The bustling village squaare was alive with activity as merchants and villagers worked together to load the caravan. Horses snorted impatiently, their hooves stomping against the dirt road. The cool morning air carried the faint scent of damp earth mixed with the sharper tang of sweat and wood smoke.

  When I set my eyes on Sia, her smile was vibrant and expression was hopeful. In an instant, I was reminded of that horrifying scene—her burnt corpse lying amid the ashes. The image surged through my mind like a tidal wave.

  I felt nauseous. My stomach churned violently, and I doubled over, retching.

  "Brother!"

  Sia's voice was shrill with panic. She and Grandma Rui rushed to my side, their arms wrapping around me before I could collapse. Sia's face was pale, her eyes brimming with fear as she steadied me.

  I wanted to assure them I was all right, to tell them it was nothing. But the overwhelming flood of emotions and memories proved too much.

  "Brother, stop! You are hurting yourself!"

  Her voice cracked as she grabbed my hand, prying it away from my face. Only then did I notice the stinging pain and the wet warmth trickling down my cheek. My nails had dug into my skin, leaving raw wounds.

  "What is happening here?"

  Uncle Ren's voice cut through the murmuring crowd that had gathered around us. He pushed through the throng. His eyes widened when they landed on my disheveled state.

  "Get him into the house!"

  Our house was a modest hut with a single room. It stood at the edge of the village, surrounded by tall grass and a lone oak tree. Despite its simplicity, it felt more comfortable than any other place I had slept.

  "Why didn't you say you didn't want to leave the village until it came to… this?" Uncle Ren's voice was firm yet gentle.

  His brows furrowed as he crouched beside me.

  He carefully applied a paste made from precious herbs he'd collected during his travels. The cool ointment soothed my burning wounds.

  Behind him, Sia's soft sobs filled the room. She clutched Grandma Rui's hand tightly. Her swollen eyes were fixed on me. I turned away. I couldn't bear to meet her gaze. Not now. Not while guilt and regret gnawed at my heart.

  Grandma Rui and Sia left the house after a while at Uncle Ren's urging. Their absence brought a brief reprieve. I closed my eyes, silently thanking Uncle Ren for his compassion.

  Memories of our childhood resurfaced—how he had saved us from a life of begging on the streets after territorial skirmishes claimed our parents. Without him, we wouldn't have survived in this unforgiving world.

  I could move by the evening, and I stepped out into the cool twilight. The sky above was a shade of orange and purple, with stars beginning to pierce the fading light. The air carried the scent of fresh hay and distant cooking fires, calming my frayed nerves.

  There were countless thoughts swirling in my mind. Were we cursed to attract slave traders twice, or were we being targeted? How could I have regressed twice? Was this my limit, or could I do it again if needed?

  I needed clarity. I needed air.

  To my surprise, the merchant caravan was still in the village. Their carts were lined up near the main path with the horses grazing nearby. Lanterns hung from the carts, casting a warm, flickering glow.

  "Uncle Ren asked them to stay for a while. He couldn't leave until he confirmed that you were fine," Sia's voice came from behind me.

  I turned to find her standing there. Her face was blotchy from crying. She glared at me, but her trembling lips betrayed her worry.

  "Why did you force yourself to come with me?"

  "Stop talking nonsense," I replied, forcing a casual tone. "That wasn't homesickness. I think I ate something wrong when I was foraging in the forest this morning."

  The lie tasted bitter on my tongue, but I had no choice. Suppressing the trauma was difficult when I looked at her. Yet I had to steel my resolve. I couldn’t let her go to the Academy alone. My heart wouldn’t rest until I confirmed her safety.

  "How are you feeling now?" Uncle Ren's voice interrupted my thoughts. He approached me with Grandma Rui.

  "I'm okay now. But when are we leaving, Uncle Ren?"

  "You aren't leaving with us. I'll arrange a carriage for Sia—"

  "I'm fine, Uncle Ren," I interrupted. "I ate a bad mushroom in the morning and had an upset stomach. It was nothing serious."

