Prestige Grinding : I Can Reset My Level

As Sora turned away from the status panel, the room around him slowly came into focus. He was in a small, dimly lit stone chamber with no windows, the air thick with the smell of damp earth. The only exit was a narrow doorway, flanked by two unlit torches. It was as if he had been dropped into the world with the bare minimum—a fresh start, stripped of everything but his will to fight.

No more regrets. No more dwelling on what had been lost.

Only what lay ahead.

The world outside the chamber was just as quiet as inside. A narrow stone corridor stretched out before him, dimly illuminated by flickering candles set into sconces along the walls. The air was still, and Sora could hear the faint echo of his own footsteps as he walked, each sound amplified by the silence around him.

Suddenly, the corridor opened up into a vast underground cavern. Massive stalactites hung from the ceiling, dripping water that pooled into shallow streams running along the floor. The cavern was bathed in an eerie, bluish light, casting long shadows that danced across the stone.

And at the center of it all stood a single, solitary figure.

Sora froze. He hadn't expected to encounter anyone so soon after his reset. His mind raced as he assessed the situation. The figure was tall and heavily cloaked, the hood pulled low over their face, hiding their features in shadow. They stood completely still, as if waiting for something—or someone.

Sora's instincts kicked in, and he immediately dropped into a low, cautious stance. He had no weapon, no armor to protect him, but that didn't mean he was defenseless. He still had his speed, his reflexes, and the knowledge gained from his previous life. That was enough.

The figure spoke, their voice low and gravelly, echoing through the cavern.

"You're the new one, aren't you?"

Sora didn't reply immediately, choosing instead to measure the person before him. He couldn't tell if they were friend or foe, and in this new world, trust was a rare commodity. He had already made the mistake of trusting too easily once before, and it had cost him his life.

"Who are you?" Sora asked, his voice steady, though his muscles tensed in preparation for a fight.

The figure chuckled softly, the sound hollow and cold. "Names don't matter here. Not yet. What matters is whether you have what it takes to survive."

Sora's eyes narrowed. "And what does that mean?"

The figure stepped forward, their movements slow and deliberate. As they approached, the shadows peeled away from their face, revealing sharp, angular features, eyes that glinted like steel in the dim light. They were older than Sora had expected, with silver streaks running through their dark hair and a scar that cut across their jaw.

"You've reset," the figure said, their eyes scanning Sora with a calculating gaze. "I can see it. You're like the others who've come before you. Hungry for power, desperate to prove yourself. But resetting isn't enough."

Sora's fists clenched at his sides. He hated how exposed he felt, how this stranger seemed to know more about him than he was comfortable with.

"What do you want from me?" Sora demanded.

The figure smiled, but there was no warmth in it. "Not what I want from you. What you want from yourself. You're weak now, yes, but you have potential. I'm here to test whether you're worthy of that potential."

Sora's pulse quickened. A test? He hadn't expected this, but then again, nothing about his new life would be easy. If this was the first step, he would face it head-on.

"Fine," Sora said, his voice firm. "What's the test?"

The figure stepped back, raising a hand. A low rumble echoed through the cavern as the ground trembled beneath Sora's feet. From the shadows, three figures emerged—hulking, monstrous creatures with glowing red eyes and twisted limbs. Their movements were slow and lumbering, but there was no mistaking the raw power in their bodies.

Sora's heart raced. He had no weapon, no skills, no armor. But he wasn't defenseless. Not anymore.

"This is your test," the figure said. "Survive."

Without another word, the monsters charged.

Sora leapt into action, his new body responding instantly to the danger. His feet barely touched the ground as he darted to the side, narrowly avoiding the swipe of a massive claw. His mind raced as he calculated his next move. He couldn't overpower them, not in this state. But he could outmaneuver them.

The first creature lunged at him, and Sora twisted, dodging its attack with ease. His reflexes were sharper now, faster. He felt the rush of adrenaline coursing through his veins, the thrill of the fight igniting a spark within him.

This was it. His first real battle since the reset.

And he would not fail.

The creatures circled him, their red eyes glowing with hunger. Sora took a deep breath, centering himself. He couldn't rely on brute force. He needed to outthink them, outlast them. He needed to survive.

With a sharp, determined cry, Sora launched himself at the nearest creature, ready to begin his climb back to power.

The test had begun.

Sora's feet barely skimmed the uneven ground as he sprinted toward the nearest creature. His mind worked rapidly to assess the situation. He was unarmed, outnumbered, and weaker than he had ever been. But he wasn't helpless. Experience had taught him to survive impossible odds, and now was no different.

The first monster, a grotesque figure with elongated limbs and twisted horns, swung a massive, clawed arm toward him. Sora ducked low, feeling the wind rush past as the claws narrowly missed his head. Without wasting a moment, he launched himself into a roll, coming up behind the creature.

In one fluid motion, he leapt onto its back, locking his legs around its neck. The beast thrashed wildly, trying to throw him off, but Sora clung on, using his agility to stay in control. His eyes scanned its body, searching for a weak point.

The creature bellowed, its roar echoing through the cavern, and with a surge of strength, it slammed itself against the stone wall. Pain shot through Sora's body as the impact knocked the wind from his lungs, but he held firm. His fingers found a soft patch of flesh just below its skull, and without hesitation, he drove his fist into it with all the strength he could muster.

