When Gail was sent to the labor camp, he was brought into the excavation area as a slave, shackled at his feet. The chains clinked with each step, a grim reminder of his captivity. After passing through several stages of inspection, Gail noticed something strange about the work environment.
He saw dozens of people digging. The government had sent illegal immigrants for forced labor. But what about those who had legally gained citizenship? Why was the government so intent on promoting the city to the outside world? This place resembled ancient ruins more than anything else.
Upon entering the protected area, Gail felt a strange sensation. He suddenly remembered the luminous man. A tingling sensation ran through his veins, a suspicion born from his bloodline. Gail suddenly fainted.
While Gail was unconscious and the world around him turned dark, he heard a voice and a screen appeared before him:
[Welcome to Echoes of Mana, Gil!]
[System Activation: complete]
[Current user: Gil]
[Quest: Survive the hard labor and touch the crystal]
[Reward: You can return to your most important past moment]
[Failure: Death]
[Title: Becoming a Wolf]
[Level: N/A]
[Mana: 0]
[Health: 10/10]
[Endurance: 1]
[Intelligence: 5]
[Strength: 1]
[Charisma: 3]
[Vitality: 2]
[Agility: 2]
[Luck: 7]
Hearing this voice and seeing the system screen, Gail felt rejuvenated. When he regained consciousness, the guard's whip lashed at his delicate body, tearing his thin winter clothing and leaving him feeling the warmth of his blood on his back. Gail was stunned by everything. It was as if he had entered a game, and the system had called him by the name his mother had chosen for him - Gil!
The guards immediately forced Gail to work. He picked up the digging tool and began to dig. While digging, he was lost in his thoughts and did not realize the amount of pain and fatigue. He was stunned and forgot the guard's whip on his back. Only sometimes the cold hit his wounds and reminded him of it. Gail didn't know what this damn system was and how he got into it. He tried many times to secretly communicate with the system, but he did not receive a response from the system.
Gail said to himself: "What is the system? Does that mean we are all inside a simulated life? Why did the creator of this system and this simulation, why the creator of this game put me in this misery? How low are my stats? How do I get mana? I will turn into a wolf?! What occupation is this? What bullshit is this!"
He didn't pay attention to the positive aspects of his stats, such as the charisma that made him connect with Tommy. He also ignored his statistics about luck. He yelled angrily at the system's unresponsiveness: "Answer me, damn it"
The guard once again received him with a whip. The whip used new technology and gave his body an electric shock. "Hey, asshole newbie. What are you doing? Keep digging," the guard yelled.
All of Gail's thoughts were shattered. This made him reawaken. Then he noticed what was happening around him. The labor was grueling. Many people collapsed under the strain. Monsters controlled by the guards devoured the bodies of the fallen workers. Gail knew that even if he died from the harsh labor, there would be no body or grave for him, as the monsters would consume his corpse. The grave was for those whose loved ones will remember them one day. Gail only had his father, who was now a traitor to him, and a friend named Kaz who lived on the other side of the world. Truly, a complete tragedy was unfolding beneath the beautiful layers of this city.
Tears streamed down Gail's cheeks as he contemplated this dark situation, yet a glimmer of hope flickered in his heart. He didn't know what the system was exactly, but he got the feeling from the environment that he had inadvertently entered a game of risk and reward. But he didn't lose faith and muttered to himself:
"I have to survive. I don't know what this damn system is and how it works. But maybe I have entered a game that can help me and be the only way to save me in this captivity. I don't know where the crystal is and how I should touch it, but the reward the system promises is worth it. I have no other way. Better to stay alive try to find the crystal and try my luck like this. I want to go back to the most important thing. A few days ago I could no longer communicate with the outside world. I didn't know my life's purpose then. Maybe I might run away from the city. But wait, why did the system call me by the name my mother chose?!"