  He stared at me for a moment. His expression slowly softened into reluctant acceptance. With a sigh, he said, "Ask your Grandma."

  It wasn't difficult to convince Grandma Rui, though Sia protested relentlessly. Grandma understood the dangers of Systema awakening. She also knew me well enough to realize I wouldn't give up even if she told me not to go with Sia.

  We left the village late into the night. The caravan moved under a blanket of stars as the rhythmic creak of wooden wheels blended with the faint rustle of leaves in the cool night breeze.

  Uncle Ren had wanted to stay with us in the last carriage, but I persuaded him to return to the front. I didn't want to burden him anymore.

  He had sacrificed so much for us already. The merchants came to this remote village at his request every year, and he paid them out of his own pocket for the loss. Watching him walk away, his back illuminated by the faint glow of lanterns, I felt a deep sense of gratitude.

  A few weeks later, it was time for us to leave the merchant caravan.

  "You are going to get off at Astralyn? We are only a stop away from Elodria," Uncle Ren asked, his brows furrowed slightly as though trying to confirm he hadn't misheard.

  "Yes," I replied with a firm tone. "I wanted to spend some time with Sia and have her adjust to a city's environment at the same time. It would do her good if she did not look like a complete country bumpkin in the academy where elites gather."

  He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, his expression unreadable for a moment. "Hmm, okay. Take this with you."

  He handed me a heavy pouch filled with money. The weight of it startled me, and I glanced at him in disbelief.

  "Uncle, I can't accept—"

  "Keep it." He cut me off firmly but not unkindly. His gaze softened and he patted my shoulder with a smile. "I accepted your request, and you'll accept mine."

  His smile was warm and resolute. He gave us a few pieces of advice, his voice steady as if masking a bittersweet feeling, and then left.

  The pouch felt heavier than it should. The money must've come from his savings. I clenched my fists, silently vowing to repay him when I had more leeway with my regressions.

  With the extra money, we could afford an even better inn. Moreover, Astralyn was known for its low crime rates. Maybe this time we wouldn't encounter the slave traders.

  "Sia, what would you like to eat?" I asked, trying to lighten the mood.

  "Why do you care about that? It's not like you'll listen to me. Just do whatever you want," she snapped, crossing her arms and glaring at me.

  Her sharp tone stung. It was rare for her to remain angry for weeks, but she had been like this for the better part of our journey with the caravan. Calling her a "country bumpkin" in front of Uncle Ren had worsened things.

  I sighed inwardly. Maybe treating her to some expensive chicken and giving her a city tour would help her forgive me.

  "It's getting late. We should look for an inn," Sia said, her voice softening slightly. She glanced at the fading sunlight, her expression unreadable.

  I had a different idea. The thought of staying in an inn didn't feel secure anymore. I gave her my prepared excuse.

  "I lost the money during the even—"

  "You were pickpocketed?!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide with shock.

  "Probably," I admitted, trying to sound nonchalant.

  "Why didn't you tell me sooner?" she demanded, gripping my arms tightly. "And how are we going to reach the academy?"

  It was good to see her fiery self returning, but I winced at her grip. As someone with a partially awakened Systema, she was stronger than an average person, and her frustration only added to her strength.

  'If rumors were correct,' I thought, 'Systema Holders could split seas and crush mountains like it was nothing.'

  "We'll get to the academy with the money Uncle gave me," I said, meeting her glare. "But we don't have anything for an inn. We'll roam the city and spend the night on the roads."

  Astralyn's reputation as the safest city in the peninsula wasn't without credit. The streets were lit with firefly lamps, their golden glow creating a magical atmosphere. The markets bustled even at night, and the lively chatter of vendors and buyers filled the air. City guards in gleaming armor patrolled regularly, their presence reassuring.

  We should be safe, I thought, watching the guards pass by. There's no way the slave traders can make a move with so many eyes on us.

