My fingers twitched, a nervous tic I had developed before arriving in this hellhole when stress came. At least I had a new toy to play with this time around.

'Show me my available blessings,' I thought, my mind already navigating the familiar interface.

A single notification, stark and bright, filled my vision:

New Unlocked Blessing Available:

Body Skill Gain Multiplier (Passive) (X3): Increases the rate at which you gain experience in Body-based Skills by 300%. Increases Body-based Skill Endurance by 300%.

I didn't hesitate. 'Slot it.'

The notification vanished, replaced by the comforting weight of progress. It wasn’t much, not yet. But it was a start. This time, I would try a bit harder.

The guard—'Moron' felt like a much more fitting title than 'Jin', given his apparent lack of situational awareness—shoved me forward, his grip almost gentle compared to our first encounter. I guess even soulless automatons could learn.

I used the forced march to my advantage, my gaze sweeping across the corridor. Each loop, I tried to memorize every detail of this place: the subtle variations in the stonework, the flickering runes etched into the walls, the way the air seemed to thicken near certain doorways.

Knowledge was power, or so they said. And right now, knowledge was all I had.

'Divine Identification.'

My vision flickered, the familiar blue screen overlaying the real world like a ghostly blueprint.

Wall: This is a wall. It appears to be made of stone.

'Riveting,' I thought dryly. Still, I persisted, scanning every object, every shadow, every flickering torch that lined the corridor.

Door: This is a door. It is currently closed.

Torch: This is a torch. It is providing illumination.

Hundreds of scans, each one as useless as the last. My only solace was the growing certainty that 'Moron' wouldn't notice my antics. He moved with the robotic precision of someone who had long since stopped questioning the purpose behind his actions.

Then, just as I was about to write off the whole endeavor as a colossal waste of mental energy, something changed.

Painting: This painting depicts a battle scene. It is of dubious artistic merit and more than likely a forgery.

The description, while still unhelpful, held a glimmer of something more. It wasn't just stating the obvious anymore.

'Again,' I thought, focusing on the next torch.

Torch: This torch burns with an unnatural green flame. The source of the fuel is unknown.

My heart quickened. This… This was new.

A wave of dizziness, far more intense than before, washed over me, and then a new notification filled my vision:

Your Blessing: Divine Identification has increased in level! Obfuscation can be pierced in a more productive way, and more information will be revealed.

A wave of grim satisfaction washed over me. Finally, some good news. I was starting to make progress. Now, time to put my newly enhanced ability to the test.

I focused on 'Moron' and his partner, who had been trailing behind us with the same bored disinterest as the security camera-like device on the wall of the cell in front of me.

Name: Jin

Moral Alignment: Chaotic Evil

Titles: Dunn Imperial Guard, Thief, Slaver

Danger Level: Very Dangerous

Brawling Level: 7

Swordsmanship Level: 12

Agility(Body)(1 Evol): Level 24

Body Strengthening(Body)(1 Evol): Level 21

Flexibility(Body)(1 Evol): Level 18

Perception(Mind): Level 10

Pain Tolerance(Body)(1 Evol): Level 16

Name: Mind-Slave Ben

Moral Alignment: Chaotic Evil(Controlled)(Chaotic Good)

Titles: Dunn Imperial Guard, Dungeon Delver, Would-be Hero(failed), Mind-Slave

Danger Level: Very Dangerous

Brawling Level: 19

Swordsmanship Level: 13

Agility(Body)(1 Evol): Level 19

Body Strengthening(Body)(1 Evol): Level 23

Flexibility(Body)(1 Evol): Level 17

Mental Resistance(Mind): Level 31

Pain Tolerance(Body)(1 Evol): Level 30

'Evol?' I'd have to figure that out later. Right now, I had information to process. These guards, with their gleaming armor and menacing air were probably at least superhuman in some way. Probably at least above any of the absolute best Navy Seals in the USA.

I tucked this knowledge away.

I had a long way to go before I could even dream of challenging these monsters, but at least now, I knew what I was up against.

