Wait a minute I am still fully conscious.

Slowly my arms and legs were freed and it took everything I got to prevent myself from stretching. I pretended to be knocked out, while the intern placed me on the operating table which the boss lady called Conduit. The surface was ice cold and the sudden dip in temperature nearly made my back numb.

"Intern get my kit." I heard a soft metallic thunk quite close to me. "Shit, this one is broken. Intern, buy a set of scalpels at the shop behind JP. Hospital tomorrow. If anyone refuses then say Madam Kahina sent you."

"Sure, mam."

That was a big mistake. Once she starts operating on me I can't keep up this act.

I feel cold metal press into my skin and I prepare myself for excruciating pain. I waited with bated breath, but nothing happened. I initially felt a pain similar to that of being pricked by a needle, but nothing more, maybe a little discomfort but that was the limit. The metal traced a straight line on my forearm and wherever it touched the skin tingled oddly.

"Incredible, the healing capabilities of this Artefact are top tier. I don't understand why Ruby gave something so powerful to this idiot."

"Maybe he stole it from her," the intern chimed in.

"I wasn't talking to you."

Oh, so that's what going on. The ring is healing me spontaneously. Now that I think about it, the previous punch didn't even hurt. And this was what probably healed my injuries from Skull except much slower.

"Intern, you see this ring. Remove it for me."

No, why now?

Giant hands enveloped my wrist and index finger, bearing the Artifact. For a moment I thought my wrist was going to be snapped like a twig, but what followed was a loud zap sound like an electric discharge and a painful wail.

"Hmmm, so it has even recognized him as its master."

"Intern, what do Artificers have which sets us apart from Players?"

"Um... Artifacts." it was clear by his voice that he was trying really hard not to show his pain.

"Wrong, our intelligence and knowledge. While Players murder, loot, destroy we devise, create, innovate. We take the blood of the slain and give it new life. From the pile of corpses and rivers of blood, we create the greatest tools mankind has ever seen," her voice had reached the zenith of maniacal glee, "or at least that's what my master said," suddenly the tone returned to normal as if an entirely different person was speaking.

A familiar pungent herbal smell nearly made me cough and the Artificer took a deep breath audibly. She was smoking your 'neighborhood paan shop' Charminar cigarette. How did I know? Let's chalk it up to my bad company in middle school.

"Artificers might be special but we are weak. Most Artificer clans were razed to the ground by the time I was chosen and those that exist today would crumble even if half a dozen Players decide to take a piss...."

Why has she gone nostalgic all of a sudden, is this supposed to be a life lesson of sorts for the intern, but I just can't see a teacher-student dynamic between them.

"Mam, we will even sacrifice our --"

"Do me a favor and cut that cheesy crap." She abruptly cut off her subordinate's declaration of loyalty.

Why haven't I ever heard about any interns laying their lives for abusive bosses?

"Anyway, everyone has knowledge and intelligence but not everyone knows how to use it," shivers ran through my body. Even with closed eyes, I knew a certain someone was glaring at me. Come on, I might be naive but not dumb, "our greatest strength is the Artifacts. Their existence gives us purpose. My master was wrong, sticking to lofty ideals and outdated traditions were the factors behind her death. Artifacts are no blessed creations just cursed weapons," no way her voice is quivering.

"Isn't that right ?"

"Um..." "I wasn't asking you," she immediately shut up intern before even he could formulate an answer.

No way, "I was asking," she stubbed her cigarette on my belly, she knows, "the brilliant actor in our presence," I am pretending.

I immediately rolled over and fell flat on the floor. I stood up in a fraction of a second to see a gigantic hole at the very place where my head rested a second ago. It was a result of the intern's punch. Strange viscous liquid giving off a faint blue glow flowed out of the spiderweb cracks on the surface of the Conduit and began coalescing together, forming multiple miniature humanoids figures entangled in a heap. I was taken aback by the sickening and beautiful display.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

"What the hell's going on?" Without intending to, I had said my thoughts aloud. I was on the brink of questioning my own sanity when my eyes met those of the intern. The raw rage in them reminded me of my current jeopardy.

"Motherfucker!" An ear-splitting slap followed the pious word. Even though the intern was hit, I was stunned too. Tears were welling up in her eyes and her body was shuddering. "My...my Conduit. I am sorry master." Her knees buckled and she collapsed on the floor.

For a few moments, there was only silence in the grim room. And I was the one who broke it. The intern was locked in his place, stunned by his boss's state. I had no chance against him in a straight one on one fight, neither did I have any interest in it, escaping was the first and only priority. Something poked my back and I turned around to discover a test tube holder. I immediately grabbed and threw it at my opponent with all the force I could muster. Bingo! Straight headshot.