  We stuck close to the crowded areas and guard patrols. Yet, as the hours dragged on, my nerves frayed. The night never felt longer.

  My worries gnawed at my mind like hungry rats. What if we weren't just unlucky? What if the slave traders had a reason for targeting us? What if they attacked us despite the city guards?

  What if I could never stop them?

  "You are sweating," Sia said softly, her voice cutting through the whirlwind of my thoughts.

  I blinked and found her wiping my forehead with a cloth, her face close to mine. Her large eyes, filled with concern, searched my expression.

  "Is there something you haven't told me?"

  "...You are getting fat. Maybe you should cut back on food," I quipped, forcing a smirk.

  "You…!!! What sort of answer is that?" she yelled, smacking my back with mock anger. Her lips twitched as she hid a small smile. The worry in her gaze had disappeared, replaced with exasperation.

  If I could joke, I was fine. Maybe that was what she was thinking.

  The dawn soon broke, painting the city in hues of pink and orange. The firefly lamps dimmed, their magic fading as the streets came to life once more.

  There was no news of slave traders throughout the night.

  We had done it.

  We survived.

  A wave of relief washed over me. I wanted to shout, to jump and claim I — we —crossed the hurdle.

  "Where are we going from here?" Sia asked from the side, unaware of my inner thoughts.

  "Straight to Glimmerhaven."

  There were six cities between the village and the academy: Ebonreach, Astralyn, Ironforge, Elodria, Brighthollow, and Glimmerhaven.

  We stopped at Astralyn last night and took a carriage for the academy in the morning. The cobbled streets of the city were still damp from an early morning drizzle, and the mist clung to the buildings like a ghostly shroud.

  I made sure that the carriage wouldn't go to Ironforge or Elodria, double-checking with the driver.

  The journey was uneventful for the most part. Rolling hills and dense forests stretched endlessly on either side of the dirt road. Birds chirped in the distance, and the occasional rustle of leaves added a soothing backdrop.

  We were on the road between Brighthollow and Glimmerhaven, a stretch known for its picturesque views. The forest canopy above let through dappled sunlight that danced on the ground like golden coins.

  I was staring at the passing trees when suddenly I felt a sense of unease. The uncomfortable feeling increased with each passing second. My hands trembled as I gripped the edge of my seat, my heart hammering loudly in my chest.

  "Stop the carriage!" I yelled, my voice slicing through the calm carriage.

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

  I ignored the driver and the passengers' protests and forced the carriage to stop. The air felt heavy, suffocating. I scanned the forest, the same vibrant green we had been passing for days. The sunlight still poured in, and there were no signs of bandits or monsters.

  Nothing seemed wrong.

  But.

  I felt it.

  Death. It was coming—

  "You have a good perception," said the woman sitting next to me.

  My eyes widened in shock. She had been next to me for days—I could recall her shadowy presence following us from the village. Yet, it was as though she had been a ghost, hidden by a curtain I hadn't even realized was there. Now, her words pierced through, tearing away that invisible veil.

  There was something wrong about her. Something deeply unsettling.

  "Time's up, kid."

  Before I could react, she swung her sword with a grace that belied its lethality. Blood sprayed as passengers screamed, their faces frozen in terror as life left their bodies. In a single, fluid motion, she threw darts at me and Sia. My limbs turned to lead as the poison coursed through me. Panic bubbled in my chest.

  I faintly heard the chaos, the screams growing distant as if muffled by water. My vision blurred, but this time, I didn't lose consciousness. My body was paralyzed, leaving me trapped in a nightmare. It felt as though I was in a trance, watching helplessly while the woman dragged Sia and me away.

  My thoughts were a jumbled mess.

  'The sword and the darts. She is the one who killed me in the first round and the one who put me to sleep in the second round.'

  The realization hit me like a lightning bolt. She had powers. A Systema Holder? Why was someone like that after us?

  "Are you an assassin…? Who… hired you?" I managed to choke out as some of the numbness faded.

  "You'll know soon enough," she said, her voice cold and detached.

