(What... am I dreaming? How can my strength increase just by doing a re 20 push-ups?)
AK froze on the floor, his body still trembling from exertion. His arms felt like jelly, his chest burned from the sudden burst of effort, but the glowing system notification floating in front of him didn’t disappear.
[ CONGRATULATIONS! YOUR STRENGTH HAS INCREASED BY 1 ]
He blinked. Once. Twice. The words were still there.
"No way..." he muttered under his breath. "This... this can’t be real."
His mind raced. (I have to check. I need to confirm it myself.)
He swallowed hard, then spoke clearly:
"Status Window."
A soft chi echoed in his ears, and then—WHOOSH!—a mysterious blue window materialized in front of his eyes.
---
[ PLAYER STATUS ]
Na: AK (Reincarnation of RED)
Level: 18
HP: 950 / 950
MP: 900 / 900
Title: Reincarnation of the Weakest Primordial Being Who Was Once the Strongest (RED)
Class: UNKNOWN
Stats:
Strength: 28 1
Agility: 29
Endurance: 27
Intelligence: 27
Dexterity: 27
Perception: 27
Luck: 23
Vitality: 27
Charm: 30
Resistance: 27
---
AK’s eyes widened. His heartbeat thundered like a war drum.
(It’s true... my strength really increased by one.)
A faint smirk tugged at his lips as a mory flashed through his mind—the cryptic words of RED:
> "Sotis your stats will increase by performing daily tasks. Don’t underestimate the basics."
(Damn it... why didn’t I realize this before?) AK clenched his fists, his excitent skyrocketing.
(What if... I do more push-ups? Will my strength increase again?)
Without wasting another second, he dropped to the floor.
"Let’s test this theory."
He started counting aloud.
"One... two... three... four..."
His arms pumped furiously. Sweat poured down his forehead, dripping onto the cold floor.
"Fifteen... sixteen... seventeen... eighteen... nineteen... twenty!"
He gritted his teeth and kept going.
"Twenty-one... twenty-two... twenty-three!"
His muscles scread in protest. His lungs burned for air. But he didn’t stop—not until his arms felt like lead and his vision blurred from exhaustion.
Finally, his body collapsed on the floor, trembling uncontrollably. He lay there panting like a dying beast.
(Damn it... I’m at my limit.)
Gasping for breath, he summoned the status window again, hope flickering in his eyes.
"Status window!"
The familiar blue screen appeared.
Strength: 28 1
He stared. Unblinking. Silent.
"...Are you kidding ?"
His jaw dropped. Rage and disbelief boiled inside him.
(What?! Why didn’t my strength increase?! I pushed myself to the damn limit!)
His thoughts exploded in frustration.
(Before, it increased with just 20 push-ups! Now I nearly killed myself and got NOTHING?)
He glared at the floating screen as if it personally betrayed him.
(This system... this system given by RED... it’s just like Solo Leveling’s system—but from esho!)
He burst out laughing, his voice echoing through the empty room.
"HAHAHAHA! This is so fucking scuffed!"
After a few seconds, he cald down, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes.
"Yeah... I forgot," he muttered, recalling RED’s warning again.
(’Sotis’... he said ’sotis’ stats will increase through normal tasks... not always.)
He sat cross-legged on the floor, sweat dripping from his hair. His breathing steadied as his mind churned with possibilities.
(What if I run... will my stamina increase? What if I study... will my intelligence go up? If I train harder... maybe endurance?)
Then his lips curled into a mischievous grin.
(What if I flirt with Maya... will my charm increase?)
Another thought hit him like lightning.
(What if I expose myself to different elental energies... will my resistance rise?)
His brain flooded with ’What if’ scenarios, a thousand ideas colliding at once.
(Damn... this system isn’t just a cheat—it’s an experint.)
But then fatigue crashed over him like a tidal wave. His eyelids grew heavy.
(Ugh... I’m tired as hell. Forget this for now. Let’s continue tomorrow.)
He glanced at the dragon egg resting safely on his desk, glowing faintly with a mystical light.
(First... I’ll use all my mana on the egg. Then I’m out.)
He staggered toward the egg and placed his hands gently on its smooth surface. Power surged from his core, draining his mana reserves like a broken dam. The room glowed bright as the egg absorbed every drop of his energy.
"Take it... all," AK whispered weakly.
The last thing he felt was the warmth of the egg pulsing beneath his palms before—
THUD!
He collapsed to the floor, unconscious, his body surrendering to exhaustion.
---
anwhile... in a Place Beyond Death
Sowhere far away, in a sterile, cold chamber filled with humming machines and flickering monitors—
Shadman opened his eyes.
His pupils constricted, adjusting to the blinding white lights overhead. A sharp gasp tore from his throat.
(What... what the hell? How am I... still alive?)
He bolted upright, his body trembling in confusion. He looked around—
The place resembled a modern facility, lined with steel walls, glowing panels, and reinforced glass. Strange devices humd softly in the corners.
