I don't know what went through my mind as I lunged toward the robber's gun. Maybe it was the fear I saw in my coworker's eyes.
'She doesn't want to die.'
I understood that sentiment. I didn't want to die either.
So what possessed me to charge at him and try to wrestle the gun out of his hand? Especially considering I'd never worked out a day in my life, and I was physically weaker than a teenager?
It went exactly how everyone would expect: I was shot in the stomach during the scuffle, and the robber bolted from the store in panic. My coworker knelt over me, tears streaming down her face as she pressed on the wound, trying desperately to stop the bleeding.
She fumbled for her phone, calling 911, but I knew I wouldn't make it. My body was already numb. The cold was spreading to my limbs, and my mind was starting to haze.
Of course, I knew I wasn't sleepy.
I didn't know what I looked like in that moment, but I tried to give her some comfort — some closure. I looked into her eyes, reached up with what little strength I had left, and squeezed her hand gently.
"You should really quit. You're too pretty to be working in a grocery store."
I couldn't hear anymore. I didn't even know if my words came out. But I hoped they did. I hoped they gave her something to hold onto. That she wouldn't carry the guilt. It wasn't her fault.
It was mine.
As my vision faded to black, one question echoed in my mind.
'Why did I try to play the hero...?'
And then, silence.
◇◆◇
"Hmm. You think he's dead?"
"Maybe. Surprised he didn't do it sooner. Wait — is today the 15th?"
"Yeah, why?"
"You lost the bet. You said he'd kill himself by the 14th."
"Wait a second! How do we know he didn't die yesterday? If it was on the 14th, I still win!"
"Nope. You said 'by the 14th.' That means 'before.' You still lost. Even if he wakes up. You owe me an elixir."
"Tsk. Useless."
Smack!
Artemis jolted awake from a sharp sting on his cheek, air suddenly flooding into his lungs. He shot up in a panic, gasping. Two identical-looking teens stumbled back at the motion and let out a startled yell.
"Ah!"
"He's not dead! You definitely lost!"
Artemis blinked as his eyes adjusted. His brain struggled to process the sight in front of him — he wasn't seeing double. They really were identical.
"Wha—Where am I?"
The twins gave him a look that screamed: 'Is this guy serious?'
"Get up," one of them said. "Captain Eric said you're starting blade training today."
"If you're late," the other added, "Captain Eric will be the least of your worries. We'll beat you ourselves."
With that, they turned to leave. One of them knocked over a stack of books on his way out, laughing to himself.
Artemis stayed quiet, not out of fear — but because he was confused.
He glanced around at the unfamiliar room, noting the stone walls, faded banners, and the strange, metallic scent in the air.
'Wasn't I just shot? Where the hell am I?'
◇◆◇
[Initializing system…]
[User detected: Artemis Blackbriar]
I stared at the floating screen for a while. I had an idea of what I was looking at — and maybe even a small inkling of what was going on.
But the reality of it all still confused me.
I stood up and caught sight of myself in a nearby mirror. That was the final nail in the coffin. An unrecognizable person stared back at me.
A teen, maybe sixteen. His features were the kind that would've made me jealous — smooth, blemish-free skin, a sharp jawline, emerald green eyes, and a youthful face that screamed nobility.
He was good-looking. No other way to put it.
I wandered around the room until I found something that looked like a closet. Inside were neatly folded clothes. I grabbed something comfortable and threw it on before heading out.
Disbelief still clung to me. Part of me hoped I'd just wake up and find myself back in that grocery store, bleeding out on the floor. But I didn't know what else to do right now. So I moved forward — if only to be productive.
I hadn't forgotten what the twins said earlier: something about training with a man named Captain Eric.
The hallway outside was a maze of stone corridors and wooden beams. I eventually flagged down someone in a suit — a servant, maybe — and asked them to take me to Captain Eric. They led me out the back of the mansion to a large open field.
That's when I got my first good look at the building I'd come from.
It was a mansion, no doubt. An old European-style estate that looked like it belonged in a textbook. Ornate, imposing, and timeless.
I stood there admiring it until a voice snapped me out of it.
"You're late!"
I turned to see an older man standing near a dirt running track. The twins from earlier were already doing laps behind him, jogging with ease.
The man's hair was streaked with gray, but the rest of him looked like a beast. Muscles bulged through his shirt — thick arms that looked like they could crush a skull, and a chest that could make a silverback gorilla second-guess itself.
