"AAAAARRRRRRGHHH!!"

Aditya screamed, clutching his chest as if a sword had pierced it.

Perhaps this was what was called the placebo effect because now Aditya truly saw his chest gaping, blood scattered everywhere.

He died.

[Congratulations, you have died for the 4th time!]

After coming back to life, Aditya became calmer, but unfortunately, confusion was still evident in his eyes. His brain was now racing against the rapidly approaching death to find an explanation.

“What?! Why?!”

Perhaps it was because his brain had adapted to the pain, or maybe it was because his body felt numb. But this time, Aditya managed to carve out words in the form of a question.

He looked around, seeking answers to his latest death.

His eyes met those of the Sundanese warrior who had forcibly turned his head before Aditya's first death.

Aditya's eyes widened as he stared at the hatred-filled gaze of the Sunda warrior.

"What are you looking at? Look ahead, fool! Don't show fear to those Majapahit scum!" the warrior snapped menacingly.

Aditya didn't respond, but the warrior's sternness reminded him of something more important.

The Pendant of War wasn't a Death Game; it was a Torture Game. In a Death Game, defeat meant death, but in the Pendant of War, defeat meant torture.

Humans never realize they're living in an illusion.

Every time they plaster a smile on their faces, they try to reject the truth that death can come at any time.

No matter who, when, or where, death will come to pick them up without anyone being able to prevent it.

However... they're lucky because death will only come once.

But what happens if death can come many times without any limit?

Now, Aditya finally realized why some say death is the sweet release.

"I need to get out of here!" he exclaimed.

But once again, time was not on Aditya's side.

Wisesa's command echoed once more, and Aditya felt cursed.

"ATTACK!"

As before, Aditya pushed his body to run.

But this time, he was much more aware than before. Although his mind was filled with questions, he tried to postpone finding the answers.

What mattered most now was avoiding the death that was about to claim him.

He tried to slow down to reach the back lines of the Sundanese warriors rushing forward.

But his weak body couldn't resist the current brought by these warriors.

Despite their similar size, with Aditya even appearing taller than these ancient people, the muscle mass they possessed was vastly different.

As a result, Aditya was swept away by the tide and once again found himself thrust into battle.

Aditya's eyes quickly surveyed his surroundings.

His senses seemed dulled as if trying to block out the scent of blood that made his head spin.

At the very least, it made his mind clearer than before.

However, this newfound clarity was not a blessing in a deadly battle; it was a curse that would leave him even more severely traumatised than before.

Aditya saw a blood-soaked Majapahit warrior running towards him with his sword raised.

Quickly, Aditya raised the sword in his hand to parry the Majapahit warrior's strike.

However, Aditya, who had never wielded a sword before, couldn't handle it properly.

*Clang!

His timing to block the attack was off, and before their swords could meet, the enemy's blade grazed his neck. Although Aditya managed to deflect the blow, he wasn't strong enough to fully stop its momentum.

As a result, the enemy's sword slashed his shoulder, cleanly severing his entire left arm.

"AAARRGGHHH!!!!"

Aditya screamed in agony, feeling the pain from his severed limb.

His entire train of thought vanished, replaced only by the excruciating pain raging through his mind.

The Majapahit warrior sneered at Aditya's cowardly screams but remained kind enough to swiftly decapitate Aditya, putting an end to his suffering.

[Congratulations, you have died for the 5th time!]