I look down at my waist, my body, still thinking it was still there sent signals of phantom pain.
It wasn't the first time this has happened, but it is rare that I survived with a missing lower body for more than 5 minutes.
'A record I guess?'
I was desensitized to the whole entire thing, detached from the eventual fixed point of ruin for the world.
Bringing what remained of my hands to my face, I drag my torn fleshy face down, parts of my skin falling to the ground.
A system window blinks in my view, solidifying that I was right.
"Again?"
I mutter, staring blankly at the star flashing in the distance, a stark reminder that the world would soon end.
"Haaaa..."
I exhale my final breath, close my eyes tightly and let the end of the world embrace my fragile self.
.
.
.
"This is so stupid."
I say, flinging my legs up and down from the bed.
What makes this now? 2249 tries?
The system window blinks in front of me. Instinctively, my eyes flick towards it.
————————————
✦ Name: Eliot Permassian.
✦ Spirit Taming: None.
✦ Holy Blessing: None.
————————————
"...."
The window was filled with my information, albeit slightly more different than the previous resets.
I didn't have my regression ability anymore.
It made sense, it was called the 'Drop of Regression' so after many resets, I began to hold the thought that this ability of mine had a hard limit.
And hard limit it did seem to have.
With a swift huff I jump up from my bed.
I was transmigrated into an MMORPG called Ethereal Journey.
Well....I was actually mostly playing the Gacha version of the game, a completely different experience from the old and nostalgic game.
It was obvious to every fan of the original that this was just some cash grab and I, oblivious that this game was a war crime against free to play players simply played for the cool characters inside.
The game was set in a relative modern setting.
Which I liked when first getting transmigrated...When first getting transmigrated.
...Anyways. In this world I was a plain old extra discarded in the first scene.
The first scene by the way being the opening of the academy.
'Alright, let's get started.'
I walk toward my modest desk, fingers licking the mahogany surface of nostalgia.
Opening the drawer, my eyes lock on to the letter of recommendation from the academy.
"....."
To say the least, I was done. Sick and tired of dying, sick of hearing dumbasses ruining my near perfect runs each damn moment I let my eyes off of them.
The last run was the straw that broke me mentally.
I...was utterly finished with this bullshit. And now....I could actually die and be put out of my misery?
I couldn't ask for more. However, I wouldn't end all of my misery yet.
I still wanted to live a life fully by my own joy.
So.
Tearrrr—!
I tore my letter of recommendation, resigning from my corporate job forced onto me by the world to save it.
.
.
Click! Click!
"Then Eliot, what makes you think you are perfect for this job?"
Sitting opposite me was a man on the chubbier side of shapes, his hollow cheeks sunk inwards, drooping down as his blue eyes were fixed onto me.
I spoke, not a single flicker in tone could be detected.
"I am a young man who knows of hard labor from an even younger age. As long as I get paid a reasonable amount as a newbie assistant. I would complete a job to the best of my abilities."
The interviewer sighed. Flicking through my documents and resume.
"....From your resume, you seem more like a construction worker than someone with the brains to be a teacher."
Interviewer Kang removed his glasses, rubbing his nose bridge smoothly before finally resigning.
'Ah whatever, we're understaffed anyway, I'll just send him to a primary school, those kids are becoming even more difficult to handle.'
Ever since the academy of rising talents were founded, it siphoned essentially every single teacher in the vicinity and best of all. It paid the teachers handsomely.
Because of this, even with the government funding the teachers teaching in modest schools, the majority simply turned their backs on the crude deal and went to the academy of rising talents.
So, after a few years, the government started leaning more into the academy side of things, forcing more and more schools to shut down. Only the most prestigious schools were still 'alive' and that was cutting it short.
"I'll call you and speak to you over the phone. Mister Eliot."
Interviewer Kang smiled broadly, reaching his hand out for a shake.
I looked at it with a more analyzing stare before shaking his hand.
Now....Being a teacher wasn't exactly a dream of mine. But, each time when I thought about what I'd do after saving the world. I strangely felt myself gravitating towards the role of either instructor or teacher.
I wanted to use my wide-spanning knowledge as a regressor to educate and make others learn just a bit more about things that they otherwise wouldn't pay much attention to.
"There are still about 20 years until the world ends, so I should enjoy myself to the fullest."
Well. I wouldn't be able to do that if I didn't use some of the items required for a smooth teaching experience.
Items abandoned in previous runs for their lack utility and lack of convenience.
'Never thought I'd use these sort of useless items.'
I skillfully make my way towards an undiscovered dungeon, avoiding the eyes of many people along the way.
————————————
✦ Skill Acquisition: Stealth acquired!
✦ Requirements: Dodge the eyes of 10.000 people for 10 minutes!
————————————
It took a few days to acquire one of my favorite skills back, but it was more than worth it.
This dungeon was too low level for them to break through stealth, so that meant. I could play around....Very, very seriously.
"He...Hehe."
——!
The boss monster lashed out as I kept throwing down pebbles into its eyes from a high vantage point.
My chuckles filled the still air as I kept maneuvering around, avoiding the attacks of the minotaur chimera with relative ease.
'Taking down a low level with an overpowered skill feels almost exactly like over leveling for the first boss.'
After about 64.6 hours of throwing rocks at an oversized cow at its no-no spots, it finally plummeted to the ground.
'Since it's in suspended animation until someone is greedy enough to touch its skin, we can just leave him as is and get the loot.'
Not wasting another minute. I open the treasure and find what I needed under all the gold it hid itself under.
————————————
✦ Wedge of Fear.
✦ This sacred artifact created from a mad wizard found itself in an old cave that was protected by a chimera monster. Consuming the black embroidered ring grants the user the Holy Blessing of Intimidation.
————————————
Without hesitation. I consume the ring.