Minutes had passed sihe chaotit at the poolside, yet it felt as if time had slowed down, each sed lingering like a hesitant guest. The world outside blurred as the medics whisked him away, their voices a distant murmur as they debated over his situation.

  His house, a haven from the outside world, had never felt so weling. But even that refuge seemed invaded as he was lowered onto the vast expanse of his living room couch, a flurry of bs softening his dest. A strange band was ed around his arm, a rhythmic beep indig his vitals, a stant reminder of his mortality.

  Wheried to venture further into his house, they found themselves locked out, the door proving an unyielding barrier.

  A biometric lock. They'd need his palm print to gain access. The idea brought a fleeting grin to his face. Even in my weakness, I'm not defenseless. As the world swirled around him, that thought remained a steady anchor. He reached out, pressed his palm against the cool surface of the ser, and the fortress doors swung open, yielding to their master's touch.

  Evander was gently positioned on one of the sprawling couches that seemed to swallow his wiry frame. He observed the flurry of activity around him through the captivating prism of his bright blue eyes, noting the meticulous caution with which the medics handled him. Their hands, though firm, were careful to avoid unnecessary tact, and each shift in his position receded by a polite request for permission. His body, weakened and underweight, appreciated their geouch.

  They hovered around him, like an assembly of worker bees around a queen, tending to his needs and ensuring he was stable. The armband that had been ed around his arm was removed and packed away in their kit. Amidst this, however, he couldn't shake off the sense of estrahat seemed to be suspended in the air.

  They spoke to each other, whispered instrus, and passed ents but hardly anyone addressed him directly. Their voices became a hum in the background, a radio static that resent but not engaging. He was the invisible king in their midst, respected but barely aowledged. Is this how they see me? An object of curiosity but not worthy of versation? The thought g him, stirring a pot of emotions within.

  Refusing to py the silent patient, Evander forced himself off the couch, pushing through the residual fatigue. His movements elicited a gasp from the medics, but he ig. He tried to catch their eyes, te a e, a link of mutual respect. But they seemed adept at the art of evasion, their gazes skirting around him, never quite meeting his.

  Pstering on a polite smile, Evander chose to break the silence. "Could any of you show me how to procure some food from the kit?" His question hung in the air, eg in the vast expanse of the living room.

  The response was instantaneous. A veil of shock draped their faces, followed by an exge of incredulous gnces. He was met with wide eyes and mouths agape, as if he had uttered an alien nguage.

  His question, though simple and i, seemed to have triggered aiohquake. One of the women leaned over to her colleague, a cloak of dession enveloping her voice as she whispered, "Men be so helpless at times, 't they? Don't expect them to know anything."

  Out of the tense silence, a young woman stepped forward, her gaze fixed on Evander. She erhaps in her early twenties, radiating a soft beauty that emanated more from her expressive hazel eyes than her features. A cascade of auburn curls framed her fair face, while a sprinkle of freckles across her cheeks added to her charming allure. She was a stark trast to the sea of solemn faces, her youthful boldness shining like a bea.

  The asped, their eyes widening in horror as they watched their rade defy the unspoken rule. Their voices, hushed and wary, filled the room as they muttered their s, "It's not our pih the 'man'. We're staff, not guests."

  Evander, meanwhile, weled the young woman's willio aid. With a grateful smile, he admitted his predit. "I'm sorry, but I 't figure out how to get food from this kit."

  The woman, uerred by the disapproval around her, reassured him. "That's alright. This is the test design. The whole facility is new. Let me show you," she offered, her voice a soothing melody iherwise hushed space.

  For a few minutes, she guided him through a mesmerizing holographic dispy, ahereal array of options floating in mid-air. Evander watched, his keen mind abs the fn teology. The virtual menu spun in mid-air, casting a soft glow over his intrigued features. His tration was unyielding, as he familiarized himself with the unfamiliar interface.

  He could see her him, her eyes curiously ced with admiration and caution. Though she kept her distance, her movements, her gaze, everything about her hi an ination to breach the invisible barrier between them. She seemed to be drawn to his distinct charm, despite the i hesitance.

  With a gesture akin to revealing a secret, she showed him the cealed refrigerator ed within a et and the unique oven desigo heat the prepackaged meals.

  Before she could escape the looming awkwardness and rejoin her colleagues who were anxiously signaling for her to leave, Evander interrupted her retreat. His question was simple, yet it seemed to hang heavy in the room.

  "Where are all the men? I haven't seen one since I got here," he asked, his tone ced with genuine curiosity.

  She hesitated, her brow furrowing slightly before she responded. "To my knowledge, the men will be arriving in about a month. This new facility is preparing for its first intake for a special program," she expined, her voice adopting a professional tone.

  A special program? His mind whirred, pieg together bits of information. He decided to probe further. "ecial program?" he queried, his bright blue eyes fog ily on her.

  Caught off guard, she flushed a rosy hue, her eyes flickering with embarrassment. "I... I don't know all the details," she fessed, a touch of evasiveness seeping into her voice. "You should ask your therapist."

  As she shifted unfortably under his scrutiny, on the precipice of bolting, he lobbed one final question her way. "Why am I here a month early?" he asked, the query hanging in the air like an accusation.