The creature howled in agony, its movements becoming erratic. Sora didn't let up. He struck again and again, each blow more precise than the last, until finally, with a sickening crack, the creature collapsed to the ground, its body twitching as life left its monstrous form.

Panting heavily, Sora scrambled to his feet. One down. Two to go.

The second creature, larger and more heavily built, didn't wait for him to recover. It charged, its massive feet shaking the ground with each thunderous step. Sora's instincts screamed at him to move, but his body was slow to respond, still reeling from the last attack. He dove to the side just in time, narrowly avoiding being trampled.

He landed hard, his shoulder slamming into the stone floor. Pain flared, but he gritted his teeth and forced himself up. There was no time for weakness. No time for hesitation. The creature loomed over him, its red eyes burning with rage. Sora's mind raced. He couldn't outmuscle this one—it was too large, too powerful. But maybe he didn't have to.

As the creature raised its massive fist to crush him, Sora took a gamble. He waited until the last possible second, then sprang forward, rolling between its legs and darting behind it. The creature, caught off guard, swung wildly, but its bulk worked against it. Its movements were slow and clumsy, giving Sora just enough time to dart to safety.

He spotted a ledge jutting out from the wall of the cavern, and without thinking, he leapt toward it. His fingers caught the edge, and he pulled himself up in one swift motion, just as the creature's fist slammed into the ground where he had been standing moments before.

From his new vantage point, Sora scanned the cavern. The third creature, smaller and more nimble than the others, was hanging back, watching the fight unfold with unsettling intelligence in its eyes. It was waiting. Studying him.

Sora narrowed his eyes. This was a problem. He could deal with brute strength and raw power, but intelligence—strategy—that was a different challenge. He would have to end this quickly, before the creatures could coordinate their attacks.

The second creature, frustrated by its failure to crush him, roared in fury and charged again. This time, Sora was ready. He waited until the last moment, then leapt down from the ledge, landing lightly on the ground. The creature, too slow to stop its momentum, slammed headfirst into the wall. The impact sent a shower of rocks tumbling down, but the beast didn't go down easily. It shook off the hit, its blood-red eyes glowing with even more intensity.

Sora's heart pounded in his chest. He needed to think, fast.

Just as the creature prepared to charge again, a sharp pain shot through his chest. He stumbled, momentarily disoriented, as a wave of dizziness overtook him.

"Not now," he thought, clutching his chest. The cost of resetting was more than just losing his power—it came with physical strain, and his body was struggling to keep up.

The third creature, sensing his weakness, darted forward. Sora barely had time to react. The smaller, faster monster lunged at him with a feral speed, its claws aimed straight for his throat. Desperation took over, and Sora twisted his body just enough to avoid the killing blow, but the creature's claws grazed his side, leaving a searing trail of pain.

Sora hissed in agony but forced himself to move. He couldn't afford to slow down. Not now. Blood trickled down his side, but he ignored it, focusing on survival. His mind raced. He needed to end this quickly, but without a weapon, his options were limited.

The second creature was recovering, preparing for another charge. The third was circling him, waiting for an opening. He was caught between two deadly enemies, with no time to plan and nowhere to run.

His eyes flicked toward the fallen first creature, an idea forming. Its claws, sharp and jagged, had torn through stone. If he could just reach one of them...

The creatures weren't going to wait. The second monster bellowed and charged once more, its massive frame barreling toward him like a runaway boulder. The third, quick as lightning, leapt at him from the side.

Sora sprinted toward the first creature's body, every muscle in his legs screaming with effort. Just as the second monster was about to collide with him, Sora dove forward, sliding across the slick stone floor. His hand shot out, grabbing a shard of the first creature's broken claw.

The instant his fingers closed around the makeshift weapon, he rolled to his feet, spinning just in time to meet the second creature's charge. With a swift, precise motion, he thrust the claw upward into the beast's neck.

The creature let out a strangled roar, its momentum carrying it forward even as blood sprayed from the wound. Sora ducked to the side, avoiding the bulk of the body as it crashed to the ground with a sickening thud.

But there was no time to celebrate. The third creature was upon him in an instant, its claws slashing through the air. Sora barely managed to deflect the blow with the claw, but the force of the attack sent him stumbling back.

The smaller monster snarled, its eyes burning with intelligence. It was quicker, deadlier, and far more dangerous than its fallen companions.

Sora's grip tightened on the claw. He could feel his body weakening, his vision blurring slightly from the blood loss and exhaustion. But he wasn't done yet. This was a fight for survival, and he refused to go down.

The creature lunged again, faster this time. But Sora was ready. He sidestepped the attack, using the creature's own momentum against it. As it flew past him, he spun around, driving the claw into its back with all the strength he had left.

The creature screeched in pain, twisting violently, but Sora held on, forcing the claw deeper. With a final, desperate effort, he wrenched the claw free, and the creature collapsed, its body convulsing before falling still.

Breathing heavily, Sora staggered back, his vision swimming. The cavern was silent once more. He had survived. Barely.

The figure who had orchestrated the test stepped forward, their expression unreadable.

"You passed," they said simply.

The first step had been taken, but the journey was far from over.