Stillness.

  Ares felt nothing. No pain. No exhaustion. No hunger.

  He existed in an empty void—neither awake nor asleep. It was as if time had paused around him. Somewhere in the background, a faint, rhythmic pulse echoed, like a heartbeat.

  System: [Emergency Recovery Protocol Active]

  [Initiating Cellular Regeneration]

  [Redirecting Unidentified Energy for Tissue Repair…]

  Inside his body, microscopic processes surged into motion. Damaged muscle fibers began knitting back together, guided by precise biochemical signals. His fractured bones, barely holding, were reinforced as calcium and proteins realigned in perfect formation. Blood vessels, torn from his brutal fall, slowly reconnected, restoring circulation to deprived tissues.

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  The energy from the unidentified organ pulsed erratically, drawn into the healing process. Unlike natural biological recovery, which required days or weeks, this process condensed time—stimulating rapid cell division while preventing uncontrolled growth.

  Yet, even the system had limits.

  System: [Insufficient Energy Detected]

  [Recovery Incomplete]

  The process slowed. While the most severe wounds were stabilized, Ares remained in a fragile state. His body was no longer at immediate risk of death, but the damage was far from fully repaired. The energy reserves within him had been pushed to their limit.

  The system recalculated. There was no further choice.

  System: [Lifting Stasis]

  [WARNING—Host Will Experience Residual Weakness]

  Ares' consciousness stirred.

  His fingers twitched. A sharp breath filled his lungs. His eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the dim light of the ruins. His body ached with deep exhaustion, his limbs heavy like lead.

  He was alive. But he wasn’t safe yet.