I felt warmth. That was my initial sensation. The unbearable pain I had experienced before rebirth was now gone, replaced by a soft and fluffy feeling all over my body.
It seemed I had already been reborn, which was nice, but there was a problem... Why couldn't I open my eyes or speak?!
Had I gone blind? Or deaf?! And wait, not only that, why couldn't I feel any of my limbs?
Ohh no... Did something go wrong during the rebirthing process?! No, don't panic. I need to think logically!
First, I didn't die because I still had my consciousness. So, I was still somewhat alive.
Second, I couldn't feel various parts of my body, like my eyes, mouth, and limbs. This wasn't a good sign.
Did I end up in some kind of organ-harvesting facility? One that farms human body parts?! It seemed like the only logical explanation at this point.
...bruh that's not true, right? I was probably overthinking things.
Or maybe I was reincarnated, however, not in human form, but as some kind of beast or plant?
Hahaha... What if I'm just a leach or some sort of wild beast that doesn't use eyes or limbs?
Wait... Don't tell me I've somehow become a slime? HAHAHA, no, nope, that's impossible. I must be delusional, I guess.
What if I've turned into a sausage with its own consciousness? Wait... That doesn't sound so bad~
Hold up, stay focused! I need to think straight and remain calm; otherwise, I'll go insane before understanding my situation.
But somehow... I've suddenly gotten so slee—Sleepy...
I guess taking a short nap wouldn't hurt...
...No, wait, stop! I need to stay awake and figure out the situation first...
But I'm feeling so la—zy. I just don't want to think anymore; I just want to sleep.
Okay, fine, I'll sleep. But just for a little bit.
Just a little bit...
"?!!"
Suddenly, a poking sensation spread all over my body. Not just once or twice, but multiple poking sensations are occurring.
W-What the heck?! What's wrong with this poking feeling? It sends a chill down my spine every time it hits!
It feels like they're trying to enter inside my body, but no matter what they do, it seems they can't.
Or at least that's what I thought until a piercing sensation struck around my chest – the same feeling I got when I was shot by a gun.
Aghhh! Something entered inside of me! It's crawling... S-stop it! Noooo! An extreme pain that I couldn't explain suddenly erupted inside my body.
Due to the extreme pain, I lost consciousness.
Minutes later, I woke up again because of the intense engulfing my entire body. Ahhhh!!!
Arrghhhh!!! It feels like every bit of my body is being torn apart. Tiny fragments of my body rupture every second.
Infused, healed, and ruptured again – the cycle repeats. It's so intense that I've lost consciousness countless times.
It's like being chopped and glued repeatedly. I can't even compare this experience to being killed while saving my friend or the rebirthing ritual. Those were nothing but child's play!
And so after that, I collapsed again... Over and over.
This must be the longest and most hellish experience I've ever had, second only to the rebirthing ritual.
I had hoped that the unbearable pain would eventually go away, but it didn't. It continued, seemingly without end.
I fell into despair countless times, thinking that this torment would never cease.
While I'm in a desperate situation.
"?!!!"
Suddenly, memories surfaced – memories that I had previously considered useless.
Among them was a recollection from my high school days, when I accidentally stumbled upon a psychological article.
It was about how military soldiers managed to survive after enduring torture for a week straight – something along those lines.
...Wait, maybe I can apply the techniques they used in that psychological study to endure or cease this pain.
Because It's either I lost my sanity or to survive somehow; I have nothing to lose anyway.
That's what I thought Before I began to recollect my memories while recalling the content of the article I had read.
However, I'm not someone with a photographic memory; in fact, I have a very fucked up memory.
Thus, trying to remember the content of that article is like finding a single corrupted politician in a government.
It sounds like it was nonsensically impossible to do, but in reality, it was possible if you just faced it.
And so after hours or even days hardly thinking about it, while enduring not to become mentally insane.
I finally pieced it together! Bhwahahahah! Kekekekek!! Hl hooooo!!!!!
However... it seems likely I'm already half mentally broken and soon will become insane.
Anyway, I began to recall the content of the article through my thoughts only.
Howeveeeer!, there was a big problem because I was only able to remember a small portion of it.
Most likely due to my slow-ass memory, that I can't hardly remember my sister's birthday.
Fortunately, I managed to remember the most important details that I was searching for, and that's all I needed.
Fckk... I'm sooo realllly luckky
[SICO]
In any case, the psychological techniques are also referred to as 'Metsubushi no Kaji arts,' named after its creator, Metsubushi – a slave soldier who survived after enduring a week of torture.
That's what the title front title of the article, that's right! It was so fucking too loooonnnggg!
Like in those light novels that I read back in my high school days.
Anyway, as I finally recalled that memory, the only thing left for me to do was to try my best to remember what the article described.
[Page 1]
Number one: Keep calm no matter what and try to gain control over the pain you're experiencing.
Even though I knew it was nearly impossible for me in my current state, I refused to give up.
And so, I attempted to persuade myself that this technique might actually work.
So I fought through the pain and persevered, and to my surprise, it worked during my first attempt.
