Extract from the -{ Tome of the ‘Forgotten One’ }- Divine scripture of the Church of the ‘Forgotten One’.

"In the twilight's embrace, behold the wisdom veiled in darkness, where the just find refuge and the righteous are rewarded with eternal peace." (The Revelation of Evernight 1:1)

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The holographic prompt hung in Asher's peripheral vision, a testament to his grueling efforts:

[ Physical limits surpassed, Agility +1. ]

Asher's muscles screamed as he forced himself into a sitting position, his eyes fixed on the ethereal text. The implications of those simple words sent his mind racing, but before he could fully process their meaning, the hunter's gravelly voice cut through his thoughts.

"Get yourself together, we have much more to do."

Asher's throat constricted, a mixture of dread and determination battling within him. "Ah- okay," he managed, reaching for the canteen at his side.

The moment the liquid touched his lips, Asher's senses exploded. The familiar sweetness was there, but now undercut with a sharp, minty freshness that seemed to race through his veins. Energy surged through his battered body, muscles knitting themselves back together with impossible speed.

"Drink it sparingly," the hunter cautioned, his massive form sprawled across the woodpile. Smoke curled from his pipe, wreathing his head in a hazy nimbus. "It's hard to make."

Asher nodded, forcing himself to take smaller sips. Each swallow was a battle between his body's desperate craving and his mind's newfound caution.

"Okay, since you're up, start with push-ups," the hunter commanded, his tone brooking no argument. "Again, you cannot stop until I say so."

A deep sigh of resignation escaped Asher's lips as he assumed the position. His arms trembled as he lowered himself to the ground, every fiber of his being protesting the movement. But as he pushed himself back up, a tiny spark of defiance ignited in his chest. He would endure. He had to.

The day stretched on, a blur of exercises that pushed Asher to limits he didn't know he possessed. The mysterious concoction in the bottle allowed for faster recovery between sets, but the cumulative damage was undeniable. By the time the sun hung low in the sky, bathing the clearing in a bloody light, Asher felt as if he'd been torn apart and crudely stitched back together.

"One last run around the clearing," the hunter announced, his voice cutting through the haze of pain enveloping Asher's mind.

Numbly, Asher forced his leaden legs into motion. The first few steps were agony, each impact sending shockwaves of pain through his body. But as he pushed on, something strange began to happen.

It started as a tingling sensation in his extremities, barely noticeable through the cacophony of pain. But with each stride, the feeling grew stronger. The burning in his lungs eased, his legs moved with growing fluidity. It was as if his body was reforging itself with each step, shedding weakness like a snake sheds its skin.

[ Physical limits surpassed, Endurance +1 ]

The prompt flashed in Asher's vision as he collapsed to the ground, gasping for air. Unlike before, however, his mind remained clear, cataloging the changes rippling through his body.

'So the system had this function as well,' he mused, a mix of excitement and wariness coursing through him.

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"Once you catch your breath, go take a bath then join us for dinner," the hunter called out, his tone unreadable.

Asher managed a shaky thumbs-up, his mind racing. Should he mention the prompts to the hunter? The memory of the mysterious door and the enigmatic contract gave him pause. Some secrets, he realized, were best kept close to the chest.

The bath was a study in contradictions – the warm water a balm to his aching muscles, yet every movement a reminder of the day's brutal training. By the time Asher joined the couple at the dinner table, the aroma of roasted meat filled the air, making his stomach growl with primal hunger.

The hunter attacked his meal with characteristic ferocity, barely pausing between bites. Asher seized the moment of relative calm to voice the question that had been burning in his mind.

"Can you tell me more about the creation system?"

The hunter's hand paused mid-reach, his piercing gaze locking onto Asher. The younger man swallowed hard but pressed on.

"I just wanted to know more about how the system interacts with the population of m-myriad realms." The unfamiliar term still felt strange on his tongue.

The hunter seemed to consider the question, wiping his hands deliberately. But before he could respond, the huntress's voice cut through the tension.

"Hey, no boring talk at the dinner table," she admonished, her tone brooking no argument. "Finish first, then I'll make some tea. You can continue then."

