Auron didn't sleep.
The slave pit was cold, damp, and full of whispers. Some cried in the dark. Others coughed until they passed out. The weak didn't last long here.
But Auron was no longer weak in spirit.
His body hurt. His arms were sore from digging all day. But in his heart, something burned—something stronger than pain.
**The will to rise.**
> **\[Day 2 Progress: 17%]**
> **\[XP Gained: 9]**
> **\[Strength +1]**
> **\[Endurance +1]**
The system's voice echoed in his mind again. Cold, emotionless—but clear.
He had no sword, no army, no allies.
But he had a system.
And pain made him stronger.
---
"Get up, worm."
The same guard from before kicked Auron in the side. He grunted but didn't fall.
"You're working the lower tunnels today," the guard growled. "The cursed ones."
Auron didn't ask questions. He simply nodded and picked up his broken pickaxe.
As he walked, the other slaves stared.
No one volunteered for the lower tunnels. Rumor said monsters lived there. People who went down… rarely came back.
But Auron didn't fear darkness anymore.
He had *already* died once.
---
The lower tunnels were colder. The blue crystals on the walls were brighter here—and dangerous.
Auron felt it the moment he entered.
The air was heavier. The ground pulsed like a heartbeat.
He walked carefully, breathing slow, eyes sharp.
> **\[Warning: Mana Pressure Detected – Class D Threat Nearby]**
His grip tightened on the handle of the pickaxe.
Something was **alive** down here.
Then he heard it.
Scraping.
Claws on stone.
Auron turned—just in time to dodge.
A creature lunged from the shadows.
It was small—no bigger than a dog—but twisted, with black skin, glowing eyes, and jagged limbs like blades. A **mana wretch**, born from corrupted energy. Weak to trained warriors… but deadly to unarmed slaves.
Auron stumbled back, heart pounding.
The beast screeched and leapt again.
He rolled to the side, barely dodging.
> **\[Alert: Host in Combat – Survival Mode Activated]**
> **\[Pain-Based Growth Boost: x1.5 Active]**
The system gave no instructions. No tips.
Just cold facts.
If he wanted to live, he had to fight.
The wretch charged again, faster this time.
Auron waited.
At the last second—he swung.
The broken pickaxe smashed into the beast's head.
It howled and fell back, dazed.
Auron rushed in, screaming.
He slammed the pickaxe down again and again—rage pouring through every hit. He didn't stop until the creature stopped moving.
Blood, black and steaming, soaked the ground.
His chest rose and fell, breath shaky. His hands trembled.
But he was alive.
> **\[Enemy Defeated: Class D Mana Wretch]**
> **\[XP Gained: +32]**
> **\[Skill Unlocked: Survival Instinct (Passive)]**
> **\[Trait Gained: Fearless Under Fire]**
Auron dropped the pickaxe, breathing hard.
His first kill.
Not in war. Not in glory.
But in the dark, with nothing but a broken tool and a burning will.
---
Later that night, Auron sat in the corner of the slave pit, cleaning the wounds on his arms. One of the older boys, a thin, sharp-eyed teen named **Jace**, sat across from him.
"You went to the lower tunnels," Jace said. "And came back."
Auron nodded.
"You killed one, didn't you?"
He didn't answer.
Jace grinned. "That thing's blood is still on your boots."
"Why does it matter?" Auron asked quietly.
Jace leaned in. "Because no one here has killed one and survived. You're different."
Auron stared into the fire pit between them. Sparks danced in the air.
"Who are you really?" Jace asked. "You're not just a slave."
Auron said nothing for a long moment.
Then he looked up, his golden eyes sharp.
"I'm no one," he said. "Not yet."
---
> **\[Quest Progress: 2/7 Days Survived]**
> **\[New Quest Unlocked: Claim Your First Title]**
> **\[Optional – Begin shaping your legend]**
That night, Auron dreamed of fire.
Not of his death—but of his return.
A throne in shadows.
A crown of ash.
A sword made of pain.
---
The next day, something changed.
The guards noticed him.
He worked longer than the others.
He didn't complain.
He didn't break.
When one of the guards struck a sick boy too hard, Auron stepped between them.
He took the beating himself.
> **\[Pain Conversion Activated – +2 XP]**
The others started watching him differently.
Jace smirked. "You're going to get yourself killed."
"Maybe," Auron replied. "But not before I get stronger."
---
That night, the system spoke again.
> **\[Level Up – 1 ➤ 2]**
> **\[Stat Points Gained: +5]**
> **\[Choose Stat Distribution]**
A simple screen appeared in his mind:
* Strength: 4
* Endurance: 6
* Speed: 3
* Willpower: 10
* Luck: 2
* Mana: 1
He added 3 points to Strength, 2 to Endurance.
> **\[Stats Updated]**
> **\[New Trait Unlocked: Iron Nerves – Fear Resistance Increased]**
Auron opened his eyes.
He felt… steadier. Stronger.
The beginning of something deeper.
He wasn't just surviving anymore.
He was **growing**.
---
At dawn, as the slaves lined up for another day, a strange silence fell over the camp.
Then came the voice.
"Bring the one who killed the wretch," the guard captain growled. "The Warden wants to see him."
All eyes turned to Auron.
Jace muttered, "Told you."
Auron stepped forward without hesitation.
He didn't know who the Warden was.
But he was ready to face him.
**No more hiding.**
The boy who once knelt in chains was beginning to stand.