotten. Seeing Ravenna’s name brought a small pang in his chest.

He wouldn’t be able to save her life from the plot. He just hoped that little attention would divert her decisions.

At least he had left her enough money to survive on.

Blood continued spreading slowly beneath his body while cold wind blew over him. He felt dangerously numb.

[Warning.]

Host condition unstable.

• Multiple fractures detected.

• Internal bleeding detected.

• soul instability increasing.

Silver could barely breathe.

’...right.’

He swallowed painfully before focusing again.

"Purchase... medicine," he said inwardly.

The screen shifted immediately.

[Emergency medical options available]

• Intermediate Regeneration Capsule - 40 Affection Points

• Bone Stabilization Injection - 25 Affection Points

• Soul Recovery Serum - 60 Affection Points

Silver’s fading mind struggled briefly. There were too many options and all were expensive. He couldn’t afford any with the affection points he had.

His current balance flickered into view.

[Current Affection points: 229.]

Still enough. Barely conscious and with a doubled vision, Silver forced himself to focus.

"Intermediate... regeneration..."

[40 affection points deducted.]

A small silver capsule materialised beside his trembling hand. Silver stared at it for a moment then another problem appeared.

"... I can’t move," he said inwardly.

His fingers barely twitched against the dirt before falling limp again. He could feel the capsule but it felt as though it was mocking him.

For the first time since arriving in this world, real fear settled into him quietly. It wasn’t the fear of battle or beasts. It was the fear that he alone, with medication beside him, would never be able to stand back up again.

The system remained silent for several seconds.

Then...

[1 Affection point deducted.]

The capsule dissolved on its own into streams of pale blue light that entered the body directly.

The familiar warmth spread instantly afterwards before it turned into a burning sensation.

Silver’s eyes widened instantly as pain exploded through his numb chest and ribs all over again.

His body spasmed against the dirt as healing forcefully restarted damaged functions that had already begun shutting down.

Silver gritted his teeth hard enough to taste blood.

"That hurts..."

[Regeneration in progress.]

Estimated consciousness failure: 32 seconds.

"Thats... reassuring..."

Darkness swallowed his vision completely a moment later.