The men exchanged a glance, a silent agreement passing between them. "As the lady says," the hunter conceded, returning to his meal with renewed vigor.

As promised, once the dishes were cleared, the huntress returned with a steaming pot of herbal tea. The fragrant steam curled through the air, carrying hints of chamomile and something more exotic that Asher couldn't quite place.

The hunter settled back in his chair, relighting his pipe. "The system is always connected to us," he began, his voice taking on a lecturing tone. "You must have seen it yourself. The status screen that tells us information about ourselves is one of the features of the creation system, along with the system quests that can give us materialistic rewards."

Asher leaned forward, hanging on every word. The hunter continued, describing the system's role as an overseer of the laws that structured their realms. But it was his next words that truly caught Asher's attention.

"The word on the streets is that there are more functions to the creation system," the hunter said, his voice dropping conspiratorially. "However, only the nobles have access to them."

Asher's mind raced, piecing together the implications. Carefully, he crafted his next words.

"Back in my world, we have this thing called video games," he began, watching the couple's reactions closely. "The way the system shows the status screen resembles that. I even got excited thinking it had a function of recording the growth of a person's physical stats. Sadly, there's no such thing as that."

The confusion that flashed across their faces confirmed Asher's suspicions. His situation was indeed unique – and potentially dangerous.

"Well, I'm not sure about these video games," the hunter replied, his brow furrowed. "But as I've told you, people from the myriad realms place their cards early on many planets. Such coincidences happen quite often."

Asher nodded, his mind whirling with possibilities and dangers. As he climbed the stairs to his small room that night, exhaustion warred with the restless energy of new discoveries.

The next six days blurred together in a haze of punishing exercise and incremental growth. Each day brought new challenges, new pains, and new triumphs. The system's prompts became a lifeline, a tangible measure of progress in a world that seemed designed to break him:

[ Physical limits surpassed Strength + 1 ]

[ Physical limits surpassed Dexterity + 1 ]

[ Physical limits surpassed Vitality +1 ]

[ Physical limits surpassed Pain resistance Increased, Mind +1, Endurance +1]

[ Physical limits surpassed Agility +1. ]

[ Physical limits surpassed Poison resistance increased, Endurance +1 Vitality +1 ]

But on the seventh morning, Asher's body finally rebelled. He awoke to the metallic taste of blood in his mouth, his limbs leaden and unresponsive. The simple act of breathing felt like dragging razors through his lungs.

A knock at the door barely penetrated the fog of pain enveloping him.

"You up, kid?" the hunter's voice called.

"Y-yes," Asher managed, the word barely more than a whisper.

The door creaked open, revealing the hunter's imposing silhouette. His face remained impassive as he took in Asher's condition as if he'd been expecting this very scene.

"Don't worry too much, kid," he said, his voice uncharacteristically gentle. "It's just the side effect of pushing your body beyond its limits continuously for a few days. Your muscles are all breaking down, so is the rest of your body."

Asher's mind reeled, struggling to process the hunter's words through the haze of pain.

"Normally, it's not possible," the hunter continued, his tone matter-of-fact. "However, the pill I've been giving you each day made it possible by numbing your pain and giving you the energy to utilize. The pill also had a poison inside that accelerated the body's internal breakdown. So don't worry."

Disbelief and a flicker of betrayal warred within Asher. "You poisoned me?" he croaked, his voice raw.

The hunter met his gaze unflinchingly. "Yes. We don't have time. This method accelerates your fundamental physical growth and spares us a lot of time for other stuff. This method is rather painful, yes. Yet it is what you want, no? Do you want results or comfort?"

Asher held the hunter's stare, a thousand thoughts racing through his mind. Part of him wanted to rage against the deception, the casual disregard for his autonomy. But another part – a part that was growing stronger with each passing day – understood the brutal calculus behind the hunter's actions.

In the end, there was only one answer he could give.

"Results," Asher said, his voice barely above a whisper but filled with iron determination.

A smile, small but genuine, broke across the hunter's stoic features. In that moment, Asher realized he'd passed a test he hadn't even known he was taking. The road ahead would be brutal, painful, and fraught with danger.

But he was ready to walk it, one agonizing step at a time.