Day 1.

  Deep within a birch forest, whose towering treetops disappeared into the sky hundreds of meters above, a strange structure could be seen.

  The building appeared decrepit, overgrown with vines. Through its cracks and broken walls, beams of sunlight pierced through, illuminating a young man.

  His light brown hair fluttered in the breeze, catching silvery highlights in the sunlight.

  His green eyes were frozen, as if preserved in time, and dust from long-forgotten eras covered his body and clothes.

  He was lean but did not appear athletic. He wore a white shirt under a gray sweater, and soft maroon pants paired with black rubber-soled shoes, all coated in a layer of dust.

  At one moment, one of his eyes twitched — life was returning to his body.

  In the silence of the half-ruined house, a harsh, rasping cough echoed — like an old engine sputtering back to life after years of stillness.

  A weak voice broke the stillness:

  — Where am I? — asked August.

  And then, from the depths of his consciousness, a voice startlingly similar to his own resounded:

  "Say it aloud: 'STATUS'... Say it... say it..."

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  Yielding to the strange impulse, August whispered:

  - STATUS.

  Before his eyes, golden letters flared into existence, shimmering like a work of art.

  **

  STATUS:

  - Overall Power Level: 1st Level (Incomplete)

  - Primary Skill: Supreme Mastery of Learning

  - Auxiliary Skill: None

  - Physical Attributes: 11

  -- Vision: 1

  -- Hearing: 1

  -- Taste: 1

  -- Smell: 1

  -- Touch: 1

  -- Instinct: 5

  -- Body Power: 1

  - Mental Attributes: 11

  -- Energy Quality: 1st Level (Incomplete)

  -- Еnergy Quantity: 6

  -- Intuition: 5

  - Sanctuary: Requirements not met (Incomplete)

  **

  Reading through the parameters, August froze for a moment — his eyes clouded over.

  When he finally blinked, his gaze shifted to the broken window. In the sunlight, dust motes danced, and a sudden wave of nostalgia and silent sorrow welled up inside him.

  A few minutes passed before a lively spark returned to his eyes.

  — Something tells me... I’ve found myself in a rather "interesting" situation, — he muttered with a faint smirk.

  Falling silent, August tried to stand up but collapsed to the floor with his first attempt.

  — Mornings don't start with tea... but with falling flat, — he grumbled mischievously.

  Creaking in every joint, he struggled to his feet and inhaled the damp, fresh air deeply.

  — I’m completely rusted... Like I slept in the alleyways of the world, — he muttered with a crooked smile. — Well, time to stretch a little... and see what comes next.

  He began a simple warm-up: marching in place for sixty seconds; swinging his arms for thirty seconds in three sets; twisting his torso ten times to the right and left; doing twenty squats in three sets; managing five push-ups — no more; performing ten lunges with each leg; and finishing with five small jumps.

  Color slowly returned to his once pale face. Blood flowed more freely, warming his stiff body.

  And suddenly, a familiar voice echoed in his mind:

  — Body Power increased by 1.

  The unexpected message made him blink in surprise.

  He opened the status panel:

  STATUS

  ...

  -- Body Power: 2

  ...