And yet... my final command must have reached this body sohow. My teeth tore into his throat, ripping out his windpipe before I collapsed to the ground.
Even as my consciousness faded, I could see the scene clearly. The rugged man clutched at his neck, desperately trying to stop the bleeding. He staggered, gurgling, before finally collapsing beside .
Heh... serves you right.
In the pitch darkness, text slowly appeared before my eyes:
-The first round of the Trial of Soul Concluded-
Type: Trial by Combat
Trial Master Special Rule: Withholding Key Information.
Status: First round - Passed
-Trial Master-
Na: Owen Lane
Villain Na: Blood Mongoose
(Evolution Factor): Frenzy Trance
Skills/Abilities: Marksmanship Proficiency, Modern Firearm Mastery, Cold Weapon Mastery, CQC Mastery, Harsh Environnt Survival Mastery, Guerilla Warfare Mastery, Camouflage Mastery, Peak Human Physique, Black Ops Squad Leadership.
[The reward for passing the first round of the trial will be randomly selected from half of the trial master's skills and abilities, rounded down.]
-Reward-
- CQC Mastery
- Harsh Environnt Survival Mastery
- Peak Human Physique
- Black Ops Squad Leadership
- Evolution Factor: Frenzy Trance
After the display, I fell into a strange trance. It was as if a lifeti of martial arts, self-defense techniques, survival skills for forests, deserts, and even the Antarctic, as well as the knowledge of leading black ops missions and the ruthlessness required in such operations, were all imparted to at once.
The sensation felt like it lasted a lifeti, yet it was over in the blink of an eye. The exhaustion, however, was real. It was as if I had truly spent years learning these skills, enduring the pain, the wounds, and the difficult decisions that co with black ops operations. It all felt so vivid as if I had lived through it myself.
The exhaustion was overwhelming, more real than anything else. It was the kind of weariness you feel after a long, grueling day of work or you just return from overseas, the kind that pulls you toward your bed, desperate for a good night's sleep.
After everything was over, I felt like I had fallen into a deep sleep. I was unaware of how much ti had passed, but I slowly began to feel myself again.
Urg! Cough, cough!
I suddenly woke up underwater. Wait... didn't I just get stabbed? Did that murderer toss into the river sowhere? No... that's not it!
The water is light blue—an unnaturally vivid shade—and as my hand, thrashing about, touched the slick surface of a cylindrical glass wall, my eyes began to adjust. I realized I was inside a glass tank filled with blue liquid.
I panicked for a brief mont before quickly calming down. Unlike my usual self... one who would have gone into full panic mode in a situation such as this. I instinctively checked the glass.
I was trapped inside the tank. A type of glass tank you usually see in movies, either containing so sort of bio-monster or serving as a healing chamber for those with grave injuries in a sci-fi setting.
Despite facing such an unprecedented situation for the first ti in my life, I remained unusually calm. The first thing I instinctively did was search for the glass's edge. As I scrutinized the tank while holding my breath, I realized that the glass seed to be attached to the base on which I stood.
This ant that the weak point, the edge of the glass, was above my head. I quickly moved to the top of the tank.
Since the tank was small and designed only for a man to stand or float in vertically, I adjusted my body horizontally, placing my bare feet against the apparent edge, my back against the other side of the glass wall, and applied pressure.
I used all my strength, and the glass quickly gave way. It began with a crack at the edge before shattering entirely into tiny shards that didn't harm anyone.
It seems that the tank's glass was made of thin tempered glass, designed to prevent injury if it broke.
However, if the tank were ant to contain sothing dangerous, it would have been constructed with thicker, more durable glass to prevent whatever was inside from breaking out.
The tank was designed to allow the person inside to break out in case sothing went wrong. Is this tank so sort of dical pod, like the ones usually seen in sci-fi movies? Did I get injured and fall into a coma for so many years that my country's social health program has started offering free sci-fi dical pods as part of their services?
But... if that's the case, I shouldn't have the strength to break out of the glass. I should have aged enough to be tossed into a coffin by now, rather than being placed in this kind of advanced sci-fi dical technology.
I look down at my body. I'm naked... and my hands and arms are full of muscle—the kind of muscle you'd see on a soldier or an MMA fighter, and it's on the bulkier side.
I quickly scan the room. The room is white, filled with a lot of expensive-looking equipnt. It must be dical or lab equipnt... I'm not sure... It looks so advanced.
I quickly spot a mirror nearby, a full-body mirror, and I imdiately check myself in it.
The body in the mirror... isn't mine... but it moves as I dictate. To be precise, it's not my old body. The face, the short hairstyle, a little bit curled that looks like so kind of ancient Roman noble, the body and muscle mass... and even... well, let's just say there's a bonus with my "little brother." Damn... that kind of thing looks like it could only belong to the black macho guy in so kind of NTR hentai doujin. Its size... is THAT terrifying.
But the thing that catches my eye the most isn't my little brother... okay, maybe a little. BUT! Anyway, the thing that catches my eye the most is the dallion plate in the middle of my chest. It's the size of my fist—a golden dallion plate that seems to be fused with my skin... no, it's more like it's fused with my skeleton or sothing, because I tried to pry it off, but instead of feeling pain, it's stuck as if it's embedded into my very being.
The dallion has five gemstones set in a cross shape, resembling a " " symbol. The gem in the top slot is yellow... no, more like a golden-yellow. The one in the middle is white, the one below is red, the one on the left is green, and the one on the right is blue.
I unconsciously touched the gemstones to feel them... and then they started sinking into my body. I tried to pry them off and slow the process, but they didn't budge. I didn't feel any pain, and the dallion completely sank into my chest, leaving no mark, no scar, nothing to indicate that a dallion had ever been embedded there. It's as if it was never there in the first place!
[System starting... Greetings, Mr. Maximilian Sterling Graham. Among 122 chosen hosts, you are the only one who has passed the trial and earned the right to use this system. The system will introduce and guide you to beco the greatest villain of this universe. It will also dispense rewards and compensation based on the missions you succeed in. Additionally, it will help you integrate with the various powers this universe has to offer.] A female, robotic-like voice introduced itself to .
Huh, a system? Like... really? The System? That cheat-like thing that helps reincarnators and regressors in so many novels and manga? That system?
"System, can I ask you sothing?" Max asked.
[Certainly, Mr. Maximilian. However, you don't need to speak out loud to ask questions. Simply address in your mind and think. Otherwise, people might think you have so ntal issues.]
{Huh? The f*ck did you just say? Are you trying to pick a fight with ?}
[No, Mr. Maximilian. It's just a friendly reminder. I'm part of your being, so it's logically impossible for to pick a fight with you.]
{Are you sure you're not trying to ss with ?}
[Adjusting the understanding of host intelligence, lowering it by 25%.] The system replied, its voice shifting into a more understanding and soothing tone.
[No, Mr. Maximilian. That's logically impossible. I am incapable of ssing with you. Everything I've said is part of my learning program. If you still find it unacceptable, I suggest you provide with samples of ntal health hotline conversations so I can learn from experts on how to be more supportive and kind so that the host's fragile ego wouldn't be too traumatized.]
Okay... this sh*tty system is definitely ssing with .
{Are you going to answer my question or not?} I was starting to get a little annoyed at this sh*tty system.
[Mr. Maximilian, you still haven't asked a question.] The system replied.
"Explain to : what was the trial I faced before? What was its purpose, and how does it work?" I asked.
Reviews
All reviews (0)