"Line up! Now!"
The guards' voices roared through the hallway like thunder, jolting everyone from their half-sleep. Their metal rods clanged against the bars of the cells, as the doors to the cells creaked open. Victor blinked, still a little dazed from having his thoughts interrupted, but his body moved before his thoughts caught up.
He swung his legs over the edge of the bunk and hopped down.
His feet hit the ground with a solid thud, but not awkwardly. There was no stumble. No stiff landing.
It was... surprisingly balanced.
He paused, blinking at his own balance. He felt lighter. Nimbler and stronger.
From the corner of his eye, he caught Caelum watching him with a narrowed gaze.
Victor raised an eyebrow, offering the slightest shrug.
'Yeah, I noticed it too'.
Moments later, the same guard from before approached his cell. The man looked at him, squinting.
"You," he barked. "With me. I'll take you to sir Jeffrey."
Victor stepped forward falling into step behind him. But he felt the hesitation in the guard's body language.
The guard's eyes trailed along Victor's arms and shoulders.
'Wasn't he a skinny little thing a few days ago?' , the guard thought. 'How does he look better than the rest of them after training with Jeffrey for three days without rest?'
Victor had noticeably more muscle and definition to his body. It wasn't extreme—but it was there. Enough to confuse anyone who saw him before.
After a long stare, the guard just shook his head and wordlessly led the way.
Victor followed, a small smirk on his lips.
'I get it. I look different'.
While walking, he pulled up his status screen.
---
[STATUS]
Name: Victor Primoris
Level: 2
Tier: 0
HP: 50/50
MP: 30/30
Attributes: ??? Soul, ???, Empath
---
Stats:
Strength (STR): 6
Endurance (END): 6
Agility (AGI): 8
Vitality (VAT): 5
Intelligence (INT): 11
Charisma (CHA): 8
Mana (MANA): 3
Luck (LCK): ???
Free Stat Points (FSP): 2
---
Victor nodded. That explains the change.
'I'm getting stronger', He thought
He was making progress, though, he didn't know if it was slow or fast.
His intelligence had passed 10 now. That meant he'd hit the mark for two key stats. Only Charisma was left below the double-digit threshold.
He glanced at the Free Stat Points line.
'I could just drop both into Charisma now… Complete the quest. And at least figure out how FSP allocation works'.
He hovered on the thought.
It was tempting.
But after a few seconds, he shook his head.
'Nah. Never know when they'll come in clutch. Besides… where's the fun in that? I just have to level up two more times. That's not so hard, right?'.
He smiled to himself, closing the panel.
As he stepped into the new space, his thoughts were interrupted.
This wasn't the same training ground.
It was larger, cleaner, and emptier. The walls had torch brackets, but only a few were lit, casting long flickering shadows. The floor was polished stone, and the air smelled faintly of sweat and smoke.
Jeffrey stood near the back wall.
Victor scanned the room.
This place seemed private.
"Welcome to my training area," Jeffrey said, watching him. "No one else trains here. Just me. And now, you."
Victor's gaze landed on the cloth-wrapped bundle tossed toward him. He caught it on reflex.
"Your rabbit. Cooked, this time," Jeffrey said casually.
Victor peeled back the wrap. The aroma made his mouth water instantly—meat roasted to a perfect brown, warm bread on the side.
He didn't waste time. After the first bite there was an explosion of flavors in his mouth. He couldn't help but be shocked it tasted better than anything he had ever eating even on earth. He guessed it was probably from the magical properties of the creature the meat came and the talent of the cooks.
Jeffrey waited. Arms crossed. And silent.
When Victor finished, he leaned back, satisfied. Warm and full.
"Time to earn that meal," Jeffrey finally said.
Victor stood up slowly.
Jeffrey led him to a different part of the chamber. Sitting there was a massive, roughly carved rock slab—rounded edges, with a flat bottom.
"Pick that up," Jeffrey said. "Carry it thirty meters that way... and back. Keep going until I say stop."
Victor stared.
It was big. Easily the size of a large trunk.
He took a big gulp of saliva.
"Uh... how much does it weigh?"
"About three hundred pounds."
Victor blinked. "You're serious?"
"Dead serious."
Victor swallowed, mentally calculating. 'On Earth, 300 lbs is something only elite athletes handled easily. But here... my Strength is 6. Still above average'.
He stepped forward, crouched down, wrapped his arms around the slab.
Then—he lifted.
The weight hit immediately.
It was heavy, but…
It was doable.
He took a staggering first step.
Then another.
Thirty meters down. Turn. Thirty back.
He dropped the rock at the starting line and exhaled.
Not easy. But not impossible.
Jeffrey raised an eyebrow.
That wasn't what he expected.
The boy wasn't even shaking. He was barely out of breath.
'He finished that in... what, fifteen minutes? I thought it'd take him an hour'.
Jeffrey narrowed his eyes. 'Does he have... a divine physique?'
He scoffed out loud. "Tch. No way."
It was funny, the thought sounded impossible. Still, he wasn't sure. How else was he supposed he supposed to explain such absurd recovery and improvement.
"Again," he barked. "Keep carrying it. Don't stop until I say so."
Victor blinked, then nodded.
He adjusted his grip and lifted again. The rock felt heavier this time—but he was already in motion.
One lap.
Two.
Five.
His breath came in short gasps, and his arms were burning from fatigue. But something inside him pushed him forward.
He wasn't thinking anymore.Just moving. Teeth gritted, vision blurring.
Until finally—
"Enough."
Jeffrey's voice cut through the haze.
Victor dropped the rock and staggered to the side, hands on knees, drenched in sweat.
A different guard arrived minutes later to escort him back.
The walk was a blur. His legs felt like jelly, it was as if could collapse at anytime, but he stayed upright.
When they reached his cell, he saw Caelum sitting cross-legged on the floor, eyes closed, breathing steady.
Meditating.
Victor said nothing. Just climbed back to his bunk and collapsed.
The stone above him was a blur. His body demanded sleep. But somewhere beneath it all, he felt stronger.
Then, just as his eyes were drifting shut—
"You ever thought about escaping?"
Caelum's voice came, low and steady.
Victor's eyes snapped open.