(What is this place? Didn’t... didn’t AK cut my head off in the dungeon? I saw it—I felt it! How... how am I breathing?)
Before panic consud him, a voice echoed in his mind. Deep. Commanding. Cold.
"I am the one who brought you here... and kept you alive."
Shadman froze. His eyes widened in shock.
"Th-That voice... Lord Gary?!"
A chuckle reverberated in his skull like rolling thunder.
"Yes... it’s . Your master."
Relief washed over Shadman, and he bowed instinctively—even though Gary wasn’t physically present.
"I knew it! Only my lord has such power. Thank you... thank you for granting life again."
Gary’s tone turned sharp—like a blade pressing against flesh.
"Don’t thank , you worthless fool."
Shadman stiffened. Sweat trickled down his neck.
"My lord...?"
"I gave you a simple task," Gary thundered. "Kill the reincarnation of the weakest Primordial Being—who was once the strongest. And what did you do?"
Shadman swallowed hard. His voice cracked.
"P-Please forgive ! I... I didn’t know he was that strong! My powers were sealed sohow—I swear! There was no way that bastard could have killed under normal circumstances!"
Gary’s voice dripped with venom.
"You’re wrong. He could kill you. Not just because he is the incarnation of RED... but because he is—@#1_$-":?&(/."
Static hissed in Shadman’s ears, the words distorted, incomprehensible. His eyes bulged in horror.
"What...? He’s WHAT?! How is that even possible?!"
Gary’s tone softened slightly, but it was laced with sothing darker.
"That is why... I contacted soone far greater than you can imagine."
Shadman’s blood ran cold.
"Wh-Who...?"
"The God of Destruction—Shiva."
The na hit Shadman like a thunderbolt.
"LORD SHIVA?! You... you even contacted HIM?!"
Gary let the silence linger before answering with chilling calm:
"He has agreed to grant you a fragnt of his destructive power. But..."
Shadman leaned forward, his breath quickening.
"But what, my lord?"
"...To obtain it, you must train your body. Push it beyond every limit."
Shadman frowned, his voice trembling.
"Train my body? But my body... it’s already at its limit..."
Gary’s laughter bood through the chamber like the roar of an ancient beast.
"You fool. Do you know why I chose you as my incarnation? Because your body has NO LIMITS. You are not a normal human. In fact... you’re not human at all."
The words shattered Shadman’s mind.
"...What?"
Gary’s voice turned into a growl.
"You are sothing far beyond human comprehension. That is why you will survive the training. That is why you will beco my true blade."
Shadman lowered his head, trembling—not with fear, but with burning devotion.
"If that’s your will, my lord... then I will obey. Blindly. I will train until I beco a monster worthy of your trust."
Gary’s tone softened again, almost approving.
"Good. This facility has everything you need—and more. You will find others here... my other incarnations. Train. Kill if you must. Survive. Once you’re ready... I will have Shiva grant you the Power of Destruction."
Shadman grinned, his teeth glinting like a predator’s.
"Thank you, my lord. I swear... I won’t fail you this ti."
"As expected of my incarnation," Gary said with a cold smile. His voice echoed ominously through the high-tech chamber. "But rember this—if you fail this ti, I will personally tear you apart."
Shadman clenched his fists tightly, his eyes burning with determination. "You don’t need to lift a finger, my lord," he replied in a deep, unwavering tone. "First of all, I won’t fail this ti. And if, by so miracle, I do... I will take my own life before you even raise your hand."
Gary let out a sharp, chilling laugh that reverberated across the tallic walls. "Hmph. Bold words, Shadman. I like that. But talk is cheap. Let’s see if your actions match your confidence."
"I’ll make sure they do," Shadman said firmly, his voice like steel.
"Good," Gary continued, his tone softening slightly, though his aura still weighed heavy in the room. "This facility isn’t just for you. There are others here—warriors, assassins, hunters—all tied to in one way or another. So are strong, so are... expendable. You’d better make friends with the right ones."
Shadman raised an eyebrow, curiosity flashing in his eyes. Others? So I’m not the only one given this chance by Lord Gary?
He nodded with a slight bow. "Understood, my lord. I’ll earn their trust—or crush anyone who stands in my way."
"That’s the spirit," Gary said with a smirk that could freeze blood. "You’ll need allies in what’s coming. This isn’t just about revenge on that brat AK. This is bigger than you can imagine."
Shadman’s heart pounded faster at those words, but he masked his emotions with a calm expression. "Whatever it takes, my lord. I’ll do it."
"Good," Gary said finally, his form flickering as if his presence was never truly there to begin with. "Now go. The real test begins today."
He swung his legs off the bed and stood tall, his eyes gleaming with renewed determination. The sterile air tasted like tal, but his heart burned like fire.
Without hesitation, he strode out of the chamber, ready to explore the endless labyrinth of the facility—
Ready to kill.
Ready to evolve.
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