Chapter 52: You Failed

The white mink turned back toward the laptop. "Yes."

Benign stared at him in disbelief. The events of everything were replaying like a nightmare. The bossy system that easily spoke trash... could be this adorable.

"I can’t believe it." He rubbed his face. "So you’re a cute little mink?"

"I prefer this form," Lego said casually, having no trace of embarrassment. "And I am not cute."

"Then I’m not dead." Benign scoffed. "Since you are here, then there might be a reboot of some sort, right? Good."

Lego continued typing.

Benign’s stomach dropped. "Does that mean no reboot?"

The mink sighed. "You failed the mission, Benign. Trading your life for some birds? The most ridiculous way any of the heroes ever died."

Benign just stared.

"You can’t even go to hell because you have no soul." The mink continued. "Your soul is going to scatter."

Benign’s face went blank, and for several seconds, he said nothing. He let out a humorless laugh. "You’re joking."

Lego didn’t answer. Benign’s smile disappeared.

"I’m not just going to die, but my soul is going to...? At least fucking send me back to my world; my body needs to be buried there. I’m a Jarshi soldier, for crying out loud."

"You already died there. It doesn’t matter if your body doesn’t exist anymore. I’ll make it seem like it was burned—"

"No." Benign stepped closer. "If you can affect things in a world I do not exist in, then you can return me to that world. If finishing the mission gives me a more honorable death, I’ll take it."

"But you failed," the mink stared at him with disinterest. "So I’ll have to find another heroic soul to transport instead. I am already deleting your records from the system. You no longer exist, Benign Cross."

Benign stared at him. He was already being replaced. That was normal in military camps, yet it left a sour taste in his mouth. He looked at the dark sea behind him, then at the endless stars.

His eyes returned to Lego.

"No."

"No?"

"Yes, no. Even if I get replaced. Even if I failed. I deserve compensation for your own shortcomings too. First off, when we first met, if you had given me the revival skill as you should have, then I wouldn’t be here. Instead, you gave me a regeneration skill that remained useless."

The mink raised a finger to object, but calmly dropped it.

The soldier continued. "Your stupid glitches affected me mentally because I couldn’t trust my system. Your reward system is shit compared to Ashold’s." He leaned closer. "Are you really the same system that helped him? Or are you just what was left after you broke down?"

His words clearly stabbed at the mink’s pride.

"Look," the mink pointed at him. "No matter what, I can’t—"

"But you will." Benign’s eye twitched. "Your system is fucking broken, and the fucking health bar races to hell fast. You gave me a healing skill that drains my health. A skill that requires an open sky. A skill that can’t even work on animals! And you expect me to survive?"

Benign grabbed the mink. The laptop fell off the desk.

"HEY!"

Benign lifted him by the back of his fur. "You’re not sending me anywhere."

"Put me down!" The mink’s little legs kicked wildly. "You can’t just blame everything on me!"

"I absolutely can." Benign’s grip tightened. "You gave me this life."

"And you died!"

"Because my HP reached zero! Send me back right now, without the fucking Health Bar."

Lego stopped struggling and stared at him.

"I don’t need unlimited strength or ‌ten thousand skills." The soldier swallowed. "I just need to survive my own mistakes."

The two stared at each other until the mink finally sighed.

"Alright."

The soldier blinked. "You agree?"

"Yes, drop me."

The soldier released him immediately.

"Revival only works once per Hero." The mink brushed its fur gently. "And it has conditions," the mink added, watching the soldier from the corner of his eye.

Benign nodded. "Tell me the conditions."

Lego hesitated.

"You have forty-eight hours, Benign Cross. Forty-eight hours until you kill all three Generals."

Silence.

Benign looked toward the black sea. "Is that possible?"

"If you think it isn’t, then accept your death."

Benign looked back at him. "I am asking if it is possible. Do you think I can do it?"

Lego blinked. "I tell you again, I am not omnipotent. I don’t know your future." He looked downwards. "But the little I know about your origins... It isn’t impossible."

His origins? Benign wanted to delve into that, but the pressing urgency weighed on his shoulders. He looked back at the black sea, wondering about the future. He shook his head.

For now, he’ll bask in Lego’s half-hearted belief in him.

"I’ll do it."

"You do understand that you may die again?"

"I’ll make sure I don’t. Can’t be a loser thrice."

"The Generals do not have a known weakness either. You are the first Hero battling them directly."

Benign smirked. "I’m about to make history then." Benign extended his hand. "Two days of life. Deal?"

Lego stared at his hand before taking it. "Yes."

The world trembled. Waves crashed onto the sand and rocks.

A blue screen appeared before Benign.

[Revival Condition Accepted.]

[Time Limit: 48 Hours.]

[Objective: Eliminate all three Generals.]

[Warning: Revival cannot be repeated.]

Benign stared at the next line.

[HP: Null]

His eyes widened. For the first time since he had arrived in this world, he felt something inside him loosen.

"No HP..." He looked at Lego. "You’re removing it?"

"Survive your mistakes. Like every normal person." Lego shrugged. "Isn’t that what you wanted?"

Benign exhaled. His eyes returned to the screen.

[MP: 5000]

He smiled faintly. "Mana refilled."

"Yes. You’ll need it."

The soldier nodded. Even if he had to spam Hell Rain more than once in a day, he’d do anything to kill those siblings. First, he’ll have to think of a way to bring them together. He had to learn their weaknesses and know what made them tick.

He looked down at his hands. "Do I keep my weapons?"

"Of course. Your skills remain too. Good luck."

"Thanks. I’ll need it."

Lego snapped his fingers.

A familiar darkness swallowed Benign.