Hell yeah! My first try was a success! So, I continued to practice, pushing myself mentally and physically until I was utterly exhausted. The results amazed me.
I'm just kidding~ it's not that easy. While my first attempt worked, the second and third attempts didn't yield the same success.
It's like in a casino: you win the first try, adrenaline rushes in, and you instantly lose all your money.
Anyway, despite that, I kept trying through my limits while doubting if the article's content was genuine or just a hoax.
And to what felt like an eternity of trials and errors, I finally succeeded in learning the first technique.
Wooooo!! I'm doneee!!
Learning the first technique helps me to control a small amount of pain I receive at my will.
For instance, if a normal is stabbed with a knife, that person is more likely going to faint and die...
But that is not the case for me~ who learned the first technique, Cuz if someone were to stab me.
I will be completely fine, although I'm still gonna die because of the excessive bleeding.
Ehem! Instead of praising myself for that accomplishment, I emptied my mind to submerge my consciousness and, I began to remember the contents of the second technique to further enhance my pain control.
[Page 2]
Number two: If the first technique works, the next step is to shut down your brain and allow the pain to flow away.
...Wow, that sounds even more impossibly absurd.
Nevertheless, I diligently cleared my mind and allowed the excruciating pain to gradually flow through my body.
Despite the challenge, I remained determined not to give up. And as time passed by, I inadvertently achieved success.
Although that's not exactly what happened, it took me several attempts and numerous errors to achieve it.
Now, I finally learned techniques one and two, so I guess it's time to start working on the final stage.
Wow, that was easy... Well, it's time for the final one.
[Page 3]
Number three: If techniques one and two work, all you need to do now is combine them.
...Wait, But combining those two is like trying to kick a ball using only one foot.
Even so, I still didn't give up and ended up practicing that damnit technique; after all, I had no other choices.
At first, I attempted to combine them as the article suggested, but every time I tried, an intense pain would suddenly erupt within me.
Fuckkk!! Aghhhh again!!
Even after countless attempts, I couldn't make it work. This left me feeling hopeless and depressed.
I guess it's not as easy as techniques one and two fucccckkkkk.
But despite this, I refused to give in because I knew to myself that I had no other choice but just to do it.
However, because of my stubbornness, every time I failed, I found myself sinking deeper and deeper into despair.
Unbeknownst to me, each time I collapsed or suffered mental breakdowns, it forced me to develop a tolerance to pain, little by little...
Initially, I didn't notice it, as I was already consumed by my own despair. However, as time passed, the despair that had slowly engulfed me began to disappear, though not entirely.
Soon after, the pain that made me feel as if I were being torn apart over and over again no longer hurt as much as it used to.
Although the pain is no longer as unbearable as it once was, it still hurts like being repeatedly poked by a needle.
Now that I've regained my sanity, I realize how reckless I truly am. Why did I suddenly depend my entire life on just a psychological article I read? I don't even know if it works or not.
Arghh! I'm such an idiot! Luckily, the article itself worked!
...Wait, what if the article I tried to master turns out to be a fraud? Then I'll be really fucked up. I'm truly such an idiot.
But, what I- Wait, hold on, I really need to stop that damn 'what if.' After all, there's no need to blame myself.
What's done is already done, that's it. I handled it anyway. No more hellish experiences. Also, now that the pain is no longer a problem.
The only thing I need to do is understand my current situation and figure out what the heck is going on because I'm basically clueless right now.
I really don't want to experience that unbearable pain ever again. If that thing happened again, then I would have no choice but to take my own life just to end this suffering.
"?!!"
Wait Huh? It feels like something has changed. Although I can't see it, I can still feel it.
It seems that I'm now much bigger than ever before; I guess I didn't Reincarnate as a slime.
Becuz, If I were, then I wouldn't grow this bigger...
"??!"
...Wait, maybe this is the hint that I have been looking for! Why didn't I think of it before?
The unbearable pain that makes me feel like I'm being chopped and the sudden changes in my body... could I be undergoing some kind of evolution, perhaps mutating?
But... if that's really the case, then this horrible experience that keeps happening to me has been answered!
Aww... too bad I thought I was being reincarnated as a mystical sausage; I guess not.
Also, now that I know I didn't reincarnate into some sort of slaughterhouse but was only undergoing some kind of evolution.
I'm feeling relieved now. Bhwahahah.... kekekke.... now..
The only question I have now is: when is this going to end? Am I still going to experience that horrible situation?
Thinking it over again, suddenly, I sense a strange feeling creeping into my chest. As I notice it, I mentally and physically prepare myself for the worst.
Seconds later, it finally comes. A hot stream of warm liquid pumps all over my veins and now circulates all over my body.
Is it blood that is flowing? I don't know. All I think is that it didn't hurt as I expected.
It just gives me a warm, cozy feeling. Also, after that, it seems my body just wants to give in and fall asleep.
Maybe taking a little nap wouldn't be a bad idea since it's been a while since I had a good night's sleep.
So, I guess sleeping might not be a bad idea...
Okay, fine, I will sleep. Maybe when I wake up next time, all of this will end.