  She shoved a bag over my head, plunging me into darkness. I tried to listen, to track her movements, but the poison had dulled my senses. The rhythmic clopping of hooves on cobblestones echoed faintly as we passed through what I assumed was a secret passage into a city.

  We entered a building. The air inside was damp and reeked of mold.

  "You caught them?" a masculine voice questioned.

  "I did. My job is finished with this," the woman replied curtly.

  "I'll pay the due now. Leave the boy and the girl in the corner."

  The man's voice was familiar. Too familiar. A knot of dread twisted in my gut as I listened to their conversation.

  "U-uncle Ren?" I whispered, disbelief shaking my voice.

  Silence.

  No. It couldn't be him. There was no way it could be Uncle Ren. He was like a father to Sia and me. He had raised us, protected us. My heart pounded painfully as I waited for him to deny it, to tell me I was wrong.

  But the silence was loud.

  "Uncle? Are you there?"

  "Why can he speak already? I told you to make sure these two—"

  "Answer me! I'm talking to you!"

  I tried to stand. My legs wobbled and gave out beneath me. The numbness still clung to my limbs like shackles, refusing to let go.

  The woman suddenly removed the bag from my head. Harsh light flooded my vision, momentarily blinding me. When my eyes adjusted, I stared at him.

  "H-hey, why did you remove the hood?" Uncle Ren stammered.

  His lips trembled. His face was pale, his breaths irregular. His eyes, wide and filled with fear, darted away from mine as though looking directly at me would shatter him. Guilt weighed heavily in his gaze.

  Good.

  At least he knew he was doing something wrong—

  Like hell, I cared about that!

  "Uncle Ren, no, you fucker, why are you doing this? We thought of you as our fath—"

  "Because I'm desperate!" he shouted, cutting me off. Tears streamed down his face as he clutched his head, his voice breaking with desperation. "The debt keeps increasing, and now they are threatening to kill me!"

  He looked at me, his eyes pleading.

  "P-please, don't you think of me as your father? Help me. I don't want to die."

  "And you'll sell your children!? You fucking piece of shit!" I spat, my voice cracking with rage and despair.

  I struggled against the paralysis, every muscle in my body screaming for release. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't move.

  The woman intervened, grabbing my collar and dragging me away like a ragdoll.

  "Where are you taking him? This wasn't part of the deal! The boy stays with me!"

  "You don't need to pay the rest of the money. I'm taking him."

  She hoisted me onto a horse and climbed in front. My anger surged, but my body betrayed me.

  "Let me go, bitch! My sister is still there…! I'll kill that bastard and you—"

  Her dart pierced my neck, the poison once again flooding my bloodstream. Semi-paralysis took hold, and the world dimmed as she shoved the bag back over my head.

  Inside, all I could do was scream silently.

  'Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Fuck…'

  'Why, Uncle? Why?’

  Tears flowed from my eyes. The sharp ache of betrayal gnawed at my heart like a beast clawing at its prey. My hands trembled as I clenched them into fists, powerless to help Sia, powerless to do anything but grieve.

  …

  The forest around me was silent, save for the soft rustle of leaves in the gentle breeze. We continued to move. Silence stretched between the woman and me. She made no attempt at initiating a conversation as she rode the horse.

  After reaching her destination, the woman picked me up from the horse with a firm grip, her cold hands biting into my arm as she dragged me behind her. The ground was rough beneath my feet, loose pebbles digging into my soles. The air was damp and carried a faint, musty smell.

  "Do you know why I saved you?" she asked, her voice echoing in the narrow passage.

  "..."

  "Do you want to save your sister?"

  The echoes of her voice, the damp air, and the uneven ground gave me a clue about our location. A cave. My mind raced, desperately trying to memorize any details that might help me later.

  She paused before what sounded like a heavy door. The creak of rusty hinges echoed through the cavern, and my heart sank further into despair.

