Blue light flared across the training hall as a boy slammed his palm forward.
BOOM!
A shockwave ripped through the air, scattering dust and sending a practice dummy crashing into the reinforced wall.
"Rank C skill already?!"
"No way—he just awakened last month!"
"System users this year are insane…"
They voiced felt muted, the first thing Nare noticed wasn't the creature, it was the smell, and him wondering how he was going to ever defeat such beast.
"Don't freeze."
The instructor's voice echoed through his thoughts, and he composed himself, paying attention again.
"Whatever you do, don't freeze. The moment you stop moving is the moment they decide you're a prey."
Nare didn't move.
He sat at the back of the room, one arm resting on his desk, fingers pressed lightly against the side of his face, eyes fixed on the center training circle like if he looked away for even a second, something in there might notice him next.
In the circle, a boy stood stiff, shoulders tight, breathing louder than it should have been. Across from him, something crouched low to the ground. They called it a Rift Fox.
{You can find the vision here}
It used to be small, they said. Now it wasn't, it's body stretched too long for its legs, spine arching like it had been pulled in two directions and never put back properly, fur patchy and uneven like it kept shedding and regrowing in the wrong places, and its steady eyes glowed.
"Move," someone whispered from the front row. "It's already locking on."
Nare swallowed.
The Rift Fox tilted its head slowly, the movement jerky, unnatural, like it didn't understand its own neck properly, then it let out a low sound, not quite a growl, not quite anything human ears were meant to recognize.
The boy raised his hand, light flickered, weak and shaky.
"Focus!" the instructor snapped. "Don't think, just act!"
The Rift Fox moved, it slid like the floor wasn't real to it. One second it was there, the next it was already in front of him. The boy panicked, the glow in his hand flaring too late as he threw it forward.
BOOM!
The blast hit. The Rift Fox slammed sideways, its body breaking apart into black mist before it hit the ground.
Silence settled, followed by the murmurs from the audience.
"That was close—"
"He almost got his throat ripped out—"
"Why did he hesitate like that?"
Nare didn't join in, he stared at the spot where the creature had been. That would've killed me. That wasn't even a guess or an exaggeration, but a fact. His fingers pressed harder against his face, nails digging slightly into his skin without him noticing.
He wouldn't even last two seconds.
"Next."
Another student stood up before their name was even called, almost eager, like this was something to show off, something to win.
Nare leaned back slightly in his chair, trying to ignore the tight feeling sitting in his chest, the one that kept growing every time someone stepped into that circle and walked out alive.
They all had systems, even the weak ones. They still had something, meanwhile he's weak and useless.
"…Nare."
The instructor's voice echoes down the hall. He didn't react at first, as if staying quiet might help.
"…Nare Vance."
Now he did. Murmurs rippled across the hall, someone behind him let out a small breath, like they were about to watch something they already knew the ending to.
"He's actually going again?"
"This is pointless…"
"They should stop letting him in the circle."
Nare stood up, his legs felt heavier than usual, like something was holding onto him, not physically, just enough to make each step feel slower than it should.
If he doesn't go, it's worse. He knew that, he knew avoiding it won't change anything, it just made people look at him longer. So he walked into the circle. The light came on beneath his feet, scanning, searching, waiting for something to respond.
Nare didn't look down, he didn't need to. He already knew what it would show. He was farming useless at this point.
"Keep it controlled," the instructor said, and that careful tone made something twist in Nare's chest.
Because it meant: Don't die.
A creature formed in front of him, this one was different. Smaller, but extremely tough.
A Splitjaw Pup.
Its mouth didn't close properly, jaw split slightly down the middle like something had forced it open and it never healed right, rows of thin teeth twitching as it breathed, its body low and tense, muscles coiled like it was waiting for permission to tear something apart. Nare's heartbeat started picking up.
'I can't fight this.'
He didn't even pretend otherwise. No system, no ability or boost. It was just him versus every other person.
"Move when it moves," the instructor said. "Don't try to overpower it. You can't. Just survive."
Survive….that word hit harder than anything else. The Splitjaw Pup shifted, claws scraping softly against the floor. It wasn't rushing, it was watching him as if learning his defense moves.
