A soft rhythmic snore murmured inside the prison-like room. Selena felt her back press against the cold stone wall, realizing she had been unconsciously moving back since the delinquent closed his eyes. She knew the zone was not a combat one as the small Golden shield that had appeared in the last room was here as well. On further inspection of the symbol, text that was strangely similar to a software script explained that she couldn't be killed while under the effects of the buff. Even after rereading it, the screen only gave her a bit of relief. She wasn't one to blindly believe in a force she didn't understand. Who knew if it found sexual assault or beatings as combat.

The girl's eyes drifted over to the door pondering the meaning of all this, not just the door itself but the entire tutorial. It was as if it was testing humanity, but for what. A long tiring sigh released from her rosy lips as the calculating facade dropped from her eyes, and she let herself feel for the first time since waking up in this God-forsaken place.

Since arriving within the tutorial, she suppressed her emotions and feelings, only showing what needed to be supplied to reach her goals. Still, unlike the delinquent across the room, she had no Ability to do so with, only an iron will and grit trained at the end of a bloody stick. It was one of the many talents she had picked up working for her family. The ability to control one's emotional state was one of her clan's first teachings to the young. 'How to govern oneself' as her grandfather, no, her master had put it.

It was one of many things Selena's clan had taught her. All of their teachings had come into use within this so-called 'tutorial.' Talent and training can only take someone so far, though, and Selena doubted she would have found the answer to the last phase if it hadn't been for the snoring jackass in the corner. 'Just how could someone be so calm in a situation like this? What kind of life would prepare someone for this?' It was a question she knew the answer to all too well. After all, She was sure quite a few people wondered the same about her in the last phase.

Selena knew the delinquent in the corner hadn't been lying to her when he had divulged his secret. At least he hadn't shown signs of lying. Her newly acquired power confirmed that as she looked over towards the unassuming boy. He was no older than her, with a mess of black hair that hadn't been combed for who knows how long. A loose baggy white t-shirt sat on a thin body. He looked as if he hadn't had a proper meal in a long time, yet the few movements she witnessed were precise and confident. He walked as if a predator among sheep. Cargo pants held up by a cloth belt and battered flat shoes finished the ensemble in a way that screamed dredge. It was in stark contrast to her tailor-made outfit with movement and mobility in mind. Although the dried blood and tares made them both look disheveled, she supposed.

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Selena looked past all of this, past the clothes and the skin, peering at deep red veins that pumped through the man's body as he slept. She studied his vitals once again, watching the pace of his heart. The boy was either a world-renowned liar, or he was telling the truth. The Abilities of this place were astounding, and even after using it as often as she could, Selena still couldn't believe her eyes. She could clearly see arterial veins, important muscles, and veins and intuitively knew what would happen if she attacked one. The abilities description even said it would show weakness in armor or protection. She had picked up this particular skill after the first tutorial. An animal Selena had never seen before lived after taking an arrow to where the girl had assumed a heart would be, only for it to bash her into a tree with enough force to break a leg ending her fight early. She had to admit it was a tool potent for her proposed profession. After all, what assassin wouldn't want a layout on the vitals of their targets?

It wasn't perfect, as it took the knowledge of the creature's anatomy held by the wielder into account when creating the guidelines, but even so, Selena found the cost well worth it. And it had many uses other than carnage, like now as she watched the man's pulse for any indication of change, but in the end, nothing came.

How did he know that she essentially came from a family of assassins, and more importantly, would she be able to kill him if he became a problem? He spoke of the future as if some psychic, and she supposed, given the magical effect of her own ability, it wasn't a complete stretch to believe he could see the future. Either way, the man-made her uneasy. She had pretty good confidence in fighting him, and yet something in the far reaches of her mind screamed out in panic whenever she looked at him. As if she was nothing more than a plaything, a pawn in his grand game of chess.

Selena figured life as she had known it was over. If the earth hadn't been destroyed, it would change drastically when people returned with magical powers and a screen that told them exactly how powerful they were. Countries would be destroyed, and power would become law. Her clan would be in a much better place than most of the world if they returned as they specialized in combat. Her eyes traced the man's vitals, and a steely venom filled her eyes as she made up her mind. She'd simply grow an arrow between his eyes if he became a problem. It was more important to pass and become strong than to keep a secret she wasn't even sure she'd go through with.

"If you could at least reduce your killing intent enough to allow me to sleep, I'd appreciate it."