  Finally, she ripped the bag off my head, and I squinted against the sudden light from an overhead lamp. The room resembled an operation theater. Stainless steel tools lay on a table nearby, their gleaming surfaces reflecting the flickering light.

  She forced me onto a cold metal table in the center of the room, making me lay on my stomach. Strapping my limbs tightly, she shoved a piece of cloth into my mouth, silencing my protests. Her eyes gleamed with an unsettling mix of curiosity and detachment as she turned on a bright firefly lamp suspended above me.

  "How are you feeling? Angry? Want to take your revenge on your uncle?" she asked, leaning over me with a smirk.

  I glared at her. My body was weak, but my resolve was not.

  Ignoring my defiance, she removed her mask, revealing sharp features framed by strands of purple hair that had fallen across her face. With a quick motion, she tucked them behind her ears and scribbled something on a piece of paper, muttering to herself.

  "Angry. Resolute. Strong emotions. Well-developed physique. Seems like a hunter or someone who regularly works out," she observed clinically, her gaze sweeping over me like I was nothing more than a specimen.

  After setting down her notes, she grabbed a dagger, its blade sharp enough to slice through my shirt with ease.

  "A good specimen," she murmured, her tone devoid of warmth.

  Donning a pair of gloves, she picked up a pen with an unusual design—it lacked a tip. The feather quill glimmered faintly in the light.

  She placed it on my back and spoke softly, almost to herself, "I hope this one survives."

  Pain.

  Immense, soul-crushing pain.

  The moment the pen touched my skin, it felt as though a burning rod had been plunged into my back. I screamed into the cloth, my voice muffled but filled with agony. My body writhed against the bindings, but they held firm.

  The pain wasn't just physical—it reached deeper, touching something primal, something intangible. My soul.

  And the woman drew.

  Her movements were deliberate and skilled. The pen carved a pattern into me that seemed to sear itself into my very essence. The sensation was unbearable.

  When she finally stopped, I was left gasping for breath, sweat dripping from every pore. The pain lessened, but it lingered, and continued to grow worse with time.

  "Give the Artificial Systema some time to work," she said matter-of-factly, removing her gloves. Without another word, she left the room.

  My body boiled, my skin radiating heat as though I was on fire. Time became a blur, the minutes stretching endlessly as the pain gnawed at me.

  When the woman returned, she lifted my head, her piercing gaze locking onto my unfocused eyes.

  "No reaction. It doesn't seem you awakened the Systema. Is it another failure?" she mused, jotting notes in her notebook.

  Suddenly, a screen flickered into view, hovering before my eyes.

  [Scanning Systema 24!@#bs!@sh.]

  [Matching results not found.]

  [Searching for similar Systema.]

  [Matching results found.]

  [Submitting query.]

  [Query Resolved.]

  [Granting access to the Library Of Eternity.]

  The pattern on my back shifted, its lines writhing like living snakes. They spread, covering my entire back in a defined design. The pain surged, sharper than before. My soul felt as though it was being ripped apart.

  "It has reached maturity. The first step was a success," the woman noted, placing her palm on my back.

  "The hard part starts now. Kid, no matter what happens, don't give up. Use rage as your fuel if you have to. You can save your sister if you survive this."

  Something that felt like an invisible energy flowed out from her palm. She pressed it on my back. The energy entered my body through the Systema drawn on my back. But it didn’t stop just there.

  The energy breached the boundary of my soul in the shape of the Systema. Violent energy flooded out from the opening made in my soul. The energy tore apart my organs like a saw cutting through wood. It made the pain from earlier carving look like a joke.

  The woman wrapped her energy around the violent energy oozing out from my soul and tried to calm it.

  But.

  It did not seem to be working.

  I tried to distract myself by recalling the anger I felt against Uncle Ren and the slave traders, and the gnawing worry for Sia.

  The unending wish to kill the woman who had helped Uncle Ren burned like an eternal flame within me. My fists clenched, and my jaw tightened as rage surged through my veins. My consciousness continued to flicker in and out of existence, but I desperately held on. I wouldn’t die yet. I refused to give up. Not before I took revenge against Uncle Ren, and the woman.

