Loop>Live: Death Loop System In Another World

As Lucjan wiped the sweat from his brow, Luciano appeared at his side like a shadow, offering a bottle of water with a polite smile.

Lucjan hesitated for a moment before taking it. He's definitely watching me…

Every movement, every word from the butler felt deliberate. There's no way he's just a normal servant.

Wanting to clear his head, Lucjan left the training room and made his way to the royal library. He lost himself among shelves stacked high with tomes on history, combat, and power systems.

He pulled out a heavy book on Principles and settled into a chair by a tall window.

The book explained that Principles were divided into ten stages, though only the first three were known to the public.

The first stage was called the Novice Learner, where one began to awaken their Principle and align their behavior with it.

In every stages, there were three tiers: the lower tier, the middle, and the upper.

The second stage was the Rooted Aspirant.

The third was the Willed Adherent.

According to the text, the remaining seven stages were unknown—hidden deliberately by ancient sects or lost to time.

My Endure or Die Principle must only be in the second tier of Novice Learner at best. And my comprehension ability is still stuck in tier one… I'm far from even reaching the Rooted Aspirant stage.

The thought was sobering. The gap between him and those who had truly mastered their Principles was wider than he'd imagined.

He closed the book.

Lucjan made his way back toward his room. As he rounded a corner, he caught sight of King Isaac standing close to Luciano.

The two of them were talking in hushed tones. Lucjan slowed his pace, trying to catch what they were saying without drawing attention. He leaned closer as he passed.

The only word he made out was like a blade to his chest: "Kill."

A chill spread through his spine. What are they planning? Are they talking about me?

His eyes darted nervously as he tried to keep walking naturally. When he risked a glance back, Luciano's sharp eyes were locked onto his.

Lucjan's legs moved faster on their own, carrying him back to his room.

He shut the door behind him and sat heavily on his bed. The room was empty, Lune nowhere to be seen—he was probably off with Guinevere.

But the silence only made the fear in Lucjan's head louder.

If they really want me dead… he thought, gripping the sheets until his knuckles turned white. I need to find out what they're planning. I can't let them catch me off guard.

He started going over every possibility. He knew he couldn't waste lives recklessly now. He had to be careful, figure things out, and survive.

The thought of Luciano's cold stare flashed in his mind again, making his stomach twist.

Lucjan's head snapped up at the sound of the knocks.

The door creaked open, and Luciano stood there, framed by the dim light of the hallway, holding a steaming cup in his hand.

"Would you like a cup of coffee?"

Lucjan's mind screamed. He couldn't breathe. His eyes flicked between the cup and Luciano's eyes, searching for something—anything—that could make this make sense.

His lips parted, but no words came out, only stuttering breaths. His whole body felt frozen.

"No… I-I don't…"

Luciano's eyes narrowed ever so slightly, and he stepped into the room, closing the door behind him with a soft click that sounded like the end of everything.

"Sir," Luciano said, "you heard us, didn't you?"

Lucjan staggered back. His eyes darted around the room for an escape. He tried to run, but his legs felt numb, refusing to move.

"No, please—please, I swear I didn't mean to hear anything!" he sobbed.

His hands trembled uncontrollably, reaching out helplessly as if trying to grab onto something solid.

Luciano's hand dipped into the drawer by the bed.

Lucjan's heart pounded so violently he thought it might burst. He kept praying, kept begging.

"Please! Luciano, I'll do anything, don't—please don't!"

Luciano turned, slowly, almost gracefully, and in his hand was something Lucjan couldn't comprehend at first.

But then he saw it—the lifeless head of his brother, Lune, eyes empty and blood crusted on his neck. Lune...?

"ARGHHHH!"

A strangled scream tore from Lucjan's throat. He fell to his knees. His chest burned, his vision blurred, and the pain of his heart breaking was too much to bear.

"LUNE!"

"NO! PLEASE, NO!"

"PLEASE, LUNE! I COULDN'T PROTECT YOU..."

Luciano smiled softly, almost kindly, as he stepped forward, raising the knife.

"I'm sorry, Sir. But it ends here."

Lucjan's world collapsed into a tunnel of terror and grief, and he barely felt the cold steel as it plunged into him.

His vision flickered as darkness creeping in.

I couldn't protect him… I failed… I'm sorry, Lune…

---

[Death Detected. Death Limit: 4/ 8]

Why did I even die!? His thoughts were a tangled mess of fear and rage. I… I don't understand… what happened?

