Clang.

A simple sound, echoing across dark tunnels and eroding one's focus.

I can hear it. They can hear it.

It is crude. Metal, clashing with stone. A ripple of sound drilling into our minds. Again, and again.

And again.

"And again!" My pickaxe impaling a tough bit of ore leaves behind pale green bits and pieces bouncing on the ground. It's uneven, same as what my feet pushes against. A sweaty back and muscles. It's all I have.

I pant heavily, catching my breath. I tug at my white tank top as I use it to wipe some sweat from my dirtied face. I'm getting irritated at my beige cargo shorts, quite literally. Allergies are a bitch. But you don't even need them when your workplace gives you clothes that shitty. I can already spot rashes near my thighs. "Dammit." Cream isn't cheap. Do they even realize? Not like I'll get my hands on some anyway.

I grumble and swing back. Clang. Another hit. Hard to miss.

Ore keeps rolling out to my ankles. How could they expect high quality when I use such a rough method? I'm bound to ruin its value. But it's not like they don't know.

Clang.

"Huff..." My eyelids turn heavy. "Phew!" Quite obvious to the surroundings, I take a small break. But before I can rejoice, I hear footsteps behind me. "Jack! Are you really taking a break now? We've been mining for three hours already, but I've yet to see anyone take a breather. Sometimes I wonder if you don't understand the situation..." I smile, my face hidden from view before getting back to my poker face. I turn back around and see them.

Across the wide but short mine hall as we call it, I'm met with glares. I want to scoff, but I'm not certain about making it out if I try. "Come on Kevin. You know I'm not that strong. You guys were basically born for this." As expected, they didn't take it too well. The glares intensify. What am I even supposed to say guys...

I sigh.

"Dave, you know I'm trying my best, right? Look at me! I'm drenched, I can barely feel my limbs!" Kevin doesn't seem too happy as his lips make way. "I don't care. Look at us, we're in the same boat."

"Then-" "But that doesn't mean we agree to take the hit when you fall!" For fuck's sake. "Come on Kevin." I'm soon shut down before I can even begin my speech. Kevin has his burly arm raised. I can see through his blonde beard an apparent lack of friendliness. "No more 'come on Kevin'. Get back to work. Remember what happens when we don't do our job?" Yes. I remember. How could I forget. Deep into this blueish mine, where crystals and ores shine bright.

"Listen guys, I don't think this is our job to be honest." I see them frown. "No shit!" Kevin almost spits into my face as he roars. "But when we're in this situation it becomes our-" Interrupting him, a loud bang. I recognize it. We all do.

Kevin's blonde hair stops fluttering, his blue eyes looking back at Jason, an ebony man from afar. They exchange glances, and I can only see terror as they pick their pickaxes back up for a swing. The others do the same. But I'm tired.

I try my best and place my hands on the haft. I've lost a lot of tan, I'm almost a vampire now. "Come on you bitch!" I put all my remaining strength into it and lift. "Arh!" Following the momentum I take a step back before taking another forward. I swing down and my pickaxe bears down punishment onto the ore.

Clang!

Huffing, we all hear footsteps. Heavy this time. The earth rumbles and the uneven pieces of ore I mined vibrate. We shiver in synch. What a shitty day. Should've licked the plate clean last night. I close my eyes tight. I can make out the shape without even turning around. A design I've seen for the last two years. Please, just not me!

"What do we have here? Hmm? I hear a lot of grunting and I see some ore. But it's too average..." How are we supposed to mine more? You barely feed us anything! I don't need to turn back around to see him.

A man of average height. I can deduce a fairly athletic physique underneath the thick hazard suit like clothing. His dark gas mask barely covers his condescending attitude. Here we go again... I don't dare to raise a fuss over it. I'm... no, we're used to it.

"You guys might need some punishment today as well... Especially you." I sigh heavily, I can already tell. My slumped back was an easy target to begin with. I slowly raise my head and turn around. My blonde hair falls over my eyes. I'm a bit taller than the man talking to me. Taller than the bastard in front of me. "Yes..." Behind the mask, I can almost see a grin. "Jack...Tsk! Tsk! Tsk! You only mined a couple kilograms of Melodine after all this time? Look at your comrades. They mined a good twenty percent more at the bare minimum!" How could you tell bitch, bet you didn't even look at their piles, I'd swear on my dead lungs.