  I'll make them pay.

  Every last one of them!

  "Good, you did it," the woman said.

  The woman removed her hand from my back, and the intense heat that had seared through me began to fade. The pain followed, ebbing away like a receding tide.

  [Access to Library Of Eternity granted.]

  [Class choices have been given.]

  [Think 'Status' to view your attributes.]

  Her face was an unreadable mask as she stood, her piercing gaze fixed on me.

  "What are your classes? Open your Status and tell me." She picked up the notebook, her movements precise and deliberate.

  I struggled to think clearly. Exhaustion weighed heavily on my shoulders and my mind.

  The disappearance of pain was a strange relief, but it left me too drained to comprehend the situation fully. I opened my mouth without realizing what I was doing.

  "St…atus."

  Class: None

  Skills: None

  Available Classes for selection: Berserker Lvl.1, Knight Lvl.1, Hunter Lvl.1

  I tilted my head, staring at the screen with vacant eyes. The woman waited patiently.

  When I noticed her holding a pen, my mouth moved without much thought.

  "Berserker, Knight, Hunter."

  "Three classes? What about skills?" she asked, her brows lifting slightly.

  "I don't have any," I replied, my voice hoarse and strained.

  "That's strange." She stopped writing for a moment, her pen hovering mid-air. "I gave you the First Ascender's Systema. You should've gotten her class and initial skills. Is it a compatibility issue or was there a mistake during Carving?"

  Her tone, though calm, carried a hint of frustration.

  "What are your stats?" she asked again, her voice sharper this time.

  "Stats?" I repeated, confused. I stared at my Status but found nothing of the sort. "I can't see them."

  For the first time, a flicker of surprise crossed her sharp, stoic eyes.

  "You… don't have stats? What about 'Core'?"

  "No."

  "What can you see?"

  "Class, Skills, Available Classes," I replied hesitantly.

  "Not even a name?"

  "No."

  Her surprise deepened, her lips tightening into a thin line. She mumbled under her breath, the words too faint to catch.

  "How is that possible?" she muttered before resuming her frantic scribbling in the notebook. "Special note: Subject 1026 can access only partial Status. Did the Librarian notice the fake Systema? If it did, why give access to the library at all?"

  She looked up from the notebook, her piercing gaze locking onto mine.

  "You can choose a Class. You'll get a skill with it," she explained, her tone softening slightly.

  As the moments passed, the fog in my mind began to lift. Clarity returned bit by bit, and with it came a horrifying realization.

  What have I been doing until now?

  Amicably talking to the woman who kidnapped me and Sia?

  Yet I was painfully aware of my ignorance. I had no knowledge of Systema. I was powerless and, for now, I needed her guidance.

  "What should I choose?" I asked hesitatingly.

  "Anything. Follow what your heart tells you to. There is no need to be under pressure," she said with a rare gentleness. "I'm on your side. I'll help you if anything goes wrong."

  I nodded, though the tension in my chest didn't ease. Staring at the Available Classes, I tried to focus.

  Berserker Lvl.1, Knight Lvl.1, Hunter Lvl.1

  There was no description, only the names and levels. My brows furrowed as I thought.

  What did I need?

  Power.

  I needed strength.

  If I stayed weak, I would not survive the future regressions. It was clear what I had to choose.

  [You have chosen Berserker Lvl.1 as your Class.]

  A surreal vision unfolded before me—a vast, infinite library stretching beyond comprehension. Shelves filled with ancient tomes spiraled toward the heavens, their towering heights seemingly unreachable. Books floated in the air, their pages glowing with mysterious light.

  A crimson book, bound in blood-red leather, broke free from the ethereal expanse and hurtled toward me. It hit my chest and dissolved into me, filling me with foreign knowledge.

  [For Blood, For Honor, For Glory!]

  [You have gained skill Berserker Aura Lvl.1]

  Berserker Aura Lvl.1

  Enter a frenzied state, significantly increasing attack power and speed for a short duration, but lowering defense.