  She stumbled over her words, her gaze darting away. "You're... you're a special case," she mumbled, not meeting his gaze. "You reatment earlier."

  With that, her colleagues practically yanked her away, their hands gripping her arms like vices. They bowed respectfully to Evaheir eyes fraught with tension. As they retreated, he caught a glimpse of the older women scolding the young woman.

  He was left in the sudden quiet, the echoes of their words ricocheting off the walls. A special case. A special program. What in the world have I stepped into?

  Feeling a gnawing hunger cw at the insides of his stomach, Evaurned his attention back to the holographiterface, a food sele device that was a marvel of teology. His fingers drifted over the dispy, the holographic images shifting as he explored the vast menu.

  He had been in his fair share of battles, surviving on whatever st rations he could sge together. But here, he found himself staring at an array of prepackaged meals that would have been a dream in his old world. Images of suct cuts of meat, piles of vibraables, and tantalizing desserts spun before him in a colorful carousel. His mouth watered at the sight, his stomach grumbling impatiently.

  Finally, he settled on a simple meal, a hearty dish den with tender cuts of meat and a generous helping of carbohydrates. This should help put some weight on these bones, he mused, thinking of his skeletal physique.

  His sele was immediately whisked away into the plex work of the facility's delivery system. Hidden within the walls was a byrinth of high-speed veyor belts and tiny drones, whirring and buzzing as they swiftly and effitly transported his meal.

  The kit hummed with the symphony of teology. A few moments ter, a se of the wall opened up, revealing a sleek, triangur hatch. Inside, led securely, was his chosen meal, ed ly in biodegradable packaging.

  As he retrieved the meal, he turned his attention to the heating apparatus. It was an advanced version of what he might have called a microwave in his old world. Yet, this traption was a marvel of sd, possibly, magic. Its sleek design housed an effit heating system that could warm meals in mere moments. The surface of the device was inscribed with intricate symbols, each glowing faintly. Are these instrus? Or spells? he wondered, his firag the unfamiliar markings.

  With a bit of trial and error, he mao activate the device. As the timer ted down, he could feel a faint hum emanating from it, a tangible pulse of energy that hi its capabilities. The seds trickled by, the suspense of the moment strung tight like a b. Finally, the device pinged, its soft light dimming. Inside was his meal, steaming hot and ready to be devoured.

  Evander eased himself onto a plush armchair, cradling his steaming meal. He took a moment to savor the entig aroma wafting from the pte, his empty stomach sending waves of anticipation through him. The first bite brought a burst of fvors, rich, hearty, and tantalizingly delicious. He chewed slowly, letting the fvors unfurl on his tongue.

  However, he found that he could as quickly as he wanted. His stomach, used to scarcity, balked at the sudden abunda was as if his body was not aced tur meals.

  Have I been ing my nutrition? He pondered as he gnced down at his slender frame. His body was indeed armingly thin, a stark trast to the muscur physique he had possessed in his previous life.

  With a resolute nod, he spoke aloud to the empty room, his voice eg slightly, "That's going to ge. I o put some meat on these bones." He resumed eating, methodically finishing most of the pte.

  By the time he put down the fork, he could feel a gradual waning of the strange energy that the potion had imbued him with earlier. He had begun to tire, the initial wave of vitality fading into a dull exhaustion.

  An idea sparked in his mind. He made his way back to the holographiu and scrolled through it. To his relief, he found that the potion was avaible for delivery. He ordered ten vials of the energizing elixir, grimag slightly at the thought of its bitter taste. But he had pns for his first night in this peculiar new world, and they required energy.

  As he firmed the order, a sense of determinatioled over him. The night was young, and he had much to aplish.

  With a thoughtful frowched onto his face, Evander began with the simplest of movements: slow and measured arm rotations, followed by gentle knee bends. His every muscle protested at even these small exercises, but he gritted his teeth and tinued, sweat beginning to bead on his forehead.

  Easy, Evander. Start small, and build from there. He reminded himself, pag his movements and breathing to match the rhythm of his thoughts. He moved to ush-ups , the support from the wall easing the strain on his fragile body.

  As the hours wore on, he cycled through an assortment of exercises desigo promote muscle growth and enduraoe touches, leg lifts, and slow squats became his mantra, the familiar rhythm of repetition soothing his mind. Every movement was a testament to his warrior spirit, pushing past the protests of his body.

  Interspersed with these exercises, Evaur breaks to gulp down the energizing potions. Each swig was an assault on his senses, a bitter and noxious brew that twisted his features in distaste. The lingering aftertaste was as though he had swallowed a mouthful of foul-tasting mud.

  Despite this, Evander refused to be daunted. He grimaced and bore it, even managing to find humor in his predit. After all, he had experienced far worse in his past life.

  Ah, the joys aining my strength. I'm sure even the harshest drill sergeant from my past life would've never subjected me to such a...deliciimehought to himself, his lips twitg into a wry smile.

  His body might have been weak, but his spirit remained unbroken. With every hour that passed, every drop of sweat he shed, Evander's resolve only grew stronger