Thinking about the reward that the system promised, Gail's desire to survive grew so intense that he viewed the world through the eyes of a wolf. The system had told him the truth about becoming a wolf! Hope and aspiration transformed the frail boy into a fierce beast. For weeks, he worked tirelessly, enduring the guards' harassment. He tried to stay alive, clinging to the hope of the promised reward and searching for the crystal. Every day, mana stones were unearthed and sent to the city's elite and rulers. Using these stones granted special powers, but those who did not use mana for a while would die. The less powerful stones were given to immigrants with specific genetic traits. The government was gathering elite individuals and giving them mana in a controlled city.
Months passed, and something special happened at the excavation site. An object had been found that excited everyone. And of course, it created a sense of fear. An object that was different from mana stones. After this strange and brilliant stone was discovered, no one dared to touch it. Then a meeting was held between the officials of the forced labor camp.
Mining boss: "We have made a big discovery today. A different stone from what we have discovered before. It is different from the previous strange stones. But this stone is also scary because we are not aware of its powers and potential dangers. We have already experienced that the discovery of high-powered stones has caused the death of several people. what do you think?"
Mine Deputy: "In my opinion, we should carry this new and bright stone by hand because the use of technology may damage it. But who should we choose to carry it? This can have irreparable consequences for a person."
Mining boss: "Our forces will not do this. We can use captives. In your opinion, which one is more serious?"
Mine Deputy: "A few months ago, someone named Gail was transferred here. The judge ordered him to do the hardest work in the mine. It has been the same until now. When I was present at the court session, the judge asked me to somehow kill him with a lot of work. He has information that may be dangerous to society. But now we can interpret his ruling as saying that he must carry this particular stone."
Mining boss: "It's an interesting plan. I agree with you and the judge. It's just better to do it in the middle of the night so no one knows about it."
The passage of time had caused Gail's beard and hair to grow long, and he looked like a homeless person—dirty, contaminated, and sad, yet still hopeful.
One night, a guard's voice woke Gail from his sleep:
Guard: "The person condemned to the hardest labor in the mine must be sent to the lower excavation section immediately."
A Guard took Gail to the deepest part of the excavation in the ancient ruins. Gail was upset and sad about the execution of the sentence, but he was surprised when he got there. A strange and shining stone had been discovered that caught his eye. It was like nothing he had seen before.
Gail thought to himself, "Oh, Bright blue. It looks ancient and magical. That's why they didn't use technology for the excavation. Technology could harm it."
The officer said to Gail, "You are condemned to the hardest labor in the mine. Now you're here to execute the decree. This stone has just been discovered, and we don't know its power. It might be harmful. You must be the first to touch and transfer it."
Gail had no fear of touching the mysterious object. Even death was better than his current situation, but he was motivated like a wounded wolf. According to the system, touching the crystal came with a reward! It is possible that this magical object is the same crystal that the system said. So, he willingly moved it. When he touched the magical stone, he felt a twinge of doubt within himself, but this time he did not faint. As he touched the bright object, the system appeared again.
[Quest completed! The crystal was touched]
[Mana points earned: 0.5]
[You can return to your most important past moment]
[Title: Wolf]
[Level: N/A]
[Mana: 0.5]
[Health: 9/10]
[Endurance: 1]
[Intelligence: 5]
[Strength: 1+1]
[Charisma: 3]
[Vitality: 2+7]
[Agility: 2+1]
[Luck: 7]
A smile of satisfaction spread across Gail's lips. Months of relentless labor had finally paid off. He no longer felt the pain in his legs. The blisters on his hands seemed to have healed, and his scars no longer burned. At that moment, Gail was the most hopeful person on Earth. After transferring the crystal, Gail returned to his room in the sanatorium and said quietly, "Hey, system, I want to claim my reward. It's time to return to my most important past moment."
Suddenly, the system activated. In his dreams, Gail passed through a time tunnel, and when he opened his eyes, he found himself on the slope of a hill! When Gail saw himself on the slope of a sandy hill, a wave of sorrow and sadness overcame him again. His joy lasted only a few minutes.
System activated:
[You are now thousands of years in the past lone wolf!]
Gail shouted: "What the fuck?!"