  Effect: +3 Strength, -2 Constitution

  MP: 05

  Duration: 30 seconds

  Information that I did not know before flew into my head.

  The energy flowing out of my soul was mana. Berserkers were warriors who ruled the battlefields with their superior strength.

  And I could use Berserker Aura now.

  The skill felt familiar, as if I had been training with it since childhood.

  Class: Berserker Lvl.1 [0%]

  Skills: Berserker Aura Lvl.1

  The knowledge overflowed. Literally. My head swelled at an alarming pace and the mana flowing out of my soul grew thicker. It began to seep out of my body.

  The pain returned, far worse than earlier. I felt like I would burst.

  The woman moved swiftly, and placed her hand over my head. She pushed her mana into my body.

  Her mana nourished my body. My skin and bones hardened, growing firm under her influence.

  She held it all together, preventing my body from shattering under the pressure of my chaotic mana and tried to stop my mana from leaving my body.

  Her eyes flickered with a strange mix of determination and concern as she whispered under her breath, "It's a failure."

  She let go.

  My body began to morph under the mana's influence. The air around me felt heavy, suffused with an energy that twisted and contorted my flesh.

  With no one to guide the mana, it created chaos. I felt an uncontrollable surge of energy rip through me, burning every nerve it touched.

  My mind became a mush. It hurt so much that I couldn't think straight. My thoughts jumbled together, scattered like shards of broken glass.

  The feeling in my body disappeared slowly.

  I first lost the feeling in my legs, then arms. Thighs, torso, chest, neck, and finally the head. A cold, unfeeling void replaced the once-familiar sensations of life.

  Time continued to pass. I was sure of it. However, I stopped counting after a year. The pain had become too much for me to handle it.

  I didn't look like a human anymore but a grotesque mass of human flesh. The reflection in the polished metal floor made me sick—a mangled, pulsating monstrosity where my body once was.

  The room, barren except for the experiment table and a few scattered tools, became my prison.

  The woman would come every few days to check on me.

  She would take notes, her expression clinical and detached, ask a few questions in a voice devoid of warmth, then leave without waiting for answers.

  But even she stopped visiting me when I lost my ability to speak.

  Years passed. Or maybe only a few weeks. The endless agony warped my sense of time.

  I…

  Wanted to die.

  'Kill me.'

  'Someone.'

  'Please.'

  'It hurts.'

  The air around me remained stagnant. Nothing changed.

  I continued to live. My thoughts grew incoherent.

  I wanted to die. I wanted to take revenge. I wanted to live.

  "Do you want to die?" an angelic voice suddenly asked me.

  It was soft, serene, like the gentle hum of a lullaby. For a moment, it filled me with a fleeting hope.

  'Yes.'

  My body couldn't speak or move. I could only listen.

  Still, I wished that the voice would hear my thoughts and kill me.

  The angelic voice turned demonic as it spoke,

  "Subject 1026 is still alive. His soul has managed to endure even though it lost its shape."

  The noise of pen scribbling against paper was familiar, almost mocking in its rhythm.

  "He has excellent resilience — maybe a result of his Willpower —but poor compatibility with the Systema. Overall Rating: Below average."

  The woman left, her heels clicking against the cold floor, the sound growing distant until it vanished entirely.

  That day, I lost my hearing. The world became an endless silence, broken only by the screams within my mind.

  I could only think now. My body might as well not be present.

  Still.

  The noise of scribbling gave me a purpose.

  I refused to die.

  I would endure.

  Even if I had to die a thousand times, I would continue living.

  I would never stop until I gave her the worst possible death.

  Pain.

  It remained.

  And finally, I heard familiar noises, and the sensations I had long forgotten returned.

  "Tie the goods thoroughly. Make sure they don't fall from the cart."

  "Move quickly."

  "You two eat on time, don't stray away from the merchants, and send a letter when you reach the academy."

  I was back.

  It was my third return.