I was midway stepping on the Conduit when I felt a gush of air grazing the tip of my nose. Before I knew it, I had already backed away. I couldn't believe the scene in front of me. The intern was standing unfazed, in fact, he was the one who had just swung at me. Unbeknown to me, the holder I had thrown was still holding a test tube and it was the first thing that smashed into his face. Jagged ends of glass protruded out of his skin, one even lodged in his eye. Half of his face was drenched in blood, yet he still stood stoic, brazenly displaying anger and determination on his messed up face.

Another heavy swing came my way, this time I ducked to dodge. Something clicked in my mind, he is hesitating. His punches could extend much farther. I cast a glance at the Artificer still sobbing on the floor. Ah, someone doesn't want to break their master's toy I see.

He was being overcautious lest he damaged the Conduit further. I noticed a normal manual screwdriver roll up to my feet. Narrowly avoiding my nose getting smashed, I picked up the surprisingly ordinary tool, pointed the tapering end downwards, and jabbed the Conduit without giving any second thought.

Blood spurted on my face accompanied by a wet squelching sound as I pushed through the resistance. I decided to take a risky gamble and it paid off. The intern prioritized the conduit and tried to block my attack with his own hand. The result being me, skewering his palm. The metal end had completely disappeared, so it had penetrated the Conduit too. The sight made my stomach churn, but this was the opportunity I was waiting for. No doubt he is a loyal subordinate, but his stupidity is even greater.

I felt bad as I crushed a couple of the miniature liquid humans while crossing over the Conduit. I bolted towards the door, but before I could even take three steps forward my chin made contact with the floor. The wretched Artificer had got hold of my ankle and was dragging me towards her. Tears streamed down her reddened face, "where are you going, you little piece of shit?"

I kicked her in the face with my free leg multiple times but she wouldn't let go. Her face was marred with bruises and the last kick had inflicted a nosebleed. The skin around her right eye was swollen and disfigured. With every successive kick, her grip on my leg would tighten. The entire time the intern was looking at the ordeal with a stoic face. Along with his face, one of his hands was also in a bad shape.

No way! Is this dude for real? Does he even feel any pain? The intern was a monster. At that moment, my vain attitude towards him was replaced with bone-shaking fear. Tears welled up in my eyes and I gradually gave up on pounding the Artificer's face. I cried out aloud, "What did I ever do to you? Leave me, plea --"

I screamed at the top of my lungs and thrashed like a fish out of water. The Artificer had managed to grab both my legs and the intern stepped on my hand pinning me down. I could hear and feel each one of my digits snapping under the immense pressure.

After what felt like an eternity the intern moved his foot and crouched beside me. Through my eyes hazy with tears, I saw my mangled hand. I couldn't move it but the pain was receding. Skin and tendons reknitted and rejoined while healed bones snapped back into their place.

"No matter how many times you heal, I am going to crush every single bone in your body. Let's see who lasts longer, me or your Artifact."

I wanted to plead, beg for mercy, but no words came out, with every passing second my mouth became drier, the throat constricted making it harder for me to breathe. How did it come to this? I just wanted to save someone, do something good for once. B...but I am naive, so this is what facing death is, huh. I was starting to view them as humans, even felt sympathetic towards her, but all came crashing down in a few moments.

My hand was almost completely healed, and my favorite intern was getting ready to stomp. What a shitty way to die. At that point, all fear and worries in my mind had vaporized, well if I am going to die, then I am going to do it the best fucking way possible.

I had forgotten there was something he was purposefully avoiding, something which could hurt him and had hurt him before. You are so dumb, Robin. I let out a hoarse laugh, surprising myself along with the two inhuman beings. The Artificer snorted, "little runt has already lost his mind, what a letdown."

The moment was perfect, her grip loosened enough for me to slam both my legs into her face and slide away with the newfound momentum. Before they knew I was back on my feet. The intern gave me an incredulous look, again torn between his knocked out boss and me.

Without giving him any time to think I balled up my left hand and landed an uppercut. The feedback was bad, to say the least, but the result was outstanding. Despite him covering it, I could see a nasty blackened mark decorating his chin. The smell of charred flesh hung in the air. My fingers also hurt after making contact with his hard bones, but the feeling of glee dwarfed my agony. I brought the ring near my lips and whispered a 'thank you'. Who would have thought a tiny ring could defeat a hulk.

I kicked the moaning intern in the gut. Although the force behind it wasn't enormous, he was caught off guard while nursing his wound. "No matter how many times I break my fingers, I am going to smash your face to bits. Let's see who lasts longer, you or my Artefact."

I was about to raise my hand when suddenly a body slammed into me and brought me down. The Artificer laid atop me. I grabbed her neck and tried to pummel her face with my free hand, but this time they were just weak normal punches. She clawed at my face with wild ferocity trying to harm me in any way possible. Serves me right I guess. I had gotten cocky, taken over by euphoria in the moment of victory. Fatigue set in and strength started slipping away from my limbs, both my hands fell beside me, still a shitty way to --, her head exploded.