"But." Mmh? That's new. When did I ever hear a 'but' from this guy?

"You might be able to escape punishment today." Escape? What? How could I not be confused. Since the day I was kidnapped like my brothers here and brought down to the deep mines south of the Forbidden Wasteland, I've never been able to escape from slavery. From the rich north of the United Empire to a slave's abode. "And..." I'm hesitant. There's no free lunch in this damned world. "...how would that work?"

The man laughs. He points at me and a few others. I recognize their piles as short. "You guys, if you want, you can follow me. If you do, you'll be freed from mining for a while. All you have to do is help us with a little gate."

"What?!" Not only Kevin, but even the usually calm Jason could see his black skin whiten from shock. Even more telling as they were not talked about by the man. "Shut up you mine rats! I don't mind letting you guys rot into this hell for the rest of your lives, but I'm out here giving some of you fuckers chances. And what do I get? Bunch of dogs, are you not happy? Oh!" Facing both Kevin and Jason, the man chuckles. "Perhaps... were you guys jealous? Don't worry, or maybe do. I won't have our best miners get beheaded by monsters. That would be stupid. On the other hand..." Facing me once more, the man shuts his laughter down. "A piece of shit like haughty mister Jack Heltros over here, is much more worthwhile to have thrown as bait."

Fucking lunatics... But I couldn't really disagree. Along the apparitions of gates dating back thousands of years ago, I have yet to show much.

And it's not like I even have a choice to begin with. The Forbidden Wasteland never could become so forgiving. I sigh once more. But I don't even have the luxury of letting go of the pickaxe before being dragged like a chained dog. "Come here you rat. It's time to become useful! I gave a choice to the others, but you don't deserve one." Is it because of my lineage? I don't understand their anger. I can barely remember my family in the first place. Since their first mention of it, I keep questioning this name. Heltros. What does it mean to them?

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I open my mouth, but can't bear to voice any opinions. Let's not agitate them further. They wouldn't bother answering me in the first place. I follow without much else to do, kept on by the almost forgotten metallic chains, or leash at this point, sealing my ankles. It had been so long since I've paid attention to them. Purple engravings shining every time I try to exert strength.

Along the way, parting ways from the mine hall behind, higher as we climb the tunnels, I hear the man mutter. "Be grateful dog. You will die, used by our greatness to bring down the Titans." Titans? I can remember some of these bastards talk about it as if it was a grand mission. But I'm not too sure. I want to ask what they did to them, but there, once again, is no point.

Remaining shut, I walk and walk.

I'm still tired, but it's fine. I need to prepare. Getting thrown into a gate might truly end me. But if I can somehow make way for an opportunity... maybe... just maybe..!

I feel my blood boiling, preparing to break free. The chains rustle as we walk, their purple sheen brighter than ever before.

I, too, am a superhuman! I, too, can one day show off my worth. All I have to do is escape.

Turning his head around, and so without stopping, the man glares at me. "Your eyes are glowing you barbarian trash." Barbarian? Did I gain a new title? "But don't get too cocky. Even if you are awakened, this gate is not I-Rank, that I'm telling you." I frown. "Weren't you... I think you were low H-Rank? Maybe a bit more? Hahaha! Sorry, I can't tell the difference between a little barbarian and a lowly dog. Whichever you are, it won't matter in the end."

And as I am about to finally retort, he addresses me once more. "We're here." I pay attention to my surroundings instead of the uneven ground, seeing the blue tint of the mines turn into pale stone. It's a giant space dozens of meters across. The ceiling seem far reaching. How is it not erupting outside already? I don't even remember mining a place this grand.

Clear to me now, this is not something I was pry to know about.

Facing me, I can see it vividly. A giant blue portal twisting reality. I can envision the blurred sceneries behind. It looks humid. It feels horrific. It grants fear. All around, I see similarly clothed soldiers of sorts. There are constructs all over the portal, white coated scientists figuring stuff out. I also notice other people like me. Dirty, dressed in shitty clothing. Torn tank tops, heavily worn antique prisoner jumpsuits, mismatched genders with old flowery robes given to burly men that don't even have the right to take them off.

They are in a line, waiting with apparent apprehension.

I'm waiting for the bastard to get me in the line, but instead, he pushes me forward. ?!

