The place I found myself in was not the realm I had imagined – one where I could soar through the skies, shatter mountains, or conjure storms through cultivation.
Instead, I awoke in a small, dim prison cell, illuminated by a single, faint lamp. The room contained only a bed and a table. The lamp's light barely pierced the gloom, casting fuzzy shadows within the confines of the room, yet offering no glimpse of the outside. Soon after my arrival, two mysterious figures, cloaked in black like samurais, materialized outside my cell. They cryptically stated that a power I had to discover lay within me, and that I was granted one wish for a skill and one for a weapon, though the desired power would be limited.
While I called them "people," I couldn't discern their faces. Their forms were similar to ours, which was my only reason for classifying them as human. Judging by their demeanor, I sensed they wouldn't linger if I didn't respond swiftly. Even stranger, not only were their faces obscured, but I couldn't see their feet either – only swirling black mist. Their voices were indistinct, yet for some inexplicable reason, I understood them perfectly.
At that moment, panic seized me, leaving me speechless and worried if they would even comprehend my words. However, a thought flashed through my mind, drawn from the stories and movies I'd consumed as a child: heroes, before gaining immense power, achieved their goals through sheer mental fortitude. So, I spoke:
"What I desire is an unstoppable, infinite mental fortitude."
A peculiar sensation washed over me as I spoke; my fear seemed to subside slightly. With newfound clarity, I could finally process the unfolding events. For a weapon, my lifelong fascination with swords took over. Though I'd only ever handled a butcher's knife and a cleaver at home, I adored sword-wielding characters in stories and films. So, I simply uttered, "A sword." That's when the horrifying realization of my mistake hit me. Instantly, a small dagger, barely a cubit long, appeared in their hands. Its craftsmanship was exquisite, but I had envisioned a cool, sweeping blade! They tossed the dagger before me and vanished into the darkness, never once looking back. I screamed after them,
"Can I exchange the weapon?" But there was no response, as if I were truly alone.
Time blurred, day indistinguishable from night. I had no idea where I was, yet I tried prying the prison bars with the dagger. My efforts were futile; I realized there was nothing I could do. Calming down, I started to think. They gave me a dagger, a random ability, and an unstoppable mental fortitude. They wouldn't have given me these to sell goods. Would they send me to war? Or perhaps train me into a deadly assassin?
Lost in thought, one of the two figures from earlier returned and contemptuously tossed a bowl of rice porridge onto the floor, as if feeding a dog, before leaving again. I was just grateful it didn't spill. What choice did I have? With nothing else I could do, I forced myself to eat it all, needing the strength to face whatever was coming. I didn't know what would happen next, what my random ability was, or how to harness my new "skill." So, I flipped the table on its side and began practicing endlessly, throwing the dagger. I never imagined I'd spend so much time throwing a dagger. I didn't just throw the dagger, though; I also tried cutting my own hand, not too deeply, hoping for a healing skill. I punched the walls too. All I got was a lot of blood. I even jumped in the air and ran around the room. I didn't even bother to pick up the beds. It was all maddeningly normal. As I ran around the room, I spotted a dirty book, covered in dust and sand, tucked away in a corner.
My heart soared. Was this Dragon Subduing Palms (18 Forms)? A powerful cultivation manual? A secret martial arts scripture? I was ecstatic. The dim room seemed to brighten. Hurriedly, I brushed off the dust and examined the cover, only to find two words I didn't understand. Flipping through the pages, I found nothing but more unintelligible text. There were drawings, though: human figures, some meditating, some standing, some kicking, some punching – all sorts. It was maddening; I understood none of it. So, I returned to practicing dagger throws. After a while, my eyelids grew heavy, and I fell into a deep sleep right there, without even making it to the bed.
I don't know if it was the next day or what, but I was startled awake by the sound of a door opening. A fleeting thought of being released crossed my mind, but I always prepared for the worst. It seemed to be the two people from last night. Without a word, they grabbed my hair and dragged me away; I floated along effortlessly. Fortunately, I managed to clutch my dagger. The first thought that came to mind was whether I should stab that bastard in the waist with my dagger. But then I reconsidered, realizing that such an action wouldn't lead to anything good. Also, despite being thin, they were strong enough to lift my 110-pound frame with one hand. They had given me food, a weapon, and abilities – they probably weren't taking me to kill me. So, I decided to assess the situation first.
After a moment, I was thrown into a sealed hall. The room wasn't massive, but it was larger than a futsal court. The opening through which I was thrown sealed itself shut, leaving no trace of an entrance. I was alone again. I surveyed the room, which resembled a gladiator arena from a movie. A shiver ran down my spine. The room was well-lit, allowing me to see everything clearly, yet I couldn't discern the source of the light. Were the bricks glowing? I saw no lamps, just four sealed walls. I glanced down; bloodstains on the brick floor hadn't even dried. This is insane. My fears are coming true. Something is about to happen. Will it be another person? Or a creature? My blood ran cold. Soon, from an opening on the opposite side, another person was thrown in. He held a spear. As soon as he appeared, a booming voice echoed in my mind:
"Kill or be killed."
I was on the verge of collapsing. This is it, this is it. The cruel truth, which I had repeatedly lied to myself about, was now right before me. How foolish I had been! Instead of this dagger, I could have asked for a spear, or an arrow, or even a gun. Instead of the random skill, I could have asked for teleportation or invisibility, but I asked for an impractical mental fortitude. I was so useless!
"Shit, shit, shit!"
"Mom... Little sister...
I don't think your son will be coming back."
Suddenly, a clanking sound brought my focus back.
"This is my chance."
The guy on the other side was even more terrified than me. I knew nothing about him, and I didn't want to. But he was clearly scared. He even dropped his spear.
"I don't want to die! That's right, I don't want to die! If I die, I can't do anything!"
"Mom, your dependable son hasn't repaid you for anything yet."
"I still have to fulfill my duties to my little sister. Even though she's smarter than me, there are still things I need to guide her on."
Driven by these thoughts, I charged towards him before he could retrieve his spear. I felt a noticeable increase in my speed. But this proved to be an unexpected mistake. Seeing me charge, the other guy picked up his spear and, in a fit of panic, hurled it at me.
Whoosh...
How do I dodge this? If I can dodge this spear, I win this fight. Yes! But if I dodge, I'll lose my balance, and I don't know what other skills he has. What I do know is that he's currently panicked. I have to seize this opportunity. With that thought, I kept running and simply shifted my body slightly to the side. Luckily, the spear only grazed my stomach. A mere graze couldn't stop me. I closed the distance, aimed for where his heart would be, and plunged the dagger in.
He looked at me with pleading eyes, and all he received from me was a hesitant gaze.
"Don't kill me. I have a lovely daughter. She only has me. Please don't."
"I'm sorry. I don't want to do this either. I'm truly sorry," I whispered.
"My daughter... Daddy will be back in time for your birthday, okay? I'll buy you the teddy bear you want..."
I couldn't bear to listen anymore. I shut my eyes and plunged the dagger in with all my might.
"I have to do this."
Bang!
At that moment, the man below, in a desperate frenzy, shoved me with such force that I flew backward as if hit by a train. I don't know if that was his acquired skill or a random one; I'll have to consider it later. But he didn't push me that hard. Why did I fly so far? I flew about thirty meters before hitting a wall, which finally stopped my momentum. My spine is gone. The last thing I saw before losing consciousness was the unfortunate father, convulsing on the floor.
"Ugh... I killed him, so I should be alive. But will I be this lucky next time?"