Nare's throat felt dry.
'Why is it taking time?'
Then it moved fast. Nare stepped back instinctively, heart slamming as the creature's claws sliced through the air where his chest had been a second ago, close enough that he felt the wind of it.
Gasps followed:
"He almost got hit—"
"Why is he so slow?!"
Nare stumbled slightly, catching himself just enough to stay upright, his breathing already uneven.
'I can't keep up with it.'
The Splitjaw Pup lunged too fast, almost close, yet Nare didn't move. Not because he didn't want to, but because something in him just stopped trying.
His body felt heavy, like it already knew he was going to give up.
'I can't do this.'
The thought didn't come with panic, he was surrendering.
'So this is how it ends.'
The creature was right there now, claws out, teeth open, that broken jaw twitching like it couldn't wait to close on something. Nare's chest tightened hard, not from fear.
'I have to start again.'
His fingers curled slowly.
"…no." The word comes out slow, only him could hear it.
Something in his throat closed up, he was few seconds away from tearing up.
'I don't want to die.'
That thought didn't only stay in his mind, it dropped so heavy into his chest.
"I don't want that again…"
He didn't realize he said it out loud, then a violent heat hit him.
"—!"
His breath broke, sharp and uneven, chest rising too fast like he couldn't catch up with himself, sweat bursting out instantly, like his skin couldn't hold it in anymore, sliding down his face, his neck, his back.
"What—what is—"
His voice cracked. The Splitjaw Pup was almost inches away from his face, and then it slipped hard. Its body twisted sideways, claws dragging uselessly across the floor like something had betrayed it, its teeth snapping at nothing as it hit the ground wrong.
The room went silent but didn't hear it. Because his head felt like it was splitting open.
[System Detected]
"…."
He couldn't even make a sound, as if he heard something wrong and if he said something, the voice might disappear.
"No… no, that's not—"
His vision blurred, the edges of everything bending, the air distorting like heat rising off the ground, like the world wasn't sitting right anymore.
"I didn't… I didn't hit anything…"
His hands lifted slightly, like he didn't know where to put them, fingers trembling, not steady, not strong, just confused.
[Condition Met: Survival Override]
[Condition Met: Psychological Collapse Threshold Reached]
[Condition Met: Refusal to Reset Life Cycle]
His heartbeat slammed so hard it hurt.
"What is this…?"
He looked around for a second, like someone else could see it and at least explain it. No one did, because no one else could.
[Unique System Assigned]
He blinked, as if the words would disappear. It didn't.
"For… me?"
The question came out slow, like he didn't believe he was allowed to ask it.
[Title Granted: God of Sweat]
Silence, then Nare blinked.
"…what?"
His brows pulled together, confusion creeping in through everything else for a second.
"God of… what?"
It sounded stupid, it felt stupid. Out of everything. This?
"…no, that's not real…"
He shook his head once, then again.
"This is just—this is stress, I'm just—"
His breath hitched.
"I'm about to die, that's why—"
The screen didn't go away, it stayed, clear and unmoving.
[Accept System Integration?]
[Yes / No]
Nare stared at it, his chest rising unevenly. Behind him, something moved. Voices came back, someone said his name. But it felt far, everything felt muted. Like he was just in a domain, alone.
He hesitated just for a second.
"…what if it's not real…"
The thought slipped out.
"What if I press it and nothing happens…"
His throat tightened again.
"What if I still end up—"
He stopped, he couldn't continue the sentence, because he already knew the outcome. His hand dropped slightly.
"…this is stupid."
But his fingers were shaking now, because underneath his thoughts something else was there, something ugly and desperate.
'What if it is real?'
That thought hit harder, and his chest tightened again.
"What if this is the only chance I get…"
His voice dropped, cracking at the end.
"What if this is it…"
He paused, his eyes flickering once.
"…I don't care what it is." The words came out rough, but certain. "…I don't care if it's stupid."
His hand lifted again, slower this time.
"…just don't leave me like this."
Those were the most honest words he has ever uttered.
"…I'm tired of being useless." His breathing steadied slightly. "…I'll take it…even if it's useless."
His finger moved and tapped.
[Accepted.]
The heat exploded, and Nare didn't step back.