Day 6

Astra lay on the cold metal floor of his cell, his eyes fixed on the flap door. He woke up early today with a plan to observe the guard’s routine and perhaps catch a glimpse of his fellow prisoners. Over the past few days, he had tried in vain to communicate with the others, but his calls went unanswered. He hoped that by watching the guard distribute food, he might understand why.

The sound of footsteps echoed through the corridor. The guard came into view, resembling the aliens he had seen in the lab. Through the translucent helmet, Astra noticed a large scar running down the guard's face. This one carried a long metal stick, and Astra wondered why. As the guard approached the first cell, Astra watched intently.

An alien prisoner inside the cell moved too close to the flap door. Without hesitation, the guard poked the alien with the stick, forcing it to retreat.

Not a human

As the guard distributed food, Astra watched him move from cell to cell. Each time the guard opened a flap door, Astra caught a glimpse of the prisoners inside. One by one, it became clear that none of them were human. Disappointment settled heavily on Astra, but he quickly brushed it off. The creatures in the other cells, each one uniquely alien, felt just as unfamiliar to him as the guards.

Astra also noticed a symbol above the alien's cell door that he had not observed previously, indicating that each cell had a different symbol above it.

Are these symbols names? Astra wondered, his eyes narrowing as he tried to memorize the pattern above the cells.

When the guard reached his cell, Astra quickly moved back, ensuring he stayed out of the stick’s reach. The flap door, designed to open both ways for feeding and observation, clanked open with a harsh metallic sound, and the usual piece of meat was thrown in. Astra waited until the guard left before retrieving his meal.

He chewed the distasteful meat slowly, his mind racing with questions and the bitter taste of disappointment.

There’s got to be a reason we’re all stuck here. I need to figure out what it is.

After eating, Astra marked another day on the wall with the bone. He then began his workout, pushing his body to the limit with each exercise. Despite the setbacks, his determination remained unshaken.

[You have leveled up! 3 > 4]

⊶☽☬☾⊷

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Day 10

Ten days had passed since Astra's capture, and while he had grown stronger, the meat was no less repulsive. His body, now accustomed to the routine, ached less with each passing day. As he lay on the floor, he noticed something different—a pair of guards escorting a new prisoner down the corridor.

Astra peered through the flap door, observing the newcomer. The alien had numerous eyes, scattered across his face. It had three long and thin fingers on each hand. As the guards locked it in one of the empty cells, Astra noted that now there were eight occupied cells and two empty cells.

More prisoners…

Later, during his daily workout, a foul smell interrupted his routine. Astra’s nose wrinkled in disgust as he investigated the source. He got up, instigated by the smell, and cautiously opened the flap door. The stench of decay was unmistakable—it was the smell of death. He realized it was coming from one of the cells.

“One of them must have died. When will the guards get rid of it?” he muttered irritably, feeling no remorse. He didn't care about the alien prisoners, who weren't even human. All he felt was annoyance at the disgusting smell that lingered after they died.

Despite the odor, Astra continued his daily workout, the smell fueling his determination to escape.

[You have leveled up! 4 > 5]

Day 20

Twenty days into his captivity, Astra had grown used to the routine. The food they brought him, if it could be called that, tasted worse every day. The foul, stringy meat seemed to wriggle on his tongue, and he gagged, forcing it down. Each day, he exercised, listened at the door, and kept track of time by marking the wall.

Today, as he sat on the floor eating his meal, he opened the flap door and glanced at the cell where the corpse had been. The guards had removed it the day after the prisoner’s death.

It’s the same old routine every time. Someone dies, the guards haul the body out the next day, and then they shuffle in another poor soul. But honestly, most of them don’t last, and they never let anyone out.

I’ll be here waiting for the day they finally set us free. I don't know how long it will take, but I'll wait no matter what. I won't become just another body to be discarded.

As if in response to his thoughts, an interface suddenly appeared before him:

Daily Quest: [Fitting in Fitness]

- Push-ups: 0/1000

- Squats: 0/1000

- Sit-ups: 0/1000

- Lunges: 0/1000

- Planks: 0/60 minutes

Reward: [229 EXP]

Astra then started doing his daily quest without hesitation. As he completed his workout, his muscles burning with effort, he heard the distant murmur of the guards. He couldn't understand their language yet, but the progress bar on his VoiceSynth Mastery skill continued to inch forward.

VoiceSynth MasMastery: [???? language]

█░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 2.5%

[97.5% left until completed]

Astra finished his exercises and marked another day on the wall. He then called the status, and an interface appeared before him.

[System Status]

Name: Astra Vieux

Race: Advanced Human

Level: 7

Experience: 342 / 1400

Tsk, 20 days and my progress is still below average. This place is too limited for me to really improve. Back on Earth, by this point, most teenagers would’ve already hit level 10.

𓆩✧𓆪