The cell door clanged shut, the sound echoing in the silence like a death knell. I didn't need to turn around to know that 'Moron' and his partner—'Mind-Slave Ben', as my newly enhanced Divine Identification had revealed—were already back to ignoring my existence. Good.

I started my routine immediately. Pushups, squats, situps, lunges. Anything and everything I could do to work my muscles in this cramped space. The guards didn’t so much as glance in my direction. I was a bug, an insignificant speck of dirt beneath their notice.

Even better.

Every bead of sweat, every burning muscle, every aching joint brought a sliver of satisfaction. It was pathetic, I knew, this desperate attempt to claw my way towards some semblance of strength in a world where even the weakest guard could probably crush my skull like a grape.

This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

But that was all I could do.

'Mind-Slave.' The title echoed in my thoughts, a chilling counterpoint to the rhythmic thud of my fists against the stone floor as I powered through another set of pushups. What did it mean, exactly? Was Ben's mind trapped, his actions controlled by some outside force? And that parenthetical note in his alignment: (Chaotic Good). Did that mean there was still a sliver of the man he used to be, buried beneath layers of forced obedience?

'Would-be Hero (failed).'

Another piece of the puzzle. Had Ben been summoned like me, full of hope and naive idealism, only to be broken by this brutal empire? Or had he been a native of this world, his dreams of heroism crushed beneath the iron heel of Kondur's tyranny?

'One loop,' I thought, my breath catching in my throat as I transitioned from pushups to squats. 'Just one loop, in a loop far ahead of this one, I will try to see if I can reach him, Then I’ll break whatever hold they have on him.'

It was a foolish notion, I knew that. Reckless, even. But my defiance of these assholes would never be broken, a rage I felt for the man I saw playing poker with a dull expression burned within me.

for now, I couldn’t even hope to protect myself, let alone someone else. Not yet.

First, I had to survive. And to survive, I had to become strong.

Exhaustion Resistance (Sleep) is now level 4.

Exhaustion Resistance (Physical) is now level 5.

Exercise (Stretching) is now level 9.

Exercise (Body) is now level 10.

The rhythmic clang of metal on stone told me 'Moron' was settling in for the night. His partner, still standing at attention by the cell door, was another matter.

'Divine Identification.'

Name: Mind-Slave Ben

…

Exhaustion Resistance (Sleep): Level 90

'Right. No sleep for the mind-controlled,' I thought grimly. At least 'Moron' had the decency to be predictable. Once he settled in for the night, he was out like a light.

I waited another hour, just to be sure, then rose from the cot. My muscles ached, protesting the constant strain I was putting them through, but I ignored the discomfort. Resting due to pain was a luxury I couldn't afford.

Time to experiment.

I started with shadow boxing, throwing punches and weaving in the cramped space, mimicking the movements I'd seen in old action movies. It was clumsy, awkward, and utterly ineffective against a real opponent, but it was something.

Skill: Shadow Boxing (Body)(-1 Evol) has gained a level!

Skill: Shadow Boxing (Body)(-1 Evol) is now level 2!

The notifications surprised me. I hadn't expected to gain a skill from something so… basic. But then, I was starting from absolute zero. Maybe, in this world, even the most rudimentary forms of combat were governed by the system.

Skill: Shadow Boxing (Body)(-1 Evol) is now level 10!

'Interesting,' I thought, watching the notifications tick by. The skill was leveling up at an alarming rate compared to the grueling grind of Exercise. 'Maybe it’s a prerequisite skill, something that’s deliberately easy to acquire as a stepping stone to something else?'

The negative evol tag seemed to support that theory.

I continued my shadow boxing routine, my movements growing smoother, more fluid as the skill level climbed higher. Two hours later, another notification flashed in front of me, this one accompanied by a jolt of energy that seemed to course through my entire being.

Skill: Shadow Boxing (Body)(-1 Evol) has evolved into Brawling (Body/Combat)!

'Finally!' I thought, a grin spreading across my face. Brawling. Now we were talking.

