The decision was made, and the emptiness I felt inside seemed almost welcoming.
With the battlefield now silent, I looked around to ensure there were no hidden prisoners I had yet to kill.
The floor was littered entirely with lifeless bodies, where the acrid smell of blood mixed with sweat permeated the air.
Despite the desolation and horror surrounding me, I felt strangely calm and determined.
There were no more moans or movements; I was completely alone, with only the corpses as witnesses to the massacre I had just committed.
So, I stopped for a moment, closing my eyes and focusing on the new energy within me.
I could feel it pulsing, like a hidden heart deep within my soul.
Each beat was a reminder of the power I had absorbed, a sign that I was truly changing.
Now I had enough life force to create my perfect vital core. It was time to proceed.
I sat down cross-legged, closing my eyes and concentrating on the sensation of the collected vitality.
I visualized it as a bright, pulsating light within me, a light that I had to shape into a perfect core.
I breathed deeply, trying to calm my mind and focus all my attention on that bright spot.
The process required total concentration and precise control of my energy.
Slowly, I began to channel all the collected life force, feeling the warmth grow in my chest.
It was an intense sensation, a mix of burning and tingling that spread through my body.
As the heat grew, my breathing became more labored, almost panting.
Every heartbeat seemed like a hammer blow, echoing in my ears.
Pain began to make itself felt, as if my chest was about to explode.
Clenching my teeth, I continued to concentrate my energy, molding it into an increasingly compact core.
I visualized the energy taking shape, as if I were forging a luminous sphere with my will, compressing it more and more.
The pain became almost unbearable, a fire burning within me, pushing me to the limits of my endurance.
Every fiber of my body seemed to be stretched to the maximum, ready to break under the pressure.
But I knew I had to resist.
I had to overcome this obstacle to become stronger, to fully embrace my new existence.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, I felt an internal click, a signal that the vital core was complete.
It was as if a complex mechanism had aligned perfectly, finding its right configuration.
I opened my eyes, breathing heavily.
The pain was still there, but it was accompanied by a newfound sense of power.
I felt invigorated, as if every cell in my body had been renewed and enhanced.
I looked at my hands, now trembling, and felt an involuntary laugh escape me.
I had succeeded.
I had created a perfect vital core. I stood up, feeling the new strength that pervaded me.
I stood up, feeling the new strength that pervaded me.
Every movement was fluid and powerful, every thought clear and determined.
It was as if I had been reborn, transformed by that painful but necessary process.
I looked at the battlefield around me, the lifeless bodies, and the blood-soaked earth.
That scene of desolation had now become a symbol of my change.
With a firm step, I walked away, ready to explore the boundaries of my new capabilities.
With a firm step, I walked away from the battlefield, ready to explore the boundaries of my new capabilities. Every step seemed more confident, every breath deeper. The creation of my perfect vital core had transformed me, making me stronger and more determined than ever.
However, I did not know that I was not truly alone.
Hidden in the shadow, the nanny observed my every move.
Her presence was subtle, almost imperceptible, but her experience and skill allowed her to remain unnoticed.
Her gaze was fixed on me, watching with interest and surprise the process I had just completed.
"I didn't think it was possible," she murmured to herself, with a mix of admiration and concern.
"He really created a perfect vital core in such a short time."
The nanny was a veteran of battles and had seen many things, but what she had just witnessed was too fast, even for someone who had undergone the purification process.
She knew well how difficult it was to create a vital core, a process that required not only life energy but also considerable control and concentration skills.
"Moreover... he has changed," she reflected, continuing to watch as I walked away.
"It seems that bringing him here in the end was an excellent decision. It's better if he gets used to killing someone right away."
As the nanny thought this, I walked away from the battlefield, unaware of her prying eyes following me.
had become a part of what I was destined to become.
But the journey was not over, and I still had to continue to survive for another six days
With every step I took, the feeling of power inside me grew, but so did the fatigue.
I had reached a new level of strength, which made every muscle in my body tired and every fiber seemed on the verge of giving way.
I realized that, despite the newly acquired power, I needed rest.
I stopped and looked at the battlefield once more.
The corpses, the scattered weapons, the fragments of armor—all spoke of a violence now past, but the scars of that fight were still fresh within me.
I decided it was time to change strategy.
With a weary mind and aching body, I looked for a place where I could rest and reflect on my next step.
The rubble around me offered some possibilities.
I saw a small recess among the ruins, a space I could use as a temporary refuge.
I approached and began to move some debris, creating a kind of shelter. It wasn't much, but at least it would protect me from the wind and nocturnal predators.
I gathered some wooden planks and torn pieces of cloth to create an improvised bed.
Every movement was a reminder of my tiredness, but I knew I had to continue.
Finally, after creating a rudimentary shelter, I sat down on the hard ground. My breathing was still labored, but the pain had reduced to a dull murmur within me. I closed my eyes and let the tiredness envelop me.
"I must rest," I thought, "I must regain strength for what is to come."
I needed time to reflect, to fully understand the extent of my change.
As the night advanced, I closed my eyes and let myself go to sleep.
The last images that passed through my mind were those of the bodies on the battlefield, the symbol of my change, where I had killed someone for the first time.
But now, in that moment of quiet, I felt ready to face whatever awaited me in the coming days.
My transformation was just beginning, and rest would give me the strength to continue.
With this thought, I fell asleep, ready to explore the limits of my new abilities the next day and continue descending within the various levels of the prison