His gaze was heavy. I fidgeted under it but forced myself to walk over without hesitation.
When I stopped in front of him, I expected to get chewed out. Instead, he just turned away.
"Start running. I'll tell you when you can stop."
I blinked.
'This old man... he looks scary, but he's not?'
I stretched briefly and started into a light jog. But my thoughts wouldn't leave me alone.
'This definitely isn't my body.'
The fact I could even run was surreal. Back in my old life, I had chronic lung issues. Conditioning my body was never an option. It just became something I stopped dreaming about.
So I savored the fresh air in my lungs. My body was greedy for it. Greedy... but weak.
The first signs of struggle came quickly. My breathing grew heavy. My chest tightened.
Then came the pain in my sides. A deep cramp along my ribs and lower back.
Still, I kept going.
My feet began to hurt — pinched and sore, like the shoes didn't fit. That pain traveled upward. My calves cramped, my thighs burned.
'I hope he says I can stop soon... this is getting... a little hard.'
I turned toward the old man.
He wasn't even watching me. His eyes were locked onto the twins instead. And his expression…
Indifference.
I felt like dust to him.
Maybe I could ask the twins how long this was supposed to last.
I looked ahead. They were still running effortlessly, sweat-free, expressions calm.
They were built for this.
When they came around and overlapped me again, I managed to gasp out, "H-Hey! How... how much longer? Will he... make us run?"
The reaction was instant.
Both twins stopped in sync and turned to stare at me with disgust.
"You fucking idiot! We told you not to be late!" one growled.
I flinched.
The other followed up. "He's going to make us run until we drop — because of you!"
Before I could reply, I felt something hit my legs — hard.
I tripped.
The ground rushed up to meet me, and I barely caught myself with my arms. Pain shot up my elbows.
'Did that asshole trip me?!'
I looked up, expecting them to be sneering, maybe laughing.
But they were already walking off.
No malice. No gloating.
Just… dismissal.
That stung more than the fall.
I got to my feet and looked toward the old man again. Still ignoring me. Watching the twins.
I gritted my teeth and started running again.
My legs ached. My lungs screamed. But something else was rising above the pain.
Anger.
Yes, I was angry.
I didn't like being treated like I didn't exist. I didn't know what kind of person the original Artemis Blackbriar was, but I hated how they saw me — like I was nothing.
So I kept running.
A stupid, stubborn voice inside me said that maybe, just maybe, if I ran hard enough, if I didn't give up, they'd see me. They'd acknowledge me.
◇◆◇
[Character Sheet unlocked.]
[Skill Tree unlocked.]
[Skill Acquired: Sprint – Level 1.]
"Endurance is born from struggle. Keep moving."
Surprised by the sudden appearance of the screen, I stopped where I was and looked at it while I caught my breath.
It looked like a game window. Even the contents of the screen were typical of a game, but I was confused by the situation. Because of that I stopped where I was before walking over to the old man.
His gaze drifted toward me naturally as I approached, but his expression didn't change. Instead, it felt heavier.
Still, I had to ask him.
"Captain Eric, sir, can you tell me what this is?"
I pointed to the screen that was still in front of me. However, he simply glanced where I was pointing and turned away. I waited for an answer, but none came. Thinking he might have forgotten what I asked, I tried again.
"Sir?"
"Sit down. I didn't think this was all it would take for you to become delirious from exhaustion, but I didn't have high expectations anyway."
I closed my half-open mouth after hearing his words.
'Ignoring his harsh criticism... it seems like he can't see it?'
I walked away from the old man and got back on the track. My legs still hurt, but the words of that old man echoed in my ear.
'...I didn't have high expectations anyway.'
I picked up my leg and pushed myself forward. I expected the action to be difficult, but to my surprise, it was actually easier than before. I thought it might just be placebo, but as I continued running, it became clear it wasn't.
The strain was still there, but there was a change.
'My running form is better. It almost feels like the difference between a child and an Olympic runner.'
I didn't have this knowledge before the screen appeared in my vision, so there was only one answer to where it could have come from.
I had some sort of system in this world — and others couldn't see it. I didn't rule out the possibility that others might have their own system windows, but I had the feeling that wasn't the case.
Either way, I could only graciously accept the help.
But I would have to survive this "training" first.