A deep, twisting pain coiled in Rei's veins felt like they were boiling, the fire inside him creeping up his chest, wrapping around his lungs like a vice.
His breath hitched. His fingers twitched. His vision blurred.
Then—
"AAAHHHH!!"
A sharp, searing agony ripped through his body. He buckled, back arching as his limbs spasmed uncontrollably. The wooden planks of the boat creaked beneath him as his muscles jerked against his will.
His head slammed against the floor. His throat burned from the raw scream that tore from his lips.
It felt like his body was being torn apart from the inside.
Like something inside him was rotting, dissolving into pure suffering.
Through the haze of pain, a blue glow flickered in his vision.
> [WARNING: Your body is succumbing to poison.]
[Remaining Revives: 3]
His chest tightened.
"No… I can't… I can't lose another one…!"
His fingers curled into fists, nails digging into his palms. He wanted to fight it—to endure—but the pain only grew sharper, deeper, more unbearable.
His skin burned.
His bones ached.
His breath came in short, shallow gasps, as if his lungs had forgotten how to work.
His mind started slipping.
His thoughts tangled together, fading in and out like whispers in a storm.
"Am I dying?"
"Am I really going to die like this?"
But then—
A soft ding echoed in his ears.
> [Skill Activation: Determination]
[Effect: Pain Reduction (50%)]
And suddenly—
The unbearable torture dulled.
The fire still raged inside him, but it was no longer all-consuming. His vision cleared slightly, his breath coming in steadier gasps. The pain was still there—twisting, writhing—but it was manageable.
Rei gasped, eyes widening.
"This… this skill saved me…!"
His limbs still trembled, his muscles locked in agony, but he refused to give in.
One second.
Another.
He clenched his fists, grounding himself against the overwhelming pain.
"I have to hold on… I have to survive…!"
His heartbeat pounded in his ears, loud, relentless.
The agony didn't fade instantly.
It dragged on—second by second—like a never-ending nightmare.
But eventually…
The fire inside him died down.
The pain receded.
And all at once, he felt… empty.
His limbs went slack. His chest rose and fell in slow, ragged breaths. He was drenched in sweat, his skin cold, his body completely drained.
He lay there, eyes staring blankly at the sky. His mind still felt distant, like it hadn't fully returned to him yet.
Then—
> [System Notification]
[You have survived near death and resisted poison.]
[Congratulations! You have acquired a new passive skill: Poison Resistance.]
[Effect: Any poison will now have no effect on you.]
Rei stared at the message, barely able to process the words.
He blinked.
Then—
A quiet, breathless laugh escaped his lips.
"No poison will ever affect me again…?"
He didn't know if he should feel relieved or bitter.
All that suffering… and somehow, it left him with something.
A skill. A permanent resistance.
He let out a shaky exhale, his body still aching.
"That… might actually be useful."
His exhaustion pressed down on him like a heavy weight.
His eyelids drooped. His breath slowed.
"I don't care anymore… I just need to sleep."
And for the first time in what felt like forever—
He let himself rest.