Hold on... am I getting in now? Gritting my teeth, I drag my feet and stall for seconds more. But it can only be futile. "Am I really getting in now?" Before I can hear an answer, trying to articulate plans in my head, I feel a sole land on my spine. "Urgh!"

Before me, the portal closes in, engulfing me. Distorted visions of places I never saw before appear before darkness overcomes it all.

I want to vomit. My mind fuzzy, my brain buzzing. My ears... I would've preferred a flashbang at point blank to be honest... At least I wasn't blinded with white. I still can't see though. I feel something solid at my feet and hands. I expect myself to be on my knees. It's soft. But kind of humid as well. I tug at something and pull. A small snappy vibration in between my fingers as I suddenly recall the sensation. How long had it been?

"Grass..? Is it grass?" I keep touching everywhere with my eyes closing and opening again and again. After endless worry about impending doom, my vision brightens. Darkness recedes, colors resurfacing. After a few minutes more, my blurred vision clears up.

"Forest? Jungle?" I'm stranded in a small clearing barely a couple meters in all directions. The vegetation everywhere I look is light green. When I raise my head in hopes, I see a distant clouded sky. Gray everywhere. And just as I wonder, faint droplets of liquid drip onto my face. It's raining something clear. I'm not sure if I can even escape it, so I clench my fists and open my mouth. It's already all over me anyway, only a matter of time before it enters my body.

It's stupid and reckless, I know it. But it's a vital gamble.

A couple droplets fall onto my stretched tongue. It's water. At least it feels and tastes like it. Maybe heavy water? Who knows. I just hope it's regular water. As far as I'm aware, heavy water is toxic past certain quantities.

But let's say it's water for now. My source of hydration is secured somewhat. If it rains water, there might be water laying around somewhere else as well. I stand up and notice my fingers and cargo shorts colored green in a few spots. "Fucking grass. I love you, but that's the only pair I have. Wait... can I camouflage myself?" I shrug as I talk to myself aloud. Not a bright idea, but one nonetheless. If monsters hear me, then so be it.

I soon find a stick on the flat grass. It's not sharp, and quite thin. All I can do now is throw it away, but not without breaking it in half. Can't help myself.

I'll just break it a few more times...

Finally freed from temptations, I look around some more. Apart form the cloudy sky, I only see giant green leaves obstructing my field of view all around. With nothing better to do as I wait, I mutter a word.

"Status."

Before me, a screen of light pops up.

[Jack Heltros]

Age : 26

Class : None

Title : None

HP | ⦿⦿⦿⦿⦿⦿⦿⦿⦿⦿ | (291 / 291)

MP | ⦿⦿⦿⦿⦿⦿⦿⦿⦿⦿ | (489 / 489)

STR (F) : ▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

SPD (E) : ▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

END (G) : ▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

MND (F) : ▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

LCK (E) : ▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

Skill : Tech Eye - lv.1

Good enough. I don't know how dangerous this place is, but as long as I can bid my time and find weaklings to eat, I should be able to handle myself just right.

"Survival starts now."

A rustling sound. It echoes in my mind. I look down and pale. "They... fuck, they didn't remove the chains?" So used to them, I could not remember being chained still. I sigh before looking around. These chains are not that expensive, but should be able to handle even a D-Rank's attack once or twice as far as I'm aware. And, as far as I'm aware of my own self, and since I can read, I'm no D-Ranker. I should be considered a mid E-Rank.

This is pretty bad.

Falling on my butt, I sigh before biting my tongue as blood gushes out from both my mouth and ass. "AHHH! FUCK!" I scream from surprise and roll over like a bum. What was that sharp pain? I pat my ass and suddenly find a metallic thing impaled into my rear. "The fuck is that?! Get off!" I'm worried about it being a monster, but then take it out with a wrinkled face. "That's..."

"...the key?" I don't waste time and try it on my ankles. Magic, magic, it's open! "Haha... I'm free!" As I rejoice, a growl startles me lucid. In front of me is a big pale furred cat. With sharp fangs.

It's a big kitty that some would prefer to call a saber-toothed cat... Fucking hell it's big. Suddenly realizing the predicament, I look all around, standing up before finding a perfect weapon for me.

I swing around the long chains with a frown. "Doesn't seem like they affect me this way... so now, kitty, do you want a taste of metal?"