Then, another notification, this one unexpected.

For evolving a combat-type Skill, all combat-type Skill gains are now increased by 10%!

'Well, well, well,' I thought, my grin widening. 'Looks like the system rewards a little initiative.'

My cell suddenly felt a lot smaller. I needed more space to move, to test my limits. I started with basic gymnastics: cartwheels, handstands, clumsy attempts at backflips.

Skill: Gymnastics Training (Body)(-1 Evol) has been acquired!

Skill: Gymnastics Training (Body)(-1 Evol) is now level 6!

The notifications were gratifying, but more than that, I felt a spark of genuine excitement. It was the thrill of discovery, the rush of unlocking something new and unknown.

I had a long way to go, a mountain to climb. But for the first time since I’d arrived in this gods-forsaken world, I felt a flicker of hope.

This time loop, this endless cycle of death and life… maybe, just maybe, it wouldn’t be so bad after all.

I then learned that Murphy was an asshole.

—

The rush of progress was intoxicating. Each successful handstand, each clumsy cartwheel that ended in a bruised hip, pushed me further, fueled my determination. I was making progress, however small, and in this hellscape of a world, that was all that mattered.

Skill: Gymnastics Training (Body)(-1 Evol) is now level 98!

Two more levels. Two more levels, and I'd have a real, non-prerequisite skill under my belt.

The clang of the cell door opening ripped me from my focus.

“Stop it,” 'Moron' growled, his voice thick with sleep-laced annoyance. “Stop being a loud piece of shit.”

I paused, my hand still planted on the cold stone floor, mid-cartwheel. “What?”

“Your stupid exercises,” he spat, gesturing at me with a gauntleted hand. “All that jumping and clacking. Another jump, and I will kill you a billion times over.”

I stared at him, my heart pounding in my chest. This… this was it, I was already dead, so who cares.

I grinned, a manic edge to it that surprised even me. “Or what?”

‘Moron’ blinked, as if surprised by my defiance. Good. Let him underestimate me. It wouldn’t save me in the end, but at least I’d go out on my own terms.

I went back to my gymnastics, pushing myself harder than ever.

Skill: Gymnastics Training (Body)(-1 Evol) is now level 99!

One more. Just one more.

Skill: Gymnastics Training (Body)(-1 Evol) has evolved into Minor Acrobatics (Body)!

I didn’t even have time to celebrate. ‘Moron’ roared, a sound that seemed to shake the very foundations of the cell, and charged. I saw a flash of steel as he drew his sword, but I was already moving, my newly acquired skills kicking in.

I ducked under the clumsy swing, my fist connecting with his jaw in a satisfying pop sound.

Skill: Brawling (Body/Combat) has gained 5 levels!

Skill: Brawling (Body/Combat) is now level 6!

Even though the sensation was like my fist hitting a metal plate at maximum velocity and I'm pretty sure I broke my hand in multiple places, a surge of triumph, fleeting and pointless, coursed through me. I’d hit him. I’d actually hit him!

Then, the world dissolved into pain.

Skill: Pain Tolerance(Body) has gained 6 levels!

Skill: Pain Tolerance(Body) is now level 6!

'On hindsight, he probably let me connect.'

—

I noticed the ozone and blood tinged air along with the cold, hard floor beneath my feet. I was back. Back to the beginning.

“Strange.” Dodon’s voice, flat and emotionless.

I didn't even bother looking at the mannequins this time. Three times I'd been ripped from existence, only to be thrust back into this waking nightmare.

It was getting easier. Not the dying part. That still hurt like a spike being driven through my soul. But the fear… the despair… it was fading, replaced by a cold, hard determination.

Three deaths were nothing. A drop in the bucket compared to what was to come. I had a long way to go, a mountain to climb. But I would climb it. One bloody, agonizing step at a time.

Even if those mannequins looked like my students, I just had to get over it and move on. They were safe and at home, and I couldn't think about could-have-beens.

The only steps I could take were forward.