For weeks, things had finally started to feel safe, like he could breathe again. But now, everything shattered.

[Main Quest Available]

[Figure Out Luciano's Plan]

[Time Limit: 1 Week]

A new quest window hovered in his vision. A quest? Now? I don't have time for this…

His mind spun with everything he had seen—Lune's lifeless face, Luciano's smile, the knife—he could barely breathe.

Then, a sensation like falling slammed into him. His eyes shot open.

"Argh!"

He bolted upright. His eyes darted around. The room looked exactly like before. He was still in his bed.

His hands flew to his side, searching for wounds, but there was nothing. His gaze shifted to the other bed—Lune was there, still asleep.

He let out a shaky breath, his chest pounding.

I… I'm still alive. Lune's still alive.

But that meant he was back to before the nightmare began—and that Lune would die today if he didn't act.

I need to save him.

He jumped out of bed. He threw on his clothes with trembling hands. The time dial on the wall glowed 4:30 AM.

He didn't care. He ran through the hallway. His mind was fixed on one thing—I'll kill Luciano before he can touch Lune.

He burst into the kitchen, scanning for anything he could use. His hand wrapped around the handle of a kitchen knife.

He sprinted out, feet slamming the ground as he tore through the castle halls.

I can't let it happen again—I won't!

He turned a corner, and there he was—Luciano, standing calmly in the corridor, like nothing was wrong.

Lucjan didn't stop. He ran full speed, knife raised.

"DIE!" he screamed, plunging the blade straight into Luciano's abdomen. Blood sprayed, dark red staining Luciano's white shirt.

For a second, everything froze. Then chaos erupted.

Maids screamed, rushing to the sides of the hall.

"LUCJAN!"

He snapped his head toward the voice—Lune, eyes wide with horror, standing behind him.

But then, impossibly, Luciano's hand grabbed Lucjan's wrist. He twisted and shoved Lucjan back with a brutal kick to his chest, knocking him onto the floor.

"No… NO!" Lucjan roared.

Luciano stepped toward Lune, knife in hand.

"LUNE, RUN!"

But Lune didn't have time. Luciano thrust the knife forward.

"N-NOOO!"

Lucjan's scream echoed through the halls as he lunged.

He tackled Luciano to the ground. He punched him once. Over and over again, his fists slamming into Luciano's face.

"WHY—"

He punched again.

"DID—"

Another punch.

"YOU—"

Another.

"TOUCH—"

He didn't stop. Luciano's face became a bloody mess beneath his fists.

"MY BROTHER!"

He kept swinging until Luciano stopped moving.

Maids poured into the hall, shouting for help. Soldiers rushed in, pulling Lucjan away from Luciano's limp body.

"GET A MEDIC! NOW!"

Lune was lifted by soldiers and carried off.

"LUNE! STAY WITH ME! PLEASE!" Lucjan screamed, fighting against the soldiers holding him back, tears streaming down his cheeks.

I won't let you die again… I swear.

I swear.

I swear.

I sw—

Lucjan sat slumped in the chair, his body numb as he watched Lune struggle to breathe on the bed.

The room was painfully quiet, each second stretching longer than the last.

"Big brother…" Lune's voice was weak, but his eyes searched for Lucjan's.

"Remember when… when you taught me how to ride a horse? I thought I'd never learn. You… you never gave up on me…"

"L-Lune, don't talk like that—ah…!"

"Ah…ah…please…just stay with me…"

Lune smiled faintly. "I'm… I'm glad… you were always there for me… you made me… a better person…"

He coughed, but he kept going. "Big brother… you… you're stronger than you think…"

"Ah…ah…don't…don't leave me…!"

Then, Lune's eyes softened. "You should… continue living… live, big brother… live for both of us…"

His head tilted to the side.

No…no, no, no… I can't even do anything...

Is this my curse? Am I doomed to watch everyone die? Will I always fail, no matter what I do?

He pressed his forehead against the bed, his tears soaking into the blanket. I don't want this. I don't want to keep losing everyone…

"I don't want everyone to die every single time...ah..."

But there was no answer, only the silence of the room and the weight of another life slipping through his hands.

Lune's hand slipped from the bed, landing limp at his side. His breathing stopped. He had died, just like before, at the exact same time.

Lucjan's eyes widened. Anchored Death… he thought.

The Death Loop System had mentioned it: some deaths were fixed, no matter how many times he tried to change them.

[Quest Failed]

[Your Principle has gotten stronger.]

He stared at the message. So even with everything I did, this was always going to happen…