LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 1: Restart
In the heart of what was once a thriving city, now nothing but ruins, stood a man whose spirit was as broken as the buildings around him. The wind kicked up a gritty storm of dust and debris, with a sigh, he pulled his tattered cloak tighter around him, shielding himself from the onslaught.
"Not again," he muttered, feeling each piece of rubble hit his back like a personal betrayal.
As he stood amidst the ruins, a shadow approached. The man knew what he wanted from this person. His revenge, the only thing left for him to do in this forsaken place. His best friend, Zack, was a traitor, and had taken everything from him.
"Even death I can't have," the man whispered, his voice laden with sorrow, watching the dark figure draw near.
But then, the unexpected happened.
As the dark figure approached him, a blinding light appeared, enveloping the area in a sudden, intense glow. The man shielded his eyes, the light so overwhelming it seemed to pierce through the very gloom of the ruined city.
When the light subsided, the next thing to happen was not what he anticipated; rather than revenge or confrontation, he went back to the past.
The man's heart skipped. Could this be true? His hands trembled as he touched the head, tears streaming down his face. This wasn't justice, not really; it was just the end of his story.
Instead of the expected end, Leo awoke, but not in the ruined city. He was in a teenager's room, surrounded by game posters, including one of Elden Ring, his favorite game he used to play before the apocalypse. His voice, now youthful, was startlingly different.
"What just happened?" he murmured, his mind swirling with new, alien memories. He was in the body of a stranger he didn't know. The teeanger name was also Leo just like him.
Leo, pieced together the situation from the flood of memories. He was back in time to the same city he used to live in but in the body of a stranger, seven years before his downfall, on the very night before the apocalypse.
"Thank you," he whispered to whatever force had granted him this chance.
Sitting in this unfamiliar room, Leo was lost in memories. It had been two 7 years since the world first mutated, yet that day was etched so deeply in his mind it felt like yesterday.
Tonight, the apocalypse would fall upon the earth.
After its arrival, there would be a month no apocalyptic monsters would roam, giving humanity a brief illusion of safety. But this wasn't just the silence before the storm; the apocalypse would silently alter every human, gifting each with an attribute panel and boosting them all to 10 attribute points. Imagine, physical strength tenfold what it used to be before!
But the changes didn't stop at physical enhancements. Each person would unlock their first talent, potentially shaping their survival and future in this new world.
And then there were the "Chests," split into five tiers: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum and Diamond. These chests held treasures like equipment, skill books, class change scrolls, and magical potions. But one month after the apocalypse started, all unopened chests would vanish, forever lost.
Leo couldn't just sit back at this teenager's home, not with all this knowledge. He lived and remembered vividly from his past life that a Diamond Chest had once appeared here during that protection period. It was the only one in New York City, and its discoverer had posted about it online before mysteriously disappearing. Leo knew all too well that in this new world, human greed could be as deadly as any monster.
Anything from a Diamond Chest was priceless, a game-changer in this apocalyptic landscape. And these items were unique; once gone, they were gone for good. Only about a hundred Diamond Chests had appeared worldwide, with most lost to the depths of the ocean.
"There's only a month for me to prepare.." Leo muttered to himself, feeling the pressure of time. He knew he needed to act fast, maybe secure two Diamond Chests if he was lucky. Even a Platinum Chest?
With that, Leo sprang into action. He packed some essentials, grabbed his keys, and made his way to the garage. His parents had left him a car, nothing fancy but tough. First stop, a gas station for fuel, then a convenience store for supplies.
Driving like the world was ending which in a way, it was. Leo headed straight to where the Diamond Chest would appear. He ignored all traffic laws.This time he will not make the same mistakes.
...
New York Central Park, a usual hotspot for tourists but now eerily quiet on this Tuesday night. Based on his past life's knowledge, Leo parked near where he could see from far, the green meadows to sprawling waters, gardens and bridges. He doesn't know where exactly but the Diamond Chest was supposed to spawn around here.
He checked the time: 22:00. Two hours until the apocalypse. Sitting in his car, he tried to calm the storm of nerves inside him.
What if this was all a dream? What if there was no apocalypse, no rewards? What would he do come morning? And even if the apocalypse did descend, would everything unfold as he remembered?
Reincarnated with knowledge but not certainty, Leo felt his heart race against the ticking clock.